Spotting and Avoiding Scams for Hispanic and other Communities
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a government agency that protects people from frauds and scams. Unfortunately, scammer often target communities that they feel are vulnerable. That may be senior citizens, immigrants or members of ethnic communities. The FTC partnered with Ethnic Media Services (EMS) and hosted an event in Cleveland Ohio on September 24, 2024 dealing with Spotting and Avoiding Scams - especially for the ethnic communities.
Experts from several agencies were joined by ethnic community leaders and members of ethnic media outlets for a robust and informative session.
Speakers from the FTC, Legal Aid and Cuyahoga County at the Scam event
The Hispanic Roundtable hosted their 2024 community convention on Saturday September 21,2024. It featured a Naturalization Ceremony, workshops for immigration, financial and medical advice, student contests, health screenings, a resource fair and more. The keynote presentation was a conversation between HRT co-founder José C. Feliciano and EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner Rita Moreno.
Ambassador Maria Bozoklian (far left) at the Convencion
Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center in Cleveland Ohio was founded in 1989 as a family oriented center to serve the Latino youth and their families through programs and activities designed to foster cultural pride and art appreciation. On Saturday September 14, 2024 they celebrated their 10th annual Celebrando which is dedicated to honoring the rich cultural heritage of the Hispanic and Latino communities in Cleveland. It's a vibrant and engaging occasion filled with music, dance, and traditional cuisine, as well as educational and artistic presentations.
Doors to My Barrio at Julia de Burgos features old doors as canvases for artists to paint about the land of their heritage including Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Panama, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru, Guatemala, Cuba, Venezuela and more.
Cleveland was the proud host of the 2024 Pan-American Masters Games from July 12-21, 2024. A major event of the International Masters Games Association, the Games offer an opportunity to showcase competitive spirit and athletic ability of masters athletes on a global stage. Thousands of athletes from 6 continents (sorry Antarctica), 48 states and more than 70 countries, including Argentina, came to Cleveland in a celebration of health, vitality, friendship and an active lifestyle at any age.
Argentina flag at Pan Am Masters Games 2024 Welcoming Ceremony
During and event at Slovenian Days 2023, there was a music performance by Slovenian Octet, visiting from Mendoza, Argentina. The Slovenian Mendoza Octet (Slovenski Mendoski Oktet) from Argentina is the realization of a beautiful dream of eight friends. For more than seventy years it has been continuously bringing together three generations of singers. The performers were Ernest Bajda, David Bajda, Andrej Šmon, Tone Štirn, Vladimir Triep, Matjaž Grintal, Pavel Šmon, Tine Šmon, Diego Bosquet.
Slovenian Mendoza Octet (Slovenski Mendoski Oktet) from Argentina
Enjoy this video of these songs related to wine such as Volver, Bratei veseli vsi and Vincek oj vincek moj.
Next, the Slovenian Octet performed the folk medley Ti puebec ja kna lumpej and Cancionera.
The grand finale was their rendition of Red Red Wine.
Argentina's Independence Day
Ambassador Maria Paula Bozoklian reports:
Cerca de 60 personas nos juntamos hoy en North Chagrin Reservation para celebrar el 9 de Julio junto con los Argentinos en Cleveland. Comimos un montón de cosas ricas, conocimos gente nueva, cantamos el Himno, Aurora y Muchachos... Pero sobretodo la pasamos todos genial. Viva la Patria!
About 60 people gathered today at the North Chagrin Reservation to celebrate Argentina's Independence Day, our July 9,. All together with the Argentines in Cleveland. We ate a lot of delicious food, we met new people, we sang the Anthem, the flag song and "Muchachos"... But above all, we all had a great time. "Viva la Patria!"
2022
Felicidades Argentina - World Cup Champions
Argentina won the World Cup after a thrilling championship game against France that went into extra time and became the third World Cup final to be decided by a penalty-kick shootout.
The win marks Argentina's third-ever World Cup victory and first since 1986. The stadium in Qatar erupted with Argentine fans displaying emotion and waving their country's white-and-blue striped flag and other insignia.
Maria Bozoklian and son in his Lionel Messi jersey
The Cleveland Argentine community demonstrated their proud heritage at One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. One World Day has been the official event of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation since 1946. Over 40,000 people visited the gardens on One World Day 2022.
The Argentine community participated in the Parade of Flags which was moderated by TV news personalities Danielle Wiggins (Ch.3), Kelly Dobeck (Ch. 19), Tracy Carloss (Ch. 5) and Maia Belay (Ch. 8). Olympic Gold medalist Dominique Moceanu (Magnificent Seven Gymnastics Team 1996) was the Grand Marshall of the Parade of Flags and she marched with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and other dignitaries.
Maria Paula Bozoklian, Ambassador Argentines in Cleveland, said, "As the first time in several years, the Argentines in Cleveland participated this Sunday in the World Day Parade at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. We were a small but enthusiastic group proud to represent our Nation. We had a lot of fun and appreciated the opportunity to be there with the rest of the nationalities. It was a honor for all of us to walk with our blue and white colors and our Argentine flags. We are returning stronger next year!"
This July 9, 2022 Argentinos en Cleveland celebrated Argentina's Independence Day at North Chagrin Reservation. It was a beautiful sunny day filled with smiles, and good talks. We met new people and reunited with good friends. We had delicious home made Argentine food and drinks.
We sang our Himno Nacional Argentino and all of us feel very proud of where we are from and prayed for a better future for our dear nation.
By Maria Paula Bozoklian
2020
Argentine Christmas Traditions
We asked community leaders of various ethnic heritages to share some holiday traditions of their culture. Maria Paula Bozoklian shared the following which was written by Lucio García Carluccio.
Each country has its own set of particular religious customs and Argentina is not an exception. Gathering together with family and friends during the Christmas - is one such sacred tradition. Some say that Argentinians "live to eat", and I can personally assure you that among other things - this one, is one of the most truthful!
Let me clarify - we normally set up our Christmas tree and fill it up with beautiful ornaments, annually on December 8th. And as you imagine - we would then sit down to eat, but as if we were… in the Winter time! We have copied these customs from the Northern hemisphere, despite us having some of the highest weather temperatures at this time of the year!
Christmas decorations in front of the Obelisk in Buenos Aires
So without further delay, let me share some of the tastiest dishes that we, Argentinians, like to serve around Christmas:
Asado
This is the main national specialty. The recipe's meat usually comes from a cow, but we also like to use pork or a piglet (we call it "lechón"), lamb or chicken. The meat would normally be roasted outdoors, on a grill. The main seasoning is called "chimichurri" and it contains garlic, parsley, chili pepper, oregano, pepper, vinegar, water and oil. And, of course, bread would never be left out of the company.
Vitel Toné
This is a thin slice of beef, known as "peceto", commonly seasoned with celery, bay leaf, anchovies, tuna, milk cream, mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic.
Fiambre "Primavera" or Torre de Panqueques
This dish looks very similar to a layered pancake cake, though it's made with a lot of… mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, chicken, ham, cheese, (not hot) red pepper and olives.
Sweet-scented "Pionono"
The dough here is similar to that of a sponge cake. Though it includes cheese, avocado, boiled eggs, non-spicy peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and tuna, all wrapped in mayonnaise.
Stuffed Eggs
These boiled eggs would be carefully cut in half, avoiding damaging the whites. The yolks would be then mixed with meat paté and mayonnaise, and garnished with olives.
Vinaigrette / "Escabeche"
The vinaigrette is a type of sauce characterized by its acid content. It's usually vinegar or a lemon juice plus oil, seasoned with different spices. The escabeches are vegetables or different meat bites, which were marinated for a long time in the vinaigrette.
The Russian Salad
Yes, you read that right - the Russian! The salad normally consists of potatoes, carrots, peas, boiled eggs, and some other boiled vegetables. It's usually served cold and is covered with a thick layer of mayonnaise.
Fruit "Salad"
After the roasted meat, this salad would be commonly served as a dessert. It's made of small chunks of fruits, mixed in a large container with water, sugar and juice from the same fruits (plus a bit of lemon juice to preserve it better). It can have apples, oranges, pears, bananas, pineapples, strawberries, cherries, or peaches. Sometimes it would also be accompanied with ice cream.
A Frozen Cake
There are people who prefer dough on all occasions. This is a biscuit-style cake, made with different layers of ice cream.
Mantecol and garrapiñadas
To finish the evening, Argentinians would usually serve mantecol, which is similar to peanut butter, though it's made in a solid bar form, as well as garrapiñadas, the candied almonds.
The "Picada"
It's usually served as an appetizer, right before "asado". These are the salty cheeses served with pork "chorizos" or sausages (the latter would be dried for months prior to intake) and bread, of course.
Pastas
There are a lot of Italian descendants here, hence why Argentinians love to eat numerous pastas with different sauces, though with a lot of grated salted cheese. The pizzas too, of course, however we like them… cold!
Guiso/EstofadoAs history would have it, our country was mainly settled by Spanish immigrants. That's why we have this dish. It's a kind of paella though with cow meat instead of fish. And there actually two versions: Guiso which uses pasta and rice, and Estofado which contains vegetables. They're both mixed with tomato juice.
I hope you enjoyed these delicious dishes from my beloved homeland, Argentina. Merry Christmas to all!
Soprano Alejandra Martinez performed songs from Argentina accompanied by a piano in the Greek Cultural Garden as part of the 67th annual One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.
More Argentine music from One World Day.
Revolución de Mayo Picnic
The May Revolution (Spanish: Revolución de Mayo) was a week-long series of revolutionary events that took place from May 18 to May 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires. It started the Argentine War of Independence, and it is considered the birth of modern Argentina.
In the present, it is a big Holiday for all Argentines. Here in Cleveland, a picnic was held on Saturday May 24 at 12pm at North Chagrin Reservation. Thanks to Ambassador Maria Paula Bozoklian for the photos.
Cleveland Argentines at picnic for the May Revolution
Argentines at Cleveland International Film Festival
Ambassador Maria Paula Bozoklian sent this photo of Argentines in Cleveland supporting an Argentine movie, In The Clouds, with the director Marcelo Mitnik at Cleveland International Film Festival.
Argentines in Cleveland at CIFF
2013
Argentine Tango and Milonga in Cleveland
Brian James and his wife Galina from Tango Apasionado (Passion of Tango) performed a traditional Argentine Tango and Milonga dance at the 4th annual Worldwide Intercultural Network (WIN) holiday celebration of global diversity at the Ariel International Center in Cleveland.
Young Argentine girl at the La Sagrada Familia Latin Festival
Picnics at North Chagrin and Headlands Park
A group of Argentines living in Cleveland got together June 22nd at North Chagrin Reservation and June 23rd at Headlands Park for a picnic and camaraderie.
Thanks to Maria Paula Bozoklian for sharing these photos.
Organizations and Resources for Argentines in Cleveland
If you are an Argentine living in Cleveland, please contact us and we will connect you with the private Facebook page and other Argentines in the area.
Business, Education and Employment Information
Obelisco de Buenos Aires
The Obelisk of Buenos Aires is a national historic monument and icon of Buenos Aires. Located in the Plaza de la República, in the intersection of avenues Corrientes and 9 de Julio, it was built to commemorate the fourth centenary of the first foundation of the city.
The Motto of Argentina is "En unión y libertad" or "In Unity and Freedom"
José de San Martín
José de San Martín was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire.
Tell us about the music, food, holidays, traditions, costumes, language and other qualities that make Argentina and Argentines so special.
Friend's Day
In Argentina, Dr. Enrique Ernesto Febbraro, a native of Lomas de Zamora, professor of psychology, philosophy, and history, musician, dentist, and founder of the Rotary Clubs of San Cristóbal and Balvanera in Buenos Aires, created Friend's Day after sending four thousand letters to a hundred countries around the world (to which he received 700 replies) upon realizing that, by watching the Apollo 11 landing, for the first time all mankind was united.
The first official recognition of the day came from the government of Buenos Aires Province with Decree 235/79, which authorized the celebration and made it official.
In Argentina, Friend's Day is often a good excuse for a friendly gathering and greeting both current and old friends. Since it is not an Argentine public holiday, people tend to gather during the evening.
Friend's Day has in recent years turned into a very popular mass phenomenon. In 2005, the amount of well-wishing friends led to a temporary breakdown of the mobile phone network in the cities of Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Córdoba and Rosario, comparable to the one experienced in 2004 on Christmas and New Year's Day. Seats in most restaurants, bars, and other establishments are often completely booked a week before the celebration.
Argentina
In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina.
The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions.
After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents.
In January 2013, Argentina assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2013-14 term.
Read more about the Argentine and other Ambassadors. If you are interested in being considered to be an official ClevelandPeople.com Ambassador to the Cleveland Argentine community, please contact us.
