Suburban Mosaic: Retired Elgin Latina cop receives lifetime achievement award
The Hispanic Illinois State Law Enforcement Association recently awarded Jo Ann Armenta of Elgin, a retired Illinois State Police sergeant, the Hector Jordan Lifetime Achievement Award.
Armenta was the first Latina Illinois state trooper in 1979. She was promoted to sergeant in 1988 and retired in 2003. She continues to serve her community through numerous volunteer efforts, encouraging and supporting other Latinas, especially in the area of law enforcement.
The award was presented to Armenta by Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Jaqueline Cepeda, the first woman elected president of the Hispanic Illinois State Law Enforcement Association.
“Having Jackie present this award was especially meaningful, because it shows progress, albeit a little long in coming,” Armenta said.
The award is named for Hector Jordan, the first Latino police officer in Aurora in 1955. He later became a supervisory special agent with the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, a precursor to the DEA.
Jordan was killed in 1970 and has become a symbol of service and sacrifice of Latinos in law enforcement.
How to vote:
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago has created a downloadable fact sheet on how to vote for Tuesday's general election.
The fact sheet is available in English, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, Chinese and Hindi translations. For more information, visit advancingjustice-chicago.org/downloadable-factsheet-how-to-vote-in-illinois-for-the-nov-8-general-election/.
Pow wow:
The Midwest Save Our Ancestor's Remains and Resources Indigenous Network Group (SOARRING) Foundation will hold its 26th annual Harvest Pow Wow Saturday and Sunday at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton.
Grand entries will be at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The event is open to the public. Parking is free.
Pow Wow highlights include Native American dancers in full regalia, food booths, special veterans honors, cultural demonstrations, native drum groups and flute players, raffles, arts and crafts vendors and Flintknapping (arrowhead making). There will be children's crafts from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We invite you to join our circle. Dance at our pow wows. Attend our cultural events,” said Naperville resident Joseph Standing Bear Schranz, foundation president and an enrolled member of the White Earth Band Minnesota Ojibwe Nation. “As you listen, you will learn. Together we become the Spirit of the ancestors and this land.”
Admission is $15 for adults; $10 for seniors 62 and older; $7 for children 3 to 12 years; kids under 3 enter for free. An adult weekend pass is $30.
Discounted tickets are available through Wednesday. Visit harvestpowwow.com/tickets.html. For information, visit midwestsoarring.org.
Open mic:
Bengali American Poet IndRani Mondal will perform at the National Indo-American Museum's monthly Livewire open mic on Nov. 17.
Mondal's poems reflect social and cultural issues, involving immigrant perspectives.
She has co-authored two medical science fiction novels, “Bugging Cancer” and “Three Daughters, Three Journeys,” published books of Bengali poems, “Protidin Sati Hoi” (The Daily Sunder) and “Raater Sarir” (Body of the Night) and of English verse, “Fugitive Wings” and “Pieces.” She is a member of the Barrington Writers Workshop.
The open mic runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the museum, 815 S. Main St., Lombard. Tickets are $5, including light refreshments and museum access and available at eventcombo.com/e/Livewire--Open-Mic--NIAM--67139 or at the door.
Teaching resources:
Illinois Holocaust Museum's literature-based teaching trunk program provides an array of free resources for K-12 educators with units on character education, human rights, the Holocaust, and/or genocide.
Each trunk allows teachers to create meaningful age- and grade-appropriate lessons using fiction and nonfiction, historical references and other educational materials. The resources have been developed to address state and national learning standards, including Common Core State Standards. For information, visit ilholocaustmuseum.org/students-educators/teaching-trunks/.
Cop talk:
Retired veteran cop Kristen Ziman, formerly Aurora's first woman police chief, will be the featured guest Wednesday for Benedictine University's “Journeys in Leadership” speaker series.
Ziman will appear in person at 7 p.m. in Room 411 of Benedictine's Goodwin Hall of Business, 5700 College Road, Lisle. The event is open to the public and free. Attendees also can join via Zoom by registering at https://bit.ly/3DVhcRs.
Ziman joined the Aurora Police Department in 1991 as a cadet and became a sworn officer in 1994. She worked in patrol, field training, community policing and investigations as a domestic violence detective before being promoted to sergeant in 2003.
During her 30-year career in law enforcement, Ziman was a trailblazer - the first woman lieutenant in 2008, first woman commander in 2010 and the first woman chief in her department's history in 2016.
“Kristen's career managing the most demanding, sensitive and often dangerous leadership challenges make her a perfect 'Journeys' speaker. We are honored to have her appear here at Benedictine,” said Phillip Hardy, professor of political science at Benedictine.
Ziman now focuses on leadership strategies, women's empowerment, positive psychology and mass shooting prevention. She is the author of “Reimagining Blue: Thoughts on Life, Leadership and a New Way Forward in Policing.”
Share stories, news and happenings from the suburban mosaic at mkrishnamurthy@dailyherald.com.