La Bloga, a literary blog showcasing Chicana/o and Latina/o literary expressions, was founded in 2004 by Rudy García, Manuel Ramos and Michael Sedano. Eight years later, it continues as a beacon for Latino literature and culture–but now with ten bloquistas! Latinopia asked Michael Sedano, co-founder and the driving force behind the blogsite, how La Bloga came about.

Diane Velarde Hernández has treated Latinopians to many delicious Mexican food recipes. Here she is again, this time with the recipe for Spanish Rice which she insists can also be called Mexican Rice or Chicano Rice!

Tony Plana, Dan Guerrero and friends

¡HOLA TODOS! Our longtime amigo Tony Plana is best known these days as Ugly Betty’s proud papa and as the abusive step papa that gets knocked off (not knocked up) in Desperate Housewives. But, Tony is a better man these days filming an original Hallmark Channel Original Movie, “Meddling Mom” opposite la deliciosa Sonia Braga. Add Saundra Santiago (The Sopranos) and George Contreras (The O.C.) and things are looking good for Latinos on the American tele. Tony started his stellar career on stage in the original LA production of Zoot Suit and, bless him, still keeps his Cuban-born heart in the theatre. He co-founded the East LA Repertory Theatre that takes the classics and gives them a shot of salsa adding Latino flavor. The photo here shows a proud Tony next to his young cousin, opera singer Daniel Montenegro at a recital a while back.

José Aguirre & Carlos Almaráz Monument

ARTES Y CULTURAS:  There are hidden art treasures all over El Pueblo de Los Angeles aka LA and contrary to semi-popular belief, it ain’t all on the Westside. Yeah, no shortage of public art in Beverly Hills, Westwood or in my hood of West Hollywood. But, check out the work of Mexican-born artist Jose Antonio Aguirre on the eastside of town in El Sereno. His A Luminaries Journey celebrates Latinos in the arts in a series of standing sculptures produced in Huichapan Mexican limestone with Byzantine mosaic of fusion glass each sculture weighing between two and three tons. Jose took me on a walk of the monuments because two of them had very special meaning. Standing along the wide street were tributes to songstress Vikki Carr, early screen beauty Lupe Velez, latin jazz great Eddie Cano and two that were very special to me. One for my boyhood best friend, late Chicano artist Carlos Almaraz (photo) and one for my Dad, the late Father of Chicano Music, Lalo Guerrero. Each have been honored through the years in various ways, but this is the first time they stand together. Left me a little speechless. A rare thing.  Jose next took me to the East LA Library where two of his two massive mosaic murals grace the entrance. Aguirre is an incredible artist with a great corazon who still finds time to teach a mural program to young Latinos at a middle school in Pasadena sponsored by the Amory Center for the Arts. ¡Bravo Jose Antonio!

Hola Mis queridos! Big news at Latinopia this week is the upcoming Librotraficantes Book Caravan, Que es, you ask? Pues, the Tucson Unified School System recently outlawed the teaching of Chicano studies in the Tucson schools and took the books used for those classes out of the school libraries. Whaaa? Si, palabra! Tony Díaz, who founded the Nuestra Palabra radio program in Houston, Texas, is responding to the banning of books written by such luminary Latino authors as Rudolfo Anaya, Sandra Cisneros and Dagoberto Gilb. He is leading a caravan of buses and cars loaded with the banned books from Houston, Texas to Tucson, Arizona with stops in Austin, San Antonio and El Paso, Texas, Mesilla and Albuquerque, New Mexico and of course ending in Tucson. Cuando? The Caravan leaves Houston on March 12th and arrives in Tucson on the 16th. And, yes, Latinopia will be there documenting this historic fight for the children of Tucson to know their history and culture.

This week on Latinopia we have videos in Food and Literature and a new blog by Dan Guerrero.
In Food, Diane Velarde Hernández returns with Cocina Hernández. This time she’ll show us how to make that Mexican meal staple, Spanish Rice! In Literature we visit we Michael Sedano, co-founder of the Latino literature blog, La Bloga. Michael explains to us how La Bloga got started and who contributes to this inspiring website. Check out these videos, mijos, and be sure to read Dan’s latest on doings this week in Los Angeles art and entertainment.

Abrazos! Tia Tenopia