THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA 6.11.26
THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: LATINOPIA HERO SILVESTRE RAY MIRELES, REMEMBERING THE ZOOT SUIT RIOTS OF 1943, DAVID ROMO ON ORIGINS OF THE PACHUCOS, RICARDO ROMO'S TEJANO REPORT ON BLAS E. LOPEZ. This … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA HERO SILVESTRE RAYMOND MIRELES
In 1962, Sylvester Raymond Mireles, became the first Latino faculty member at East Los Angeles College (ELAC). Ray (as he chose to be called,) was a pioneer in the Chicano movement for proudly wearing … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA EVENT 1943 ZOOT SUIT RIOTS
In 1943, gangs of American servicemen attacked young Mexican American youth dressed in Zoot Suits, beat them and ripped off their clothes. This infamous incident, that lasted a week, became known as … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA EVENT 1940 ORIGINS OF THE PACHUCOS
In the 1940s, in response to widespread discrimination by American society, Mexican American youth created their own counter-culture movement. They called themselves pachucos and they had their own … [Read more...]
RICARDO ROMO’S TEJANO REPORT 6.11.26 BLAS E. LOPEZ’S PAINTINGS OF MEXICAN AND MESTIZO CULTURE
Blas E. Lopez’s exhibit at the new barrio gallery, Gallery Youngblood Art in San Antonio’s Westside, opened on May 16, 2026. Gallery owner Victor Moran curated the show. As a professional artist for … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA WORD IRE’NE LARA SILVA what i remembered yesterday
Ire'ne Lara Silva is a poet based in Texas whose latest collection of poems is titled Cuicatcalli House of Song. Along with fellow poets Luivette Resto and Angelina Saenz , she recently read at the … [Read more...]
THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA 6.04.26 EVA MARENGO SANCHEZ’S SOLO EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS FAMILY TRADITIONS
Eva Marengo Sanchez’s solo show, Any Given Monday, at the Ruiz Healy Art Gallery in San Antonio, features the San Antonio-based artist’s new paintings. Her recent artwork combines natural floral … [Read more...]
MARK GUERRERO’S EAST L.A. MUSIC STORIES – MARTHA GONZALEZ OF QUETZAL
Singer/songwriter/percussionist/educator and founding member of the band Quetzal, who have eight albums to their credit. They call themselves an East L.A. Chican@ rock group, whose music is a mix of … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA MUSIC QUETZAL “TODO LO QUE TENGO”
Quetzal is the renowned East Los Angeles Chicano(a) music group whose distinctive bilingual music tells the story of people in struggle. Martha Gonzalez, lead singer of the group, wrote the love song … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA TEATRO DAN GUERRERO “GAYTINO”
Dan Guerrero is an accomplished actor and producer. In his one-man show, "Gaytino," he recalls what it is like to grow up gay in a macho Mexican society. He also remembers his life-long friendship … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA WORD RICARDO LIRA ACUÑA “PRODIGAL”
Ricardo Lira Acuña is a Mexican American writers whose previous works include two books of poetry and photography, Under the Influence and Greetings From Heaven and Hell and the graphic novel The … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA WORD RICARDO LIRA ACUÑA READS “PRODIGAL”
Ricardo Lira Acuña is a Mexican American author whose latest work is the novel "Prodigal." The autobiographical novel chronicles his experiences growing up in a Southwest border town and then winning … [Read more...]
LATINOPIA MUSIC MARK GUERRERO “NOBODY TOLD ME”
Mark Guerrero is a prolific songwriter and performer whose songs often reflect a heartfelt social passion. In his original composition "Ay, yi,yi,yi, Nobody told Me," he reflects on the unjust plight … [Read more...]
EL PROFE QUEZADA NOS DICE JOSÉ CISNEROS BORDERLAND ARTIST
I was first introduced to the exquisite artwork of José Cisneros, the eminent and internationally renowned artist of the Spanish Borderlands from El Paso, Texas, by my good friend, mentor, and muse … [Read more...]
MARK GUERRERO’S EAST L.A. MUSIC STORIES – GEORGE DELGADO OF THE PREMIERS
This week Mark Guerrero interviews guitarist and founding member of The Premiers, George Delgado. The Premiers were the first East L.A. band to have a national hit record. "Farmer John" which reached … [Read more...]
BRAVE ROAD WITH DON FELIPE 05.22.26 “IN AMERICA’S DEFENSE: MEXICANS AND MEXICAN AMERICANS”
IN AMERICA’S DEFENSE: MEXICANS AND MEXICAN AMERICANS By Felipe de Ortego y Gasca At almost 92, World War II seems like a world and a half ago. I had just turned 17 in 1943 … [Read more...]
SAL BALDENEGRO’S POLITICAL SALSA Y MÁS 05.22.26 OUR HISTORICAL TRUTHS ARE NOT ERASABLE
Our historical truths aren’t erasable… To control a people you must first control what they think about themselves and how they regard their history and culture. And when your conqueror makes you … [Read more...]
RICARDO ROMO’S TEJANO REPORT 5.22.26 CARMEN LOMAS GARZA: PICTURING THE FAMILIAR
Carmen Lomas Garza: “Picturing the Familiar” Opening at Arizona State University On May 2, the Arizona State University [ASU] Art Museum opened an exciting exhibit, “Carmen Lomas Garza: … [Read more...]
RICARDO ROMO’S TEJANO REPORT 05.28.26 AN ART SCHOOL IN THE BARRIO: SAY SÍ
Sam Coronado was a pivotal Texas-based Chicano artist, printmaker, educator, and cultural organizer whose career reshaped the visibility and infrastructure of Latino and Chicano art in the United … [Read more...]
TALES OF TORRES 05.15.26 LOS LOBOS AND CÉSAR CHÁVEZ ERASURE
Cesar Chávez and the Question of Historical Erasure By Luis R. Torres Last Friday I was pleased to attend a screening of a just completed documentary film about the iconic musical … [Read more...]