Daily Archives: October 14, 2009

Puerto Rico on General Strike Tomorrow

  By Maegan la Mamita Mala | October 14, 2009 - 12:08 pm |
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Puerto Rico has been feeling the effects of the global recession and its impact hits harder thanks to it’s colonial status. Record unemployment has been boosted thanks to pro-statehood governor Luis Fortuño laying off around 17,000 earlier this month, bringing the total number of people fired on the island close to 25,000. This has led to massive popular action in the streets of the isla del encanto and there is a general strike called for tomorrow, October 15th.

There are a number of solidarity events, especially here in NYC so stay tuned for updates.

Via / Global Voices

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What’s in a Name? New Mexico Hotel Owner Fires Workers Over Latino Names.

  By Maegan la Mamita Mala | October 14, 2009 - 9:35 am |
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According to my great-aunt Lucy (que en paz descanse), my last name, the name my daughters carry as well, means that I can be traced in Spanish language history books to Spanish language conquistadores. The last name my older daughter sometimes uses (legally she can’t because of her “bastard” status), reveals that she is Mapuche. Pero what if I had to be Maegan Ortz, as some people have pronounced my last name, or if my daughters’ Latina first and last names cost them their way of living? In Taos, New Mexico, which held a few languages before English, I’m sure, a hotel owner fired some of his employees because of their names.

What I find interesting about Whitten (shall we shorten his name to “White”), is how much this is about his comfort and his history. For example, he talks about him not being from the area and him not being of “Spanish” background and how he wanted English only spoken in his presence. So it becomes about everyone adapting to him and respecting what I perceive as his “fear” of being spoken about and about making sure that employees know their place, below and subservient to him. Whitten likens his employees to spoiled, ungrateful children and he the benevolent boss.

Via / Santa Fe New Mexican, Mi Blog es tu Blog

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Sofrito Pa’ Ti vegan Recipe Zine Seeks Submissions

  By Maegan la Mamita Mala | October 14, 2009 - 7:44 am |
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mex-rice-and-beansThe old school Rican in me thinks that “real” Rican food has lots of animal in it, especially pork, pero if anyone could make me change my mind it’s amiga Noemi which is why I want peeps to know about her latest zine project!

I’m compiling a vegan recipe zine, “Sofrito Pa’ Ti.” I’m a Puerto Rican/Mexican single mom, alternative media activist & writer living in south texas and I love to bake & cook. It’ll be focused on how to cook when you don’t have a traditional stove (which we don’t)-so we cook w/ electric skillets, microwave, slow cookers, tea pot (boil water for oatmeal or pasta!) and a counter toaster oven. A smaller version of this was available at this year’s Allied Media Conference and now I want to expand it and include more recipes. If you’d like to submit your vegan recipes, send up to 3 to csdistro (at) gmail dot com. Include your name, email, mailing address and a brief bio, include your email or site in your bio if you’d like it to be included in the zine.
Deadline-shall we aim for Dec 15th?

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CNN Wants It Both Ways: Basta Dobbs Video

  By Maegan la Mamita Mala | October 14, 2009 - 6:34 am |
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We have written about the various campaigns against CNN’s resident racist, Lou Dobbs. With Latino Heritage Month having one day left and CNN claiming to display our experience with their “Latino in America” special, Basta Dobbs released a new video, by Arturo Perez, a Mexican-American immigrant who was named best Internet documentary filmmaker by the Pulitzer Center and YouTube for 2009.

I don’t know if I buy Soldedad O’Brian being the voice of Latinidad in the media pero so far Basta Dobbs is claiming 50,000 signatures on their petition asking for Dobbs to be fired from CNN.

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