If Richard Carmona Were a Student Today, Would Pima College Accept Him? (video)

US Senate Candidate and former Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona makes no bones about his life on the streets of Harlem as the son of Puerto Rican immigrants.

A self-described “street kid” who dropped out of high school, Carmona entered the Marines at 17 during the Vietnam War and got a GED so he could join the Special Forces. At the urging of his military buddies, Carmona applied for college and was rejected by all of them except for one– Bronx Community College.

Bronx had an open admission program for returning Vietnam vets; no transcripts or SAT scores were necessary for admission. That community college opportunity for a street kid from Harlem gave the US a dedicated civil servant, an even-handed Surgeon General, and perhaps a US Senator.

Would Pima Community College have accepted Richard Carmona? Pima had an open admissions program— until they decided to drop it last fall. The new admission rules took effect in March 2012.

How many Richard Carmonas will be denied an education in Arizona because of budget cuts, stricter admission standards, and poor high school preparation? Thousands.

In the video below, Carmona talks about the opportunity Bronx Community College gave him and his support for the DREAM Act.

Originally posted on Blog for Arizona on May 5, 2012.

Information

This entry was posted on May 5, 2012 by Pamela J. Powers in 2012 elections, Arizona, Congress, Democratic Party, Economics, education, equality, Immigration, jobs, Politics, racism, Richard Carmona, Tucson, Video and tagged Arizona, Bronx Community College, DREAM Act, Pima Community College, Richard Carmona, Vietnam War.

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Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley

In the 1980s, the Tucson Weekly called Tucson the "Baked Apple".

In the 1980s, the Tucson Weekly called Tucson the “Baked Apple”.

Pamela Powers Hannley on Labor Day

Despite the sweltering heat, Jim and I had a great time at the Labor Day Picnic. We collected a lot of Clean Elections $5 donations and signatures. Here I am with LD9 chair Michael Dues.

Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley

Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley with members of the Tucson Chapter of NOW on opening day at the Arizona Legislature, 2018.

Thanks for the poverty

UA Tech Park

Arizonans for New Economy co-directors Jim Hannley and Pamela Powers Hannley with UA Tech Park VP Bruce Wright.

Pamela Powers Hannley

I have a background in research. Help me build Tucson’s tech industry and grow our own local businesses.

Jobs with Justice marching with Occupy Tucson in support of postal workers.

Jobs with Justice marching with Occupy Tucson in support of postal workers.

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We are the 99%.

We are the 99%.

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PDA members, including Advisory Board Chair Mimi Kennedy, protested food stamp cuts in front of Congressman Henry Waxman's office.

PDA members, including Advisory Board Chair Mimi Kennedy, protested food stamp cuts in front of Congressman Henry Waxman’s office.

broken sink

This is a broken sink in the Ladies’ Room at the Arizona State Building in downtown Tucson. One of the elevators also was broken. It’s time to fix Arizona government.

We often hear that corporations need migrant workers because Americans “don’t want to do these jobs.” When I hear this statement, I picture farm workers picking vegetables. Recently, I toured two dairies and an animal feed packing plant in Pinal County. The photo above from the Zinke Dairy shows a giant cow milking carousel. Nine migrant workers milk 4000 cows three times a day at this dairy. Legislators watched the two men pictured here– working at a brisk pace– bend over and pick up, lift, and attach large electronic suction cups to the cows as they ride the carousel around the giant facility. This level of automation is the wave of the future for industrial jobs.

We often hear that corporations need migrant workers because Americans “don’t want to do these jobs.” When I hear this statement, I picture farm workers picking vegetables. Recently, I toured two dairies and an animal feed packing plant in Pinal County. The photo above from the Zinke Dairy shows a giant cow milking carousel. Nine migrant workers milk 4000 cows three times a day at this dairy. Legislators watched the two men pictured here– working at a brisk pace– bend over and pick up, lift, and attach large electronic suction cups to the cows as they ride the carousel around the giant facility. This level of automation is the wave of the future for industrial jobs.

Tucson education rally

Governor Ducey had proposed increasing prison beds and funding, while cutting education. Protesters took issue with that short-sighted idea.

It was truly a honor to meet Nevada State Senator Patricia Spearman (center) in October and to confer with her regarding our efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in Arizona. Spearman led the successful Nevada efforts to ratify the ERA in 2017. Here we are with activist and NOW leader Dainne Post after the ERA workshop at the We the People Conference in Phoenix. There are a lot of Arizona women who are ready to make history in 2018. Watch my blog here and my Facebook page here for ERA updates.

It was truly a honor to meet Nevada State Senator Patricia Spearman (center) in October and to confer with her regarding our efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in Arizona. Spearman led the successful Nevada efforts to ratify the ERA in 2017. Here we are with activist and NOW leader Dainne Post after the ERA workshop at the We the People Conference in Phoenix. There are a lot of Arizona women who are ready to make history in 2018. Watch my blog here and my Facebook page here for ERA updates.

Local First Arizona

The Living Economy event was very informative; we had a great time hob-nobbing. My husband Jim is a small business owner and a member of Local First Arizona. I have owned two small businesses in the past– Powers/Queen Associates and Wind Dancer Design. We support Local First Arizona and buying/investing locally. We believe that supporting local small businesses with low-interest loans through a public/private partnership between a public bank and community banks and credit unions is the sustainable route to improving our local economy. Trickle down economics doesn’t work; it’s time for new ideas.

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A giant poet’s head made up of stainless steel letters marks the stop near the UA Poetry Center.

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Protesting migrant deaths in the Arizona desert.

Protesting migrant deaths in the Arizona desert.

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Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley with Red For Ed

Phoenix anti-hate rally

Jim Hannley

PDA Tucson Coordinator Jim Hannley speaks against both the crowd management ordinance and the urban camping ban at the City Council meeting.

Ironically, I posted this blog post on the anniversary of this election on June 19. 1970ish.

Ironically, I posted this blog post on the anniversary of this election on June 19. 1970ish.

Protesting anti-woman laws at the Arizona state capitol.

Protesting anti-woman laws at the Arizona state capitol.

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Protesting cuts to education

Protesting cuts to education

Rev. Ron Phares and Pamela Powers Hannley

Jim and I were part of a contingent of Unitarian Universalists who came up from Tucson. Here I am with Rev. Ron Phares from the Mountain Vista UU Church in my district. (Jim is photobombing us.)

A homeless man sleeps in the shadow of corporate America.

A homeless man sleeps in the shadow of corporate America.

Visiting with PALF chairman Fred Yamashita at the 2016 Labor Day Picnic.

Visiting with PALF chairman Fred Yamashita at the 2016 Labor Day Picnic.

Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley

Pamela Powers Hannley

Pamela Powers Hannley, Progressive Democrat for Arizona House, LD9

Occupy encampment in Armory Park-- before it was cleared out in the middle of the night by Tucson Police.

Occupy encampment in Armory Park– before it was cleared out in the middle of the night by Tucson Police.

John Nichols of ‘The Nation’ addressed progressives and unionists at a Tucson event.

Rep. Sally Ann Gonzales and I were interviewed by NBC at the Phoenix rally.

Rep. Sally Ann Gonzales and I were interviewed by NBC at the Phoenix rally.

Martin Luther King, Jr. march.

Martin Luther King, Jr. march.

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Protesters hand deliver symbolic big check from corporate American to McCain.

Protesters hand deliver symbolic big check from corporate American to McCain.

Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley

Oberlin Rescuers

The Oberlin Rescuers outside of the Cuyahoga County Jail.

Safe Park

Safe Park, downtown Tucson

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Giving the LD9 update at the June meeting. What a great crowd!

Giving the LD9 update at the June meeting. What a great crowd!

#RedForEd

#RedForEd teachers and supporters in the Arizona House Gallery, 2018.

Desconocido (unknown)

Desconocido (unknown)

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ERA house women

Congressman Ron Barber and Pamela Powers Hannley at Cyclovia

Congressman Ron Barber and Pamela Powers Hannley at Cyclovia

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Arizona House

There have been many lively debates in the Arizona House in 2018. This team of House Democrats fought for consumer protections and fought against risky financial deals in a “regulatory sandbox.” (Pictured are Reps. Mitzi Epstein, Kelli Butler, Athena Salman, Pamela Powers Hannley, Ken Clark and Isela Blanc.)

@kyrstensinema Now it's time to vote to protect #ReproductiveRights and #VotingRights 3 months ago
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The Tucson Progressive: Pamela J. Powers

I stand on the side of Love. I believe in kindness to all creatures on Earth and the inherent self-worth of all individuals–not just people who agree with me or look like me.

Widespread economic and social injustice prompted me to become a candidate for the Arizona House, representing Legislative District 9 in the 2016 election.

My platform focused on economic reforms to grow Arizona’s economy, establish a state-based public bank, fix our infrastructure, fully fund public education, grow local small businesses and community banks, and put people back to work at good-paying jobs.

In the Arizona House, I was a strong voice for fiscal responsibility a moratorium on corporate tax breaks until the schools were fully funded, increased cash assistance to the poor, expansion of maternal healthcare benefits, equal rights, choice, unions, education at all levels and protecting our water supply.

After three terms, I retired from the Arizona Legislature in January 2023 but will continue to blog and produce my podcast “A View from the Left Side.”

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