What up mis queridos Latinopians! Lots of cool stuff this week on your favorite website for cultura and arte. Fijense, last Wednesday I saw a lot of foreheads smudged with ash so I know we’re into the Quadragesima–yes, Lent is upon us! If you’re wondering what non-meat recipes to cook in the coming weeks, we bring you three Mexican classics. We’re reprising the Cocina Hernández recipes for Shrimp Tortas (Shrimp Fritters) and Capirotada–yummie! Diane Velarde Hernández returns this week with a new recipe, this one for Chile Relleno.

In Literature, we visit with author and publisher Mario Picayo as he reads to us from his children’s book, “A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z)” This is a widely popular book among teachers and Michelle Obama has a copy! The First Lady of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Cecile deJongh gave her a copy for the Obama girls! Check
out this cool book.

And, of course Dan Guerrero returns with his weekly blog, Out and About with Dan Guerrero. Dan has visited the Grammy Museum this week where there is an exhibit of Latino music. Legends. Find out all about it!

On other fronts, keep your eyes and ears open for the librotraficantes Book Caravan which will be traveling through Texas and New Mexico to end in Tucson Arizona where our Latino children are being denied knowledge of their history and heritage. Whaa? Yep, Arizona passed a measure that outlaws the teaching of ethnic studies in schools. To comply with the new law, the Tucson school system has removed classics of Latino literature from the school libraries. But the librotraficantes (book traffickers) Caravan will be bringing these banned books to the children of Tucson! Watch for events in San Antonio, El Paso, Mesilla, New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico and, of course, in Tucson!

Oyo! On other fronts, advance warning for Children’s Day/Book Day, an annual celebration of books for children originated by author Pat Mora and now celebrated throughout the Southwest on April 30th.

Bueno, your Tia is off to the mercado to purchase pasilla chiles for tonight’s dinner of Chiles Rellenos!

OOXX Tia Tenopia