March 12, 1998 and the Latino parade & jamaica is conceived

James and I love things Irish. There may be some Irish on his father's side: I know that there is none in my family. Don't laugh, the San Patricio's are a fascinating part of the the Mexican/U.S. War. Whatever the reason, who can clearly define why certain cultures resonate strongly within each of us. De sangre or de corazon - by blood or by the heart...

When we heard of the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Green Street we made our business to go the parade with Kate and Matthew. It was a small parade; very small in comparison to the Rose or Doo Dah parades. It was very community sized.

It was while I was watching the parade that I thought that there were probably as many folks in Pasadena who were connected with Latino culture as Irish culture. That was it. The seed for the Latino Heritage parade & jamaica were planted.

In 1998 I was Co-director with Sandi Romero of Latino Cultural Academy. I shared the idea with her, and she in turn connected with Council member Bill Crowfoot and Victor Gordo, then his field rep, now Vice Mayor. Working together we began work on a Latino parade.

We will have our 13th parade on October 15th this year; a while in the future.

Tonight I'll refocus on things Irish. Perhaps I'll have a Murphy's and sodabread. Whatever I'll do I know that I'll think of the time James and I spent in Ireland. I'll listen to Uileann pipes, bodhran, and smile.

Welcoming NACCS to Pasadena

The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies will take place in Pasadena from March 30 through April 2nd.

Quoting the NACCS website - "While NACCS has been hosted in the LA area many times over, it has been long time that we've been (in) Southern California and not be in Los Angeles. Pasadena offers us the large city opportunities of restaurants and activities without feeling lost."

Latino Heritage will be hosting a reception for attendees and community members on March 30th from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. It will take place @ El Portal Restaurant. If you've ever gone to one of their Tastings you know the appetizers will be great.

El Portal will be donating a portion of the Tequila Tasting to support the cultural and educational programs of Latino Heritage. If you decide to leave the tasting and purchase dinner and drinks you'll be at one of the finest restaurants in the Playhouse District.

We're excited that members of NACCS and the community of Pasadena will get a chance to meet and greet in a site that is a locally owned business while supporting the work done by Latino Heritage.

Who was Nancy Lopez?

The National Women's History Project was founded in California in 1980. They provide information and training in multicultural women's history "for anyone wanting to expand their understanding of women's contributions to U.S. history".

They are a fine resource for learning about Women's History, especially that part of the history that took place in the United States.

Check out their website for more information. While you're there you might want to Test Your Knowledge of Women's History. Sample questions include:

Who was the first African-American woman poet to have her works published?

What was the first Hispanic woman to serve as U.S. Treasurer?

Who spoke out for the advancement of of American Indians' rights from speakers platforms nationwide and before Congressional committees int eh 1880s?

What woman was invtied to teach nuclear physics at Princeton University, even though no female students were allowed to study there?

Here's the site - for more about the Project and the answers to the questions.

The National Women's History Project -

http://www.nwhp.org/whm/test.php

César E. Chávez Art and Essay Contest

This month young readers in PUSD will learn about the Chávez family and their journey from Arizona store owners to migrant farmworkers in California. They can learn about how he and Dolores Huerta eventually became co-founders of the United Farm Workers and their success as organizers, in the field and at boycotts.

Students in Middle and High School will learn about his work and will be asked to reflect on how Cesar might have responded to the Dream Act. They will be asked to include how the Dream Act ties in to Chavez's goals and legacy.

All of this is being shared via a packet that was put together by the PUSD Language and Development Department. Latino Heritage helped to set guidelines and questions and will be coordinating the judging of the district wide art and essay contest.

Our children will get a chance to learn about a person whose life, in some ways, was not that different from their own. There are challenging that we all face and times when we deal with bias. How others have responded to bias is a lesson worth learning. How we respond can be learned from that lesson.

Guadalupanas at Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission Church

This Friday, March 4th, our exhibit "Latinas at Work and Play: Pasadena Stories" will be ready for viewing. This exhibit will share the changing roles of Latinas in Pasadena in the 1940s through the 1960s.

We'll have photos, textiles, and personal items that will reflect the range of experiences of the three generations pictured here.

Las Guadalupanas, those devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe and pictured here, performed the work necessary for the upkeep of the church and kept sense of order, structure, and tradition in the community.

The prayers, remedios, and even the language spoken by the eldest kept families connected with their heritage. Their daughters were a bridge generation, sometimes with a foot in the country of the parents birth and sometimes solidly in the land of their birth.

A special thanks to Ed and Rita Almanza, generous and marvelous photographers as well as Liz Espinoza for putting together the exhibit. The exhibit will up through March 31st.

Orfeu Negro

March is going to be a very busy month for Latino Heritage. Two events will be taking place this week.

There will be an exhibit that will be opening mid-week at the Pasadena Central Library. "Latinas at Work and Play: Pasadena Stories" will focus on experiences of Latinas during the 40s and 50s. We'll share images once the exhibit is in place.

On Friday we are partnering with the Pasadean Senior Center and their screening of Orfeu Negro, Black Orpheus in English, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 1960. It is a retelling of the tragedy of Orpheus and Euridice set in favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at Carnaval. The weaving of the Greek myth, African roots, and Latino culture produce a film that is haunting. Close captioning will be provided for those of us who are not fluent in Portuguese.

It will be shown at the Pasadena Senior Center Friday, March 4th. Reservations are not neceassary. Candy, popcorn, and bottled water will be on sale for $1 each.

http://www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org/

A Telling of the Story of the Americas After Columbus

Thanks to Council member Jacque Robinson for coming to the screening. Kathie, Gerda, and she had a great time last night at KPCC.
The video was thought provoking and the conversation between Ruben and Adolfo was stimulating. Lots of ideas were shared in the documentary and concepts were explored in their conversation. They are both interested in doing something more with us in the future.

Thanks to Cherry Blossom Festival, NAACP (Altadena, Pasadena), and YWCA Racial Justice Committee for helping to spread the word. The auditorium was standing room only.
Next up: Photo and ephemera exhibit in the Pasadena Central Library. (3/1 - 4/1)