Latino arts, history and culture
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...]
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...]
The story of Mamá’s repisa, or home altar, is a deeply personal and spiritual journey that spans decades, homes, and generations. In the 1940s and early 1950s, nestled in the heart of Barrio El … [Read more...]
Capirotada, the beloved Mexican bread pudding, carries centuries of history in every warm, cinnamon‑soaked bite. Its origins trace back to Spanish colonial times, when cooks blended Old World … [Read more...]
During the 1940s and 1950s, two of the well-known Mexican actors of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema that I would see on the big screen at the Cine Azteca in the Barrio El Azteca were Arturo de … [Read more...]
The other day while we were having lunch in our house in San Antonio and from the window, which is facing north, you can see people walking on the sidewalk in front of the house, and this man walked … [Read more...]
The tradition of eating buñuelos on New Year’s Day is woven deeply into Mexican history, stretching back to the blending of Spanish and Indigenous cultures. What began as a simple fried dough brought … [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...]
This is Part One of Two Parts, each highlighting six distinguished individuals from San Antonio, Texas, for a total of twelve outstanding persons. I joined the Bexar County Historical Commission in … [Read more...]
Curanderismo (folk healing) is an integral component of the fabric that is very much a part of the Mexican American cultural, social, and historical heritage. My paternal grandmother, Doña Emilia, or … [Read more...]
The phrase "Con Safo," often abbreviated as "C/S," carries profound significance within the Mexican American communities of San Antonio and South Texas. Growing up in the cherished Barrio El Azteca … [Read more...]
