>>
Gary Walker: JUST AHEAD ON "NEED TO KNOW," THE FACE OF AMERICA
IS CHANGING. RIGHT NOW THE NUMBERS ARE VERY CLOSE, BUT ALL THE
EXPERTS AGREE: BEFORE VERY LONG, THE LATINO POPULATION WILL
BECOME THE LARGEST MINORITY GROUP IN THE UNITED STATES. AND
ROCHESTER IS FOLLOWING THE TREND. WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW THIS
MAY IMPACT ROCHESTER SOCIALLY, POLITICALLY, AND ECONOMICALLY.
ALSO, WXXI'S CLASSICAL 91.5 JULIA FIGUERAS TALKS WITH WORLD-RENOWNED
VIOLINIST CHARLES CASTLEMAN. FIND OUT WHAT'S BEHIND HIS STRADIVARIUS.
IT'S ALL AHEAD ON "NEED TO KNOW."
>>
WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE NEED TO DO SOME VERY
SERIOUS THINKING ON THE IMPACT OF THE INCREASE OF LATINOS.
>> THIS IS "NEED TO KNOW," THE ROCHESTER AREA'S ONLY IN-DEPTH
NEWS PROGRAM. "NEED TO KNOW" IS A PRODUCTION OF WXXI NEWS AND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS, COVERING ISSUES, POLITICS, EDUCATION AND CURRENT
EVENTS.
>>
"NEED TO KNOW" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE DAISY MARQUIS JONES FOUNDATION,
BY DORSCHEL LEXUS, AND THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
>>
Gary Walker: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I'M GARY WALKER. CENSUS
2000 INFORMATION IS STILL ROLLING IN, BUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE
CLEAR. NATIONALLY, THE LATINO POPULATION HAS JUMPED 60% IN TEN
YEARS. MONROE COUNTY HASN'T SEEN THAT KIND OF GROWTH, BUT LATINOS
HERE NOW MAKE UP 5% OF OUR POPULATION, AND BY FAR THEY ARE THE
FASTEST-GROWING POPULATION IN THIS AREA. THE CITY LATINO POPULATION
IS UP BY 48%, AND THIS IS NOT JUST A CITY THING. IN OUR SIX-COUNTY
REGION, THE LATINO COMMUNITY CHECKS IN WITH A 60% INCREASE.
IN THE CITY OF ROCHESTER, LATINO AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS TOGETHER
HAVE REPLACED WHITES AS THE MAJORITY IN THE CITY. IN MONROE
COUNTY, WHITES REMAIN THE MAJORITY, BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT,
GRADUAL CHANGES FROM 1990 TO 2000. LATINOS AS A GROUP INCREASED
BY 23% IN MONROE COUNTY; AFRICAN-AMERICANS ROSE BY 9%, AND COUNTYWIDE,
WHITES DROPPED 3%. ALL THE DIFFERENT NUMBERS POINT TO ONE THING:
THE LATINO POPULATION IS ON THE RISE. BUT THOSE ARE NUMBERS
IN A CENSUS. WHAT ARE WE SEEING AROUND THE COMMUNITY? WXXI'S
ALICIA CLAUSSELL HAS THE STORY.
>>
Alicia Claussell: THE SANCHEZ FAMILY ARE THE OWNERS OF SABOR
BAKERY WHICH SPECIALIZES IN SPANISH, CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN
DESSERTS AND SANDWICHES. YOU WOULD PROBABLY EXPECT TO FIND SABOR
ON CLINTON AVENUE IN ROCHESTER, TRADITIONALLY A LATINO SHOPPING
AREA. BUT SABOR BAKERY IS LOCATED ON MERCHANTS ROAD, RIGHT ON
THE BORDER OF IRONDEQUOIT AND ROCHESTER, WHERE IT CAN CONVENIENTLY
CATER TO BOTH LATINO AND NON-LATINO CUSTOMERS.
>>
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS I KNEW I WOULD GET THE HISPANICS TO PATRONIZE
THE BUSINESS, BUT I FELT THAT THE NOT-HISPANIC WAS READY FOR
IT, THE SPANISH BREAD, PASTRIES, JUST BECAUSE OF THE COMMERCIALS
ON TV, THE SPANISH PROGRAMS, THE POPULATION.
>>
Alicia Claussell: SINCE THE LAST CENSUS IN 1990, THE LATINO
POPULATION HAS JUMPED 60% IN OUR SIX-COUNTY REGION AND 48% IN
THE CITY. WITH THIS INCREASE, NON-LATINOS ARE MORE EXPOSED TO
A CULTURE THAT PERHAPS THEY PREVIOUSLY OVERLOOKED.
>>
WHAT IS THIS? COCONUT CUSTARD?
