30 October 2009

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.

27 October 2009

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!

14 October 2009

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!