THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: LUIS ALFARO’S ELECTRICIDAD, EDUARDO DÍAZ ON NINA SIMONE, RUDY ANAYA ON SYRIA’S CHILDREN, AND MAY DAY LATINA ACTIVISTS EMMA TENAYUCA, DOLORES HUERTA AND MARÍA ELENA DURAZO.
Happy May day to all! This week we acknowledge the important contributions to the American labor movement made by Latina labor activists. We post two video interviews, one with Emma Tenaycua who in 1936 led a strike by 12,000 Mexican Pecan Shellers in San Antonio, and an interview with Dolores Huerta recounting the 1966 Peregrinacion during her days as vice-president of the United farm Workers Union. We also post a biographical profile of María Elena Durazo.
Also this week, we feature a clip from a new production of Luis Alfaro’s play Electrcidad, an adaptation of the Sophocles play Electra, set in the barrio. First presented in 2005, this version was revived by acclaimed actress and now director (and a Ph.D. ‘pa que no digas!) At the University of La Verne’s Dailey Theatre. Check it out! Also regular blogger Eduardo Díaz returns with his Mirándolo Bien blog, this week he takes on Hollywood’s color conundrum around the motion picture on the life of singer Nina Simone. And as a special treat, a new poem by renowned author Rudolfo Añaya. The poem is titled “Syria’s Children” and it is quite moving.
Enjoy your week on Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia