Only 2 outstanding Latino books for 5 years?
"The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest, largest library association in the world, providing information, news, events, and advocacy resources for members, librarians, and library users. Our mission is to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all." [My emphasis.]BUT, their YALSA list of 2014 Outstanding Books For The College Bound is generated every 5 years, what some might consider the New Canon. There are 2 Latinos on it who we should give a shout-out to.
Diaz, Junot.The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, 2007.
Garcia McCall, Guadalupe. Under the Mesquite, 2011.
The YALSA list covers the areas of Arts & Humanities, History & Cultures, Lit and Language Arts, Science & Technology and Social Sciences. La Bloga confirmed the tally--only 2 latinos.
Apparently, American latinos are not writing many outstanding books, or maybe we just aren't trying hard enough to make ALA's list. Did we pay our "late fees." Quién sabe? Latino members of ALA might be able to get these questions clarified at their national meetings. In the meantime, you might want to prepare you college-bound kid about latino contributions, at least, better than the YALSA list will.
Arm kids for Lego MovieSpeaking of latinos not making lists . . . from advance reviews, The Lego Movie sounds great for all ages. Kids will want to see it. You'll take them. You should consider preparing them for what they might NOT see or hear.
The casting director was Mary Hidalgo, though I don't if she's Latina or whether she fought for latinos to be included in the cast. Four listed in the show's crew have Spanish-sounding surnames. Quién sabe?
The only possibly latino presence I found on the casting list was Chris Romano as the voice for Joe, and Larry The Barrista voiced by Chris McKay. Barrista is a puertoriqueño word for a coffee shop server. Is that all our people are good for in Legoland? Quién sabe?
My Googling for "Lego" + "latinos" turned up nothing, so I don't know if there are any latino Lego toy figures. (Quién sabe?) But this may change with Lego's announcement of a $125M investment in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Quién sabe?
But if the couple of blacks and Asians are the only ethnic presence in the movie, your niños should know that it's not because you don't think they don't deserve to be part of The Lego World.
Why no White Heritage Month?
“For the same reason there’s no "Straight Pride" parades or "Not Having Breast Cancer Awareness Week.”
“We don’t have White History Month because we have several. They go by the names of May, June, July, August, September; pretty much any month that we have not designated as someone else’s month--that’s White History Month. But we take it for granted.
Because we don’t have to know other folks’ reality. That’s a privilege.”
Read all of white guy Ryan Dalton's penetrating article.
Win a Latina's spec novel
There are 10 copies of Tejana author Amy Tintera's novel, Rebel, up for grabs on Goodreads. Go enter to win one!
Latinos at Tucson Festival of Books
SciFi/Fantasy - two workshops feature Yvonne Navarro
Integrated Learning Center Room 150 Dennis McKiernan, Yvonne Navarro, Jennifer Roberson, Brandon Sanderson, Sam Sykes
Integrated Learning Center Room 130 Jonathan Maberry, Isaac Marion, Jeffrey Mariotte, Yvonne Navarro, Weston Ochse
Nuestras Raices panels - this strand features many latino authors
Sagrado: Wherever Two or More are Gathered in the Name of Community - Sat, Mar 15, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Student Union Tucson, Spencer Herrera, Robert Kaiser, Levi Romero
Nuestras Raíces - Presentation Stage (tent) Julio Cammarota, Augustine Romero
Student Union Tucson Gloria Morán
Nuestras Raíces - Presentation Stage (tent) Sarah Cortez, Rigoberto González
Student Union Tucson, Tim Hernandez, Rita Maria Magdaleno, Daniel Olivas
Nuestras Raíces - Presentation Stage (tent) Xavier Garza, Duncan Tonatiuh
Chemistry Room 111 Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Nuestras Raíces - Presentation Stage (tent) Hugo Ortega, Ricardo Zurita
Sat, Mar 15, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Nuestras Raíces - Presentation Stage (tent) Ben Chappell, Art Meza, Gloria Morán, Santino Rivera
From a Russian child, with loveComments I've read about The Sochi Opening Ceremony have sounded bitterly jingoistic, not that there's no reason for criticizing Putin's government.
I was struck by the press and Internet's white noise using the description "so-called Girl Hero" when referring to the little girl of the opening show. It was led by"a heroine in the Dreams of Russia show, a little girl named Lyubov (Love), whose image symbolized the soul of Russia. Lyubov told of her dreams in a magical journey through centuries of history and the expanses of Russia."
I don't how she kept her balance, how such a young girl could perform in front of the world. I do know that Putin-aimed criticisms shouldn't be spread to undermine her performance by labeling her the "so-called Hero Girl."
Anyway, since next week is Valentine's Day, I end with a poem by the greatest Russian poet. Not the best translation, not the "nicest" poem, it's one of the most emo-powerful from a people who once considered poetry almost sacred. Yeah, before Putin.
I Loved You
byAlexander Pushkin
I loved you, and I probably still do,
And for a while the feeling may remain...
But let my love no longer trouble you,
I do not wish to cause you any pain.
I loved you; and the hopelessness I knew,
The jealousy, the shyness - though in vain -
Made up a love so tender and so true
As God may grant you to be loved again.
Es todo hoy, with ![]()
RudyG
1st Novel - http://www.discarded-dreams.com/
Author FB - rudy.ch.garcia
Twitter - DiscardedDreams