THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: EDWARD VIDAURRE’S PANDEMIA & OTHER POEMS, VIDAURRE ON “LAST BREATH,” RICARDO ROMO’S TEJANO REPORT, “LATINO PARENTS WORRY ABOUT REOPENING SCHOOLS,” MARK GUERRERO’S CHICANO MUSIC CHRONICLES WITH PETE DEPOE, AND SIHASIN PERFORMS “HOPE.”
A new week of Latinopia! And we begin with two powerful Plática videos showcasing the work of McAllen-based poet Edward Vidaurre. Edward has just published a new collection of poems title, Pandemia And Other Poems. The book is available through its publisher Aztlánlibrepress.com. In the first of these videos Edward talks about the importance of the Blacks Lives Matter movement. Latinos have historically also suffered police brutality and Edward reminds up that Latinos must not fall into the trap of allowing divisiveness to separate the Latino struggle from that of African Americans. In the second video, Edward goes more in depth into the content of his collection reading three selections. Pretty cool stuff, check it out.
This month’s Ricardo Romo’s Tejano Report raises the issue of Latino parents wondering about the safety of school reopening in the Fall. With a hard drive from the White House to get all schools to open in spite of surging pandemic numbers, Ricardo discusses the issue in the context of previous disastrous decision by Texas state officials.
This month’s Mark Guerrero’s Chicano Music Chronicles podcast features Pete “Last Walking Bear” DePoe, drummer for the seventies rock group Redbone. This was one of the few Native American rock groups of that era. Mark and Pete talk about and play some of the recordings Pete played on including their hit records “Maggie,” “Witch Queen of New Orleans,” and “Come and Get Your Love.”
Complementing Mark’s interview is a performance by the brother and sister Native American band, Sihasin performing their original number “Hope.”
Enjoy your week on Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia