THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! ALFONSO AYALA III ON THE ELIMINATION OF MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES AT UT AUSTIN, SALOMON BALDENEGRO ON A HISTORIC ROLE REVERSAL, ROGELIO SÁENZ GUEST BLOG, FASCISM THE NEW US REALITY, AND RICARDO ROMO ON FRIDA KAHLO THE MAKING OF AN ICON, AND SERGIO HERNANDEZ’S ARNIE AND PORFI ON VALENTINE’S DAY
In spite of the happiness of Valentine’s Day brings, we must begin this week’s Latinopia with sad and alarming news. Evidently, the University of Texas at Austin has decided to eliminate he Department of Mexican American and Latino/a Studies! As flabbergasting as this news is, you must read about the details in our Latinopia guest blog by University of Texas doctoral candidate Alfonso Ayala III. Readhelo!
On a more up beat note, Salomon Baldenegro returns with his Political Salsa y Mas blog. This week he celebrates the actions by a new generation of Chicano activists who have taken to the streets in walkouts nationwide to protest the unAmerican and brutal actions undertaken by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Salomon couches today’s protests within the larger context of past civil rights struggles by Latinos in the 1960s. Salomon proudly points to current activism as proof that the struggle goes on.
Also this week, Rogelio Saenz gives us a thoughtful analysis of the extremes of Trump’s actions, both legal and not, and how it impacts the lives of Latinos in the United States. He highlights how Trump’s pardoning of 1600 convicted felons who attacked the nation’s capital in 2021 and how Trump has personally added $1.4 billions to his wealth while Americans throughout the nation suffer from health cuts. As Rogelio puts it, “More troubling is the pattern of behavior. Trump has repeatedly disobeyed court orders, publicly criticized judges, and retaliated against political opponents and critics.” Check out Rogelio’s eye-opening blog, Fascism The New U.S. Reality.
Ricardo Romo’s review of a new exhibit at the Houston Museum of Art showcasing Frida Kahlo in a show titled Frida: The Making of an Icon. Check out on Ricardo’s take on the show and the backgrounder on this most famous of Mexican women artists. Ricardo also reviews past Friday art exhibits and the book by Hayden Herrera’s Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo. Ricardo’s review is masterful!
And lastly, our dearly departed friend, artist and cartoonist Sergio Hernandez returns with an Arnie and Porfi cartoon about Valentine’s Day in the barrio.
Enjoy your week on Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia