THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: ERIN GO BRAGH! SAL BALDENEGRO ON THE IRISH-CHICANO NEXUS, A MOMENT IN TIME THE IRISH ON GAZA BOMBINGS, RICARDO ROMO ON CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, BOBBI MURRAY’S IRISH JALAPENO SODA BREAD RECIPE, CHICANOS VISIT BELFAST AND THE STORY OF THE SAN PATRICIOS!
This week we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day but we’re avoiding the green beer and leprechaun hats. Instead we look to Sal Baldenegro to remind us that there was a time when the Irish in America were discriminated against just as Mexicans and other Latinos are being targeted today. Sal takes a historical look at the history of the Irish in America and how they have had to fight off discrimination and attacks by the likes of the KKK to establish themselves in America. He points to the incredible Irish and Chicano nexus to show how the similarities in culture and background have forged alliances between Irish and Mexican/Chicano Americans over the years.
We highlight one such moment of solidarity with the story of the San Patricio Batallion, a battalion of American soldiers of Irish descent who fought on the Mexican side of the Mexican American War. The clip was produced by Mark Day and is posted here with his permission.
Also this week, we have two Moment in Time photos. One commemorates a Chicano delegation visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland in July of 1997, to work on a mural. Led by Chicano muralist Victor Ochoa, the delegation met with Sein Finn leader Jerry Adams. The other Moment In Time was taken on October 27, 2023 in response to the brutal attack on the Palestinian people of Gaza by the Israeli military. Today more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, 70 percent of them children. The photo shows the lighting around the in the colors of the Irish and the Palestinian flags!
As with every St. Patrick’s Day, by popular demand, we repost Bobbi Murray’s recipe for Irish Jalapeño Soda bread. Scrumptious!
And as always, Ricardo Romo brings us another one of his art visits. This time he looks at the celebration of Women’s History Month with a look at the art produced by Chicana artists. As always, not to be missed!
Enjoy your week on Latinopia and Erin Go Bragh!
Tia Tenopia