Latina in California

Media lesson about the coverage of Jenni Rivera death

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:13:00 -0800

When Whoopi Goldberg on The View mentioned Ms. Rivera’s passing with affection I was stunned.

Then Good Morning America, Jezebel, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and other English language media outlets started to create tributes. I was gobsmacked.

We, Latinos have arrived. When one of our number one selling artists of a regional music suddenly gets the type of coverage she never received in life it means they know we are watching, reading, sharing and retweeting.

All of the outlets I mentioned are ones I read on a regular basis. It is rare if not uncommon to see Latinos profiled, heralded or mentioned in them. Not for our success in business, the arts and entertainment or the sciences. We sometimes don’t exist outside the stories of the undocumented, the incarcerated or the margins.

Latinas like Jenni are not celebrated for having over-achieved The American Dream. She first made money as a real estate agent, despite being a teenage mother. Then she built a career in her families business: music. She wrote her own songs and produced her own albums. She represented an independent 21st century woman with a twitter following rivaled only by top brands.

So why was she not profiled before her death? Why was her success not taken in to account by mainstream media? Why are we not asking our stories not to be ghettoized?

La Diva de la banda

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:44:48 -0800

I am not a banda fan, or norteño music. I was a fan of Jenni Rivera. Not just cause her willingness to just keep on striving, but her bi-cultural intelligence.

As the daughter of Mexican parents born and raised in Southern California she chose to have a career centered on serving Mexico and Central- America.

Rather than assimilate or integrate, she differentiated. She did not consider singing in Spanish to be a step back. Rather it was a her step up. She knew that she was not a minority but rather a part of the majority that calls Southern California home.

It was both a smart business decision and a proud cultural moment. I will miss seeing how she would have aged, grown and created more ruckus.

Que descanse en paz Jenni Rivera.

yearningforunity: Afromexicanos del Estado de Guerrero Esto es...

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:31:05 -0800

yearningforunity:

Afromexicanos del Estado de Guerrero

Esto es Mexico.

madelinepoolenails: close-up on spanish fresco Ecce Homo

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 22:30:13 -0700

madelinepoolenails:

close-up on spanish fresco

Ecce Homo

Day 6- The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge 2012

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 19:13:49 -0700

Day 6 - Immigration: For or Against?

Open borders can create under the right conditions open minds. Here is one of my many immigration experiences that have helped me come to this conclusion. It has to be a two way street otherwise it becomes a tool to oppress cheap labor.

Japan:

I studied Japanese in High School and College. It was a part of me being a geek, a culture vulture, a search for something so outside of my own cultural experience. You can’t go from Barranquilla’s Caribbean exuberance to the Tokyo’s quiet bustle without it tripping you a bit.

The biggest challenge for me while living for almost 6 months in Japan was not the crowded train platforms or the polite misogyny. It was the institutional discrimination of the Korean-Japanese population. You could be a 3rd or 4th generation descendant of Korean origin and you still were not a Japanese citizen. You would go to Japanese schools, live amongst the rest of the population and still you would not be Japanese enough. I met some one young man I will call Jun. When I met him I assumed he was Japanese. Why? Jun, was fluent in Japanese without an accent. He dressed like a young Japanese man, had a Japanese first name. Yet when we would go out in certain neighborhoods people’s attitude towards him was brusk. Nobody in Japan is ever rude, but you know if someone does not want you in their store. It was odd.

It was through a mutual friend that I found out he was of Korean descent. Jun never mentioned it to me directly. When I did I as a chismosa had to ask him a million questions. It quickly put together to me the difficulties he and his community faced. By his last name he had a tight social, and work space:

No one would hire him. He could not get a job outside the Korean community.
He could not marry a Japanese woman. Her family would forbid it. He could either be set up within the Korean community in Japan or go to Korea to meet a woman.
He could not live in a house he did not pay for in cash. No Japanese landlord would rent to him
Yet he could not move to Korea, because he did not grow up there. That was not his home. He had a Japanese accent in Korean. It made him stand out.

He was emotionally attached a nation that gave him very little in return. This is an example of immigration done wrong.

This is why the US has a flawed immigration system but a great constitution. It does not matter where your parents come from as long as you where born in the US you can have full citizenship.

Day 9 - My Feelings on Arizona- The first place someone told me to speak English.

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:47:00 -0700

I have family in Arizona. I should say my Aunt was part of the first non-Native Latino wave in the 70’s. She saw how it went from a rural state with its’ sleepy but vibrant cultural community to a state now overrun with part-timers. People not from there, living there only part-time who had nothing but complaints about Arizonan’s.

She could handle the good-old-boy cowboy’s & the indifferent Native American population. She mingled with the Mexican families who had always crossed the border back and forth generation after generation. Heck she even let her boys be proselytized by the L.D.S. missionaries. The people she could not stand where the Snowbirds.

Snowbirds are retired people mostly from colder, less diverse states. They would chafe when we would enter a restaurant speaking Spanish.

As my title states it. It was the first place someone told me to speak English. Which for the record I do, with a slight New York accent. I was shocked by this elderly man who spit out those words as if my sole existence was an insult to his being. I don’t remember much of what happen but some sort of verbal tussle with my mighty aunt ensued. None of us won.

That was 15 years ago.

So when Jan Brewer signed in to Law SB 1070 I was not surprised.

Day 8 - What Latino Stereotype do I hate the most

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:35:35 -0700

Miss Menudo
Miss Cerveza
Miss Universo
Miss Culito

To many misses and not enough ambitions for women. If you are too busy worrying about being 90-60-90 you have no time to realize that you are being underpaid and overworked. If the length of your skirt is more important to you than the length of your resume then you will always come up short.

Day 5- The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge 2012

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:03:00 -0700

Due to a tech snafu I was unable to post this on time. My apologies to all.

For me the question is not Romney v.s. Obama. It is whom do I think will listen to when I call.

Yes I do call. I have become that lady that calls, tweets, & emails my representatives. An important vote is coming up, and I am not sure how my local or state Representative is going to vote, I call. I call to find out and to let them know I what I expect from them. I have become a Middle-Class one woman lobbyist

I plan on calling the White House regardless who wins the Presidential election. So who will pay attention to my call?

Romney has been campaigning for how long? 8 or 10 years? He has made a profession out of running for the candidacy in his party and now the Presidency. If Romney during any of this time had contacted, made alliances or referred to the Latino community I would have more respect for him. Don’t say that having a Mexican father would have made it easier for you when you have distanced yourself from your Mexican family.

I wrote about some of my views here:http://latinainca.tumblr.com/post/18459566526/my-father-was-born-in-mexico-mitt-romney

Obama has had almost 4 years. During that time Janet Napolitano has deported more people than any other administration. Concurrently he also has not done anything to reform the immigration system or used his political clout to move this conversation forward. I have called, and written, and until last night on Univision I had yet to hear hi

Day 4-The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge 2012

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:17:19 -0700

Day 4 - What Latino Blog I recommend

I love Spanglish Baby!: http://spanglishbaby.com/

I have loved this site for several years. I have come back to it time and time again to look for answers to my questions. As my family has grown so has the site. It has been reformatted and restyled but its’ content has always been of high quality.

It is a treasure trove of materials. It has helped me find books and videos to share with my family and friends. One of the things I love and admire is that they define bilingual and multilingual as a norm. No matter what languages you speak at home, you need support to find the best methodologies.

Check it out if you have a bilingual family.

Day 3 -The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge 2012

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:46:47 -0700

Favorite Latin Cuisine

Choosing a favorite Latin cuisine would be like choosing my favorite color. I love the rainbow and all of its’ colors. My fave depends on my mood, accessibility and what I can afford. Here are some of my top faves.

Empanadas- I used to crave these small pastries in all the time. Partly based nostalgia and not being able to find them anywhere. Suddenly they are a West Coast yuppie staple. They are in stores, food trucks, and farmers markets. When an Empanada costs you $5 to $10 a pop it has become a yuppie food. This is problematic for me.

Salsa- I don’t care if it is Chimichurri, Salsa Poblana, or Aji. I love them all.

Platano- Maduro, Patacon, al mojo, Mofongo, it is all good. Yummm!

Yucca- Frita, al vapor, al mojo, pan de bono.

Maiz- Tortillas, Arepas, Pupusa, grits. I love my Latino carbs.

Day 2-The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge 2012

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:49:38 -0700

What Latin American Country/Island have I been to:

Due to a small cold I fell of the wagon. Sorry.

Here is a list of the places I have had the priviledge to visit in Latin America:

Colombia- The nation of my ancestry and were I spent part of my childhood.
U.S.- I can consider the South West of the U.S. to be a part of Latin America. To not add it would be a mistake on my part.
Mexico- The cultural head of my heart. It’s people, culture, food, and geography have always had a special place for me.
Puerto RIco- I spent lot’s of time daydreaming about this mythical island of Salsa songs. I finally went to this small island that is a cultural giant.
Peru- A nation of contrasts some intentional others not.
Bolivia- A proud indigenous nation full of geographic and ethnic differences.

Day 1- The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge 2012

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 22:38:30 -0700

Day 1 – What I love most about being Latino in America.

This is a great but difficult question to begin the 30 day Latino Blog Challenge 2012. I go back to my post What Do I Call myself in English http://latinainca.tumblr.com/post/30911787812/what-do-i-call-myself-in-english

If I were to define American as the Americas then this is what I love most:

I am the cultural bridge between North & South America.

I translate not just linguistically but culturally to the two different cultures. Learning how do this type of cultural work has taken me years, of research and self discovery. It sometimes has not been easy or comfortable, but it is always rewarding to be that much needed bridge

The LatiNegr@s Project: The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge 2012

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 21:07:30 -0700

The LatiNegr@s Project: The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge 2012:

lati-negros:

We are happy to bring back The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge. 30 days, 30 blogs, 1 message to celebrate Latino Heritage Month. We challenge oursleves and any Latino blogger to write everyday for the next 30 days. The rules are simple. The blog must be at least 2 paragraphs on the selected topic,…

My Literary Crush. I love this man. His voice speaks to...

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:13:09 -0700

My Literary Crush. I love this man. His voice speaks to me.

nprmusic:

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Diaz is best known for The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. On this episode of Alt.Latino, he talks about why so many men relate to the title character, Dominican food, Afro-Caribbean diaspora, plus he spins some bachata and urban merengue.

What do I call myself in English?

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 19:36:42 -0700

A colleague recently posted, that she has realized that the word “American” is a loaded term…for the rest of the Americas. What do we call ourselves she asked?

This is a concept I have struggled with since I was 5 years old. True story:

I arrive back to Barranquilla, Colombia after one year apart from my mother in New York City. I am no longer a baby, now having grown in stature and attitude. I speak English with a thick Queens accent and feel mature beyond my age. I brag, I swagger and I show off. Totally New York. For two weeks it is a fashion show and a bonding session with my mother. I then say the following words:

“The best thing about New York, is that I am now an American.” I say it proudly puffing up my chest.

My mother’s response is a smack and the following words “Colombian’s are also American’s!”

Now my mother was not a hitter. I can remember only two other times she smacked me.

It was a moment full of shame on my part. What did I do wrong?

And shame on her part. Did my daughter learn to be anti-Colombian while in New York? Was it a mistake to send her there?

So yes American is a loaded term.

npr: How The Poor, The Middle Class, And The Rich Spend Their...

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 13:39:27 -0700

npr:

How The Poor, The Middle Class, And The Rich Spend Their Money

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Credit: Lam Thuy Vo / NPR

Wrong kind of Brown

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 12:57:00 -0700

In my proposal with Small Brown Girl (http://smallbrowngirl.blogspot.com/) to go to SXSW we ask several questions.

One of them is: Are we the wrong kind of brown when it comes to entrepreneurship?

We asked this question based upon our gut reaction. Never mind all the articles heralding our economic clout. Or the fact that most of our family members have or have had their own businesses. We see that our contributions are often ignored: labor, taxes and innovation.

When it comes to stereotypes we are not hard-working or go getters. Latinos have become the chief thieves (Somos los Mero Meros) of the American Dream. We stole it in the middle of the night while no one was watching.

Now thanks to the work of Professor Jeffrey M. Timberlake an associate professor of sociology at the University of Cincinnati, we can say our gut was right.

To vote for SXSW: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/5851

New Latino Papi

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:17:44 -0700

This weekend I went to a toddler’s birthday party. It had the usual kiddie festivity activities: bubbles, face painting, bouncy balls and a piñata. It also had more fathers than mothers accompanying their children to the party. Specifically more Latino father’s. All in their 30’s and 40’s running after, cleaning-up, taking care of their children. They took turns taking care each others children and more importantly were enjoying their afternoon.

This emphasized to me that culture is not a monolithic unmovable boulder rather it is a constantly changing, malleable expression of social unity.

It also gave me hope that we can make changes in both large and small ways.

Sin Tetas

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 18:37:56 -0700

For those new readers: my family comes from Barranquilla, Colombia. Yes that country, Colombia. Known for mainly providing the U.S.with its’ favorite stimulant, otherwise known as cocaine. For my Latino readers you know that Colombia is also known for our “edgy” telenovelas.

Sin Senos No Hay Paraiso was a well acted, tale of love, loss and the consequences of providing Lindsay Lohan (and her friends) with their favorite party favor. I recommend you watch it to understand the true costs of the War on Drugs.

The story begins with its’ title. My translation: Without Titties You Will Not Get In To Heaven. That heaven being opportunity, access, upward middle class attainment.

In most of Latino-America and increasingly amongst U.S. born Latinas believe that without a set of 32D you will not succeed. This means plastic surgery is the path to both economic, personal and in subtle ways spiritual attainment.

We have internalized and are carrying the economic, personal and spiritual costs of a medical procedure where our health and well-being on the line. All so we can succeed. Denying our intelligence, education and work ethics in the process.

For more about Sin Senos:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_Senos_no_hay_Para%C3%ADso

Miss Culito

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:44:00 -0700

Just in case you have no idea who or what Miss Culito is she is called in polite company Miss Colita: http://tv.univision.com/sabado-gigante/fotos/miss-colita-fotos/

She is now become the ubiquitous bikini babe in all Spanish language television. She is like Barbie all of them have same shape but because she comes several colors, and with various professions she has “broad” appeal. She can be:

A weather girl
A news anchor
A MC

All of them in bikini if possible o un vestidito either one barely covering her assets. Except her only assets is her body, not her talent, intelligence, skill, creativity, audacity, or inventiveness.

Add to it that the men interacting with them on screen have no “choice” but to play el viejo verde and consistently harass them for laughs on screen. Those who don’t are teased as being unmanly at best and branded as gay at worst.

It saddens me to see these women not being recognized as people but rather kept in their cases as if they cannot be anything else but living dolls.

These cultural stereotypes have quickly become entrenched across Latin-American. They leave little room for complexity, nuance or growth for both men and women.