My reflections on Hispanic Heritage Month

As I begin my final post for Hispanic Heritage Month, I reflect what it means to me. I grew up in Southern California in a highly Hispanic and Latino area. My best friend from junior high and high school is Hispanic/Latino. Her parents graciously opened their home to me so I could graduate high school with my friends. Her mother taught me how to make taquitos and fried burritos. To make chile and refried beans. It is no surprise to me that I would fall in love and marry a Hispanic man. I’m often wondering, especially with the high tensions in society right now, how does the Hispanic community view me?

I married my husband 8 years ago. At our wedding, one of my husband’s cousins came up to us as we said our goodbyes and told him: “Hurt her and you will not only have to answer to her family but yours as well.” It’s a statement that has stayed with me ever since. I felt truly welcomed into the family. Even while we were dating, I felt overwhelmingly accepted by his family. It may have been because he finally found someone. Sometimes though I feel like an outsider looking in. I often wonder if my efforts to learn their culture, their family history, to participate and understand their culture, I’m seen as trying too hard, an outsider trying to atone for sins of the past. In my head, I know this is not true because my family has only been in California since the 1940s and grew up knowing that my family truly never treated anyone differently because of the color of their skin. However, is my family lumped together with the Anglo-Americans who oppressed Hispanics and other minorities? I don’t know. I’ve never asked.

I do know that my husband has been given disapproving looks and even comments because he married a white woman. He’ll have comments made to him about my cooking Mexican food along the lines of “Not bad for a white woman.” As if my skin color would affect my cooking ability or my ability to follow a recipe. I do know that we still gets looks when we are out in public especially when we are with our daughter. The looks are especially harsh from Hispanics from an older generation who probably believe we should all stay with our own kind. I would love to learn to speak Spanish fluently; however I am self-conscious about my accent and horrible pronunciation. It keeps me from trying. My fear of ridicule from native speaks if I were to make a mistake. I do feel I’ve proven myself worthy of the family as I love and adore my husband. It is obvious that we care very deeply about each other. And I have taken good care of him. Stood by him in good times and especially in the bad.

I feel we need to understand the truth in history. Acknowledge and embrace the Hispanic and Latino influence in our state, our country and our lives. As well as other cultures that have helped make America who we are. To ignore their contributions would be to ignore everything about our great country. We eat the food but criticize the people who brought it here. Hispanics and Latinos have touched every aspect of our lives and may not be aware of it. They are award winning authors who open our eyes to a different point of view. They are musicians who touch our hearts with their music. We may not understand the language but it can speak to you in so many other ways. They are the actors and actress who make us laugh, make us cry, and makes us cheer for those have overcome. And in many, many areas of life that we may never know their names. How do we move forward? We acknowledge and learn from the ugly truth in our history, we work on the present and focus on the future. We cannot fix the past but we can shape the future.

In conclusion, I will continue to embrace my husband’s heritage as it is a part of my daughter’s heritage too. The common sentiment I have read in Latino literature is the sense that they are straddling two culture and not truly belonging to either one. I want my daughter to know and be proud of both sides of her heritage. I want her to know her ancestry and where her family has come from and been through to get to America. I remember in school, America was called a melting pot of different cultures. I see now that statement is not true. Throughout history, those in power have taken bits and pieces of other cultures as a way to prove we are a blend. I see now that we are more of a mixed salad. Multiple cultures together in the same bowl. Cultures blending together where possible but still distinct. 

Important Latino musicians who used the universal language of music to impact the world

Music is a language we all speak. It doesn’t matter what language the lyrics are in, the melodies and harmonies speak to each of us in a universal language. Music is also a big part of any culture and the Hispanic culture is no different. In fact, I’d say music is extremely important. Have you ever been to a Latino home for a party when the radio wasn’t playing? I haven’t. In fact, most Hispanics and Latinos won’t considered it a party until there is music they can dance to. So when I asked my Facebook friends for their advice about who in music has been influential in Hispanic and Latin communities, the response was strong. It was hard to pick just three but I feel I have chosen three performers whose music has a lasting impression on his audience.

First, Vicente Fernández was born February 17, 1940 in Huentitán el Alto, Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico. He is called El Rey de la Musica Ranchera (The King of Ranchera Music). Ranchera music is a genre of traditional Mexican music which dates back prior to the Mexican Revolution and become closely associated with the mariachi groups which evolved from Jalisco, Mexico. Fernández spent his early years on his father’s ranch. At 8, he began playing the guitar and singing ranchera music. He begab to sing in contests at local festivals and won many times. By 1960, he devoted himself full time to music. His big break came in the spring of 1966 when Javier Solis, the El Rey del Bolero Ranchero died and Discos CBS offered Fernández a recording contract. He would have a long and successful career until he retired from live performing on April 16, 2016. Even though he retired from performing, he continues to record and publish music. While he was usually accompanied live by a mariachi group, he is not considered a mariachi musician because he does not play an instrument live. His greatest hit was Volver, Volver (1972). It is a song about going back to a love her left behind. Fernández sings the song with such emotion you can hear the tears in the narrator’s voice. I listened to this song twice. Once without the English translation and once with the translation, the emotion is so raw in the song, you can’t help getting choked up. I read several comments online which describe family functions and a drunk dad or uncle will eventually play this song and sing along. One commenter said “We all have that one dad or tio that plays this and cries.” While another commenter said “Is this like the universal sad song for Hispanic families? Every single woman in my family cries when this plays.” Volver, Volver reminds me of many country and rock songs where a man realizes he was wrong to leave and is coming home…if she’ll let him. Vicente Fernández is currently 77 years old. When he does pass away, I know the response from his fans and the music world will be resounding.

Second, Juan Gabriel was born Alberto Aguilera Valadez on January 7, 1950. He was a beloved Mexican singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Juanga and El Divo de Juárez, he was known for his flamboyant style, breaking barriers within Mexican music. He is considered one of the best and most prolific Mexican composers and singers of all time. A true pop icon. At 13, he composed his first. In the 1960s, he would perform at various bars around Juárez, Mexico. While trying to achieve a recording contract, he was wrongfully accused of robbery. He spent a year and a hald in prison until he was released due to the lack of evidence. He chose his stage name Juan Gabriel in honor of Juan Contreras, his mentor, and his father, Gabriel. He released his first studio album in 1971 with his first of many hits, No Tengo Dinero. He had successful hit after another. He became a world renowned singer performing in a wide variety of styles from mariachi to pop to disco. His lyrics often spoke of heartbreak and romantic relationships. Although he never married, he had 6 children. Four of them with Laura Salas whom he describes as “the best friend I ever had.” When his sudden death of a heart attack was announced on August 28, 2016, the shock rippled through his fans. Even though I wasn’t familiar with his work, I remember the impact the news of his death had. One of his most well-known songs is Querida, a song about a lost love and begging her to come back. The song sounds like a very 80s pop love song but it is one that still sounds good and resonates decades later. Another song is Amor Eterno, a song he wrote for his mother after her death. It was first recorded and made famous by Spanish singer Rocio Durcal. It has become a standard song at funerals for those who refuse to say goodbye. He would call the song a prayer of love and a mediation on love. It is a song about the grief and life after a loved one has passed. Both songs and many others are a testament to the versatility of this man’s amazing talent.

Third, Carlos Santana was born July 20, 1947 in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico. He learned to play the violin at the age of 5 and the guitar at the age of 8 under the tutelage of his father, a mariachi musician. The family moved around for years before eventually settling in the Mission District of San Francisco, California. He graduated in 1965 from Mission High School and was accepted at both California State University, Northridge and Humboldt State but chose not to attend college. He was influenced by artist of the 1950s, Ritchie Valens, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker with musical influences of jazz, folk, and rock and roll. He became known for Latin infused rock, jazz, blues, salsa and African rhythms. He began his career with the Santana Blues Band, which was later shortened to Santana, and quickly gained popularity in the club circuit of San Francisco. A memorable performance at Woodstock in 1969 would lead to a recording contract with Columbia Records. He is most known for covers of Oye Como Va (written and original recorded by Tito Puente in 1963) and Black Magic Woman (written by Pete Green and originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac in 1968). Santana would see records sales sag in the 1980s as the tastes in music were changing. He would see a resurgence in popularity in 1999 with the release of his corroboration album, Supernatural. This album is how I was truly introduced to Santana with the song Smooth with Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. Seventeen years away from the charts, Supernatural would help him achieve hits and numerous Grammy awards. In 2002, he’d released another corroboration album, Shaman, which didn’t have the same success as Supernatural. However it would produce 2 radio friendly hits including The Game of Love with Michelle Branch. He continues to create music and release albums experimenting with sounds and styles. Santana has been cited as an influence by Prince and Kirk Hammett of Metallica. I think he will continue to influence many future guitar musicians as he experiments and expands his style.

In conclusion, Santana once said “There’s a melody in everything. And once you find the melody, then you can connect immediately with the heart.” The music of these men are perfect examples of melodies which connect with the heart. It doesn’t matter what language it is in, the melody drives the emotion that words will often fail to convey. There are so many more examples of amazing music which transcends language and culture. Listening to the story told in these songs reminds me that no matter what culture we are form, we all experience love, hurt, grief and joy. You may not understand the words but you can hear the emotions in these songs and the musical notes pull at your heart in a language we all can understand. 

Latinos in movies and TV: laughter, thought provoking and beauty

Today’s post will focus on a famous Latinos in movies and TV. It was very hard to pick just three because there are so many great actors and actresses who deserve to be celebrate as the talents they are. To me, they are amazing people, talented actors who just happened to be Latino. Actors who made us laugh, who made us think and mesmerized us with their beauty. Actors who helped paved the way for future generations of actors. Individuals who came from nothing to rise above and become beloved and revered actors. Two of the names you will recognize as they are household names but one you may not know. My hope is that you learn something that you didn’t know about these individuals and see them beyond their profession, beyond their characters and see the person behind the famous name.

First, Desi Arnaz otherwise known as Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy (1951-1957). Born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III on March 2, 1917 in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. I featured Arnaz in a post year and learned a great deal about the man. While I tried to find someone else to profile, I could deny his influence on TV, so I wanted to feature him again. Leaving Cuba as a young man, he came to America with nothing. And he learned to deeply love his adopted country. He was deeply patriotic and devoted to the United States. He wrote in his memoirs that he knew of no other country in the world where “a sixteen year old, broke and unable to speak the language” could achieve the success that he had. It is amazing to me that somewhere in the world, at any point in the day, I Love Lucy is still on the air and being enjoyed by millions of fans who weren’t even alive when the show first aired. Arnaz had a successful career after I Love Lucy. Toward the end of his life, he owned a horse breeding farm and raced thoroughbreds. He contributed to various charities and nonprofit organizations including San Diego State University. He also taught classes in studio production and acting for television at San Diego State. He died December 2, 1986 at the age of 69 from lung cancer.

