Sale el sol...finally

Is it wrong that Shakira is the only artist I support by purchasing her CDs? I'm pretty sure that's sad but hey I love her! Sure the album came out in October, but I was bound to purchase it. And I'll be honest, it'd WAY better than She-Wolf. I did read some reviews saying her She-Wolf producers weren't the best choices but Shakira redeems herself with Sale el Sol. The album brings a mix of merengue(like) tunes along with some softer music. Although I was a little disappointed the "Waka Waka" version on the album isn't the one I'm used to; but to each his own right? Shakira...you'll always be my favorite :)

Reflection on a commemorative site

A few weeks ago the President's House commemorative site opened up in Philadelphia. Today I was finally able to walk through it (during my free time). What I found interesting wasn't the site nor the videos, but what I heard people talking about. People were shocked and surprised to see President's Washington house and also about the controversy behind the structure and what was being honored. I also noticed a lot of people pass by as if it was another attraction with no cause. Although YES it is an attraction, it's still a little more than that. It honors not just 9 enslaved Africans, but the idea of struggle within the United States (and that it still exists).

I only hope the National Museum of the American Latino can do the same for Latinos. Walking through the site really made me wonder about us in the U.S. I'm a quote kind of guy so I loved seeing the inspirational quotes. The President's House commemorative site also had a space for reflection which really adds to the entire area.

Veronica Robles - an inspiration

Today I received a thoughtful gift in the mail that made me truly appreciate the people I meet. Veronica Robles, all around GREAT woman, sent me a copy of her new 2011 calendar and Serenata Guadalupe CD. Veronica is someone everyone should look up to because she loves Latino culture and she finds so many ways to promote our gente. Either through her awesome program "Orale con Veronica" or through her music, she is the definition of a "Latina Doing their thing".

Veronica's mission is to create interest in Mexican and Latin-American Culture and to promote diversity and cultural traditions among general community. While I believe all Latinos should follow this mission, we should find ways of doing it in our own way. I had the pleasure of meeting Veronica this past July during a Philly adventure. She was so full of life and a great combination of professional and friend. Did you know the Mayor of Cambridge proclaimed September 17, 2005 as Veronica Robles Day? If only everyone had a little bit of care in them as much as Veronica does.

Reflection - Family Time

This past weekend was family time...but it was different. The parental units and I went to visit the hermano and the GF in the DMV. It was the first time our parents spent XMAS in another town since 1980. Imagine that. The wekend was good, relaxing and tiring but nonetheless fun.

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Everyone's favorite scene: Nativity

We all love to decorate during Christmas. Yet our families love it even more! But what even more do our religious parents love? Of course it's the nativity scene. But why? Well it's because in my family el Divino Niño who gives us the gifts, not Santa. But baby Jesus does not come out until Christmas Day. I used to wonder where my mom hid him but then I realized it was behind the CD case. Eghh. Merry Christmas mi gente!

That Really Grinds My Gears...Not coming because of TV?

Today my brother told me a story about my dad yelling and saying, "If our DirecTV is not fixed before Christmas we are NOT coming to visit you." Really? Really? I did not know DirecTV was THAT important in your life and more important than family. I find it extremely disappointing that he would even say something like that. Nonetheless the journey to MD/VA is going to be itneresting. I just hope I don't yell while driving because to be honest I'm not a good multitasker while driving. My eyes and ears will be on the road...plus I'll be sure to keep the radio on lol.

Promoted Post: Honoring our history with a museum

Normally don't do this but I was just so interested in my own topic I had to self promote the blog. I write for BeingLatino's blog and my latest post was about honoring our ancestry/history (whatever) with a museum. There's a lot that goes on when proposing such a museum so it might be years until we see the National Museum of the American Latino. It's a sensitive subject because Latinos (in America) are a combined force of Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Cubans, Dominicans and every other Central and South American ethnicity. Do we think it should happen? Of course, but we all have to come together as a people and realize it's not important for us, but for the GENERAL population so they can understand what we're about.

