Latino arts, history and culture
MIAMI’S HUGE LEAP. "Miami is the capitol of Latin America!" I'm hopeful that this boastful statement by Javier Souto, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, resounded clearly with the civic and cultural … [Read more...]
WHAT'S NEW UNDER TONATIUH? My mother would occasionally remind me that: "There's nothing new under the sun." I think she said it to keep it real when I thought I had come up with some cockamamie … [Read more...]
THE “I” WORD. The Arts and Industries Building is that grand one located just east of the iconic Smithsonian Castle, on the National Mall. It's been shuttered for several years due to some … [Read more...]
"Chicanos are Mexican Americans who aren't kidding!" —Dan Guerrero I love that Dan Guerrero came up with this shorthand definition of Chicano; it succinctly captures both a personal reflection … [Read more...]
What Might Have Been; Treaties and Nation-Building "Great nations, like great men, should keep their word." - Hugo Black, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Nation to Nation; Treaties Between the … [Read more...]
"ROLE TIDE" AND OBAMA'S EXECUTIVE ACTION. Like many in this country, Priscilla Hancock Cooper is among those breathing a sigh of relief with President Obama's recent executive action on … [Read more...]
LATINOS IN ATYPICAL DESTINATIONS. Annually, as the eve of Hispanic Heritage Month dawns, I field around 10 requests to speak on a variety of Latino cultural topics, to groups representing … [Read more...]
THE MANY JOURNEYS OF MAIZ. Innovation is, among other things, the act of introducing something new. In 1932, with this country in the throes of the Great Depression, a restless C.E. Doolin walked … [Read more...]
IN THE SHADOW OF THE GREATEST GENERATION. Magdaleno (Leno) Díaz passed way on February 10, 2015, at the age of 95. His passing gave me pause to contemplate the significance and impact of what is … [Read more...]
THERE, BUT FOR THE MAMBO, GO I... The Mambo craze had reached an apogee in Los Angeles in the 1940s, when my Mexican parents first met and found love. My parents, now 96, always danced well and … [Read more...]
From Strengthening to Centering the Margin: Keeping Your Eyes on the Prize. For most of my life's work in the cultural development field, the lens has been one of representing and advocating for … [Read more...]
