Latino to receive award for work in Environmental Justice
The Latino Journal E-News, August 24, 2009
In 2008, Congress deliberated a bill called the "No Child Left Inside Act" which would encourage the development and inclusion of curriculum for children to learn the importance of conserving and preserving the environment. It received bipartisan support, passing with a vote of 293 for and 109 against.
This new Act could not have passed without the leadership and commitment of Alberto "Abby" Ybarra, whose coordinating efforts brought people together from all walks of life. The Coalition established was comprised of more than 745 member organizations, with a minimum of one from each of the 50 states, representing well over 40 million people.
Because of his leadership in the passage of the No Child Left Inside Act and his continued activities in California and Maryland, where he taught children the importance of conserving and protecting the environment, Ybarra will be the first Latino to have the honor of being bestowed with the "Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Outstanding Service Award."
The Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Outstanding Service Award is presented annually to an individual in recognition of their leadership to educate about and promote action that addresses environmental justice concerns at the local, regional, or global levels. The award recognizes a person that demonstrates the values and inner strength of Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs. These individuals were unwilling to stand by as they and others suffered injustices because of their skin color or heritage. Rosa Parks worked tirelessly to address social injustices while Grace Lee Boggs continues working to remedy environmental injustices at 90+ years of age.
Ybarra is being recognized for making significant contributions to working with and addressing environmental concerns of culturally diverse communities, including:
* Used environmental issues or situations for motivating culturally diverse youth to reach their highest potential by providing them with hands-on experiences that build practical day-to-day life skills.
* Used environmental education for empowering community residents to address local environmental concerns.
* Dedication to service and leadership that encourages the participation of multicultural audiences in environmental education.
* Made visible contributions in environmental education by promoting diversity and justice through research, innovations, curricula, legislation, publications, activism, or advocacy.
* Demonstrated excellence in educating the public about environmental issues as they relate to social justice, health and well-being, and environmental justice through print, electronic, or visual media.
Historically, environmental education has not recognized the education efforts of persons working on the social (environmental health, environmental justice) and economic (poverty, jobs) components of sustainability. In part this is because environmental educators in developed countries have tended to focus on nature education, which is a much more limited perspective than how environmental education is defined in the 1977 Tbilisi Declaration. Furthermore, many of the people working in these areas are persons of color, and the environmental education field has under recognized their leadership and achievements thus far. To help address this under-recognition the Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Award was established.
The Latino Journal congratulates Mr. Ybarra for his continued work in educating the young about conserving and preserving the environment.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Hispanic Television summit planned
Seventh Annual Hispanic Television Summit to be held Wednesday, September 23 –Thursday, September 24, 2009 At the Marriott Marquis New York City
Press Release
Leading television industry trade publications Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable will present the annual Hispanic Television Summit during Advertising Week 2009 for the first time.
According to Larry Dunn, Reed Television’s Group Publisher for Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable, “We are pleased to add our Seventh Annual Hispanic Television Summit to the exciting line-up of major events scheduled during Advertising Week 2009. This marks the first time that the leading Hispanic television industry conference has been scheduled in tandem with the many other activities for members of the advertising community.”
The Hispanic Television Summit has been presented annually since 2003. It is traditionally held in New York each autumn season and attracts more than 300 attendees from across the country, Latin America and Spain. The Summit has now become the television industry’s signature conference for executives involved in the business of television and digital video targeted to the US Hispanic and Latin American viewing audience.
The distinctive topic of the Hispanic Television Summit always focuses on the latest trends for generating revenues within the Hispanic television and digital media space. It delivers the “freshest” industry information in response to the current trends in the television and digital video marketplace. As a result, the Summit attracts speakers, panelists, and participants who are top executives from broadcast, cable, satellite, broadband and mobile, as well as those from related businesses like advertising, finance, consumer electronics, video technology and other consumer goods.
The Summit is being produced for the seventh time for Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable by New York-based Schramm Marketing Group, Inc., a leading marketing and media services company which includes Hispanic marketing of TV content among its specialties.
To register: visit www.multichannel.com/hispanicsummit or call Sandy Friedman at 646-746-6740
Press Release
Leading television industry trade publications Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable will present the annual Hispanic Television Summit during Advertising Week 2009 for the first time.
According to Larry Dunn, Reed Television’s Group Publisher for Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable, “We are pleased to add our Seventh Annual Hispanic Television Summit to the exciting line-up of major events scheduled during Advertising Week 2009. This marks the first time that the leading Hispanic television industry conference has been scheduled in tandem with the many other activities for members of the advertising community.”
The Hispanic Television Summit has been presented annually since 2003. It is traditionally held in New York each autumn season and attracts more than 300 attendees from across the country, Latin America and Spain. The Summit has now become the television industry’s signature conference for executives involved in the business of television and digital video targeted to the US Hispanic and Latin American viewing audience.
The distinctive topic of the Hispanic Television Summit always focuses on the latest trends for generating revenues within the Hispanic television and digital media space. It delivers the “freshest” industry information in response to the current trends in the television and digital video marketplace. As a result, the Summit attracts speakers, panelists, and participants who are top executives from broadcast, cable, satellite, broadband and mobile, as well as those from related businesses like advertising, finance, consumer electronics, video technology and other consumer goods.
The Summit is being produced for the seventh time for Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable by New York-based Schramm Marketing Group, Inc., a leading marketing and media services company which includes Hispanic marketing of TV content among its specialties.
To register: visit www.multichannel.com/hispanicsummit or call Sandy Friedman at 646-746-6740
Latino artists envision arts district in East LA
Young Latino artists envision an arts district in East Los Angeles
They want the neighborhood to keep its cultural soul.
By John Lopez, LA Times, August 29, 2009
On a cool summer Friday evening, in a former furniture store whose iron shutter has been painted powder blue, Abel Salas' literary salon Brooklyn & Boyle plays host to an event fairly rare in Boyle Heights until recently: an art opening.
A bald cholo with a backpack wanders wide-eyed past trays of cherries, cheese and wine, while a young couple, Jennifer and Mario Duarte of Alhambra, note the transformation brought on by night. "We didn't even recognize it," marvels Jennifer.
She used to drive through the neighborhood daily on her way to work but is only now getting out of the car to browse an eclectic selection of pieces with names like "Cinco de Bud" and "After Delacroix." Across the way, retired city administrator Janet Erwin plunks down $100 for a piece as local artists sip Negro Modelos and wonder whose work will move next.
Sandwiched between an underpass and a new police station, this part of Boyle Heights may not seem like anyone's pick for L.A.'s next cultural hot spot -- but then again, neither did Spring Street when some rather precocious signage declared a gallery row on the edge of skid row a few years ago. But these days if you brave the crowds of families, hipsters and party-seekers every second Thursday of the month in downtown L.A., you'll encounter one of the city's most popular art walks with 45 galleries, a tour bus and, the surest sign of success, illegal street vendors.
Now, as the Gold Line extension prepares to open, young Latino artists in Boyle Heights want to craft an arts district of their own. Eager to make a cultural destination out of the region's rich yet often overlooked heritage, they are offering a vision of galleries, studios, theaters and cafes along 1st Street between future Gold Line stations at Mariachi Plaza and Soto Street. Yet, they know that playing with the fires of revitalization can lead to the ashes of gentrification, so they're asking themselves how to promote a community's artistic identity without losing its soul.
An arts district has long been part of the city's community plan for Boyle Heights -- and something of a no-brainer to Councilman Jose Huizar, who grew up admiring the famous Estrada Courts Murals in the district he now represents.
"There's so much history for the arts in Boyle Heights, from the mariachi music to the Chicano rock 'n' roll scene to the murals," Huizar said in an interview.
But the area's artistic bona fides have more often been overshadowed by a reputation for gangs and economic stagnation. Changing that was one motivation for "Real Women Have Curves" playwright Josefina Lopez when she started her theater/gallery space Casa0101 on 1st Street in 2000.
"Growing up, I couldn't walk to the theater and to the gallery, I wanted to create that for the youth and for the people in the community. . . . I want people to know there's more than just gang violence," she said.
Others followed: Salas moved Brooklyn & Boyle out of his El Sereno house and next- door to Casa0101, and Lilia Ramirez took up residence in her gallery/studio space Liliflor Studios nearby. Suddenly, an area whose sole arts mecca had been the nationally renowned but perennially fighting-for-its-life Self Help Graphics, was experiencing a renaissance.
All this activity caught Huizar's eye: "You've got the Gold Line, you've got a new high school, Mariachi Plaza is now going to be reopened, I thought to myself, this was the beginning of a corridor."
So last fall at the beginning of the school year, he asked UCLA professor Leo Estrada's graduate class in urban planning to study it. The study revealed something about a possible arts district that was already obvious to Ramirez: "Organically, it's already happening." The students' report to Huizar described a community with the assets and interest necessary to justify cultivating an arts district -- but one fearful of gentrification and the rising rents that could change the conditions that make it possible.
No one appreciates that trade-off more than John Carlos De Luna, whose work was on display at Brooklyn & Boyle that Friday night. De Luna grew up in Estrada Courts beneath the legendary murals, painting ones of his own in the L.A. River. Art allowed De Luna to find peace amid the poverty and violence of his youth, but for his children, he'd prefer something different.
"I want my kids to grow up in this community, see that change and live through a time where they don't have to be fearful of walking down the street -- and have the opportunity for art and theater," he said.
So, De Luna moved back to Boyle Heights and opened his house as an art space for local youth, all with the help of his fiancée and fellow artist Kristy Lovich, a self-acknowledged gringa from the Valley. She smiled at the idea that she and De Luna put a human face to the changes Boyle Heights is bound to undergo, but she took seriously her role in protecting the neighborhood's fabric: "You can be here, but you got to do the work to appreciate the community."
This spring, after Estrada's students finished their project, a group of local artists who had participated in the study formed an organization called A.R.T.E.S. (Artists for Revitalizing the East Side) to build on the momentum. In addition to Lopez, Salas and Ramirez, A.R.T.E.S. recruited Boyle Heights artistic godfather Ruben Funkahuatl Guevara; former Self Help interim director Rose Ramirez; poet Linda Gamboa; and sticker artist Rosanna Esparza-Ahrens. A.R.T.E.S. has crafted a mission statement, coordinated with Huizar's office, formed a committee structure and held community meetings whose success surprised even ardent advocate Esparza-Ahrens.
"I had a swarm of people asking questions, wanting information," she noted. "It puts a fire under your feet to follow through with getting people's dreams to come to fruition."
A.R.T.E.S. is currently assembling a design team for their first proposed project, Art Squache, which will create installations in the windows of local businesses (starting with a 99 Cents Only Store across from Liliflor) to beautify the strip for the Gold Line's imminent arrival. The group also plans to create banner designs for the street lights along First Street and has hopes that one day Boyle Heights will host an art walk of its own.
A.R.T.E.S.' other motivation, however, is to temper the ills of possible gentrification. For, as Boyle Heights has begun to pop up on the hipster map, especially with the increasing popularity of local wine bar Eastside Luv, the rising rents and transformative capital of outsiders may not be far behind. Annie Lapin, an artist and alumna of UCLA's graduate arts school, has a studio just north in Lincoln Heights. She says she already knows ex-classmates pushing into Boyle Heights in search of cheap rent.
The members of A.R.T.E.S. are well aware of these dynamics and their role in them. As Guevara acknowledges, "It's a fine line between development and cultural integrity."
In fact, artistic success is often part of the draw -- when Lopez had to renegotiate rent with her landlord for Casa0101, she discovered that "because my theater was so successful, a lot of kids from the [downtown] artists' district were looking at Boyle Heights . . . and because of that he could charge more money." A.R.T.E.S. hopes that by working to assert the region's identity, educate residents and take an active interest in the Community Re-Development Agency's plans for the area, it can have some influence over whatever change outsiders may bring.
Notes playwright Lopez, "We want to make sure that people who come to Boyle Heights come to contribute and not just take. The community deserves an arts district, deserves these beautiful, wonderful things, but they don't deserve to get kicked out for it."
Still, even Ramirez must acknowledge, "It's unavoidable, an arts district is definitely going to change the demographics."
calendar@latimes.com
They want the neighborhood to keep its cultural soul.
By John Lopez, LA Times, August 29, 2009
On a cool summer Friday evening, in a former furniture store whose iron shutter has been painted powder blue, Abel Salas' literary salon Brooklyn & Boyle plays host to an event fairly rare in Boyle Heights until recently: an art opening.
A bald cholo with a backpack wanders wide-eyed past trays of cherries, cheese and wine, while a young couple, Jennifer and Mario Duarte of Alhambra, note the transformation brought on by night. "We didn't even recognize it," marvels Jennifer.
She used to drive through the neighborhood daily on her way to work but is only now getting out of the car to browse an eclectic selection of pieces with names like "Cinco de Bud" and "After Delacroix." Across the way, retired city administrator Janet Erwin plunks down $100 for a piece as local artists sip Negro Modelos and wonder whose work will move next.
Sandwiched between an underpass and a new police station, this part of Boyle Heights may not seem like anyone's pick for L.A.'s next cultural hot spot -- but then again, neither did Spring Street when some rather precocious signage declared a gallery row on the edge of skid row a few years ago. But these days if you brave the crowds of families, hipsters and party-seekers every second Thursday of the month in downtown L.A., you'll encounter one of the city's most popular art walks with 45 galleries, a tour bus and, the surest sign of success, illegal street vendors.
Now, as the Gold Line extension prepares to open, young Latino artists in Boyle Heights want to craft an arts district of their own. Eager to make a cultural destination out of the region's rich yet often overlooked heritage, they are offering a vision of galleries, studios, theaters and cafes along 1st Street between future Gold Line stations at Mariachi Plaza and Soto Street. Yet, they know that playing with the fires of revitalization can lead to the ashes of gentrification, so they're asking themselves how to promote a community's artistic identity without losing its soul.
An arts district has long been part of the city's community plan for Boyle Heights -- and something of a no-brainer to Councilman Jose Huizar, who grew up admiring the famous Estrada Courts Murals in the district he now represents.
"There's so much history for the arts in Boyle Heights, from the mariachi music to the Chicano rock 'n' roll scene to the murals," Huizar said in an interview.
But the area's artistic bona fides have more often been overshadowed by a reputation for gangs and economic stagnation. Changing that was one motivation for "Real Women Have Curves" playwright Josefina Lopez when she started her theater/gallery space Casa0101 on 1st Street in 2000.
"Growing up, I couldn't walk to the theater and to the gallery, I wanted to create that for the youth and for the people in the community. . . . I want people to know there's more than just gang violence," she said.
Others followed: Salas moved Brooklyn & Boyle out of his El Sereno house and next- door to Casa0101, and Lilia Ramirez took up residence in her gallery/studio space Liliflor Studios nearby. Suddenly, an area whose sole arts mecca had been the nationally renowned but perennially fighting-for-its-life Self Help Graphics, was experiencing a renaissance.
All this activity caught Huizar's eye: "You've got the Gold Line, you've got a new high school, Mariachi Plaza is now going to be reopened, I thought to myself, this was the beginning of a corridor."
So last fall at the beginning of the school year, he asked UCLA professor Leo Estrada's graduate class in urban planning to study it. The study revealed something about a possible arts district that was already obvious to Ramirez: "Organically, it's already happening." The students' report to Huizar described a community with the assets and interest necessary to justify cultivating an arts district -- but one fearful of gentrification and the rising rents that could change the conditions that make it possible.
No one appreciates that trade-off more than John Carlos De Luna, whose work was on display at Brooklyn & Boyle that Friday night. De Luna grew up in Estrada Courts beneath the legendary murals, painting ones of his own in the L.A. River. Art allowed De Luna to find peace amid the poverty and violence of his youth, but for his children, he'd prefer something different.
"I want my kids to grow up in this community, see that change and live through a time where they don't have to be fearful of walking down the street -- and have the opportunity for art and theater," he said.
So, De Luna moved back to Boyle Heights and opened his house as an art space for local youth, all with the help of his fiancée and fellow artist Kristy Lovich, a self-acknowledged gringa from the Valley. She smiled at the idea that she and De Luna put a human face to the changes Boyle Heights is bound to undergo, but she took seriously her role in protecting the neighborhood's fabric: "You can be here, but you got to do the work to appreciate the community."
This spring, after Estrada's students finished their project, a group of local artists who had participated in the study formed an organization called A.R.T.E.S. (Artists for Revitalizing the East Side) to build on the momentum. In addition to Lopez, Salas and Ramirez, A.R.T.E.S. recruited Boyle Heights artistic godfather Ruben Funkahuatl Guevara; former Self Help interim director Rose Ramirez; poet Linda Gamboa; and sticker artist Rosanna Esparza-Ahrens. A.R.T.E.S. has crafted a mission statement, coordinated with Huizar's office, formed a committee structure and held community meetings whose success surprised even ardent advocate Esparza-Ahrens.
"I had a swarm of people asking questions, wanting information," she noted. "It puts a fire under your feet to follow through with getting people's dreams to come to fruition."
A.R.T.E.S. is currently assembling a design team for their first proposed project, Art Squache, which will create installations in the windows of local businesses (starting with a 99 Cents Only Store across from Liliflor) to beautify the strip for the Gold Line's imminent arrival. The group also plans to create banner designs for the street lights along First Street and has hopes that one day Boyle Heights will host an art walk of its own.
A.R.T.E.S.' other motivation, however, is to temper the ills of possible gentrification. For, as Boyle Heights has begun to pop up on the hipster map, especially with the increasing popularity of local wine bar Eastside Luv, the rising rents and transformative capital of outsiders may not be far behind. Annie Lapin, an artist and alumna of UCLA's graduate arts school, has a studio just north in Lincoln Heights. She says she already knows ex-classmates pushing into Boyle Heights in search of cheap rent.
The members of A.R.T.E.S. are well aware of these dynamics and their role in them. As Guevara acknowledges, "It's a fine line between development and cultural integrity."
In fact, artistic success is often part of the draw -- when Lopez had to renegotiate rent with her landlord for Casa0101, she discovered that "because my theater was so successful, a lot of kids from the [downtown] artists' district were looking at Boyle Heights . . . and because of that he could charge more money." A.R.T.E.S. hopes that by working to assert the region's identity, educate residents and take an active interest in the Community Re-Development Agency's plans for the area, it can have some influence over whatever change outsiders may bring.
Notes playwright Lopez, "We want to make sure that people who come to Boyle Heights come to contribute and not just take. The community deserves an arts district, deserves these beautiful, wonderful things, but they don't deserve to get kicked out for it."
Still, even Ramirez must acknowledge, "It's unavoidable, an arts district is definitely going to change the demographics."
calendar@latimes.com
Latino rocker helps thaw US-Cuba relations
Latino rocker sees Havana gig helping U.S.-Cuba thaw
By Pascal Fletcher, Reuters, Aug 26, 2009
MIAMI (Reuters) - Colombian rock star Juanes says a public concert he plans in Cuba next month could help further thaw U.S.-Cuban ties despite outcry from some Cuban exiles who accuse him of pandering to the island's communist rulers.
Juanes, who lives in the United States, told the Miami Herald in an interview published on Wednesday he saw his scheduled September 20 concert in Havana's Revolution Square as a chance to promote reconciliation between Cuba and the United States, which have been ideological foes for nearly 50 years.
"I am not a communist ... I'm not going to Cuba to play for the Cuban regime ... Our only message is one of peace, of humanitarianism, of tolerance, a message of interacting with the people," he told the paper at his Key Biscayne home.
Juanes, 37, whose full name is Juan Esteban Aristizabal Vasquez, is a major star in the Spanish-speaking music world and has won a string of Latin Grammy Awards.
A 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba restricts travel to the Communist-ruled island by Americans, although special licenses can be granted.
A U.S. State Department spokesman said Juanes met Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in May to propose his concert and they had discussed the general support of President Barack Obama's administration for "people to people" contacts with Cuba.
But he said Clinton refrained from taking a specific position and it would be up to the Treasury Department, which enforces the U.S. embargo, to issue the necessary licenses for those involved in the concert to make the trip.
A Treasury spokesperson said Juanes required a license because he resided in the United States, which made him subject to U.S. jurisdiction even though he was Colombian. The spokesperson did not say whether the license had been granted. Continued...
By Pascal Fletcher, Reuters, Aug 26, 2009
MIAMI (Reuters) - Colombian rock star Juanes says a public concert he plans in Cuba next month could help further thaw U.S.-Cuban ties despite outcry from some Cuban exiles who accuse him of pandering to the island's communist rulers.
Juanes, who lives in the United States, told the Miami Herald in an interview published on Wednesday he saw his scheduled September 20 concert in Havana's Revolution Square as a chance to promote reconciliation between Cuba and the United States, which have been ideological foes for nearly 50 years.
"I am not a communist ... I'm not going to Cuba to play for the Cuban regime ... Our only message is one of peace, of humanitarianism, of tolerance, a message of interacting with the people," he told the paper at his Key Biscayne home.
Juanes, 37, whose full name is Juan Esteban Aristizabal Vasquez, is a major star in the Spanish-speaking music world and has won a string of Latin Grammy Awards.
A 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba restricts travel to the Communist-ruled island by Americans, although special licenses can be granted.
A U.S. State Department spokesman said Juanes met Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in May to propose his concert and they had discussed the general support of President Barack Obama's administration for "people to people" contacts with Cuba.
But he said Clinton refrained from taking a specific position and it would be up to the Treasury Department, which enforces the U.S. embargo, to issue the necessary licenses for those involved in the concert to make the trip.
A Treasury spokesperson said Juanes required a license because he resided in the United States, which made him subject to U.S. jurisdiction even though he was Colombian. The spokesperson did not say whether the license had been granted. Continued...
Monday, August 24, 2009
Latino art of 'Monos'
'Monos' of L.A.
Part whimsy, part marketing, the makeshift statues at Latino car repair shops may be art too.
By Camilo Jose Vergara, LA Times, August 23, 2009
'Mono" is the common name for the humanoid sculptures made with car parts and displayed at garages, car repair shops and junkyards that cater to a Latino clientele. They are common in Mexico and in the barrios of Los Angeles -- folk art and folk marketing.
If you ask the mechanics and other workers at these businesses what monos are about, what they mean, they'll mostly shrug. Monos are made when business is bad and there is nothing better to do, or to improve welding skills. Old pipes for limbs, a broken muffler for the chest and a worn-out catalytic converter for the head. Seeing my interest, some workers were quick to offer to make me a cheap mono. I could wait, I was told: "It would only take a couple of hours."
Are they works of the imagination, I asked Adolfo at a brake shop on Western Avenue? He reluctantly admitted that it took imagination to make a mono, but he would not call their creators artists. But wherever I photographed, someone was quick to claim that he or one of his friends had made the shop mono. I believe they're proud of their whimsical creations and would be hurt to see them dismissed, so they dismiss them first.
Shop owners have to keep an eye on their monos, or chain them to something -- otherwise they are likely to be stolen and sold for scrap metal.
Camilo Jose Vergara is a photographer and 2002 MacArthur Foundation fellow. cv90@columbia.edu. Website: http://invinciblecities.camden.rutgers.edu/intro.html
Part whimsy, part marketing, the makeshift statues at Latino car repair shops may be art too.
By Camilo Jose Vergara, LA Times, August 23, 2009
'Mono" is the common name for the humanoid sculptures made with car parts and displayed at garages, car repair shops and junkyards that cater to a Latino clientele. They are common in Mexico and in the barrios of Los Angeles -- folk art and folk marketing.
If you ask the mechanics and other workers at these businesses what monos are about, what they mean, they'll mostly shrug. Monos are made when business is bad and there is nothing better to do, or to improve welding skills. Old pipes for limbs, a broken muffler for the chest and a worn-out catalytic converter for the head. Seeing my interest, some workers were quick to offer to make me a cheap mono. I could wait, I was told: "It would only take a couple of hours."
Are they works of the imagination, I asked Adolfo at a brake shop on Western Avenue? He reluctantly admitted that it took imagination to make a mono, but he would not call their creators artists. But wherever I photographed, someone was quick to claim that he or one of his friends had made the shop mono. I believe they're proud of their whimsical creations and would be hurt to see them dismissed, so they dismiss them first.
Shop owners have to keep an eye on their monos, or chain them to something -- otherwise they are likely to be stolen and sold for scrap metal.
Camilo Jose Vergara is a photographer and 2002 MacArthur Foundation fellow. cv90@columbia.edu. Website: http://invinciblecities.camden.rutgers.edu/intro.html
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Latino theatre company takes stage
Latino Theatre Company Takes Stage
By EGP News Service
A new season of theater, dance, and music will begin Sep. 9 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in downtown Los Angeles’ historic core.
Marking its third full season under the stewardship of the Latino Theatre Company, the theater’s four stages will feature a full roster of plays from the venue’s “Cultural Roundtable.” a group of resident companies. Performances will include “Solitude,” “De la Locura a la Esperanza, From Madness to Hope,” and “La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin,” as well as numerous other diverse offerings.
The opening act, running until Oct. 4, is “Solitude,” performed by the Latino Theatre Company and featuring Robert Beltran (“Star Trek: Voyager,” “Big Love”).
Written by Evelina Fernandez and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, the play begins with the funeral of a man’s mother, and soon turns into a story of “lost love, lost friendships, purpose and solitude” when old neighborhood friends come by to celebrate the mother’s life. The production is inspired by the writings of Octavio Paz, according to the theater’s program notes. General admission tickets are $35; students and seniors get in for $15.
Oct. 23 through Nov. 1 is “De La Locura la Esperanza” by Olin Theatre Presenters and Saul Mendez Folkloric Ballet. It is the story of the Salvadoran Civil War of 1980-1992, including the effects of U.S intervention that resulted in many deaths and refugees. General admission tickets are $20; $15 for students and seniors.
And in time for the annual celebration and veneration is “La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin” also by Fernandez, December 10-11. “La Virgen” tells the traditional story of the Virgin Mary and Juan Diego’s encounters in Tepeyac in 1536. It will be preformed at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, with free admission.
Throughout the season, other plays, dance and music concerts will reflect the diversity of cultures in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Theatre Center is located at 514 S. Spring St in Los Angeles. For more information regarding the entire season of performances during “Faces of the World 2009,” contact (213) 489-0994.
By EGP News Service
A new season of theater, dance, and music will begin Sep. 9 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in downtown Los Angeles’ historic core.
Marking its third full season under the stewardship of the Latino Theatre Company, the theater’s four stages will feature a full roster of plays from the venue’s “Cultural Roundtable.” a group of resident companies. Performances will include “Solitude,” “De la Locura a la Esperanza, From Madness to Hope,” and “La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin,” as well as numerous other diverse offerings.
The opening act, running until Oct. 4, is “Solitude,” performed by the Latino Theatre Company and featuring Robert Beltran (“Star Trek: Voyager,” “Big Love”).
Written by Evelina Fernandez and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, the play begins with the funeral of a man’s mother, and soon turns into a story of “lost love, lost friendships, purpose and solitude” when old neighborhood friends come by to celebrate the mother’s life. The production is inspired by the writings of Octavio Paz, according to the theater’s program notes. General admission tickets are $35; students and seniors get in for $15.
Oct. 23 through Nov. 1 is “De La Locura la Esperanza” by Olin Theatre Presenters and Saul Mendez Folkloric Ballet. It is the story of the Salvadoran Civil War of 1980-1992, including the effects of U.S intervention that resulted in many deaths and refugees. General admission tickets are $20; $15 for students and seniors.
And in time for the annual celebration and veneration is “La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin” also by Fernandez, December 10-11. “La Virgen” tells the traditional story of the Virgin Mary and Juan Diego’s encounters in Tepeyac in 1536. It will be preformed at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, with free admission.
Throughout the season, other plays, dance and music concerts will reflect the diversity of cultures in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Theatre Center is located at 514 S. Spring St in Los Angeles. For more information regarding the entire season of performances during “Faces of the World 2009,” contact (213) 489-0994.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
CNN to present Latino in America
CNN Presents Latino in America Anchored by Soledad O’Brien
WEBWIRE, August 19, 2009
New “…in America” Documentary Series Debuts on CNN and CNN en Español on Oct. 21& 22
CNN will extend its acclaimed “…in America” series of documentaries with a two-night, four-hour event, Latino in America, this October. Reported by anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, the ambitious documentary initiative examines the growing diversity of America, revealing insight into a changing nation on the eve of the U.S. census that is expected to officially confirm that Latino Americans are the largest minority group within the country.
Two, two-hour documentaries will air at 9p.m. and 12a.m. ET and PT and simulcast in English on CNN/U.S. and in Spanish on CNN en Español on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22; CNN International will also broadcast the series (date and time to be announced). Latino in America was filmed in high definition.
“As the face of America changes profoundly, CNN continues to demonstrate that we are the only cable news network dedicated to delivering a diversity of opinions and coverage,” said Jon Klein, president CNN/U.S. “This landmark series will showcase dramatic personal stories from across the sweep of Latino-American society, and move the dialogue well beyond limited partisan discussions of immigration.”
Latino in America: Los Garcias – Wednesday, Oct. 21, 9 p.m. & 12 a.m. (two hours) ET/PT
“Garcia” is now one of the top ten most popular surnames in the country, a sign of the largest ethnic wave in America’s history. For the debut evening of CNN’s Latino in America, O’Brien interviews Garcias from all walks of life. They hail from a broad array of nations; some families are new arrivals to America – others have been Americans for many generations. Old, young, wealthy and poor, Latinos are the fastest-growing minority group in America. O’Brien’s lens on the Garcias yields a window into American life that viewers will find both new and very familiar at the same time.
One Garcia viewers will meet is Cindy Garcia, a 17-year old high schooler living in Greater Los Angeles. Cindy has a close and loving family, but like many Latina teens she is also facing challenges beyond her years. Her mother, originally from Guatemala, speaks no English and depends upon Cindy for translation assistance for medical appointments and other personal business. Cindy is often asked to babysit for the children of her siblings, even taking them to school with her; and she struggles with the added burden of an unplanned pregnancy. Most of Cindy’s family and friends never graduated from high school, and an astounding 70 percent of her fellow students drop out before graduation, but Cindy tells O’Brien that she is determined to graduate. The first evening follows Cindy’s journey.
Throughout Night One in the series, viewers will also hear from several accomplished Latinos about the American experience of being Latinos including, comedian George Lopez, and actors Lupe Ontiveros, Jesse Garcia, Edward James Olmos and Eva Longoria Parker.
Latino in America: Chasing the Dream – Thursday, Oct. 22, 9 p.m. & 12 a.m. (two hours) ET/PT
The second documentary in the two-night series focuses on a journey as old as the nation – the pursuit of the American Dream. O’Brien interviews Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), who fled communist Cuba at age 15. Martinez recalls his own American Dream journey – from his first humble nights on the floor of a welcoming Catholic church in Miami, learning English and achieving undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Florida, becoming a U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and finally becoming a U.S. Senator.
O’Brien also speaks with Carlos Robles. Since he is from Puerto Rico, he is an American citizen, but he has found transition to life in Florida a challenge so far. A police officer in Puerto Rico, Carlos’ dream is to become a sheriff in Orlando. But he struggles with English, and he is worried that his language skills may interfere with or delay his dream.
In Shenandoah, Pa., O’Brien discovers a dream denied. Luis Ramirez was killed by a group of white high school students – allegedly only because of his ethnicity. Ramirez was an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and his death and the ensuing trial have been a lightning rod for long-building tensions in the community over dwindling jobs, crime and a melding of cultures that has not always been seamless.
On the other end of the spectrum, Vanessa Rosas, also from Puerto Rico, has flourished. Fluent in Spanish and English, her young children are also bilingual and Rosas and her husband – both engineers – live an affluent life in Florida as Disney employees. Rosas and her husband observe traditional Puerto Rican customs and celebrations and have also adopted those of the mainland. They are perhaps a bridge to a nation growing in Latino diversity.
“Soledad will give viewers new insight into an American story that they may have thought that they understood. There is so much to learn about the changing landscape of America – and we’re delivering it just as the nation confirms its new demographics and all of the promise – and challenges that will come with that,” said Mark Nelson, vice president and senior executive producer, CNN Productions.
WEBWIRE, August 19, 2009
New “…in America” Documentary Series Debuts on CNN and CNN en Español on Oct. 21& 22
CNN will extend its acclaimed “…in America” series of documentaries with a two-night, four-hour event, Latino in America, this October. Reported by anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, the ambitious documentary initiative examines the growing diversity of America, revealing insight into a changing nation on the eve of the U.S. census that is expected to officially confirm that Latino Americans are the largest minority group within the country.
Two, two-hour documentaries will air at 9p.m. and 12a.m. ET and PT and simulcast in English on CNN/U.S. and in Spanish on CNN en Español on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22; CNN International will also broadcast the series (date and time to be announced). Latino in America was filmed in high definition.
“As the face of America changes profoundly, CNN continues to demonstrate that we are the only cable news network dedicated to delivering a diversity of opinions and coverage,” said Jon Klein, president CNN/U.S. “This landmark series will showcase dramatic personal stories from across the sweep of Latino-American society, and move the dialogue well beyond limited partisan discussions of immigration.”
Latino in America: Los Garcias – Wednesday, Oct. 21, 9 p.m. & 12 a.m. (two hours) ET/PT
“Garcia” is now one of the top ten most popular surnames in the country, a sign of the largest ethnic wave in America’s history. For the debut evening of CNN’s Latino in America, O’Brien interviews Garcias from all walks of life. They hail from a broad array of nations; some families are new arrivals to America – others have been Americans for many generations. Old, young, wealthy and poor, Latinos are the fastest-growing minority group in America. O’Brien’s lens on the Garcias yields a window into American life that viewers will find both new and very familiar at the same time.
One Garcia viewers will meet is Cindy Garcia, a 17-year old high schooler living in Greater Los Angeles. Cindy has a close and loving family, but like many Latina teens she is also facing challenges beyond her years. Her mother, originally from Guatemala, speaks no English and depends upon Cindy for translation assistance for medical appointments and other personal business. Cindy is often asked to babysit for the children of her siblings, even taking them to school with her; and she struggles with the added burden of an unplanned pregnancy. Most of Cindy’s family and friends never graduated from high school, and an astounding 70 percent of her fellow students drop out before graduation, but Cindy tells O’Brien that she is determined to graduate. The first evening follows Cindy’s journey.
Throughout Night One in the series, viewers will also hear from several accomplished Latinos about the American experience of being Latinos including, comedian George Lopez, and actors Lupe Ontiveros, Jesse Garcia, Edward James Olmos and Eva Longoria Parker.
Latino in America: Chasing the Dream – Thursday, Oct. 22, 9 p.m. & 12 a.m. (two hours) ET/PT
The second documentary in the two-night series focuses on a journey as old as the nation – the pursuit of the American Dream. O’Brien interviews Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), who fled communist Cuba at age 15. Martinez recalls his own American Dream journey – from his first humble nights on the floor of a welcoming Catholic church in Miami, learning English and achieving undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Florida, becoming a U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and finally becoming a U.S. Senator.
O’Brien also speaks with Carlos Robles. Since he is from Puerto Rico, he is an American citizen, but he has found transition to life in Florida a challenge so far. A police officer in Puerto Rico, Carlos’ dream is to become a sheriff in Orlando. But he struggles with English, and he is worried that his language skills may interfere with or delay his dream.
In Shenandoah, Pa., O’Brien discovers a dream denied. Luis Ramirez was killed by a group of white high school students – allegedly only because of his ethnicity. Ramirez was an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and his death and the ensuing trial have been a lightning rod for long-building tensions in the community over dwindling jobs, crime and a melding of cultures that has not always been seamless.
On the other end of the spectrum, Vanessa Rosas, also from Puerto Rico, has flourished. Fluent in Spanish and English, her young children are also bilingual and Rosas and her husband – both engineers – live an affluent life in Florida as Disney employees. Rosas and her husband observe traditional Puerto Rican customs and celebrations and have also adopted those of the mainland. They are perhaps a bridge to a nation growing in Latino diversity.
“Soledad will give viewers new insight into an American story that they may have thought that they understood. There is so much to learn about the changing landscape of America – and we’re delivering it just as the nation confirms its new demographics and all of the promise – and challenges that will come with that,” said Mark Nelson, vice president and senior executive producer, CNN Productions.
Hispanic restaurant has odd hours, but great food
At Lalo's, the hours are odd but the food is great
Sacramento Bee, Aug. 16, 2009
Here we have a restaurant that opens too late for breakfast, closes too early for dinner, is often too crowded at lunch but is wonderful all the same.
Devotion to this family-owned little Sacramento eatery comes with its own hazards. It may get you in trouble with your boss, your doctor, your tailor. It will have you doing odd things at odd hours, like slipping out of the house on a weekend morning to get dibs on lamb barbacoa, or cutting out of work early to race to Lalo's before it closes, inexplicably, at 6 p.m.
It's all part of the charm.
Enter through the front door when the place is crowded and see what I mean. The first thing you will hear above the din is the sizzle from the kitchen, where Cecilia Tinoco runs the show with the focus and passion of an artisan.
Step toward the pass-through window and you will catch a glimpse of the griddle, the stove, the busy hands making food dance from the heat to the plate. Tortas, burritos, quesadillas, omelets, huaraches. Carnitas, pollo, al pastor, cabeza, lengua (more on these in a moment).
It's no wonder devotees look at Lalo's Restaurant as a place that rings so true – a Mexican Mexican restaurant, if that makes sense. For those who are already on the Lalo's bandwagon, here's a scoop: The family plans to open a second one in Rio Linda in the next couple of months.
The current Lalo's stands out as a culinary mecca in a section of town that is part residential and plenty industrial. It is a would-be dive whose food elevates everything else, a place with a rustic kitchen, brightly painted dining room walls, framed photos of food near the cash register, vinyl checkered tablecloths on Formica tables, plain chairs straight from the discount restaurant supply store.
Folks come from near and far to fill those seats because this little restaurant makes good on its modest intentions – serving Mexican regional dishes from recipes passed through the generations.
The first time I asked Cecilia Tinoco about the family's 5-year-old business, her voice cracked and tears welled in her eyes when she mentioned her family working together. Lalo's is named for her 89-year-old grandfather who lives in Mexico.
It is a heartfelt family operation, including Tinoco, her husband, Weneeslao Espindola Tinoco, and his 20-year-old fraternal twins, Cecilia and Juan (who will be departing soon to join the Marine Corps).
Sure, there are other ethnic eateries in town that get the details right without dumbing down the menu. But if you're the type of culinary soul who goes through life searching for all that is real and true about cooking and culture, you'll see what I mean about Lalo's.
"I want people to leave with happy stomach," she said with a smile.
Tinoco is self-conscious about her English. It's in the kitchen where she expresses herself best, and where her message is clearest.
My order begins with a piece of performance art – the molcajete ($10, which serves at least two). Cecilia slices a piece of cactus and places it on the hot griddle, next to pieces of chicken, beef and spicy chorizo. Imagine how that sounds and smells up close. Meanwhile, the salsa broth is simmering in a pan on the stove. Next to it, a rough-surfaced black bowl made of lava stone heats over an open flame.
"I make it with lots of love," said the chef. She drapes the ribbons of cooked cactus around the bowl, tucks in the pieces of meat and then pours the hot broth of the salsa over the even hotter bowl, prompting an explosive sizzle, a burst of steam that rises to the ceiling, causing my nostrils to flare. The aroma is spicy and complex and heady, unmistakably Mexican.
At my table, I pick pieces out of the hot bowl, cut them up and place them in a small, warm tortilla, the first of several. It is the way Cecilia's elders did it for years in and around Mexico City, where the cuisine took root through many generations.
On another visit, I sampled a variety of tacos ($1.25 each), from the smooth-tasting marinated grilled pork called al pastor, to the spicy heat of cabeza (yes, beef head), and the tender shredded carnitas. If you want tasty beef tongue, ask for the lengua.
Sacramento Bee, Aug. 16, 2009
Here we have a restaurant that opens too late for breakfast, closes too early for dinner, is often too crowded at lunch but is wonderful all the same.
Devotion to this family-owned little Sacramento eatery comes with its own hazards. It may get you in trouble with your boss, your doctor, your tailor. It will have you doing odd things at odd hours, like slipping out of the house on a weekend morning to get dibs on lamb barbacoa, or cutting out of work early to race to Lalo's before it closes, inexplicably, at 6 p.m.
It's all part of the charm.
Enter through the front door when the place is crowded and see what I mean. The first thing you will hear above the din is the sizzle from the kitchen, where Cecilia Tinoco runs the show with the focus and passion of an artisan.
Step toward the pass-through window and you will catch a glimpse of the griddle, the stove, the busy hands making food dance from the heat to the plate. Tortas, burritos, quesadillas, omelets, huaraches. Carnitas, pollo, al pastor, cabeza, lengua (more on these in a moment).
It's no wonder devotees look at Lalo's Restaurant as a place that rings so true – a Mexican Mexican restaurant, if that makes sense. For those who are already on the Lalo's bandwagon, here's a scoop: The family plans to open a second one in Rio Linda in the next couple of months.
The current Lalo's stands out as a culinary mecca in a section of town that is part residential and plenty industrial. It is a would-be dive whose food elevates everything else, a place with a rustic kitchen, brightly painted dining room walls, framed photos of food near the cash register, vinyl checkered tablecloths on Formica tables, plain chairs straight from the discount restaurant supply store.
Folks come from near and far to fill those seats because this little restaurant makes good on its modest intentions – serving Mexican regional dishes from recipes passed through the generations.
The first time I asked Cecilia Tinoco about the family's 5-year-old business, her voice cracked and tears welled in her eyes when she mentioned her family working together. Lalo's is named for her 89-year-old grandfather who lives in Mexico.
It is a heartfelt family operation, including Tinoco, her husband, Weneeslao Espindola Tinoco, and his 20-year-old fraternal twins, Cecilia and Juan (who will be departing soon to join the Marine Corps).
Sure, there are other ethnic eateries in town that get the details right without dumbing down the menu. But if you're the type of culinary soul who goes through life searching for all that is real and true about cooking and culture, you'll see what I mean about Lalo's.
"I want people to leave with happy stomach," she said with a smile.
Tinoco is self-conscious about her English. It's in the kitchen where she expresses herself best, and where her message is clearest.
My order begins with a piece of performance art – the molcajete ($10, which serves at least two). Cecilia slices a piece of cactus and places it on the hot griddle, next to pieces of chicken, beef and spicy chorizo. Imagine how that sounds and smells up close. Meanwhile, the salsa broth is simmering in a pan on the stove. Next to it, a rough-surfaced black bowl made of lava stone heats over an open flame.
"I make it with lots of love," said the chef. She drapes the ribbons of cooked cactus around the bowl, tucks in the pieces of meat and then pours the hot broth of the salsa over the even hotter bowl, prompting an explosive sizzle, a burst of steam that rises to the ceiling, causing my nostrils to flare. The aroma is spicy and complex and heady, unmistakably Mexican.
At my table, I pick pieces out of the hot bowl, cut them up and place them in a small, warm tortilla, the first of several. It is the way Cecilia's elders did it for years in and around Mexico City, where the cuisine took root through many generations.
On another visit, I sampled a variety of tacos ($1.25 each), from the smooth-tasting marinated grilled pork called al pastor, to the spicy heat of cabeza (yes, beef head), and the tender shredded carnitas. If you want tasty beef tongue, ask for the lengua.
U.S. Latina actor to make Mexican movie
Eva Longoria to act in Spanish in Mexican movie
The Associated Press, Aug. 19, 2009
MEXICO CITY -- Actress Eva Longoria Parker will act in Spanish for the first time in a Mexican film about kidnapping.
Film producer Leopoldo Gout says Longoria Parker's character will be crucial to solving the mystery at the heart of the film, which is called "Day of Grace."
Gout doesn't want to reveal any other details but says the "Desperate Housewife" actress "read the script and loved the characters and the story's depth."
Gout told the Reforma newspaper that the movie is being filmed in Mexico City. Its release date is not yet known.
The Associated Press, Aug. 19, 2009
MEXICO CITY -- Actress Eva Longoria Parker will act in Spanish for the first time in a Mexican film about kidnapping.
Film producer Leopoldo Gout says Longoria Parker's character will be crucial to solving the mystery at the heart of the film, which is called "Day of Grace."
Gout doesn't want to reveal any other details but says the "Desperate Housewife" actress "read the script and loved the characters and the story's depth."
Gout told the Reforma newspaper that the movie is being filmed in Mexico City. Its release date is not yet known.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Latina takes music to new heights
A Conversation with CMN’s Executive Vice President of Marketing Elena Sotomayor
CMN blogspot
As her patent black pumps click fervently across the slick hardwood floors, Elena Sotomayor appears omnipresent on a quiet weekday morning at CMN’s River West offices in Chicago. She stops at each of the cubicles along the way to confirm conference calls, schedule business trips and exchange ideas with the rest of her team, smitten by the executive’s seemingly endless energy to help set into motion another action-packed day at the company headquarters.
At only 5’3", Sotomayor’s presence is commanding. When she speaks, it’s with conviction. When she walks, it’s with confidence. And when she works, it’s with diligence. The CMN Insider caught up with the 37-year-old, Bogota native to discuss her path to success and a recipe for retaining clients. –By Juel Grange
JG: You were recently named to Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Forty Under Forty” class and have been a constant, driving force at CMN, leading the charge in sponsorship and marketing efforts, such as next year’s highly anticipated Billboard Latin Music Concert Series. To what do you attribute the company’s impressive growth?
ES: I think it is simply the company’s desire to continue developing really unique, innovative programs, especially in the areas in which we specialize, which is music and sports. We love new challenges and welcome the opportunity to make an impact for our clients. Our event marketing department and the company in general is rapidly growing, and that adds more momentum to our image as well as credibility in the market place.
JG: What has been the secret to keeping such a great client base?
ES: We strive to design and execute quality, flawless events for each of our clients. We enjoy going above and beyond what we were hired to do because we love what we do. It’s always a great feeling when a client comes back to ask us for more ideas.
JG: In your interview with Crain’s, you mentioned that you were faced with a language barrier when you first arrived in the U.S. How would you describe that experience and in what ways did it shape your future?
ES: I studied English at a school in Colombia for many years, and I thought I was fluent. But once I came to the U.S. and people started talking to me, as fast as they did, I found myself understanding only bits and pieces. Understanding the language obviously proved to be difficult, and so I would say “yes “to practically everything. So at one point I told one of my classmates that “yes” I would run for student council president, and “yes” I would go on to campaign. The next day at school I saw posters of myself with signs to vote for me for class president. I ended up being named class president, and it was like a life changing experience for me because I had a responsibility to help my classmates and it forced me to learn the language.
JG: You’ve worked as a model, dancer, and even as an actress in theatrical productions. What did you learn from those experiences that you might apply to your work in event marketing?
ES: That was so long ago! I loved it but there came a point in my life when I had to choose from the corporate road or the entertainment road, and I decided to take the corporate route. The other experiences were fun but I was doing it mostly to get me through college. There are definitely some things to take back from those experiences. I really enjoy being in event marketing because there is still so much room to be creative and make a great impact.
JG: Dealing with a lengthy repertoire of clientele and numerous nationwide events throughout the year, do you ever find it a challenge to stay organized?
ES: Absolutely. It seems like there’s always so much going on. Each project is important and then there are the details. I believe there are two main qualities that one must have in order to do this job well. One is common sense, and the other is organization. I have tried the agenda, the digital agenda, the folders, the labeled folders, the Blackberry, the Blueberry and the Boysenberry [Laughing]. I have my calendar on three different formats so I don’t loose it. I have my contacts on three different formats so I don’t loose them. I am synced from my computer, to my brain, to my phone, to my Blackberry. I also have gigantic boards on my office wall. I try to lead project managers to work under a similar environment, so that we are on the same page, otherwise, it can easily become hectic. We learn from each other everyday and we all have our own style in order to get the job done.
JG: What is the current state of event marketing?
ES: Well, we’ve obviously seen major brands cutting all sorts of budgets and needing to do more with less. Part of that strategy for some brands is to come face-to-face with consumers and spend their money more wisely with grassroots efforts such as sampling and experiential efforts, and that’s where we come in. We have been fortunate to be able to help clients become more cost-efficient now while continuing to get the needed results. I’ve had clients who had never tried event marketing before benefit from a simpler plan that literally brings them closer to their consumers. It’s a wonderful option that can still be impactful and one that has actually helped us during the recession.
JG: A lot of the promotional campaigns are so elaborate and visually appealing that one would think they’ve walked right into a dream world. How do you keep ideas fresh and is there something you look to for inspiration when drafting a concept?
ES: That’s the biggest challenge. We have a client vision and with that various expectations. The challenges that are presented to us can have many solutions, but we have to develop a concept that will work best for that particular client. Ideas come to me in various ways and at different times, even in my sleep! Sometimes I’ll listen to music or watch TV for added inspiration but I have a great deal of confidence in my team as well. We work well together and take pride in shaping ideas that work for our clients.
CMN blogspot
As her patent black pumps click fervently across the slick hardwood floors, Elena Sotomayor appears omnipresent on a quiet weekday morning at CMN’s River West offices in Chicago. She stops at each of the cubicles along the way to confirm conference calls, schedule business trips and exchange ideas with the rest of her team, smitten by the executive’s seemingly endless energy to help set into motion another action-packed day at the company headquarters.
At only 5’3", Sotomayor’s presence is commanding. When she speaks, it’s with conviction. When she walks, it’s with confidence. And when she works, it’s with diligence. The CMN Insider caught up with the 37-year-old, Bogota native to discuss her path to success and a recipe for retaining clients. –By Juel Grange
JG: You were recently named to Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Forty Under Forty” class and have been a constant, driving force at CMN, leading the charge in sponsorship and marketing efforts, such as next year’s highly anticipated Billboard Latin Music Concert Series. To what do you attribute the company’s impressive growth?
ES: I think it is simply the company’s desire to continue developing really unique, innovative programs, especially in the areas in which we specialize, which is music and sports. We love new challenges and welcome the opportunity to make an impact for our clients. Our event marketing department and the company in general is rapidly growing, and that adds more momentum to our image as well as credibility in the market place.
JG: What has been the secret to keeping such a great client base?
ES: We strive to design and execute quality, flawless events for each of our clients. We enjoy going above and beyond what we were hired to do because we love what we do. It’s always a great feeling when a client comes back to ask us for more ideas.
JG: In your interview with Crain’s, you mentioned that you were faced with a language barrier when you first arrived in the U.S. How would you describe that experience and in what ways did it shape your future?
ES: I studied English at a school in Colombia for many years, and I thought I was fluent. But once I came to the U.S. and people started talking to me, as fast as they did, I found myself understanding only bits and pieces. Understanding the language obviously proved to be difficult, and so I would say “yes “to practically everything. So at one point I told one of my classmates that “yes” I would run for student council president, and “yes” I would go on to campaign. The next day at school I saw posters of myself with signs to vote for me for class president. I ended up being named class president, and it was like a life changing experience for me because I had a responsibility to help my classmates and it forced me to learn the language.
JG: You’ve worked as a model, dancer, and even as an actress in theatrical productions. What did you learn from those experiences that you might apply to your work in event marketing?
ES: That was so long ago! I loved it but there came a point in my life when I had to choose from the corporate road or the entertainment road, and I decided to take the corporate route. The other experiences were fun but I was doing it mostly to get me through college. There are definitely some things to take back from those experiences. I really enjoy being in event marketing because there is still so much room to be creative and make a great impact.
JG: Dealing with a lengthy repertoire of clientele and numerous nationwide events throughout the year, do you ever find it a challenge to stay organized?
ES: Absolutely. It seems like there’s always so much going on. Each project is important and then there are the details. I believe there are two main qualities that one must have in order to do this job well. One is common sense, and the other is organization. I have tried the agenda, the digital agenda, the folders, the labeled folders, the Blackberry, the Blueberry and the Boysenberry [Laughing]. I have my calendar on three different formats so I don’t loose it. I have my contacts on three different formats so I don’t loose them. I am synced from my computer, to my brain, to my phone, to my Blackberry. I also have gigantic boards on my office wall. I try to lead project managers to work under a similar environment, so that we are on the same page, otherwise, it can easily become hectic. We learn from each other everyday and we all have our own style in order to get the job done.
JG: What is the current state of event marketing?
ES: Well, we’ve obviously seen major brands cutting all sorts of budgets and needing to do more with less. Part of that strategy for some brands is to come face-to-face with consumers and spend their money more wisely with grassroots efforts such as sampling and experiential efforts, and that’s where we come in. We have been fortunate to be able to help clients become more cost-efficient now while continuing to get the needed results. I’ve had clients who had never tried event marketing before benefit from a simpler plan that literally brings them closer to their consumers. It’s a wonderful option that can still be impactful and one that has actually helped us during the recession.
JG: A lot of the promotional campaigns are so elaborate and visually appealing that one would think they’ve walked right into a dream world. How do you keep ideas fresh and is there something you look to for inspiration when drafting a concept?
ES: That’s the biggest challenge. We have a client vision and with that various expectations. The challenges that are presented to us can have many solutions, but we have to develop a concept that will work best for that particular client. Ideas come to me in various ways and at different times, even in my sleep! Sometimes I’ll listen to music or watch TV for added inspiration but I have a great deal of confidence in my team as well. We work well together and take pride in shaping ideas that work for our clients.
Latino murals up for sale
Latino murals from downtown L.A. building up for sale
LA Times, August 17, 2009
Three murals that once dominated the lobby of downtown's Victor Clothing building on Broadway are on display (and for sale) at Costa Mesa's 3-year-old Grace Lane Gallery through Sept. 30 in the gallery's exhibition "Latino Muralists: Brushes With History."
Gallery director Fred Page said Monday that the three murals -- all about 10 feet by 16-to-20 feet -- interweave Latino culture with that of the United States.
The three are: "Gateway to Manifest Destiny" ($65,000) by the mural collective East Los Streetscapers (including artists Wayne Healy, Davido Botello and George Yepes); "The Top Hat Bridal Shop Mural," a frieze of three East L.A. weddings by John Valadez ($50,000); and the Eloy Torrez work "Mural of Muralists," in which the artist includes portraits of Los Angeles muralists and artists -- Kent Twitchell, Betye Saar and Carlos Almaraz -- in a setting near a freeway overpass.
Proceeds from the sale of the murals will benefit Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. The works were donated to MALDEF in 2002 by Ramiro Salcedo, a principal in the Victor Clothing Co., before he sold the building in 2004.
Valadez, Top Hat Wedding Party
Eloy Torrez, Mural Of Muralists
The Victor Clothing building near 3rd Street became well known for its exterior and interior murals. Exterior murals included Torrez's "The Pope of Broadway," depicting a dancing Anthony Quinn, and Twitchell's "Bride and Groom." And the interior work "The Broadway Mural," a 60-foot-long painting of downtown Los Angeles street life by Valadez, was acquired in 2001 for $100,000 by art collector Peter Norton.
Page said he does not expect an individual to purchase the massive artworks. "They belong in a public institution," he says. "We have approached several institutions, the Angels, the Dodgers, television stations, Wells Fargo bank. This is where they belong, in a public venue."
-- Diane Haithman
LA Times, August 17, 2009
Three murals that once dominated the lobby of downtown's Victor Clothing building on Broadway are on display (and for sale) at Costa Mesa's 3-year-old Grace Lane Gallery through Sept. 30 in the gallery's exhibition "Latino Muralists: Brushes With History."
Gallery director Fred Page said Monday that the three murals -- all about 10 feet by 16-to-20 feet -- interweave Latino culture with that of the United States.
The three are: "Gateway to Manifest Destiny" ($65,000) by the mural collective East Los Streetscapers (including artists Wayne Healy, Davido Botello and George Yepes); "The Top Hat Bridal Shop Mural," a frieze of three East L.A. weddings by John Valadez ($50,000); and the Eloy Torrez work "Mural of Muralists," in which the artist includes portraits of Los Angeles muralists and artists -- Kent Twitchell, Betye Saar and Carlos Almaraz -- in a setting near a freeway overpass.
Proceeds from the sale of the murals will benefit Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. The works were donated to MALDEF in 2002 by Ramiro Salcedo, a principal in the Victor Clothing Co., before he sold the building in 2004.
Valadez, Top Hat Wedding Party
Eloy Torrez, Mural Of Muralists
The Victor Clothing building near 3rd Street became well known for its exterior and interior murals. Exterior murals included Torrez's "The Pope of Broadway," depicting a dancing Anthony Quinn, and Twitchell's "Bride and Groom." And the interior work "The Broadway Mural," a 60-foot-long painting of downtown Los Angeles street life by Valadez, was acquired in 2001 for $100,000 by art collector Peter Norton.
Page said he does not expect an individual to purchase the massive artworks. "They belong in a public institution," he says. "We have approached several institutions, the Angels, the Dodgers, television stations, Wells Fargo bank. This is where they belong, in a public venue."
-- Diane Haithman
Latino salsero release CD after 6 years
Ruben Blades releases new CD after 6-year absence
The Associated Press, Aug. 18, 2009
PANAMA CITY -- Famed salsa musician Ruben Blades has released a new album after a six-year absence from the music scene.
The 61-year-old Grammy winner from Panama says the CD, "Songs of Underdevelopment," is a tribute to Cuba, his mother's homeland.
Blades says he played most of the instruments heard on the CD recorded in the garage of his Los Angeles home. He says the album is full of simple sounds that reflect Latin America's popular music.
Blades began working on the album in 2003 but put it aside when he was named Panama's tourism minister, a post he held until June 30.
In a statement Monday, he says the CD will be sold through his Web site. He plans a tour that will start Aug. 21 with a concert in Puerto Rico.
The Associated Press, Aug. 18, 2009
PANAMA CITY -- Famed salsa musician Ruben Blades has released a new album after a six-year absence from the music scene.
The 61-year-old Grammy winner from Panama says the CD, "Songs of Underdevelopment," is a tribute to Cuba, his mother's homeland.
Blades says he played most of the instruments heard on the CD recorded in the garage of his Los Angeles home. He says the album is full of simple sounds that reflect Latin America's popular music.
Blades began working on the album in 2003 but put it aside when he was named Panama's tourism minister, a post he held until June 30.
In a statement Monday, he says the CD will be sold through his Web site. He plans a tour that will start Aug. 21 with a concert in Puerto Rico.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Latinos need to learn E-book reading
E-book reading is on the rise as smart phones challenge Kindle
Dallas Morning News, August 14, 2009
A few weeks ago, Pasquale Castaldo was waiting at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a delayed flight, when a man sitting across from him pulled out an Amazon Kindle book-reading device.
"Gee, maybe I should think about e-books myself," Castaldo thought.
He didn't have a Kindle, but he did have a BlackBerry. He pulled it out and looked for available applications. Sure enough, Barnes & Noble Inc. had just put up an e-reading program. Castaldo, 54, downloaded it, and within a minute, began reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
As others also are discovering, the North Haven, Conn., banker found e-books quite accessible without a Kindle.
"The BlackBerry is always with me," Castaldo said. "Rather than just sitting there, if I can fill that time by reading a good book, I might do that, in addition to doing the other things I might do, like reading e-mail and twittering."
Thanks to Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle, e-book sales are finally zooming, after more than a decade in the doldrums.
But the pioneering device may not dominate the market for long. As Castaldo found, many phones are sophisticated enough to be used as e-book reading devices.
E-book sales reported to the Association of American Publishers have been rising sharply since the beginning of 2008, just after the release of the Kindle. It's the best sustained growth that the industry has seen since the International Digital Publishing Forum began tracking sales in 2002 – a sign that e-books finally could be about to break into the mainstream.
U.S. trade e-book sales in the April-to-June period this year more than tripled from the amount a year ago, as reported by about a dozen publishers.
Total reported sales at wholesale prices were $37.6 million. That's less than 2 percent of the overall book market, but the number understates e-book sales, because not all publishers contribute to the report. The figure also excludes textbooks, an area where e-books have made substantial inroads.
While other digital media such as CDs, DVDs and MP3s showed sharp growth rates from the get-go, e-books have puttered around as a tiny fraction of overall book sales for more than a decade. In several periods, sales actually declined from year to year as publishers wavered in their commitment and interest.
The technology also has faced unique resistance from consumers because printed books work so well.
The most well-known dedicated reading devices, the Kindle and Sony Corp.'s Reader, try to emulate the look of the printed page with a display technology known as "electronic ink."
While many find the result pleasant to read, e-ink also imposes significant limitations on the devices. They can't be backlit like other screens. They can't show color. They're also slow to update, making them difficult to use for Web browsing or other computer activities.
The Kindle has a wireless connection directly to Amazon's store, meaning users can buy and download books to the device within minutes, just as Castaldo could do on his smart phone. The Reader lacks a wireless capability and thus needs to be connected to a computer to load books.
Amazon isn't betting solely on the Kindle. It released an iPhone app for the Kindle store in March. It has snapped up some other developers of book-reading applications for smart phones, but these programs don't use the Kindle store.
Shanna Vaughn, a university worker and voracious reader in Orange County, Calif., has read e-books on a computer or handheld organizer for at least 10 years, but it was only an occasional habit until she got an iPhone last year. It's mainly the convenience that's winning her over: Because Vaughn can buy and download books nearly instantly to the phone, she doesn't need to plan a trip to the book store.
Vaughn, 35, is not interested in a Kindle or a Reader.
"I never really wanted something that was a single-function device. I just couldn't see spending ... $300 for a device where I'm sort of locked in to one retailer. Whereas my phone, that does everything."
Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps said that although the Kindle has sparked interest in e-books, downloads of e-reading applications for smart phones have far outnumbered the Kindles sold.
The Stanza app for the iPhone and the iPod Touch, for instance, has been downloaded more than 2 million times since last summer, compared with Rotman Epps' estimate of more than 900,000 Kindles sold through the first quarter of this year.
"There will be a market for dedicated reading devices, but there's potentially an even bigger market for reading on devices that people already own, like smart phones," she said.
According to a survey of 2,600 adults by research firm Simba Information this spring, the most common way to read e-books is on another general-purpose device: the personal computer. It found that 8 percent of adults had bought an e-book last year, a high figure considering that Kindle sales were less than half a percent of the adult population.
Bob LiVolsi, the founder and chief executive of independent e-book retailer BooksOnBoard, said two-thirds of his customers read their books on their PCs. Romance, thriller and mystery titles costing $5 to $7 are the big draw for his customers, who aren't high earners and have trouble justifying the cost of a dedicated device.
Though adoption has been slow, PCs have had a big head start in e-books, said Michael Norris, senior publishing analyst at Simba. Their ubiquity also means they provide some camouflage to avid readers who want to "read a romance novel at work while pretending to work," he said.
Robert Lisi, a construction estimator in Charleston, S.C., reads on his BlackBerry when he doesn't have his Sony Reader handy.
He's even signed up for The Daily Lit, a service that sends out books in e-mail every day, broken up into chunks that take about five minutes to read on a BlackBerry or computer screen.
"I have books on tape, and then I have books on paper and as e-books," Lisi said. "I want to get to where I'm reading a book a week, but I work, so I can't do that."
Peter Svensson, The Associated Press
Dallas Morning News, August 14, 2009
A few weeks ago, Pasquale Castaldo was waiting at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a delayed flight, when a man sitting across from him pulled out an Amazon Kindle book-reading device.
"Gee, maybe I should think about e-books myself," Castaldo thought.
He didn't have a Kindle, but he did have a BlackBerry. He pulled it out and looked for available applications. Sure enough, Barnes & Noble Inc. had just put up an e-reading program. Castaldo, 54, downloaded it, and within a minute, began reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
As others also are discovering, the North Haven, Conn., banker found e-books quite accessible without a Kindle.
"The BlackBerry is always with me," Castaldo said. "Rather than just sitting there, if I can fill that time by reading a good book, I might do that, in addition to doing the other things I might do, like reading e-mail and twittering."
Thanks to Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle, e-book sales are finally zooming, after more than a decade in the doldrums.
But the pioneering device may not dominate the market for long. As Castaldo found, many phones are sophisticated enough to be used as e-book reading devices.
E-book sales reported to the Association of American Publishers have been rising sharply since the beginning of 2008, just after the release of the Kindle. It's the best sustained growth that the industry has seen since the International Digital Publishing Forum began tracking sales in 2002 – a sign that e-books finally could be about to break into the mainstream.
U.S. trade e-book sales in the April-to-June period this year more than tripled from the amount a year ago, as reported by about a dozen publishers.
Total reported sales at wholesale prices were $37.6 million. That's less than 2 percent of the overall book market, but the number understates e-book sales, because not all publishers contribute to the report. The figure also excludes textbooks, an area where e-books have made substantial inroads.
While other digital media such as CDs, DVDs and MP3s showed sharp growth rates from the get-go, e-books have puttered around as a tiny fraction of overall book sales for more than a decade. In several periods, sales actually declined from year to year as publishers wavered in their commitment and interest.
The technology also has faced unique resistance from consumers because printed books work so well.
The most well-known dedicated reading devices, the Kindle and Sony Corp.'s Reader, try to emulate the look of the printed page with a display technology known as "electronic ink."
While many find the result pleasant to read, e-ink also imposes significant limitations on the devices. They can't be backlit like other screens. They can't show color. They're also slow to update, making them difficult to use for Web browsing or other computer activities.
The Kindle has a wireless connection directly to Amazon's store, meaning users can buy and download books to the device within minutes, just as Castaldo could do on his smart phone. The Reader lacks a wireless capability and thus needs to be connected to a computer to load books.
Amazon isn't betting solely on the Kindle. It released an iPhone app for the Kindle store in March. It has snapped up some other developers of book-reading applications for smart phones, but these programs don't use the Kindle store.
Shanna Vaughn, a university worker and voracious reader in Orange County, Calif., has read e-books on a computer or handheld organizer for at least 10 years, but it was only an occasional habit until she got an iPhone last year. It's mainly the convenience that's winning her over: Because Vaughn can buy and download books nearly instantly to the phone, she doesn't need to plan a trip to the book store.
Vaughn, 35, is not interested in a Kindle or a Reader.
"I never really wanted something that was a single-function device. I just couldn't see spending ... $300 for a device where I'm sort of locked in to one retailer. Whereas my phone, that does everything."
Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps said that although the Kindle has sparked interest in e-books, downloads of e-reading applications for smart phones have far outnumbered the Kindles sold.
The Stanza app for the iPhone and the iPod Touch, for instance, has been downloaded more than 2 million times since last summer, compared with Rotman Epps' estimate of more than 900,000 Kindles sold through the first quarter of this year.
"There will be a market for dedicated reading devices, but there's potentially an even bigger market for reading on devices that people already own, like smart phones," she said.
According to a survey of 2,600 adults by research firm Simba Information this spring, the most common way to read e-books is on another general-purpose device: the personal computer. It found that 8 percent of adults had bought an e-book last year, a high figure considering that Kindle sales were less than half a percent of the adult population.
Bob LiVolsi, the founder and chief executive of independent e-book retailer BooksOnBoard, said two-thirds of his customers read their books on their PCs. Romance, thriller and mystery titles costing $5 to $7 are the big draw for his customers, who aren't high earners and have trouble justifying the cost of a dedicated device.
Though adoption has been slow, PCs have had a big head start in e-books, said Michael Norris, senior publishing analyst at Simba. Their ubiquity also means they provide some camouflage to avid readers who want to "read a romance novel at work while pretending to work," he said.
Robert Lisi, a construction estimator in Charleston, S.C., reads on his BlackBerry when he doesn't have his Sony Reader handy.
He's even signed up for The Daily Lit, a service that sends out books in e-mail every day, broken up into chunks that take about five minutes to read on a BlackBerry or computer screen.
"I have books on tape, and then I have books on paper and as e-books," Lisi said. "I want to get to where I'm reading a book a week, but I work, so I can't do that."
Peter Svensson, The Associated Press
Latino comedy troupe to do classic Greek drama
Chicano-Latino comedy troupe Culture Clash adapt classic Greek drama at Getty Villa
Gabriela Lopez de Dennis, Examiner, August 16, 2009
For 25 years now, Culture Clash (Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas, Herbert Siguenza) has been the nation's most prominent and respected Chicano-Latino performance troupe. Their theatre pieces have imitated the workings of social anthropologists, digging deep into America's racialized culture to formulate their outrageous brand of satire. On Thursday, September 10, their latest work, an adaptation of Peace by Aristophanes, which is their second dramatic adaptation of Aristophanes (Aristophanes' The Birds being their first 10 years ago.), will be presented at the Getty Villa's Outdoor Classical Theater in Malibu through October 3.
Fans can expect to see this zany and visionary Utopian escapade, as interpreted by comedy trio Culture Clash and guest director Bill Rauch, as they tell this anti-war story of a small band of rustic patriots who hatch a daring plot to engineer the rescue of goddess "Peace" from the God of War who has buried her in a pit, and restore peace to the land. Closing night, October 3, will feature a special talk with Culture Clash and John Glore, co-adapter of the play.
Located in beautiful Malibu right near the ocean, The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. Admission to the museum exhibitions and center is free, but advance tickets are required.
For more information or to purchase tickets to Peace, visit www.getty.edu. For more information about Culture Clash, visit their website at www.cultureclash.com.
Gabriela Lopez de Dennis, Examiner, August 16, 2009
For 25 years now, Culture Clash (Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas, Herbert Siguenza) has been the nation's most prominent and respected Chicano-Latino performance troupe. Their theatre pieces have imitated the workings of social anthropologists, digging deep into America's racialized culture to formulate their outrageous brand of satire. On Thursday, September 10, their latest work, an adaptation of Peace by Aristophanes, which is their second dramatic adaptation of Aristophanes (Aristophanes' The Birds being their first 10 years ago.), will be presented at the Getty Villa's Outdoor Classical Theater in Malibu through October 3.
Fans can expect to see this zany and visionary Utopian escapade, as interpreted by comedy trio Culture Clash and guest director Bill Rauch, as they tell this anti-war story of a small band of rustic patriots who hatch a daring plot to engineer the rescue of goddess "Peace" from the God of War who has buried her in a pit, and restore peace to the land. Closing night, October 3, will feature a special talk with Culture Clash and John Glore, co-adapter of the play.
Located in beautiful Malibu right near the ocean, The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. Admission to the museum exhibitions and center is free, but advance tickets are required.
For more information or to purchase tickets to Peace, visit www.getty.edu. For more information about Culture Clash, visit their website at www.cultureclash.com.
Latina masters several media platforms
A Jack of All Trades; Hollywood's Lidia Pires, flying high under the radar
Al Carlos Hernandez
www.LatinoLA.com
Lidia Pires may not be a name you recognize but she has been a recognizable face on numerous international TV commercials, network TV programs and more than ten feature films. She is most recently featured as one of the stars in the cross-over heist film Ladron que Roba a Lardron. There is no doubt that she will flirt with A- List notoriety in her upcoming feature, the comedic romp, Lean Like a Cholo.
In a time of media myopia and typecasting, Lidia is a transcendent Latina, a jack of all trades, an artistic multi-talented chameleon who can reinvent herself through many genres while mastering several media platforms.
She has worked as a model, writer, script doctor, producer, PR executive, and on-air host. She is a painter as well as a successful casting and production associate. Lidia says that acting is her first love and she can say it in three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese. Ever active and engaged with the world around her, she takes time to give back to the community
Pires tells LatinoLA:
I was born in Asuncion, Paraguay but at the age of two my father joined the United Nations. We started to travel and we lived all over the world. I was raised in numerous different countries.
Growing up in many cultures has enriched me in many ways. I was an only child and that thrust me into situations I had to face alone. I was extremely shy and realized that either I retreated with my uniqueness or I had to learn to observe, absorb, and transform myself into one of "them" so as to fit in with the crowd. I found that the latter worked best.
I am completely bilingual. I think in English when I speak/write in English and in Spanish when I speak/write Spanish. When I was six my parents put me in a painting class that was offered at the Museum of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro. My artistic side was born.
I always loved film; nothing compares to immersing myself in other people's lives. I am inspired by Kathryn Hepburn. Her life on and off screen touched me in a personal way. I was enthralled by the hugeness of film, both on a physical and emotional scale. I approached my parents to tell them of my desire to enter the acting world. They were appalled so I took a secretarial course and travelled back to my country.
Started my working career in Paraguay and joined an advertising agency as its public relations liaison. From there I joined a production company as producer. Television production there, at that time, was in its infancy. To get something done you had to be a jack-of-all-trades. There I became friends with a marketing director. He convinced me to have a renowned photographer take some photos of me. My modeling career was born.
Through modeling, a production company approached me to be in one of their commercials. Since I was very vocal about what could be done to improve it, they hired me to produce. Hence my production and sort of acting career were born. At the time there were only two production companies and the industry was really in its infancy. So you ended up being in charge of pretty much everything. You had to scout locations, you had to find props, you had to cast the commercial, you had to feed the people, pick them up and take them back, you had to light it, you almost had to film it too! There were no demarcations of "this is your job and this is mine" or any hierarchy.
I remained in Paraguay for two years. I had difficulties adapting to the way things were done. I'd come from New York (my father's last post in the United Nations) so the adjustments were hard, plus I really loved New York. The city fascinated me. It offered so much. The museums, the parks, the theater, the foreign-films, everything that excited me was there. So there I returned.
When I moved from NY to Miami, I was a fish out water. There's a very different attitude, so when I was offered a job in Los Angeles I jumped at it. And here is where I found the happiest of mediums. Everything is so geared to the entertainment business and most everybody in the business understands what you need.
In LA I was offered a job as a producer where I produced commercials (both local and international), a worldwide documentary, and a movie in Venezuela.
I liked working in commercials as a producer for their quick turn around and variety. What did not satisfy me much was that I did not have much creative input in them.
Documentaries are a labor of love. I compare them to raising a child because you put in a lot of time and money and you just hope that maybe they will go out into the world and do good. At the time I was doing TV production it was incredibly time consuming. Now it is all high tech. I loved them all in their own way.
I started producing independently and had a program Gems Spa on Gems Television (a US based international network) where I also served as its host. I also produce a local access program Entre Amigas where I am again one of the hosts. Gems Spa came about through a contact in Miami that was looking for programs for Gems Television. I didn't have a concept at that time but turned to my producing partner to find a subject matter that was accessible, of interest, and feasible to get permits quickly. We headed off to Dessert Hot Springs for a story on one of its spas.
It was so quickly done that one of the hosts had to be me. We sent it to the programming person explaining that we were going to replace me as host. She called saying that she would purchase a season for the network and wanted me in it. So now I was producer and host. Since we travelled with a very small crew I found that producing and hosting was challenging indeed.
Recognition (for I have no fame) has been wonderful. Though I don't get it often, when someone approaches me and treats me as if they know me because I have been in a tiny part of their day, it is incredibly rewarding.
As an actress I am partial to film. I like the process; the minuteness of the shots and the immensity of the result. I like to see how so many can work so well toward one result. Almost like observing an ant farm or a mass of freeways intertwining.
Stage has my full respect because I tend toward stage-fright and have had to overcome it. I started doing theater in school and then continued in Spain with an experimental group that went to little towns and set up in the town plaza. I like that you can form a true bond with your fellow actors. I like the immediacy of the response. It’s almost like a rollercoaster where you go, "Wow, what a ride!" I would add, "I'm so glad it's done," and then, "Let's go again!"
I like TV hosting if I have creative/writing input, but that rarely happens in the real world. I was fortunate to have that when I did.
There is no escaping that fact when you look at me, I am a Latina actress, and I am proud of that. I like to think of myself as one of those wise Latinas that Justice Sotomayor refered to. I have been fortunate due to the fact that I'm good at adopting other cultures and accents.
I have played roles where ethnicity does not take a prominent role but there is a lot more that can be done. In real life we are placed more and more in pivotal positions where we just happen to be a minority - not because of it. However, the television and film world has been slow and reluctant to recognize that. The tides are changing with the advent of digital which makes it economically possible for minorities to create roles for themselves that do not fall into stereotypes. Ultimately, I have no problem in being hired because I am a Latina and I am choosing a lot of projects that show us in a good light as with Rollout!, Flights of Fancy, and Divina Crane.
I may be falling into a cliche here, but because of the nature of the business and its unreliability as to steady roles, I consider each acting experience "big" and give it great importance.
The first time that I was on set as an actor in a commercial and had the luxury to shed my producer hat was huge. The first time I was in a major film on theater screens in the United States and worldwide was huge. The first time I stepped into a town square and conquered my stage fright was huge. I love drama so, as an actress, I tend to gravitate to those roles, but some directors have discovered my comedic timing and are willing to pursue that as well.
I have a knack for seeing in some people what others don't. A friend of mine, Rosalinda Morales, has her own company, Far More Casting & Production, and was getting extremely busy at one point and - knowing my involvement in the industry - brought me in as the casting associate in a few projects. We worked well together so continued working in many others.
I look for honesty in an actor. I don't want to question who they are when they are in character. If you can hook me by provoking a strong reaction in me with a writer's line you will have me as a fan for life. As a casting director I look to see if you have respect for your craft and the auditioning process is very important. With that comes being on time, and having the sides and the headshot if requested. Knowing the etiquette in the process and the ground rules is important as well. Come rested, and if frazzled or tired, make sure it doesn't show.
In casting there are always scripts that come into our hands. In reading them I started correcting and giving notes to the writers. That started another side career which I enjoy almost as much: script analyst and copy editor. Since I am fully bilingual (English/Spanish) and knowledgeable of the way people say things and what words they use in different countries and regions, I segued into translating and doctoring scripts as well.
Again, chance and luck played a substantial role. We received a short film script that I thought had great value as a story but needed a lot of adjustments. I asked the filmmaker if he wouldn't mind if I gave him some notes. Since he welcomed them, I gave them to him and from then on, through word of mouth I have done so with many others.
I am a firm believer that not only as a human, but as double-minority, a Latina woman, I have to give back to my community. My way of doing so is by volunteering. I have volunteered with The Flying Samaritans going to remote towns in Mexico and being the interpreter between the patients and the doctors who come from the U.S. I have recorded newspapers articles for a service the Braille Institute offers, as well as textbooks that another organizations offer. My indigenous roots brought me to the Native American Voices program at the Autry and I am very involved with their Young Native American Playwrights Mentorship Program.
I have various projects coming up such as Flights of Fancy, a film written by Diana Lesmez and based on the true story of world renowned, Dr. Ricardo Saca –an inmigrant from El Salvador; Divina Crane, a webisode based on a psychologist who works as a social worker in the inner city (a Latina) along with a detective appointed by the Governor’s office (a Native American); Walking on Turtle Island, a TV series on Iktomi (the trickster) in the Lakota world; Rollout!, a feature film based on the true story of handball coach Tony Huante who, for two decades, mentored East LA kids, ultimately producing several national pro champions.
You can also see me in the soon to be released feature film Lean Like a Cholo, a movie directed by Demetrius Navarro (ER). The film is starring Kilo (aka Down) a rapper who had the hit "Lean Like a Cholo." I play the role of Kilo's mom. Demetrius, Kilo's real life son, Valente Rodriguez (George Lopez show), and Erlinda Orozco's mom is my role as well. My husband is played by Rick Najera (Latinologues).
What I do get is recognition as one of the few Paraguayan actors to be part of SAG and AFTRA. For that I am grateful. I have been able to represent my country well.
It has given me the opportunity to let budding filmmakers in my country know that the film business in the United States is in fact open to all who are willing to put the training and effort into it.
As for me, I want to be have the traits of a chameleon; always adapting and changing, hopefully for the better. I want to work in this magical world of entertainment until my very last breath.
If I were to leave a legacy it would be that I wish that I have touched someone's heart in some way. I hope that perhaps I've instilled a work and life ethic with which I have been able to achieve many goals. That being a minority shouldn't stop us and, on the contrary, make us better. Our essence and character is judged in how we take our life journeys and not so much as to where we reach. I hope they say she took the journey well, enjoyed it all the way and planted so many seeds along the road that we are blessed with the shade from these tall trees thanks to her.
My advice would be to not be stifled by the preconceived notion that because of being a double minority (a woman and a Latina) we have the odds stacked against us. Prepare yourself through training and read as much as possible in the branch of the arts you want to concentrate on, stay on top of the latest developments, and forge ahead! If we put our minds, our hearts, our efforts to it... si se puede! Yes, we can do it.
Al Carlos Hernandez
www.LatinoLA.com
Lidia Pires may not be a name you recognize but she has been a recognizable face on numerous international TV commercials, network TV programs and more than ten feature films. She is most recently featured as one of the stars in the cross-over heist film Ladron que Roba a Lardron. There is no doubt that she will flirt with A- List notoriety in her upcoming feature, the comedic romp, Lean Like a Cholo.
In a time of media myopia and typecasting, Lidia is a transcendent Latina, a jack of all trades, an artistic multi-talented chameleon who can reinvent herself through many genres while mastering several media platforms.
She has worked as a model, writer, script doctor, producer, PR executive, and on-air host. She is a painter as well as a successful casting and production associate. Lidia says that acting is her first love and she can say it in three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese. Ever active and engaged with the world around her, she takes time to give back to the community
Pires tells LatinoLA:
I was born in Asuncion, Paraguay but at the age of two my father joined the United Nations. We started to travel and we lived all over the world. I was raised in numerous different countries.
Growing up in many cultures has enriched me in many ways. I was an only child and that thrust me into situations I had to face alone. I was extremely shy and realized that either I retreated with my uniqueness or I had to learn to observe, absorb, and transform myself into one of "them" so as to fit in with the crowd. I found that the latter worked best.
I am completely bilingual. I think in English when I speak/write in English and in Spanish when I speak/write Spanish. When I was six my parents put me in a painting class that was offered at the Museum of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro. My artistic side was born.
I always loved film; nothing compares to immersing myself in other people's lives. I am inspired by Kathryn Hepburn. Her life on and off screen touched me in a personal way. I was enthralled by the hugeness of film, both on a physical and emotional scale. I approached my parents to tell them of my desire to enter the acting world. They were appalled so I took a secretarial course and travelled back to my country.
Started my working career in Paraguay and joined an advertising agency as its public relations liaison. From there I joined a production company as producer. Television production there, at that time, was in its infancy. To get something done you had to be a jack-of-all-trades. There I became friends with a marketing director. He convinced me to have a renowned photographer take some photos of me. My modeling career was born.
Through modeling, a production company approached me to be in one of their commercials. Since I was very vocal about what could be done to improve it, they hired me to produce. Hence my production and sort of acting career were born. At the time there were only two production companies and the industry was really in its infancy. So you ended up being in charge of pretty much everything. You had to scout locations, you had to find props, you had to cast the commercial, you had to feed the people, pick them up and take them back, you had to light it, you almost had to film it too! There were no demarcations of "this is your job and this is mine" or any hierarchy.
I remained in Paraguay for two years. I had difficulties adapting to the way things were done. I'd come from New York (my father's last post in the United Nations) so the adjustments were hard, plus I really loved New York. The city fascinated me. It offered so much. The museums, the parks, the theater, the foreign-films, everything that excited me was there. So there I returned.
When I moved from NY to Miami, I was a fish out water. There's a very different attitude, so when I was offered a job in Los Angeles I jumped at it. And here is where I found the happiest of mediums. Everything is so geared to the entertainment business and most everybody in the business understands what you need.
In LA I was offered a job as a producer where I produced commercials (both local and international), a worldwide documentary, and a movie in Venezuela.
I liked working in commercials as a producer for their quick turn around and variety. What did not satisfy me much was that I did not have much creative input in them.
Documentaries are a labor of love. I compare them to raising a child because you put in a lot of time and money and you just hope that maybe they will go out into the world and do good. At the time I was doing TV production it was incredibly time consuming. Now it is all high tech. I loved them all in their own way.
I started producing independently and had a program Gems Spa on Gems Television (a US based international network) where I also served as its host. I also produce a local access program Entre Amigas where I am again one of the hosts. Gems Spa came about through a contact in Miami that was looking for programs for Gems Television. I didn't have a concept at that time but turned to my producing partner to find a subject matter that was accessible, of interest, and feasible to get permits quickly. We headed off to Dessert Hot Springs for a story on one of its spas.
It was so quickly done that one of the hosts had to be me. We sent it to the programming person explaining that we were going to replace me as host. She called saying that she would purchase a season for the network and wanted me in it. So now I was producer and host. Since we travelled with a very small crew I found that producing and hosting was challenging indeed.
Recognition (for I have no fame) has been wonderful. Though I don't get it often, when someone approaches me and treats me as if they know me because I have been in a tiny part of their day, it is incredibly rewarding.
As an actress I am partial to film. I like the process; the minuteness of the shots and the immensity of the result. I like to see how so many can work so well toward one result. Almost like observing an ant farm or a mass of freeways intertwining.
Stage has my full respect because I tend toward stage-fright and have had to overcome it. I started doing theater in school and then continued in Spain with an experimental group that went to little towns and set up in the town plaza. I like that you can form a true bond with your fellow actors. I like the immediacy of the response. It’s almost like a rollercoaster where you go, "Wow, what a ride!" I would add, "I'm so glad it's done," and then, "Let's go again!"
I like TV hosting if I have creative/writing input, but that rarely happens in the real world. I was fortunate to have that when I did.
There is no escaping that fact when you look at me, I am a Latina actress, and I am proud of that. I like to think of myself as one of those wise Latinas that Justice Sotomayor refered to. I have been fortunate due to the fact that I'm good at adopting other cultures and accents.
I have played roles where ethnicity does not take a prominent role but there is a lot more that can be done. In real life we are placed more and more in pivotal positions where we just happen to be a minority - not because of it. However, the television and film world has been slow and reluctant to recognize that. The tides are changing with the advent of digital which makes it economically possible for minorities to create roles for themselves that do not fall into stereotypes. Ultimately, I have no problem in being hired because I am a Latina and I am choosing a lot of projects that show us in a good light as with Rollout!, Flights of Fancy, and Divina Crane.
I may be falling into a cliche here, but because of the nature of the business and its unreliability as to steady roles, I consider each acting experience "big" and give it great importance.
The first time that I was on set as an actor in a commercial and had the luxury to shed my producer hat was huge. The first time I was in a major film on theater screens in the United States and worldwide was huge. The first time I stepped into a town square and conquered my stage fright was huge. I love drama so, as an actress, I tend to gravitate to those roles, but some directors have discovered my comedic timing and are willing to pursue that as well.
I have a knack for seeing in some people what others don't. A friend of mine, Rosalinda Morales, has her own company, Far More Casting & Production, and was getting extremely busy at one point and - knowing my involvement in the industry - brought me in as the casting associate in a few projects. We worked well together so continued working in many others.
I look for honesty in an actor. I don't want to question who they are when they are in character. If you can hook me by provoking a strong reaction in me with a writer's line you will have me as a fan for life. As a casting director I look to see if you have respect for your craft and the auditioning process is very important. With that comes being on time, and having the sides and the headshot if requested. Knowing the etiquette in the process and the ground rules is important as well. Come rested, and if frazzled or tired, make sure it doesn't show.
In casting there are always scripts that come into our hands. In reading them I started correcting and giving notes to the writers. That started another side career which I enjoy almost as much: script analyst and copy editor. Since I am fully bilingual (English/Spanish) and knowledgeable of the way people say things and what words they use in different countries and regions, I segued into translating and doctoring scripts as well.
Again, chance and luck played a substantial role. We received a short film script that I thought had great value as a story but needed a lot of adjustments. I asked the filmmaker if he wouldn't mind if I gave him some notes. Since he welcomed them, I gave them to him and from then on, through word of mouth I have done so with many others.
I am a firm believer that not only as a human, but as double-minority, a Latina woman, I have to give back to my community. My way of doing so is by volunteering. I have volunteered with The Flying Samaritans going to remote towns in Mexico and being the interpreter between the patients and the doctors who come from the U.S. I have recorded newspapers articles for a service the Braille Institute offers, as well as textbooks that another organizations offer. My indigenous roots brought me to the Native American Voices program at the Autry and I am very involved with their Young Native American Playwrights Mentorship Program.
I have various projects coming up such as Flights of Fancy, a film written by Diana Lesmez and based on the true story of world renowned, Dr. Ricardo Saca –an inmigrant from El Salvador; Divina Crane, a webisode based on a psychologist who works as a social worker in the inner city (a Latina) along with a detective appointed by the Governor’s office (a Native American); Walking on Turtle Island, a TV series on Iktomi (the trickster) in the Lakota world; Rollout!, a feature film based on the true story of handball coach Tony Huante who, for two decades, mentored East LA kids, ultimately producing several national pro champions.
You can also see me in the soon to be released feature film Lean Like a Cholo, a movie directed by Demetrius Navarro (ER). The film is starring Kilo (aka Down) a rapper who had the hit "Lean Like a Cholo." I play the role of Kilo's mom. Demetrius, Kilo's real life son, Valente Rodriguez (George Lopez show), and Erlinda Orozco's mom is my role as well. My husband is played by Rick Najera (Latinologues).
What I do get is recognition as one of the few Paraguayan actors to be part of SAG and AFTRA. For that I am grateful. I have been able to represent my country well.
It has given me the opportunity to let budding filmmakers in my country know that the film business in the United States is in fact open to all who are willing to put the training and effort into it.
As for me, I want to be have the traits of a chameleon; always adapting and changing, hopefully for the better. I want to work in this magical world of entertainment until my very last breath.
If I were to leave a legacy it would be that I wish that I have touched someone's heart in some way. I hope that perhaps I've instilled a work and life ethic with which I have been able to achieve many goals. That being a minority shouldn't stop us and, on the contrary, make us better. Our essence and character is judged in how we take our life journeys and not so much as to where we reach. I hope they say she took the journey well, enjoyed it all the way and planted so many seeds along the road that we are blessed with the shade from these tall trees thanks to her.
My advice would be to not be stifled by the preconceived notion that because of being a double minority (a woman and a Latina) we have the odds stacked against us. Prepare yourself through training and read as much as possible in the branch of the arts you want to concentrate on, stay on top of the latest developments, and forge ahead! If we put our minds, our hearts, our efforts to it... si se puede! Yes, we can do it.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Latino festival draws crowds
A family-friendly Festival Latino draws afternoon crowds this year
By Marla Matzer Rose, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, August 15, 2009
Near-perfect weather today coupled with a return to earlier hours and free admission generated sizable crowds for Festival Latino.
This year's event, held Downtown along the Scioto River in Genoa Park next to COSI, attracted a steadily growing audience throughout the afternoon to its concert stage and concession booths.
It was a transitional year for the 14th annual festival, which continues through Sunday. After making changes that alienated some patrons last year - including shortening the festival to evening hours only and charging $30 for the second night, which featured a big Latin music line-up - the festival reverted to free admission and hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
"I've heard from a lot of people in the community that they're glad it's more daytime hours this year," said Rosa Rojas, who sits on the Latino advisory committee for the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts. She was helping out at various concession booths yesterday. "In the past, it had gotten kind of rough. Gang members showed up at night."
CAPA took over the festival this year from the Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks, though the event still received $10,000 from the city. The festival featured all types of food, from Mexican-style taco trucks and South American specialties to typical festival fare such as gyros and elephant ears.
Gloria Schanely, who works as a court interpreter by day, called to passers-by in both English and Spanish to try her colorful array of fresh-squeezed juices and flavored teas. Business was brisk as temperatures reached the upper 80s.
"Drinking fresh juice is a way of life in Latin cultures," said Schanely, raised in Venezuela as the daughter of American missionaries.
In her third year as a vendor at the festival, Schanely said she appreciates the more family-friendly atmosphere.
"It seems very organized this year. If people feel more comfortable coming here with their families, we'll all benefit."
Jessica Velazquez, who had just finished taking a half-hour group salsa lesson offered by members of dance school MAS y Mambo with her 5-year-old daughter, Loahni Hernandez, said she appreciated feeling "safe" by being able to park just steps away at COSI. It was her third year returning to the festival, she said.
Others just happened upon the event.
"I heard the music from across the river, and just came over to check it out. I'm really enjoying it so far," said Larry Jefferson, who was visiting from Dayton. "I just love all kinds of music."
Some, though, miss last year's higher-profile lineup of music acts.
"I came last year because I'm a fan of Latin music," said Sergio Ramirez of Galloway, who had found a shaded place to sit on the grass with daughter, Gizelle, 8, and son, Sergio Jr., 11. "This year, I came to check it out, but I've never heard the names of the performers before."
mrose@dispatch.com
By Marla Matzer Rose, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, August 15, 2009
Near-perfect weather today coupled with a return to earlier hours and free admission generated sizable crowds for Festival Latino.
This year's event, held Downtown along the Scioto River in Genoa Park next to COSI, attracted a steadily growing audience throughout the afternoon to its concert stage and concession booths.
It was a transitional year for the 14th annual festival, which continues through Sunday. After making changes that alienated some patrons last year - including shortening the festival to evening hours only and charging $30 for the second night, which featured a big Latin music line-up - the festival reverted to free admission and hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
"I've heard from a lot of people in the community that they're glad it's more daytime hours this year," said Rosa Rojas, who sits on the Latino advisory committee for the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts. She was helping out at various concession booths yesterday. "In the past, it had gotten kind of rough. Gang members showed up at night."
CAPA took over the festival this year from the Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks, though the event still received $10,000 from the city. The festival featured all types of food, from Mexican-style taco trucks and South American specialties to typical festival fare such as gyros and elephant ears.
Gloria Schanely, who works as a court interpreter by day, called to passers-by in both English and Spanish to try her colorful array of fresh-squeezed juices and flavored teas. Business was brisk as temperatures reached the upper 80s.
"Drinking fresh juice is a way of life in Latin cultures," said Schanely, raised in Venezuela as the daughter of American missionaries.
In her third year as a vendor at the festival, Schanely said she appreciates the more family-friendly atmosphere.
"It seems very organized this year. If people feel more comfortable coming here with their families, we'll all benefit."
Jessica Velazquez, who had just finished taking a half-hour group salsa lesson offered by members of dance school MAS y Mambo with her 5-year-old daughter, Loahni Hernandez, said she appreciated feeling "safe" by being able to park just steps away at COSI. It was her third year returning to the festival, she said.
Others just happened upon the event.
"I heard the music from across the river, and just came over to check it out. I'm really enjoying it so far," said Larry Jefferson, who was visiting from Dayton. "I just love all kinds of music."
Some, though, miss last year's higher-profile lineup of music acts.
"I came last year because I'm a fan of Latin music," said Sergio Ramirez of Galloway, who had found a shaded place to sit on the grass with daughter, Gizelle, 8, and son, Sergio Jr., 11. "This year, I came to check it out, but I've never heard the names of the performers before."
mrose@dispatch.com
Latino photograph exhibit in Saratoga
Focus sharpens on Saratoga's Latinos
Photo shows an intimate look at track workers, community
By LEIGH HORNBECK, Times Union, August 15, 2009
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Bety Hernandez walks horses by day at the Saratoga Race Course and watches over them by night. She has worked behind the scenes for nine summers at the track, sending money home to Mexico to support her mother in Guadalajara. Tuesday, Hernandez was the center of attention when she received the "best of show" award for a photograph she entered in the exhibit, "Vision, A Look at Life Behind the Scenes."
When she accepted the award, Hernandez said in Spanish, "It's very important for people to see what the Latin community is contributing to this community."
The goal of the exhibit is to do just that. A project of the Latino Community Advocacy Program, which is run by the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, Vision was started three years ago. Latino workers in the area who take English classes through the EOC were asked to learn about photography and then take disposable black-and-white cameras home and to work. Eight workers signed up this year and their work shows an intimate look at the men and women who care for horses at the track, work on the county's farms and in its restaurant kitchens. The EOC sells the prints to raise money for the advocacy program. The reception at the race course Tuesday raised $14,200. A digital gallery of the photos will go on display next week at Saratoga Arts.
Hernandez, 46, took a picture of her sister cooking on a picnic table on the backstretch. Jeans hang in the foreground and Hernandez's sister has her hands in a mixing bowl, flanked by pots, pans and a portable griddle plugged into an extension cord. Hernandez called it, "buscando una manera como cocinar" or "finding a way to cook."
This year's exhibit opened just weeks after a Salvadorian restaurant worker was arrested and charged with violent felonies and three other Hispanic workers were arrested and charged with carrying forged identification papers.
Julie Hoxie, executive director of EOC, said the news has sparked distrust among the community toward Latino immigrants. In an opinion piece published in the Saratogian newspaper, Hoxie said the growing Latino community plays a key role in the county's economy but immigrants need assistance to break through isolation caused by language and cultural barriers.
Hernandez, through a translator, said she loves Saratoga and has never experienced discrimination. She works for trainer George Weaver. From 4:30 to 11 a.m. she works as a hot walker and from midnight to 3 a.m. she's a night watchman, preparing food, meeting veterinarians if necessary and preparing horses for races. Hernandez is tiny -- less than 5 feet tall -- but stocky and strong, she said, flexing her arm muscles. She is not afraid of the tall, often temperamental horses she cares for.
After the Saratoga meet is over, she will travel to Florida for work. Although she supports her mother in Mexico, she hardly ever sees her. Last year she was in Mexico for only four weeks -- nervous that staying any longer would endanger her work visa.
As part of the prize for her best in show photograph, Hernandez received $150. She said part of the money will go home to her mother and part she will save for her future.
Leigh Hornbeck can be reached at 454-5352 or by e-mail at lhornbeck@timesunion.com.
Photo shows an intimate look at track workers, community
By LEIGH HORNBECK, Times Union, August 15, 2009
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Bety Hernandez walks horses by day at the Saratoga Race Course and watches over them by night. She has worked behind the scenes for nine summers at the track, sending money home to Mexico to support her mother in Guadalajara. Tuesday, Hernandez was the center of attention when she received the "best of show" award for a photograph she entered in the exhibit, "Vision, A Look at Life Behind the Scenes."
When she accepted the award, Hernandez said in Spanish, "It's very important for people to see what the Latin community is contributing to this community."
The goal of the exhibit is to do just that. A project of the Latino Community Advocacy Program, which is run by the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, Vision was started three years ago. Latino workers in the area who take English classes through the EOC were asked to learn about photography and then take disposable black-and-white cameras home and to work. Eight workers signed up this year and their work shows an intimate look at the men and women who care for horses at the track, work on the county's farms and in its restaurant kitchens. The EOC sells the prints to raise money for the advocacy program. The reception at the race course Tuesday raised $14,200. A digital gallery of the photos will go on display next week at Saratoga Arts.
Hernandez, 46, took a picture of her sister cooking on a picnic table on the backstretch. Jeans hang in the foreground and Hernandez's sister has her hands in a mixing bowl, flanked by pots, pans and a portable griddle plugged into an extension cord. Hernandez called it, "buscando una manera como cocinar" or "finding a way to cook."
This year's exhibit opened just weeks after a Salvadorian restaurant worker was arrested and charged with violent felonies and three other Hispanic workers were arrested and charged with carrying forged identification papers.
Julie Hoxie, executive director of EOC, said the news has sparked distrust among the community toward Latino immigrants. In an opinion piece published in the Saratogian newspaper, Hoxie said the growing Latino community plays a key role in the county's economy but immigrants need assistance to break through isolation caused by language and cultural barriers.
Hernandez, through a translator, said she loves Saratoga and has never experienced discrimination. She works for trainer George Weaver. From 4:30 to 11 a.m. she works as a hot walker and from midnight to 3 a.m. she's a night watchman, preparing food, meeting veterinarians if necessary and preparing horses for races. Hernandez is tiny -- less than 5 feet tall -- but stocky and strong, she said, flexing her arm muscles. She is not afraid of the tall, often temperamental horses she cares for.
After the Saratoga meet is over, she will travel to Florida for work. Although she supports her mother in Mexico, she hardly ever sees her. Last year she was in Mexico for only four weeks -- nervous that staying any longer would endanger her work visa.
As part of the prize for her best in show photograph, Hernandez received $150. She said part of the money will go home to her mother and part she will save for her future.
Leigh Hornbeck can be reached at 454-5352 or by e-mail at lhornbeck@timesunion.com.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Latinos invited to California State Fair
California State Fair Offers Tons of Recession-Proof Family Fun!
PRESS RELEASE
SACRAMENTO- In this tough economic climate, everyone is searching for ways to cut back on expenses without sacrificing family fun. This year more than ever, the California State Fair is planning events & activities to make sure the State Fair is the ideal destination for a family vacation in your own backyard. With attractive new discounts, fairgoers can enjoy Northern California’s biggest party for hundreds less than a typical vacation. With just one week left on discount State Fair tickets, now is the perfect time to get your tickets to BIG FUN!
This year the State Fair is celebrating everything Weird, Wild & Wacky about California. With fantastic deals on admission, rides, goodies and activities, the California State Fair is the perfect place to take in the sights, sounds and tastes of California.
The California State Fair offers family fun at an affordable price. Here are just a few of the frugal and free things at the State Fair:
- All the thrilling stage entertainment and incredible exhibits and attractions are free with State Fair admission
- Free Concerts—General viewing of all State Fair concerts is FREE with Fair admission but there are also a limited number of Gold Circle Concert seats available near the Golden1 Stage. At 4 p.m. on the day of the concert wristbands will be given away to secure free seats.
- Kids Day—Every Tuesday kids ages 12 and under receive free admission to the Fair as well as $1 carnival rides for everyone.
- Armed Forces and First Responders Day—Tuesday, August 25 the men and women who serve as first responders can enjoy free admission to the Fair with proper identification in or out of uniform.
- Senior Day—Every Friday is Senior Day. Butler Amusements is offering free wheel rides in the carnival for seniors. In addition, there will be other free activities throughout the fairgrounds like BINGO, health and wellness walks, and silent films. Also on Fridays seniors aged 62 and older who arrive before 8 p.m. will receive fair admission for only $8.
- Read to Ride—Kids in grades K-8 can read three books and get three free carnival rides when they fill out a Read to Ride report form and turn it in at the Fair.
Discount State Fair tickets are only available for sale until August 19, that’s just one week left, at www.bigfun.org!
PRESS RELEASE
SACRAMENTO- In this tough economic climate, everyone is searching for ways to cut back on expenses without sacrificing family fun. This year more than ever, the California State Fair is planning events & activities to make sure the State Fair is the ideal destination for a family vacation in your own backyard. With attractive new discounts, fairgoers can enjoy Northern California’s biggest party for hundreds less than a typical vacation. With just one week left on discount State Fair tickets, now is the perfect time to get your tickets to BIG FUN!
This year the State Fair is celebrating everything Weird, Wild & Wacky about California. With fantastic deals on admission, rides, goodies and activities, the California State Fair is the perfect place to take in the sights, sounds and tastes of California.
The California State Fair offers family fun at an affordable price. Here are just a few of the frugal and free things at the State Fair:
- All the thrilling stage entertainment and incredible exhibits and attractions are free with State Fair admission
- Free Concerts—General viewing of all State Fair concerts is FREE with Fair admission but there are also a limited number of Gold Circle Concert seats available near the Golden1 Stage. At 4 p.m. on the day of the concert wristbands will be given away to secure free seats.
- Kids Day—Every Tuesday kids ages 12 and under receive free admission to the Fair as well as $1 carnival rides for everyone.
- Armed Forces and First Responders Day—Tuesday, August 25 the men and women who serve as first responders can enjoy free admission to the Fair with proper identification in or out of uniform.
- Senior Day—Every Friday is Senior Day. Butler Amusements is offering free wheel rides in the carnival for seniors. In addition, there will be other free activities throughout the fairgrounds like BINGO, health and wellness walks, and silent films. Also on Fridays seniors aged 62 and older who arrive before 8 p.m. will receive fair admission for only $8.
- Read to Ride—Kids in grades K-8 can read three books and get three free carnival rides when they fill out a Read to Ride report form and turn it in at the Fair.
Discount State Fair tickets are only available for sale until August 19, that’s just one week left, at www.bigfun.org!
Latino artist receives Congressional recognition
Talented local artist/photographer Gabriel Gonzalez received the “Representative Marcia L. Fudge Distinguished Citizens Award”
PRESS RELEASE
Cleveland, Ohio, August 12th 2009 — During her first congressional district address, The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge honored Gabriel Gonzalez as an Emerging Leader, for exhibiting exemplary leadership skills and a unique commitment to the greater Cleveland area.
Graduating and becoming a teacher at the Cleveland School of the Arts, at the tender age of 18 years old, Gabriel continued to pursue his passion for art and dedication to social endeavors by becoming a founding member of the first Latino owned, operated and featured art gallery, La Cosecha Galeria in 2000. His passion went deep enough to take on the task of filming his first documentary about Vieques, an island off Puerto Rico controversially used for testing by the U.S. military. All the while during the last 8 years becoming one of the most renowned photographers not only in Cleveland, but nationally. He has made our very own Cleveland Puerto Rican Parade and Latino Festival famous by using photos taken by him and turning them not only memories, but also his main series and most well loved of his artwork. His unique blend of culture and art has revolutionized the photography genre.
Now at the age of 28, Gabe received his 2nd distinguished congressional honor Wednesday. The late great Stephanie Tubbs Jones also saw the potential of this young man by doing so.
He has continued to show outstanding charity and good will by organizing and being one of the featured artists in the inaugural Benefit for Breast Cancer Awareness August 22nd 2009.
PRESS RELEASE
Cleveland, Ohio, August 12th 2009 — During her first congressional district address, The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge honored Gabriel Gonzalez as an Emerging Leader, for exhibiting exemplary leadership skills and a unique commitment to the greater Cleveland area.
Graduating and becoming a teacher at the Cleveland School of the Arts, at the tender age of 18 years old, Gabriel continued to pursue his passion for art and dedication to social endeavors by becoming a founding member of the first Latino owned, operated and featured art gallery, La Cosecha Galeria in 2000. His passion went deep enough to take on the task of filming his first documentary about Vieques, an island off Puerto Rico controversially used for testing by the U.S. military. All the while during the last 8 years becoming one of the most renowned photographers not only in Cleveland, but nationally. He has made our very own Cleveland Puerto Rican Parade and Latino Festival famous by using photos taken by him and turning them not only memories, but also his main series and most well loved of his artwork. His unique blend of culture and art has revolutionized the photography genre.
Now at the age of 28, Gabe received his 2nd distinguished congressional honor Wednesday. The late great Stephanie Tubbs Jones also saw the potential of this young man by doing so.
He has continued to show outstanding charity and good will by organizing and being one of the featured artists in the inaugural Benefit for Breast Cancer Awareness August 22nd 2009.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Hispanic group offers free school supplies
Hispanic association's fair to offer free school supplies
By FRANK FERNANDEZ, News Journal Online, August 13, 2009
DELTONA -- Need free back-to-school stuff, including backpacks, notebooks, pencils, haircuts and immunizations for your little Albert Einstein or Madame Curie?
The Volusia County Hispanic Association is sponsoring a back-to-school fair Saturday where kids can get school supplies and more at no cost while supplies last, said David Santiago, a member of the association's fair organizing team.
The event was a big success last year and the group only expects it to get bigger, Santiago said.
"We certainly expect a large turnout this year, given the economic conditions," he said. "We are worried that we are not going to be able to serve everyone that will show up, but we are going to do our best."
The turnout was so large last year at the Harris M. Saxon Community Center that the fair has been moved to Wes Crile Park at Norbert Terrace and Fort Smith Boulevard in Deltona to have more room, Santiago said.
"It's one of our most rewarding events because it's where people come out and get everything for free," he said.
Parents whose children need immunizations must bring the child's immunization records. The shots won't be given at the park but at a nearby Volusia County Health Department clinic.
Santiago said organizers didn't want to mix fun with needles.
"We didn't want to make it intimidating for the kids to see people getting shots," he said.
While the event starts at 10 a.m., Santiago recommends people arrive early since he said the freebies will be given out only while supplies last. Lines formed early last year.
While the Volusia County Hispanic Association is sponsoring the event, you don't have to speak Spanish to attend, said the organization's president, Carlos Rivera.
"It's open to anyone," Rivera said.
Rivera said lots of parents will probably want their kids to take advantage of free haircuts, to be provided by stylists from Platinum Styles in Deltona and by students from Daytona State College.
"It saves a lot of money," Rivera said.
frank.fernandez@news-jrnl.com
By FRANK FERNANDEZ, News Journal Online, August 13, 2009
DELTONA -- Need free back-to-school stuff, including backpacks, notebooks, pencils, haircuts and immunizations for your little Albert Einstein or Madame Curie?
The Volusia County Hispanic Association is sponsoring a back-to-school fair Saturday where kids can get school supplies and more at no cost while supplies last, said David Santiago, a member of the association's fair organizing team.
The event was a big success last year and the group only expects it to get bigger, Santiago said.
"We certainly expect a large turnout this year, given the economic conditions," he said. "We are worried that we are not going to be able to serve everyone that will show up, but we are going to do our best."
The turnout was so large last year at the Harris M. Saxon Community Center that the fair has been moved to Wes Crile Park at Norbert Terrace and Fort Smith Boulevard in Deltona to have more room, Santiago said.
"It's one of our most rewarding events because it's where people come out and get everything for free," he said.
Parents whose children need immunizations must bring the child's immunization records. The shots won't be given at the park but at a nearby Volusia County Health Department clinic.
Santiago said organizers didn't want to mix fun with needles.
"We didn't want to make it intimidating for the kids to see people getting shots," he said.
While the event starts at 10 a.m., Santiago recommends people arrive early since he said the freebies will be given out only while supplies last. Lines formed early last year.
While the Volusia County Hispanic Association is sponsoring the event, you don't have to speak Spanish to attend, said the organization's president, Carlos Rivera.
"It's open to anyone," Rivera said.
Rivera said lots of parents will probably want their kids to take advantage of free haircuts, to be provided by stylists from Platinum Styles in Deltona and by students from Daytona State College.
"It saves a lot of money," Rivera said.
frank.fernandez@news-jrnl.com
Hispanic Christian group lays out priorities
Hispanic NAE Identifies Its Top 7 Priorities
By Michelle A. Vu, Christian Post, Aug. 13 2009
The nation’s largest Hispanic Christian organization announced on Tuesday its top seven priorities for the next seven years.
From this year until 2015, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), also known as the Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, will concentrate on addressing issues related to life, family, evangelism, education, youth, stewardship and justice.
More specifically, the group will expand its efforts to defend the sanctity of life, strengthen marriage and families, fulfill the Great Commission, reduce teen pregnancy and high school dropout rates, and reinforce its platform for biblical stewardship of both finances and the environment.
NHCLC also plans to fight for justice on several issues, including immigration reform – its signature issue – and alleviating poverty.
“Our priorities reflect our core values," said NHCLC president the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez. "Hispanic Evangelicals have a moral and biblical responsibility to address issues that reconcile both the vertical and horizontal elements of the Christian cross.”
“We believe the Hispanic church will usher in a fresh move of God’s Spirit upon our nation where Holiness and Biblical Truth will once again take center stage.”
The Hispanic evangelical community is America’s fastest growing religious and ethno-cultural demographic. The NHCLC represents 16 million Hispanic Christians in America.
Rodriguez was heavily courted by presidential candidates last campaign season, and remains a key contact person for Congress regarding the immigration issue.
Last month, the NHCLC formed an exclusive educational strategic partnership with Oral Roberts University. Under the partnership, the NHCLC will establish the Jesse Miranda Center that will be responsible for research and development on issues related to the Hispanic American faith community. The center will also help recruit Hispanic Christians for ORU.
The NHCLC is made up of over 25,000 member churches.
By Michelle A. Vu, Christian Post, Aug. 13 2009
The nation’s largest Hispanic Christian organization announced on Tuesday its top seven priorities for the next seven years.
From this year until 2015, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), also known as the Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, will concentrate on addressing issues related to life, family, evangelism, education, youth, stewardship and justice.
More specifically, the group will expand its efforts to defend the sanctity of life, strengthen marriage and families, fulfill the Great Commission, reduce teen pregnancy and high school dropout rates, and reinforce its platform for biblical stewardship of both finances and the environment.
NHCLC also plans to fight for justice on several issues, including immigration reform – its signature issue – and alleviating poverty.
“Our priorities reflect our core values," said NHCLC president the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez. "Hispanic Evangelicals have a moral and biblical responsibility to address issues that reconcile both the vertical and horizontal elements of the Christian cross.”
“We believe the Hispanic church will usher in a fresh move of God’s Spirit upon our nation where Holiness and Biblical Truth will once again take center stage.”
The Hispanic evangelical community is America’s fastest growing religious and ethno-cultural demographic. The NHCLC represents 16 million Hispanic Christians in America.
Rodriguez was heavily courted by presidential candidates last campaign season, and remains a key contact person for Congress regarding the immigration issue.
Last month, the NHCLC formed an exclusive educational strategic partnership with Oral Roberts University. Under the partnership, the NHCLC will establish the Jesse Miranda Center that will be responsible for research and development on issues related to the Hispanic American faith community. The center will also help recruit Hispanic Christians for ORU.
The NHCLC is made up of over 25,000 member churches.
Hispanic online education moves to next step
Partners for Digital Equality (PDE), The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and the National Hispanic University (NHU) Announce Strategic Alliance
PRESS RELEASE
ATLANTA, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Partners for Digital Equality(TM) (PDE), The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and The National Hispanic University (NHU), a HACU member higher learning institution, today announced a strategic alliance to support initiatives funded through broadband stimulus funds that will educate and empower Hispanics, other minorities, women, and the underserved in the communities surrounding HACU member institutions.
"Today's announcement represents a significant leap forward in our roll-out of programming for Hispanic audiences across the nation," said Partners for Digital Equality Chairman Julius H. Hollis (Mr. Hollis is also Chairman of The Alliance for Digital Equality(TM), a 501(c) 4 consumer advocacy organization). "There's great strength in partnerships and we could not have selected better allies to help extend our reach into the educational sector."
"The digital divide remains a major stumbling block for minorities to prepare themselves for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields that are vital to our nation's future," said HACU President and CEO Dr. Antonio Flores. "Through this strategic alliance with Partners for Digital Equality(TM), we aim to build STEM capacity at our member institutions and to enhance their students' and communities' access to online technologies."
In addition, The Partners for Digital Equality(TM) and The National Hispanic University's goal is to implement specially designed projects which provide early childhood development and K-12 online tutorials, GED and Workforce development training, in addition to virtual language translation (Spanish to English) online applications for education and workforce- related initiatives.
Dr. Lopez, President of NHU said, "The National Hispanic University and Partners for Digital Equality(TM) will partner and take the leadership role in developing and teaching Latino families about the usage and ownership of technology. Given that the majority of students in California public schools are Latinos our effort is not only a moral imperative but an economic reality. The digital divide for Latinos in California must be closed if we are to remain nationally and globally competitive."
PRESS RELEASE
ATLANTA, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Partners for Digital Equality(TM) (PDE), The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and The National Hispanic University (NHU), a HACU member higher learning institution, today announced a strategic alliance to support initiatives funded through broadband stimulus funds that will educate and empower Hispanics, other minorities, women, and the underserved in the communities surrounding HACU member institutions.
"Today's announcement represents a significant leap forward in our roll-out of programming for Hispanic audiences across the nation," said Partners for Digital Equality Chairman Julius H. Hollis (Mr. Hollis is also Chairman of The Alliance for Digital Equality(TM), a 501(c) 4 consumer advocacy organization). "There's great strength in partnerships and we could not have selected better allies to help extend our reach into the educational sector."
"The digital divide remains a major stumbling block for minorities to prepare themselves for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields that are vital to our nation's future," said HACU President and CEO Dr. Antonio Flores. "Through this strategic alliance with Partners for Digital Equality(TM), we aim to build STEM capacity at our member institutions and to enhance their students' and communities' access to online technologies."
In addition, The Partners for Digital Equality(TM) and The National Hispanic University's goal is to implement specially designed projects which provide early childhood development and K-12 online tutorials, GED and Workforce development training, in addition to virtual language translation (Spanish to English) online applications for education and workforce- related initiatives.
Dr. Lopez, President of NHU said, "The National Hispanic University and Partners for Digital Equality(TM) will partner and take the leadership role in developing and teaching Latino families about the usage and ownership of technology. Given that the majority of students in California public schools are Latinos our effort is not only a moral imperative but an economic reality. The digital divide for Latinos in California must be closed if we are to remain nationally and globally competitive."
Increasing Hispanic attendance at NFL games
Guest Opinion: Increasing Hispanic attendance at NFL Games
By Joe Ortiz, The Latino Journal E-News, August 10, 2009
Your article about the NFL and its failure to actively woo Latinos to fill its stadiums resonated deeply with my views for over 25 years. Obviously the fan demographic is changing dramatically, and (regardless of how the immigration problem is dealt with by the Congress) the majority of NFL fans will soon be Latino. Why the NFL has failed to do a dramatic outreach effort to this segment of America baffles the (profit-making) mindset.
One of the most important factors to drawing fans to a stadium is have on their team that iconic football player who becomes an instant hero, like Jim Brown, Tony Dorsett, Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson, and Reggie Bush and, yes, even O.J. Simpson. Stars of this caliber obviously have attracted African American fans once the NFL decided to hire black players. Hispanics have not been so lucky, with a relatively few recognizable players to choose from. Although we (speaking of the Latino community) have had some great players, with guys like Joe Kapp, Jim Plunkett and Tom Fears, how many regular (or even Hispanic) fans knew they were even Hispanic? Things are picking up with the likes of Jeff Garcia, Tony Romo and Mark Sanchez (a former USC player who could potentially become an NFL star), the few Latino professional football players we have in the league basically have the same problem that Latino actors have faced for over a century.
But the NFL could change all of that, if they would only showcase one of those living icons already among its ranks. The NFL community and its base of fans have had a professional Latino football hero for almost the last 50 years: Tom Flores!
Tom Flores is not only a Latino professional football player legend who should be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, his credentials surpass many players already inducted. Tom Flores has impacted professional football like few players ever. His Latino statistics are glowing; he, the first quarterback to play professional football and also the first Hispanic coach.
Many folks question and still debate whether the first Hispanic to coach a professional football team was Tom Fears or Tom Flores. It has been stated by various entities (and your recent article as well) that Tom Fears was the first Hispanic named to coach an NFL team when he was hired by the expansion New Orleans Saints on January 27, 1967.
However, although Tom Fears had a stellar career in professional football, and has been inducted to the National Football Hall of Fame, Fears was actually born in Guadalajara, Mexico, to an Anglo father and a Mexican mother. Fears was the son of an American mining engineer who had married a Mexican woman in Guadalajara, and then moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of six. Therefore, to be more accurate as to who can claim that title (and not appear to be splitting ethnic hairs), Tom Flores, who was born to both Mexican parents in Sanger, California, a man who has lived the Mexican American experience, deserves that honor!
To most football fans, who is or who is not the first Hispanic to coach a professional football team is an insignificant statistic. But to the emerging Hispanic community, whose football fan base is growing much larger every year, whatever honors of achievements the few Latinos in football can claim, means a lot to this burgeoning group of American citizens. Tom Flores is - to many Mexican Americans - a living football legend that has inspired many Latinos to excel in that sport, among other professional endeavors! While many who vote for players to be inducted into the National Foot Ball Leagues Hall of Fame may not recognize Flores' accomplishments, as being sufficient to qualify for that honor, he has played with, coached, and inspired many players and coaches who are now in the Hall of Fame, including Fred Biletnikoff, Willie Brown, Dave Casper, Mike Haynes, Ted Hendricks, Howie Long, Jim Otto, Art Shell and Gene Upshaw. Although Jim Plunkett has not been inducted (yet), all of pro football acknowledges that Tom Flores was responsible for resuscitating Plunkett's career, who was the Super Bowl MVP in 1984.
Flores achievements are monumental, to say the least. He graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1958, but was unable to find a job in professional football. He was cut by the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL in 1958, and then by the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) in 1959. In 1960 Flores finally landed a position as a quarterback with the American Football League's Oakland Raiders, who began play in 1960 as a charter member of the league. Flores became the first Hispanic quarterback in American professional football. He became the Raiders' starting quarterback early in the 1960 season.
Flores (who can claim four Super Bowl rings) had his most productive season in 1966. Although he completed only 49.3 percent of his attempts, he passed for 2,638 yards and 24 touchdowns in 14 games. Oakland traded him to the Buffalo Bills in 1967. After serving primarily as a backup, he was released by the Bills and in 1969 signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was back up to Len Dawson on the Chiefs' World Championship team, where he earned his first Super Bowl ring. He retired as a player after the 1970 season. He was one of only twenty players who were with the AFL for its entire ten-year existence. He is the fifth-leading passer, all-time, in the AFL.
After stints as an assistant coach in Buffalo and Oakland (he won his 2nd Super Bowl XI ring as an Assistant Coach under John Madden), Flores became the Raiders' head coach in 1979, following John Madden's retirement. Flores then became the NFL's first minority (and Mexican American) head coach to win a Super Bowl, winning his third and fourth Super Bowl rings for Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII.
After a 5-10 finish to the 1987 season, Flores moved to the Raiders' front office, but left after just one year to become the president and general manager of the Seattle Seahawks. He returned to coaching as the Seahawks head coach in 1992, but returned to the front office following three disappointing seasons. Flores resigned from the Seahawks in 1994 following Paul Allen's purchase of the Seahawks.
Flores left Pro Football with a lifetime coaching record of 97-87 (52.7%), as well as an 8-3 playoff record, and with two Super Bowl victories. Flores, Jimmy Johnson, and George Seifert are the only eligible coaches with two such victories, who have not been selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Tom Flores has distinguished himself in so many ways in the pro football arena as a player, assistant coach, head coach, President and General Manager of an NFL Football team, and now as a commentator for the Oakland Raiders football team along with Greg Papa on KSFO (560 AM) during the radio broadcasts of Raiders games.
Tom Flores is also active with many charities throughout the country including the Boy Scouts of America's (Los Angeles District) Tom Flores Celebrity Golf Tournament, and the Tom Flores Youth Foundation, which provides scholarships to students attending his high school. In honor of his many accomplishments in football and to the community, his home town high school in Sanger, California, has named its football stadium the "Tom Flores Stadium" in his honor.
Maybe there are many other football players and coaches who have garnered more wins as a quarterback, or as an assistant coach or as a head coach, but very few professional football players and coaches (as well as fans) who have worked with Tom Flores among his many capacities in football or with numerous civic communities, can never say he isn't deserving to be inducted into the NFL's Hall of Fame!
If that were to happen, watch the size of audiences in NFL cities throughout America become a little browner, many of them who would be proud to say that they finally have one of their own in the NFL Hall of Fame!
Joe Ortiz is a former newsman and talk show host who currently writes for various local and national media. Born and raised in the Coachella Valley, California, he is the author of two recently published books, The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation (Author House). Ortiz, who worked in media as a radio and television talk show host, newspaper columnist and news reporter for 23 years, has the distinction of being the first Mexican American to ever host a talk show on an English-language, commercial radio station, in 1971 for KABC-AM Radio in Los Angeles.
By Joe Ortiz, The Latino Journal E-News, August 10, 2009
Your article about the NFL and its failure to actively woo Latinos to fill its stadiums resonated deeply with my views for over 25 years. Obviously the fan demographic is changing dramatically, and (regardless of how the immigration problem is dealt with by the Congress) the majority of NFL fans will soon be Latino. Why the NFL has failed to do a dramatic outreach effort to this segment of America baffles the (profit-making) mindset.
One of the most important factors to drawing fans to a stadium is have on their team that iconic football player who becomes an instant hero, like Jim Brown, Tony Dorsett, Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson, and Reggie Bush and, yes, even O.J. Simpson. Stars of this caliber obviously have attracted African American fans once the NFL decided to hire black players. Hispanics have not been so lucky, with a relatively few recognizable players to choose from. Although we (speaking of the Latino community) have had some great players, with guys like Joe Kapp, Jim Plunkett and Tom Fears, how many regular (or even Hispanic) fans knew they were even Hispanic? Things are picking up with the likes of Jeff Garcia, Tony Romo and Mark Sanchez (a former USC player who could potentially become an NFL star), the few Latino professional football players we have in the league basically have the same problem that Latino actors have faced for over a century.
But the NFL could change all of that, if they would only showcase one of those living icons already among its ranks. The NFL community and its base of fans have had a professional Latino football hero for almost the last 50 years: Tom Flores!
Tom Flores is not only a Latino professional football player legend who should be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, his credentials surpass many players already inducted. Tom Flores has impacted professional football like few players ever. His Latino statistics are glowing; he, the first quarterback to play professional football and also the first Hispanic coach.
Many folks question and still debate whether the first Hispanic to coach a professional football team was Tom Fears or Tom Flores. It has been stated by various entities (and your recent article as well) that Tom Fears was the first Hispanic named to coach an NFL team when he was hired by the expansion New Orleans Saints on January 27, 1967.
However, although Tom Fears had a stellar career in professional football, and has been inducted to the National Football Hall of Fame, Fears was actually born in Guadalajara, Mexico, to an Anglo father and a Mexican mother. Fears was the son of an American mining engineer who had married a Mexican woman in Guadalajara, and then moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of six. Therefore, to be more accurate as to who can claim that title (and not appear to be splitting ethnic hairs), Tom Flores, who was born to both Mexican parents in Sanger, California, a man who has lived the Mexican American experience, deserves that honor!
To most football fans, who is or who is not the first Hispanic to coach a professional football team is an insignificant statistic. But to the emerging Hispanic community, whose football fan base is growing much larger every year, whatever honors of achievements the few Latinos in football can claim, means a lot to this burgeoning group of American citizens. Tom Flores is - to many Mexican Americans - a living football legend that has inspired many Latinos to excel in that sport, among other professional endeavors! While many who vote for players to be inducted into the National Foot Ball Leagues Hall of Fame may not recognize Flores' accomplishments, as being sufficient to qualify for that honor, he has played with, coached, and inspired many players and coaches who are now in the Hall of Fame, including Fred Biletnikoff, Willie Brown, Dave Casper, Mike Haynes, Ted Hendricks, Howie Long, Jim Otto, Art Shell and Gene Upshaw. Although Jim Plunkett has not been inducted (yet), all of pro football acknowledges that Tom Flores was responsible for resuscitating Plunkett's career, who was the Super Bowl MVP in 1984.
Flores achievements are monumental, to say the least. He graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1958, but was unable to find a job in professional football. He was cut by the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL in 1958, and then by the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) in 1959. In 1960 Flores finally landed a position as a quarterback with the American Football League's Oakland Raiders, who began play in 1960 as a charter member of the league. Flores became the first Hispanic quarterback in American professional football. He became the Raiders' starting quarterback early in the 1960 season.
Flores (who can claim four Super Bowl rings) had his most productive season in 1966. Although he completed only 49.3 percent of his attempts, he passed for 2,638 yards and 24 touchdowns in 14 games. Oakland traded him to the Buffalo Bills in 1967. After serving primarily as a backup, he was released by the Bills and in 1969 signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was back up to Len Dawson on the Chiefs' World Championship team, where he earned his first Super Bowl ring. He retired as a player after the 1970 season. He was one of only twenty players who were with the AFL for its entire ten-year existence. He is the fifth-leading passer, all-time, in the AFL.
After stints as an assistant coach in Buffalo and Oakland (he won his 2nd Super Bowl XI ring as an Assistant Coach under John Madden), Flores became the Raiders' head coach in 1979, following John Madden's retirement. Flores then became the NFL's first minority (and Mexican American) head coach to win a Super Bowl, winning his third and fourth Super Bowl rings for Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII.
After a 5-10 finish to the 1987 season, Flores moved to the Raiders' front office, but left after just one year to become the president and general manager of the Seattle Seahawks. He returned to coaching as the Seahawks head coach in 1992, but returned to the front office following three disappointing seasons. Flores resigned from the Seahawks in 1994 following Paul Allen's purchase of the Seahawks.
Flores left Pro Football with a lifetime coaching record of 97-87 (52.7%), as well as an 8-3 playoff record, and with two Super Bowl victories. Flores, Jimmy Johnson, and George Seifert are the only eligible coaches with two such victories, who have not been selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Tom Flores has distinguished himself in so many ways in the pro football arena as a player, assistant coach, head coach, President and General Manager of an NFL Football team, and now as a commentator for the Oakland Raiders football team along with Greg Papa on KSFO (560 AM) during the radio broadcasts of Raiders games.
Tom Flores is also active with many charities throughout the country including the Boy Scouts of America's (Los Angeles District) Tom Flores Celebrity Golf Tournament, and the Tom Flores Youth Foundation, which provides scholarships to students attending his high school. In honor of his many accomplishments in football and to the community, his home town high school in Sanger, California, has named its football stadium the "Tom Flores Stadium" in his honor.
Maybe there are many other football players and coaches who have garnered more wins as a quarterback, or as an assistant coach or as a head coach, but very few professional football players and coaches (as well as fans) who have worked with Tom Flores among his many capacities in football or with numerous civic communities, can never say he isn't deserving to be inducted into the NFL's Hall of Fame!
If that were to happen, watch the size of audiences in NFL cities throughout America become a little browner, many of them who would be proud to say that they finally have one of their own in the NFL Hall of Fame!
Joe Ortiz is a former newsman and talk show host who currently writes for various local and national media. Born and raised in the Coachella Valley, California, he is the author of two recently published books, The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation (Author House). Ortiz, who worked in media as a radio and television talk show host, newspaper columnist and news reporter for 23 years, has the distinction of being the first Mexican American to ever host a talk show on an English-language, commercial radio station, in 1971 for KABC-AM Radio in Los Angeles.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Latino mural unveiled in Oregon
Latino mural unveiled
Mail Tribune, August 12, 2009
Rogue Community College will unveil a new mural at its Riverside campus in downtown Medford on Thursday.
The painting, created by the college's Oregon Leadership Institute, celebrates the economic, social and educational contributions of the Rogue Valley's Latino community.
Over the past two years, students have designed and painted the mural, which includes images of people working in orchards, vineyards and on the railroad, along with a depiction of Table Rock, a large map of the region, and a scene of students graduating from college painted on three canvas panels.
The panels will be unveiled at noon Thursday at the Multicultural Center, B Building, 227 E. Ninth St., Medford, Ore.
The Arts Council of Southern Oregon provided a $1,000 grant to the project. Students Ali Akay and Cesar Martinez carried out most of the final painting, which was overseen by Phyllis Trowbridge, RCC art instructor, and Karl Brake, head of the college's art department.
Mail Tribune, August 12, 2009
Rogue Community College will unveil a new mural at its Riverside campus in downtown Medford on Thursday.
The painting, created by the college's Oregon Leadership Institute, celebrates the economic, social and educational contributions of the Rogue Valley's Latino community.
Over the past two years, students have designed and painted the mural, which includes images of people working in orchards, vineyards and on the railroad, along with a depiction of Table Rock, a large map of the region, and a scene of students graduating from college painted on three canvas panels.
The panels will be unveiled at noon Thursday at the Multicultural Center, B Building, 227 E. Ninth St., Medford, Ore.
The Arts Council of Southern Oregon provided a $1,000 grant to the project. Students Ali Akay and Cesar Martinez carried out most of the final painting, which was overseen by Phyllis Trowbridge, RCC art instructor, and Karl Brake, head of the college's art department.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Latino Fest is a fair within a fair
Latino Fest: 'A fair within a fair'
By Michelle L. Quinn, Post-Tribune, August 9, 2009
CROWN POINT -- Good thing Kristy Burciaga has no trouble singing in front of crowds, because her performance at the Hispanics Out Promoting Excellence inaugural Latino Fest at the Lake County Fair monumentally changed with the opening of a CD case.
The 16-year-old thought she had her music ready, but a half-hour before she was to perform in front of a crowd of more than 500, she discovered she didn't have the CD she needed. But rather than forfeit her performance, Kristy got up and sang Kelly Clarkson's "Moment Like This" a capella.
"It was an accident, but I think I did well," said Kristy, a resident of Calumet Township. "I love to sing, and I'm Hispanic, and both of those things go together for this event. How could I not participate?"
Kristy is just the type of young person HOPE seeks to attract, as the 3-year-old Latino-based group seeks to wipe out the alarming high-school dropout rate of more than 45 percent it has in Northwest Indiana, said Oscar Sanchez, Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez's chief of staff and HOPE member.
The event itself was a fundraiser for the organization so it can continue sending Hispanic students to the Hispanic Leadership Academy it sponsors.
"Forty-five to 50 percent -- that's horrible, so the sheriff wanted to do something about it," Sanchez said of the department's involvement. "We don't want to take the place of parents; we just want to mentor students and get them where they should be."
So far, it's been working nicely: The latest group of students who participated in the academy came back energized and ready to take on the school with a whole new view, Sanchez said.
Jose Arredondo, HOPE's education director, said the group was expecting upwards of 4,000 people to attend the festivities, comprised of popular bands Lobos and Tierra.
"This is our music, our food and our culture. The response has been terrific," he said.
Put together in only 90 days, Lorraine Guillen-Wentz, HOPE's business director, has much bigger plans for next year's program. Instead of one day, it will be two days long and offer much more.
"I see it as a 'fair within a fair,' and it'll focus on more exposure for Spanish businesses," she said. "There's a big community out there who supports a diverse workplace, and we've seen a great mix of people today."
By Michelle L. Quinn, Post-Tribune, August 9, 2009
CROWN POINT -- Good thing Kristy Burciaga has no trouble singing in front of crowds, because her performance at the Hispanics Out Promoting Excellence inaugural Latino Fest at the Lake County Fair monumentally changed with the opening of a CD case.
The 16-year-old thought she had her music ready, but a half-hour before she was to perform in front of a crowd of more than 500, she discovered she didn't have the CD she needed. But rather than forfeit her performance, Kristy got up and sang Kelly Clarkson's "Moment Like This" a capella.
"It was an accident, but I think I did well," said Kristy, a resident of Calumet Township. "I love to sing, and I'm Hispanic, and both of those things go together for this event. How could I not participate?"
Kristy is just the type of young person HOPE seeks to attract, as the 3-year-old Latino-based group seeks to wipe out the alarming high-school dropout rate of more than 45 percent it has in Northwest Indiana, said Oscar Sanchez, Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez's chief of staff and HOPE member.
The event itself was a fundraiser for the organization so it can continue sending Hispanic students to the Hispanic Leadership Academy it sponsors.
"Forty-five to 50 percent -- that's horrible, so the sheriff wanted to do something about it," Sanchez said of the department's involvement. "We don't want to take the place of parents; we just want to mentor students and get them where they should be."
So far, it's been working nicely: The latest group of students who participated in the academy came back energized and ready to take on the school with a whole new view, Sanchez said.
Jose Arredondo, HOPE's education director, said the group was expecting upwards of 4,000 people to attend the festivities, comprised of popular bands Lobos and Tierra.
"This is our music, our food and our culture. The response has been terrific," he said.
Put together in only 90 days, Lorraine Guillen-Wentz, HOPE's business director, has much bigger plans for next year's program. Instead of one day, it will be two days long and offer much more.
"I see it as a 'fair within a fair,' and it'll focus on more exposure for Spanish businesses," she said. "There's a big community out there who supports a diverse workplace, and we've seen a great mix of people today."
Latino History resource is full of activities
A Kid's Guide to Latino History
Jeff Rivera, MEDIA BISTRO, Aug 10, 2009
Valerie Petrillo's A Kid's Guide to Latino History is my choice for the day's Book of Color Pick of the Day. A resource to be used in the classroom, A Kid's Guide to Latino History is chock full of over 50 activities designed to teach children about the people, experiences, and events that helped shaped Hispanic American History. The book is divided into sections, each dedicated to covering the descendants of the separate countries, Spanish colonial history, immigration, and much more. Children are also given a hands-on experience by engaging in one of the many activities listed throughout the book.
Valerie Petrillo is also the author of A Kid's Guide to Asian American History and Sailors, Whalers, Fantastic Sea Voyages: An Activity Guide to North American Sailing Life. She lives in Andover, Massachusetts.
Valerie Petrillo's A Kid's Guide to Latino History is my choice for the day’s Book of Color Pick of the Day. A resource to be used in the classroom, A Kid's Guide to Latino History is chock full of over 50 activities designed to teach children about the people, experiences, and events that helped shaped Hispanic American History. The book is divided into sections, each dedicated to covering the descendants of the separate countries, Spanish colonial history, immigration, and much more. Children are also given a hands-on experience by engaging in one of the many activities listed throughout the book.
Valerie Petrillo is also the author of A Kid's Guide to Asian American History and Sailors, Whalers, Fantastic Sea Voyages: An Activity Guide to North American Sailing Life. She lives in Andover, Massachusetts.
Jeff Rivera is the author of "Forever My Lady" and the founder of GumboWriters.com.
Jeff Rivera, MEDIA BISTRO, Aug 10, 2009
Valerie Petrillo's A Kid's Guide to Latino History is my choice for the day's Book of Color Pick of the Day. A resource to be used in the classroom, A Kid's Guide to Latino History is chock full of over 50 activities designed to teach children about the people, experiences, and events that helped shaped Hispanic American History. The book is divided into sections, each dedicated to covering the descendants of the separate countries, Spanish colonial history, immigration, and much more. Children are also given a hands-on experience by engaging in one of the many activities listed throughout the book.
Valerie Petrillo is also the author of A Kid's Guide to Asian American History and Sailors, Whalers, Fantastic Sea Voyages: An Activity Guide to North American Sailing Life. She lives in Andover, Massachusetts.
Valerie Petrillo's A Kid's Guide to Latino History is my choice for the day’s Book of Color Pick of the Day. A resource to be used in the classroom, A Kid's Guide to Latino History is chock full of over 50 activities designed to teach children about the people, experiences, and events that helped shaped Hispanic American History. The book is divided into sections, each dedicated to covering the descendants of the separate countries, Spanish colonial history, immigration, and much more. Children are also given a hands-on experience by engaging in one of the many activities listed throughout the book.
Valerie Petrillo is also the author of A Kid's Guide to Asian American History and Sailors, Whalers, Fantastic Sea Voyages: An Activity Guide to North American Sailing Life. She lives in Andover, Massachusetts.
Jeff Rivera is the author of "Forever My Lady" and the founder of GumboWriters.com.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Channeling Hispanic Actor Olmos in a time of crisis
I Channeled Edward James Olmos
Look at me when you talk to me Ese
By Al Carlos Hernandez, LatinoLA: August 7, 2009
By default, it was my turn to take our Bichon pup Miss Sally for her booster shots. She was very trusting, thinking we were probably going to the park or for a cruise. She started to get nervous when we got to the pet hospital, no doubt skeptical at the smell of the building after the "getting spayed" incident.
Maybe she was sensing my patronizing prudence.
We have had her for four years. We're no longer getting flack from some of the macho dog owner OG's for becoming soft. We've been considered "soft" in the past by our pet parenting an effeminate designer doggy. Challenged by our social bravado, other friends, who are more secure in their masculinity, have gone out and gotten toy dogs for their families too.
I'm told by women that adoring this little pup makes me more of a man by showing my loving heart. This is juxtaposed to an incident the other day. On our way to pick up my wife from work downtown, Miss Sally jumped up at the passenger window. She quickly made friends with a gay dude in an Explorer, who then proceeded to give me goo-goo eyes. Mean mugging with a frown on my face somehow made me more desirable. I remembered a phrase I heard on the streets of New York: ya'll too pretty for the city. If this is true, Mr. Joel would have said, "Honey you are chewing it."
When we checked into the dogspital, I found it funny when they referred to her as Sally Hernandez. Her name was on the screen, as were her health records and my credit information. Just like a regular high maintenance daughter.
We were ushered into a small white observation room and left there for what seemed to be over an hour. It was only ten minutes but I somehow slipped into dog time: seven times ten equals seventy minutes.
Sally knew something was up after sniffing around the room. She unchacteristically wanted to sit on my lap. She, like most young ones, are usually like totally embarrassed to be around their parents.
The nurse comes in. I stand up and place Sally on an aluminum observation table. She pulls out a thermometer and shows it to me. The nurse tries to place the thermometer into Sally's MySpacedotcom. Sally yelps and tries to bite her. Couldn't blame Miss Sally. Slowly everything seemed to slip into a scene from the film American Me. I said, "This is not going to work. Is there any other way?" She used the medical term "nope." I asked her what, exactly, is the procedure when a 'client' needs this done and there is no other way? The nurse said, "You grab the dog in a headlock. I, or a couple of us, spread the hind quarters and someone inserts the instrument."
I somehow channeled Edward James Olmos, tilted my head back, slipped the sunglasses down my nose and said in a raspy accented voice, "Then write down any number you want Esa, she ain't going out like this…."
The nurse left with a curt, "Whatever!" and I started to feel a wave of guilt crashing over me. Here this little innocent creature, looking up at me with soft brown eyes, trusts me one hundred percent, and I almost got her turned out.
Dr. Sunshine, a thirty-something blonde surfer girl vet, walks in and starts to talk to Sally, explaining the shot procedure. She no doubt conferred with the nurse and knew that I didn't want any part of the two shot scenario.
They carried her into another room. I was told to walk around the adjacent pet store and buy her stuff. I was happy to be excused, crippled with guilt over the fact that Sally was about to be speared twice, once in back of the shoulder, once in the caboose.
On the way home Sally wouldn't look at me or even flirt with men in Miatas. She was in shock; the pain of the needles hadn't set in yet. That night she wouldn't be held, hid from us, wouldn't eat or drink or use her litter box. She laid in her bed, trembling with fear and eventually in pain. She stayed like that for two long dog days. Virtually helpless, the vet said there is nothing we could do.
Have you ever trusted someone, believing with all of your heart that they would never ever do anything to harm you, only to be betrayed? I know that in Sally's situation the shots where necessary, although I found out later one shot was an optional shot for lime disease that she could only catch out in the forest. No way am I ever going to take her out into the woods with cats like Dick Chaney hunting Republican lawyers.
There are many people, whether victims of economic collapse or US men and Women in uniform, who have put an unconditional trust in a government that is supposed to protect them, provide for them and look out for their best interests. Some of them have suffered in the process.
Living with Sally I've learned that loving those who are the most vulnerable, those you have been called to protect, is a serious and sacred responsibility.
Look at me when you talk to me Ese
By Al Carlos Hernandez, LatinoLA: August 7, 2009
By default, it was my turn to take our Bichon pup Miss Sally for her booster shots. She was very trusting, thinking we were probably going to the park or for a cruise. She started to get nervous when we got to the pet hospital, no doubt skeptical at the smell of the building after the "getting spayed" incident.
Maybe she was sensing my patronizing prudence.
We have had her for four years. We're no longer getting flack from some of the macho dog owner OG's for becoming soft. We've been considered "soft" in the past by our pet parenting an effeminate designer doggy. Challenged by our social bravado, other friends, who are more secure in their masculinity, have gone out and gotten toy dogs for their families too.
I'm told by women that adoring this little pup makes me more of a man by showing my loving heart. This is juxtaposed to an incident the other day. On our way to pick up my wife from work downtown, Miss Sally jumped up at the passenger window. She quickly made friends with a gay dude in an Explorer, who then proceeded to give me goo-goo eyes. Mean mugging with a frown on my face somehow made me more desirable. I remembered a phrase I heard on the streets of New York: ya'll too pretty for the city. If this is true, Mr. Joel would have said, "Honey you are chewing it."
When we checked into the dogspital, I found it funny when they referred to her as Sally Hernandez. Her name was on the screen, as were her health records and my credit information. Just like a regular high maintenance daughter.
We were ushered into a small white observation room and left there for what seemed to be over an hour. It was only ten minutes but I somehow slipped into dog time: seven times ten equals seventy minutes.
Sally knew something was up after sniffing around the room. She unchacteristically wanted to sit on my lap. She, like most young ones, are usually like totally embarrassed to be around their parents.
The nurse comes in. I stand up and place Sally on an aluminum observation table. She pulls out a thermometer and shows it to me. The nurse tries to place the thermometer into Sally's MySpacedotcom. Sally yelps and tries to bite her. Couldn't blame Miss Sally. Slowly everything seemed to slip into a scene from the film American Me. I said, "This is not going to work. Is there any other way?" She used the medical term "nope." I asked her what, exactly, is the procedure when a 'client' needs this done and there is no other way? The nurse said, "You grab the dog in a headlock. I, or a couple of us, spread the hind quarters and someone inserts the instrument."
I somehow channeled Edward James Olmos, tilted my head back, slipped the sunglasses down my nose and said in a raspy accented voice, "Then write down any number you want Esa, she ain't going out like this…."
The nurse left with a curt, "Whatever!" and I started to feel a wave of guilt crashing over me. Here this little innocent creature, looking up at me with soft brown eyes, trusts me one hundred percent, and I almost got her turned out.
Dr. Sunshine, a thirty-something blonde surfer girl vet, walks in and starts to talk to Sally, explaining the shot procedure. She no doubt conferred with the nurse and knew that I didn't want any part of the two shot scenario.
They carried her into another room. I was told to walk around the adjacent pet store and buy her stuff. I was happy to be excused, crippled with guilt over the fact that Sally was about to be speared twice, once in back of the shoulder, once in the caboose.
On the way home Sally wouldn't look at me or even flirt with men in Miatas. She was in shock; the pain of the needles hadn't set in yet. That night she wouldn't be held, hid from us, wouldn't eat or drink or use her litter box. She laid in her bed, trembling with fear and eventually in pain. She stayed like that for two long dog days. Virtually helpless, the vet said there is nothing we could do.
Have you ever trusted someone, believing with all of your heart that they would never ever do anything to harm you, only to be betrayed? I know that in Sally's situation the shots where necessary, although I found out later one shot was an optional shot for lime disease that she could only catch out in the forest. No way am I ever going to take her out into the woods with cats like Dick Chaney hunting Republican lawyers.
There are many people, whether victims of economic collapse or US men and Women in uniform, who have put an unconditional trust in a government that is supposed to protect them, provide for them and look out for their best interests. Some of them have suffered in the process.
Living with Sally I've learned that loving those who are the most vulnerable, those you have been called to protect, is a serious and sacred responsibility.
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