THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: SAL BALDENEGRO ON LIBERAL REPUBLICANS, MIGUEL PIÑERO ON THE GREATEST CHICANO POEM, RAMÓN EMETERIO BETANCE BIOGRAPHY, SERG HERNÁNDEZ ON TRUMP AND PUTIN AND MARK GUERRERO’S CHICANO MUSIC CHRONICLES ON GABRIEL MANZO.
This week we continue with our tribute to lo borinqueño with biographies of two great Puerto Ricans, Ramón Emeterio Betances and Miguel Algarín. Betances, as any Puerto Rican school child will tell you, is considered the “Father of the Puerto Rican Nation” for his life long involvement in the pursuit of liberty and his leadership in the struggle that led to the Grito de Lares (September 23, 1868), the first quest for Puerto Rican Independence. Also this week we acknowledge the contributions of literary pioneer Miguel Algarín, founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café. Check out the rap sheet on these two illustrious and todo pesao boricuas!
And speaking of the Nuyorican Poet’s Café, filmmaker and actor Richard Montoya reminds us of a legendary meeting between Miguel Piñero, one of the founders of the Nuyorican Poets Café, and acclaimed Chicano poet José Montoya. Meeting in New York, Piñero asked José what he considered the greatest Chicano poem. The answer in this original Latinopia video will knock our socks off!
Also this week, Salomon Baldenegro returns with his Political Salsa y Más blog. This week Sal reminds us that as abominable as the Republican Party has been of late, it was not always that way. Would you believe there was a time when the Republican Party was pro-labor? Sal looks back at the time of the Liberal Republican movement in the 1960s, in sharp contrast to today’s politics, but perhaps a possible direction for Republicans in the future.
Our regular cartoon blogger, Sergio Hernández, brings us another brilliant comedic turn with his imagining of a conversation on the green between Trump and Putin. Don’t miss this one.
And be sure to tune in to Chicano Radio Network’s Chicano Music Chronicles with host Mark Guerrero. This week Mark visits with acclaimed guitarist, songster and composer Gabriel Manzo.
Enjoy this week’s Latinopia offerings!
Tia Tenopia