California Poet Laureate to visit Pasadena

Juan Felipe Herrera, California Poet Laureate, will be in Pasadena as part of his travels throughout the state.  He has been traveling throughout the state eliciting words, stanzas and poems from the public celebrating poetry and its place in American culture and experience.

The first of his stops will be at La Pintoresca Teen Education Center and Pasadena City College* on March 19th.  He will return on Saturday, April 27th, from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. in a special presentation at Crawford Family Forum.

 

This program is brought to Pasadena by the Latino Arts Network of California, Latino Heritage, 

La Pintoresca Teen Education Center, Pasadena City College and is supported in part by the 

Pasadena Arts and Culture Commission, Cultural Affairs Division and the California Arts Council.

* http://www.pasadena.edu/news/newsitem.cfm?ID=4858

  

   

   

   

PUSD - Si, Se Puede Art and Essay Contest

In 2001 members of Latino Heritage, The Pasadena Latino Employees Association, and the Pasadena Latino Forum joined together to commemorate the life of César Chávez in Pasadena.  The first celebration took place at City Hall.  Henry Alfaro, then a reporter for KABC, was our emcee.  Other groups joined in and by 2006 there was a week long series of event commemorating Chavez and his work.  

In 2006, Sandra Macis, then principal of Madison Elementary School and a member of the Latino Heritage board, established a César E. Chávez Art and Essay Contest.  Over the years PUSD has become a strong partner  and the numbers of entries has increased.

This year we've changed the name and the focus of the Art and Essay Contest.  The Sí, Se Puede Contest now includes material that relates to Dolores Huerta.  They were co-founders UFW and the work was successful because of their different skills and presonalities.  

PUSD has passed resolutions recognizing the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Fred Korematsu, and Cesar E. Chavez.  It seemed a good opportunity to be more inclusive and include a woman to the list of those who have contributed to social justice. 

These are the quotes that we are using this year:

"In this world it is possible to achieve great material wealth, to live an opulent life. But a life built upon those things alone leaves a shallow legacy. In the end, we will be judged by other standards". 

        - César Chávez  

"I would like to be remembered as a woman who cares for fellow humans.  We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things". 

        - Dolores Huerta 

Here are the pertinent dates:
JANUARY 2013 

 1/29       
Essay and Art Contest begins; packets are distributed.

MARCH 2013 

 3/4         
Teachers select top essay and/or art entry for their classroom and turn it in to the LDRT/CRT. 

 3/8         
Schools submit top Essay/Art per classroom to the LADD Office by 4 p.m. 

 3/13       
Judging at the District 

 3/14            
Notice of winners sent to schools. 

 3/18-3/22 
Schools commemorate Sí, Se Puede Awards assembly for school winners. 

Your vote, your voice.

“We are inspired by what is happening here. The revolution here is electoral. It has inspired us to take these lessons to our country and to inspire our people too.”

Dolores Huerta

A life of their own

Often cultural expressions change or are changed by the places and the ways they are celebrated.  Birthdays are like this, weddings are like this, and at this time of year El dia de los muertos is like this.  

15 years ago there were very few places that embraced this tradition.  This year there are at least 3-6 places where El dia de los muertos altars are being presented.

How we remember those we love and admire is not set in stone.  It is sometimes written on stone, but may also be written on calaveras, or expressed by the presence of a taste, a scent, or a photo that made a loved one happy when we walked the earth together.

Latino Herirage Ofrenda at Webster's  Fine Stationers, Altadena, CA

Adolfo Guzman Lopez writes about the ever changing experience of Día de lo muertos in the link below.

http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/commentary/movie-miento/is-it-day-of-the-dead-or-dia-de-los-muertos.html

What a grand day it was!

Don't look for any parade pictures on this post.  You won't find them.

The parade is wonderful and has great meaning, but the jamaica has so much that often isn't covered.  

Yesterday was focused on 1840-1860 as far as historical content was concerned and, yes, this was an even that was focused on Latino experience and history, but some things cross all cultural lines and linguistic divisions.

The pride of elders looking at the future unfolding before their eyes, 

Maria Mitchell and PMAHA President Manny Contreras

a group smile for a job well done,

Carmen Serrano - Madison Elementary, Sandra Guiterrez - Chairperson, Javier Carbajal-Ramos  - PCC

bringing history alive through old time games,

Students and Education Chair, Kathee Bautista

keeping culture alive through performance

Sol y Luna dancers with Gabriela de Leon

 connecting science and history thanks to a water pump wagon

Michael Crosby of Rancho Los Encinos

or learning about more than science from the students of Caltech.

photos - James Grimes

"Planting Dreams" Parade Participants

Thanks to all our volunteers who have worked tirelessly to bring you a great event.  

A special nod of recognition to Parade Logistics Chair, Catherine Haskett Hany.  

She has been handily assisted by Leticia Montañez and Carmen Serrano.  

These ladies rock!

Here is the current list of groups that will be in the 2012 Latino Heritage parade & jamaica.

Blair Army JROTC

Yankuitlitl

Blair Viking Band

Latino Heritage

Queen & Court Fiestas Patrias 2012 - Villa Parke

Ballet Folklorico Quetzal, Madison, Washington, Altadena Learns

Visual Art and Design Academy

Eliot Middle School Band & Spirit Team

San Rafael Elementary School

Puente

Shopping Cart Mini-Floats

Ballet Folklorico Sol y Luna

Charros Unidos de Pasadena-Altadena

Thomas Jefferson Elementary

Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena

SEED Program

Wilson Middle School

Wilson Middle School Drum Corp

Keiki O Ka Aina

Pasadena Mexican American History Assocation

Villa Parke Community Center

McKinley School

Pasadena Latino Forum

John Muir Mighty Mustang Marching Band

CHAP - Community Health Alliance of Pasadena

John Muir Drum Corps

Madison Elementary School

Families Growing Together

El Centro de Acción Social

Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team

Cleveland Elementary School

Pasadena City Drumline and/or Colorguard

Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA

Mother's Club Family Learning Center

Don Benito Elementary School

Lumina Academy

Washington Accelerated Elementary

Pasadena High School Bulldog Marching Band

Ready for us

This is our 14th year.  The third year that we will have 1, 000 entries in the parade.  The first year that we will have reps from each of the Pasadena Unified School District high schools.

Okay, the image isn't clear.  It's very pixilated.  

But there is NO missing the joy that these Senoras are expressing as they see their community members dancing, marching, and walking down Washington Blvd.!

Please come join us this Saturday.  And tell your friends.  There might be room on the bench for you!