Adios Lou Dobbs!

"Now's the time...to say good-bye..." (in the words of Keith Olbermann) to the worst person in the world. Lou Dobbs resigned from CNN November 11th citing differences with CNN about his future with the network. Long known amongst Latino/as as the anti-immigrant host of his own hate-based "news" show, Dobbs then appeared as a guest on November 18's Jon Stewart Show.  In a hilarious introduction of Dobbs, Stewart had a Mariachi band welcome Dobbs to the show:

Oh Jon Stewart is my hero! Adios Dobbs!

Fiesta Latina at the White House!

Jimmy Smits, Marc Anthony, George Lopez, Sonya Sotomayor, Nydia Velasquez, Los Lobos, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E., Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria Parker, Thalia, Jose Feliciano - it was the who's who of Latina/o star power all gathered for one very special night - The White House Music Series Fiesta Latina.

While Smits, Longoria Parker and George Lopez hosted the event, the other great artists performed outside the White House in front of the First Family and other political figures. The hour long concert debuted on PBS on October 15th, 2009. The best part of this great musical showcase was Thalia asking President Obama to dance wit her! She thanked Michelle Obama for allowing it. He shook his shoulders briefly and quickly sat down. Well at least his brief dance made up for his udder butchering of the performers names during his welcome. With as many Latino/as on his staff, Obama should be reminded that saying Latino names need not be said with a forced accent. It would have been totally acceptable for him to say the names in his regular speech - not forcing himself to roll r's or accent syllables. This was however, a great showcase of Latin stars! Nothing beats seeing Marc Anthony, shirt opened half-way down with the White House in the background...classic!

Lopez Tonight! It's About Time...Gilbert!

It's about time...Chicanos on late night! George Lopez's new late night talk show premiered November 9th on TBS with guests Eva Longoria Parker, Kobe Bryant and Carlos Santana. George's unique setup - outside on the WB lot - gave the show an interesting backdrop. "GLo" is the logo for the show's main background and George's band is the band from the "This Is It" Michael Jackson tour. George did the usual jokes about his family in the first episode, but as the week progressed he moved into current events. The third episode had the largest number of viewers at 2 million! Of the 2 million 33% were Latino and 24% African Americans - he also took the ratings having the youngest crowd of all the late night shows. 

The later episodes included guest appearances from Queen Latifah, Slash, Charlie Sheen, Larry David, Jamie Foxx and Marc Anthony. The guests are really making the show worth watching as George works out the kinks such as the delivery of some of the jokes and some of the awkward skits.

Regardless of what needs to be worked out, this is George Lopez! With his own show! And trust me, I will be supporting because he's the only host that can call stupid people what they deserved to be called - cabrones!

Latino In America Part II

The final installment of CNN's "Latino in America" aired October 22nd, 2009. This segment focused on the immigration debate as well as the changes various cities are experience with the growth of the Latino immigrant community.  This segment was much more honest and critical of the anti-immigrant sentiment in America. The show follows a girl named "Marta" who was housed in a child immigrant detainment center in Florida. The young girl crossed the Rio Grande by herself and was caught by immigration. The various trials that she faces with her pro bono attorney are heart wrenching.  

The most powerful of the segments is most definitely the story about the Shenadoah, Pennsylvania killing.  A group of white teenage football players in this small town outside of Wilkes-Barre beat up and killed a Mexican immigrant one night outside his home. The boys were acquitted.  A local civil rights activist talked about the facade that the town exhibits every year during its cultural parade, however, it is clear by the acquittal and the town's siding with the teenagers that, indeed, racism is alive.  

While the other segments including the "Latino Mayberry" and the interview with Cuban Senator Mel Martinez were interesting, it was the shocking segments like that of the Pennsylvania town that really put the problems facing Latinos in the US into the mainstream consciousness. 

I think Soledad O'Brien and the CNN producers did a wonderful job showing the various faces of Latinidad in the US.  

Hilarity and... Wait - I should know better!

This is by far the worst song out right now - "Throw It In the Bag" by Fabulous and Loso. Not only have rappers these days taken the designer brand name dropping too far, now they just look stupid doing it. The video makes the song far worse - I just don't think it's hip-hop to tell your boys that you're girl(friend) does not have to look at the price tag. Let alone, that in the video, this talentless Loso character takes a couple of women's shirts from the rack and throws them like any other rapper would do money (not that the money isn't stupid too, but that's another discussion). I laughed out loud at the hilarity of "hip-hop" and shopping going hand in hand. Long gone are days when hip-hop fashion was about rockin' your wardrobe (no matter how little money you spent on it or what is was worth) in the most unique way possible. Back then, you'd save your money to buy that fresh pair of Adidas (the simplest designed ones at that!) all so that you could put your own spin on it. Nowadays kids and teens see that Louis Vuitton is the go-to brand for the mainstream "artist" and want it for themselves.

- PAUSE for LV INFO -
Known around the globe as a leader in luxury leather goods, Louis Vuitton started in 1854 and has grown to be the most recognizable and highly priced producer of men's and women's clothing, shoes, handbags, and luggage. The company is said to be worth over 20 billion dollars.

And now as more and more "mainstream" rappers and their entourages talk about and promote these once, seemingly very unattainable luxury brands, their followers (mostly teenagers without a full-time $100,000+ jobs) become obsessed with owning LV, Burberry, Prada, Dior, Chanel and Fendi. This want, in turn, leads to the growth of the counterfeit trade.





Young people shop Ebay or the streets for knock-offs of the LV Monogram Canvas Pouchette or the Classic Chanel Flap Bag. Instead of paying the retail prices of over $800, you can find a fake for less than $100, in some cases with some negotiation, under $40. While the originals are indisputable to a hard-core fashionista, the fakes look pretty good in high school. Which leads me back to my original point, brand dropping makes you look stupid. When you can afford the real thing there is no need mention it, just the simple fact that you have it says it all.

Latin Music USA - PBS Special

Simply Fabulous!

Latin Music USA, the four-hour Public Broadcasting Station documentary, aired for the first time October 12th and 19th, 2009. The documentary is a must-see, must-own spectacular history about Latin Music in the United States. It chronicles the birth of Latin Jazz, Salsa, Norteno, Bomba, Latin Rock, and Reggaeton. There are amazing clips and interviews with the founders of these forms of Latin music. You can't help but be proud of the ways in which Latina/os made and found their own sounds and music - each giving credit to previous generations of Latin musicians.

So watch it, buy it, love it! http://www.shoppbs.org/family/index.jsp?categoryId=3835232

Latino in America - Part I

Premiering on October 21, 2009, CNN's "Latino in America - Meet the Garcias" followed the lives of seven different individuals whose last name is Garcia. These Latina/os were from various ethnicities, ages, and genders. After viewing part I of the special, I was pleasantly surprised at how fair and balanced the two-hour broadcast was. Despite the heavy criticism that CNN faced with the similarly structured "Black in America," I was expecting a program riddled with inaccuracies and stereotypes. What this special did do was showcase the diversity and issues facing our community. While others may view these issues as stereotypes I challenge the critics to find a way to showcase our community while simultaneously sharing with middle (white) America the issues we face. We have to remember that this special is exactly for those individuals, people who regularly watch CNN and their various documentaries. This is not a college-level sociology or cultural critique on the history of Latino/as in America. Similarly you will not find the ultra right-wing part of the country tuning into CNN for a documentary about Latino/as - its not FOX!

In remembering the various segments, I feel that it also speaks to other Latino/as, as a reminder of the various struggles nuestra gente faces across the US, regardless of their culture. For example, it was quite mind-blowing that 70% of Latino youth in Los Angeles are not graduating from high school on time. It is also mind-boggling that young Latinas are struggling with depression and suicide (1 out of every 7 Latina teens!) And yet, here I am, an educated Chicana woman who also comes from a low-income, gang-infested community, who can now be better informed about her fellow Latinas and in some way, whether that be role-modeling or mentoring, can help her own people.

Yes, of course, what stands out the most about this part of the documentary is how many times our morals/values seem to be at the crux of the problems, particularly for the women in the documentary. The value of placing family first "led" to young girls not finishing high school, dropping out, getting pregnant, depression, isolation, and the feeling of being torn by being American and being true to your Latina/o culture. That was the biggest problem of the documentary- instead of making it the salient reason for failures, it should have been put into perspective - that while family is the core of our moral values, it is often times family mixed with outdated traditions of a woman's place in the family and underlying racism as mentioned above, that are the problem. As we witness from Cindy's story, she is responsible for all the children in her family because her mother works too many jobs. There is no mention of the men in the family - where they are or what they contribute. Also, there is no childcare assistance for her while she is in high school. Again, for what it was, the documentary could not have unpackaged the complex and complicated origins of the woman's place in the Latina/o household; that in and of itself would take hours to explain - Catholicism, ancient indigenous practices, hierarchies, and misconceptions of nature/nurture. But making it the main reason for the many problems facing our youth is irresponsible and untrue.

Another criticism of this part of the documentary was the ways in which various Latino/as use the term "Mexican". There is a segment in which a teenage boy from North Carolina states that he "doesn't like it" when other people call him Mexican. Without context or understanding of North Carolina demographics or his high school's demography - critics immediately thought that he was saying that being called Mexican is bad, because of the negative stereotypes associated with the term. Needless to say that Mexican is an adjective to describe something as coming from or being from Mexico. This boy did not have the opportunity - or CNN did not show anything beyond that comment - to explain himself. It is likely that he did not like it because he is in fact NOT Mexican. That's like saying, "I don't like being called a man" (Because I am not one - not because there is anything bad about being a man). Then again, perhaps he did mean that being called Mexican was bad - bad because Mexicans are bad - we will never know. So again, a little bit of context would have helped viewers understand the statement. And for that segment in particular, it may have been helpful for a quick note saying that most individuals don't know who they are when they are teenagers.

I must also commend Soledad O'Brien for putting some of the white interviewee's feet to the fire. In the segment about St. Louis' Catholic church divide - Soledad interviewed a group of white Catholics who were basically complaining about the demographic shift taking place within their parish. She asked them if their feelings were "very Christian," which made them look like bigots who can't stand change. These people where leaders in their parish! So despite all of the critics complaints about the Latino/a stereotypes, and the few points that should have been placed into context - CNN did quite a good job showing just how much of the issues facing Latino/as are based on racism. Not enough money for the largest school district in Los Angeles and the 2nd largest in America - which happens to be 90% Latino; the push-pull factors that undocumented workers face and how hypocritical the US has been toward undocumented workers, the ignorance and violation of human dignity by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the underlying racism in the St. Louis Catholic diocese, and the Hollywood elite that refuse to fully represent this country by making Latino/as 6% of the roles on television/movies. So look deeper into the stories, because you will find that racism is the undercurrent and the driving force behind many of the issues Latino/as face - not just our values of family coming first!