Art of Steppin' enhances website

Last week REMO INC. officially relaunched the "new" Art of Stepping website. The Art of Stepping™ Organization is overseen by Remo Production, Inc. and was founded by Jessica 'REMO' Saul, which operates nationally providing interactive and exclusive curriculum on the Art of Stepping™. Remo’s unique step curriculum based programs and events have helped to enhance the quality, availability and sustainability of daily after-school programs in urban areas as well incorporate a better understand of this art form.

So what makes the website different? Well it's now a "social networking" website. You (the Greek) can make a profile and update everyone with photos, videos and events. However, unlike other sites, this one is an "understandable" $20 to register. However, by signing up you can be the first to know about events and get member-only discounts to these events including the annual RISC step show. My favorite part is you get to read the awesome exclusive articles about LGLOs, BGLOs and non-Greek organizations. So sign up and get ready to become a fan of the stepping and stroll community.

p.s. Yes that Rihanna song is STILL playing in the background :).

My drink of choice (for now)

The holidays are upon us so that gives us an excuse to want to drink more. My absolute drink of choice, most likely Aguardiente: Cristal. Sure some of you might not like it but it sure does pack a punch. How is someone supposed to drink it? Well the only way I know of is straight shots! Be careful, this drink sure does sneak up on you. P.S. Yes it does taste like liquorish.

A serious novela

We all know we don't take the novelas seriously. Sure Univision and Telemundo work hard to produce the novelas our parents love but seriously, they are just a bit too dramatic. But what a way to reach an audience right? The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) launched a series of mini telenovelas in an effort to extend the message to the Hispanic community about the consequences of drinking and driving.

The three, two-minute episodes will be available online at http://www.youtube.com/txdotpio and will be used as teaching tools by civic and social service organizations throughout the state. Just as dramatic as their "real" counterpart, but these videos have a great message behind them. You know you've drank and drove so watch and learn.

You're a racist when...

These are probably the most hilarious things I've ever read in a while. Sometimes I think the "general population" doesn't get race anymore. And by race I only mean other ethnicities. Because as we know there is only one race...the human race. Anyways, yes racism exists. Although it might not be as blatant as in the 1960's, but it does exist...just check out some of the comments on a immigrant news article or something that has nothing to do with "them".

One of the few Latino gossip blogs I read, Guanabee, listed their "Top 5 Racists Things I'm Sick of Hearing" and OMG I couldn't have agreed more. The list is as followed:

1. You're playing the race card
2. You speak like a white person/you don't have an accent.
3. You succeeded because of affirmative action
4. You're not like most Latinos I've known - You're different.
5. You don't look Mexican

And by god I was so happy to see some of these points made. Even as Latinos we like to pull this card separating ourselves from the rest of the population. So what is it? Is there ever going to be a time we can not only support ourselves, our community and also mainstream America? You let me know.

Gala season in Philly!

January is what I like to call the official start of Latino gala season in Philadelphia. You have Congreso, Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Aspira and many more lining up with tremendous themes and interesting prices. Take a look at Congreso's video from last year's gala.

Save the date: March 19, 2011, Congreso's 5th Annual Gala Latina - Chillen' in Chile.

MVSCAP's diverse cast

Notice anything strange about this photo? I bet I'm the only one that does. As much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE MVSCAP and the new video game to be released next year, no Latino love. Sure it's just a video game, but didn't Street Fighter IV have at least one...and Vega haha. MVSCAP3 has everything from devils, Gods, Japanese, Chinese, Caucasian, African and so on. I tend to think too much about this stuff but it's good to notice these things. Maybe I'm also jumping the gun as well. We'll see in a few months if "new" characters pop up and maybe just maybe one of them will be Latino. Anyone even know of any Marvel/Capcom Latinos?

That Really Doesn't Grind My Gears...Benny Benassi

During my Chicago trip I discovered Benny Benassi is the genius behind the song Satisfaction. And after pregaming to all his musica, I just fell in love again. Sure house/techno and what not has always been a cool genre of music, but Benny sort of brought it back again. Remember the music from BLADE? Yep, that was all me. And even the Mortal Kombat movie soundtrack. Sure it may sound like we're "partying" but to be honest, it's good hype music; similar to B-more club music. #NP - Come Fly Away, Satisfaction, I am not Drunk

Celebrate Carnivale!

Not exactly the Carnivale you were thinking but it's almost as festive. During a trip to Chicago I dined at Carnivale, an authentic "nuevo" Latino cuisine in Downtown Chicago. So what exactly does that mean? It's probably owned by an American and mixed in fusion to the menu. I must say I am a fan because it reminds me of El Vez in Philadelphia. A very large venue with different rooms including a lounge/bar area and a large dining area surrounded by private dining areas. Sure it may not be authentic Mexican food, but it's a place to take a date or a large group...most likely business group. Although it seems like a "too bright" spot in a shady part of town, this would probably be my regular margarita spot. Enjoy :).

That Really Grinds My Gears...My ID is fake?

Last Tuesday I attended the Philebrity Awards then decided to join PYT for their victory shindig. The open (Vodka) bar had nothing to do with it but it was my last vacation day so I wanted to go out with a bang. Unfortunately PYT must have hired a new guy because after giving him my ID he proceeded to say, "This isn't going to work. Your ID is fake!" Really? My ID is fake? I've not only been 21+ for the past 6 years but I got my PA ID in 2007, and it's fake!? After some arguing and repeated showing of the ID, a friend said, "The hologram is right there." He finally saw it and said, okay you're fine. -_- 'Nuff said.

Fotos con Santa

What's the holidays about? It's about taking your kids to get gifts and their photos with Santa of course! This Friday, December 18th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. WWSI Telemundo/holaciudad invite you to Pennsy Flea Market (1600 S. Warfiend Street, Phila.,PA) for a good ol' fashion family celebration. The even will include arts & crafts, prizes, a *dun dun dun* clown and of course photos with Santa. Photos will be available online at holaciudad.com after the event.

BeingLatino will rise (and it did)

A one-day scare can probably be a company's most horrific crisis. Thankfully after god knows how many tweets, Facebook and blog posts, BEING LATINO is back. If there's one thing we learned from this it's that anything on the internet can be deleted...possibly forever. Ask yourself this question, what would you do if Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any other social network site was deleted. Would you be mad? Why? It didn't exist 7 years ago, so we can just go back to our regular lives right?

Tek Lado magazine got a response from the Facebook team here. An occasional mistake huh? I can only imagine what was going on behind Facebook doors. "OMG the biggest Latino page is gone! Who approved this? Send an e-mail." Again, sure BeingLatino was down for almost a day, but we must remember, social media isn't the beginning or end of the world. See you next year.

Bring Back BeingLatino!

Earlier today we lost a great friend when Facebook shut down BeingLatino. Really? Who were those haters which thought it was cool to shut it down? Tell Facebook that we want them to reinstate Being Latino's fan page now! It was probably one of the biggest Latino Facebook fan pages out there. Don't they reach the research? Latinos use social media and it's a great way to connect with us!

However, you can still read the blog here: BeingLatino.

Esta noche: Philebrity Awards

Award shows are usually fun, especially when they're random. For the second year in a row, Philebrity is proud to present an awards show all about the people: Philebrity Awards. It's about those people we see out there in the city of Philadelphia doing their thing and making a difference. Sure they could add "Best" or "Favorite" to each award, but some sarcasm always adds a good element to the show. The "Philebrity Award for General Fabulousness" and "Outstanding Do-Gooder of the Year" just sounds like an award you would want on your mantel. Best part? The event is free! Good look to the Latino representatives for the evening: Jose Garces and Tek Lado Magazine!

2nd Annual Philebrity Awards

Trocadero Theatre

10th & Arch Sts.

Philadelphia, PA

Modern Family merchandise

Love this show. Love this merchandise. These two Modern Family must-haves were my own Christmas gifts. Is there an obsession? Sure there is but after watching the entire first season, there wasn't one episode where I didn't laugh :).

Snake in Colombia

So I finally bought a new game for the PSP, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. It was recommended by the dude at Best Buy so I took his word for it. I love games that may take a while to play but I was shocked to see the opening sequences (training) took place in Baranquilla, Colombia. Granted a lot of movies and video games do have Central and South America as a "military" theme for the background story...but it was still cool. Then a whole sequence about gaining control of Costa Rica follows and how Latin America will be attainable or something of that nature. Anyone seeing this trend of Central/South America in video games?

That Really Doesn't Grind My Gears...Vacation

Sometimes a vacation where you do absolutely nothing is much needed. Sure I'm in Chicago and it's completely freezing, but I've been staying in the house with a TV and video games! (For those that know me you know I have no cable). So as I sit here in the warmth just remember a relaxing vacation where you do nothing is always good for the soul. Besides, there's always the weekend to enjoy all the touristy stuff!

Why do we DREAM

The U.S. House passed the DREAM Act late on December 8, 2010 by a 216-to-198 vote. However, that doesn't mean it has been completely passed. The U.S. Senate needs to hear from you now as soon as possible, as Senate leaders are expected to take up the DREAM Act on December 9, 2010. Just now, however, Senate leaders moved to table consideration on the Senate bill. They'll take up the DREAM Act House version next week.

The purpose of the DREAM Act is to help those individuals who meet certain requirements, have an opportunity to enlist in the military or go to college and have a path to citizenship. This will allow immigrant children an opportunity for a better life; the life those families wanted not just for themselves, but for their kids. Doesn't the military want more recruits? Don't colleges and universities want more minority enrollment? Pass it now so we can become a better country and set the example.

The Spirit en español

Today's "good job" goes to Southwest Airline's Spirit Magazine. Why? Well because it's the only in-flight magazine which has a welcome from the CEO in both English and Spanish. To be honest they probably don't have to do this; it's not like they're international. Sure other airlines have entire spreads in español, but since Southwest is only national, they dont't have to do it. Do I smell future Spanish language content in the future?

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Everyone loves pins

It might just be me but do Latinos really love pins? Maybe it's just free stuff in general. I have the above on my bag but i don't think it's overkill. One thing is for sure, my mom has hundreds of key chains all linked up. Insane I tell you.

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Why MegaBus is good in my book...

Yep. Any transportation corporation should know the consumer needs power. Installing outlets ANYWHERE is an essential need for the leisure and business traveler.

Megabus also has off the wall prices like $10 round-trip to DC. Just saying.

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Urbano TV

UrbanoTV, a new Latino video and entertainment company from actor, John Leguizamo, announced its launch plans a few weeks ago. Describe as a Latino YouTube meets Hulu platform, UrbanoTV aims to be the leading curator of culturally relevant video content for the U.S. Hispanics. At launch time, the site already touts 15 original shows, 150 original episodes 100 content partners and 1k aggregated episodic videos.

The website features different profiles, TV shows, blogs and much more. Sure at first it looks like a lot is going on, but it does seem like relevant content. Unlike news sites, this seems like a "by the people, for the people" type of approach. Why is it good for bloggers? Because you can upload your blog feed and watch the hits sore! Maybe.

FIFA's World Player of the Year

The FIFA World Player of the Year was an association football award given annually to the male and female player who are thought to be the best in the world, based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams. In a voting system based on positional voting, each coach gets three votes, worth five points, three points and one point, and the winners are ordered based on total number of points.

And now in 2010 (no stranger to Hispanic highlights), Spain gets three nominations! Barcelona players Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández and Lionel Messi are the three nominees for the Ballon d'Or World Player of the Year award. Both Iniesta and Hernandez helped Spain win the world cup this past summer. The winner will be announced in January. Clearly these are #LatinosDoingTheirThing.

That Really Doesn't Grind My Gears...SLEEP!

I'll keep this one short. I mean who doesn't love sleep! You ever regret going out everyday and then waking up each day like you don't have an ounce of energy? Sometimes doing nothing over a weekend is best. Catching up on sleep is a plus in my book. Besides, it's healthy to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Hispanicize 2011 is coming

Hispanicize is coming April 2011. And since we all know Latinos love video and social media, here's a sneak peek at things to come. Anyone out there attending? Any East Coasters?

That Really Grinds My Gears...Epi Pen

A long time ago I blogged about my allergies and the use of the Epi Pen. Well it has come back to haunt me. Thanksgiving weekend I got some allergic reaction to who knows what. So I started breaking out and the following morning it was not better. So what do I do? I talk to my brother and without hesitation BOOM! Needle in the thigh. Minutes later I started shaking and my heart started beating faster and faster. Hours later I was fine but it was a scare. Then I come to find out "you're only supposed to use it in extreme emergencies. And you're supposed to go to the hospital right after! You can die from heart failure!" Woops -_-

Tweets on a busy week

So we just got back from Thanksgiving break which means a few days off work. What do we come back to? A lot of work and a lot of people looking to lose weight...weird. Here are today's tweets of the day!

Philanthropy work at its best!

I betta get my degree! ;)

When weird burgers attack. *nearest hospital please*

We're getting to that age where we know someone famous! Wohooo

The golden walkway

As some of you Philly Latinos may know, our favorite neighborhood (El Centro de Oro) is getting a makeover! The $3.8 million renovations of the commercial corridor will include new sidewalk (with a golden walkway...not literally) and metal palm trees. You can read more about the project in this Philly.com article.

So what do you see when you see the above picture? I see change, positive change. Most people might not think this is the most important project to start but if you look at the big picture, you'll see it does make sense. Change the neighborhood, change resident attitudes. Picture a perfect neighborhood where everything you see is cultural, bright and positive. Won't that make you appreciate not only your neighborhood but also your way of life. I honestly can't wait for the metal palm trees. Hopefully this is the start of a new era for El Centro de Oro. What's next? Taller Puertorriqueño's new building/location :).

Photos of la noche

Read more about the Delaware Valley's Most Influential Latinos in my Examiner.com article.

The game is in US (2 more days)

Two days. That's how long we have to wait until we find out if the FIFA World Cup 2022 will be hosted in the United States. So how can you show your support? On Thursday, December 2, wear your favorite soccer gear -- a jersey, a t-shirt, cleats and shin guards -- in solidarity with fellow soccer all across the country. Also take a photo of yourself and upload it to the official GoUSAbid website. You can watch FIFA's announcement live on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. (EST) on Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN, Univision, ESPN Deportes, CNN International and fifa.com.

The Venezuelan Slums

I believe it's important for Latinos in America to understand what is going on in their "home" country. It's a little difficult but that's why we live in the age of technology. Luckily we can also watch programs on Univision and Telemundo or my parent's favorite "Caracol". However, there are also visual opportunities like the one at the University of Pennsylvania this Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

For the last 6 months, Carlos Beltran, a young journalist has been documenting the everyday life of children and families in the slums of Caracas, the Capital of Venezuela. In December, Carlos will be in the United States presenting his photographic work in the University of Pennsylvania. Together with a panel of specialists on anthropological studies, they will discuss his experiences and the social context in Venezuela. Venezuela has been in the political spotlight for many years, as President Hugo Chavez attempts to construct the “21st Century Socialism”. This project intends to shed light not on political ideas, but on the realities of those living in the direst situations. In his own words, Carlos says: "As a journalist, I don’t consider myself an activist. I do hope, however, that my work has some sort of social relevance, making curious viewers think about what they see”.

Dance Central's "Latino"

Happy Belated Thanksgiving everyone! Speaking of eating food all day and being lazy, last Friday I had the opportunity to play on the XBOX360 Kinect. One word: Exercise. Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in extraordinary new ways without using a controller. Imagine controlling movies and music with the wave of a hand or the sound of your voice. With Kinect, technology evaporates, letting the natural magic in all of us shine.

So what game did I play? Of course I had to get my Dance Central on! I had the chance to perform to Beanie Man's "King of the Dancehall" but someone else was the stereotype and performed to Pitbull's "I know You Want Me." To my non-shocking surprise, the creators of the game of course added a Salsa and Merengue step. You can't be mad at them for attempting to teach mainstream America something. But what did shock me was the "Latino" move. Really? Who names a move the "Latino?" Don't stop there though, there's a "Latina" move as well. Egh, it's a great workout and fun. But remember, what happens in your video game room stays in the video game room.

OUT THE OFFICE

IT'S VACATION TIME AND BY VACATION I MEAN THANKSGIVING DOWN IN THE GOOD OL' DMV AREA. DMV = DC/MARYLAND/VIRGINIA.

SEE YOU ALL EL PROXMIO LUNES.

My "6th Annual Stroll Show" Review

Last Friday we (Gamma Phi Sigma) hosted our 6th Annual Stroll Competition. Was it a success? Look at the above picture and tell me it wasn't. Our hermanos put a lot of work (and stress) into this show and it ended up raising close to $1,000 for the American Cancer Society. Yes organizations dropped out last minute, but we truly appreciate those organizations who participated. It wasn't about who performed and who won, it was about our hermano Ramon Ernesto "Guatu" Baez; this show was for him.

Thank you to:

• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. - Thank you for joining 2 weeks before the show happened and putting on great performances. Yes even the merengue stroll was a shock but it was great to see the support. And shout out to being the first NPHC organization to participate in the show in six years.
• Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. - You guys always put on some great performances and this year you out-did yourselves. I've seen the improvement in your strolls and to be honest, this year should have been your year. See you next year. P.S. B E ain't easy :)
• Corazones Unidos Siempre/Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority Inc. - Thank you for participating for the last six years! It is amazing what you guys do, how you perform and what you bring to the table. Congrats on winning for the second year.
• Chi Iota Pi Sorority Inc. - Although you did not compete it was truly appreciated you guys came up from Maryland to perform. Not only was it an AWESOME performance, but it was dedicated to our hermano. I had to hold in my tears when I saw the number five on your shoulders.

And thank you to all my hermanos. Sure we stress almost every day about life, but remember, it's too short to stress about. Life is meant to be exciting, interesting, challenging and fun! It was exciting seeing different chapters perform on stage and seeing what you all can do. So what's in store for the 7th Annual Stroll Show!? Only time will tell. I smell the "Robot" and "Dora" stroll may make a comeback.

P.S. Shout out to T-Mobile? lol

First Annual Hispanic Forum and Gala

There are many issues Latinos face in the United States. Immigration, jobs, education, social media and so on are many of the topics that will be discussed during the Americano's First Annual Hispanic Forum and Gala on December 2-3 in Washington, DC. The theme of the forum will be The Road to Freedom: Sharing American Liberty with Hispanics Around the Globe. The idea behind the forum is to bring Hispanics together to engage in today's hot topics. There will be a "Consensus Lunch Discusion" hosted by Ambassador Roger Noriega with the purpose of creating a bipartisan agreement for the development of the Hispanic community. This is a perfect opportunity for bloggers, media and Latino corporations to discuss "hot topics". To register please click here.

Tek Lado hits stands otra vez

About a month ago a new bi-lingual magazine hit stands across the Philadelphia region. Sure some people are asking themselves why launch a magazine in this time? But hey the creators Mel Gomez and Liz Spikol are doing a tremendous job. But earlier today the November/December issue of Tek Lado hit stands and it was Geekier than ever.

This month's issue includes a Holiday Geek Gift Guide and a great Q&A with Springboard Media owner Everett Katzen. Did I mention there's an article written by yours truly? You'll have to get the hard copy to read the entire article. To add on to the magazine's Geek factor be sure to follow them on Twitter (@TekLadoMagazine) and friend them on Facebook.

Cooking for others

If you know me well, you know I don't cook...much. In fact, after a 2 year hiatus, I recently started cooking more and more (but for myself). Sure I probably should have learned from mom and grandmom, guess I was too lazy eating :). Instead of purchasing food it would be great to entertain guests with delicious recipes...Latino recipes at that. Thankfully Daisy Martinez has a new book and according to her, it's all about organization, organization, organization.

Daisy's Holiday Cooking not only offers extremely user-friendly recipes, but also groups them together by menus, ten in all, each with a theme. Although Martinez is Puerto Rican, she has great Peruvian, Mexican, Chilean, Venezuelan, Caribbean, Spanish and Mediterranean dishes. An actress and model before following her passion into the French Culinary Institute, Martinez launched her career in the food world as a prep-kitchen chef on the sit of Lidia's Italian American Kitchen. She soon became the host of her own PBS series, Daisy Cooks!, and her cookbook based on the show won the title of Best Latino Cuisine Cookbook in the World by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

1 Year Ago

One year ago Gamma Phi Sigma hosted their 5th Annual Stroll Competition and wow what can I say. I believe it was the biggest turn out we had for a stroll show ever! The show was also held at Temple University's Mitten Hall which holds hundreds of people; there were also a good number of people standing up throughout the area. Why was this show memorable? Because we raised funds to support the American Cancer Society and our hermano Ramon Ernesto "Guatu" Baez. Although he is no longer here we know he is somewhere looking after us; his spirit lives on.

Last year's show also brought the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) together to perform a Unity Stroll. Although it was a lot of work and practice, the performance was great; I personally loved the skit ;). It's unfortunate the stroll most likely will never ever be performed again, it was great uniting our strolls and performing for the crown. See you all esta noche.

2 years ago

Two years ago we expected a much better flier than before but unfortunately we didn't. However I must say this was one of my most memorable stroll shows. Why? Because we had four organizations whom never performed at Temple University! Delta Chi Psi, Omega Phi Beta, Lambda Pi Chi and Lambda Alpha Upsilon came on board and broad their best strolls of the year. I'm going to be completely biased and say how absolutely I fell in love with a certain song. You may have heard of it "Cut 'dem off". So props to OPB who brought that song into my life :). Oh and yes it was an awesome stroll. And how about Delta Chi Psi!? They came to exhibit and they definitely showed Temple students what they were made of. The following year, Delta Chi Psi shocked us all. Hopefully this year we'll have as many shocking moments as every year combined!

Your Puerto Rican hero

What do you see above? Do you see a Puerto Rican? A hero? I saw a Facebook wall post on the National Congress for Puerto Rican Right's (NCPRR) wall and was very intrigued. One of the moderators quickly drew the above picture and realized as a young man there was never a figure he thought represented himself. And now to engage the young audience that we are, the NCPRR is asking for your help! What would a Puerto Rican hero's power be? What would his name even be? To enter visit the NCPRR's Facebook group, join, and enter your thoughts on the image. This is a great way to engage a different audience and the youngsters. Did I mention the winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to Toys 'R' Us!?

3 years ago

Three years ago the stroll show had to continue and we wanted to make it different. Our usual supporters came and this year Chi Iota Pi made a come back. So what was special about this year? I actually believe it was the year we introduced the "Battle of the Sexes" theme. Because we wanted to shake things up a bit, we allowed the top sorority and top fraternity compete in the final round for a chance to be the top winner. But that wasn't the only memorable moment of the show *wink*. I was also happy because my family came out to this show; they never came back lmao. Why do I love this flier? Because Greeks LOVE to compare themselves with heroes, so we gave them the opportunity to choose a hero to represent their organizations -_-.

If you think organizing a stroll event is easy, please think again. Confirming organizations, last minute drop-outs, last minute fill-ins, judging, time management, commitment and everything else you can think of when planning an event can go wrong. However, you have to have a team behind you; it can't be done alone. See you el viernes!

Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Last Tuesday the Philadelphia Daily News printed a story about the flags on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. I completely forgot these flags were down and from what I learned from a tour guide, she stated it's not often they are taken down. Luckily tomorrow, Friday, November 19 the flags are going back up! There used to be 90 representing Philly's diverse population, but now they're going to get 19 more neighbors (in alphabetical order). When I get family, friends and other visitors, the Parkway is a must see just because the flags are up and it's a beautiful view; not to mention this is where many events are held. Latinos LOVE representing their country so it's a given photos will be taken. One new Latino addition will be El Salvador...so I'm sure we'll be getting a lot more visitors from the DMV area ;). Right?