News (Noticias) Tagged ‘library’

Spanish Harlem’s Own

Zon del Barrio

opens for Puerto Rico’s

Friday, June 20, 2008
5 - 11 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
Downtown  Genoa Park
Food- Marketplace – Dance
For ticket information: 614.645.3800

Tickets are also available at all Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 431-3600 or (614) 469-0939. Additional service fees apply to tickets purchased through Ticketmaster or by phone.

Guests are encouraged to bring blankets for lawn seating. Coolers, chairs, tents, pets, and umbrellas are not permitted.
* Friday admission is FREE for children 10 and under

If rain location is necessary, the concert will be moved to the
Palace Theater (34 W. Broad Street). Palace Theater will also be general admission seating.

New York, NY –June 18, 2008 – Hispanic Magazine calls “Spanish Harlem’s Zon del Barrio, an outfit steeped in nostalgia while exploding into the future.”  Featuring Fania All Star legend, Yomo Toro and Cortijo alum, singer/songwriter Sammy Ayala, ZDB brings it’s foot-stomping Latin dance drive from the streets of Spanish Harlem to Global Stages. Zon del Barrio’s debut CD, Cortijo’s Tribe / La Tribu de Cortijo, has been rated among the top ten of 2007 by Radio France, Venezuela’s El Magazine de la Salsa, Cali, Colombia and South Florida’s radio stations.

A high octane dance band, Zon del Barrio is an innovative and dynamic New York Latin music band that brings the dance music from the streets of Latin New York to the stage.  From the plena (popular during the turn of the last century) to the saucy strains of salsa amid the back beat of reggaeton laced with jazz, Zon del Barrio brings the beat of the streets to the hearts of dancers everywhere.

An intergenerational band whose members range from 16 to 75, Zon del Barrio was founded and is led by Latin music historian, writer, composer and musician Aurora Flores with musical director David Fernandez. Zon del Barrio’s Cortijo’s Tribe: La Tribu de Cortijo features two masters of Afro-Puerto Rican music, Yomo Toro, the King of the cuatro (the national 10-stringed guitar of the island) and an original member of Cortijo y Su Combo: Sammy Ayala.

Zon del Barrio is a play on words for the musical genre of “son” found in all the “barrio zon”es of Latino communities world wide. Bringing dance style classic Afro-Antillian music from the barrios, Zon del Barrio bring its energizing, foot stomping, funk based classic salsa (Afro-Cuban), plena, bomba & boogalu to their “live” performances.

“Representin’ on 5″ Aurora & Zon del Barrio were the houseband for the National Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday, June 8th where the band’s music was showcased to millions of New Yorkers and over the television and airwaves.

YouTube - Cortijo’s Tribe, Zon del Barrio, Sammy Ayala en Carnaval
Zon del Barrio pays tribute to Cortijo & Maelo in this concert featuring Sammy Ayala In this finale, Zon del Barrio .

MySpaceTV Videos: Carnaval w/Zon del Barrio: Severa by Zon del Barrio
Carnaval w/Zon del Barrio: Severa by Zon del Barrio Watch it on MySpace Videos.

Upcoming Performances:

Sunday, June 29th: Zon del Barrio will be taking the mainstage of the Boston Puerto Rican Day Parade in Franklin Park, Massachusettes where they will be joined by Sammy Ayala, Yomo Toro and 20 dancers from Danza Fiesta’s theatrical dance troupe.

Visit our websites at: www.zondelbarrio.com
Where History Becomes Music &
oldskool gets a new beat

www.youtube.com/aurorazdb

No classroom building or dormitory at UCLA is named after Reginaldo Francisco del Valle. Nor does any plaza, fountain, auditorium or library wing bear the name of the state legislator and Los Angeles civic activist who died in 1938 at age 84.

The name does not register with most UCLA professors, and the school’s official history mentions Del Valle just once, only in passing.

Such an omission is historically and morally wrong, contends UCLA medical school professor David Hayes-Bautista. For the past several years, Hayes-Bautista has been crusading to gain recognition for what he describes as Del Valle’s crucial role in founding the state teachers college that later became the University of California’s first campus in Los Angeles.”*

LegalMatch has begun translating a few of the 4,000 pages on its legal matching website into Spanish with the goal of targeting Spanish speaking Latinos searching for legal advice, especially for immigration issues. So far the company has translated its homepage, intake processes for each category of law and some pages of its law library. Plans are in place to translate the remaining pages in the coming months.

“Finding the right lawyer in the United States is difficult enough if you speak English and know something about the law,” said Anna Ostrovsky, general counsel and co-founder of LegalMatch. “If you are not familiar with the United States legal system, and don’t speak English, it’s even harder. We created LegalMatch to empower consumers seeking the right attorney for their legal needs. Making LegalMatch available in Spanish was a logical next move for us.””*

Azteca Networks, the provider of the fastest growing Hispanic broadcaster Azteca América and DIRECTV, Inc., provider of the nation’s leading satellite television service, announced today the launch of Azteca México, a brand new 24-hour satellite-only channel to be aired through DIRECTV Más in the United States. Azteca México will offer exclusive programming from TV Azteca’s three Mexican networks: Channel 7, 13 and Proyecto 40 and will differ from programming viewers receive on broadcast network Azteca América. Azteca México will air on Channel 442 nationwide and be identified in programming guides as AZM 442, starting Wednesday, June 11, 2008.

Azteca México will offer viewers programs in the U.S. many of which will be shown at the same time as they air in Mexico on TV Azteca. These shows include hit Mexican novelas Todo por Amor and Vivir Por Ti, news from TV Azteca’s own Hechos and the hottest reality and entertainment shows like Poker de Reinas, a racy, fun morning show featuring four beautiful Mexican hostesses and Venga la Alegria, TV Azteca’s leading morning show.

“Azteca México will complement our successful broadcast network and together, the two channels will form Azteca Networks, the most sought-after Mexican programming package in the United States,” assured Azteca Networks CEO, Adrian Steckel. “Azteca México is aimed at a specific segment of the market – the viewer who craves that daily Mexican connection, with newscasts, novelas and entertainment programs offered the same day they air in Mexico.”

“Now for the first time ever, friends and family in Mexico and the U.S. can watch top-rated Mexican programming at the same time. No other Spanish-language content provider can offer this experience,” said John de Armas, vice president, WORLDDIRECT, DIRECTV, Inc. “The addition of Azteca México to DIRECTV’s robust Spanish and English programming packages gives the U.S. Latino community an exclusive television experience in the comfort of their own home.”

To celebrate the new network’s launch, Azteca América and DIRECTV, Inc. will co-host a star-studded, private VIP reception on Thursday, June 12, 2008 in Hollywood, CA. Stars will arrive on the red carpet and enjoy an evening of cocktails and entertainment. Celebrities scheduled to attend include: Pati Chapoy (Ventaneando América), Renán Almendárez Coello “El Cucuy” (Azte Pa’ Cá), Javier Alatorre (Hechos), Yahir (La Academia), Claudia Álvarez (Bellezas Indomables), Diego Olivera (Vivir Por Ti), Omar Fierro (Vivir Por Ti), Fernando del Solar (Venga la Alegría), Mónica Castañeda (Famosos en Jaque), Eduardo Xol (ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition), Emiliano Diez (formerly with The George Lopez Show). There will be red carpet fashion commentary by Patti López (93.9 FM) and more! For press credentials please see contacts below.

The distribution agreement is a major win for Azteca Networks, following the March 2008 agreement to nationally distribute Azteca América’s Pacific feed on DIRECTV Channel 441. Azteca México programming will be available nationwide and accessible to DIRECTV Más customers at no additional charge.

Top programs:

Hechos: Three times a day, Azteca México will air Mexico’s news leaders: Hechos AM, Hechos Meridiano and Hechos de Noche. Hechos de Noche is anchored by veteran journalist Javier Alatorre. For over twenty years, Alatorre and TV Azteca’s stellar reporting team have been recognized as the premiere source for news delivered to the Mexican public. (TVA 13)

Venga la Alegría: Hosted by Fernando del Solar, Ingrid Coronado, Raúl Osorio and Sergio Sepúlveda, Venga la Alegría is the morning magazine show that makes you feel at home. Full of recipes, gossip and surprises, this program is a fun, energetic way to start the day! (Live from TVA 13)

Todo por Amor: A TV Azteca classic novela. After 26 years of marriage, Carmen (Angélica Aragón) finds that her husband, Enrique (Fernando Luján), is unfaithful. Carmen’s marriage falls apart, but her fight to survive gives birth to new hope. Co-starring: Plutarco Haza, Cecilia Suárez and Ana de la Reguera. (TVA 13)

Vivir Por Ti: Beautiful, middle-aged housewife, Natalia (Elizabeth Cervantes), rediscovers herself after leaving her unfaithful husband, Juan Carlos (Diego Olivera). In the arms of Roberto (Omar Fierro) and later with Emiliano (José Angel Llamas), Natalia finds new love, but then her husband wants her back. Vivir Por Ti takes viewers on a rollercoaster of emotions as they question why destiny always plays with those who are perpetually searching for love. (TVA 13)

Poker de Reinas: Hosted by Rossana Nájera, Luz Blanchet, Anette Michel and Andrea Escalona, “Queen’s Poker” is not a card game, but a morning show that provides an entertaining safe-haven for women to “let it all hang out!” The beautiful hosts share their innermost secrets, advice, personal stories and even tips on the best weekend getaways. A hit in Mexico, Poker de Reinas is sure to attract women—and men—from coast-to-coast in the U.S. (Live from TVA 13)

Informativo 40 (Edicion Tarde): With a fresh, casual and professional approach, Óscar Mario Beteta and Paulina Sodi bring viewers up-to-date on the latest political and economic events in this Afternoon Edition. (Proyecto 40)

Info 7 Tarde: This innovative newscast is prepared exclusively for a dynamic audience. Here, entertainment and technology combine to deliver news at a fast pace. With high ratings on Mexican TV, Info 7 Tarde offers news from different angles making the program a favorite. (TVA 7)

Buenas Noches con Edith Serrano: Immediately following Hechos with Javier Alatorre, Azteca México offers a 15-minute informative brief of the day’s most upbeat stories. The idea is to end the day on a positive note, hosted by the talented, beautiful Edith Serrano. (TVA 13)

Los Protagonistas: Monday through Friday, enjoy the best daily sports recap on Spanish-language TV on Los Protagonistas. With the most outrageous commentaries and in-depth analysis, no other show brings viewers more sports news! (TVA 13)

A Quien Corresponda: Mexico is a country of constant change, growth and development; nevertheless, it is also a country of social imbalances and marginality. After 17 years on the air, A Quien Corresponda has become one of the most respected shows in Mexico and offers an outlet for the average person to be heard and understood while seeking answers to the countries’ pressing issues. (TVA 7)

Por Fin el Fin: Hosted by Betty Monroe, Franc Meric, Jessie Cervantes, Alejandro Suárez, Omar Fierro and Cristopher Nigel, Por Fin el Fin is a morning weekend magazine show that brings viewers the best entertainment without ever having to leave the house. (TVA 13)

Animal Nocturno: Animal Nocturno is an entertainment and political magazine show hosted by journalist Ricardo Rocha and actress Patrician Llaca and brought to the U.S. by Azteca México to offer a different perspective on music, theater, dance, movies and art. With different sections, Animal Nocturno is truly a multi-faceted show. (TVA 13)

Deportes Azteca México: Created exclusively for DIRECTV Más, sports fans will enjoy this weekend sports roundup with witty commentary, final stats and play-by-play analysis of the week’s most exciting players and games.

About Azteca América

Azteca América is the alternative choice in broadcast television for Spanish-speaking families residing in the United States. As the fastest-growing Hispanic network, Azteca América now reaches 89% of Hispanic households in the U.S., operating in sixty two markets nationwide. Azteca América can also be seen on DIRECTV Más Channel 441 (AZA 441). Wholly owned by Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V, Azteca América has access to the best programming from TV Azteca’s three national networks including a library with over 200,000 hours of original programming and news from local bureaus in 32 Mexican states. The network complements Mexican programming with an innovative line-up of shows from international producers and distributors to ensure the finest programming to Spanish-speaking viewers and unique advertising solutions to partners seeking to reach the most dynamic market in the country.

About DirecTV Más™

DIRECTV Más™ offers the widest array of Spanish and English-language programming available and the latest satellite technology, all combined to provide viewers with digital-quality picture and sound at competitive prices. The service provides access to more than 45(a) Spanish-language channels including top programming from Mexico, Central and South America, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Spain. DIRECTV Más™ programming offers sports, movies, music, news and educational networks, and access to more than 250 English-language channels of DIRECTV® programming, featuring the largest selection of pay per view choices and sports programming available. For pricing please visit DIRECTVmás.com or call 1-866-501-1Más (627).

“*

The sixth annual National Latino Writers Conference that convened May 21, 2008, at Alburquerque’s National Hispanic Cultural Center was an envy-producing experience for a writer out of Los Angeles.

El Lay lacks anything like the NHCC. Not at UCLA, nor USC, not in outlying places like UCSB nor CSUN does a person find a facility dedicated to Chicana Chicano Latina Latino arts. The NHCC’s art gallery and museo, theatre, exquisite lecture halls, the uniquely fashioned Torreón, full-service restaurant, gift shop, administrative offices, library, and upcoming classroom wing, in a single location, define what a cultural center should be while reflecting what public-private commitment looks like. And self-respect. And love.”*

An initiative to develop and improve five school libraries within the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., School Network in partnership with the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation was announced today. The NCLR was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Lowe’s to construct and supply the libraries scheduled for completion in August.

Unlike traditional public schools, public charter schools, like those in the NCLR School Network, lack resources like on-campus libraries because they receive approximately 20 percent less in per-student public funding than other schools in their respective districts. The support from the Lowe’s grant will help fill funding gaps, give the faculties and staffs the necessary tools to enrich students’ academic development and engage and involve parents and the community in school activities.

“All students should have access to library resources without having to leave their school building or school grounds,” said Janet Murguia, NCLR president and CEO. “NCLR applauds Lowe’s commitment to making this a reality for schools across the country.”

“Lowe’s is committed to recognizing and supporting efforts that enrich the lives of our neighbors and customers,” said Larry D. Stone, chairman of Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “By supporting organizations like the National Council of La Raza, we are contributing to a cause that’s important to our customers and employees and helping build a stronger foundation for the children who will be tomorrow’s employees, homeowners and community leaders.”

Raul Yzaguirre School for Success in Brownville, Texas; Erie Elementary Charter School in Chicago, Ill.; Academia Avance Charter Public School in Los Angeles, Calif.; Amber Charter School in New York, N.Y. and El Sol Science and Arts Academy in Santa Ana, Calif. will each receive $20,000 to help build and supply a library with the proper furniture, materials and books.

Since its inception in 1957, Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has helped communities nationwide through employee volunteerism and financial contributions. Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $27.5 million to support community and education projects across the United States and Canada in 2007.”*

So when Rodriguez heard about Lee y sers, a national program to help Latino parents teach their children how to read, she jumped at the chance to participate in the free six-week workshop at the Bridgeport Public Library.

Rodriguez said she and her husband, Ruben, who came to Connecticut from Uruguay seven years ago, “are conscious of the importance of reading for children.” But they weren’t sure how to engage their son in bilingual learning.

The workshops have showed them ways to make reading fun for Sergio, who has already acquired a love for books, Rodriguez said. The Lee y sers program - Read and You Will Be - was created by Scholastic, in collaboration with the National Council of La Raza and the Verizon Foundation.”*

Artist Jesus Moroles will be in Laramie the week of May 27-30 to create a new, interactive work for “Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational.” His work, “Granite Windows,” will be located on Prexy’s Pasture.

Made from a found steel tank, “Granite Windows” references the extractive industries of Wyoming. Eight feet in diameter and seven feet tall, the tank will be lined in polished granite and rotate on its base.

“In keeping with Moroles’ interest in interactive sculpture, visitors will be able to climb into the sculpture. It will rotate, changing the views from the interior and altering the perspective on the work from the distance,” says Susan Moldenhauer, director and curator of the University of Wyoming Art Museum.

For more than 30 years, Moroles has been creating large-scale public sculpture from granite. His studio in Rockport, Texas, is unequaled in the country for the making of large-scale sculptures.

In 1982, Moroles received the prestigious Awards in the Visual Arts Fellowship for which his works were included in a two-year traveling museum exhibition that originated at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Ill.

Noteworthy large-scale works by Moroles include his 22-foot tall sculpture fountain, titled “Floating Mesa Fountain” for the Albuquerque Museum in New Mexico, environmental installation of 45 sculptural elements and fountains for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, Ala., made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts; and Lapstrake, a 64 ton, 22-foot tall sculpture for the E.F. Hutton, CBS Plaza in New York City, located across the street from the Museum of Modern Art.

Moroles’ inclusion in the landmark museum exhibition, “Contemporary Hispanic Art in the United States,” brought national attention to the artist. His largest single work is the 1991 site sculpture, the Houston Police Officers Memorial. Comprised of granite and an earthen stepped pyramid surrounded by four equal inverted stepped pyramids excavated from the ground, the sculpture spans 120 feet by 120 feet.

Moroles’ work has been included in more than 130 one-person exhibitions and more than 200 group exhibitions. He has lectured extensively about his work and the issue of public sculpture. His work has been the subject of numerous articles and reviews in ARTNEWS, Arts, Artforum, Artspace, Artweek, Newsweek, Southwest Art, Time, and The New York Times as well as several books such as “America Art Now,” and “Art in the Eighties.”

For “Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational,” a second sculpture by Moroles, “Eclipse” is on view on the art museum’s terrace. Eclipse is a part of the museum’s permanent collection.

Works in “Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational” will be placed or created on location between May and July.

“The exhibition offers extraordinary educational opportunities for students of all ages to learn about the artists, their creative process, and the behind-the-scenes view of just how these large-scale works are created and placed,” says Moldenhauer. The exhibition will be on view from Aug. 1 through July 31, 2009.

“Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational” has been organized by the UW Art Museum, various agencies in the city of Laramie, and the Albany County Public Library. The exhibition is sponsored by an anonymous donor with additional support from the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation, the Guthrie Family Foundation, FMC Corporation, First Interstate Bank of Laramie, First Interstate Bancsystems Foundation, the UW President’s Office, UW Office of Academic Affairs, UW Physical Plant, Laramie Park & Recreation, Laramie Economic Development Corporation, Main Street Laramie, Albany County Tourism Board, the Friends of Undine Park, Wyoming Public Radio and the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum.

The UW Art Museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 22nd and Willett Drive in Laramie. The museum and store are operating on special hours this summer and are open Monday through Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.

“*

An innovative exhibition that traces the genesis and evolution of Chicano and Latino music over the past 70 years is currently on view at the University of California, Santa Barbara and is accessible via telephone. “Sounds Latino!” continues through June 30 and highlights renowned singers and groups whose papers and other collections are represented in the California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives ( CEMA ) located in UCSB’s Davidson Library.

The bolero, mambo, corrido, swing, boogie, Tex-Mex, and even punk rock are woven into the fabric of Latino cultural heritage, and the multidisciplinary exhibition engages visitors through the visual and theater arts as well as recorded music.

“We bring to life some of the music that many people may not have known was part of the historical chronology of Latino music over the last seven decades,” said Salvador Güereña, director of CEMA. “It’s important for younger people to know the impact it had on music across the spectrum.”

Vintage recordings were brought back to life for the exhibition –– which also includes interpretive texts, photos, artifacts, and historical documents –– and Güereña included the telephone component because he wanted “Sounds Latino!” to appeal to young people and engage them through the music. Over 40 music selections can be accessed by telephone, including pieces by Lalo Guerrero, whose archives are housed at UCSB; Tito Puente; Perez Prado; Adelina García; Ritchie Valens; Don Tosti; and the Chicano punk rock group The Brat.

“Not everyone has an iPod or an iPhone, but pretty much everyone has a cell phone,” he said. “Also, Latino music lovers aren’t limited by the four walls of the exhibition room. They can pick up a phone anywhere and at any time call in for a bolero or mambo or boogie and listen to their heart’s content.”

More information about the exhibition, including directions for accessing the recordings, is available at cemaweb.library.ucsb.edu/cema_exh_present.html”*

COOL - Use your cell phone and enter phone number (805) 357-4694, wait for prompt, and then enter selection number followed by the pound sign. These are mainly vintage recordings transferred from original disks, including hisses and pops. Go to this page to see what you can listen to.

Nurturing the desire for college and keeping it on track is the purpose of Comienza con un Sueño ( It Begins with a Dream ), a major college outreach event taking place this month at UCSD. Aimed at Latino and Mexican American students, parents and families, this free event will be held Saturday, May 31 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in various stages on Library Walk, Center Hall and Geisel Library terrace.

More than 700 attendees from San Diego and Imperial counties are expected.

In a cultural atmosphere replete with keynote addresses and presentations by Latino role models, the event will center on empowering 6th through 12th grade students and their parents with key information on academic preparation, how to succeed in college and how to prepare for the hot careers of today, say Comienza’s organizers.

“Like other major ethnic minority groups, the college-going rate of Latinos and Mexican Americans remains significantly low,” says Rafael Hernandez, director of UCSD’s Early Academic Outreach Program ( EAOP ) who is spearheading the coordination of the event with Carri Fierro, director of UCSD’s TRIO Outreach Programs under Student Educational Advancement. “Many students at the event will be the first in their family to attend college upon high school graduation,” Hernandez continues, “so it is important that students learn early what it takes to develop good study skills, excel and graduate once admitted to college.”

Adds Fierro: “Another goal of Comienza is to let students know about life beyond college graduation – such as tips on succeeding in their careers, pursuing an advanced degree, and how students can return to the community from which they came to serve as role models to others.” This is the first of what will be an annual event, Hernandez and
Fierro say.

Comienza—a collaboration between UCSD and a host of community partners—will also feature interactive sessions specifically for parents, including bilingual workshops on finding money for college, help with the college application process, and how parents can be strong advocates for their children’s education. Latino and Mexican American art, dancing and music will add a genuine flair to the day.

“We want this event to be a special one both educationally and culturally,” says Fierro. “It’s a golden opportunity for us to showcase the many hallmarks of UCSD, including its academic opportunities, and to let students know we want them to succeed here.”

Comienza is a joint partnership between UC San Diego’s Office of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Center for Research on Educational Equity, Assessment, and Teaching Excellence ( CREATE ), Chicano/Latino/Arts & Humanities Minor, TRIO Outreach Programs, Early Academic Outreach Program ( EAOP ),Office of Academic Support & Instructional Services ( OASIS ), Academic Enrichment Programs ( AEP ), Student Educational Advancement ( SEA ), SHAPES, Cross-Cultural Center, and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers; and community partners, including the Price Charities; the Parent Institute for Educational Equity; Fidelity/ScholarShare; the Lemon Grove School District; and the San Diego County Office of Education.

The event evolved from the success of other major UCSD-sponsored outreach events to underrepresented populations. These include the Dare to Dream College event ( held for the first time last November for the African American community ), and I’m Going to College ( held for the American Indian reservation communities ). Both are annual events.

For more information on Comienza and to register, visit:

Bilingual author, actress and screenwriter Maria Amparo Escandón said she started writing at the age of 7 by taking that piece of her grandmother’s advice to heart, explaining that the art of writing is “trying to trick people into believing what you say.”

Escandón, 50, is a creative writing instructor at UCLA. She came to Salem for two days in February from her home in Los Angeles to speak as part of the Salem Public Library’s Modern Voices Author Series.”*

MyGrito.com, a Burlingame, California based Latino social networking site has launched a new version of their music player and updated their music section. Members and visitors alike can enjoy from an extensive library of member generated music content.

“We wanted our members to have more control over their music preferences and give them the liberty to take their playlists wherever they went in cyberspace,” said Senior Engineer, Tianshi Wang.

MyGrito.com also is also relaunching their “Artist Promo Program.” Artists are invited to join and upload their music, photos and events on MyGrito.com and the site will feature the artists on their homepage, promote them in the gossip column, and announce any upcoming events in their bi-monthly newsletter.

“Music is an integral part of everyone’s life, especially when it comes to socializing. Your music choice reflects who you are, so it is very important in a social networking site,” said Founder and CEO, Irene Martinez-Audet. MyGrito.com members can create playlists with practically no limits on the amounts of songs and through a HTML code can take that same playlist to MySpace, blog sites like Blogger, or any other social networking site the members may belong to. “We’re really excited about our new player. . . . We know that most people belong to multiple networks, why not give them the freedom to take their music with them? It is a win-win for all of us.”

For more information or to order a media kit please contact Irene M. Audet at (650) 353-9200 or visit www.mygrito.com.

MyGrito.com is a bilingual online center of communication, information and entertainment for the Latino community. It is the only Hispanic social networking site that embraces three languages effectively: Spanish, English and Spanglish.”*

A three-day conference honoring the late Guillermo Hernández, a professor of Spanish and Portuguese at UCLA and a leading scholar of Mexican narrative ballads, will take place at the University of California, Santa Barbara in May. “The Sixth International Corrido ( Mexican Narrative Ballad ) Conference” will also celebrate the work and memory of composer and vocalist Lalo Guerrero.

The conference begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 8, in the McCune Conference Room, 6020 Humanities and Social Sciences Building, and continues at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 9, in UCSB’s MultiCultural Center. Free and open to the public, the conference includes panel discussions and a special reception at UCSB, a corrido contest and dance at Casa de la Raza in Santa Barbara, and a daylong festival at Chase Palm Park.

Conference participants include scholars from the United States, Mexico, and Siberia who will explore corridos as a musical composition form that traces its origins to Spanish romance and became popular during the Mexican Revolution. Among the presentations –– some conducted in English and others in Spanish –– is a keynote address by John McDowell, chair of the Folklore Institute at Indiana University. In addition, Salvador Güereña, director of UCSB’s California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives ( CEMA ) will give a presentation on the “Sounds Latino!” exhibit currently on view at UCSB’s Davidson Library. The exhibit recognizes some of the legendary music makers whose collections were established in CEMA.

The conference is co-sponsored by UCSB’s Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor; Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Academic Policy; Office of Equal Opportunity; Chicano Studies Institute; Chicana and Chicano studies department; Latin American and Iberian studies program; UCSB libraries; Luis Leal Endowed Chair; and MultiCultural Center. Other sponsors include Casa de la Raza, The Arhoolie Foundation; Radio Bronco; La Preciosa; and Telemundo.

For more information about the conference, including a complete listing of all events, visit www.ucsb.edu/events/conferences/images/Corrido-Conf-Program.pdf or call the UCSB Chicano Studies Institute at ( 805 ) 893-3895.
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It resembled the Hatfield’s against the McCoy’s!

The third floor of the Mahopac Public Library was a hotbed of activity Saturday when Assemblyman Greg Ball conducted a law enforcement summit dealing with his proposed legislation, the New York State Criminal Illegal Alien Deportation and Legal Hiring Act.

His legislation 287G, if passed by both the Assembly and the Senate and signed by the governor, will protect taxpayers from what Ball described as “unscrupulous vendors doing business with the state and its environs.”"*

Celebrations featuring beloved radio personalities, bestselling authors and scholars, parents, educators, librarians and children nationwide focus attention on literacy in both English and Spanish.

El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), known as Dia, is a year-round celebration that is officially recognized annually on April 30. Founded by children’s book author Pat Mora in 1996 and administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), the day highlights the importance of literacy among children of all ages and of every cultural and linguistic background. The celebration culminates on April 30 with a range of festivities across the U.S., and serves to kick off Latino Books Month in May. These events also support the national Get Caught Reading!/Aja! Leyendo public awareness literacy campaign, which features public figures getting “caught” reading their favorite books in both English and Spanish.

The Association of American Publishers has teamed with ALSC to present a recommended reading list of children’s books published by AAP members, intended to foster “bookjoy” and encourage families to read together on April 30, and every day. Books on the list include those in English and in Spanish as well as bilingual titles, nonfiction, picture books, and novels, all celebrating Latino culture and Latin American identity.

April 30 Dia Events in Miami and New York: Great for Live Broadcast Shots or Media Interviews!

New York City Hosts Univision’s Dra. Isabel: Wednesday, April 30
5:30 - 6:30 pm Queens Public Library, Jackson Heights Branch, 35-51 81st Street. Beloved Univision radio personality Dra. Isabel, reads in Spanish to children from her children’s book, La cancion de Gabriela: Como me adapto a un lugar nuevo? (Gabriela’s Song: How Do I Adapt to a New Place?) published by Rayo/HarperCollins Publishers. The book features a little girl named Gabriela, who shares her fears about her family’s move to a new country, the United States, and teaches young readers how to deal with their own feelings. At 6 pm Dra. Isabel reads to parents from her adult title, Los 7 pasos para ser mas feliz: Como liberarte del estres, las preocupaciones y las angustias del pasado, published by Vintage Espanol. The program will offer advice on developing healthy relationships, preparing a path to success, and finding true happiness. This appearance follows her educational panel earlier in the day at the offices of children’s book publisher Scholastic to volunteers from Learning Leaders, a nonprofit organization that provides education to tutors supporting over 960 public schools throughout the five boroughs of New York City.

Miami, Florida’s Books & Books Hosts Children’s Reading: Wednesday, April 30
4 pm - 6:30 pm Books & Books, 265 Eragon Avenue, Miami, FL. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading bookstores in offerings of books in Spanish and English nationwide, Books & Books plans to support El dia de los ninos by hosting third-graders from Coral Way K-8 Center, the nation’s first dual language school, who will kick off the afternoon by reciting classic Spanish poems at 4 pm. Following, Dr. Barbara Zurer Pearson, Ph.D., will give a presentation on raising bilingual children and provide insights to an audience of eager parents from her book Raising a Bilingual Child, published by Random House. To close, a middle school theater troupe from Coral Way will perform their play, “Pueblo de las mujeres” by Hermanos Alvarez Quintero, in the courtyard.

To learn more about Dia, please visit www.ala.org/dia . For more information about Get Caught Reading!/Aja! Leyendo, including the recommended reading list, please visit www.getcaughtreading.org .”*

Ruben Salazar, from the Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429), Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA”*

*From: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Hola La Bloga readers, take a look at these two picture book biographies about two people who love books. The first book is about Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award is given in her honor. It is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. The second book is about Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Colombian Nobel Prize Winner Author. My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez / Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel García Márquez won the 2008 Pura Belpré Honor Book Award for Illustration.”*

*From: http://labloga.blogspot.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

The award-winning, nationally syndicated TV programs “American Latino TV” (”ALTV”) and “LatiNation” announced today, the nominees for the 2nd Annual “American Latino TV Awards,” with voting and promotion scheduled to begin this week. The “American Latino TV Awards” is a celebration of the show’s historic sixth season and is highly anticipated after the success of the first ever “American Latino TV Awards” in 2007. “American Latino TV Awards” serves to recognize excellence and achievement in the American Latino community and as a tribute to the individuals, organizations and projects that have been featured in the producers’ six-season library of multi-award winning and groundbreaking television shows.

The nominees (four per category with six categories) for the unique awards show format were selected by a team of “American Latino TV” producers. This year’s awards show hosts four exciting new categories: Favorite Alternative Artist, Favorite Indie Film, Favorite Extreme Athlete and Underground Fashion as well as returning categories: Favorite Indie Musical Artist(s) and Most Inspiring American Latino(s). The winners will be decided by online voting and announced during the syndicated broadcast of the “American Latino TV Awards” special, which will begin airing later this summer in over 70 cities nationwide. A promotional campaign of TV, radio, local and national print and online ads will direct viewers to www.AmericanLatinoAwards.com which provides a detailed list of nominees, along with a short video segment of each one, and the ability to cast votes.

The nominees for each category include:

1. FAVORITE ALTERNATIVE ARTIST: Paula Baby (Pin-up Model), Danny D.
(Auto Artist/ Pin-striper), David Cortes (Action-figure Sculptor)
and Zarco Guerrero (Cultural Mask-maker.)
2. MOST INSPIRING AMERICAN LATINO: Dr. Richard Carmona (17th Surgeon
General of the U.S.), Ceja Family (Successful owners of Ceja
Vineyards), Joe Quesada (Marvel Comics Illustrator/Editor-in-Chief)
and Joe Conzo (E.M.T. and Legendary Documentary Hip Hop
Photographer).
3. FAVORITE INDIE FILM: “Bragging Rights” (Documentary about the
connection between Latino culture and Stickball), “Brown is the New
Green” (George Lopez hosts this documentary about media and
marketing misrepresentation of U.S. Latinos), “Antonia” (Brazilian
award-winning film), and “Shut Up and Do It” (Actor fed up with
Latino portrayals directs and stars in his own film).
4. FAVORITE INDIE MUSICAL ARTIST: Madball (Hardcore Metal Rockers),
Ladybug Mecca (Afro-Brazilian/Blues/Hip Hop fusion), Calavera
(Hardcore Punk/Psychobilly) and The Pinker Tones
(Electronica/Dance/Lounge/Pop)
5. FAVORITE EXTREME ATHLETE: Texas Rollergirls (Female Roller Derby
Team), Rey Misterio (WWE Pro Wrestler), Jonathan Tagle (Skydiver)
and Jennifer Santiago (Combat Martial Artist).
6. UNDERGROUND FASHION: Listen Clothing (Music-inspired Designs),
1 Soul Designs (Globally-minded T-shirts), Stop Staring (Vintage
Pin-up) and El Jefe Clothing (Rock/Urban Cross-cultural).

The awards show sponsors include Volkswagen, Bud Light, General Motors, McDonald’s, State Farm and U.S. Army. Visit www.AmericanLatinoAwards.com and www.AmericanLatino.tv for more information.

CONTACT:
Margarita Cheng
Marketing Director
LatiNation, LLC
Tel (212) 627.3192 x18
Email: Email Contact”

The citizenship classes Karina Vasquez Lopez attends on weeknights are as much for her infant son as they are for her.

The classes at Galveston’s L.A. Morgan Elementary School library are helping Lopez, who recently immigrated from Mexico, learn English and study for a citizenship test. Her real goal, however, is to help her son with his homework when he starts school.

On a recent weeknight, Lopez and eight other immigrants crowded into plastic chairs built for elementary students and pored over maps of the United States in a class offered through a partnership between Galveston’s public school district and College of the Mainland.”*

*From: http://galvestondailynews.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Tinbu, a leading provider of interactive content for online media groups, is pleased to announce they have expanded their library of interactive Spanish language content modules. Tinbu uses patent-pending technology to produce and distribute interactive content modules that are designed to increase site traffic, page views, user satisfaction, repeat visitation, and advertising revenues for online media groups.

“We have seen substantial growth in the demand for Spanish language content from within the online media community,” said John Brier, Tinbu’s CEO. “We are pleased to have expanded our Spanish language content platform and are excited to be working with many online media groups around the world who have a need for best-of-breed interactive content to serve their Spanish language audience,” added Brier.”*

*From: http://www.transworldnews.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Cesar E. Chavez’s personal library was described as humble by a Tracy friend.

Bookshelves were assembled with 2-by-10 beams of lumber. About six or seven worn-out chairs surrounded his desk. A short farming hoe, banned in 1975, hung from a wall - a reminder of people who sustained work-related back injuries using it.

But the reading quarters served its purpose, because Chavez loved reading, said Mercedes Rea Silveira, a Tracy resident and friend of Chavez.”*

*From: http://www.recordnet.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

As the nation’s population continues to become more diverse, hundreds of libraries will showcase their multicultural programs and services this April 30th during national El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day). This year marks the 12th anniversary of the observance also known as Día, and libraries across the country will host Día celebrations with family programs, including bilingual story hours, book giveaways, and other literacy events.

Most of today’s libraries provide a wide range of opportunities for people with diverse needs and interests. A national American Library Association (ALA) study found that the most popular and successful activities offered in libraries are English as Second Language classes, language-specific materials and collections, computer use and classes, and storytimes.

This year, through the generosity of Nickelodeon(R), Dora the Explorer(TM) will support Día as its first ever spokescharacter. Dora can be found in libraries throughout the country posing for a special bilingual poster and bookmark that encourage children to “Celebrate Books!” (Celebremos los libros!).

“Dia is an example of how libraries are places of opportunity,” said Jane B. Marino, president, Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC), sponsors of Día. “They are part of the American Dream, places that support family, education, self-help and lifelong learning.”

Spanish is, by far, the most supported non-English language in public libraries. Seventy-eight percent of libraries reported Spanish as the priority #1 language to which they develop services and programs. Asian languages ranked second in priority at 29 percent. Another 17.6 percent of libraries indicated Indo-European languages as a second priority.

Through literacy events and programs like Día, libraries are working with parents and caregivers to raise avid readers. Current research on early literacy and brain development indicates that it is never too early to prepare children for success as readers.

El Paso Public Library in Texas, for example, will host its annual Día event. The event is extremely popular. Last year more than 35,000 people of all ages attended the event, and the library gave away more than 15,000 new children’s books. Libraries will host special bilingual story hour and author events. In California children’s author and Día founder Pat Mora, will participate in story hour event at Riverside County Library System, and Children’s Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky will participate in a Día Children’s BookFest event at Broward County Library in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Día honors children, their languages and culture; encourages reading and literacy; and promotes library collections and programs that reflect the country’s changing populations. For multicultural book lists, Día brochures and tips on how to encourage children to read please visit the Día Web site at www.ala.org/dia.

Sponsored by the ALSC, a division of the ALA, Día celebrates the importance of advocating literacy for every child, regardless of linguistic and cultural background. It is a celebration of children, families, and reading and is held annually on April 30.

ALSC is the national center for Día. Through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, ALSC is working with other national organizations, such as Día Founding Partner REFORMA: the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, to initiate communication and education efforts that promote Día to families across the United States. “*

*From: http://www.hispanicprwire.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish