Monthly Archives: June 2011

Summer Movie Mash-Up

  By BiancaLaureano | June 29, 2011 - 2:27 pm |
Comments Off

Often we review films that are in the theater, but this summer we want to highlight some films that may be more accessible for our readers. There were several films that I wanted to see this year but couldn’t because of the high prices of movie tickets. As a result I had to wait until they were available on DVD to check them out. There are a few summer film festivals coming and I may be able to see other films that way, but for the most part I’m getting DVDs from the library and through other rental spaces.

Here’s a list of films in alphabetical order that I waited to see and think VL readers may enjoy as well. This is not a full review of these films as we usually do, but there are a few comments as to what the films are about and what I found interesting. If there are others you’d like to share please do!

 

Buitiful

This film was only in theaters for a few weeks, as many international independent films are. I wanted to see it to support both the director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu (Amores Perros, Babel) and cast which includes Javier Bardem. I only knew a little bit about the story: that Bardem’s character Uxbal worked in an “underground” street economy and was trying to save enough money to leave his children before he died. What I was not expecting was the part of the move that is connected to spirituality/magic/paranormal/some may even say magical realism. The film is in Spanish with various subtitles on the DVD.

Elvis & Madona

A film that I saw last year for the Tribeca Film Festival, Elvis & Madona is a film from Brazil. We follow Elvis, a lesbian who is working on becoming a photographer full time but must take a job as a pizza delivery person who meets Madona, a trans woman and drag performer who orders pizza that Elvis delivers. Their relationship begins as friends as Elvis photographs Madona for upcoming shows, yet it evolves into an intimate relationship that they both desire and find peace of mind. When Elvis becomes pregnant, her and Madona discuss their options and chose to parent the child. We watch as Elvis introduces Madona to her parents, explains the pregnancy, watch as they move in together, and struggle as new parents do to respect one another and create a safe environment for their child. This is a beautiful love story that I wish more folks would see. There were less than 20 people in the theater when I went to the screening. This film will make you realize how many stories are not being told and how thirsty we ALL are for more complex human narratives and representations!

(more…)

Post to Twitter

For all people interested in getting their hands dirty in some powerful radical work to stop police violence in NYC!!

  By Maegan La Mala | June 29, 2011 - 11:38 am |
Comments Off

These folks are friends of mine and they can be your friends too!

Peoples Justice for Community Control and Police Accountability
Volunteer Open House

Want to volunteer with the coalition?

For all people interested in getting their hand dirty in some powerful radical work to stop police violence in NYC!!

Come find out how your can support PJ’s work on the group through our Cop Watch Network, Know Your Rights Educational Campaign, Public Art and Advertising and Fundraising efforts.

Thursday, July 14 from 7-9pm
@
Center for Constitutional Rights
666 Broadway 6th FL.
(D, F to Broadway Lafayette, 6 Train to Bleecker street)

*Spread far and wide and take a stand against police violence*

Post to Twitter

In Georgia Legal and Extra Legal Responses to Immigration Policies

  By Maegan La Mala | June 29, 2011 - 8:45 am |
1 Comment

Yesterday in Georgia, 6 undocumented youth were arrested near the State Capital, protesting against anti-immigrant policies in the state including the anti-immigrant law HB 87. HB 87 was passed in April, is considered one of many laws that copy the infamous Arizona SB 1070.

Dulce Guerrero, 18; Jessica Vasquez, 18; Rolando Zenteno, 16; Nataly Ibarra, 16; Felipe Baeza, 24; and Leeidy Solis, 16; have all been arrested by capitol police. All are current high school students except for Guerrero, who graduated earlier this month, and Baeza, who received his Bachelor’s degree from The Cooper Union in New York in 2009. All are Georgia residents except for Baeza, who lives in New York.

As of this morning, the three younger arrestees have been released to their parents, while three remain in custody.

(more…)

Post to Twitter

Gay Marriage Passes in NY but NYC Still not Friendly for Queer Communities of Color

  By Maegan La Mala | June 28, 2011 - 7:53 am |
4 Comments

I learned that gay marriage became legal in New York state in a hotel room in Detroit while there for the Allied Media Conference. While I am not a huge advocate of marriage in general, acknowledging that I am coming from it privileged as a mostly straight someone who always has had the option of being lawfully wedded, it was the right thing. Equity. My older daughter and I were happy. There maybe were some members of our family (biological & chosen) who would get married now. But I was also disturbed by some of the media coverage and some of the reactions from the lgbt organizations.

Being at the Allied Media Conference and the week before at Netroots Nation and being with and among the queer community of color, I scanned the faces of the people recorded in the gallery of the New York State Senate. There wasn’t alot of color. There wasn’t alot of people who presented as women and did I hear chants of “USA”? I could have sworn I did. Away from my state and my city, I could step away from what I knew was celebration in corners of my hood. Why was everyone acting like that’s it, like the struggle is over?

My mind meant to queer people of color and queer youth of color in New York City and how they have been harassed and brutalized by the police for decades. Earlier this month, the organization FIERCE released a statement ( link will open as PDF) to the press denouncing the continuation of of quality of life initiatives made popular under former Mayor Giuliani.
From the statement:

On Tuesday, May 31, two plainclothes Detectives from the 6th
Precinct stationed themselves in an unmarked car outside of 147 West 24th
Street, the location of FIERCE, the Audre Lorde Project, Queers for Economic Justice, and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project—four community-based organizations working with LGBTQ communities of color, homeless and low-income community members and
youth of color. The Detectives proceeded to stop and question FIERCE youth members. They did not have a warrant, but informed FIERCE staff that they had been ordered to question youth entering and exiting the building.

(more…)

Post to Twitter

Behind the University of Puerto Rico Student Strikes

  By BiancaLaureano | June 27, 2011 - 1:19 pm |
1 Comment

As Maegan and I get back into the swing of being back in our respective casitas, here’s a new video that came my wan from Al Jazeera English. They have just posted this video which is a “extra” of Fault Lines. Reporter Zeina Awad discusses how police interaction and violence towards Puerto Rican student protestors heightened when there was less traditional media/press present. Awad shares her experiences being present during demonstrations and police tactics in arresting and isolating some student protestors.

After being at the Allied Media Conference and working online for years, the idea that certain institutions, organizations, and governments think that “press” and “media” are only valid in certain ways is laughable. We knew of these abuses the moment they occurred because of “non-traditional” press and media. Perhaps these are reasons why so many of those institutions/governments/organizations are so against an open internet….

The video is below and in English with no transcript (sorry!)

Fault Lines currently has a story about Puerto Rico and the economy that may be of interest as well.

Post to Twitter

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill Reintroduced Today?

  By Maegan La Mala | June 22, 2011 - 9:01 am |
10 Comments

In my inbox this morning I received an email stating that Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) are holding a press conference at 2 pm EST to announce the reintroduction of a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill.

I have not read/seen the text of the bill that is set to be reintroduced but based on the press release it doesn’t seem like what is being proposed is a change from anything that has ever been put forward. It seems to place border security first, learning English, passing a background check, paying taxes (as if immigrants don’t already), and standing on some non-existent line as priorities.

Is this supposed to be the proof Democrats are serious about immigration?

Post to Twitter

This Weekend in NYC : East Harlem Children’s Book Festival

  By Maegan La Mala | June 22, 2011 - 7:59 am |
Comments Off

Saturday, June 25th, 2011
11 am – 3 pm
PS 72/Lexington Academy
131 East 104th Street
New York, NY 10029

See books come alive!
Meet your favorite authors, listen to book readings, participate in art making activities and shop for your favorite titles. Parents, children, teachers and anyone else with a love of children’s books can celebrate diverse cultures with authors, illustrators and artists.
Admission is free and open to the public.

Ve como los libros cobran vida!
Conoce a tus autores favoritos, escucha lecturas de libros, participa en actividades de arte y compra tus libros favoritos! Padres, ninos, maestros y cualquier otra persona enamorada de los libros para ninos estan invitados a celebrar las culturas diversas con autores, ilustradores y artistas.
La entrada es gratuita y abierta al publico.

Post to Twitter

And Off to the Next Conference : The Allied Media Conference

  By Maegan La Mala | June 22, 2011 - 7:27 am |
2 Comments

Beginning on Thursday through Sunday, both Bianca and I will be at the Allied Media Conference in the lovely city of Detroit.

No offense to any of the other conferences I have been to so far, but the AMC is so special to me. It is truly a conference that inspires me, gives me new skills, and brings together other people who really inspire me and with whom I feel I can build something with. Plus it has childcare – real child centered spaces that attempt to engage the kids the same way the adults are engaged.

On Friday morning, I will be participating in one of the first workshops of the conference, Editing as an Act of Love. Here is the official description:

PRESENTERS:
Jessica Hoffmann, make/shift magazine
Lisa Factora-Borchers, Dear Sister anthology, make/shift magazine
Mariana Ruiz, 3 Sad Rivers Press
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Editor, Broken Beautiful Press

This workshop will insist upon and celebrate the ways editing can, and in liberatory media projects, must be an act of love. While dominant media uses editing to serve conformity, hierarchy, and elitism, radical media makers can engage in different kinds of editing: editing rooted in skill-sharing, relationships, the bringing together of many different voices, collaboration, amplification of often marginalized stories, and more. In this session, we will give examples of multiple projects that engage editing as an act of love in different ways, and share practical tools and tips for editing in line with our love-and-liberation-minded values.

I believe that some of the others participating in this panel include the amazing media makers Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, China Martens, and Vikki Law.

I was very excited when Jess from Make/Shift reached out to me and asked me to be on the panel. I have been blessed enough to have worked with some of the amazing editors at Make/Shift. I have edited here as a blogger/website publisher, I have been edited less than lovingly in the mainstream press, I work on writing and editing with young people and edit myself all the time as a writer/poet/performer. I hope to bring all of those experiences to the mesa.

Allied Media Conference Workshop: Editing as an Act of Love from Lisa Factora-Borchers on Vimeo.

In collaboration with other marvelous editors and writers, this video was made for the 2011 Allied Media Conference. A workshop, “Editing as an Act of Love” will feature creations and insights from different individuals who practice editing as a form of love and activism.

As with Netroots Nation, the best way to keep up with what I’m up to at the AMC is to follow the twitter stream, especially the hashtag #amc11.

Post to Twitter

Real Changes to Deportation Policies or Window Dressing?

  By Maegan La Mala | June 21, 2011 - 10:29 am |
6 Comments

Last week the Department of Homeland Security announced alleged changes to the way the controversial Secure Communities deportation program and deportation policies in general are carried out.

According to a series of June 17th memos released by John Morton, Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Secure Communities, which runs the fingerprints of those arrested through immigration databases in order to find undocumented immigrants, will continue to be rolled out with the goal that all 50 states be using the program by 2013. The memo urges immigration agents to consider how long an undocumented immigrant has been in the United States, or whether the immigrant was brought here as a child and is studying in high school or college. The authorities are also instructed to give “particular care and consideration” to veterans and active duty members of the military, especially if they have been in combat, and to their close relatives. Mr. Morton also expanded the authority of federal lawyers who handle cases in immigration courts to dismiss deportation proceedings against immigrants without serious criminal records. Mr. Morton also issued new guidelines he said would ensure that illegal immigrants detained by the police who were victims of domestic violence and witnesses to crimes would not be deported.

The memos also creates an advisory commission to study how S-Comm actually is working.

This consideration is clearly a response to the pressure not only coming from advocates and activists, but from lawmakers and state governments attempting to opt-out of a program sold to them as something it was never meant to be.

Advocates, activists, and elected officials across the country rejected the memos as cosmetic and continue to demand a moratorium on the use of S-Comm as well as allowing states to opt-out of the program. While others, including immigration attorneys, praised the changes especially when it comes to prosecutorial discretion .

(more…)

Post to Twitter

Post Netroots Nation Gratitude

  By Maegan La Mala | June 21, 2011 - 7:12 am |
Comments Off

It’s been a day since I’ve returned home from Netroots Nation and am grateful for all the experiences had, conversations, reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. It’s always exciting when you meet someone you have worked with or engaged with online. That is what I have always found to be the most important takeaway from this conference. While some of the panels were good, it’s the conversations that will be built on away from Minneapolis that are most valuable.

It was especially exciting when those conversations were had with DREAMers from around the country that I hadn’t met in person before like Rigo, Felipe, Gaby, Tania, y Carlos who made me feel like a proud mami and fangirl all at the same time.

I had wonderful conversations with people in organizations that hopefully will lead to better communications and more effective and respectful collaborations on the issues that are critical to our communities.

A huge shout out to Democracy for America and America’s Voice who saw me worthy to receive a scholarship to participate in this year’s conference.

I am especially grateful to you the readers here and on twitter who followed the live tweets of various panels and events. I am working on a round up to fill in the gaps of the livetweets including what it was like to see the Right On! people in my bathing suit.

In a few days I am going to the Allied Media Conference with INCITE! so excuse me as I catch up. There are alot of updates on Secure Communities, work to be done to stop some deportations, and there will be a much fuller roundup of what went down at Netroots. As always stay connected.

Abrazos.

Post to Twitter