Some of stories did include some very uplifting segments of Latino/as succeeding in middle America - like Eva Longoria Parker, George Lopez, Lorena Garcia and Pedro Garcia. They are utilizing and showcasing their Latinidad in America and it has given them great success. Despite all the obstacles before them - those obstacles that Latino/as face everyday - they have achieved the American dream. All in all, this part of "Latino in America" was pretty good - Can't wait to review the next segment!

For more visit: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/latino.in.america/

El Chuco - The Homeland

Sorry, I have been MIA. I just got back from my wonderful vacation in El Chuco, and have several observations to make about my homeland. Like Scarlett O'Hara, yes, I do get my strength from my homeland and the 90 degree heat in the middle of October, but in retrospect there is so much more to that city than meets the eye.

El Paso, Texas; aka "El Chuco" - is the third largest city in Texas and brings together Ciudad Juarez (aka "Don't go over there!") and Las Cruces, NM. It is right across the border from Juarez, the city with the most killings in Mexico to date. Included in the mass murders are the maquila murders and drug war murders. Every day the El Paso Times reported several murders while I was there, from execution style shootings to beheadings. At the root of all the evil is the Mexican drug gangs and the Mexican government. For more check out the article: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_13555924

So in other words, no one goes over there! Long gone are the days of partying on the strip, shopping at the markets, and dinners at the restaurants throughout Juarez. Americans and Mexicans fear for their lives, troubled by the possibilities of becoming innocent bystanders.

Aside from that, El Paso continues to grow tremendously. With each visit once a year, I find myself in shock at the eastward expansion of El Paso County. Mini-malls, car dealerships and public schools spatter the desert landscape to the east of the city and home ownership grows to fill in the space. With all of this expansion it became clear to me that the industry in El Paso County is now service - jobs in those mini-malls seem to be the greatest source of employment in the city. School teachers and federal law enforcement on the border seem to come in a close second. While the east expands, downtown El Paso keeps working toward change. The downtown revitalization (that has been in the works since I was in high school) is finally starting to come to fruition. The downtown club scene, art scene, and restaurant business looks new and fresh. While the border district looks the same; same Korean dollar business owners, same hole-in-the-wall burger joints, same cheap clothing/shoe stores to appeal to the daily border-crossers coming or going to work; overall, downtown is not half-bad anymore.

Alas, El Chuco is still home - and I can't wait to go back!

Book Review - Mambo Kings

Title: The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
Author: Oscar Hijuelos
Publication Date: 1989

Hijuelos' "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love" is a touching story of brothers who come from Cuba to the US in search of better lives and the opportunities to play the music they love - mambo. Having seen the movie before reading the book, it was very similar and equally touching and sad. The storyline about the brothers performing on "I Love Lucy" is just as the movies portrays. However, with the book, I found the ending long and drawn out. The story about the older brother, Cesar, after Nestor's death is long and repetitive. While the book did win a Pulitzer Prize, I was not as emotionally satisfied with the book as I was with the movie. It is a great read, and a big part of American and Latin American literature, but perhaps, if I had not seen the movie first, I would have more to say about the book. For those reasons, I say read it, enjoy it, but if you've seen the movie, its an okay read.

Book Review - Be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions!

Title: The Daughters of Juarez: A True Story of Serial Murder South of the Border

Authors: Teresa Rodriguez, Diana Montane with Lisa Pulitzer

Published: 2007

Where to begin? Let's start with why this book is an important, must read for anyone interested in social justice issues - women/girls have been and are dying in huge numbers just a stone throw away from the United States, near factories owned and operated by American companies, with little to no real answers about why. Since 1993, Mexican authorities have brushed aside the importance of a full-fledged investigation of Mexican police, politicians, and federal employees who have 'investigated', met with, incarcerated, spoke to and are somehow involved in the homicide cases of over 400 missing/murdered Latinas. While Mexican officials claim that a majority of the murders have been solved, there are still women/girls missing and families that have yet to find peace.

This book takes readers through the 12 years of the Juarez murders, shedding light on Mexican authorities' lack of commitment to solving crimes and the overall government's mishandling of evidence and suspects connected to the murders. Rodriguez also interweaves real stories, directly from the families of the missing women, to give readers a real understanding of the confusion and frustration so many families deal with.

At times, in reading this book, you may want to throw-up, throw the book against the wall in anger, cry out of anger and/or sadness. It seems so far-fetched that a government with this many homicides and critics could be so arrogant in their investigations and proclamations. It is also astounding to think that these beautiful young women, who are working for less than $5 a day at American factories would be the target for such malicious and heinous crimes. What's worse is that it is, literally, a few miles from the United States. While of course, I am not saying that the US should have gotten involved in the investigations without the request from Mexico, and while I am somewhat relieved that Amnesty International and the United Nations got involved eventually, I am saying that it is worth pause that as American Latino/as we stop and reflect on what this means to us. I could have easily been one of these girls, brown with long dark hair, working to support themselves and/or their families.

Rodriguez and the other authors did an amazing job of explaining how investigations were botched and who was involved in the government and keeping these homicides from being successfully investigated. They also, respectfully, told the families' stories, and through these stories and this book, the hundreds of girls/women found and still missing will live on.

It is important to read this book, learn about the femicide that took place in Ciudad Juarez, remember the victims of these crimes, thank God for how lucky we are to live in the United States with laws that protect domestic violence victims and missing persons, and finally, to feel a connection to those who are suffering.

To learn more visit: http://www.amnestyusa.org/amnestynow/juarez.html
http://www.libertadlatina.org/Crisis_Lat_Mexico_Juarez_Femicide.htm
http://www.now.org/issues/global/juarez/

Book Review - Latino Vamps!

Title: The Bride of Casa Dracula

Author: Marta Acosta

Published: 2008

The very cool Bride of Casa Dracula was a great departure from Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series and Stephanie Meyers' Twilight Saga. Complete with a little bit of romance, some blood (though in a very different way from the others mentioned above) and shapeshifters, the Bride was a fun and very cute read. Latina vampire Milagro de los Santos is preparing to wed her prince charming and vampire boyfriend, Oz. However, because of her special existence (the fact that she survived two vampire infections) and is one of the strongest vampires around, makes her the target of several attempts on her life and at the beckon call of the Council, or the vampire government. Acosta interweaves the Spanish slang into Milagro's dialogues and makes this heroine, a very sexy chica. While this book is the third of her Casa Dracula series, reading this book on its own was entertaining in and of itself. I will most definitely be on the lookout for the first two books to find out who Milagro came to be a vampire and her previous relationships with the vampires in the third book.

If you want a fun, "vampiric" read - then check out this one! It's really fun!

Book Review: MUST READ!

Title: It's Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, Hip Hop's First Latino DJ
Author: Ivan Sanchez and Luis "DJ Disco Wiz" Cedeno
Publication Date: June 2009

I had the pleasure of meeting DJ Disco Wiz at a conference held at Cornell University, "Born in the Bronx," on October 31st, 2009. http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/hiphop/conference.html

Without any realization of what I was attending, I quickly realized that I had the unique opportunity to meet the great pioneers of hip-hop, such as Grandmaster Caz, Grandwizzard Theodore, Popmaster Fabel, Tony Tone, Disco Wiz and Africa Bambaataa. After watching these great legends perform and speak to a diverse audience - I was able to talk with DJ Disco Wiz for a few hours. That night, I talked to him about hip-hop, his background, his struggles, and his tremendous life story. Meanwhile, he didn't hesitate to ask me what I liked about hip-hop and how I felt about Latina/os in hip-hop. He told me he had grandchildren and had been a sous chef. It was hard to believe that this legend of the art form of DJing was a grandpa - he was just that cool and down-to-earth. Half-Cuban, Half-Puerto Rican, Wiz grew up in the Bronx, but now lived in Connecticut with his wife.

This summer, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of his book. Thinking that it was a great gesture of my assistance at the conference, I put the book on my list of summer reads. And now a few months later, this great story of Hip-Hop's first Latino DJ, I read in one night!

The book chronicles Wiz's life, filled with his father's abuse, mother's undying love, street crew antics, set against the tough, rough, South Bronx of the 1970s. Wiz's stories jump off the page with realness and poignancy - you can picture it - you can feel it - the pain and sadness; the triumph and hope. Meanwhile, you feel lucky to have had a glimpse and a window into the birth of hip-hop. It reminds me of Junot Diaz's Drown and Piri Thomas' Down These Mean Streets - beyond just writing the stories, you feel the stories.

I don't want to say too much more about the various obstacles Wiz had to overcome to get to a place where he is a role model, historian, and hip-hop godfather. I will say that this book is a must read for any hip-hop head who wants to learn about the history; for any Latina/o wanting to understand the collective history of our people; for any barrio-born person; for any one who feels lost in their lives and is searching for hope - this book can offer that and so much more for so many people. For me, it made me believe that people can change and turn their lives around; and that Latinas/os are lucky to have DJ Disco Wiz represent por la gente as the first Latino DJ!

Check out the book: http://www.amazon.com/Its-Just-Begun-Journey-Latino/dp/157687494X/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Someone Help Syracuse!

This past weekend, I attended the Syracuse Latino Festival in Clinton Square. The festival was to together in order to showcase local Latino talent, promote Latin culture, and expose Syracuse residents to Latino culture within the city. However, upon arrival, it became crystal-clear that the city's Latino population is in desperate need of help. Not only were the majority of the people at the festival young, middle-high school aged children, there were very few adults keeping tabs on them. Within minutes of getting to the festival, I witnessed fist fights, water bottles thrown into the crowd, and an increase police presence. Upwards of 200 kids would run from one end of the square to other alerting police to possible fights. Luckily, festival organizers quickly spoke to the crowd, asking to family's to control their children, asking participants to show some pride in their community, and threatening to end the festival if the running continues. Unfortunately the last time that the crowd ran from one end of the square to the other, ended in the stabbing/murder of a 20 year-old man and the stabbing of a 16 year-old child. http://www.cnycentral.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=337764

This got me thinking about Syracuse and other CNY cities with growing numbers of Latino/as, and the continued violence and high school drop-out rates for Latino/as in these cities. According to Education Week - New York State had a 33% graduation rate for Latino/as; 56% is the national average. Various sources place the Syracuse Latino/a graduation rate as high as 51%. Not only is the dropout rate atrocious, the number of teen pregnancies is one of the highest in the state. The girls/children at the festival were dressed the way I expect young women to be dressed in the club, with men of all ages staring at the scantly dressed pre-teens/teens. The ultimate lack of self-respect is at the heart of that issue, along with the little supervision. The city, along with its growing crime problem, is in jeopardy. One can only hope that among the people of color in the city, there are individuals willing to continue to work toward helping the community.

Tall, Dark & Chicano - George Lopez

It's official - George Lopez is one of the most influential Latino/a comedians of all time! This past Saturday, Lopez's "Tall, Dark & Chicano" aired live on HBO; the second time HBO has hosted a Lopez show! I did have the chance to check out Lopez's sold-out San Antonio performance, and as usual he delivered! Hysterical and insightful as always, Lopez had that AT&T Center rolling! He started off the evening giving a huge shout-out to our new Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor! This really set the tone for the more political of all his stand-up shows, really focusing on the growing Latino vote that no politican can ignore anymore. As usual, of course, he talked about his childhood, relationships, stereotypes, and Chicano slang, coining the new Latina/o/Chicana/o text message shortcut - "ADM" instead of "OMG" - "Ay Dios Mio."

This performance was really great, but I will always love "Why You Crying?" the best - as the jokes are fresh and his acting out various characters pee-your-pants crazy! But as with anything GLo does - I will support him, because let's be real - Lopez is the best stand-up comic out there and always represents for LA RAZA! Check out the info about "Tall, Dark & Chicano" at: http://www.hbo.com/events/george-lopez/index.html

Book Review

Title: Orange County
Author: Gustavo Arellano (http://www.askamexican.net)
Published: 2008

I just finished this amazing book by columnist Arellano, Orange County, and whoa, I am still in shock by the amazing and very embarrassing history of Orange County, CA. I am also deeply touched by his various revelations about coming into his own mexicanidad throughout his childhood and teenage-college years. It is a very easy to relate to his personal story and at the same time remain shocked about what was going on around him in Orange County. The epicenter of Republicanism, anti-immigrant sentiment, various CA proposals to keep immigrants from receiving government assistance, Christian evangelicalism - all wrapped up into this CA county where Vietnamese, Mexican, white, and black co-exist. Kinda. Many of you may know Arellano as the writer of "Ask a Mexican" and his book by the same name. He is extremely funny and satirical - another must read! Here's one of my favorite passages from Orange County:

"The rhetoric you hear in Washington, the viciousness with which the various amnesty proposals were shot down in 2007, the way talk show hosts blubber about a supposed Mexican takeover of the United States through welfare fraud, pregnancy, and/or spicy salsa - your listening to Orange County's siren song. You've learned well, America-blaming immigrants (especially Mexicans) for our national ills is again a pastime, and states, cities, and counties are tripping over themselves trying to out-anti-Mexican each other. But beware our tale, because not only did the chickens return to roost, but they're laying eggs without end: Orange County now has more minorities than whites-and Mexicans are the biggest ethnic group. "

I think of this book as a modern history book - and a tragic, yet hopeful observation of a region of the country that speaks volumes to other places in the US. Not only is Arellano speaking truth to power - he does it with a big, big, b*tch slap to the establishment! It also has a special place in my heart due to his shout out to MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan), a college student organization that is more than a political organization with chapters across the US, but a home away from home for hundreds of college students trying to find their place in society and give back to their community at same time. His recollection of the impact MEChA made on his life is similar to the impact it had on mine during my undergraduate college days. So to conclude - read the book - y que viva MEChA!

Sotomayor - That's right - she's a Latina!

Saturday, August 8, 2009 marked the day that the first Latin@ was sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice! Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latin@ and only the third woman to hold this post. She is the 111th Justice of the United States Supreme Court. At the age of 55, Sotomayor will also be sitting on the court for several years hopefully decades!

As a Latina from the Bronx, she most definitely will shape the future of Latino/as and people of color in the United States. So felicidades to our new Justice, Sra. Sotomayor!

Book Review

Title: Broken Paradise
Author: Cecilia Samartin
Date Published: Feb. 2007

While this is two year old book, I recently picked it up at a bookstore in the bargain section. I was completely blown away by the story and beautifully written prose. This story, about two cousins during the Castro takeover in Cuba, follows the journey of two different experiences of the time. One of the cousins stays in Cuba, hoping for decline of Castro while falling in love with a young revolutionary. The other follows a girl and her family as they flee to the US to escape poverty. The book also deals with issues of racism within Cuban culture when the cousin in Cuba falls in love with a mulatto revolutionary despite the entire family's objection of it. Meanwhile, the cousin in the US struggles with learning English, making friends, and missing her cousin. She, however, does find success with school, a job, husband, and house. Throughout the ten or so years they are a part, the cousins write letters to each other. Finally, the story comes to a head when the US cousin plans to visit Cuba to help her lonely cousin and her blind daughter try to escape. The story is so poignant that the last two chapters were a whirl wind of emotions. This intimate look at Cuban culture, generational divide, and racism, through the love of these cousins is beautiful and lovely, and definitely worth a read!

Reggaeton - Lack of Innovation (Style?)

I recently watched the video "Sexy Movimiento" from Wisin y Yandel on BET J and was struck by how boring the genre has become. Thinking back to early 2003 when reggaeton was just beginning to mainstream (of course, that is after it originally came out by El General in 1992), I realized I had not sat through an entire video since 2003. Not out of disrespect to our Latin musicians, but really, I started to feel early on that the lyrics and videos were extremely degrading to women, and at the same time there was a lack of innovation with the beats. As a good friend once said, "(Listening to reggaeton) is like being trapped in box." And now about 6 years later, I am saddened by how little has changed within the genre. Case in point - Wisin y Yandel. The video was basically a version of R. Kelly's "Down Low" and the beat was the same old beat coming from hundreds of other reggaeton songs.
 
Now, despite my disappointment with the beat and the song in general, I was also struck by the uber-metrosexual appearance of the majority of Latinos in this genre. We all know that the same can be said of other Latin musicians (Luis Miguel, Ricky Martin, etc.), but I have NEVER seen it to this extreme! These guys were more well-groomed than the Latina girls in the video. Eyebrows waxed to the max, matching outfits, perfect lines in the goatee and haircuts, I mean super-duper-primped! What happened to the days of Alejandro Fernandez brows? Au-natural! Regardless of what Latinos are now sporting - natural or metro - it's more about music and the lack of innovation that reggaeton has been able to sustain with. So with that - I probably won't post any thing else about reggaeton for another six years, or until I see/hear some real innovations!

MLB All-Star Game 2009

This year's MLB All-Star game takes place in St. Louis. America's past-time has obviously grown tremendously across the world, particulary in Latin America. With the amazing documentary from MLB, "Beisbol: The Latin Game" and Spike TV's "Viva Baseball" - its no suprise that each year more and more Latinos are playing in the All-Star Game. After watching 46,000 + fans cheer home team hero, Dominican Albert Pujols in the Home Run Derby, I began to wonder - What does white America think about this growing group of future Hall of Famers outnumbering white players? The top 4 vote-getters of the 80th All-Star game were all Latino - Pujols lead the votes, with Yadier Molina, Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Beltran; Derek Jeter was not far behind. Thanks to Dominican based bank, Banco BHN, All-Star ballots were available in Spanish. Tonight's Home Run Derby included Latinos: Pujols, Nelson Cruz, Carlos Pena, and Adrian Gonzalez. While Cruz came in second, it was Pujols' at bats that stole the show. Not to mention watching him and all the the other men of color playing their most important role - daddy - to their kids on the field. While this really made a unique impression amongst my fellow viewers; did it sit well with the rest of America? I think so! 20 of the 70 All-Stars are Latinos from all parts of the US and Latin America. So, for my love of the game and my fascination with Latinos in sports, check out the following articles about this amazing Latino beisbol storm! (BTW - Its a plus that they are all super handsome and super sweet!)
http://www.hispanicmarketweekly.com/featureArticle.cms?id=1726
http://www.sitv.com/blogs/sports/latinos-mlb-all-star-game-roster

Sotomayor Hearings - History in the making?

In a continued attempt to prove that she is simply working to apply the law, Puerto Rican federal appellate judge and US Supreme Court nominee is defending her past judgments despite "her critics" (aka conservative right-wing) efforts to bring up race and ethnicity "impacting" her judgment. Once again, being Latin@ is supposedly the cause of a clouded professional opinion. Born and raised in the South Bronx, Sonia Sotomayor will most likely be confirmed as the US's first Latin@ justice, and she will continue to exemplify grace and professionalism throughout the hearings.

Check these out:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/13/sotomayor.hearing/index.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/SoniaSotomayor/story?id=8043833&page=1

RIP - Michael Jackson

It really is worth mentioning that the KING of POP impacted the Latin@ community in more ways than one. Latin@ choreographers, fashion designers, musicians, and everyone of all ages and ethnicities, from all around the globe (Latin America included!) were culturally impacted by him and everything he did. From his early days in the Jackson 5 through his hits like "Thriller," "Beat It," and "Bad," Latin@s also grew along side the King of Pop. Latin@s were present in just about every dance video - like Michael De Lorenzo (New York Undercover) as a background dancer and all the Latin@s in "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Bad" - the Latin@ community will mourn the passing of the great MJ. Que descanse en paz.

The Arts

Here is a list of some of the most influential individuals in the arts, literature, playwriting, fine arts, etc. Again, in order to make this a short list, I have limited it to Latin@s who have influenced American popular culture! Feel free to add as you see necessary!

1. Miguel Pinero (Puerto Rico) - Co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe; poet

2. Julia Alvarez (Dominican - NY) - Author of In the Time of the Butterflies; and the Garcia Girls series

3. Sandra Cisneros (Chicana - IL) - Author of The House of Mango Street

4. Gloria Anzaldua (Chicana -TX) - Author of Borderlands/La Frontera and This Bridge Called My Back

5. Cristina Garcia (Cuba) Born in Cuba, but fled at the age of 2 years old; author of Dreaming in Cuban

6. Rudolfo Anaya (Chicano - NM) Author of Bless Me, Ultima

7. Junot Diaz (Dominican Republic) Author of Drown and Pulitzer Prize winning, The Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao

8. Simon Silva (Mexico) Painter and artist depicts country life in bright oranges, reds, and yellows

9. Jean-Michal Basquiat (Puerto Rican/African-American - NY) Internationally renown artist, graffiti artist

10. Julia de Burgos (Puerto Rico) - Poet and civil rights activist

11. Oscar Hijuelos (Cuban -NY) - First Latino to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction for The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love

12. Lin-Manuel Miranda (Puerto Rican - NY) Tony award winning composer and star of "In the Heights" musical

13. Luis Valdez (Chicano -CA) Father of Chicano theater; founder of Teatro Campesino; director

14. Americo Paredes (Chicano - TX) Seminal Mexican-American scholar

15. Lalo Alcaraz (Chicano -CA) Political cartoonist of La Cucaracha

**For an interesting collection of Latin@s in various aspects of American culture, check this out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans

Music Icons

Here's a list of musical icons that have changed American music to include Latin@s. Some are Spanish-speaking, some not; all are pioneers in their own rights! Feel free to add more!

1. DJ Disco Wiz (Cuban/Puerto Rican- NY) - The first Latino DJ

2. Mellow Man Ace (Cuban - CA) - The first Latino hip-hop artist to include Spanish slang and Latin music beats

3. Carlos Santana (Mexico) - The pioneer of Latin rock; classic rock legend and humanitarian

4. Big Pun (Nuyorican) - Lyrical genius and Latino hip-hop artist

5. El General (Panama) - Father of Reggaeton

6. Celia Cruz (Cuba) - Most successful salsa singer of all time

7. Gloria Estefan (Cuba) - Award winning pop and Latin music singer

8. Tito Puente (Nuyorican) - Influential Latin jazz percussionist

9. Hector LaVoe (Puerto Rico) - Influential Salsa singer

10. Joe Cuba (Nuyorican) - Father of Boogaloo music

11. Joan Baez (Mexican/Scottish - NY) - Legendary folk singer

12. Jose Feliciano (Puerto Rico) - Legendary folk singer

13. Selena (Chicana - TX) - Legendary Tejano singer

14. Richie Valens (Chicano - CA) - Pioneer of Spanish language Rock and Roll music

15. Ricky Martin (Puerto Rico) - Pioneer of English Latin Pop

16. Menudo - (Puerto Rico) - Original Latino Boy Band

17. Shakira - (Colombia) - Bilingual pop star

18. Marc Anthony (Puerto Rican - NY) - Biggest selling Salsa artist of all time

19. Ozomatli (Multicultural - CA) - Eclectic band mixing all genres of music with a distinctly Latin flair

20. Rock Steady Crew (Multicultural - NY) - The foremost break-dancing crew around

21. Cypress Hill (Multicultural - CA) First Latino group to have platinum selling albums

22. Delinquent Habits (Chicano - CA) Chicano group with Latin-flavored rhymes/beats

23. Linda Ronstadt (Mexican/German/English/Dutch - AZ) -Popular entertainer winning awards in multiple genres including Rancheras

24. Hype Williams (African-American/Honduran - NY) - Pioneer music video producer

25. Christina Aguilera (Ecuador/Irish - NY) - Award-winning singer and songwriter

26. Tony Touch (Nuyorican) - DJ; B-Boy; Rapper - producer

27. Intocable (Chicano - TX) Award winning Tejano/Norteno music group

28. Ruben Blades (Panama) Latin jazz musician, actor, songwriter

29. Luis Miguel (Irish/Puerto Rico - Claims Mexican due to upbringing) - One of the most popular singers in Latin America

**Again, due to the number of musical icons of Latin American decent; these are just a few individuals/groups that have large appeal to Latin@s in the US.

Movie/TV Icons

Here is a short list of TV and movie icons - while I would like to add a short biography of each person, there are just so many! I will list them and add their background, a few movies/programs to check out so you can see how amazing these individuals are! Some are pioneers from the early film/tv years; others are standing icons of Latin@s in film and television.

1. Rita Hayworth (Spanish/Irish) - Gilda; Cover Girl

2. Raquel Welch (Bolivian/Irish) - One Million Years B.C.; Tortilla Soup

3. Jose Ferrer (Puerto Rico) - Cyrano de Bergerac

4. Lynda Carter (Irish/Mexican/Spanish) - Wonder Woman TV Series

5. Cantiflas (Mexican) - Various Mexican movies; comedian

6. Desi Arnaz (Cuban) - I Love Lucy

7. Anthony Quinn (Mexican) - La Strada; Lawrence of Arabia

8. Lupe Velez (Mexican) - Mexican Spitfire; Hot Pepper

9. Ramon Novarro (Mexican) - The Cat and the Fiddle; The Big Steal

10. Ricardo Montalban (Mexican) - Border Incident; Fantasy Island

11. Cheech Marin (Chicano- CA) - Born in East L.A.; Cheech and Chong

12. John Leguizamo (Colombia/Puerto Rican) - Sexaholic; Carlito's Way

13. George Lopez (Chicano- CA) - Real Women Have Curves; The George Lopez Show

14. Paul Rodriguez (Mexico) - Born in East L.A.; Tortilla Soup; comedian

15. Jimmy Smits (Puerto Rican/Surinamese- NY) LA Law; NYPD Blue; Mi Familia

16. Edward James Olmos (Chicano - CA) - Mi Familia; American Me; Battlestar Galactica

17. Freddie Prinze Sr. (Puerto Rican/German- NY) - Chico and the Man

18. Robert Rodriguez (Chicano- TX) Director of Spy Kids; From Dusk til Dawn; Desperado

19. Gregory Nava (Chican0- CA) - Director of Selena; El Norte; Mi Familia

20. Carmen Miranda (Brazil) - Copacabana

21. Raul Julia (Puerto Rico) - Addams Family; Havana

22. Alfonso Arau (Mexico) - The Three Amigos; Bonanza

23. Rita Moreno (Puerto Rico) - West Side Story; Popi; Pinero

24. Salma Hayek (Mexico) - Dogma, Frida, Ugly Betty

25. Antonio Banderas (Spain) - Philadelphia; Shrek 2; Desperado

26. Andy Garcia (Cuba) - Godfather II; When a Man Loves a Woman

27. Iris Chacon (Puerto Rico) - Various variety shows

28. Rosie Perez (Nuyorican) - Do the Right Thing; White Men Can't Jump

29. Dolores Del Rio (Mexico) - The Bad One, Girl of the Rio

30. Esai Morales (Nuyorican) - Mi Familia; La Bamba

31. Martin Sheen (Irish/Spanish) - The West Wing; Apocalypse Now

32. Charlie Sheen (Irish/Spanish) - Platoon; Wall Street

33. Emilio Estevez (Irish/Spanish) - The Breakfast Club; Young Guns

34. Jennifer Lopez (Nuyorican) - The Wedding Planner; Enough; Selena

35. Cameron Diaz (English/German/Cuban) - Something About Mary; In Her Shoes

36. Eva Mendes (Cuban - FL) - Hitch; Training Day; Ghost Rider

37. Eva Longoria Parker (Chicana -TX) - Desperate Housewives

38. Rosario Dawson (Cuban/PR/Irish/Native American - NY) - Eagle Eye, He Got Game

39. Zoe Saldana (PR/DR - NJ) - Star Trek; Pirates of the Caribbean

40. America Ferrera (Honduran - CA) - Ugly Betty; Real Women Have Curves

41. Selena Gomez (Mexican/Italian) - Various Disney productions; Hannah Montana

42. Penelope Cruz (Spain) - Woman on Top; Vanilla Sky; Volver

43. Javier Bardem (Spain) - No Country for Old Men; Vicky Cristina Barcelona

44. Benecio Del Toro (Puerto Rico) - Traffic; Wolfman

**For a complete history of Latin@s in film please check out "The Bronze Screen," a documentary that explores the stereotypes Latin@ actors faced and were type-casted into as well as the emergence of Latin@ directors who changed the way Latin@s were to be viewed in film: http://www.amazon.com/Bronze-Screen-Years-Latino-Hollywood/dp/B00006LPDE

Latin@ Sports Icons

Here is a short list of some of the most influential Latin@ sports icons in America. Coming from all sports and all backgrounds, these individuals made their mark on American popular culture!

1. Joe Kapp - (Chicano - NM) - Quarterback that led the Minnesota Vikings to their first playoff appearance in 1968; and in 1970 was named the "Toughest Chicano" by Sports Illustrated.

2. Roberto Clemente- (Puerto Rico) - First Latino to win the World Series as a starter in 1960, win a league MVP award (1966) and win a World Series MVP award (1971) with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a right fielder. First Latino to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

3. Jim Plunkett - (Chicano - CA) - Quarterback and first Latino to win the Heisman Trophy (1970) and first Latino #1 pick in the NFL Draft (1971).

4. Tom Flores - (Chicano - CA) - First NFL coach of color to win a Super Bowl; first starting quarterback of Latin American decent in the American Football League in 1960 with the Raiders; went on to lead the Raiders in two Super Bowl wins.

5. Ignacio Molinet - (Cuba) - First player of Latin American decent to play professional football in 1927 for the Frankfort Yellowjackets.

6. Vernon "Lefty" Gomez - (Chicano - CA) - First All-Star game winning pitcher, for New York Yankees;2nd Latino to be inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

7. Julio Cesar Chavez - (Mexico) - Considered as one of the best boxers of all time; professional record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts. He holds records for most successful defenses of world titles (27) and most title fights (37). Chávez also holds the record for the longest undefeated streak in boxing history.

8. Roberto Duran - (Panama) - He held world titles at four different weights - lightweight (1972-79), welterweight (1980), junior middleweight (1983-84) and middleweight (1989).

9. Mary Jo Fernandez - (Spain/Cuba - DR) - Gold medal winning tennis player for the US in 1992, and a tennis legend.

10. Soccer Players - Soccer has a huge following in Latin American and everywhere really, except in the US. The incredible athleticism possessed by both male and female soccer players across Latin American should be mentioned here. While each country, state, and city in Latin American may have their favorite home-team player it is worth mentioning that soccer is a Latin American past-time and maybe it will eventually become a larger part of American popular culture as Latin@s become the largest "minority" group in the US.

**For more interesting pioneers in all sports in the US visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans