THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: FRANK BERUMEN ON EDWARD R. ROYBAL, CARLOS MORTON ON JOHNNY TENORIO, BURUNDANGA BORICUA ON THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO, AND GASPAR ENRIQUEZ RETROSPECTIVE.
Hola Latinopians! This week we bring you an interview with historian Frank Berumen who has chronicled the life of one of America’s foremost leaders, U.S. Congressman Edward R. Roybal. In his new book, Edward Roybal, The Mexican American Struggle for Political Empowerment, Berumen visits the 1949 election of Edward R. Roybal to the Los Angeles City Council–the first Latino to be elected to that office in 100 years. For Roybal it was the start of a long career of contributions to the Mexican American community.
Also this week, playwright Carlos Morton talks about his play, Johnny Tenorio, an adaptation of a nineteenth century Spanish play that popularized the mythos of Don Juan, the Latin Lover. Morton observes that machismo, with all its negative aspects, is a phenomenon that can be traced to how this tradition is sustained by Latinos from generation to generation.
José Umpierre returns with his Burundanga Boricua blog, this week looking at the how the current economic crisis in Puerto Rico is affecting the 65,000 student body of the University of Puerto Rico.
And we reprise a visit with Texas-based artist Gaspar Enriquez and the retrospective of his work at the El Paso Texas Museum of Art. Check out this artist’s incredibly realistic renderings of Chicano life.
Enjoy your week on Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia