Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category
Charlie Vázquez’s bilingual (English/Spanish) poetry collection, Meditations/Meditaciones – Bronx/Salsa is an impressive one for its varied subject matter rooted in three basic themes: place, identity and the senses that tie us there.
The place is the Bronx but also places left behind and returned to as outsider like Puerto Rico. The identity Vázquez invokes in his poems is that of a son – not just to a father he is estranged from but also the son of multiple islands from which he is also estranged. The senses are physical ones. with poems like The Dance of Life, invoking Taino ancestry and spelling – we hear the origins and evolution of history through Rican/Cuban music and those who made it and move to it. Some of the characters are real living beings. Others are spirits.
The theme of sound and motion permeates the vast collection.
I was really struck by the number of pieces in the collection and the accompanying album list that included classics of salsa. Before I began delving into the poems I wondered if I should use the album list as a sort of soundtrack by which to read the collection. I opted not to after finding it difficult to sense the rhythm of each individual poem when it was competing with Celia Cruz or another salsa great.
Hispanic Heritage Month has officially started (September 15 to October 15). The month, which is not really a proper month if you think about it, was built/invented around the independence (from Spain) days of some Latin American countries (i.e. Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua – 9/15, Mexico 9/16, Chile 9/18). For those countries/nationalities whose independence days fall outside this range, or for those, like my own Puerto Rico, who have yet to have an independence day, we are expected to rest easy knowing that within this invented month is included October 12 – Columbus Day/Dia de la Raza/Discovery Day/genocide day so that we are all included via our “creation” as an identity if you will.
The issue of naming the 30 days set aside to acknowledge the existence of Latinos complicates things further. Originally called Hispanic Heritage Week and later turned into the month we now know , the government label of “Hispanic” makes the role of the Spanish/European conquest central to the “celebration”. Some people, who reject the label “Hispanic”, prefer to call the month “Latino Heritage Month” in an attempt to deemphasize the conquista and focus on the survival and growth of the diaspora/mestisaje.
Clearly I’m somewhat comfortable with the label Latino – defined by me as including the diaspora of those colonized in Latin America, the Hispanic/Latin@ identity is complex and controversial and certainly not universally accepted. The idea of Latinidad is sometimes – and rightfully to some extent – accused of erasing certain aspects of what have made Latinos who we are today. The mixing of the indigenous with the European and the European with the African was not based on mutual consent but conquest, rape, violence, and war. All other variations were based on survival. This not a matter of ancient history, this is a matter of looking at how right now across Latin American governments are actively committing acts of theft and violence against indigenous communities. It is not a matter of ancient history the way many among “us” claim/re-claim our Indigenous identities to the exclusion of our African roots or vice-versa or claim none of the above at all.
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VL at the NY International Film Festival: Precious Knowledge
2:29 pm By BiancaLaureano · arizona|Arts|Culture|Movies|Politics|society|youth · 1 Comment
22 Aug 2011Over the next few days be on the lookout for film reviews from our time at the NY International Latino Film Festival. A week of films from all over the world, it was difficult to choose when and which films to watch. Unfortunately, I could only check out three, but I’m glad I did!
We’ve shared the trailer to Precious Knowledge before, and I was very excited to see the film as part of the NY Latino Film Festival and one I could review. I attended the second of two screenings at the festival and there were about 50 people present. The producers, editors, and one young woman, Pricilla Rodriguez, whose father is detained since the passing of SB 1070, from the film were present for a question and answer period after the film. Check out the trailer one more time:
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NYC : Lo Que Hay This Weekend – Poetry
3:53 pm By Maegan La Mala · Culture|Events|New York City · Comments Off
12 Aug 2011
There a few interesting events this weekend in NYC that are worthy of checking out, especially as summer days are drawing to a close.
I have done stuff with CityLore before and this event caught my eye because it is in Queens and at one of my favorite spots in Queens :
¡Voices in Flight!: Poetry from the Mexican-American Community
An Evening of Poetry and Music
Hosted by Raúl Hurtado, we will present poetry readings as part of the project, A White Wing Brushing the Building: Poetry in NYC Communities, presented by City Lore and Bowery Arts & Sciences. This event’s poets are Gabriel Rvera, Galix, Chepo, and Abelardo Duran. As part of the reading, poems will be projected onto the facade of the Terraza Café right off Roosevelt Blvd, which is the heart of the Latino community in Jackson Heights and Elmhurst.
There will also be music and dance by Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de New York and Zompantli who will perform the danzón, a national dance of Cuba, though beloved in Mexico.
When: Saturday, August 13th, 8:00 pm
Where: Terraza Café, 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, NY 11373. Take the #7 train to 82nd St./Jackson Hieghts.
Admission: Free
For more information: City Lore 212-529-1955 , x 306Follow us on Twitter @POEMobile.
Lunes Libro : The Revolution Starts at Home
9:46 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Books|Family|Health|Justice|qtpoc|Violence · 2 Comments
18 Jul 2011
The Revolution Starts at Home, edited by Ching-In Cheng, Jai Dulani, & Leah Piepzna-Samarasinha and published by South End Press, is an anthology/handbook/reference based on a zine that breaks the dangerous silence surrounding the “open secret” of intimate violence—by and toward caretakers, in romantic partnerships, and in friendships—within social justice movements.
As an activist, a member of multiple communities, a survivor of violence, and as a mami, I was excited to sit and read this book after hearing and nodding along to excerpts at the packed NYC release at Bluestockings. My pareja and I also wanted to read it as a shared exercise in working through how some of the violence in our previous relationships (movement-wise and personal) impacted how we treated each other. Divided into four sections, the stories, strategies, interviews and poetry seek to confront what usually is spoken about in whispers – how we as people in social justice movements, especially women, transgender, genderqueer people of color deal and are dealt with when there is an issue of violence within our circles. There has been so much talk about safety, accountability and justice when we struggle against institutions and individuals outside of our movement(s) but not enough talk/action about what those same concepts look like, feel like, and how they play out inside. The Revolution Starts at Home seeks to change that.
Lunes Libro : Mi Barrio by Robert Renteria
10:21 am By Maegan La Mala · Books|literature|youth · 7 Comments
4 Jul 2011
Note : This review will be translated into Spanish in a separate post and my hija, 13 year old Mapu, will also be posting her own review since she is the target audience for this comic.
This review was supposed to come out last week and I didn’t want to write it. I struggled with it, holding the following dicho/saying in my head, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”. That dicho goes just as well with the graphic novel, Mi Barrio, by Robert Rentería, published by Smarter Comics.
Renteria’s story is a common meme : boy grows up in the barrio/hood surrounded by unsavory people, does some unsavory things himself, and escapes through the military and good old fashioned capitalist hard work, becoming rich and successful and even buying his mami a car so she doesn’t have to take the awful Los Angeles bus.
Summer Movie Mash-Up
29 Jun 2011Often 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!
This Weekend in NYC : East Harlem Children’s Book Festival
7:59 am By Maegan La Mala · Books|New York City|youth · Comments Off
22 Jun 2011
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.
LA Film Festival June 16th -26th Features Latino Films
11:53 am By BiancaLaureano · Arts|California|Culture · Comments Off
1 Jun 2011For our LA readers, mark your calenders for the LA Film Festival coming up in two weeks! Tickets are on sale now and we have highlights of films focusing on Latinos and by Latino directors. We hope to be able to bring you some reviews of these films soon!
Part of the press release we received shared:
Additionally, this year the festival is proud to showcase the best of the newest and best Cuban Cinema with a spotlight as part of Sí Cuba! SoCal. http://www.sicubasocal.org/en There will be A Celebration of Cuban Film at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on June 22nd with an onstage panel discussion with visiting directors hosted by the festival’s artistic director David Ansen and followed by a screening of Cuba’s Oscar-nominated “Strawberry and Chocolate.” www.oscars.org/sicubasocal
Below is a list of the films that may be of interest. The film guide is available now and is in English and Spanish.
¡Live from Cuba! Roxy la Rusa en Nueva York, June 15
9:03 am By Maegan La Mala · Culture|Events|New York City · Comments Off
1 Jun 2011
Some of my favorite writers/performers are joining in this one of a kind event.
The celebrated Cuban writer and avant-garde performer Pedro González Reinoso is visiting the United States from Santa Clara, Cuba, where he performs regularly as “Roxy la Rusa,” an old Russian woman who became stranded in Cuba during the Cold War and who writes very intense, neo-baroque-style, stream-of-consciousness fragments of experimental fiction and social commentary, as exemplified in his last collection, “Vidas de Roxy,” (The Lives of Roxy) which was published in Colombia in 2009 and reprinted in 2010.
Part drag show, part comedy skit, part literary presentation, “Roxy la Rusa” is anything but forgettable and has been delighting audiences at regional colleges, Miami, Montreal and Boston, where enthusiastic crowds have awaited “her” with outrageous adoration.
Joining Roxy will be the Puerto Rican writer and performer Carlos Manuel Rivera performing as “La Tonga” and Orlando Ferrand-Rodríguez, a New York-based Cuban poet and visual artist who will be sharing memoir and poetry regarding his childhood and adolescence on the island. Cuban music will be plentiful and the Phoenix is a comfortable bar/lounge with great drink specials and prices.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Phoenix, 449 E 13th Street at Avenue A (L train, 1st Ave)
8PM – 9:30PM – 21+, FREE
Hola!
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
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