Latino arts, history and culture
Rafael C. Castillo’s Viáztlán Redux is a luminous and deeply personal chronicle of a literary dream brought to life through passion, struggle, and unwavering cultural commitment. As a professor of … [Read more...]
Lest we Forget. On the solemnity of this special day--September 11, 2001, twenty-five years ago, this coming September 11, 2026, we cried, America cried, a day that will never be forgotten as we … [Read more...]
One afternoon, as I was browsing through a family book that Jo Emma's paternal great aunt, Virginia Bravo López, (who was the sister of Jo Emma's grandfather, Zapata County Judge Manuel Box … [Read more...]
The Spanish saying “pobre y con garrote” carries a weight far beyond its few words. Literally, it translates to “poor and with a club,” but its meaning is richer, more human. It speaks of someone who … [Read more...]
Throughout the twentieth century, Mexican Americans and Chicanos/as fought tirelessly for civil rights, often in overlooked corners of the nation. An initial review of the literature revealed the … [Read more...]
I was first introduced to the exquisite artwork of José Cisneros, the eminent and internationally renowned artist of the Spanish Borderlands from El Paso, Texas, by my good friend, mentor, and muse … [Read more...]
For the past forty years, my wife, Jo Emma, has been compiling some of her own dichos y refranes (sayings and proverbs), and they are all originals. Depending on the occasion or the circumstances at … [Read more...]
I would like to share with you some of the slang Spanish words that I heard while growing up in the Barrio El Azteca in Laredo, Texas during the 1940s thru the 1960s. When I was growing up in the … [Read more...]
During a recent thunderstorm, I was reminiscing about my days growing up in my beloved Barrio El Azteca in Laredo, Texas when my beloved Mamá had the habit of covering all the mirrors. Her custom … [Read more...]
Latinopia preamble. The battle of the Alamo is one of the iconic stories in American history and, over time, has grown in asserting the heroic valor of the Alamo defenders. Particularly significant … [Read more...]
The Rio Grande has long been more than a river dividing nations; it has been a meeting place of cultures, faiths, and hidden legacies. Along its banks, towns in northern Mexico and South Texas became … [Read more...]
The Spanish language, like many tongues, is a tapestry woven from centuries of cultural encounters. One of the most profound influences came from the Arab world during the Middle Ages, when the Moors … [Read more...]
The story of Thanksgiving in the United States is often tied to the Pilgrims of Plymouth in 1621, but history reveals that a similar celebration occurred decades earlier. In 1598, Spanish explorer … [Read more...]
The cold winds sweeping through the streets today in San Antonio stir up cherished memories of my childhood in my beloved Barrio El Azteca during the 1940s and 1950s, where the comforting aroma of … [Read more...]
All Souls Day—El Día de los Muertos—is a sacred and joyful celebration deeply rooted in Mexican and Mexican American culture. Observed this coming Sunday on November 2nd, it is a time when families … [Read more...]
This is Part Two of Two Parts of six notable people from San Antonio, Texas, for a total of twelve outstanding individuals. Through the encouragement and persuasion of my good friend, brother … [Read more...]
Twenty-six years ago, April 1999, Texas A&M University Press published Border Boss: Manuel B. Bravo and Zapata County authored by this writer. It received the prestigious Texas Institute of … [Read more...]
One morning Jo Emma and I went to run some errands close to the house and one of them had to do with stopping at the Dollar Tree to buy some crossword puzzles. We found only two different types for a … [Read more...]