Second, Edward James Olmos is an accomplished actor of both TV and movies. Born February 24, 1947 in Los Angeles, acting wasn’t his first choice. He really wanted to be a baseball player. At 13, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system playing as a catcher. He left at 15 to join a rock and roll band. He would later pursue acting as he took classes at the East Los Angeles College. He starred in Miami Vice (1984-1989) as Lt. Martin Castillo and Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) as Admiral William Adama. He is most famous for his movie roles. In Stand and Deliver (1988) as Jaime Escalante, the teacher who taught math to Latino students that everyone else had written off. In American Me (1992) as gang leader Montoya Santana and in Blade Runner (1982) as Detective Gaff, a role he will be reprising in the upcoming sequel Blade Runner 2049 (releasing October 6. 2017). He is also well known for his activism where he devotes most of his time to causes particularly involving children especially at risk kids. His main message is that we all have a choice about where life takes us. He also stresses the importance of education, the risks of gang life and tries to promote taking responsibility for one’s actions and happiness in life. He once was quoted, saying “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Third, Dolores del Rio had a successful career in TV, movies and the stage. Born August 3, 1904 as Maria de los Dolores Asúnsolo Lopez-Negrete, del Rio is considered to be the first Mexican actress to crossover to Hollywood and have a successful career in the 1920s and 1930s. She was a silent film star who was among the few who could continue in talkies. She is considered one of the more important female figures of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema of the 1940s and 1950s. She was, at first, billed to be the female Rudolph Valentino, the female Latin lover. However, her beauty and elegance shined brighter than that image. She embraced her Mexican heritage and enjoyed playing roles which allowed her to showcase it. Her film debut was in the film, Joanna (1925) and her first talkie film was The Bad One (1930) in which she could speak and sing in English “with a charming accent.” Del Rio was one of the prototypes of female beauty in the 1930s. She was never played the stereotypical Latin bombshell. Her image included words like “sophisticated, aristocratic, elegant, glamourous lady” by her contemporaries such as Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford.  Dolores del Rio died on April 11, 1983 at the age of 78. She is still celebrated as royalty in Hollywood as well as in Mexican cinema. She had appeared in over 50 films, none of which, I am sad to say, I have heard of or seen. I hope I can get the chance to see one of her films.

In conclusion, Desi Arnaz is one of my favorite actors. His character of Ricky Ricardo is a part of lexicon that when my husband speaks in rapid Spanish, I always tease him and call him “Ricky.” Although he is always remembered as Ricky Ricardo and the man who was married to Lucille Ball, he was also a man who did great work in and out of Hollywood. Edward James Olmos is an actor that has been an icon for many years and will continue to be held in high esteem. Dolores del Rio was an actress who broke the image of a Latin bombshell with her grace and beauty. While she has faded into obscurity for most of us, she still is remembered as the talented actress of American and Mexican cinema. Three amazing actors who opened our eyes to amazing characters and stories through the magic of movies and TV. 

Latinos in Literature: life, heroism and beauty

Today I will discuss three famous Latinos in literature. As an avid bookworm for most of my life, I have read a variety of books across genres, languages and cultures. When I decide to discuss a few important Latinos in literature, I didn’t realize what a task it would be. While there are so many great writers to choose from, it was hard for me to pick just three. However, I hope discuss the wide range of talent and cultural impact in these writers’ works. All three have been influenced by the world around them as well as influenced those who followed. All three are from different ancestral backgrounds but through their writing they attempt to bring the world closer together with stories of growing up, stories of heroism and beautiful poetry of love.

First, Sandra Cisneros was born December 20, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois. The only daughter in a family with six sons, she often left pushed aside and isolated. Ms. Cisneros is best known for her debut novel The House on Mango Street (1984) which is taught in classrooms across America. It is a coming of age story of Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago with Chicanos and Puerto Ricans. The major themes include the quest to lead a better life and the promise to help those who remain behind. The biculturalism and bilingualism is very important in Ms. Cisneros’ writing. She will use Spanish in place of English when the flow of the passage is improved by the beauty of the language. For example, instead of saying “my girl,” she will use “mihija” which is a Spanish endearment literally meaning my girl. However, there is a poetry with the use of mihija. I didn’t read The House on Mango Street in the context of a classroom but after the recommendation of a friend. The themes are common of any coming of age story: the beloved childhood adventures, the heartbreak as one realizes that life is dirty, unfair and requires hard work from you. In many ways, the book reminds me of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1943) as the main character grows from a child’s point of view of the world into the jaded adult view of someone who grows up too soon.

Second, Julia Alvarez is a Dominican-American poet, novelist and essayist. Born March 27, 1950 in New York, she spent the first ten years of her life in Dominican Republic until her father’s involvement in a political rebellion forced the family to flee. One of my favorite of Ms. Alvarez’s books is In the Time of Butterflies (1994), a historical novel about the Mirabal sisters: Minerva, Dede, Maria Teresa and Patria during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. The sisters were active in the underground revolution against Trujillo. Three of the sisters were murdered on November 25, 1960 while on Puerto Plata Road. Their code name, Las Mariposas “The Butterflies” and their story has remained with me years after reading the book. Ms. Alvarez once said “A novel is not, after all, a historical novel, but a way to travel through the human heart.” In her books, the reader is able to see, feel and experience another side of life through the eyes of her characters. There is a beauty and brutal honesty in her writing. The scenes in which the sisters suffered in prison and later the scene of their death are hard to read; however, gives the reality of what the sisters and their fellow revolutionaries suffered to fight Trujillo. These are the scenes which I remember the most. As with most courageous stories, the Mirabal sisters have not been lost to time thanks, in part, to Ms. Alvarez’s book. When a writer has such an important impact to help keep such stories alive is noteworthy.

Third, Pablo Neruda is the pen name, and later legal name, of Chilean poet-diplomat and politician Ricardo Eliecer Neftail Reyes Basoalto. Born July 12, 1904, he has been called the greatest poet of the 20^th century in any language. He began composing poems at the age of 10 and was published by 13. It has been thought that he published under a pseudonym to avoid his father’s disapproval of his poems and interests in writing and literature. Neruda would serve in various diplomatic posts including Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and Mexico City. He was an ardent communist for most of his life and an admirer of Stalin and Lenin. He died September 23, 1973 at the age of 69. However, it is his poetry which has gain him notoriety. Pablo Neruda has influenced many in music and movies. Jackson Browne featured a Neruda poem on the back of his album, The Pretender (1976). One of his famous poems, LA Muerta (The Dead Woman) was featured in the film, Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990) starring Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson. The poem is about grief and living after a loved one has passed. My favorite quote from this poem is “I shall walk with frost and fire and death and snow, my feet will want to walk to where you are sleeping, but I shall stay alive, because above all things, you wanted me indomitable.” An image of a constant grief and missing the person once they’re gone; but a moving forward because the beloved wouldn’t want him to be defeated by her death.

In conclusion, these are just three examples of amazing writers who are a great asset to their culture as well to the world of literature. They are just writers for the Latino community but for the world as a whole. Their writings speak to the universal truths of life that we all must face and the lessons we all must learn. I highly recommend reading the books and poetry I have discussed here as well as branching out to other writers. I think we can learn about a culture, a people and ourselves within those pages. Within the adventures of a book, we can discover that we aren’t that different after all. 

Hispanic Heritage Month: the often unsung heroes who fought for what is right

Today starts Hispanic Heritage Month which will continue until October 15^th. This month is designed to recognize the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the group’s heritage and culture as well as their contributions to the United States. September 15^th was chosen as the start of Hispanic Heritage Month as it is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. All occurring in 1821. Other Latin American countries celebrate their independence days in September as well: Mexico (September 16), Chile (September 18) and Belize (September 21). In the coming posts, I will focus on famous Hispanics and Latinos in the areas of literature, movies and TV and music. For this post, I want to feature people who may not have heard about; but their story has had an impact on our country.

First, Sylvia Mendez is a little girl who became the face of segregation long before Brown v Board of Education (1954). Mendez v Westminster (1946) successfully ended a de jure (law) segregation and paved the way for integration and the American Civil Rights Movement. Sylvia was born in 1936 in Santa Ana, California to Gonzalo Mendez, a Mexican immigrant,  and his wife, Felicitas, a native of Juncos, Puerto Rico. When the family moved to Westminster, California, there were two schools: Hoover Elementary, a two room wooden shack in the middle of the city’s Mexican neighborhood, and 17^th Street Elementary, designated as whites only. Realizing that 17^th Street Elementary provided better educational benefits, Gonzalo along with his sister Sally Vidaurri, attempted to enroll their children there. Vidaurri’s children were permitted to enroll because they were light skinned; however the Mendez children were not due to their dark skin and Hispanic last name. The families immediately went into action and filed suit with the city. The school board tried to claim a “language barrier” but it was quickly proven false when the children testified showing proficiently in English. The case made its way to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals where the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. Governor Earl Warren moved to desegregate all public schools in California. Thurgood Marshall used the Mendez case in his arguments in the Brown v Board of Education. When Brown appeared before the Supreme Court, Earl Warren was now Chief Justice and deeply influenced by the Mendez case, helping desegregate the nation. Sylvia Mendez would become a nurse and after 30 years, retired from the field. She has received many honors and recognition, the most recent being the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.

Second, Ralph Lazo is the only known non-spouse, non-Japanese American who voluntarily relocated to a World War II internment camp. Born November 3, 1924 in Los Angeles, Lazo was of Mexican and Irish descent. At 17, he learned his Japanese American friends and neighbors were being forcibly removed and incarcerated at Manzanar. He was so outraged that he joined them on the train to the camp in May 1942. The officials at the camp never questioned his ancestry. He remained at Manzanar High School, where he was elected class president, until August 1944 when he joined the army. He served as a Staff Sergeant in the South Pacific and would receive a Bronze Star for heroism in combat. After the war, Lazo would graduate from UCLA and earn a master’s degree from California State University, Northridge. He would spend his career teaching, mentoring disabled students and encouraging Hispanics to attend college and vote. He was also instrumental in a class action lawsuit in which Japanese Americans were seeking reparations which resulted in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. The act offered an apology to interned Japanese Americans on behalf of the U.S. government and stated that the internment was based on “race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” He died on January 1, 1992 from liver cancer. He was 67.

Third, Rodolfo Gonzales whose poem Yo Soy Joaquin (I am Joaquin) helped solidify the Chicano movement. Born June 18, 1928 the youngest of eight children, Gonzalez grew up in Denver, Colorado’s tough Eastside Barrio where the Great Depression took a heavier toll on Mexican Americans. He would graduate from Manual High School at 16. He was known for his fiery disposition that he was given the nickname “Corky” because he was “always popping off like a cork.” He is best known for his poem and his activism. The poem, Yo Soy Joaquin, is viewed as the cosmological vision of the Chicano people. Neither Indian nor European. Neither Mexican nor American but a combination of these identifies. Where an individual can be all four without conflict or ridicule. Scholars have credit Gonzalez with authoring the historical and political definition of what it is to be Chicano. After a violent incident in Denver, Gonzalez retreated to a private life in 1973 with family and Denver’s Chicano community. He was still active in the movement; however, he maintained a lower profile. In 2005, he was diagnosed with renal and coronary distress with acute liver disease. He refused treatment, preferring to live out his last days with his family. He died April 12, 2005 at the age of 76. If you have the chance to read his poem, Yo Soy Joaquin is a powerful trip through the historical inheritance of the Chicano people as well as the current struggles. The opening stanza sets the tone of this powerful poem:

“I am Joaquin,

Lost in a world of confusion,

Caught up in a whirl of a gringo society,

Confused by the rules, Scorned by attitudes,

Suppressed by a manipulations, And destroyed by modern society

My fathers have lost the economic battle and won the struggle of cultural survival.

And now! I must choose between the paradox of

Victory of the spirit, despite the physical hunger”

In conclusion, everyone knows the most famous individuals who have helped the Hispanic and Latino people. However, there are so many other individuals, unsung heroes who have stood up against the oppression of their own people and for the oppression of others. I thoroughly enjoyed write about these three individuals. Although only eight at the time, the experience of trying to enroll in school had a deep impact on Sylvia Mendez that she continues to advocate education for Hispanics. Ralph Lazo was a wrong and stood with his friends and suffered with them as they were interned due to hysteria and fear. Rodolfo Gonzalez become the voice of a movement. While I had to brief in terms of this post, their stories have had a great impact on me. I look forward to researching and writing my future posts as I look into the impact that Hispanics and Latinos have had on literature, movies and TV and music. I hope you will come back to read more about these amazing individuals.

P.S. For those who may be confused by the differing terms. Hispanic refers to people who are from Spain, Spanish heritage or Spanish speaking. Latino refers to people are native of Latin American countries or have a family past in those countries. Chicano is the chosen identity of those who are Mexican origin or descent. Since I married my husband, I have learned that many individuals do not like the terms Hispanic or Latino and prefer Chicano. I will be using all three terms as it pertains a particular post or individual