Our land of the free, but no trespassing

A decision has been made. According to NBClatino.com, "The Supreme Court has upheld the part of Arizona’s controversial immigration law which allows the state’s police officers to check a person’s immigration status once that person has been detained or arrested, if there is reasonable suspicion that person is undocumented.  This has more commonly been referred to as the 'show me your papers please' law." This is good and bad. Good since the Supreme Court struck down three of the provisions which included carrying federal registration cards but bad since officers can still ask undocumented immigrants for their papers.

On Facebook, some had no problem expressing their opinion and even comparing it to Nazi Germany. One Facebook user wrote, "Why not just make all the citizens wear an American flag patch and all the immigrants wear a patch of their country of origin, like they did in Nazi Germany before the Holocaust?" Although it's a bit much comparing what's going on in Arizona to Nazi Germany, this is exactly how a tremendous event begins. One state or person becomes rebellious and takes matters into their own hand. Soon, people start to follow and assume it's right. Arizona Govenor Jan Brewer commented, ""Today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is a victory for the rule of law. It is also a victory for the 10th Amendment and all Americans who believe in the inherent right and responsibility of states to defend their citizens."


What will the future hold for a country that wants us to spend money in their industry yet likes to find ways to prevent us from becoming citizens? The citizenship process can take years and involves so many different paths. Time can only tell.

Job Alert: NALAC seeks assistance

The National Association of Latino Arts & Cultures conference (in Philadelphia) is fast approaching. While the host committee works diligently with the national committee, they are also in the process of hiring. This is a perfect opportunity to temporarily work (3 months) as well as connect with Philadelphia's arts & culture community. Of course there will be opportunities to meet and mingle with conference attendees, but this is work after all. Hurry because the deadline to submit your resume is Friday, June 29. You should also be ready to work from July 16 - October 21.

In a nutshell, they conference coordinator should be able to manage various tasks including:

• Plan logistical and administrative arrangements as directed by the Philadelphia Conference Host Committee;
• Coordinate logistics for Philadelphia Host Committee meetings and events as needed to include communication, preparing meeting materials and notices, securing meeting spaces and other duties as needed;
• Meet with necessary vendors and representatives to gather information for services and equipment; e.g., audio-visuals, production equipment, transportation, catering, etc.
• Identify and assign volunteers as needed;
• Identify alternative performance venues, hotel/housing opportunities;
• Assist with registration, production and various administrative duties as directed by NALAC before, during and immediately following the conference from October 14-22, 2012;
• Make special deliveries or pick ups;
• Respond to the needs and requests of the Philadelphia Conference Host Committee;
• Work closely with the Philadelphia Conference HOst Committee in all national conference planning aspects;

This week's articles of interest

Asians Surpass Latino in Number of U.S. Immigrants - There goes the neighborhood. Soon AAJA will be boosting with members. 

Why we need minority media - This is pretty much self-explanatory. 

Telemundo Philadelphia now in HD - Oh how technology has advanced. Hispanic media has only been airing for the past 30 years...even more interesting huh? 

McDonald's Photo Shoot: Why Burgers Look Different in Advertisements - I've always wondered this myself. And in the video, it's clear they are completely fake. Sure it's the same product, but when you PhotoShop and give it some "makeup," it's not the real thing. 

Arizona Latino media join together for a cause

In a time when media outlets are looking for the biggest advertisers and competing for ratings and everything else, Arizona's Latino media is taking a different approach. Under the mantra "Hoy Somos Arizona" (Today We Are Arizona), 23 media outlets in the Latino community attempted to address people's fears and uncertainty that the looming U.S. Supreme Court's decision on SB 1070 has left in the community. The 30-minute broadcast aired today from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on TV and radio stations in Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma, and looped over the Internet for viewing by audiences nationwide on hoysomosarizona.com.

Probably one of the most historic events in media ever, Arizona's Latino media has been has had a struggle how to portray what is happening in their government. These TV, radio, print and online outlets put everything aside and came together to set things right.

Watch the first part below:

Twitter fiesta with BeingLatino & Verizon FiOS

Being Latino and Verizon FiOS have teamed up for an Ultra Speed Twitter Party on Tuesday, June 26 at 9 p.m. EST. For full rules and regulations visit beinglatino.us.

Party Details: 

Party Details:
What: Verizon FiOS Ultra Speed Twitter Party
When: Tuesday, June 26, from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. EDT
Where: Twitter Hashtag: #SomosFiOS
Who to Follow:
Panelists: @Franklogic, @ASexiness, @ramonbnuezjr,
@RemingtonsWorld, @webcitygirls
Moderators: @BeingLatino, @Hispanicize
Brand: @SomosFiOS
Prizes:

• Starhawk video game
• PlayStation® Vita (x2)
• PS3 Console (160GB)
• Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC – PlayStation 3 (320GB) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Bundle

12 million undocumented living in the U.S.

Yep. A very large number of people living in the United States of America are undocumented. And yes they still consider themselves American. A few days before President Barack Obama made an historic, direct action that will make our nation's immigration policy more fair, more efficient, and more just, Time Magazine published the article, "Not Legal. Not Leaving." According to the article, "One year ago, Jose Antonio Vargas publicly revealed he's an undocumented immigrant. Now he reports on life in citizenship limbo and how others' 'coming out' can change the debate." A very bold move, Vargas and others now face questions including why they aren't becoming citizens or why they aren't being sent back to their country.

Throughout the article Vargas, who is not Mexican but Filipino, accounts his own story and others who have official "come out" on their own or because of others. Vargas is one of an estimated 11.5 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. The Time articles sites some interesting numbers: 59% of the these are from Mexico. About 1 million come from Asia and the Pacific Islands, about 800,000 from South America and about 300,000 from Europe.  Some numbers which stuck out included, "...households headed by undocumented workers collectively paid $11.2 billion in income taxes, $1.6 billion in property taxes and $8.4 billion in consumption taxes."

So what is going to happen? What if all 12 million undocumented immigrants were forced to leave? My opinion...there would be mayhem. The path to citizenship is probably one of the most complex systems ever; it can take months or even decades.

Obama approves the Dream Act

Well not really...close enough though. If the end of the world is scheduled for December 2012, then things are certainly changing. Announced today by President Obama and his executive staff, certain young people who were brought to the United States as young children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country or from entering into removal proceedings. Not exactly the Dream Act but it's a start. Those who demonstrate that they meet the criteria will be eligible to receive deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and will be eligible to apply for work authorization.

A statement was provided by Juntos, "The vast majority of our communities are not getting a quality education due to an underfunded public education system which every year serves our students less and less. Many of our youth fall victim to the infamous School to Prison Pipeline and end up dropping out of school. Statistics show that out of school youth are much more likely to enter into the criminal justice system." Although this is just the beginning, some people might be a little ticked off. I'm sure the comments will continue including "taking our jobs" and "go back to your country." Remember though, it's a free country. We'are all given the same opportunities.

Opinion: When leaders leave their organization.

There comes a time when a person's executive role is one. Whether they skip town, retire or just move on to bigger and better things, their respective organizations come to a stand-still. In less than one month, two extremely important Latino non-profits are losing their executive directors. Both Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas and Artístas y Músicos Latino Americanos (AMLA) are seeking new leaders. While Veronica Castillo, current Raices ED, is retiring, Lucas Rivas, current AMLA ED, is moving on to Los Angeles, CA for an offer he could not refuse. So what are these organizations to do?

The easy answer is to just move on. Whenever a current leader resigns, they give the organization almost a month to seek new leadership. People are quick to judge and complain about why they resigned but that's life. Nobody likes change, but sometimes it does leave room for improvement. The ironic part is that both organizations recently launched new websites; and they look great. Who should replace them? I would hope it's someone local; someone who knows the market. I wish nothing but the best for Veronica and Lucas.

MundoFox hits the airwaves

It's evident the Hispanic market in the United States is growing and everyone is looking to take advantage. This pretty much means they want our dollars. Anyways, last May 2012, Fox Hispanic Media announced the launch of MundoFox. Competition will be fierce considering Univision and ABC launched a 24 hour news network and Telemundo is bringing some exciting and new original programming.

MundoFox is proud to have a diverse roster of quality programming that compliments its audience and echoes the interests of the 'New Latino' viewer. Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1c254) Programming for the summer launch includes a combination of teleseries, telenovelas and unique weekly series created originally in Spanish in addition to a daily newscast, live sports and family and children’s programming. Program titles include El Capo, Kdabra, Corazones Blindados, Minuto para Ganar, Allá Te Espero, Santísimas, Los Pobres Ricos, El Joe and Amo de Casa.

MundoFox will be available this August 2012.

The London Olympics are coming!

In a little over a month the world stops to watch one of the biggest sports specials ever...the Olymipcs. NBCUniversal will provide 5,535 hours of coverage for the 2012 London Olympics across NBC, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo, NBCOlympics.com, two specialty channels, and the first-ever 3D platform, an unprecedented level that surpasses the coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics by nearly 2,000 hours. Telemundo is the only Spanish-language station that will carry over 170 hours of games. This nearly equals the total coverage broadcast by NBC for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (176.5). Telemundo's coverage will begin at 6 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. This makes perfect sense since people need to watch their novelas. Follow Telemundo's Olympic coverage at @olimpiadasTLMD and Facebook.com/OlimpiadasTelemundo.

Here's something to put into perspective. Cuba leads Central/South America (Spanish-speaking countries) with 67 gold medals and 189 total. The United States has 929 gold medals and 2,302 total. Come on Colombia...you only have one gold medal.

For a sneak peak at this year's Olympics, watch Telemundo Philadelphia's interview with U.S. Olympic athlete Carli Lloyd.

UNO Branding wins the NMAL contest

We have a winner! A few days ago the National Museum of the American Latino (NMAL) had six finalists for their campaign contest. Luis Fitch, founder of UNO Branding (@UNOBranding), was the winner with "Many nations. Many cultures. Many colors". Fitch stated “At UNO Branding, we are very excited that our campaign poster design won. For us it is a great honor to help the Friends of the American Latino Museum continue to create awareness and support but mainly to accomplish the goal of one day having a museum to represent all Latinos in the U.S.”

The winning poster (pictured right) embodies everything I would want not only in a campaign...but a museum launch. It also doesn't highlight just one particular country (i.e. Puerto Rico, Colombia, Mexico, etc.). It's very important to be non-biased;  especially since we like to argue at times to see who's best. Can't wait to see the campaign and the actual museum opening.

Posters will be available throughout all of the museum's activities for the remainder of the year including their participation at the major Latino conferences and their national fundraising and awareness events. Posters will be also available at americanlatinomuseum.org and to attendees of the NCLR Conference in Las Vegas, NV.

Video: Carmen Febo (Taller Puertorriqueño) says she wishes...

For the last 88 days, uwishunu.com has been promoting the people that make Philadelphia a great city. The series, Philly 101,  asks 101 citizens what's one thing they wished people knew more about in Philly.  The videos have included chefs, executive directors, hotel concierge, marketing gurus and more.

A few days ago, the video series highlighted Carmen Febo-San Miguel, Executive Director of Taller Puertorriqueño. Enjoy!

Video: Obama attacks Romney with Latinos

Shame Shame. Reading/watching attack ads (whether they are paid for or not by the candidate) can be interesting. Isn't that what politics are about? Anyways, I'm not a political guru nor do I want to be one but I recently came across President Barack Obama's "attack" ad. It's actually pretty clever since it shows one man and one woman shaking their heads as Mitt Romney jokes about unemployment and being poor. The ad will air in Colorado, Nevada and Florida which would be good for Obama to win.

Although he does not need to "win over" Pennsylvania, the president will be in Philadelphia (tomorrow) for a fundraiser at the Franklin Institute. And in almost related political news, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio will be speaking in Philadelphia on June 20th at the National Constitution Center, 7pm. $25/ticket. Senator Rubio as you may be aware he may be tapped by Romney to be his running mate. *Dun Dun Dun*

See Maya 2012: Lords of Time for free

There are always those moments we wish we were able to visit museums. However, for some travelers and even locals, they are just too expensive; especially for those with 2+ children. Luckily there are some museums which give these wishful attendees the opportunity to enter at low cost (or none at all). Well this Wednesday, June 13 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. the Penn Museum is offering a free community night. Not only will attendees be able to enjoy the museum's offerings, but they'll be able to view their latest exhibition, Maya 2012: Lords of Time.

Penn Museum
3260 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Global Fusion Festival returns with RHAPSODY

Global Fusion Festival & Week presents RHAPSODY. For its 6th year, Philly brings the world together again this summer with an electrifying week of non-stop entertainment that draws diverse communities to celebrate the “cultural fusion” of the world. Fusion-inspired restaurant discounts, drink specials and performances take place across Philadelphia all week, wrapping-up on Saturday, July 21st with the LARGEST, one-day festival in the City at Penn’s Landing, Great Plaza. I mean who else doesn't enjoy a free concert at Penn's Landing; I know I do.

This year's theme "Rhapsody," represents the ecstatic expression GFF creates as Philadelphia's unique cultures unite for one week, in the spirit of love and unity. During Global Fusion Week, locals and visitors take advantage of fusion-themed drink specials and restaurant discounts at numerous participating restaurants and bars throughout the city. "Fusion-inspired" performances showcasing the diversity of our region are also held at select Center City venues. Previous Latino performers have included Grupo Oro Solido, Huey Dunbar, J-King and Maximan and Brenda K. Starr. I wonder who will represent the Latinos this year?

NY Daily News prints wrong Puerto Rican flag

How do you piss off thousands and even millions of Puerto Ricans? Easy...you print the wrong flag on an ad for the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC. I found the above photo on Facebook but it's clear that the New York Daily News has printed the wrong flag in one of their ads. Media companies are supposed to be a factual service for consumers yet when something like this slips the cracks, be prepared for an outrage. I work in marketing and communications so I know there are a good number of people looking at stuff before the final approval. Of course this wouldn't happen if a Latino was working at the NY Daily News (in the advertising/sales department). Now everyone's favorite NY Giant Victor Cruz is plastered on an ad waving the Cuban flag. Maybe the NY Daily News thought, "We'll use this version." Maybe not.

Do you think Victor Cruz should still "salsa" his way on the parade? Expecting an apology?

Update: The guys at LatinoRebels have posted the apology via the NY Daily News.

•  "As the presenting media sponsor, the Daily News apologizes to the Puerto Rican, Cuban and other Latino communities as well as parade sponsors who were offended by our honest mistake. It will be rectified in tomorrow's paper."

New weekly post: Articles of interest

Since things have been a little slow on this end, I'm going to start a new post every Wednesday. sharing articles from other interesting sources. They will most certainly either have a Latino twist or come from a Latino news outlet. I'll also add a line or two on my take on the subject. Enjoy today's POSTS of the week!

• Three proven ways to improve your health without leaving home - I always wish I could cook...well. It seems as though every time I try to eat healthier, it doesn't work out. However, I'm glad to say I haven't had red meat in quite some time. BeingLatino gives you some steps on how to improve your healthy intake without leaving the casa.
• Lucas Rivera inicia nueva etapa musical en CA - That's right. Our longtime community leader, Lucas Rivera, is taking a leap. He found a calling in Los Angeles, CA and is taking the whole family. 
• Video: Ricky Martin Teaches Wendy Williams how to say “How You Doin’” in Spanish - I would have preferred to hear him actually say it; but hilarious nonetheless. 
• This week's EN PORTADA - Did you know I help produce a local public affairs program? Well I do. Sometimes I even get the opportunity to interview cool guests (on the field). This time I got to ask a few questions to Carli Lloyd who plays for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team. 

AL DIA to publish Latino Philly book

Writing a book can take years. It's actually one of my goals right now; not too sure what it's going to be about but I want to. It's also great to see organizations and even individuals attempt to track our own history. I recently became aware that David Cruz and Al Dia are doing just that...recapping Philadelphia's Latino history. According to the story in pontealdia.com, "The '200 Years of Latino History of Philadelphia,' which will be unveiled at our 20th anniversary gala in the fall, is our own modest attempt, this time in 'coffee table' book format, to articulate the mostly misunderstood story of our local community here in Latino Philadelphia." And what a misunderstood story it will be.

I have lived in Philadelphia for approximately nine years now and although I can't quite say a lot, it's been interesting. Al Dia has been one of the leading Latino papers here in Philadelphia and has been published for the past 20 years. And yes this 200 Years of Latino History of Philadelphia might be a coffee table book, but it will still be very interesting to read. Philadelphia's Latino history is strong and I hope they get capture the best (and the worst).

EAST WILLYB hitting the web soon

Imagine a Latino-based hipster invasion gentrification comedy. Can't think of what it is? Well you get EAST WILLYB, an original, mult-iplatform Latino web series. The web series intends to be a mainstay in its viewers’ daily schedule. Providing multiple episodes a week, and delivered via a dedicated website with interactive content, EAST WILLYB is the web series that you can count on to be there. In a nutshell, a group of aspiring Latinos couldn't stand to see how Latinos were portrayed on TV, so they made these web series. And of course, there was no support from the "suits" so they produced it on their own. The series is centered around Willy Jr.’s Sports Bar where gentrification hits. Willy Jr. and his best friend and bartender, Ceci Rivera, hit the streets and everyone in between in order to keep the bar alive...and away from hipsters.

Although they have already reached their fundraising goal via Twitter, it doesn't mean you still can't help support. What’s the release date? The release dates are TBD but you can possibly expect to see the first episode September 2012, but that all depends on what happens next. Remember, any little help will support this wonderful independent web series.

To watch the first 6 pilot episodes, visit eastwillyb.com.

Poetry: In my country

A week ago I shared with you a poem I wrote in my graduate school class. We're learning a lot about place, voice and travel in general so I wanted to share another poem. This piece compliments the En Mi Pais poem so enjoy!

___________________________

In my country

In my country...wait a minute, I don't even know where that is.
Jersey born to Colombian padres, people already pigeon hold me


In my country, tourists turn to citizens, undocumented turn away
and I'm left with a sense of not knowing where I came from.


In my country, the schools are biased depending on the color of
your skin. White or black, unfortunately it's all what people see.


In my country, I have to yell because people are so
inconsiderate. Why can't you be more like them? Wait...who's them?


In my country, the West Coast has a hidden war with
the East Coast. Laid back vs. hustle and bustle.


In my country, fighting to survive in corporate America
seems more important than family. Weird...I don't like family.


In my country I get called Latino.
In their country I get called Gringo.

National Museum of the American Latino design contest

 

UNO Branding (Luis Fitch, Salome Castro) Minneapolis, MN 

When I think about what the National Museum of American Latino might look like inside, I see everything. From our indigenous roots to our present state, it's a combination of old and new. I recently received an e-mail about voting for the campaign design contest. How did I not know this was happening!? The contest currently has six finalists from all over the nation, all very different. What does the winner get you ask? A trip to Las Vegas, NV, a national media campaign, and a chance to be a part of history is on the line! The exposure alone is enough.

I chose the one above because it's not only simple, but it embodies exactly where we are. Although at first glance it seems like a voting campaign, I like it. In today's advertising world, the simpler the better. The designer said it best, "Many nations. Many cultures. Many colors. Welcome to the new America. The concept of our poster design was the meshing of the Latino culture with the United States of America." The designer also probably realized, this is a launch campaign; not a concert, event, etc. Most of the other posters were a little too busy and some even stuck to "one" culture. The American Latino embodies all Latino cultures.

The deadline to submit your vote is tonight at 11:59pm EST, June 1, 2012. The winner will be announced this Monday, June 4, 2012.

The White House staff is in town

So I can't tell you how many times I've received an e-mail about the White House Hispanic Community Action Summit. Apparently Temple University is hosting a White House Hispanic Community Action Summit this Saturday, June 2, when senior administration officials will engage members of the Hispanic community on a wide range of issues.What exactly does this mean to any of us? It means our so called Latino leaders will gather in a room and discuss issues important to our community. It means they'll be there "requesting funds" to help support their event, organization, internal ventures, and so forth.

I actually attended something similar in D.C. over a month ago and I was a little disappointed. Sure I networked and all that fancy stuff but what was supposed to be non-partisan turned into a praise on how wonderful everyone is doing. You all know I am not into politics and government issues at all. But unfortunately as you get older, you must get involved with these arguments. Attending these events is pretty much about showing face. Do I have an obligation to go? I honestly don't think so. I can do so much more by writing a letter, organizing an event, etc. Showing face does not mean anything.