WOW,WOW! Tia Tenopia is so excited about the cool stuff on Latinopia this week! Cesar Chavez’s birthday , Librotraficantes (book smugglers) and classics of Latino literature!
March 31st is the birthday of legendary union organizer and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez and we’d thought we’d celebrate by posting some of his more memorable quotes–pensamientos to think about, que no? Check it César Chávez In His own Words.
Librotraficantes! As you know, Latinopia has been in support of the historic caravan of book smugglers bringing banned books to the children of Tucson following the edict by the Tucson Unified School District to take certain books out of the classrooms. It seems some books are too dangerous for Mexican American kids to read (among them Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience, not to mention classics of the Latino Literary canon such as House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros and Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya). What are they thinking?! Last week, Latinopia’s own Chuy Treviño ( Mister Barrio Dog himself) rode with the book caravan and we are posting the first of several video reports he filmed during this historic week-long caravan and its aftermath. Yes, only here on Latinopia.com! Michael Sedano of La Bloga was also covering the caravan, for a day-to-day photo essay on the events check out his La Bloga!
Also in the literary field this week, we offer a book review by Dr. Thelma Reyna of yet another classic of Latina literature, Nicholasa Mohr’s novel Nilda. This is part of a year long effort by Latinopia to preserve and promote the CLASSICS OF LATINO LITERATURE. Watch for the reviews of classic of our literature by author and reviewer Dr. Thelma Reyna and award-winning journalist Luis Torres throughout the year!
And in history, check out our MOMENT IN TIME photograph of Alex and Esther Bernal. An unassuming couple who decided to stand up for their rights when they were denied entry into an all white neighborhood of Fullerton, California in 1943. Hay Dios! They were attacking our community in 1943 and are still at it in Arizona today. Hay que decir basta, no? Hey, one aunt’s opinion.
Abrazos, Tia Tenopia.