THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: LATINOPIA HERO DR. ANTONIO RIOS-BUSTAMANTE,  RICARDO ROMO ON CHRIS ESCOBAR AND THE U.S. MEXICO BORDER, MARK GUERRERO’S EAST L.A. MUSIC STORIES WITH RUBEN GUADERAMMA AND

This week we were saddened to learn of the passing a great Chicano historian scholar, Dr. Antonio Ríos-Bustamante.  As a scholar he specialized in Southwest history. His books included Mexican Los Angeles: A Narrative and Pictorial History and Los Angeles, Pueblo y Region, 1781-1850, Mexican Immigrant Workers in the US and Latinos and Native Americans in the Museum.  He was also a teacher and a social activist who will be missed by his friends and family. We honor Dr. Ríos-Bustamante as a Latinopia Hero.

Also this week, Ricardo Romo visit the work of artist Chris Escobar whose exhibit at the San Antonio Guadalupe Book Store,  “Refusing to Forget,” ends soon. Escobar’s  exhibit highlights his paintings and border memorabilia that focuses on past U.S. and Mexican border relations.

Musician, performer and archivist Mark Guerrero returns with his East Los Angeles Music Stories. This week he interviews Ruben Guaderamma, drummer and co-founder of the band The Blasters.

And lastly, the passing of Antonio  Ríos-Bustamante brings to mind the importance of the activist historian in reclaiming Chicano and Mexicano history and sharing it with the wider community. We repost an interview with another activist historian, Dr. Emilio Zamora, who shares with us his views of the role of the activist historian in American society. Much of what Dr. Zamora says applies equally to our departed friend and scholar Dr. Antonio Ríos-Bustamante.

Antonio Ríos-Bustamante, PRESENTE!

Tia Tenopia