>>
Alicia Claussell: LIKE ROBERT GRAY, A CUSTOMER OF SABOR BAKERY
WHO TRAVELS FROM BRIGHTON FOR A TASTE OF THESE LATIN SWEETS.
>>
I LIKE THE UNIQUENESS AND THE VARIETY BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS TRIED
THE STANDARD ITALIAN BAKERY OR FRENCH BAKERY, BUT PEOPLE MAY
NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH SPANISH.
>>
Alicia Claussell: IF THE NON-LATINO CUSTOMER IS AWARE OF THAT
UNIQUENESS AND VARIETY, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT THE NON-LATINO
BUSINESS OWNER IS MINDFUL OF THIS BURGEONING POPULATION.
>>
I SEE THEM ALL TRYING TO HIT ON -- TAP ON THAT LATIN MARKET.
THERE'S NO DOUBT WHEN YOU WALK IN TOPS, WEGMAN'S, THEY ARE ALL
GETTING A SENSE OF IT.
>>
Alicia Claussell: WEGMAN'S HAS CARRIED LATINO-ORIENTED PRODUCTS
FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. HOW WILL THEY RESPOND TO A GROWTH IN
DEMAND DUE TO INCREASING NUMBERS OF LATINOS AND NON-LATINOS
WHO ENJOY LATIN-AMERICAN CUISINE?
>>
WE REALLY LISTEN TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND BASE OUR DECISIONS ON
CUSTOMER REQUESTS. OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR STORE MANAGERS IN EACH
STORE HAVE A TRUE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION FOR WHAT THE
CUSTOMERS IN THAT MARKET ARE LOOKING FOR, SO WE REACT TO THAT
AS THE NEEDS ARISE.
>>
Alicia Claussell: IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PRODUCTS; IT'S ALSO ABOUT
SERVICE. WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE MORE COMMERCIALS ON TELEVISION
AND ADS IN THE YELLOW PAGES BOASTING "SE HABLA ESPANOL." NON-LATINO
BUSINESS OWNERS AND EXECUTIVES LIKE TODD BERNHARDT, DISTRICT
MANAGER FOR H&R BLOCK IN HENRIETTA, ARE WATCHING THE CENSUS
NUMBERS CLOSELY AND LOOKING TO ATTRACT THE LATINO CONSUMER.
>>
(Speaking in Spanish)
>>
JUST NOTICING THE NEED FOR IT IN THE OFFICES. AT THE NORTON
STREET AREA, I NOTICED IT THE FIRST YEAR I WAS HERE AND I'M
SURE THEY NOTICED IT EVEN PRIOR, BEFORE I CAME HERE. SO WE JUST
STARTED LOOKING MORE INTO ADVERTISING MORE AND ALSO JUST TRYING
TO MAKE THINGS EASIER, FOR GETTING SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS THAT
WE HAND OUT TO OUR CLIENTS LIKE, YOU KNOW, ANY INFORMATION THAT
WE GIVE OUR CLIENTS, WE ALSO GET IT IN SPANISH.
>>
Alicia Claussell: HEADLINES LIKE "CENSUS REVEALS HISPANIC POPULATION
JUMPS 60%" AND "CITY DIVERSITY BOOM OVERTAKES WHITE RESIDENTS"
ARE JUST THE TYPE OF WAVES THAT RESONATE IN THE MINDS OF LOCAL
POLITICIANS SEEKING ELECTION OR REELECTION IN 2001. NANCY PADILLA,
WHO RUNS A YOUTH CENTER FOR LATINOS, KNOWS FIRSTHAND ABOUT POLITICS.
PADILLA WAS ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, WAS THE FIRST LATINA
CITY COUNCILWOMAN AND RAN FOR MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF ROCHESTER
NINE YEARS AGO. WE TALKED WITH PADILLA ABOUT WHETHER SHE THINKS
THE INCREASE IN POPULATION INDICATES THAT NOW IS A PRIME TIME
FOR LATINOS TO GAIN REPRESENTATION IN GOVERNMENT.
>>
I DON'T THINK THERE'S EVER A SET TIME FOR A LATINO TO WIN A
CANDIDACY. I THINK A LATINO SHOULD BE ABLE TO WIN ANY DAY OF
THE WEEK, ANY YEAR OF ELECTION. I THINK WE HAVE TO GET AWAY
FROM THAT MIND FRAME. WHEN I RAN IN 1981 FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD,
I RAN WITH MY STRENGTHS AS A WOMAN, AS A YOUNG ADULT, AS SOMEONE
WHO CARED VERY DEEPLY ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY WHO JUST HAPPENED
TO BE LATINA.
>>
Alicia Claussell: THIS ELECTION YEAR, WE ARE ALREADY SEEING
LATINOS ON PARTY TICKETS. LEGISLATOR JOSE CRUZ OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY HAS ANNOUNCED HE WILL RUN AGAIN. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
ANNOUNCED THE POSSIBILITY OF NOMINATING CITY LEADER LUIS PEREZ
AS A MAYORAL CANDIDATE AGAINST DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT WILLIAM
JOHNSON. WILL HAVING A LATINO CANDIDATE GIVE THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY AN EDGE? THAT'S STILL TO BE SEEN. BUT THE NUMBERS ARE
THERE AND LATINOS MAY NOW HAVE THE LEVERAGE TO BECOME A POWERFUL
VOICE IN THE COMMUNITY.
>>
I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT THE LATINO COMMUNITY WILL BE TAKEN MORE
SERIOUS AS WE LATINOS LEARN TO VISUALIZE THAT WE ARE DOERS,
THAT WE HAVE BRAIN POWER, THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUCCEED.
>>
Alicia Claussell: THIS ABILITY TO SUCCEED IS NOW AIDED BY STRENGTH
IN NUMBERS. IT'S NO LONGER ABOUT LATINOS JUST LIVING IN THE
CITY. LATINOS ARE NOW SETTLING INTO THE SUBURBS, AND THAT IS
WHAT SABOR BAKERY AND THE SANCHEZ FAMILY IS BANKING ON.
(Music)
>>
Gary Walker: THIS PAST ELECTION YEAR, YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT
BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WERE GOING AFTER THE SWING VOTE,
AND THE SWING VOTE, NO SURPRISE, WAS THE LATINO VOTE. JOINING
ME IN STUDIO TO TALK ABOUT THE LATINO IMPACT ARE JOSE CRUZ,
A DEMOCRAT MONROE COUNTY LEGISLATOR; LUIS PEREZ, A REPUBLICAN
CITY LEADER, AND NAIMAH SIERRA FROM ACTION FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US. I GUESS WE CAN START WITH
-- I WAS JUST, IN MY READINGS, I WAS LOOKING AGAIN AT SOME FOLKS
ARE STILL SAYING THAT THERE'S STILL PRETTY MUCH A DECENT UNDERCOUNT
OF THE LATINO POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY. DO YOU FEEL THE SAME
WAY, THAT THERE'S AN UNDERCOUNT OF THE POPULATION HERE IN OUR
AREA?
>>
I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. I THINK THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS
GOTTEN BETTER AT IT AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS YOU
HAVE SEEN A JUMP IN THE NUMBERS, BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK THERE'S
AN UNDERCOUNT. I THINK PEOPLE ARE STILL A LITTLE NERVOUS, A
LITTLE PREOCCUPIED WITH THE IDEA OF GIVING SO MUCH INFORMATION.
SO YEAH, IT'S STILL A PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY.
>>
Gary Walker: I KNOW THE CENTER FOR GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH EVEN
WENT AFTERWARDS AND TRIED TO UNEARTH AS MANY NAMES THAT WERE
NOT HEARD FROM, BUT DO YOU SHARE THE VIEW THAT THERE'S STILL
AN UNDERCOUNT IN THE AREA?
>>
YES, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE'S PROBABLY AN UNDERCOUNT, ALTHOUGH
WE HAVE TO COMMEND THE CENTER FOR GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH IN THE
WORK THAT THEY DID IN ADDING ABOUT 13,000 NAMES TO THAT LIST,
WHICH TRANSLATES INTO A LOT OF MONEY OVER 10 YEARS.
>>
Gary Walker: IT WAS AN AGGRESSIVE EFFORT. YOU KNOW, 15 YEARS
AGO WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED IN ROCHESTER AND STARTED COVERING THIS
COMMUNITY, IT WAS PRETTY SAFE TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU SAID "LATINO"
OR "HISPANIC," YOU MEANT, IN THIS TOWN, PUERTO RICAN. THAT'S
NOT THE CASE ANYMORE. THE GROWTH THERE IS TREMENDOUS. MAYBE
YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT, NAIMAH.
>> YES, ACTUALLY THE TERM "LATINO HISPANIC" REALLY TRIES TO
TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION MANY PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LARGE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC POPULATION; WE
HAVE A LARGE CUBAN POPULATION; WE HAVE A LARGE POPULATION OF
JUST IMMIGRANTS. SO GETTING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE
COUNT, YOU START TO QUESTION THEN FOR THOSE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES
ILLEGAL, ARE AFRAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERED ILLEGAL,
THEY DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE CENSUS; MANY DIDN'T BECAUSE THEY
DID NOT HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO COME
BACK AND TRY TO GET THEM TO GO BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES. SO YEAH,
I THINK THAT THE TERM LATINO HISPANIC REALLY TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION
MANY, MANY OTHER RACES BESIDES PUERTO RICAN.
>>
Gary Walker: THE GROWTH AND DIVERSITY IN THIS COMMUNITY IN THE
LAST 15 YEARS HAS BEEN REMARKABLE, JUST REMARKABLE WITHIN THE
LATINO POPULATION.
>>
ABSOLUTELY.
>>
Gary Walker: YOU JUST MENTIONED A GOOD POINT, THOUGH. THERE'S
STILL A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN THE LATINO POPULATION THAT IS
IMMIGRATION, THAT IS COMING FROM OTHER AREAS, OTHER COUNTRIES.
DO YOU HAVE A CONCERN -- I MEAN, YOU WORK FOR ACTION FOR BETTER
COMMUNITY. YOU SEE FOLKS FIRST UP AND RIGHT AT THE POINT OF
ENTRY OFTEN. DO YOU HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE RATE OF THE GROWTH
OF THE LATINO POPULATION, OR CAN WE ABSORB IT; EVERYTHING IS
FINE?
>>
I THINK MY CONCERN IS PRIMARILY AROUND WHERE PEOPLE MOVE, WHAT
AREAS THEY MOVE INTO. YOU'LL FIND THERE'S A LARGE CONCENTRATION
OF LATINOS IN THE NORTHEAST AND IN THE NORTHWEST, AND REALLY
THOSE TWO AREAS OF THE CITY ARE REALLY THE POOREST AREAS IN
THE CITY. YOU KNOW, IT'S PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE.
WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE STATISTICS, YOU FIND THAT HISPANIC
LATINOS REALLY PAY ABOUT 50% OF THEIR INCOME JUST FOR RENT OR
JUST FOR HOUSING. THAT DOESN'T LEAVE A LOT FOR OTHER THINGS,
HEALTH INSURANCE AND GROCERIES AND UTILITIES. SO THAT DOES CREATE
A PROBLEM.
>>
Gary Walker: THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO -- REALLY FOLLOWS A NATIONAL
TREND. I WAS JUST READING A STUDY WHERE THEY SAID THE AVERAGE
LATINO WOULD LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT IS 44% LATINO. THE AVERAGE
WHITE WILL LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT'S ABOUT 6.7% LATINO. SO
THE CONCENTRATION IN CERTAIN AREAS IS A NATIONAL TREND, AND
I GUESS THAT FOLLOWS RIGHT HERE IN ROCHESTER.
>>
THAT'S CORRECT.
>>
Gary Walker: DO WE HAVE THE SERVICES IN PLACE? DO WE HAVE --
I MEAN, ARE WE UP TO THE CHALLENGE HERE FOR SERVICES FOR THESE
NEW FOLKS?
>>
I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE HISPANIC LATINO POPULATION,
THE CHALLENGE IS SUCH THAT WE CAN NEVER SAY, FIRST OF ALL, WE
DON'T WANT MORE OF THEM COMING, BUT SECOND OF ALL THAT WE CAN
MEET ALL THE NEEDS. WHEN YOU LOOK IN PARTICULAR AT THE EARLY
NUMBERS OF THIS YEAR'S CENSUS, LAST YEAR'S CENSUS, THE LATINOS
LEAD EVERY AREA IN TERMS OF -- ON THE NEGATIVE END, IN TERMS
OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, INCOME, OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY, ALL
THESE ISSUES THAT IS REALLY A CONCERN, I THINK, IN TERMS OF
TRYING TO MEET THEM AND MOVE THOSE NUMBERS TO A BETTER LEVEL.
>>
Gary Walker: I THINK IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE, THOUGH, FOR PEOPLE
TO ASSUME THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
LATINO POPULATION IS JUST IMMIGRANTS OR POOR IMMIGRANTS. I HAVE
SEEN MANY CORPORATIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY RECRUIT ACTIVELY AND
AGGRESSIVELY HIGHEST BUSINESS-LEVEL EXECUTIVES RIGHT UP TO THE
BOARD ROOMS OF THESE COMPANIES. IT'S A DIVERSE COMMUNITY WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE.
>> WHEN WE SAY LATINO HISPANIC, IT'S A RATHER BROAD, BROAD BRUSH
THAT WE'RE PAINTING FOR DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. AND PART OF THE
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY HAVE DIFFERENT
PORTIONS OF THE HISPANIC HISPANIC POPULATION. SO YOU HAVE THE
LATINO COMMUNITIES IN FLORIDA WHICH MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
THAN THE SOUTHWEST MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, WHICH ARE DIFFERENT
FROM THE NORTHEAST HISPANIC POPULATIONS, AND EACH WITH SPECIFIC
KINDS OF NEEDS. AND SO WHEN WE SAY THAT -- WE'RE NOT JUST ALL
OF HISPANIC, ALL OF LATINO BECAUSE WE HAVE -- PUERTO RICANS
HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS, LOWEST EMPLOYMENT,
AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND ARE PRETTY -- IN TERMS OF OVERALL
ECONOMIC GROWTH, IT HAS A REAL CHALLENGE. BUT IF YOU GO TO OTHER
PORTIONS OF THIS COMMUNITY, IN TERMS OF CUBANS IN FLORIDA, THEY
HAVE OBTAINED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SUCCESS WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HISPANIC
LATINOS THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES IN THE KINDS OF CHALLENGES
THAT EACH OF THOSE COMMUNITIES HAS.
>> Gary Walker: I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
IN OUR RESEARCH, WE TALKED TO SEVERAL CORPORATIONS AND ALL OF
THEM SAID, "HEY, WE CAN READ THE NUMBERS. WE CAN READ THE CENSUS.
WE ARE ACTIVELY AND VERY AGGRESSIVELY TRYING TO RECRUIT LATINOS
FOR OUR WORK FORCE. HOWEVER, WE'RE IN A HIRING FREEZE. THINGS
AREN'T GOING SO WELL. WE'RE DOWNSIZING AND SO THAT'S SORT OF
PUT ON HOLD." MY QUESTION IS ARE JOBS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR THIS
BURGEONING LATINO COMMUNITY?
>> SURE THEY ARE. I MEAN, YOU START LOOKING AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATES IN NEW YORK STATE, YOU START LOOKING AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATES IN MONROE COUNTRY, AND YOU START TO SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH
THE POPULATION IS LARGER, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE ALSO LARGER
FOR THE HISPANIC LATINO COMMUNITY. THE INCOME LEVELS, WHAT PEOPLE
EARN, THE PER CAPITA INCOME, IS MUCH LOWER THAN FOR THOSE OF
WHITES IN MONROE COUNTRY AND ESPECIALLY IN THE CITY OF ROCHESTER.
SO YES, THAT'S A MAJOR CONCERN. AS THE ECONOMY TENDS TO GO IN
A DOWNWARD TREND, I MEAN WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE UNEMPLOYMENT,
AND PRIMARILY HISPANICS AND LATINOS ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED,
AS WELL AS AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
>>
Gary Walker: WELL, WE HAVE THREE FOLKS RIGHT ON THIS PANEL RIGHT
NOW WHO MIGHT HAVE A WORD TO SAY, SOME LEVERS TO PULL AND BUTTONS
TO PUSH TO IMPROVE THINGS. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHAT IS
BEING DONE RIGHT NOW TO IMPROVE THE LOT OF THE NEW FOLKS COMING?
>>
WELL, I THINK PRIMARILY WE HAVE TO WORK WITH CURRENT INSTITUTIONS
TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO WORK
AGGRESSIVELY IN THE COMMUNITY, TO FIND BILINGUAL STAFFING AND
TO PUT MATERIALS OUT IN SPANISH AND BE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE
TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT
OF RESOURCES THAT WE'RE STILL NOT TAPPING INTO AND HAVE NOT
BEEN VERY GOOD AT TAPPING INTO. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE
PLACES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT IS THAT IN
NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WE HELD A LATINO SUMMIT, AND WITHIN THE
SUMMIT, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ABOUT TWELVE MAJOR AREAS THAT
WE FELT IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS AND COME TOGETHER ON AS A COMMUNITY
TO MOVE THE HISPANIC LATINO AGENDA FORWARD. SO THESE THINGS
NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
>>
Gary Walker: I'M STRUCK AGAIN. I WAS JUST THINKING BACK TEN
YEARS AGO, AND I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT POLITICS TEN
YEARS AGO AND TODAY, BUT I WAS LOOKING AT THE THREE OF YOU AND
THINKING THERE'S THREE NEW LEADERS IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY THAT
IN THE PAST THE MEDIA HAS ALWAYS CONCENTRATED ON POOR NANCY
PADILLA. EVERY TIME THERE WAS ANY SORT OF ISSUE ON LATINOS,
POOR NANCY HAD TO CARRY THE BURDEN ON HER OWN SHOULDERS ALL
THE TIME. NOW WE HAVE THREE NEW FACES AND LEADERSHIP ON THE
SCENE AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE. TEN YEARS AGO, ONE OF THE BIGGEST
STORIES I COVERED, WITH THE LAST CENSUS, A HUGE, AND I MEAN
HUGE, FIGHT OVER CREATING A LATINO DISTRICT, AN HISPANIC DISTRICT.
IT WAS IN THE HEADLINES FOR, I DON'T KNOW, MONTHS. IT WAS A
VERY, VERY DIVISIVE AND TOUGH FIGHT, AND IN THE END, THERE WAS
NOT A DISTRICT THAT WAS CREATED. BUT TEN YEARS LATER, WE HAVE
JOSE CRUZ ELECTED IN THE MONROE COUNTY LEGISLATURE, WHICH WAS
THE GOAL OF AN HISPANIC DISTRICT, TO ELECT AN HISPANIC REPRESENTATIVE
IN THE LEGISLATURE. THAT HAS HAPPENED ANYWAY. WE'RE RIGHT BACK
HERE, RIGHT BACK TALKING ABOUT THE CENSUS AGAIN, RIGHT BACK
TALKING ABOUT REDISTRICTING. WILL THERE BE A FIGHT AGAIN THIS
YEAR DO YOU THINK FOR AN HISPANIC DISTRICT?
>> WELL, I THINK TO ROCHESTER'S CREDIT, MY DISTRICT IS AN INTERESTING
DISTRICT BECAUSE 20% OF MY DISTRICT IS HISPANIC. WE HAD A GOOD
MESSAGE, AND IT WASN'T AN HISPANIC THING. IT WAS FINDING THE
BEST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION FOR A DISTRICT, AND I THINK WE
WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
>>
Gary Walker: NANCY PADILLA'S POINT.
>>
RIGHT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT NANCY DID WAS SHE
HAS VERY BROAD SHOULDERS THAT WE CAN ALL STAND ON, AND I THINK
HER EFFORTS AS A PATHFINDER HAVE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL. BUT I
THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CENSUS IS ALSO SHOWING IS THAT
THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IS NOT IN ONE SPECIFIC AREA ANYMORE.
IT'S STRETCHING ITSELF NORTH, NORTHEAST; IT IS STRETCHING ITSELF
SOUTH AND INTO THE WEST. SO THAT IN THE YEAR 2000, WE'RE NOT
NECESSARILY LOOKING AT ONE DISTRICT BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT INFLUENCING
OTHER DISTRICTS, AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, SO WE HAVE
A MUCH MORE BROAD KIND OF IMPACT ON A NUMBER OF AREAS IN OUR
COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S DOWNTOWN CITY HALL OR WHETHER IT'S IN
THE COUNTY. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW MOVING INTO
THE SUBURBS, AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. SO YOU'RE
GOING TO SEE IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE
COMMUNITY IN THE SUBURBS.
>>
Gary Walker: MAY 17th, I BELIEVE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A MEETING
OF REPUBLICAN -- >> THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION, YES.
>>
Gary Walker: THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION, AND THEY'RE EXPECTED
TO TAP ON YOUR SHOULDER AND SAY, "Mr. PEREZ, WILL YOU PLEASE
BE OUR STANDARD-BEARER TO RUN AGAINST MAYOR WILLIAM JOHNSON
IN THE CITY OF ROCHESTER?" ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THAT CHALLENGE
UP?
>>
WELL, I'M CERTAINLY CONSIDERING IT PERIPHERALLY AND CAREFULLY,
TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPORTANT TO ME AND THE WORK I HAVE
DONE IN THIS COMMUNITY IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, BUT WE HAVE PROMISED
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2000 AS I BECAME CITY LEADER THAT WE
WOULD HAVE A FULL SLATE FOR THE CITY GOVERNMENT SEATS THAT WERE
UP THIS YEAR AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO DO THAT. I THINK ONE
OF OUR TOP GOALS FOR GOING INTO 2001 WAS THAT IF WE WANTED TO
BE A VIABLE PARTY AND GIVE PEOPLE REAL CHOICE, WE HAD TO RUN
A MAYORAL CANDIDATE.
>>
Gary Walker: LET ME INTO A SENSITIVE AREA. CONVENTIONAL POLITICAL
WISDOM BY ALL THE PUNDITS NATIONALLY IS THAT WITH THE GROUPS,
HISPANICS AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BEING SO CLOSE AND WITH ALL
PROJECTIONS SAYING THAT LATINOS WILL BE THE DOMINANT MINORITY
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE TENSIONS
ARISING BETWEEN AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND LATINOS, A COMPETITION,
A TUG-OF-WAR OF SORTS FOR DOMINANCE, AND I WONDER, DOES THAT
HOLD WATER AT ALL? AND PARTICULARLY, IF WE DO HAVE A MAYORAL
ELECTION WITH AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND A LATINO, ANY CONCERNS?
>>
I HAVE HEARD THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND I'M NOT CONCERNED.
I SAW A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A TREMENDOUS WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN NEW
YORK CITY. YOU HAVE GOT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY SUPPORTING
A PUERTO RICAN RUNNING FOR THE MAYOR, RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF NEW
YORK CITY, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY OUT IN
FULL SUPPORT FOR McCALL. I THINK THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS
THAT ARE GOOD EXAMPLES OF US WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE I THINK
EARLY ON WE LEARNED VERY CRITICALLY THAT IT'S ABOUT WORKING
TOGETHER AND IT'S ABOUT LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER
AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN DIVIDE OURSELVES. I MEAN,
THERE'S NO GAIN IN DIVISION.
>> AND I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE START TO LOOK AT THE ISSUES
IMPACTING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE LATINO
COMMUNITY. YOU REALLY HAVE TO FOCUS ON THAT AND NOT NECESSARILY
THE PERSONALITY OR THE ETHNICITY OR THE RACE OF THE PERSON THAT
IS RUNNING FOR OFFICE. I MEAN YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
IMPACT THAT PERSON COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE ON WHATEVER RACE,
AND ESPECIALLY FOCUSING ON THE POOR COMMUNITIES IN ROCHESTER.
>>
I THINK THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL WANT TO MAKE THAT AN ISSUE,
BUT IT'S UP TO US AS LEADERS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T ALLOW THAT
TO HAPPEN, THAT WE TAKE THE HIGHER GROUND AND THAT WE WORK TOWARD
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND FOCUSING ON THE CRITICAL ISSUES
THAT OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY FACES, EVEN THOUGH AT TIMES, AS JOSE
SAID, HE REPRESENTS 25% OF HIS DISTRICT WHICH IS HISPANIC, SO
HE DOES REPRESENT THEM IN A WAY BUT FOCUSING ON THE WHOLE.
>>
Gary Walker: ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SECONDS LEFT AND,
NAIMAH, I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH WITH YOU. WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS
TO HAPPEN FROM TODAY FORWARD TO IMPROVE THE LOT OF THE LATINO
COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE?
>>
I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO START LOOKING AT THE IMPACTS
OF POVERTY ON THE POOR. YOU KNOW, I WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION
THAT IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE NEEDS OF POOR PEOPLE, NOT NECESSARILY
THOSE THAT ARE OF ONE RACE OR ANOTHER, AND WE REALLY NEED TO
FOCUS ON THOSE NEEDS, AND WE HAVE TO TRY TO HAVE SOME IMPACT
ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING THE POOR.
>>
Gary Walker: SO IT'S NOT ETHNICITY; IT'S POVERTY? >> IT'S POVERTY,
EXACTLY.
>> Gary Walker: ALL RIGHT. JOSE CRUZ, LUIS PEREZ AND NAIMAH
SIERRA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE'LL BE IN TOUCH
WITH YOU PERIODICALLY AS THE STORY CONTINUES, AND CONTINUE IT
WILL. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. NOW, BEGINNING THIS WEEK, "NEED
TO KNOW" IS EXPANDING OUR PROGRAM TO INCLUDE... WELL, CULTURE.
EACH WEEK WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING FROM THE ARTS. A CHANCE
THIS WEEK TO MEET WORLD-RENOWN VIOLINIST CHARLES CASTLEMAN.
Mr. CASTLEMAN RESIDES HERE IN ROCHESTER AND IS A PROFESSOR AT
THE EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC. Mr. CASTLEMAN SAT DOWN RECENTLY
FOR A LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW WITH WXXI'S CLASSICAL 91.5's HOST
JULIA FIGUERAS.
(Music)
>>
MY GUEST THIS AFTERNOON IS CHARLIE CASTLEMAN, WHO IS HOLDING
ONTO HIS STRADIVARIUS EVEN AS WE SPEAK. BUT WHAT I FOUND REALLY
FASCINATING WAS THAT IS NOT EVEN YOUR PROUDEST THING. THE PROUDEST
THING YOU HAVE IS YOUR COLLECTION OF BOWS.
>>
I THINK IT MUST BE VERY DIFFICULT, UNLESS ONE IS ACTUALLY A
PLAYER, TO KNOW JUST EXACTLY HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE A BOW CAN MAKE.
TRULY, YOU CAN LOOK AT A VIOLIN AND SEE THIS INTRICATE CARVING
AND THE OBVIOUS CHOICE OF WOOD AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING, BUT
YOU CAN SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT MADE THEM
SO GREAT, THEY'RE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER. BUT A BOW IS, AFTER
ALL, JUST A PIECE OF WOOD WITH SOME HAIR ATTACHED. THE GENIUS
HAS TO DO WITH HOW YOU CUT THE WOOD.
>>
I'M STUNNED. I MEAN, COMPLETE SILENCE BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT
THIS AND SAYING, "IT LOOKS LIKE THE WORLD'S SIMPLEST THING,
ONE ROUND PIECE OF WOOD WITH HORSE HAIR STRAPPED TO IT."
>>
EXACTLY.
>>
HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE CAN IT MAKE IN THE SOUND?
>>
FOR ONE THING, A BOW HAS TO DO TWO ABSOLUTELY CONTRADICTORY
THINGS: IT HAS TO BE FLEXIBLE AND IT HAS TO BE STRONG AT THE
SAME TIME. AND ONE PIECE OF WOOD HAS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
IT HAS TO BE FLEXIBLE TO MANIPULATE IT AND DO ALL THE VARIOUS
KINDS OF TRICKS THAT ONE HAS TO DO, AND IT HAS TO BE STRONG
TO PRODUCE THE SOUND YOU WANT TO; OTHERWISE, YOU WON'T CUT THROUGH
AN ORCHESTRA.
>>
CAN A GREAT BOW MAKE A SO-SO FIDDLE SOUND GOOD?
>>
YES, IT CAN. THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THE BEST BOWS I HAD EVER PLAYED
ON, SO I BOUGHT IT FOR $500 OR $600, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT
IT HAPPENS TO HAVE A WEAK SPOT. IT'S A PLACE IN THE BOW THAT
YOU REALLY DON'T WANT -- IT'S DIFFICULT TO MAKE ANYTHING HAPPEN.
BUT IT PRODUCES THE BEST SOUND OF ANY BOW I HAVE EVER RUN INTO
AT ANY PRICE. AND IT DOES EVERYTHING I WANT IT TO DO, BUT I
HAVE TO BE ABLE TO AVOID THAT SPOT, WHICH I DO.
>>
NOW, WHERE IS THAT SPOT? >> RIGHT...
>>
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE THERE.
>>
IT'S PARTICULARLY WEAK, BUT THE THING IS THAT ITS GOOD QUALITIES,
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, ARE UNMATCHED BY ANY OTHER BOW. BUT
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VIOLINIST ABLE AND ALSO WILLING TO MAKE THAT
ADJUSTMENT, WHICH I LOVE.
>>
SO HOW OLD WERE YOU, CHARLIE, WHEN YOU PICKED UP YOUR FIRST
VIOLIN TO PLAY?
>>
THREE.
>>
THREE YEARS OLD. DID YOU KNOW AT THE AGE OF SEVEN, WHATEVER
IT WAS WHEN YOU TOOK A VIOLIN LESSON FROM JACK BENNY, DID YOU
UNDERSTAND WHO JACK BENNY WAS?
>>
NOT REALLY, NO. ACTUALLY -- I THINK I WAS NINE OR TEN AND AMONG
THE OTHER THINGS I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT FRANK SINATRA WAS
ON THE SHOW AND HE WAS AT THAT POINT MARRIED TO AVA GARDNER,
AND I SHARED A DRESSING ROOM WITH AVA GARDNER, WHICH I DEFINITELY
WASN'T OLD ENOUGH TO APPRECIATE. (Chuckling)
>>
CONGRATULATIONS ON 25 YEARS OF EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC.
>>
THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL. I DO A LOT OF PERFORMING AND
I DO A LOT OF TEACHING, I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO BOTH. >
>
YOU'VE BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING, "WHAT I AIM FOR IS TO TEACH MY
STUDENTS TO TEACH THEMSELVES, THEN I KNOW THEY'LL CONTINUE TO
LEARN, TO FIND NEW THINGS IN MUSIC FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES."
HAS THIS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL QUEST FOR YOU, CHARLIE?
>>
I THINK SO. I MEAN, I REALLY FEEL THAT THERE'S -- I'M ALWAYS
PLEASED.
>>
IS IT LIKE OPENING A BOOK?
>>
YES, IT IS. THE OTHER THING -- IT'S LIKE OPENING A BOOK, BUT
I THINK AS A TEACHER YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE IT'S A VERY PECULIAR
RELATION YOU HAVE WITH YOUR STUDENTS, THAT FOR THE PERIOD OF
TIME THAT THEY'RE STUDYING WITH YOU, YOU'RE MORE IMPORTANT THAN
THE BOYFRIEND, THE GIRLFRIEND, THE PARENTS, THE MINISTER, ANYBODY
IN THEIR LIVES. YOU CAN PLAY BACK IN THE SCENE WHERE YOU PLAY
THE BOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I MEAN. IT'S
TOTALLY ARTIFICIAL, BUT... (Playing violin) (Music) IT SHOULDN'T
BE ANY LOUDER THAN YOU WERE PLAYING. JUST ACT IT OUT MORE. YOU
ARE THE PERSON THAT'S THE CENTER OF THEIR WHOLE LIFE FOR THAT
PERIOD. WHEN THEY GRADUATE, YOU MAY NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN.
(Music)
>>
Gary Walker: WXXI'S JULIA FIGUERAS THERE WITH VIOLINIST CHARLES
CASTLEMAN. THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS WEEK. FOR NEXT WEEK'S
EDITION OF "NEED TO KNOW," WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE CONTROVERSIAL
ISSUE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS. UNTIL THEN, I'M
GARY WALKER. GOOD-BYE.
(Music)