Latino Heritage

Friday, July 5, 2013

Celebrando los 15

15. You say the number and in certain circles the first word that comes up is Quinceañera. Los 15 can be an acknowledgement of a coming of age, of entering society, of taking on more adult responsibilities, or a incredibly elaborate party. Los 15 can be all of these things...and more.

For us at Latino Heritage Los 15 means our 15th annual Parade and jamaica. So this year we will have some ideas that will be connected to 15, as well as ideas will connect with the era we're focused on - 1912-1932. Lots taking place in Pasadena and California in that era.

We plant to highlight 15 families that were in the area during this era. Some families will have last names that may be familiar to most Pasadenans and some will only be known to small circle of folks who grew up in Chihuahuita, Southside, or Wynona Cypress.

The children in this undated picture were at Junipero Serra School - a school built for Mexican students. I wonder if we will meet someone who knows some of the their names or knows why they are dressed as they are? We'll share these, and other pictures on our facebook wall.

https://www.facebook.com/latinoheritagesgv

It will be updated next Wednesday, July 10th.

We will have a long overdue update on our Latino Heritage by the first week of August.

Our first general meeting will be Thursday, July 11th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at La Pintoresca Library/Conference Room.

You are cordially invited to join us.

We have a lot of fun and organize an event that welcomes all to a day where community and history are shared by all attending.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

CCNMA 14th Ruben Salazar Journalism Awards

News matters. Research, questioning, weighing facts and the implications of those facts, meeting and responding to those to be interviewed, and then writing in a way, that is concise, intriguing, and informative. A fine journalist is often part scholar, part psychologist, part editor, and all writer.

The fact that the news media has been, and to certain degree is still, predominantly reported by male, white reporters often results in stories not being told.

The CCNMA: Latino Journalists of California was founded in 1972. Its purpose was to encourage, to provide scholarships and educational programs for Latinos pursuing careers in the news media. It also wanted to foster an accurate and fair portrayal of Latinos in the news media, while promoting the social economic and professional advancement of Latino journalists.

Today, Thursday June, 6, the 14th Ruben Salazar Journalism Awards will take place. Six recipients of the this years scholarships will be announce at the dinner.

There will also be recognition of four veteran journalists. The honorees are Teresa Quevedo, KMEX Univision 34, Los Angeles; Robert Lopez, Los Angeles Times; Norberto Santana, Jr., investigative journalist and co-founder of Voice of OC in Orange County.

The fourth honoree is Luis Torres, a freelance journalist who reported for KNX Newsradio for more than 25 years. He joined the station in 1980, following graduate school at Columbia University where he received a master's degree in journalism. While working at KNX Newsradio he was awarded the prestigious Peabody Award, the duPoint-Columbia Award, the Edward R. Murrow Award and nine Golden Mike Awards.

"CCNMA is proud to honor Luis for his career achievements as a journalist and for giving back to the profession and to the Latino community by helping young Latino students interested in pursuing careers in journalism,", said Julio Morán, CCNMA executive director.

Torres, a Pasadena resident, has also supported local organizations and events by mentoring, editing, writing, and acting as host for events like Adelante Mujer Latina and the Latino Heritage Parade.

He is currently working on a book examining the 1968 East Los Angeles high school walkouts as well as a documentary film chronicling the history of the rock band Los Lobos. Torres was co-producer of their first recording, "Just Another Band from East L.A.".

Latino Heritage salutes those being honored this evening for dedication to work well done. They have made a difference in news media and we are richer for their labors.

For more information on the CCNMA and the event -

http://www.ccnma.org/

(424) 229-9482 or juliomoran@ccnma.org

Friday, May 31, 2013

Seat 4 Vacancy

The language was simple. A quote from the PUSD website reads, "PUSD's at large board districts became geographic sub-districts encompassing Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre".

As a result of the latest elections there are four seats that are defined by geographical boundaries and three seats that are At Large. In 2015, after the next election cycle, all seats will have geographical boundaries. Currently one of the At Large seats is empty. That seat will be appointed by the current board.

There were 37 applicants for the vacated seat. The applicants ran the gamut. I'm betting all had a concern about the district and cared about the students. That is where the similarities stopped.

The number of applicants to be interviewed has been reduced to nine and they'll be interviewed tomorrow.

The Pasadena Latino Coalition (PLC) has sent a letter to the board expressing their concern that there are currently no Latinos on a board that makes decisions for a student body that is 60% Latino. The argument is made that this is a "historic opportunity to... appoint a well qualified Latino applicant, ...who will help strengthen the community's engagement to help contribute to the betterment of Pasadena's education system".

The other day I was asked if it wasn't racist to think that a Latino should be appointed.

Would I feel the same way if there were no whites on the board and 60% of the students were white: that a white person should be appointed? Not sure if they heard me when I shared, "Yes, I probably would feel the same way".

The PLC decided to not pick one applicant over another. That was something to which all members agreed.

Quite frankly I'm hoping that the person who is chosen is a Latina or Latino that has worked with the local community or local schools and for the sake of the group Latino Heritage, that they have been supportive of the work that we have done.

Every year there are 1,000 people that participate in our Parade & jamaica. Even more benefit from the talks, movies, concerts and educational activities that we provide at a variety of sites.

We welcome all who support us and who take part in our activities. How grand for the young people we work with to have someone with whom they can identify and who will serve as a role model for them.

The Washing of the Water

The staged reading of The Washing of the Water will take place on Saturday, June 1, 7 P.M. at the Beckman Institute at Caltech.

The play is by Marcus Renner, directed by Brian Brophy and is based on over 60 interviews of people that live and work in Altadena, La Canada Flintridge, and Northwest Pasadena.

The characters are drawn from the people who neighbor the arroyo "whose stories intersect in a polluted past and search for a fresh start amidst the wilds of the Hahamongna Watershed Park".

I recognized people in the play, maybe you will, too.