If you have a moment to vote for me, I've been nominated at two places:

2010 @BlogsbyLatinas Award

and

Hot Blogger

- I'll be attending the Brite '10 Conference this week, you can follow via #Brite10

- A Look at the Bookstores of Mexico City

- Boo hiss: NPR's Abortion Language Change


- Gowalla really needs a Blackberry app, until then #Fail. What the use of sharing if your friends aren't on the site?

- Watch The Story of Bottled Water

- I'm seeing a trend of blogs and website with no email contact info at all. In fact, I'm seeing a new movement toward forms (especially formspring) and twitter or facebook. Another #Fail. Sometimes nothing beats an email (nice personal note) loaded with info. Twitter or email doesn't ever measure up and hell, naw, I'm not filling out your form. Sorry!

- Oliver Stone's South of the Border, coming in June.

- Twitter's #1b1t (one book, one twitter) movement

- Squatters Rights for Sterilization? What are your thoughts?

Afrolatinos “The Untaught Story” is a documentary television series that illustrates the history and celebrates the rich culture of people in Latin America of African descent. From the story of how and when slaves came to Central and South America to identifying the issues that still exist within the Hispanic community today.

There are an estimated 200 million Afro-descendants in Latin America but the majority of them do not have political or economic power. This documentary takes you on a journey to meet Afrolatinos throughout Spanish and Portuguese speaking nations and explores their culture, in an attempt to initiate social change throughout Latin America.

The documentary series will begin with the slave trade in the early 1500’s and touch on the Cimarron (Palenque) communities, as well as cover the controversial theory of the African presence in ancient America. The program's quest is to better understand the religious connections and distinctions between the Catholic Church and religious practices such as Yoruba and Voodoo.

We learn about these religious and sacred ceremonies through dance and music. The drum is a very significant instrument used in Latin music today but do many people know its history? The documentary will have a segment on Afro-Latin gastronomy, which will show the many dishes with African influence as seen in Latino every day life.

Today, there still exists communities where African dialects were mixed with Spanish language found in places like San Basilio de Palenque and we’ve discovered a dictionary of Spanish words of African origin. Identity will be a special segment that affects millions of black Latinos worldwide.

Of all the issues that are affecting their way of life the main issue is the exclusion of a community of people based on the color of their skin. They interview people from the U.S. to Argentina about issues such as image (the idea of good hair, bad hair), interracial marriages, racism, oppression, exploitation, and Afrolatinos consciousness plus much more.

One of the most important chapters in the documentary is the social issues segment as it is directly affecting ALL Afrolatinos communities.

Visit www.afrolatinos.tv

Yesterday on the way back home from the market, I spotted Magnolia buds on a tree - nothing sweeter than blossoming pinks flowers on trees to signal the official start of the new season.

In my purse now:

Gringa in a Strange Land brings back the 'counterculture' of the early 70's, an exhilarating and confusing time for so many young people then. Erica Mason, an American woman living in Mexico, is torn between working to become an artist and the lure of the drug culture.

Set mostly in the colonial city of Merida in the Yucatan peninsula, the story then moves among Mayan ruins, laid-back beaches and the cities of Belize and Oaxaca. A host of bohemian expats and Mexicans, and the complex character of Mexico itself, infuse this portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-young-American, that culminates in an unexpected resolution.

About the Author

Linda Dahl has written extensively about Latin America, jazz, New Orleans and other topics that interest her over a thirty year career as a published author. She has lived in Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, and New York and currently lives in an old farmhouse with lots of flowers and pets. A widow, she has a daughter and a stepson.

Visit Gringainastrangeland

Cute video from the UK branch of Dorling Kindersley Books:

I caught the last half of Piñero recently and was really struck by Bratt's performance, it is truly haunting. I also got a kick out of spotting all the poets' cameo appearances.

The true story of the creative but troubled life of poet/playwright/actor Miguel Piñero (Benjamin Bratt), the Latin-American icon whose urban poetry is considered a pre-cursor to rap and hip-hop.





via powerhousearena.com/thehustle

This sounds like a really interesting read:

In We Are All Moors, Anouar Majid contends that the acrimonious debates about immigration and Islam in the West are the cultural legacy of the conflict between Christians and Moors. Offering a groundbreaking new history of the West’s perception and treatment of minority cultures, Majid explores how “the Moor” emerged as the archetypal Other against which Europe would define itself. The characteristics attributed to this quintessential minority—racial inferiority, religious impurity, cultural incompatibility—would be reapplied to other non-European and non-Christian peoples: Native Americans, black Africans, Jews, and minority immigrant communities, among others.

On March 20 & 21 (Saturday and Sunday), The American Museum of Natural History will be hosting Global Weekends: From the Motherlands to El Barrio: New York’s Latino Immigrant Experience.  Filled with performances, this festival is Free to attend (with Museum admission).


Global Weekends
From the Motherlands to El Barrio: New York’s Latino Immigrant Experience
Saturday and Sunday, March 20 and 21, 1–5 pm
Kaufmann and Linder Theaters, first floor
Free with Museum admission

The story of the ancient Silk Road is, in part, a story of immigration and of the cultural exchange that occurs at the borders of immigrant communities. Through performances, interactive workshops, conversations, and films, this family-friendly event focuses on Latino communities in New York City while drawing parallels between immigrant experiences throughout time.

Highlights include performances by the Coatlicue Theater Company, which will weave part of the Mayan creation story with stories of migration; Los Pleneros de la 21, a leader in the resurgence of Puerto Rican traditional music in New York; Samba Nation Productions, will bring rhythms of Brazilian Carnival; and Tahuantinsuyo, a pioneer folk music group from the Andes.

*Please note that not all performances are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

See http://www.amnh.org/programs/specials/latinoexperience  for more information.

Events: Saturday, March 20 1:00 - 5:30pm

Linder and Kaufmann Theaters
Theatrical Presentation: Holding up the Sky

1:00pm Linder Theater, first floor The Coatlicue Theater Company weaves a part of the Mayan creation story with stories of migration, relocation forced by exploitation of natural resources and militarization, border-crossing and discrimination, human rights violations, and the destruction of the family unit. This interactive theatrical presentation offers insight into how to "keep the world in balance" from an indigenous perspective.

Performance: Los Pleneros de la 21

2:00pm Kaufmann Theater, first floor Los Pleneros de la 21 is New York City's preeminent ambassador of Afro-Puerto Rican bomba and plena music and dance. The troupe is a leader in the resurgence of Puerto Rican traditional music in New York. In this interactive and informative concert, Los Pleneros presents the swinging groove of bomba and plena with contemporary jazzy arrangements and dance
Film and talk: The Other Side of Immigration

3:00pm Linder Theater, first floor

Written, directed, and produced by Roy Germano, 2009. 55 min. The Other Side of Immigration asks why so many Mexicans come to the U.S. and what happens to the families and communities they leave behind. Following the screening, director Roy Germano provides a thought provoking perspective on undocumented immigration.

Performance: Samba Nation Productions

4:30pm Kaufmann Theater, first floor Samba Nation Productions is dedicated to bringing audiences an authentic Brazilian experience through live entertainment, classes and educational programs, and events. In this dynamic and participatory program, audiences will be introduced to the sounds of samba, the excitement of capoiera, and the rhythms of Brazilian Carnival.

Sunday, March 21 noon - 5:00pm

Linder and Kaufmann Theaters
Performance: Los Pleneros de la 21
noon Kaufmann Theater, first floor Repeat performance

Theatrical Presentation: Holding up the Sky

1:00pm Linder Theater, first floor Repeat performance (see description above).

Discussion: YouthVideo and Latino Immigration
2:00pm Linder Theater, first floor New Children/New York, a Brooklyn-based organization, uses film to tell immigrant Latino stories through the perspectives of children. This presentation of youth-made media will include a thoughtful discussion with filmmakers and community representatives.

Performance: Tahuantinsuyo

4:00pm Kaufmann Theater, first floor Tahuantinsuyo is a pioneer folk music group from the Andes whose work has helped pave the road for the many Andean groups now performing across the U.S. The group will use regional instruments and costumes during this special concert presentation dedicated to reuniting local communities with their culture.

For details, call 212-769-5315 or visit amnh.org/latinoexperience

Celebrate Cesar E. Chavez' legacy
Tuesday March 30 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Nuyorican Poets Café
236 East 3rd St. (bet. Avenue B and Avenue C)
New York, NY 10009< An evening of spoken word, music, film, and dance commemorating the life and work of Cesar E. Chavez, American civil rights leader and advocate for social justice. $7 entrance fee, proceeds go to the Cesar Chavez Foundation. All ages welcome. Email for more info: celebratechavezny@gmail.com.

Rigoberto González, writer, contributing editor at Poets & Writers Magazine, and one of the Board of Directors of the National Book Critics Circle, has just edited another volume of collected Latino Literarture: Camino del Sol: Fifteen Years of Latina and Latino Writing

Since 1994, the Camino del Sol series has been one of the premier vehicles for Latina/o literary voices. Launched under the auspices of Chicana/o luminary Ray Gonzalez, it quickly established itself in both the Latina/o community and the publishing world as it garnered awards for its outstanding writing.

Featuring both established writers and first-time authors, Camino del Sol has published poetry and prose that convey something about the Latina/o experience—works that tap into universal truths through a distinct cultural lens. This volume celebrates fifteen years of books by bringing together some of the series’ best work, such as poetry from Francisco X. Alarcón, fiction from Christine Granados, and nonfiction from Luis Alberto Urrea. These voices echo the entire spectrum of Latina/o writing, from Chicana/o to Puerto Rican to Brazilian-American, and take in themes ranging from migration to gender.

Awards bestowed upon Camino del Sol titles include the PEN/Beyond Margins Award to Richard Blanco’s Directions to the Beach of the Dead; Before Columbus Foundation American Book Awards to Diana García’s When Living Was a Labor Camp and Luis Alberto Urrea’s Nobody’s Son; International Latino Book Awards to Pat Mora’s Adobe Odes and Kathleen Alcalá’s The Desert Remembers My Name; the Premio Aztlán literary prize to Sergio Troncoso’s The Last Tortilla; and the PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles National Literary Award to Kathleen de Azevedo’s Samba Dreamers. All of these works are represented in this outstanding collection.

In a short span of time, Camino del Sol has cultivated an admirable and sizeable list of distinguished contemporary authors—and even garnered the first National Book Critics Circle Award for a Chicana/o for Juan Felipe Herrera’s Half of the World in Light. Camino del Sol: Fifteen Years of Latina and Latino Writing is a benchmark for the series and a wonderful introduction to the world of Latina/o literature.

These Liberty of London for Target ads have me totally smitten. First, they reek of spring and hot days ahead, love the shabby chic and wordly elements of the fabrics, the rich colors, and the model reminds me both of Frida Kahlo, and Helena Bonham Carter:

Disposable is casting a new reality show that takes place in the world  of NYC book publishing.  The show is in the same vein as Top Chef or  Project Runway, but about books!  We’re looking for people who want to  become a book editor at a major publishing house.

We’re looking for interesting personalities with strong opinions  obviously, but anyone who has a passionate desire to be a part of the  publishing world would be great.  If you know of anyone who might be  interested please have them write to us  casting@disposabletelevision.com .  Let us know why you would be great  for this show!  Best to include a picture of yourself and write “book  editor” in the subject line of the email.

Thanks!
Bryan Carmel
DISPOSABLE
bryan@disposabletelevision.com

Paula Patton, wife of Robin Thicke, daughter of a mixed (Black & White) couple, recently told Women’s Health she finds the term "biracial" offensive.

“I find [it] offensive. It’s a way for people to separate themselves from African-Americans…a way of saying ‘I’m better than that'... I’m black because that’s the way the world sees me. People aren’t calling Barack Obama biracial. Most people think there’s a black president….People judged me because I was light-skinned. [They'd assume] I didn’t want to be part of the black race.”

Interesting! I don't know if I agree with that though.

Celebrating The Revolutionary Puerto Rican Woman!
Friday March 19th at 7pm,
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church,
21 West 126th Street Basement
(Amsterdam/Broadway)

This Women’s History Month, join the ProLibertad Freedom Campaign to honor the contributions of Women to the Puerto Rican independence Movement: Recipients of the Doña Adelfa Vera Award for 2010: Lourdes Garcia, Joyce Jones, Gloria Quinoñes, and Amy Velez. With keynote speakers: Yasmin Hernandez and Normahiram Perez.

Plus poetry performances by Mariposa and Prisionera; handcrafts and natural healing products. Proceeds from will go to the Point’s Program for Young Women. Light Refreshments Will Be Served! Suggested donation: $5 (no one will be turned away)

There is no safety in the world, as anyone who is not a spoiled idiot knows. Relax. You are not in control. Bad things happen. Good things happen. We can lose everything material in an instant but we can always start again from scratch. Human resilience is astounding. Fear is useless; an open heart works much better. Breathe, love, give, rejoice, share, know your neighbor, and don't waste time in pettiness. Sorry, I sound like a preacher, but this is the lesson I am learning this week in my devastated and beloved country.

Via www.gadling.com

Tomorrow in NYC:

Thurs., March 11, 2010 @ 7pm - $7 film presentation by Cemí Underground & Taller Boricua
@ Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center
1680 Lexington Ave. (106th St., El Barrio) NYC

500 Years Resistance: History of the Native Taino from the Taino Perspective

Including information about the 2010 Boriken Peace and Dignity Journey happening in July in Puerto Rico.
Discussion follows the film.

