THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: REUNION DE COLEGAS ON SPIRITUALITY IN THE CHICANO MOVEMENT, RICHARD ARMENDÁRIZ ON LYRICS IN HIS ART, ARMANDO VÁSQUEZ-RAMOS WITH AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN, THELMA REYNA ON GLORIA ANZALDÚA’S BORDERLANDS – LA FRONTERA AND SANTA BARRAZA ON NEPANTLA.
Lots for you for this week, mi gente. We begin with the final Latinopia Showcase of Reunion de Colegas, the reunion of some twenty Mexican American scholars who met in December of 2021 to discuss the legacy and future of Mexican American Studies at the university. In this video the scholars look at how spirituality, once ignored by Chicano activists, has had and continues to have an important impact on Mexican American studies and activism. Check out this intriguing video.
Also this week we have two art videos. We begin with Richard Armendáriz speaking about his print work which is informed by growing up in El Paso, Texas. Richard speaks about how he melds his landscapes with song lyrics and sayings to give added dimension to his work. We continue with the indigenous themes discussed in the Reunion de Colegas this week by posting Santa Barraza speaking about her art work “Nepantla,” and Dr. Thelma Reyna’s review of Gloria Anzaldua’s book, Borderlands- La Frontera.
Immigration reform continues to be a hot topic and Dr. Armando Vásquez-Ramos has been pushing for some kind of legislation that will empower the eleven million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. In January he sent a letter addressed to President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris asking that they Presidentially pardon all undocumented immigrant children and their parents who have been deported. A ver que dicen.
Enjoy your week on Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia