VivirLatino

I’ve been in the middle of a truly bad time here in Michigan. The weather sucks, the economy sucks, the air sucks–everything sucks sucks sucks. I’m going to write more about this in a post coming up, but for now, I wanted to just point lovely VLatino readers to what I’ve been reading, even as I haven’t had the ability to actually post about it!

A young girl was raped and held captive by the man who smuggled her across the border. Police need your help if you have any. (And please recognize that this girl’s experience is neither new or unusual. It is what happens to women crossing the border–it is how border crossing becomes a gendered experience.)

Remember when VL reported the case of an autistic Latino kid in Chicago that got beaten by the police? Well, his family has decided to sue. I say, it’d be more powerful if they could organize their community–but suing works as well!

The New York Times has a really interesting article about a small community center that caters specifically to young people in the community. The center has just released its first album of music created by a band born and raised out of the center!

Chicana activist and artist, Gloria Anzaldua, had a documentary made about her! May she rest in Peace!

Liliana Wilson, an Austin-based painter originally from Chile, was among the group. Wilson appears in the film ALTAR: Cruzando Fronteras, Building Bridges, a documentary chronicling Anzaldúa’s impact on artists, women and the Latino culture. With her paintings as a backdrop, she speaks fondly of her time at Villa Montalvo, a historic estate for artists in California. At the time, it was a different story, however.

Chinese hotel workers are organizing.

This link is a little late in coming--but it’s an important one. Danish officials released a “hit the bitch” website where you as a viewer are told to “hit the bitch,” or: a video of a woman. Each time you simulate hitting the woman, her face blackens and becomes more hurt. Eventually, after you hit the woman enough times, she collapses and a sign comes up on the computer calling you 100% idiot. Hm. I wonder if this campaign will be effective? /snark.

And finally, Indian Political Awakening Stirs Latin America.

In Ecuador, the Shuar are blocking highways to defend their hunting grounds. In Chile, the Mapuche are occupying ranches to pressure for land, schools and clinics. In Bolivia, a new constitution gives the country’s 36 indigenous peoples the right to self-rule.

All over Latin America, and especially in the Andes, a political awakening is emboldening Indians who have lived mostly as second-class citizens since the Spanish conquest.