Bring your friends and family and pass the word...

Luis Cordero
info@cemiunderground.com
www.cemiunderground.com

Rodolfo Castillo in Santo Domingo, created these augmented reality tickets for a Cultura Profética show there.

Edward James Olmos Asks for Support for Legendary East L.A. Math Teacher Jaime Escalante
You can make a donation for his cancer treatment here: www.edwardjamesolmos.com/Jamieescalante

Are you interested in the history of New York? This new site called New York Heritage just launched: http://www.newyorkheritage.org.

Jed Brandt is reporting on the Himalayan revolution from Kathmandu, Nepal.

The Mexican backstory of Oscars: 
Oscar: The Story Behind the Statuette& Mexicans Might Not Win an Oscar. But They Sure Know How to Make One
Argentina Wins 'Best Foreign Film' Oscar

Duncan Riley on The Social Media Expert Crisis

Looking at curvy women ‘gives men the same high as alcohol or drugs’ from the Daily Mail.

Danzy Senna recently spoke to a Northwestern Univ. audience and asked them to stand up if any of the following applied to them: Are you multiracial? Are your parents of two ethnicities? Two religions? Are any family members a different race from you? Are your children a different race? Have you ever passed as something, intentionally or otherwise, that you are not? When she was finished most of the audience was on its feet. The novelist points out how America has not moved past issues of privilege, race and class.  

Platanos, Mangoes and Me  is my new favorite foodie blog.

Congresswoman and Author Loretta Sanchez on “Women in the Military

I love to hear the sound of the pigeons cooing on my window sill. They are survivors too.

This is very cool:

Vook: The Master of Rampling Gate

In fact, it was reported by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security that Puerto Rican birth certificates have been used in about 40 percent of passport fraud incidents it has recently investigated. Not 40 percent of all U.S. identity fraud cases.

And while it is true that there is a problem involving the use of Puerto Rican birth certificates, this hardly constitutes a threat large enough to invalidate the identity proof of an entire island of 4 million U.S. citizens. Plus, the minimum cost of $5 per birth certificate imposed by the government comes off as a desperate move to raise money for an economy racked by high unemployment and recession.

www.edmorales.net/livinginspanglish.html

I came across this older blog post recently:

Former New Mexico State Historian Dr. Stanley M. Hordes has written extensively on this, including the excellent book, “To the End of the Earth: A History of the Crypto-Jews of New Mexico.”

Hordes, who received his Ph.D. in Colonial Mexican History from Tulane University, did his doctoral dissertation on the crypto-Jewish community of Mexico in the seventeenth century. Other great books on the topic:

* “The Marrano Legacy: A Contemporary Crypto-Jewish Priest Reveals Secrets of His Double Life”
* “A History of the Jews in New Mexico”
* “Remnants of Crypto-Jews Among Hispanic Americans”
* “Hidden Heritage: The Legacy of the Crypto-Jews”
* “Secrecy and Deceit: The Religion of the Crypto-Jews”
* “The Mezuzah in the Madonna’s Foot: Marranos and Other Secret Jews–A Woman Discovers Her Spiritual Heritage”

Hordes heads the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies, which promotes the research, study, and scholarship of the Jewish heritage of many Hispanics in America.

Do you have bigots in your family?



How do you deal with bigotry at home?

The 8.8 earthquake that hit Chile over the weekend may have changed the earth’s rotation, shortened the length of a day on Earth by 1.26 milliseconds and moved the earth’s figure axis by about 3 inches. If you would like to send aid, here's how:

Sign the www.ipetitions.com "to request the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee to issue a U.S. stamp honoring The Borinqueneers of the 65th Infantry Regiment, the only all-Hispanic unit in U.S. Army history.

The Borinqueneers is the nickname of the 65th Infantry Regiment that served meritoriously in World War I, World War II and the Korean War. But it was in the Korean War, where they excelled in combat participating in nine major campaigns and earning the praise of General Douglas MacArthur."

Via www.newyorkology.com and www.timessquarenyc.org:

Times Square today is adding new outdoor public art — in paint, sound and video — to coincide with the Armory Show and other art fairs descending on the city this week.

The eight-story Nasdaq video screen will display “Black Sun,” the work of Alexandre Arrechea, every night at 11:50 p.m. until midnight. The video, which shows a wrecking ball repeatedly bouncing against the building, will screen through March 8.

Nasdaq has its own Times Square webcam so you can watch online.

Up in Duffy Square at 46th and Broadway, a sound sculpture by David Ellis and Roberto Lange will play percussive, rhythmic beats and tones generated by buckets, bottles, trash cans, paper shreds and cardboard boxes. The intention is to play on the public’s perception of trash.

Outside the Times Square Theater, Pratt graduate Sofia Maldonado has painted a 92-foot mural of NYC women from her Puerto Rican-Cuban heritage, (pictured, top.)

The art is all part of Public Art Program of the Times Square Alliance and made possible by the Cuban Artists Fund, Rockefeller Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, NASDAQ, Times Square Squared, The New 42nd Street, Magnan Metz Gallery, Scope Art Fair and Anonymous Gallery.

Image source: Times Square Alliance.

42nd Street Mural by Sofia Maldonado
March 2 - April 30, 2010
Located in Times Square 215 West 42nd Street Between 7th and 8th Avenue
92 Feet x 12 Feet Mural.  Acrylic on plywood mounted on construction fence

LOOK FOR SOFIA MALDONADO'S NEW 42nd STREET MURAL IN MARCH 2010!
Read more below: Sofia Maldonado at Blank SL8.

A Project of The Times Square Alliance & The Cuban Artist Fund

With Support by The Rockefeller Foundation and The Rockefeller Brothers Fund
www.sofiamaldonado.com

Very cool trailer for Seth Grahame-Smith's ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER

"From the New York Times bestselling author of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES comes the true history of our sixteenth president."

I came across this quote the other day, pretty, no?

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.

"The following was written by the late educator-humorist Sam Levenson for his grandchild and read by Audrey Hepburn on Christmas Eve, 1992. It was also used by Ms. Hepburn on occasion when she was asked for beauty tips. [From Audrey Hepburn by Barry Paris, 1996, Putnam]"

As someone who has almost zero interest in sports or watching them on TV, it was only this weekend that I happened to spot this Frito Lay Salsa commercial, created for the football season:


At first glance, I thought it was really creative and cool, had great music, and I love the animation, but it also stirred some discomfort in me that I had to process and I would love to hear your thoughts on...

First, the Carmen Miranda/Chiquita Banana/Sexy Señorita image has always both fascinated and repulsed me.

On one hand, she is beautiful, sultry, and seductive.

On the other, she only perpetuates the "stereotypical images of Latinos as perpetual fun-seekers, flirts, and flamboyant dancers,” always coming across as sexualized objects of entertainment and servitude.

As a Latina woman, the issues go even deeper: She is always overtly sexual. The singing and dancing while working theme is a direct tie to image of the slave, "happily" toiling and singing in the fields.

Since the stereotype is always associated with fruit and food, it only serves to sustain the image of the Latina, as the cook, the maid, always in the kitchen and perhaps the picking fields, always "dishing" it out. The fact that she's got on full make-up, tats, a flamenco outfit, high heels, and dancing, gives it a humiliating caricaturisating Sambo touch.

Then there is the slicing and dicing, yet another link to another stereotype: A Latina who will cut you. Only this time, it's her skirt that is doing the chopping. A nod to the vagina dentata archetype, perhaps?

She blooms in the garden, opening up like that "Spanish Harlem Rose" that's been neglected and waiting to be cultivated, lending some element of magical realism that is only apropos of the animation and ninja stylized stunts. (After all, we all know that Latinas and all people of color have magical powers, see Magical Negro).

She's one with nature, dancing and spinning like some insatiable whirling dervish, picking "fruit" off trees - a salute to Eve and her sin? Hot as hell but tempting too, no?

And even the music is muy caliente - The Weatherston Hays' track used is "Hot Sauce," described on their site as a "spicy blend of hot and hotter." Yum! Gotta love that blend!

In the end, perhaps, I've gone overboard. Perhaps, I just like to analyze and scrutinize art too much and it's all a stretch here. Maybe the makers of the ad were acutely aware of all of this and it's all actually commentary turned over on its head to promote a product that is ultimately Latino in essence, making it genius...

Or is it just the same old, historical stereotype refined and digitized for a new generation?

You decide...

Updated to add one more thought:

I remembered after a comment from a fellow blogger via email that I left one an additional issue. Rampant throughout the commercial is the transmogrification of Latino culture. We know Latinos to be a diverse group with diverse cultures, traditions and history. Yet we have a commercial for salsa (Mexican cuisine) with a dancer in a flamenco dress(Spain), dancing to some "latin" music...treating the Latino aspect as a whole, one homogenous synthesis of all they could fit in.