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

Political Icons

Here are a few of the most influential Latina/o political icons we've seen and read about! While there may be many, many more, these individuals shaped politics, civil rights, and human rights in America and should be recognized!

1. Nydia Velazquez (Puerto Rico) - The first Puerto Rican woman in Congress (1992); Representative for NY's 12th District

2. Herman Badillo (Puerto Rico) - The first Puerto Rican in Congress (1970); Representative for NY's 21st District

3. Jose M. Hernandez (US/Spain) - The first Latino in Congress (1882); Representative of Florida

4. Octavio A. Larrazolo (Mexico) - The first Latino Senator (1929); Senator of New Mexico

5. Antonio Villaraigoso (US/Mexico) - The first Chicano/Latino mayor of Los Angeles

6. Henry Cisneros (US/Mexico) - First Latino to be mayor of a major city, San Antonio, TX (1981); and served under Clinton as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (1993)

7. Bill Richardson (US/Mexico) - US Ambassador to the UN under Clinton; Former Secretary of Energy under Clinton; Current Governor of New Mexico; Major Democratic Party Nominee for President; and selected as possible Secretary of Commerce under Obama

8. Dolores Huerta (US/Mexico) - Chicana leader, organized the grape boycotts of the 1960s; cultural icon for workers' rights; co-founder of the United Farm Workers.

9. Cesar Chavez (US/Mexico) - Chicano civil rights leader; co-founder of the UFW.

10. Pedro Albizu Campos (Puerto Rico) - Puerto Rican Nationalist Party leader in the 1920-30s; promoter of Puerto Rican nationalism and progress.

11. Alberto Gonzalez (US/Mexico) - First Latino to be appointed US Attorney General under the Bush administration (2005)

12. Mel Martinez (Cuba) - Arrived in the US under "Operation Peter Pan" from Cuba at age 15; served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Bush (2001); first Cuban to be elected to US Senate (2004)

13. Loretta Sanchez (US/Mexico) - First set of sisters in Congress; Loretta and Linda serve simultaneously in Congress representing California's 47th and 39th districts respectively.

14. Linda Sanchez (US/Mexico) - First set of sisters in Congress; Loretta and Linda serve simultaneously in Congress representing California's 47th and 39th districts respectively.

15. Herman Gallegos, Dr. Ernesto Galarza, Dr. Julian Samora (US/Mexico) - Founders of the Southwest Council of La Raza in 1968; led to the National Council of La Raza, the largest civil rights Latino advocacy organization in the nation

16. Rosario Marin (Mexico) - 41st Treasurer of the US; highest ranking Latina in Bush administration (2001)

17. Henry B. Gonzalez (US/Mexico) - First Latino Representative from Texas to Congress from 1961-1998, known for his actions to end segregation, impeach Reagan and Bush Sr.