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Oaxaca Resistance and Color at Front Gallery in Oakland

by Elisabeth Pinio
The Front Gallery is currently running an exhibition called “Oaxaca Resistance and Color,” which depicts the emotional and political expression of Asamblea de Artistas Revolucionarios de Oaxaca (ASARO) and their reflection of the events surrounding the Oaxacan uprising last year.

ASARO is comprised of 16 artists dedicated to supporting the fight for justice and liberty. A variety of media is featured, including painting, printmaking, video, photography, music and sculpture.

The exhibition began June 1, and will continue through July 27. The Front Gallery is located at 35 Grand Avenue (at Broadway) in downtown Oakland. This event is free and open to the public.

Shopdropping workshop at Southern Exposure

The Anti-Advertising Agency, a group of collaborative artists, will hold an interactive workshop at Southern Exposure to teach participants about Shopdropping.

Shopdropping is the placement of information or commentary on selected products in the marketplace, without permanently damaging the goods. The workshop will illustrate examples of shopdropping practice, and launch the Anti-Advertising Agency’s latest project, People Products 1-2-3.

Participants will assist with new People Product materials, place them in stores, and discuss shopdropping tactics, the impact of marketing and advertising, and upcoming projects and events.

The workshop takes place Thursday, June 28, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Southern Exposure is located at 2901 Mission Street in San Francisco. This event is free, wheelchair accessible, and open to the public. For more information, contact Amanda Eicher, of People Products 1-2-3, at (415) 425-2636, or amandaeicher@sbcglobal.net.

Southern Exposure art symposium at de Young Museum

Southern Exposure presents a day-long art symposium to celebrate their SoEx Off-site program, a year-long series of public art projects. “Mapping the City: Artists Engage with the Urban Environment” will take place at the de Young Museum, where eight projects will be featured from a selection of over 300 submissions. Several of the projects invited audience participation through strategies such as public performances and community-oriented events, and multimedia.

The symposium takes place Saturday, June 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Koret Auditorium of the de Young Museum. This event is free. For more information, call (415) 863-2141 or visit www.soex.org.

Tiburon Film Society presents two films in Sausalito

Tiburon Film Society will show the films “Drive-in Movie Memories” and “Dorme” at the Bay Model.

“Drive-in Movie Memories” celebrates the origins and popularity of the drive-in movie. “Dorme” is a captivating fantasy film about the magical world of dreams, and a boy’s journey through the subconscious.

The films will be shown Thursday, July 5 at 6 p.m. at the Bay Model, located at 2100 Bridgeway in Sausalito. Admission is free. For more information, call (415) 332-3871.

Chilean musicians Schwenke and Nilo to play at La Peña

La Peña is proud to present Schwenke and Nilo in concert. Nelson Schwenke and Marcelo Nilo are talented Chilean artists whose music has inspired generations of Chileans in their political struggles since 1979. With empathy and humor, their songs center on human nature and their reactions to problems in a conflicted socio-ecological environment.

The concert will be held Saturday, July 7 at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $20. La Peña is located at 3105 Shattuck Avenue, in Berkeley. For more information, call (510) 849-2568 or visit www.lapena.org.

Magazine chooses most good looking latinos, Thalía’s baby girl on the way

by Tracie Morales

INSPIRATIONAL MEN: Choosing the ideal man is tough. That’s why the magazine Siempre mujer chose the seven most inspirational Latinos embodying good looks, talent and charisma in its June/July issue. Singer Chayanne was chosen along with music powerhouse Emilio Estefan and comedian Julio Sabala. Communication skills are a plus, making the Primer Impacto host Fernando del Rincón an easy choice. Singer Ricky Martin’s career is impressive, but his outreach work stands out most, garnering this Puerto Rican kudos. News warrior Pedro Sevcec and singer Ricardo Montaner capped the list.

For more information visit www.siempremujer.com.

UPLIFTING LATINOS: A partnership between the Mexican band :leik and Alltel Wireless will usher a renovated wing for an El Paso-based child protection center during a June 26 event. The Child Crisis Center of El Paso, a non-profit organization aimed at ending child abuse, will have a remodeled wing renovated by Alltel employees and will receive a $10,000 check. The award-winning rockers will perform during the event.

For more information visit www.childcrisiselp.org.

FELICIDADES: Singer Enrique Iglesias released his latest album Insomniac on June 12…Actress and singer Thalía officially confirmed that she and her music mogul husband Tommy Mottola are expecting a baby girl in the fall…The marriage bells are ringing louder for Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria and basketball player fiancée Tony Parker as their July 7 wedding draws near.

LATINO LAUGH FEST: Make room for the Latino kings of comedy as they hit the Los Angeles night scene during a three-day event starting June 22. The 2007 SiTV Latino Laugh Festival sponsored by Time Warner, will feature more than 25 emerging comedians in various Los Angeles hotspots. Heavyweights such as Carlos Mencia and Gabriel Iglesias have performed at the Laugh Festival in the past. Established comedians such as Cheech Marín, Debi Gutiérrez, Joey Medina and Rick Nájera are scheduled to appear this year. Event proceeds will benefit First Star, a non-profit organization targeting greater protection of children under the U.S. child welfare system. Tickets available through Ticketmaster.

For more information visit www.latinolaughfestival.com. Hispanic Link.

Hispanic author holds book release party in the Mission District

by Roberto Daza

Under the sunny skies of San Francisco’s Mission district, friends, family, and longtime fans of author Malin Alegria piled into the festively decorated barbershop, The Hair Place & More, to catch a glimpse of the author and discuss the release of her newest literary endeavor at her book release party on June 10.

Wearing a cowboy-style hat with the word AUTHOR taped above the brim and a beaded necklace fashioned with Mexican flags, Alegria introduced the audience to her newest book, “Sofi Mendoza’s Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico,” and its teenage protagonist–Sofi Mendoza.

The story follows Sofi, who while having been born in Mexico, lacks any real connection to her heritage. But this changes upon her return from one last adventure to Mexico before her high school graduation, when she learns a startling truth about her migratory status–a truth that postpones her return to the U.S. indefinitely.

Forced to live on the farm of distant relatives in rural Mexico, Sofi learns to adapt to her unfamiliar surroundings and appreciate the culture she had long ago distanced herself from.

Through her rich and developed characters, Alegria touches upon topics such as immigration, racial prejudice, love, teenage angst, and the difficulty of having to reconcile the expectations of two cultures. These elements will surely resonate with readers, especially Hispanic teenagers, who will find Sofi and the issues she deals with all too familiar.

“It comes through so strong [Alegria’s work] … she feels it, eats it, she sleeps it, she is culturally aware and strong,” said Annita Madrigal, a longtime friend and fan, “It’s nice to bring our kids something that they can relate to.”

Drawing from real life experiences for inspiration, Alegria, a Mexican-American immigrant, provides a true-to-life illustration of the Hispanic American Experience that separates her from other authors and allow for effective storytelling.

“I try to be as authentic as I can to the culture,” remarked Alegria during an audience Q & A.

As for future projects, Alegria remains unsure, but has not ruled out revisiting a mystery detective novel that she, at one point, had been working on.

For more information about author Malin Alegria and her books, visit her website www.malinalegria.com.

Former U.S. Army general to discuss Iraqi prisoner abuse

The Commonwealth Club has announced a forum led by former U.S. Army Major General Antonio Taguba, who will speak about his examination of Abu Ghraib prison that led to extensive research of Iraqi prisoner abuse by U.S. Army personnel. He will discuss his experience at the prison and the conduct of military personnel.

Taguba was assigned to Abu Ghraib in January 2004 to investigate the alleged abuse. His report was widely publicized in the media, both domestically and internationally.

The forum will take place Monday, June 25 at 6 p.m. at the Commonwealth Club Office, located at 595 Market Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco. Wine and cheese will be served at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free for members, $18 for nonmembers. For tickets, call (415) 597-6705, or visit www.commonwealthclub.org.

San Mateo County Election Candidate Seminar

The San Mateo County Elections Office has announced a seminar for prospective candidates. “Election Candidates 101 Seminar” will provide information for those interested in running for office, or simply the election process. Key elections staff will advise on election rules, deadlines, and procedures applicable to local candidates and campaigns.

The seminar will be held Thursday, June 26 at 6 p.m., at the Elections Office at

40 Tower Road in San Mateo. For more information, visit www.shapethefuture.org. To RSVP for the seminar, contact Steve Dennison at (650) 312.5370 or sdennison@smcare.org with candidate’s name, office they are running for, and the number of persons in their party.

KQED to air “Immigration Calculations” documentary

KQED Public Television 9 will air “Immigration Calculations: Does Immigration Help or Hurt the Bay Area Economy,” a 30-minute documentary exploring the economic impact of immigration in the San Francisco Bay area. Topics include misconceptions about immigrants in the labor market, and methods used by Bay Area economists to calculate economic costs and benefits of immigration.

The documentary follows four immigrants of various socio-economic levels, from a small business owner to a software engineer, each of whom are analyzed by economists.

The documentary premieres Friday, June 29 at 8:30 p.m. on KQED.

Roccapulco pre 4th of July party

Roccapulco Supper Club invites you to a pre-4th of July celebration Tuesday, July 3. From Diana Bowen, who brought us Salsacrazy, comes an exciting evening of live salsa with “Orq Umbria” as well as a salsa lesson with Ricardo Tellez. Also featured are a salsa floor show, CD giveaway, and much more.

Roccapulco is located at 3140 Mission Street. Doors open at 8pm, admission is $10. For more information, call (415) 648-6611.

Maestros de Bomba en la Bahía Encuentro 2007

The Bomba y Plena Workshop, with Bay Area Boricuas and La Peña Cultural Center, present Maestros de Bomba en la Bahía Encuentro 2007. This month-long series of workshops will teach various styles of Bomba music and dance, as well as Plena drumming, dancing, singing, and composition.

Featuring the Cepeda family, and dancers, drummers and teachers Oxil Febles, Angel Luis Reyes, and Otoquí Reyes Pizarro from Puerto Rico, the program will teach beginner, intermediate and advanced levels for many disciplines.

The workshop will take place from July 9 to August 5. For details, email bombayplena@sbcglobal.net.

A new era for the SFUSD?

gacia receiving torch: After a 40-year teaching career, interim Superintendent Gwen Chan symbolically passes the thorch onto new SFUSD new Superintendent Carlos García on June 13.After a 40-year teaching career, interim Superintendent Gwen Chan symbolically passes the thorch onto new SFUSD new Superintendent Carlos García on June 13.

Carlos García is the new SF Superintendent of schools

by Juliana Birnbaum Fox

After a 40-year teaching career, interim Superintendent Gwen Chan symbolically passes the thorch onto new SFUSD new Superintendent Carlos García on June 13.After a 40-year teaching career, interim Superintendent Gwen Chan symbolically passes the thorch onto new SFUSD new Superintendent Carlos García on June 13.

Board membersLeft-right: Looking at the initiation of Carlos García, Julio Soto, Gwen Chan, Mark Sánchez, Aaron Peskin, Eric Mar, Norman Yee, Jill Wynns, Jane Kim, Bevan Dufty, Hydra Mendoza, and Kim-Shree Waufas.Left-right: Looking at the initiation of Carlos García, Julio Soto, Gwen Chan, Mark Sánchez, Aaron Peskin, Eric Mar, Norman Yee, Jill Wynns, Jane Kim, Bevan Dufty, Hydra Mendoza, and Kim-Shree Waufas.

Carlos García was chosen as the next superintendent of San Francisco Unified School District on June 12, in a 6 -1 vote by the Board of Education.

“We chose Mr. García because of his past experience with San Francisco, his strong track record as a superintendent and his understanding of the challenges that our district faces,” said Board President Mark Sanchez.

At a press conference on June 13, ten officials welcomed García, including Mayor Gavin Newsom, seven board members and two supervisors.  Board member Eric Mar called him a “street fighter,” someone who will challenge students and fight inequity.

Board member Jane Kim recalled what someone from his former district in Las Vegas said about him: “If you don’t want change, you don’t want Carlos.”

Teacher Julio Soto, who was a student at Horace Mann when García was principal, welcomed him back to the Mission.  García has said that he feels he is “coming home,” and is excited to work in such a progressive district.

García emphasized that he will seek the advice of parents, students, and teachers when addressing challenges rather than try to solve problems alone. He said people are likely to see him in the Mission District, in Chinatown and in Hunters Point talking to people.

“I want you to know,” he said in a voice fierce with emotion, “I don’t work for adults, I work for the children, and the children will be first when it comes to make decisions.”

Living up to his reputation for speaking his mind on controversial topics, García  said he strongly supports bringing race back as a factor in the student assignment system.

The position that race can help integrate schools is shared by the majority of the school board’s seven members, though a ruling on the legality of using race to assign schools is pending in the federal Supreme Court.

“I believe our schools should be good for every student, not only for some,” he stated.  San Francisco faces declining enrollment in its schools for a number of reasons, but an estimated 30 percent of children go to private schools, compared with the national average of 10 percent.  García wants to attract more of these students to quality public schools.

García was born in Chicago, but his family returned to Mexico soon afterwards.  Five years later, they moved to California, he started kindergarten as an English learner. He began his career in education in 1975 and has served as both a teacher and principal in Californian cities including San Francisco, Watsonville, Ontario, and La Puente. He was principal of Horace Mann Middle School from 1988 to 1991 and is largely credited for its later success.   He served as Superintendent at Sanger Unified School District from 1994 to 1997, in Fresno from 1997 to 2000, and in Las Vegas from 2000 – 2005.   During the last two years, he served as vice-president of McGraw-Hill Publishers, a controversial position due to the fact that the corporate educational publishing house has a reputation for putting profits first.

García’s employment contract as San Francisco’s superintendent includes a $255,000 salary and host of other benefits, though his return to public education from corporate leadership will probably cost him a pay cut.  The Board hopes that willingness to take on the challenging role is a reflection of his passion and commitment.  In fact, there are a number of incentives in the contract to lure him to stay on in the position—the national average tenure for a superintendent is only 3.1 years. García will officially start work on July 16.

 

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Cuban buries the ‘machismo – Leninism’

Project is so advanced, that accepts marriages between gays and lesbians and up to right to the adoption

by Mauricio Vicent

Havana – The Cuban machismo – Leninism, which had his epoch of splendor in the gray and homophobic 70s, is in crisis and on the verge of being buried. They are already not only the apologies and public knowledge realized in the last years to artists and intellectuals who were alienated by their sexual orientation.

Today, the Cuban authorities study a project of legal reform to recognize the civil and heriditary rights of homosexual partners, included the juridical formalization of unions between gays and lesbians, and the right of adoption, something revolutionary in a country that for years chased public ostentation of homosexuality.

The proposal, which one already finds in phase of analysis in the Political Bureau of the Communist Party, is not impelled by anyone. The soul and principal advocate of the project of reform of the Family code is a Mariela Castro Espín, director of the governmental National Center of Sexual Education (Cenesex) and daughter of the temporary president of Cuba, Raúl Castro, who for years fights to open spaces for travestís and transsexuals and defends the rights of these groups.

If the initiative is approved, the partners of gays or lesbians will enjoy so much the personal, patrimonial and hereditary rights, and those inherent in the housing and in adoption, as heterosexuals.

(This report was first published by El País).

Transcendental decision for partners of the same sex in the UNO

The State of Colombia violated the right to equality invoked in the Agreement of civil and political rights, by having denied retirement substitution of the partner of a same sex person, as was determined by the United Nations Committee of Human Rights, the body that watches the fulfillment of this agreement.

The historical decision of the United Nations Human rights Committee requests the State of Colombian to recognize retirement substitution, and to adopt measurements so that partners of the same sex are not discriminated against in the access to this right.

“The Committee concludes that the State has violated Article 26 of the Agreement, by denying the author the right to the pension of his permanent partner, on the base of his sexual orientation.”

What a big party the NCLR ALMA Awards

by Tracie Morales

Carlos ReygadasCarlos Reygadas

PARTYTIME: Latinos are known for throwing great fi estas. The 2007 NCLR ALMA AWARDS, airing June 5 on ABC, is no exception. Actress Eva Longoria heats up the hottest night on television as host of the event honoring Hispanics in music, movies and TV.

There will be performances by Los Lonely Boys, Beyoncé Knowles and Calle 13. And Hollywood’s loveliest Latinas, including Jessica Alba and Eva Mendes, loin tinsel town’s legendary pillars Andy García and Héctor Elizondo. Completing the packed cast are funnymen Carlos Mencia and Alex Reymundo.

For more details visit www.almsawards.com.

jQUE RICO! Ingrid Hoffmann debuts her spicy cooking skills on the new program Simply Delicioso, airing July 14 on Food Network. This Colombia-born comida queen adds a “twist of Latin fl avor with dashes of limón and pico de gallo to turn traditional meals into fl avorful fare. Hoffmann contributes a monthly column to the lifestyle magazine PARTY-TIME:

LATINOS AND TV: Entertainment industry advocates are urging Nielsen Media Research to revise its sampling method of Latino television consumers, arguing it misrepresents Hispanic tastes.

The organization Change the Sample launched an online petition with nearly 5,000 signatures pressing Nielsen to use methods that resemble Census demographics. Nielsen ratings among Hispanics are measured using fi ve categories: Spanish only, mostly Spanish, Spanish and English equally, mostly English and English only.

Change the Sample argues that these determinants are subjective and overlook the 60 percent of U.S.-born Hispanics who identify with English programming. Critics say these methods result in a disproportionate amount of Hispanics on English television and contribute to stereotypical roles depicting AnniversaryHispanics as maids, gang members and construction workers.

For more information visit www.changethesample.com or www.nielsenmedia.com.

CONGRATS: Three Latin American directors received awards during the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, held May 16-27. Mexico-native Carlos Reygadas won the Jury Prize for Stellet Light (Silent Night). Mexico director Elisa Miller joined the ranks of recipients for Palme d’Or in the short film category for Ver Llover. Argentinean

filmmaker Gonzalo Tobal grabbed first prize from the Cinefondation awards for his film Ahora todos parecen contentos.

Hispanic Link.

Ortega condems Washington for inciting Chávez protest

El reportero news services

CARACAS, Venezuela: Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega accused Washington of
fomenting student-led protests against Venezuela for not renewing the
license of an opposition-aligned television station.

Flanked by Chávez during a speech that all of Venezuela’s TV channels were
forced to broadcast, Ortega said his government supported his host’s
decision not to renew Radio Caracas Television’s (RCTV) broadcast
license and warned against “Yankee intervention” in Venezuela’s affairs.

“I see youngsters on the news marching and protesting, it’s really sad.
They’ve been injected with hate,” said Ortega, referring to a series of
recent street demonstrations by thousands of students who accuse Chávez
of restricting freedom of expression.

“In Nicaragua, the Yankees took control of the people and filled them with hate” during
the 1980s amid a civil war pitting US-backed Contra rebels against the
Sandinista government, Ortega said.

RCTV, was forced off the air on May 27 after
Chávez refused to renew its license, citing the channel’s conduct
during a failed coup in 2002 and alleged violations of broadcast laws.

Rice’s call for OAS action on RCTV fails

On 4 June the U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, called for the
Organization of American States (OAS) to investigate Venezuela for a
possible breach of the OAS charter. Significance: The confrontation
between the U.S. and Venezuela over the cancellation of RCTV’s
broadcast license dominated proceedings at the OAS annual meeting in
Panama which should have been focused on energy issues. No other OAS
member followed the U.S.’s lead.

Mexico City’s mayor wants to sweep away vendors

Street vendor Jessica Alvarez hawks Christmas lights made in China at her
stall in downtown Mexico City. Street vendor Jessica Alvarez hawks
Christmas lights made in China at her stall in downtown Mexico City.

Aztec warriors spotted an eagle holding a serpent in its mouth and, struck by
the omen, founded the canal city of Tenochtitlan, precursor to the
Mexican capital.

Seven hundred years later, the momentous location is hidden at the edge of a huge sea of street vendors. Tarps
crowd sidewalks, techno music blares and customers squeeze through
narrow openings in the chaos.

It’s not just Mexico City’s creation story that’s swamped. Street sellers obscure a great swath of
Mexico City’s colonial history and finest baroque architecture —
centuries-old churches, armories and museums.

­But that may be about to change

Six months into his term, Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard is embarking on
an ambitious plan to rid downtown Mexico City of its legion of street
vendors. The plan would tidy up the streets, and what some consider the
most visible symptom of Mexico’s dysfunctional economy. Cox News
Service contributed to this report.

The other drug war

by José de la Isla

MEXICO CITY — Not everyone knows but perhaps they should. The New World people conquered Europe beginnin­g in the 16th century with their fresh fruits, vegetables, condiments and confections. Sugar was one of them.

The other thing that most of us don’t think about too much is that sugar became as addictive as heroin. It went from a luxury to a necessity to a mind- and body-altering food. Over the last five centuries, sugar consumption has come to be virtually measured in terms of mountains instead of teaspoons.

The evolutionary consequences of all that is now showing up in the North American human body.

After only the United States, for instance, Mexico is second in soft drink consumption in the world. It represents a total 300 million cases annually. The value of the Mexican market is around $15.5 billion, according to a report by México Alimentaria.

Another related finding by the same group is that Mexico also occupies second place in childhood obesity.

One in four children between five and 11 years are overweight.

About 71 percent of women and 67 percent of men over 20 years old are overweight, also.

These have become health and economics isissues for Mexico and other countries throughout all of North America.

Mexico’s 700,000 corner stores are the economic mainstay for many families. They have been severely impacted by the proliferation of supermarkets and warehouse stores. This is not unlike the United States, where neighborhood stores, except in megacities, have become a thing of the past.

Mexican corner-store sales declined during the past four years. In March, they were down 5.2 percent over the year before. Meanwhile, large organized commerce grew 8.2 percent.

But the bigger problem might be the products the “tienditas” dispense. In many cases they are soft drinks and cigarettes. Both products in some way pose major Mexican health hazards.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation released a report, “Growing Up in North America,” in May. It shows that Canada, the U.S. and Mexico together report obesity rates 26 to 30 percent among their 120 million children. Obesity rates in the U.S. and Canada a soaring.

Now here’s the paradox: growing numbers of obese children are malnourished and suffer anemia to a significant degree.

Is it any wonder, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation committed $500 million in May to tackle childhood obesity over the next five years. The focus will be on affordable healthy foods and physical activity.

Another approach — whether a godsend or not — is the partnership between Coca-Cola Co. and Cargil Inc., partnering to commercialize a natural sweeteners.

Rebiana, the new product without calories, believed to sweeten a product naturally.

It may pose a challenge to the soft-drink market dominated by cane sugar, corn syrup and synthetic sweeteners. Sounds good, but there’s a rub to this technical fix. Rebiana could have some toxic effects.

This takes us back to our drug analogy.

While Rebiana is natural herb in South America, it is prohibited in the United States and Europe. In 1985, it was found to be associated with hepatic — meaning liver — concerns.

Rebiana’s roll-out as a food additive will occur where it is not prohibited: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and other South American countries.

Social evolution may have reached a point in North America where foods that previously nourished humans are now used to feed the economy. And along the way, we overlook their long-term consequences.

Now we should hope that those political fanatics who like scaring people into Latinamericaphobia and a “reconquista” are right. If the reconquista is like the original one, it will revive eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Maybe our survival will depend on it.

(José de la Isla writes a weekly commentary for Hispanic Link News Service. He is author of The Rise of Hispanic Political Power (Archer Books). E-mail joseisla3@yahoo.com.) © 2007

 

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