Mis Queridos.  I’m sad to tell you the news that over the week-end we lost Gilbert “Magu” Lujan– one of the iconic artists of the Chicano experience. We owe a lot to  Magu–as he was so fondly known–you may have seen the video profile our Latinopia site.

Magu was a member of the legendary Chicano art collective called Los Four, the group that broke the color barrier for Latinos at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Los Four was the subject of the first-ever Chicano art exhibit in 1974 at LACMA. It put Chicano Art on the map! Magu’s art and spirit opened doors for generations of Latino artists to follow. We will really miss an artist so accomplished, heartfelt and firme. In the near future Latinopia will showcase a new documentary about the legacy of Magu as related by his friends, his brother and sister artists and art historians. Here are some other links to find out more about Magu and his pioneering work.

He is celebrated at the Smithsonian in an extensive interview, check it out :

http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oral-history-interview-gilbert-sanchez-lujan-13580

And here is more:

http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=36854

The L.A. Times published an obituary by Reed Johnson:

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-gilbert-magu-lujan-20110726,0,4224283.story

Here is Magu’s video profile, as well as a new never-before-published print interview — Gilbert Lujan: In His Own Words  Magu was crucial to the development of what we know today as Chicano Art. That is why you should also visit our archival video, “What is Chicano Art?”

But we have much more on Latinopia this week–literature, cinema and news!

Now, it’s possible you younger generation Latinopians may not know who Ritchie Valens was. But way back in the 1950s, he was the very first Latino to score big national rock and roll hits like Oh Donna and La Bamba. Sadly,  Ritchie Valens, whose real name was Richard Valenzuela, died at age 17 in a tragic plane crash in 1959 along with two other rock legends, the Big Bopper (que tambien se llamaba J.P. Richardson) and Buddy Holly. The story of  Ritchie’s brief career was told in the motion picture La Bamba, written and directed by Luis Valdez. What few people know, however, is that it was Luis’s brother, actor/musician Daniel Valdez, who spent many years pursuing the Ritchie Valens story and finally getting permiso from Ritchie’s familia to tell the story of his brief life. This week Daniel Valdez recounts for us how La Bamba came about.

In literature we have author Luis J. Rodríguez reading from his coming of age novel, Always Running.  This powerful memoir chronicles Luis’s adolescence which was steeped in vicious gang life and drug addiction. Luis miraculously survived his years as a gang member, overcoming many obstacles, and went on to become a nationally acclaimed author. What a true inspiration!  And if you don’t believe me, go out and buy his book!

And for you news hounds, we showcase Newstaco.com, an on-line website featuring Latino news and public affairs. With reporters in San Antonio, Texas and Los Angeles, California, it covers a range of stories pertaining to Latino life in the United States. Editor and journalist Sara Inés Calderón tells us about Newstaco.com.

And speaking of news, many of you by now have received the premier edition of the Latinopia.com newsletter. We will be using the newsletter to update you on doings at Latinopia as we continue to expand our videos and print postings. So if you haven’t already done so, please sign up for the newsletter. And tell your friends! Bueno, time to let you enjoy this week’s postings. Oh, and be sure to browse your favorite topic page (history, art, lit, music, theater, cinema, food) to make sure you haven’t overlooked a tasty video or informative print posting. Abrazos to all! Tia Tenopia.

Mis Queridos! What a great range of videos we have for you this week: cinema, literature and news!

Now, it’s possible you younger generation Latinopians may not know who Ritchie Valens was. But way back in the 1950s, he was the very first Latino to score big national rock and roll hits like Oh Donna and La Bamba. Sadly,  Ritchie Valens, whose real name was Richard Valenzuela, died at age 17 in a tragic plane crash in 1959 along with two other rock legends, the Big Bopper (que tambien se llamaba J.P. Richardson) and Buddy Holly. The story of  Ritchie’s brief career was told in the motion picture La Bamba, written and directed by Luis Valdez. What few people know, however, is that it was Luis’s brother, actor/musician Daniel Valdez, who spent many years pursuing the Ritchie Valens story and finally getting permiso from Ritchie’s familia to tell the story of his brief life. This week Daniel Valdez recounts for us how La Bamba came about.

In literature we have author Luis J. Rodríguez reading from his coming of age novel, Always Running.  This powerful memoir chronicles Luis’s adolescence which was steeped in vicious gang life and drug addiction. Luis miraculously survived his years as a gang member, overcoming many obstacles, and went on to become a nationally acclaimed author. What a true inspiration!  And if you don’t believe me, go out and buy his book!

And for you news hounds, we showcase Newstaco.com, an on-line website featuring Latino news and public affairs. With reporters in San Antonio, Texas and Los Angeles, California, it covers a range of stories pertaining to Latino life in the United States. Editor and journalist Sara Inés Calderón tells us about Newstaco.com.

And speaking of news, many of you by now have received the premier edition of the Latinopia.com newsletter. We will be using the newsletter to update you on doings at Latinopia as we continue to expand our videos and print postings. So if you haven’t already done so, please sign up for the newsletter. And tell your friends! Bueno, time to let you enjoy this week’s postings. Oh, and be sure to browse your favorite topic page (history, art, lit, music, theater, cinema, food) to make sure you haven’t overlooked a tasty video or informative print posting. Abrazos to all! Tia Tenopia.

Hola Latinopians! Great fun this week. We have two kinds of Latino music to share with you. First, there is Cihuatl Song, a collective of Chicana women who sing not only in Spanish but also in Nahuatl, the original language of the Azteca people. Hay, esta hermanas are so firme! You’re probably wondering what the term “Cihuatl” means. Well, it’s Nahuatl for “woman,” so the group’s name translates “Woman’s Song.”

And you are probably asking yourself, how does Tia know so much about Nahuatl? What is she, a Nahuatl scholar now? Well, listen to this, mijos, your Tia is not an expert in Nahuatl, but she did audit the Nauhatl 101 course taught by learned professor Dr. Fermín Herrera at Cal-State University at Northridge. Its an amazing course and I totally recommend it to any Northridge students. The song the group is singing is taken from Aztec poetry and is titled Tezcatlipocatl. Pay attention to the lyrics, especially at the end where the song states, “I am my own worst enemy and I must overcome myself.” How’s that for a 700-year-old insight into the human condition? Our Azteca ancestors were deep!

For something completely different, as they say, but also righteously special and cool check out the new music from Joey’s Chemistry. This is a group made up of young musicians Raul Callejo and Daniel Alvarado Jr. They’re from El Paso, Tejas. Apart for coming up with one of the coolest band names I’ve heard, these young chavalos know their music. Raul has written a really catchy tune. Heck, I’ve been singing “I Wonder” all day long!

And to complete this week’s postings, we have Los Angeles photorealistic artist John Valadez, In His Own Words. John tells us that his early start in art was inspired by a visit to downtown Los Angeles where he saw the mural América Tropical painted by David Alfaro Siquieros in 1932. John is currently finishing a major mural commissioned by the City of Long Beach. Latinopia will be bringing you an update on this work when it is completed. Enjoy these week’s videos! Abrazos from your ever buoyant and effervescent Tia Tenopia!

Welcome Latinopians or as we say in  Razaspeak, Latinopianos  (no relationship to Baldwin, Steinway or Wurltizer )! Your Tia Tenopia welcomes you to this week’s exciting Latinopia postings! Great stuff this week..Art and Literature!

We visit with renowned New Mexico author Rudolfo A. Anaya and learn how he came to write his  classic, legendary novel,  Bless Me Última.  Your Tia Tenopia gave a call to Señor Anaya and found out that this author is as hot as ever. In 2011, the play adaptation of Bless Me Última, which he also wrote, was performed by Teatro Visión at the Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater in San Jose, California. And Sr. Anaya  has three books coming out in 2011.  His novel, Randy Lopez Goes Home, will be out this Fall on University of Oklahoma Press and was already favorably reviewed on NPR.   And he has a collection of seven plays being published later this year as well a new children’s book.  Dios Mio! Your Tia has never walked away from a good party that goes into the wee hours, but when does this guy sleep?

In Art we have a video profile of Los Angeles-based muralist Barbara Carrasco.  Barbara is known for her murals and her political work, much of it on behalf of the United Farm Workers Union and the Dolores Huerta Foundation.  We are also posting an interview with San Francisco artist, printer maker and general all around artistic genius, Rupert García.   And complementing him, is an interview with his San Francisco neighbor, installation artist Amalia Mesa Baines.

So enjoy and learn on Latinopia! Les mando abrazos, Tia Tenopia.

Queridos, HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

Your Tia is here celebrating our nation’s birthday. And I bet you never suspected that Latinos were a crucial part of our country’s struggle for independence way back in the day! So here’s the awesome scoop!  Apparently the father of our country, George Washington, back in 1779, sent a message to the then Governor of Louisiana under Spanish rule, Bernardo de Galvez, asking for help to fight the British.  Galvez collected monies from Tejano families and sent them off to Uncle George. He even commanded Tejanos  to drive cattle herds north to help feed the colonial army (imagine George chomping down on a Tejano rib eye!)  Later, Galvez himself  led a  contingent of Tejanos  who fought at the battles of Pensacola, Florida, and New Orleans–all crucial and successful battles in the struggle for independence!  All of this, muy interesante información, comes to us by way of author and historian Dan Arrelano who tells us that, Yes, there were Latinos involved in the struggle for American Independence from England!  Latinopia thanks  Dan for passing on the history and we pass on his reference in case you want to read more about this (I bet you thought I was making this up!) :   “Bernardo de Galvez, Spanish Hero of the American Revolution” by G. Rolando Vela Musquiz., Acacia Press, 2006. Hay pues, so next time you light up a July 4th firecracker, remember it was  your people that helped and continue to make this country what it is!

Ya parle, pues!  You’re asking, what about this week’s videos? Well we have the young and the seasoned this week. From Laredo, Tejas, veteran playwright and actress Raquel Sentíes brings us an original play, “Nothing To Declare,” which reflects the true life experiences of Americans, Latino and not, who cross to and from Mexico along the International Bridge at Laredo, Texas.  And Olmeca, that brilliant songster rapper, returns to Latinopia with his no-holds barred comment on societal mores with his audacious original song, “Go to Hell!”

So enjoy this week’s videos! Abrazos, Tia Tenopia

Que Pues,  Amigos! Your Tia Tenopia here all a fluster because this is Boricua week at Latinopia! Yep, the 24th of June is the Saint’s day for Saint John the Baptist or as we say in Razaspeak, San Juan Baustista! Now this date is particularly important to all of our Boricua brothers and sisters because on the island it is a national holiday!  In fact, little known fact to your Tia, this beautiful Caribbean island was originally named San Juan Bautista, but later the name was changed to Puerto Rico (Rich Port). The capital, of course, retains the name San Juan. June 24th, Dia de San Juan, is also celebrated in many U.S. cities, a time to just feel good about  being Puerto Rican!

Now as you may know Puerto Rico is a commonwealth. How did that come about? Check out the Latinopia Event 1967 Puerto Rico Plebiscite. Also check out another important though terribly sad moment in Puerto Rico’s history, the Latinopia Event 1937 Ponce Massacre.

One of the realities of Puerto Rico has been the diaspora of its people to the United States. This phenomenon is poetically rendered by New York-based Puerto Rican author Myrna Nieves in her original and metaphoric composition, “Emigración” (Emigration), read here exclusively for Latinopia.  And from the Latinopia Archives we are posting anew the biography of Puerto Rican nationalist leader, Don Pedro Albizu Campos. So enjoy Boricua week at Latinopia and tell your friends! Abrazos from your Tia Tenopia.

Hola Latinopians! Sorry for the delay in getting this week’s videos up. Your Tia tries to post the new videos each Sunday but this week…hay, you should see! First the dog had to go to the vet (nothing serious, thank God, but what a production!). Then, as you can see, I have been busy at the computer.  I do occasional research for a big time law firm (oye, tengo sesos!). Pues, I was working against a Saturday deadline. Or course, I made the deadline and thought, “O.K., the legal work is finished, now I can post the Latinopia videos.”  Er…NOT!

Father’s Day! I had totally spaced it! And then my Jefita calls and says, “Mija, You’d  better be there. No excuses! ” Well, you know how it is in a Latino family. What started off as a family lunch turned into an all day event–my Tio Gus had to prove that he could sing a better rendition of  “El Rey” than my dad.  Asi los veras!  Not that I am complaining. We should honor and love our parents while we have them!

Anyway, finally, here are this week’s videos. We introduce you first to a truly terrific talent: songwriters and singer David Garza. A long-time fixture on the Austin music scene, David also performs regularly in Los Angeles venues. His frequent trips from Austin to Los Angeles driving on Interstate 10 inspired the song he performs here, “I-10 Charm.” Check out David and his concert schedule by visiting www.davidgarza.com. Also this week, we continue our chat with renowned playwright and director Luis Valdez. He tells us about how Edward James Olmos almost didn’t read for his signature role as El Pachuco in the play “Zoot Suit,” simply because he didn’t hear about the auditions! Bueno, enjoy the videos and all the other great bios, timelines, interviews and documents you’ll find on Latinopia. Abrazos,  your hardworking Tia Tenopia

Hola Queridos! Welcome to Pachuco Week at Latinopia. Yes, this week we are exploring the enduring, controversial and enigmatic figure of the 1940s “Pachuco.” For those of you who don’t know (your Tia even needed to brush up on her Raza history here) pachucos were Mexican American youth of the 1940s who dressed up in stylish and flamboyant Zoot Suits. Your Tia has it on good account that this was really the first generation of bilingual-bicultural Mexican American youth who, despite discrimination,  longed to be accepted as full Americans. They felt wearing the Zoot Suit was one way of commanding respect. Unfortunately, American society saw it differently. They were not accepted as incidents like the Sleepy Lagoon Murder case of 1942 and the so-called Zoot Suit Riots of the 1944, all served to single out this first generation of Mexican Americans and scapegoat them. We hear from playwright Luis Valdez how he developed the character of El Pachuco for his play Zoot Suit and we hear from poet José Montoya as he reads from his classic poem, “Pachuco Portfolio.” Next week, we’ll continue with Luis Valdez as he explains how he came to cast Edward James Olmos in the lead role of the acclaimed play, “Zoot Suit.” Enjoy, mijos and mijjas! Siempre para servir, su Tia Tenopia.

Mis Queridos, hay que verguenza! Your Tia apologizes for being late on this week’s Latinopia new video postings. Now I know what you are all thinking. That crazy Tia probably tied one on and had way too many margaritas this weekend! Ya vez como son? Of course, you immediately go to the stereotype. Hay raza, you should be ashamed! If you must know, your diligent Tia was in upstate New York attending a retreat of Latino media professionals. Yes, mijos and mijas, all work this week-end and no margaritas!

Well, anyway I have a week of resistencia in store for you this week. Resistencia? Resistence to what? Well, as you know, we Latinos in the United States have often suffered discrimination, harassment and abuse at the hands of others. Often we have become scapegoats for society’s larger problems (one need only look at Arizona these days). However, we have often fought back. We have resisted mistreatment and denounced it in song and by our actions. Here are a couple of examples.

One of the early miscarriages of justice occurred in Texas in the year 1900 when a Tejano was unjustly accused of horse stealing. Despite his innocence, he was hunted down, tried by an all-white jury, convicted and sentenced to prison. The man’s name was Gregorio Cortez and his saga has inspired many corridos (ballads) as well a movie starring Edward James Olmos. Latinopia presents an original corrido of the Gregorio Cortez story written by Fresno based playwright and musician Agustín Lira, “The Ballad of Gregorio Córtez.”

June 5th marks the 44th anniversary of the infamous raid by armed men determined to get family land back on the Tierra Amarilla New Mexico courthouse. The raid was the culmination of decades of struggle to regain contested land grants that deprived New Mexicans of the land their forefathers once owned (for details check out our Event Profile under the History page). We’ll let land grant activist Reies López Tijerina himself explain to you what happened in this excerpt from the classic documentary by Jesús Treviño, “Yo Soy Chicano.”

Also on tap this week, we introduce a newly launched webseries created and produced by Los Angeles filmmaker Miguel Torres. The series is called “Encounters” and you can access it at www.encounterswebseries.com  But check out this video as it involves a fascinating premise.
Abrazos to you all! Tia Tenopia

Abrazos to you all and welcome back to Latinopia! Memorial Day is a sad but a proud time for your Tia. Verdad de Dios! I don’t think there is a Latino family in the United States who has not been affected in one way or another by the wars our country has fought. This week we honor the many Latinos, past and present, who have answered their country’s call and, in so many cases, have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Today we reflect on World War Two with  a visit with Julian González, a veteran who survived the D-Day invasion. We hear about it in his own words thanks to the efforts of the “Voces” Oral History Project at the University of Texas at Austin. For more than ten years, the project has been recording the oral histories of  Latino World War Two and Korean War veterans on video. We also visit with renowned Chicano author Rolando Hinojosa who was on the front lines of the Korean War and who has written about it in his novel, “The Useless Servants.”  Don Rolando reads from his book and gives us insight into the harsh tragedies of war.  Bringing us up to date on the current  presence of Latinos in Iraq and Afghanistan, we feature a Latinopia Showcase  “They Are Still There.”  This is a powerful documentary produced and directed by up-and-coming Chicana filmmaker, Liz Colunga, from Denton, Texas.

As we celebrate this week, we should remember that Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and was instituted to pay homage to the many Americans from the North and the South who fought and died during the American Civil War.  It was officially instituted on May 5, 1868 by Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), an organization of Union veterans of the civil war.   After World War One, the commemoration expanded to recognizing Americans who have died in all wars.  So as you  party with friends and family this week I’m sure you’ll consider that Memorial Day means remembering and honoring.

Now many of you got  your Tia Tenopia’s quiz right last week. Yes,  wonderful Rita Moreno has the distinction of being an actress who has won not just  an Oscar, but also an Emmy award, a Tony award AND a Grammy! The correct answer was All of the Above!  I’m sure you ‘ll agree we can all be proud of a mujer like Ms. Moreno. Bueno, hasta la proxima,  this is your Tia Tenopia wishing you a week of remembrance and gratitude.

Hola queridos! Literature and Film this week on Latinopia! First, it’s a visit with Arizona poet Alberto Ríos as he reads to us from his collection of poems “The Theater of Night.” This poeta is very pesado so pay close attention and reflect on what he is telling us. And in cinema we visit with veteran actor Richard Yñiguez who starred in the classic movie Boulevard Nights. Now this film was released before your Tia’s time but it still resonates with our community. The figures of the two male leads Richard Yñiguez and Danny de la Paz are still iconic in the barrio. The film also starred Marta Dubois and was directed by Tony Bill.  Latinopia was surprised to learn that Richard turned down the role when it was first offered to him! Check it out. Oh,  you may also want to check out Latinopia’s Danny de la Paz’s interview on Boulevard Nights as well.

And those of you who responded to our Latinopia quiz, the correct answer to our quiz, when was the first Latino seated in Congress, was 1822! Yes, in 1822 Joseph Marion Hernández was a delegate from what was then known as the Florida territory. And today look at us, the largest ethnic minority in the United States with 29 Latinos in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate!

So here’s another quiz for you. The celebrated actress Rita Moreno won which of the following awards? A) An Oscar (for films) B) An Emmy (for television) C) A Tony (for theater) D) A Grammy (for music) E) Two of the above F) All of the above. What do think? Bueno, get on with checking out this week’s new videos. Oh, and many of you have been asking about the newsletter. It’s coming, de veras, we’re just really busy at Latinopia keeping our exciting videos coming at ya! Abrazos from your Tia Tenopia.

My beloved Latinopians! This is an exciting week in San Antonio, Texas where the Guadalupe Cultural Center is celebrating the 30th Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival spearheaded and directed by passionate musician, organizer and simply firme vato, Juan Tejeda.  If you live anywhere in Texas get your nalgas over to Rosedale Park in Sananto for a week-end of the best music this side of the overflowing Mississippi.

To help celebrate this wonderful original American music coming from Sananto, we have a great line-up of videos for you! First, for those of you who know nothing about Conjunto Music, we go to Maestro Juan Tejeda himself and ask him to explain the history and origins of Conjunto Music in Texas–it started with German immigrants? Then we visit with the granddaddy of all accordionistas, the legendary Flaco Jimenez who shares with us his different accordion stylings. And lastly, we visit with Tejano superstar Little Joe Hernández, who speaks about the lasting influence of Tejano and Chicano music on American society. What a line up! This is the next best thing to sitting at Rosedale Park on a warm evening listening to an original American music tradition that goes back more than a hundred years. Enjoy!

My dear Latinopians, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!  Yes, on this Mother’s Day week, your Tía is celebrating with two videos that honor our mothers. Pat Mora, the accomplished New Mexican poet and writer of children’s book reads her poem, “Mi Madre” (My Mother), an homage to the desert and to mother earth. Also this week, San Antonio based playwright and actress Carmen Tafolla performs from her one-woman show a piece titled “Occupation None.” A visit by a census taker to a barrio grandmother reminds us that no matter all the work that mothers and grandmothers do, week in and week out, to raise their children and to provide for their families, their work often goes unrecognized.  So on this Mother’s Day week, why don’t we all make an effort to praise our mother’s for all the hard work they have done and continue to do. Oh, and let’s not just make it one day of the year. De vez en cuando, throughout the year, be sure to tell your mom how much you love her and how much you appreciate all that she has done and continues to do.

By the way, did you know why Mother’s Day was originally created? we are told by Berkeley poet Rafael Jesús González in a recent blog that Mother’s Day was originally created following the terrible deaths and injuries sustained during the American Civil War, as a protest by mothers, led by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic) to abolish war altogether.  Howe called for a Mother’s Day for Peace and wrote in 1872, ““Our husbands shall not come to us reeking with carnage.  Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.” How about that for moms putting it on the line? Latinopia is grateful to Rafael Jesús González for keeping us in the know.

And speaking of U.S. history, your Tia was doing some reading about the contributions that we Latinos have made to American society and came up with something that I thought you’d like. Here’s a Latinopia Quiz for you…In what year was the first Latino member of the United States Congress seated? Here are our choices: A) 1784 B) 1822 C) 1875 D) 1926. Sabes o no sabes? Leave a comment with your guess or knowledgeable answer! I’ll let you know the correct answer next week. Bueno, now go off and do something nice for your mom today! Tia Tenopia

Mis Queridos! On May 1, hundreds of thousands of immigrant workers and supporters will march in cities across the United States to speak up for the rights of immigrant workers. This is a struggle that has a long history and this week we feature a moving documentary on Latinopia Showcase titled “Harvest of Loneliness.”

Hola mis queridos! I know many of you complain about the lack of Latinos on TV and in cinema. This week, we feature an interview with versatile actress and playwright Evelina Fernández who decided to write and produce her own feature film, Luminarias! And the Alas Media group brings us a new documentary, Wall With a Mission. All going to show that we can and must tell our own stories on the large and small screen.

By the way, I have gotten comments by several of you scholars that you want to utilize the materials on Latinopia for classroom use. Your Tia strongly encourages this! I know some of you wonder about the veracity and scholarship on our timelines, profiles and biographies. If you look at the Research Credits under About Latinopia, you’ll see a listing of the many literary, scholarly, historical and other works which have informed our timelines, articles, interviews and postings. We believe that everything on Latinopia is truthful, verdad de Dios. But if you don’t believe us, well then do your own research, Que no?. No sean flojos! If you have serious concerns about our scholarship, why don’t you have your students fact check anything you have questions about. And if you find anything that’s not correct, well let us know and we will correct it. And congratulations for teaching our children. Education is the most essential thing for the future of La Raza!

In the meantime, enjoy Latinopia and be sure to leave us comments! Con mucho cariño, your Tia Tenopia.

Hola Latinopians! This week,  as Good Friday approaches, we visit Cocina Hernández for Diane’s family recipe for “Capirotada,” traditional Lenten bread pudding!  I have fond memories of eating this scrumptious dessert at my abuelita’s home and now I’m going to make it myself! Also onboard, a profile of emerging artist David Flury whose powerful images are drawn from his experiences growing up in South Central Los Angeles.

Queridos! Your Tía has three art forms for you this week!  We visit with Louie Pérez, drummer and songwriter of the legendary Los Lobos band who tells us how the group got started.  Also, Latinopia asked a cross section of Chicana and Chicano artists to reply to the question “What is Chicano art?”  And we revisit a Moment in Time, the 1973 Festival de los Teatros Chicanos.  Latinopians, your Tía has a question for you all.  Easter is coming up soon and many of you prepare special foods for Lent. What is your favorite Lenten food?  I’m here waiting by laptop, which I’ve decorated in Aztec and Mayan motifs of course,  to hear your answer. Leave a comment so I can share it with your fellow Latinopians.  TTFN.TT

Queridos! Oh what a wonderful line-up we have for you this week! Two years ago the pioneering Mexican American actor Victor Millan passed away.  We celebrate his wonderful contributions to American cinema in this Latinopia interview on his work in the film classic Touch of Evil.  Next,  Dennis Leoni, creator of the Showtime series, Resurrection Blvd. , tells us how the series came about.  A.P. Gonzalez, a director and producer of El Béibol shares his passion for baseball with a promo of his work-in-progress.  One thing for sure, the contributions we have made and are making as a people to American cinema and television is indeed something of which we can be very proud.  Hay, me da tanto orgullo! Also on tap this week,  a new Moment in Time. This  a surveillance photograph taken of  young Mexican Americans in Texas involved in what was considered a highly suspect criminal activity at the time: organizing Mexican Americans to vote.  Hay Dios Mio, I thought that was our right as Americans!

And I want to send a cariñoso shout out to all of the profes and profas attending the National Association of Chicana/o Studies in Pasadena, California this week-end.  Your Tia hopes you will take news of Latinopia back to your students across these great United States. Latinopia is for them, so spread the word!

Many of you have asked about the meaning of “Latinopia.” Where does the “opia” come from and what does it mean? And what about the “Ten” in Tia Tenopia? Well I am reprinting my answer. Pues, aqui les va!

The Greek suffix opia in medicine refers to eyesight. But that’s not the suffix we use at “Latinopia.” Instead, we go two key words which we believe best describes our Latinopia site. The first word is “Cornucopia,” in Greek mythology the “horn of plenty,” from the Greek Goddess of plenty, Copia. Like the horn of plenty, we think that Latino culture is limitless and abundant, and like the horn of plenty, which could give its owner all that he or she wishes, we hope Latinopia will provide our visitors with all they wish to know and appreciate of our wonderful Latino culture. The other word we like is “Utopia.” Coined by the British philosopher Sir Thomas Moore for the title for his 1516 book, it refers to a “good” or “ideal” place, or as we know it today, a perfect society. Latinopia strives to be a utopia of Latino culture, representing the very best of our community’s artistic and cultural creations. So why “Latinopia?” Because it is a CORNUCOPIA of the BEST of Latino artistic and cultural creations. As for the “Ten” in Tia Tenopia, have you taken a good look at me–what I’m not a ten? TT

Labor Organizer Cesar Estrada Chávez

Mis Queridos, a happy Cesar Chávez birthday to you all! Yes, on Thursday of this week (March 31) Latinos across the country will celebrate the birth of a true original:  labor organizer, educator and social activist, Cesar Estrada Chávez.  As we remember Cesar and his legacy, we are reminded that this is also planting season.  This week we visit Hatch , New Mexico and learn how Chile is planted and harvested there. Also a great recipe for Calabacitas, brought to us by veteran new reporter Luis R. Torres, who also knows his way around the kitchen.

Mis Queridos!  A new week here with your Tia Tenopia at Latinopia and boy do we have great new videos! Austin-based Dagoberto Gilb, one of our premier literary giants, tells us about his writing style and finding the “voice” of his characters. Then we visit with Alas Media, a new generation of Califas filmmakers who are blazing new inroads into cinema and the documentation of our community.

A word about Dagoberto Gilb. He is winner of the Whiting Writers Award as well as a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts creative writing fellowship, the Texas Institute of Letters Jesse Jones Award and was a finalist fo the PEN/Faulkner award before winning the coveted PEN/Hemingway award. He is the author of short story collections like Woodcuts of Women, essay collections like Gritos, and novels like The Flowers and The Last Known Residence of Mickey Acuna. He is a must read–your Tia recommends you start with The Magic of Blood, an excellent collection of shorts stories that reveal the wide range of Dagoberto’s characters and themes.

The Alas Media group is made of up Miguel Duran, Rosa Rubalcava, Elizabeth Rubalcava, Ibarionex Perello and Marco Torres. Their work spans the spectrum from documentaries to television video production, website design and production and shaping young minds with in-school video production. Somehow they also manage to do committed documentaries about Latinos in the San Fernando valley such as “A Mural with a Message” which is featured as a Latinopia Showcase film. Check it all out!

Mis Queridos! What a treat I have for you this Saint Patrick’s  Day week! First,  Check out Mark Day’s documentary “The San Patricios,” the story of the Irish who defended Mexico during the Mexican American War. Then look at the tasty recipe for Jalapeño Soda Bread and check the Art page for Chicano-Irish muralist Wayne Alaníz Healy’s fabulous art work!

The story of the Irish battalion is truly one of those rare moments in history–united by a common oppression, common religion and common sense of justice, 500 Irish immigrants deserted the United States Army between 1846 and 1848 to join in the defense of Mexico.  Their end was tragic but heroic and their sacrifice is still celebrated to this day in Mexico, Ireland and the United States.

And please sample the recipe for jalapeño soda bread. The soda bread tradition is a traditional and tasty way to celebrate St. Patrick’s day and it will go great  with your corned beef tacos and  black and tan Guinness with Corona beer.  Slainte!

The love between Irish and Mexicans is  long and deep, attested to by the many Irish that still live in Mexico. And just think of all those Irish/ Latino couples you know here en los Estados Unidos! Both peoples have suffered from the colonial process and both peoples have a hearty, buoyant and proud spirit that has made us all survivors. Hay, your Tia is getting todo *misty.*  Okay, enough, enough. Only to say, let’s celebrate the greatness of the Irish and the Latino people on this Saint Patrick’s Day week!   As they say in the original Irish language,  Tiaocfaidh  ár lá  (Our day will come!)   Your slightly sentimental Tia Tenopia.