THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: MARTHA GONZALEZ ON THE ROLE OF THE ARTIVISTA, THELMA REYNA ON GLORIA ANZALDÚA’S BORDERLANDS/FRONTERA: THE NEW MESTIZA, RICARDO ROMO ON ART AT THE WITTE AND MCNAY GALLERIES, MARK GUERRERO ON MUSIC PIONEER ORLANDO ZAMORA AND MARTHA GONZALEZ PERFORMS “MIGRA.”
This week we visit with musician, singer and author Martha Gonzalez as she speaks about her recent book, Chicano/a Artivistas: Music, Community and Transborder Tactics in East Los Angeles and explains the concept of the “artivista,” the social activist artist. Paired with this interview is a performance by Martha and her group Quetzal, as they perform “Migra.”
Also this week, Dr. Thelma Reyna reviews a landmark book on Chicana identity, Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands/Frontera: The New Mestiza. First published in 1987, this review is part of Dr. Reyna’s review of classic works by Latina authors which includes reviews of books by authors such as Pat Mora, Cherrie Moraga Lorna Dee Cervantes and Sandra Cisneros. Check it out.
Ricardo Romo’s Tejano Report looks at new art sightings at the Witte and McNay galleries in San Antonio. Among the featured artists is Florencio Duran, Porfirio Salinas, Judy Baca and Sonia Romero.
Mark Guerrero continues with his East L A Music Stories, This week he features an interview with musical pioneer Orlando Zamora whose early Eastside band dates back to the early 1960s. He tells Mark that his early band included a young actor-to-be Edward James Olmos! This is all part of Mark Guerrero’s incredibly important effort to preserve the history of Chicano music through interviews with its legendary performers.
Enjoy your week on Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia