Aztec Muse by Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say

A Q uar terly for D istinguished G entlemen

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MUSINGS FROM THE EDITOR 2010 will boast 4 major milestones: The 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. The 200th anniversary of the birth of Mexico as a nation. The 2010 U.S. Census. The launch of Aztec Muse. Roughly 40 years ago, the U.S. Census Bureau created the category “Hispanic” to more precisely conduct the 1970 Census. 40 years later, they still don’t have it quite right. Interesting numbers are generated about us every decade. However, intellectual debate about our identity peaked in the 90’s with the debate over whether we were Hispanics or Latinos, and our wisdom is still only called upon during election time to speculate about the impact of the Latino swing vote. But we are here all year long, impacting right and left, under the radar. Until today. Enter Aztec Muse. Our work might seem radical. But really, it just makes sense. After all, no marketing company in its right mind would create a media campaign to reach out to the “White Demographic.” Our mission is to articulate a more sophisticated approach to the Latino Demographic. Aztec Muse will convey the viewpoints and lifestyles of English-dominant, Mexican American males who hold degrees, who are business owners, who are accomplished professionals in the Arts, Business, Science. Our vanguard was born near 1968 when broadcast news was invented

Our work might seem radical. But really, it just makes sense.

to broadly cast the images that would shape how Tony Diaz America saw tony.diaz@aztecmuse.com us, or, most of the time, didn’t see us. The youngest of our group was born near 1988 during the first scratches and clicks that would percolate into the World Wide Web which promised to level the playing field of the media, but has simply become one more place where we are not fully understood. We are the sons of the largest segment of the Latino Demographic. We will further articulate our demographic in our pages, but for now, suffice it to say the following: We are not the sleeping giant. We are the working giant. We are not waking up. We were probably up earlier than you. To all our other Latino brothers and sisters—trust us. We will not turn our broad backs on you. We only want to enhance how all of us are perceived. To America, don’t worry, our parents were not talking about you when they were speaking Spanish, and we are not plotting against you as my brothers and I finally sit down together at the table. You trusted our fathers to tend your gardens, to serve your food. You trusted our moms with your kids. You trusted our men to raise your buildings. We are their sons. And we can see clearly that our time has come to be heard.

AZTEC MUSE Volume I

Issue I : Spring 2010

Pu b l i s h e r

Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say

Ed i to r - i n - C h i e f Tony Diaz

A s s i s t a nt Ed i to r Karina Junker

Ed i to r i a l S u p p o r t

Viann Bonoan David Medina Marisa Ramirez Angela Sanchez Leslie Contreras Schwartz

L ayo u t Ed i to r Jill Feuk

A s s i s t a nt L ayo u t Editor Monica Villarreal

P h o to g ra p hy Liana Lopez Bryan Parras Hugo Pedraza Tom Gandy

Wr i te r s

Paula Beltrán Christina Beltran-Tonan Leslie Diaz Oscar Diaz Danny Lopez Liana Lopez Bryan Parras M.F.A. Alexandra Romonav Dina Tselik

Distribution Yuliana Gallegos

Sales

Richard Reyes Toni Lundin

AZTEC MUSE

(713) 867-8943 P.O. Box 540181 Houston, TX 77254-0181 feedback @ aztecmuse.com www.aztecmuse.com www.nuestrapalabra.org

What’s Inside 5 Spring Entourage / On the Cover 6 Pyramid Power / Tony Garcia, Jr. / by Alexandra Romonav 7 Why Your Latino Outreach Didn’t Reach Latinos / by MFA 9 Mayor Oscar De La Hoya / by Danny Lopez

p. 35

11 La Buena Vida: Hola, Chianti / Richard Sanchez / by Oscar Diaz 13 From Birth to Retirement, The TCCC — a Champion of our community / by Tony Diaz 14 The Lady is the Law / Maritza Antú / by Paula Beltrán 15 Take the Population Pop Quiz 17 The Pugilist Writes Back / Guillermo Arriaga / by Liana Lopez and Christina Beltran-Tonan 18 Made by The Hands of Our People for Our People / Greg Compean / by Tony Diaz

p. 9

23 The Real Deal on Bilingual Education 28 Prophets of Profit / The Dawning of The Twilight Group / by Alexandra Romonav

p. 33

30 Proud to be a Wise Latina / Maria Hinojosa

p. 28

31 Local Wise Latinas / by Paula Beltrán 33 Spring Entourage: Knockout Pirouettes / Jessica Castillo / by Bryan Parras 35 She Says ... She Means / by Dina Tselik 37 The Latino Family Tree / Boriquas & Chicanos Transforming the Bayou City / by Liana Lopez 38 Exponential Culturalism / Vietnam and Mexico: Seperated by an Ocean, Joined by a Jade Heart / by An Duong, Esquire

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Payable to Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say Clip the form below and mail to:

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Don’t miss our next issue: Summer 2010 Visit www.AztecMuse.com to get involved. Nominate amazing Latinas to grace our Summer 2010 cover. We’re going state-wide with our Fall 2010 issue. Nominate Mexican American movers and shakers from San Antonio, Dallas, Austin for profiles!

Who did we miss? Let us know @ feedback@AztecMuse.com

On the cover: Mexican American Movers and Shakers:

spring

Entourage

A Gerardo Parra, Jr., filmmaker Film and Audio Production, Art of Institute of Houston Founder of L.I.D. Magazine and Co-founder of Counter Part Films

K Tony Diaz, novelist Master of Fine Arts-Creative Writing: Fiction, University of Houston B.A. Communications/Media–Minor: Creative Writing, De Paul University, Chicago Founder and Director of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say

B Rick Camargo, cultural ambassador, dancer, mentor

L Danny Lopez, Editor-in-Chief The Egalitarian, HCC Campus Newspaper University of Houston Houston Community College

C Gregory D. Compean, Funeral Director Bachelor’s in Funeral Service, Houston, Tx Owner of Compean Funeral Home, Inc. D Victor Rodriguez, Dentist D.D.S.—Doctoral of Dental Surgery, University of Texas HSC, Houston, TX Bachelor of Arts: Biology, University of Texas at Austin President-elect of the Hispanic Dental Association

M Stephen Fraga, President, Tejas Office Products, Inc. BBA, Finance, Texas A&M University N Ben Mendez Bachelor of Science: Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston Founder & Chairman of the National Hispanic Professional Organization

E Arturo J. Parra, filmmaker Film and Audio Production, Art of Institute of Houston Co-founder of Counter Part Films

O Abel Davila ABD: Sam Houston University Bachelor of Science of Pharmacy-TSU Associate of Science-Houston Community College Former Houston Community College Trustee Chairman, pharmacist

F Charlie Galindo Jr., Planetary Scientist M.S. Physical Science, University of Houston, Clear Lake B.S. Geology, St Mary’s University, San Antonio Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advocate

P Alvaro Saar Rios, playwright & performer Master of Fine Arts: Writing for the Stage & Screen, Northwestern University, Evanaston, IL Bachelor of Arts-English/Creative Writing, University of Houston Founding member of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say and The Royal Mexican Players

G Bryan Parras, Mixed Media Specialist Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of Texas at Austin H Tony Garcia, Jr., Founder, President and CEO Structura Design LLC VP of foundation board of National Association of Minority Contractors I Alex Villegas, Engineer, Global Sales Director, Power Services, GE BSEE, Cal Poly, Pomona

Q Rene Martinez, Director of Resource DevelopmentTejano Center for Community Concerns MSRCP-Community & Regional Planning, University of Texas, Austin. Bachelor of Arts-Psychology, University of Texas, Austin

J David Corpus, President, Banco Herencia, a branch of Wallis State Bank Master of Business Administration, Our Lady of The Lake University, San Antonio, Tx B.A.S: Management

A C

I F

R Vicente Arenas, KHOU-TV, Anchor Bachelor of Arts: Journalism, University of Texas-Austin

Our Father’s worked the jobs no one else wanted. We’re creating jobs no one else imagined.

Leaders of the new Aztec Empire:

PYRAMIDS by Alexandra Romonav

P yramid Power

It’s difficult to know what pyramids symbolized to our ancestors as they constructed the first great city of North America five centuries ago. You get a glimpse of that on a clear Houston night, our own skyline glamorously lit up. Our technology, our culture, our prowess the backdrop to a great night on the town.

As those monuments to culture are raised and razed, our role in those cultural sculptures has returned to prominence. When construction sites are seen, our role was once imagined simply as the men who lay the bricks. Now we own the bricks, too. Tony Garcia Jr. is the President and C.E.O of Structura Design and Construction which has designed and constructed many of the structuras you have wandered through and enjoyed. Structura is the evolution of a family business that has blossomed into a successful company that gives back to the community and is on the verge of making a national impact. Just over a decade ago, when he was in his early 20’s, Tony had to take over Garcia and Garcia Construction, as his father’s health, business, and spirit were in danger. Tony the younger had to provide for the family. No one even believed that the young man was the head of the business. They would constantly ask him, “Son, who do you work for?” And he would avoid a direct answer. However, even though he may not have looked like a C.E.O at the time, he worked harder then 2 C.E.O.s put together, logging 75 hour – 90 hour work weeks and handling the business from top to bottom.

We have never had a lack of talent or work ethic in our community, but we also have to create images that overcome stereotypes. Tony took a hard look at his business and his approach to create the right vehicle for his work. He hired a consultant who helped him refine the new logo and name for the company. This symbol is not just a logo, it is one of the many banners that drive him, along with family, and community and education. Two years after he took the reigns of the company, Tony was able to give his father the gift of a new Corvette. He helped to put his mom through school. She recently completed a Master’s Degree at St. Thomas University. She is now entering law school. A decade later his father’s health is the best it has ever been. And this family business gives back to community in major ways. Promoting education is a big part of his social philanthropy. Strucutura underwrote last year’s Willie Velasquez Gala with a donation of $250,000. He is also a key player in the construction of the new phase of their $45 million plan for a new educational complex.

The last phase for the charter school will feature a state-of-the art campus that will continue to provide a cutting-edge education. The Raul Yzaguirre School for success has the best graduation rate for all of our young in the city, including students who would be considered too-at-risk to keep in school at other schools. The campus will also include facets open to the community, to enhance the learning experience for all. That is a great endeavor, but not enough. Tony’s long term goal is to restore historical landmarks on the scale of the Sistine Chapel. His transformation of the Houston landscape in such a short amount of time demonstrates that his vision will manifest itself on the huge canvas of cities and history, just as our cultura is accustomed to doing.

2009 Willie Velasquez Award Recipients 2 hombres from our cover joined the august list of movers and shakers recognized for excellence in education, business, health, or public/community service through the Willie Velsaquez Hispanic Excellence Awards, sponsored by the Tejano Center for Community Concerns.

Greg Compean 2009 Willie Velasquez Award for Business

“We weren’t handed our jobs by our fathers. It was even rare for us to have a Latino mentor as we were working our way up. But I want to change that. I am one of only 3 Latino bank presidents in Houston right now. When I am done, I want my legacy to be that I paved the way for ten more.”

The awards were handed out at the 19th annual gala, co-sponsored by Telemundo Houston, at the Hotel ZaZa. The gala benefits the Tejano Center for Community Concerns and the Raul Yzaguirre School for Success. For next year’s event contact Cristina Hernandez, (713) 6403702, or email hernandez.c@tccc-ryss.org.

–David Corpus

Ben Mendez 2009 Willlie Velasquez Award for Public/Community Service

Clip and hang in the break room

Ten Reasons Your Latino Outreach Program Did Not Reach Latinos

By M.F.A.

1. Did you mean Hispanics or Latinos or Latin Americans or what? “We are trying to reach the White market.” That sounds ridiculous, right? That is as imprecise as saying you are pursuing the Latino Demographic.

6. Take Me to Your Leader: This line from classic, ancient, Sci-Fi movies is what folks sound like when they corner the only Latino in a tie who they know and ask him for insights into the Latino Demographic.

2. Overnight Success: How long have you been in business? If it has taken you X years to cultivate your base audience, why do you think it would take less time or energy to cultivate an entirely new audience that you know nothing about?

7. Take me to Your Leader II: Okay, but first give me $50. No really, give me $50. I’ll take you to our Latino leader, a few of them.

3. Translating “Gone With the Wind” into Spanish does not make it Latino literature. Simply translating into Spanish the brochures, ads, flyers that you have created over time for your base audience does not mean it will work the same on an entirely new audience.

4. Shakespeare with a New York accent: Which Spanish were you translating your documents into anyway? You do know there are many, many versions of Spanish, right?

5. English Spoken Here: The largest growing demographic, and the most upwardly mobile, consists of English dominant Mexican Americans, some of whom do not even speak Spanish, some of whom prefer to read materials in English.

7 8

8. Take me to Your Leader III: Now, I need $100. And now I’ll take you to an even bigger leader. And I will sell you Mexican Manhattan.

9. Take me to Your Leader IV: Oh, you meant the leader of THAT Group. Now you are being specific. Now you seem to really know what you want. Now, it seems as if we are really getting some place. So give me $5,000. This is the way advertising works anyway for any race, color, or creed.

10. Please don’t feel bad for trying. Here are a few embarrassing attempts that really made sense at the time: (These are true to life businesses. I have seen them.) Latino Furniture (Is a table Mexican or Puerto Rican?), Mambo: the Latino Cologne (I am Latino, but even I was scared to smell it.), and Latino Insurance (I’m not sure if that is for us, or insurance that promises to keep us away.)

Clip and hang in the break room

Mayor Oscar De La Hoya by Danny Lopez

ztec Muse caught up with Oscar during his latest visit to Houston to promote two of his franchises: the Houston Dynamo and their latest player acquisition, and Golden Boy Productions which organized the 14-match HBO Pay Per View Bonanaza that featured Houston’s own Juan Diaz winning the NABO junior welterweight championship of the World.

You can read about Oscar De La Hoya’s early trials and tribulations in his memoir “American Son,” available in Spanish as “Un Sueño Americano: Mi Historia.” However, the later chapters of his life will not read like those of past boxers whose bodies waned then whose for tunes waned. He has evolved from championship rounds to championship por tfolios that have grown out of the spor t that made him famous, into spor ts that he’s mak ing famous. He epito mizes the new breed of Mexican American business men who are link ing their heritage with business sense and changing the way America plays and thinks.

“Boxing and soccer are international sports. They are followed by everyone. It doesn’t matter what race, color, or creed you are. If you are good at what you do, people are going to follow.”

He called an end to his glorious boxing career to launch the boxing career of dozens of others. AztecMuse: Are you ready to buy a house in Houston? O.D: I go back and forth from Houston to Los Angeles so much; my wife keeps joking that we should buy a house. We have not committed to it yet, but it would make sense. Aztec Muse: How do you like the phrase “Mayor Oscar De La Hoya”? O.D: (Laughter.) I’m here enough. I have not thrown my hat into any political ring. I’m not ruling it out. But I have not really looked into it just yet. Aztec Muse: We think you would win.

“

We’ve had a few Hispanic players on the

Houston Dynamo, but Luis Angel Landin is the first Mexican born player. It just goes to show

“When I first came on board as an owner, I did make a promise that we can bring a Mexican national to the team. Here we are today, with one off the best up-and-comers. With Dominic Kennear guiding him and making him fit in with all the other players, I think we are going to be unstoppable for years to come.”

you that the Houston Dynamo are international. There are no barriers. If you are a good player, you are going to play for the Houston Dynamo. It

„

just so happened that we found this great player from Mexico.

La Buena Vida:

Hola, Chianti with Sommelier Richard Sanchez by Oscar Diaz

At Poscol wine bar even the walnuts decorating the main bar look as if they’ve been auditioned then shined. Imagine how they pick the staff.

Here are two great wines to introduce you to a bit of Italia, and to make you look good on a first date. The intro red wine: the Valpolicella This red wine is a three grape blend fermented in stainless steel. It’s from the Veneto Region of Italy. Richard calls it a “Grace and style wine, especially if you are not too much into reds-yet.”

Poscal, as well as its fancier

It’s perfect for a first date because it goes with any salad. However, Richard recommends the Farro Salad, wheat grain cooked like risotto with arugula, beets, and tomatoes. If you are both a bit hungrier it’s perfect with the Poscol Risotto which has 3 different types of cheeses. You can really up the ante and try it with duck or rabbit.

sister sites a short walk away

If you are a quick study, here’s the long name:

Wine Sommelier Richard Sanchez has more than made the cut. He is the expert who oversees the selection and enjoyment of the wine lists for

2007 Tenuta Sant’Antonio, Nunfre, Valpolicella.

on Westheimer: Da Marco and Dolce Vita, each one a

The wine to come back for: The Basilicata

different experience. This first thing to keep in mind is that it is no longer necessary to ask which wine goes best with Chicken. At a real wine bar, the cuisine and the vinos are calibrated to complement each other at more sophisticated

The man behind the wine:

Richard Sanchez

levels. At the right place,

The 2006 Terra dei Re, Vulture, Aglianico del Vulture is a powerful and sturdy red wine from Southern Italy that is vinified in oak. It comes from Aglianico grapes cultivated at the foothills of an inactive volcano. This grape was brought to Italy by the Greeks when they settled in the region and saw great potential for growing. The remnants of lava lend this wine powerful coffee and chocolate flavors with hints of herbs. It takes a potent meal to stand up to the Basilicata. Richard recommends Poscol’s Tagliolini; the heavy cream and exquisite pasta mitigate the tones of this red heavy hitter.

with the right chef, and the right sommelier, their mission is to make it very hard for you to go wrong. Richard will tell you that Italian wines are categorized by region. Poscol is located at 1609 Westheimer, in the Montrose region of Houston.

A Great Wine Bar vs A Great Restaurant with wine ½ glasses of wine

Wines by the bottle

Tapas style Italian food

White table cloths and multi-course dinners

Most expensive bottle of wine: $100+

Most expensive bottle of wine: $1,000+

Great first date

Great anniversary dinner 13

Richard R. Farias / President and CEO of TCCC

Raul Yzaguirre, Sr. / Founder of National Council of La Raza

Their Legacies Established our Communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Destiny Tejano Center for Community Concerns

Establish your Legacy 14

Several Landmark Naming Opportunities Available

Call Rene Martinez, Director of Resource Development at 713 640-3708

Even with advanced degrees, some of us still have to sing for our supper, no matter what field we excel in. That was the case four years ago for prosecutor Maritza Antú while interviewing with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Maritza was after big game: a pre-commit spot with the District Attorney’s Office without having yet received bar results. She was interviewed twice by different hiring panels prior to going before the final hiring committee of district court judges. At the end of the taxing and draining series of questions, the hiring committee had one last request; they wanted her to sing— “Ave Maria,” the opera version. She did. She was offered the job. Born in McAllen to Mexican parents who hail from Reynosa, Maritza Antú has come a long way from being mortified by her mom’s Spanish-speaking ways.

MaritzaAntú By Paula Beltrán

The Lady is the law AM: I have to admit I was surprised when you introduced yourself in Spanish. I thought Antú was your married name. I know. People see me and they see a white girl. They think “…Greek…foreign, sure…but Mexican? Not Mexican.” And of course they ask, “Antú? What kind of name is that?” Uh, it’s a name?! When I’m asked where I’m from, I say I’m from McAllen; Mexican.

AZTEC MUSE: Seriously, “Ave Maria”? Yes! I’d listed singing under hobbies, so I kind of set myself up for it. Judge Velasquez was there, and she was rooting for me all along. They knew I was bilingual. It’s such an asset. AM: I find that whether or not you know, or choose to know, Spanish is such a loaded and personal question for so many Hispanics. Did you always feel that comfortable about speaking Spanish? My family is from Reynosa. My brother was born there and we visit often. I grew up speaking Spanish and speak it at home now, but I must admit I was embarrassed back then. When you’re young you worry about all the small things; what does your car look like, your home, and your clothes. I’m so ashamed to say this, but I remember how when my mom would drop me off at school she’d scream out what she was making for dinner—in Spanish—and I was so embarrassed. And this was McAllen, where I’m sure ninety percent of people speak Spanish! 16

AM: Not the more fashionable and palatable to the masses “Hispanic”? I feel especially in Houston, Mexican has become really, almost— …A derogatory word? Hispanic is a much prettier word, huh? Those illegal Mexicans … I’m not going to apologize for being Mexican. I think the more we use “Mexican” in a positive way and acknowledge it we can do our part to turn it around. I embrace it. And I’m confident to know that I was hired by the county because I am a good attorney, and not anything else. Even if I do think there is an interest in increasing diversity. I think our goal should be to look like our community; our victims. AM: Speaking of looking like our community, what do you think of the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor? She’s opened up my goals immensely. I feel like I can achieve anything. AM: Thinking of going into politics? No! Politics is a scary world!

AM: How long have you been in the Crimes Against Children Division? What has it been like? Eight months. I feel like I’m stocking up on little credits up above. We all work very hard to help our families. What a cool job, to help people who never imagined they would need to learn or know of the system. When Spanish-speaking families come in, I feel like they know they can trust me. That they don’t speak English means nothing. My parents are not rocket scientists, but they’re good people who sacrificed so much to give me a better chance. I feel like I get it. AM: What of the unmentionable ceiling, is there one at the DA’s office? Hardly! I think fourteen of the twenty-two chiefs are female. We have a true level playing field. Though you know, sometimes when I’m in trial, I feel like it’s an added incentive for the defense attorneys; “I have to win this case, I can’t lose to a girl!” You know how nothing shakes men up like competing with an equal, and if that equal is a woman! AM: What’s next for this woman? Whatever challenges me or makes me feel good about what I do. AM: And for the men of Aztec Muse? Watch out! Without a doubt, Maritza is a muse for all.

Latino 101:

Take the Population Pop Quiz a re e. s r e ag p w s t (A n e n ex e k . ) t h â&#x20AC;&#x2122;t p e n o Don

The 2000 Census counted 32.8 million Latinos in the U.S., making us 12% of the

For our first quiz in Latino 101, in the space provided, list, from highest to lowest, the countries that represent the three largest percentages of Latinos. For example, if you believe most Latinos are from or descended from Costa Rica (wrong answer by the way), list that country first.

entire population.

In the column next to it, guess the percentage of Latinos in America from that nation.

Census Bureau calls coun-

The answers are on the next page. Resist peaking. Play along. Ask your coworkers to give it a try. Were they surprised by any of the results? By the way, if this current census is conducted correctly, AZTEC MUSE predicts that not only will it quantify that there are even more Latinos in the U.S. than suspected, but it will be clear that the largest group below is larger than ever imagined.

tries of origin for Latinos.

Country of origin

Below we list alphabetically 10 of the countries that the

Largest Portions of the Latino Pie % of Latino population

Argentina 1. Chile Cuba El Salvador 2. Guatemala Mexico Nicaragua 3. Panama Peru Puerto Rico

ANSWERS

Population Pop Quiz

1 . Mexico

66.1%

2 . Puer to R ico

3 . Cuba

A few musings: 1. Most p eople susp ec t that Mexicans form the largest par t of the Latino p opulation, but most are sho cked at just how large. 2. The three largest g roups account for 79% of the Latino D emo graphic. The remaining countries combined add up to just under 21%. 3. B onus info: in Houston, Latinos form 37% of the p opulation. Mexicans alone are 27% of the p opulation.

Source: U.S. Census Burea: The Hispanic Population in the United States http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hispanic/p20-535/p20-535.pdf

HARD HIT TING PROSE:

ou might not have seen his fights. Former pug Guillermo Arriaga admits he was not the best boxer in the world; thus, he turned to writing. However, you have heard of the hard-hitting work engendered by his screen plays.

The

By Liana Lopez and Christina Beltran-Tonan

Pugilist Writes Back

Amores Perros received the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Film not in the English Language. It also was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. 21 Grams received a BAFTA nomination for Best Screenplay, and Babel received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada received Best Screen Play award at the Cannes Film Festival. His latest screenplay, The Burning Plain, also marks his directorial debut and has already received awards at the Venice Film Festival.

I hear people say that fewer and fewer people are turning to books. That books will go away because of the new mediums –the internet, cinema, television, and so forth. I don’t think so. I think that this generation has been writing and reading more than the previous four or five generations through emails, text messages, blogs –everything. Kids are writing and reading. So, they are more aware of the written word.

Can you imagine 6,000 people listening to writers? Last fall, Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say moderated the panel That was amazing. “Writing for The Page and Screen: A Conversation with Guillermo Arriaga” as part of the Cinema Arts Festival Houston, organized by the Houston Cinema Arts Society. Arriaga read from his novels and engaged in a conversation about his writing methods and the similarities and differences in writing for the page and for the screen. Here are some of his best shots.

I consider myself plainly a writer. Even now, that I directed a film. I still consider myself a writer. I don’t distinguish. I think that writing screenplays is also literature. I consider it as important as writing a novel or writing a short story. For me, everything is literature.

Born in Mexico, Arriaga’s novels, translated from Spanish, include Night Buffalo, A Sweet Scent of Death and The Guillotine Squad.

been trying to explore ways to tell stories. The work of Juan Rulfo is in that tradition: William Faulkner, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce. So, what I was trying to do, is to bring that novelistic quality to cinema. The novel shares a very close relationship with the reader, while, screenwriting is something that’s going to be shown through images and also with music, also architecture. So there’s a difference, but at the core of it, for me, it’s basically the same.

I belong to a tradition of a story telling that is a direct, moral tradition that goes way back. If you read, for example, The Bible –The Bible is very direct and very visual. The Odyssey by Homer, it’s very direct, and the action of the characters is what explores humanity, not the lushness of the prose. You want to be direct. Of course, we are writers, and we all care about language, but we don’t want it to overshadow what is going on in the relationships with humans. I have tried to bring novelistic structures to cinema. For many years, literature has

Before having my first published work, I wrote about four short-story collections, and a couple of novels that will never see the light of day. They were not good enough. Some of them were aborted, but they were actually films. I wrote the original screenplays based on those aborted novels. One was Amores Perros, and the other was 21 Grams. They began as novels and didn’t work as novels, so I decided to make them screenplays. So, the only way to make things work is working and writing and believing in your work. You have to finish it. I have just been in Brazil. People say that the book is dead. I went to a book festival in a very small city in the South of Brazil. The audience was 6,000 people. Can you imagine 6,000 people listening to writers? That was amazing. Another time, I received a letter from a prison in Brazil. It was from the prison librarian telling me that my book, The Night Buffalo, was one of the favorites of the inmates, but they had only one copy. He wanted to know if I could donate a few more because books to them were a way to be free. Of course, I did. And of course, we are. 19

S A C R E D

P Y R A M I D S

Made

by the

Hands of ourPeople for our

People

This title comes from the Spanish inscription on the front of Compean Funeral Home: “Hecho Con La Manos de Nuestra Gente Para Nuestra Gente.” Greg Compean has a poet’s knack for finding the right words at the right time, a business man’s gift for profoundly understanding a market, and a love for our community that runs deep.

He has achieved the American Dream through the Mexican American work ethic.

“I went out of my way,” he is proud to say, “ to make sure every inch of this building was created by Latino hands.” This reflects his belief in our community.

After over a decade in business, with over two decades of experience, Greg began construction on his new state of the art, $2.5 million dollar facility on 2101 Broadway, in one of our most widely known barrios. People in the industry told him he was crazy. The villa-styled building is 16,000 square-feet. The interior décor includes dark paneled walls, earth tones, over-stuffed

by Tony Diaz Editor-in-Chief

couches and chairs, granite fireplaces, marbled flooring and thick richly-colored rugs throughout. With the press of a button, lights, videos, and plasma televisions can be subtly called into action. The corporate dominated funeral industry thought this was excessive for the area. The Hispanic market was considered the low end of the market. This wasn’t during the 1930’s or 1950’s. This was less than 3 years ago. And here is what’s at stake: the way the corporate world imagines our lives influences the afterlife they relegate us to, beginning with our funeral rites. If we are thought of as the low-end market in this world, they are damning us to the lowend market of the great beyond. Greg believes, “Everyone deserves a dignified funeral. Being successful to me means being a steward of our community.” Greg achieves this in many ways. He is a philanthropist and serves on several boards. He and his wife Linda have chaired several major events including the recent National Hispanic Professional Organization Annual Gala. He was recognized state-wide for grabbing a bull horn, loading up the rolling fleet and passing out food to those in need during the devastation of Hurricane Ike.

However, perhaps his lasting legacy will be the vision that he engendered for treating our community with dignity in life and death. All this has added up to a business model whose success has boggled many minds, but which makes sense to us. He has achieved the American Dream through the Mexican American work ethic. “I work 365, 24/7. Compean Funeral Home conducts over 500 services a year. I have 500 new bosses a year. I answer my own phone. I don’t have an answering service. I am accessible to families in time of need. If you speak Spanish, you aren’t put on hold while a Spanish speaking operator is located. You get me right away.” Greg has devised a business model that caters to our community at all levels, from manual laborer to head of state. No one is turned away, and Greg sweats every detail. He’s invested in a luxurious rolling fleet kept in impeccable condition. He goes so far as to have each auto washed every day. “I’ll go out there and wash them if I have to. I lead by example.” “You can’t run this business from the board room or the golf course. I’m in the barrio every day. When I drive out of my lot, I am on Broadway. You can’t cater to our community if you don’t understand us.” “This is my dream. This is where I want to be—in a facility I built from the ground up, involved in every aspect of the construction. I wanted this funeral home. I wanted to invest in my community. Here I am. The dream has come true, and I love what I do. I remain very passionate about and committed to my gente and this sacred vocation.”

“Being successful to me means being a steward of our community.”

2102 Broadway Blvd., Houston, TX 77012 / 713.924.6900

ted

Opera d n a d e n w O y il Fam

Gregory D. Compean, a licensed Texas Funeral Director for over 20 years, has created a true family-owned and operated funeral home in an industry which is largely corporately controlled.

When you need the strength of family ... count on the Compean family. We are dedicated to offering personalized professional services at affordable prices.

In this column, we will take a hard look at the topics that most impact our community. To get to the real deal, we first tread on emotional landmines that get in the way of logical discourse. These are statements that so enrage one side or the other that people have trained themselves not to bring them up because people will explode in anger. But these ideas also contain important threads of truth that we must utter to get to a real understanding of an issue. These are also statements that only we can bring up, thus we must. The fates of our young, our community, our city, our nation are on the line. Prominent Houstonians, experts in the field, then muse on the subject at hand. This results in a mix of viewpoints not often heard from.

D etonating

My first job as a child was to learn English quickly and as well as possible so that I could translate the rest of the world for my parents. Now, I have graduated to the job of translating our culture for the rest of the world. Each of us does this in some way. Aztec Muse is here to bring those visions and insights together for the good of our community.

So here is

The

Deal “Real on Bilingual Education”

By Tony Diaz Editor-in-Chief

Emotional Landmines:

1. Inglés Con Muchas Barreras: The majority, if not all, of immigrants want to learn English. Now, some have been embarrassed or humiliated by others when they tried to learn. Some do not like to be corrected, so they don’t practice. Some have failed at it, so they say they never tried. Some work so hard that they are too tired to study and may never master the language. 2. The American Dream: We know that to succeed in this country, you have to learn the language. That is obvious. At the most basic level, new immigrant families expect their children to learn English to translate for them. 3. French Accents are Cool: If a parent walks into a middle school class room and hears the children speaking French, they might think that their child is attending a great school exposing them to broad cultures. That is not always the assumption when a parent stumbles upon a classroom of children being taught all in Spanish. 4. The Plague: Bilingual Education cannot be blamed for all the ills of the school system. 5. Teacher, I Don’t Get Walt Whitman: If you talk to language arts college instructors, they will complain that high schools are not teaching even our native English speakers English.

articulated or directly catered to. At the college level, even native English speakers are tested and categorized according to their proficiency in developmental, basic, or advanced courses (and even that system is not perfect). 7. English Spoken Here: Today, a large portion of successful Mexican American males in their 30’s do not speak Spanish at all or well. Most prefer to do business in English. These same men are given grief for this the most by Spanish dominant Latinos. 8. English Spoken Here: A) There are two chief reasons for this: Their parents were so discriminated against for speaking Spanish that they did not want their children to go through the same problems. Of course, then the ultimate Latina activist comes along—Dora the Explorer and makes speaking Spanish cool. 9. English Spoken Here: B) Others of us were rewarded quickly and obviously for speaking English very well, so we just stayed on that course. 10. Español Con Muchas Barreras: Today, it is just as hard for a 30-year-old successful, English-dominant, Mexican American business man to learn Spanish as it is for a 30-year-old Spanish-dominant Mexican native in the U.S. to learn English.

6. The Silver Bullet: No one single program will work for all of the students, the same way, all of the time. The demographic of bilingual students is not sufficiently

Gaspar Mir III

Principal of MFR, P.C., an Accounting and Consultant Firm

Gaspar Mir worked at the Houston Independent School District as the Executive General Manager of Strategic Partnerships. Through that experience, he gained an even greater respect and admiration for teachers and administrators working in our public school system, but became frustrated at the impact that the system’s policies and structure have on their effectiveness. Actually it is the school system that many times dilutes the tremendous benefits of bilingual education. The goal of education should be for our children to graduate high school and enter higher education or the workforce without remedial training. Our students should do well in all of their

tests—which are conducted in English. Therefore, it is critical that all of our students do well in English with a secondary objective for them to retain and develop the effective utilization of a second language. Our bilingual children will compete early in their academic careers in English. Without strong transition instruction in English our bilingual children are left at a serious disadvantage for magnet schools, district academic competitions in math and science, SAT testing, and college applications. Bilingual education’s goal is to prepare our Latino children for an academic career which will lead to a fulfilling and productive career in our work force. Our Latino children have the intellectual capacity to be government leaders, corporate businessmen, doctors, teachers and so much more. Ask any Spanish-speaking parent what they want from the school for their child, and they will answer, “To learn English, to help the family and to get a good job. The American Dream.” The major issues that I see negatively impacting the effectiveness of bilingual education in our schools are the following: In many schools, students are retained in bilingual classes primarily to increase the funding to the schools without much consideration for what is best for the students. In many schools, students are kept in bilingual classes and are given the TAKS test in Spanish to maximize their grades thus assuring that the school will attain the highest rating instead of looking at what is best for the students. For most students it is critical that they start taking the tests in English as early as possible to assure their effective transition to doing well in middle school. This is a shortened version. For the full-strength dose, visit www.AztecMuse.com.

Adriana Tamez

Regional Superintendent, Central Region Houston Independent School District

It’s All About Relationships Several years ago, at the end of a conference on leadership I was attending, after much discussion on why and how some educational programs and initiatives were more successful than others, a colleague spoke up and said, “I’ve got it. It’s all about relationships!” This sentiment was unanimous among all in attendance. It’s through relationships with people that one is able to develop trust, understanding, commitment and support surrounding an issue. Bilingual Education is no exception. The value it adds to our nation’s place as a leader in the global community must necessarily be trusted, understood and supported. Bilingual Education is an important vehicle where school-age children newly arrived from non-English speaking lands to our

great nation may effectively become active participants in the U.S. enterprise. Its primary goal is to have nonEnglish speaking students become proficient in English, and when implemented correctly, bilingual education produces individuals who are biliterate. What an amazing opportunity for anyone – being able to speak, listen, read and write in two languages. Not simply being able to fumble through a conversation, but truly be biliterate. When bilingual education is implemented correctly, students learn grade/subject appropriate curriculum in their native language, while receiving appropriate instruction in English. It is not a matter of cementing one language atop another, but

f e e d b a c k 26

scaffolding, building upon the students’ native language to engage English. Ultimately, bilingual education is intended to facilitate students’ integration into the regular school curriculum and ensure access to equal educational opportunities. It’s imperative to quell the often times emotionally or politically charged discourse about bilingual education, and develop relationships among its varied constituencies. Bold discourse, yes. Thoughtful discourse, yes. But, discourse that builds trust, understanding and support of a program that enriches educational opportunities for our most precious asset, our children whose successful implementation adds to the country’s population individuals who can smoothly traverse an increasingly diverse demographic landscape, and effectively fortify our nation’s position as a world leader. Thanks to publications such as AZTEC MUSE, which are fertile grounds upon which to build robust discourse and solid relationships

a z t e c m u s e . c o m

Miqueas (Mike) R. Lopez

learn Spanish for the first time.

Communication Application (Speech) Teacher Bellaire High School

Diana María Gruber

I am one of the Hispanics who was forced to prefer English. My father informed me at an early age that the White man ran the show, and he had his own rules. He told me how various forms of corporal punishment were inflicted upon anyone in school who would dare speak Spanish.

Owner HABLA Spanish School www.hablahouston.com Today’s Latino professionals seem to be caught between two generations: their parents’ and grandparents’ who could speak Spanish, and their children who are who learning Spanish in school. So what do Latino professionals speak?

He showed me how these rules controlled through a demonstration of real estate steering. This was a racial segregationist practice where persons of a certain racial group could only afford housing among their own kind. My mother told of how in her home of McAllen, Texas her grades in school qualified her to be in the National Honor Society (NHS), yet, because of her last name, she was not allowed to join. An English teacher by the name of Mary Carroll fought for her right to join. As a result, my mother, class of 1943, was the first Hispanic student to be inducted into NHS at McAllen High School. Soon after that, Mary Carroll retired from that district. A Corpus Christi high school is named after her. Another one of those rules was that you will not go far unless you can speak the White Man’s English as well as he can. As a result of this philosophy, my first year in school (kindergarten) was spent in an expensive White day care that my father could barely afford. He was sure that if I spent my first year among these children, I would have no trace of an accent.

At HABLA, one of Houston’s leading Spanish schools for adult professionals, we serve Latino professionals who want to improve their existing skills. The school also serves many companies and hundreds of non-Hispanic professionals wanting to

He was right. As a result of his theory, I was alienated from many of my friends and relatives, but I also became the first Hispanic surnamed disc jockey on an Englishspeaking AM radio station (KEYS) in my home town of Corpus Christi, Texas.

We understand that there are some “emotional landmines” that people encounter when it comes to learning a language. For example, we know beginners can feel shy, whereas, some intermediate or advanced students can feel embarrassed about their “Spanglish,” which they are reminded in class is nothing to be embarrassed about. It requires courage to seek help, and we admire that, and we support students to focus on their desire to improve. We also understand how precious time is, so we tailor our classes to students needs. We work with companies on their terms and schedules. We also offer classes to the general public at convenient locations. Of course, we understand that you want to learn or improve your Spanish fast. That’s why we’ve designed our “Fast, Functional Fluency”™ program, which can make even a beginner-level student Functionally Fluent in under a Year!™ The Census Bureau estimates that by 2050 half of the U.S. will speak Spanish as their first language. We want to prepare Houston for the future.

Miqueas has more tales for you @ www.AztecMuse.com. You can also vote to have him back.

f e e d b a c k

a z t e c m u s e . c o m 27

This is a shortened version. For the fullstrength dose, visit www.AztecMuse.com.

all I could to teach second-language, early-childhood learners.

Confessions of a Latina bilingual teacher

Now here is my confession.

I feel like I’m sitting in a confessional booth. I’m about to share what is considered taboo. For I am a bilingual, Mexican American woman. Educator. Well, here it goes. Inspired by my own experience in elementary school, I decided at a very young age--around second grade- that I was going to be a teacher. In college, I then chose to go the bilingual education route, again, inspired by a specific experience during my first year in school.

Claudia Macias Education Consultant

Born and raised in Houston, Claudia Macias graduated from the Houston Independent School District, received a bachelor of science in Interdisciplinary Studies - Bilingual in 1997 from the University of Houston and a master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Houston Clear Lake in 2001. She has 10 years experience as an early childhood/lower elementary educator and administrator. She was part of the founding faculty for Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) first elementary school and went on to found its second elementary school. Her latest venture is the creation of Discover With Me!, a program that provides playgroup sessions for babies/toddlers and their parents/ caregivers. For more information please send Email to HYPERLINK “mailto:discoverwithme2010@ yahoo.com” discoverwithme2010@ yahoo.com or visit www.discoverwithme2010.com. 28

My first language was Spanish, so I began kindergarten as a Spanish dominant speaker and listener. I relied on a fellow classmate, a girl who later became my best friend, who sat next to me during “carpet time” to interpret what was going on. She got in trouble for speaking out of turn. I didn’t let up. I continued “to talk out of turn” to find out what I needed to do. I, too, got in trouble. I remember getting called to the front of the class and turned to face the wall to receive “pops” with a ruler. I don’t remember telling my parents about the “pops.” What made a dire impact was the embarrassment of standing in front of the rest of the class. I remember tears stinging my eyes and running down my cheeks. As a young adult in college I chose my profession to ensure that no child, under my watch as a bilingual educator, would endure what I did. Once I became a teacher, I championed bilingual education. I researched, read, studied, and learned

During my research I began to explore the thought, why not just immerse the young pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners in English? You can’t go wrong. They’re sponges at this age. Research also led me to learn more about the early childhood learner. This is a good time to teach a second language; in fact the best time is to begin at birth. But we don’t get them until pre-kindergarten or kindergarten, so why not just go for English instruction then? I shared this thought, and I was told, “this would never happen, too much at stake, what about Stephen Krashen’s theory of language acquisition? You’re denying their culture, etc.” It is time to look at our education programs and ask, “Why do we teach the way we teach?” It is time to look at the results of the bilingual program and ask very critical questions of the techniques and programs found in bilingual education. It is time to set aside our passion because no one is questioning if you have passion or not. The question is am I doing what is right for children, especially Spanish-dominant learners. Take a look at the dropout rates and college entrance rates for your district. Look at the ethnicities of who dropped out and who went on to college. We must ask ourselves why. We must put down the magnifying glass and pick up the mirror and do some soul-searching. We are all teachers, and if we want our children, the children of every community, to learn how to find a better way, then we must model and do the same. There is more @ www.AztecMuse.com.

Look forward to the summer Muse July 2010

Prophets of Profit: Neo Business It’s officially a cliché: The Rules are changing. It’s like living through the IndusPlans for the trial Revolution, only better because we’re going to help you seize opportunities New New World in the midst of the tumult. In this column, we’ll profile innovative approaches to Dawning of the

business and demographics that will help our community stay ahead of the game.

by Alexandra Romonav

Entertainment Venture Capitalist:

Sean Tombros

At first sight, they seem like they are ready to shoot a scene for the HBO hit show Entourage. On second sight, you think they are simply promoting Houston’s newest, coolest club. Here, we take a long look at the vision that drives the members of the Twilight Group as they change the cultural and business landscape of Houston, and have a great time in the process.

1. What does the name mean to you? Coming of age. The twilight hour is when the cool shit happens.

The Builder: Steve

1. Why didn’t you stick to simply conventional construction? Why get involved in the Twilight Group?

2. You are Exponential Cultural. Tell us about your background, and your experience with Tejas. What do you bring to the table?

I met the guys through a mutual friend who is in the promotions end of the business.

Born in Texas. Educated in Europe. Partied the World. I come from a Greek father and my mother is from Singapore. That would make me Eurasian! I am the “other” on the census form. It’s interesting how the world views and accepts me. I am the new generation earthling comprised of the two ethnicities with the most history. On top of that, I also can spot talent. And I have the formula. 3. Most people just worry about what to do over the weekend. Why did you decide to have to worry about it seven nights a week? My life and time on this earth is 24 – 7 and 365 days a year. I am making the most of it. We are building an empire.

Steve Glasscock

I’ve done pretty much everything there is to do in the construction industry over the past 14 years. This is an exciting and new angle of the business in which my expertise is extremely valuable to everyone involved. If we can minimize upfront construction costs and financial risk by cutting out profit margins on the build-out and become a partner on the back-end. It’s a win-win situation for the investors and my partners. We’ve created a one-stop shop for the bar/lounge/ club/restaurant industry. 2. When you walk into a club or restaurant, what are some of the

Henri Guevara Sean Tombros

Glasscock

Linh Nguyen

first things you notice? Ambiance and people. If the people are upbeat and enjoying the atmosphere, you know you’re in for a fun night. I enjoy meeting new people. We want to create that experience for everyone. We are looking to create a brand in the industry. When you hear there’s a special Twilight Group event then you’ll automatically want to come out and enjoy yourself, even more so if it’s one of our new establishments. So in ten years when you hear the name, you’ll know you’re in for a treat. Are there many other companies out there you know of that have an Asian, Greek Asian, Mexican, and Caucasian partnership that find a way to incorporate their ideas and visions as one and make it work as a group? Hahaha, I didn’t think so, I love these guys.

Latino Pedigree:

Henri Guevara, Son of La Mafia 1. Your father Oscar de La Rosa founded La Mafia, won Grammys, he made such an important impact in the music industry. Why didn’t you go straight into music? Well I did, but as it turned out, it wasn’t my passion. I even explored acting and will keep that door open. I just had to realize that I also inherited other qualities from my father, like his artistic and business side. From time to time, he will invite me on stage to sing a little tune with him. 3. You know the Latino demographic inside and out. What do you think most people have overlooked about Latino Houston? I have grown up in a culturally diverse environment and in my personal experience, I see all cultures in Houston come together regardless of ethnicity, and that’s what makes this city so diverse and great for business. In other words, I don’t have to single out one ethnic group because Twilight is color blind. Our target audiences are those who want to come together with like-minded people and just celebrate life and music. I believe that I am expanding the impact of Mexican Americans by working hard and being a good example. 4. What are your long term goals? For Twilight, it will be the number one marketing, public relations, event planning and club management group in the state of Texas. By then, we should have a couple of clubs under the Twilight umbrella and have expanded nationwide. My motto is - Join the Movement!

Proud to be a

‘Wise Latina’ I

t’s a question I never thought I would ask my daughter. But I loved being able to ask it. “Yurema?”

“Yes, Mom,” my 11-year-old daughter said. “Tell me what T-shirt you would most like to wear: one that says ‘I am a Wise Latina,’ ‘My Mother is a Wise Latina’ or ‘Sonia is a Wise Latina’?” She cocked her head slightly and then quickly said, “I am a Wise Latina.” Eleven years old, and this is the vision she already has of herself. It’s a pretty wonderful thing to watch that certain something blossom in a girl ... one of those often fleeting moments when a girl owns her own power. For me, the decision to wear my own “Wise Latina” T-shirt raises all kinds of issues. It makes me confront a past that I have known for decades. Deep down inside, I, like many other Latinas, struggle with my own very deep insecurities in relation to my white male colleagues. I think after witnessing history on television for those two weeks, those insecurities have pretty much dissipated. Sonia Sotomayor has blazed the trail. I can’t go back to thinking that way, anymore, ever. Before, when I told people that I was a Latina, I never knew what, if any, image they might have in their mind. Everyone carries stereotypes and preconceived notions. But now when I say to people that I am a Latina, might they immediately think, “A wise Latina”? My daughter is learning all of these lessons from Sotomayor, a Puerto Rican woman. When I was Yurema’s age, back in the ‘70s, the only Puerto Rican woman I knew of was Maria (played by Natalie Wood) from “West Side Story.” I grew up on the South Side of Chicago after being born in Mexico. My Puerto Rican Maria from West Side Story taught me that love and commitment could transcend borders and divisions. Sonia is teaching Yurema, and all of us, that intelligence and compassion (and an honest way with words) can also cross all borders: political ones, those of gender or ethnicity. And I have learned that my own challenge now is to reach this very high bar that Sotomayor has set. I must “own” that I am, indeed, a wise Latina. Later on the day of the T-shirt decision, my daughter hears my reaction when I read that Sen. John McCain, whom my daughter knows well because we followed the election, is going to vote against Sotomayor’s confirmation. “What a big jerk!” was her age-appropriate response. 32

Maria Hinojosa, an awardwinning journalist and author, joined NOW on PBS as senior correspondent in 2005. Hinojosa, who formerly covered urban affairs for CNN, also serves as anchor and managing editor of National Public Radio’s “Latino USA,” a weekly national program reporting on news and culture in the Latino community.

Then, after a pause, Yurema said, “So that means John McCain thinks Sarah Palin is a wise woman? But not Sonia? Harrumph.” “Harrumph” is also an ageappropriate response. But the lasting impact of McCain’s decision will be much more profound than upsetting an 11-year-old wise Latina girl. In fact, I would venture to say that, politically, there are many in the Republican Party who are convinced this was a politically unwise choice by McCain. It’s just not that complicated. Look at the changing demographics in the United States. Then think about what happens when you vote against the first Latina Supreme Court nominee. Maybe McCain isn’t wise enough to see that reality, so I will tell him a story about a Dominican-born, U.S. citizen cabby from my Harlem neighborhood. While he drove down Broadway, I asked the cabby if he thought that President Obama was pandering to the Latino communities across the country with the Sotomayor nomination. “Pero muchacha!” he exclaimed in a true Dominican style. “He is not pandering. He owes us! Everyone knows now that without the Latino vote, you cannot win the presidency. He has to deliver, politically. I am a new citizen, and I voted for Obama my first time. Just like a bunch of us Dominican cabbies. Now this is my country and my politics.” “And is that the way you guys talk amongst yourselves? That the Latino vote is that powerful?” “Yep, asi lo vemos. That’s how we see it! But even though we love Sonia, Obama still owes us.” And what must Obama deliver to satisfy this very politically astute cabby? “Imigracion! He must solve this immigration problem. Families are divided up. It is unjust. So Obama must understand that is what we want him to deliver now.” A wise Latino with some wise advice for the president. And for McCain and the Republican Party? Buena suerte, winning the next elections!

The appointment of Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor is a major moment in American History.

Here are reactions from local wise Latinas. HISTORY IN THE MAKING By Pa u l a B e l t rá n

“I actually watched the entire hearings, and I recorded the swearing in ceremony. It was very emotional for me, and I felt so much pride. As I watched her in the hearings, she became my hero. I knew she was there speaking for me and all Latinas. Her photograph is hanging in my classroom, and her story was one of the first lessons I taught my students this year. “

Erika Ayala

BA Philosophy, University of Houston Middle School Bilingual Teacher “As a Latina, it always fills me with pride to have fellow Latina women succeed in any and all facets of life. I see it not just as their own personal success, but as a success of the minority community and for the nation as a whole. Even though we may not all be treated as equals, her appointment to the Supreme Court brings us closer to social equality.”

Thelma Majalca

BS Psychology, University of Houston Research Coordinator, MD Anderson

“I am proud of her. Not her ethnicity or gender, but Sonia Sotomayor the person. In my undergraduate career, myself and other minority students felt we had a heavier burden than our white counterparts. I would hear white students imply that we had it much easier getting in. In other words, black and Hispanic students were not Ria Coronado there on merit. I should have BA History, Rice University been glad to have the oppor- Graduate Student at UH tunity to go to college, but for a long time I felt resentment that I had twice as much to prove - I needed to show that I was just as smart as white students, whereas white students never had to prove why they got in. So it was incredibly gratifying to see such a public figure with amazing credentials being appointed to the highest court in the land. Sotomayor’s record made it nearimpossible to claim she was getting in on her minority status as a Latina. She has the background, education, experience, intellect, and dedication necessary to be a Supreme Court Justice. And she just happens to be Latina.”

Knockout Pirouettes

SPRING

Entourage

by Bryan Parras

By day, Jess flips real estate through HomeVestors and helps Houstonians build their estates. Her goal is to have her own firm in the next five years. You can bet that she will reach and shatter that goal, as usual. Jessica has knockout looks and a knockout round house. She first stepped into the ring because she needed a new challenge. Yes, as in a real fight, not some slap fest— we’re talking Muy Thai—real kicking and punching. She’s been on the cheerleading squad for the Rockets, The Texans, and The New York Knicks. And if the Astros had cheerleaders, she would’ve made that team, too. And no, she was not a cheerleader in high school. She attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, so while you were daydreaming in history class, she was studying ballet. She is currently on the Houston Dynamo cheerleading squad. In her own words: “I joined them because they were just starting out. It’s exciting to be on the ground floor of something new.” “That’s how I lead my life. I love to set goals that

I’m proud of my heritage, but I don’t let the old ways limit me.

Old School

push me past my limits. 3rd Generation Texan At the same time, I am a very simple person. I try Classically trained ballerina to strike a balance. I’m proud of my heritage, Favorite Ballet: but I don’t let the old Swan lake ways limit me. I am very Studied at High School feminine and to me that means being strong. I love For the Performing watching an action packed and Visual Arts movie, but I also love going to the ballet.” “I guess I’m a modern Azteca Warrior. But this time the battle field is business and art, and I plan to rule. Our people are always adapting. That’s the beauty of us.”

New School Former Texan Cheer leader Professional Muy Thai Fighter Favorite Musical: West Side Story Marketing Degree from University of Houston

She Says... Believe it or not, guys, women She Means...

think about sex as much, if not more, than men do.

However, they think about it very differently. As a public service, Dina will be helping to translate female lust and romance into “guy talk,” using excerpts from what have become the public diaries of women . . . romance novels. Perhaps those pages will help us all get on the same page. Women think about sex as much, if not more, than men. We just view sex a bit differently. Do women want romance? Yes. However, women want to be placed first in their lovers’ life. Maybe that’s why romance novels are so popular with women. These novels are written by women for women, thereby introducing the type of man that is sexually captivating. The following excerpt is an example of a romantic scene from SHADES OF MIDNIGHT, a gothic vampire story, the type that is popular with women today, written by Lara Adrian. We read… He stared at her for a long moment, his silver eyes searching. “So long as I have you beside me, I can believe that anything is possible. I love you, Alexandra. You are everything to me.” He brought her closer and kissed her—the most tender, reverent kiss she had ever known. Alex melted into him, her body responding in a fluid rush of warmth that pooled in her core. She tipped her head back as his mouth traveled down the line of her jaw, to the side of her throat. Kade reared his head back on a growl. He stared at her, his eyes blazing with amber sparks, his fangs glowing white. Already he was panting

By Dina Tselik She writhed beneath his mouth, so close to orgasm that she could feel it aching to explode through her system. So close, and yet he held her on the edge, refusing to allow her to slip over just yet. His fingers worked deeper inside her, thrusting into the snug entrance as she arched her hips, rotated them, a strangled scream escaping her throat as the sensation evaded her once again.

with need, fierce with hunger for her. He scowled, dark emotions tossing in the depths of his silver eyes. “Forever?” “Forever, Kade.” She let her fingers drift over his sensual mouth, where the points of his fangs glinted behind his parted lips. “Bind me to you now. I want to taste you. I want to have forever with you.” We hear… The reason this scene works with a female audience is because the male protagonist is masculine and confident. That is sexy! Sure, he is an archetype, but he is alluring, regardless of the scene. He is assertive, strong and, most importantly, devoted. Notice how the character only has eyes for the love of his life. The same rules apply to vampires as well the powerful men they represent. This next excerpt is an example of an even sexier scene from the book HEAT SEEKER by Lora Leigh. This time the supernatural is strictly human. We read… Bailey swore she couldn’t survive another second of it, but her hands were locked on his hair, holding him to her as she begged for more. She had never known pleasure like this except in John’s arms. And never had he let himself go like this. Never had he ravaged her senses as he was tonight, drawing her into a world in which only pleasure and the two of them existed.

“Please,” she panted, unable to stand the intensity of pleasure, dying for a release that stayed just out of reach. “Please, John.” We hear . . . This scene works because of the sexual content. Women do not buy romance novels because they want to read a Cinderella story; they want to fantasize about great sex. Again, the man in the scene is devoted to the woman. He is in amazing physical shape and he is sexually experienced, which means he knows how to please a woman - several times in one encounter. That is sexy and that is what we want. The difference between men and women is that although women fantasize about great sex, we also want absolute devotion. That is what the romance novel introduces to women. The traditional standard that a woman must remain virginal, or at least seemingly, and a man must be sexually experienced is a double standard and, yet, an expectation. Women do not want to teach men anything, especially how to touch them. They want a man such as the one introduced in the scene: sexy, confident and aware of his own sexual prowess. This is what we fantasize about. Unfortunately, this image can also work against us because very few men actually meet or exceed our expectations. We want a man to love us, to only have eyes for us and to satisfy us sexually.

That’s not too much to ask for, is it?

“So good,” she moaned, arching closer to his suckling mouth. “Oh God, John. It’s so good. So hot.” 37

Fo r a d ve r t i s i n g i n f o rm a t i o n , c a l l ( 7 1 3 ) 8 6 7 - 8 9 4 3 / a d ve r t i s i n g @ a z t e c m u s e . c o m 38

The Latino Boriquas and Chicanos Family Transforming Tree: the Bayou City by Liana Lopez

If you go by the numbers, nationally, Puerto Ricans make up the second largest group of Latinos at 9%. In Houston, that number is .04%. At the Valentin, household that number is 50/50. Saul Valentin is of Puerto Rican descent, and his wife Lisa is Mexican American. This marriage is symbolic of this natural alliance between Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans, the 2 Latino groups that America is most familiar with. Mexico shares a long and profound history as America’s closest neighbor, and Puerto Rico has been a commonwealth of the U.S. since 1917.

Some websites of local and national Puerto Rican organizations: Javier Ferrer Puerto Rican & Cuban Festival http://www.prcfestival.com National Hispanic Professional Organization http://www.nhpo.org Talento Bilingue de Houston http://www.tbhcenter.org Sociedad de Puertorriqueños en Houston, Inc. http://www.sociedadprenhouston.org El Boricua Cultural Publication http://www.elboricua.com

This alliance also holds true for Saul in his work. As a partner of Perspectiva, the Pan Latino team is familiar with the nuances of the Latino market. And just like most successful companies, they also know the needs of the larger mainstream market. Mexican American and Puerto Rican collaborations occur throughout the year right under our noses. Last year, the annual Puerto Rican fest got a boost from this synergy. While chairman of the National Hispanic Professional Organization Houston Chapter, Saul worked with the Puerto Rican & Cuban festival group to broadcast and propagate information and help with the vision of the PRC festival group. With the support of strong community organizations, the Puerto Rican & Cuban Festival’s main objective is to disseminate Puerto Rican and Cuban culture within the city of Houston and its surrounding communities.

Saul continues to work with the Houston community to collaborate between the Puerto Rican community and the Mexican American community as part of the different organizations that he volunteers his time with such as the Institute of Hispanic Culture of Houston, Talento Bilingüe de Houston, NHPO and others. 39

“Minority communities have much in common; foremost of which is the

Exponential Culturalism:

yearning to just be ourselves and still achieve great heights in this country.”

Vietnam and Mexico: Separated by an Ocean, Joined by a Jade Heart Multiculturalism has come to mean a month-long acknowledgement of a single cultural, ethnic group. Exponential culturalism takes that concept to the next level by looking for bridges between two seemingly disparate groups. An Duong, Esquire, studied literature of the world in California. She grew up in San Diego, sandwiched between the Mexican border and Orange County, in one of the largest Vietnamese communities of the state. Chicanos and Vietnamese crossed paths but there were still discreet pockets where each lived, worked, had businesses. This is the same cultural context in which we find Houston. However, Aztec Muse wants to indentify leaders from other communities who will inspire us to be indiscreet with discreet pockets and create cultural bridges where others see dead ends. An recently completed her law degree, and works for Mass Media, Inc., which includes the local broadcasting station, Radio Saigon Houston, KREH 900 AM. Here, she shares her view of our exponential culturalism.

y interest in Chicano literature first arose from my proximity to the Mexican border. Growing up in San Diego, California, I often encountered Latinos under extremely different contexts. Living in a semi-developed suburb – Rancho Penasquitos (locals called it “PQ”) – colored my perception of Mexican Americans. On the one hand, there were camps of squatters scattered in the many canyons of PQ. Because my home was on top of a hill in a cul-de-sac street separated from my school by two mountains, I took shortcuts through the canyons instead of following the paved but longwinded roads. On these walks, I met quiet, stoic men joined by desperate circumstances but whose dark eyes held innate pride in self and heritage. Having little, they offered what they had: tacos filled with dubious ingredients, deliciously earthy. 40

Speaking little, they conveyed much through their purposeful movements: the entirety of their face and upper body would quake with a closed-lipped smile. On edge as they were, their response to goodwill was acute. On the other hand, the resident

by An Duong, Esquire Host of the Radio Saigon Houston talk show “Women Today” Chicanos who lived inside were fully integrated into American society. I attended school with their children, bearing such names as Jennifer or Scotty. By all accounts, little separated them from the majority of upwardly mobile professionals that resided in the area. “Ortiz” was as common as “Smith” on baseball jerseys or cheerleading uniforms. When I was old enough to drive, I drove down to Tijuana, Ensenada or Rosita in Baja California. I was made full by al pastor tacos, three to an order and spilling over with flavor. For hours, I sat and basked in the color of clothes, buildings, handicrafts, food, and broken conversations punctuated by smiles and hand movements. Perhaps I was escaping the homogeny of suburban living. Perhaps I was turning to a culture that made sense to

Cultural and Culinary Bridges VIETNAM MEXICO Spring Rolls Banh Mi Sandwiches rock Cilantro and Jalapeños

Burritos All our food rocks Cilantro and Jalapeños

1.5 and 2nd Gens Dark, thick, straight hair Prefer American music to the music of the motherland Speak English better than the mother tongue. Are not going back. But do want their children to visit.

me, that spoke in a way I could understand. My preference was enhanced by a beautiful boy who lived in Tijuana, whose family ran a school the color of salmon swimming in a rainbow; a beret-headed Chicana poet-professor who spoke in a singsong voice; an absent-minded Chicano authorprofessor who added fuel to fire for his activist students; and the perfection of seaside ceviche served on an avocado half. When I met my husband, he soon became my cultural-travel partner, and we created many memories south of the border. He was a mestizo (Filipino and German) and I a Vietnamese, both of us being raised American. But it was the richness of an ancient and colorful culture that gave us a sense of who we were: bodies of energy drawn to light, to roots, to powerful vibrations, to the need to connect and the need to be free in a land that measures success by the degree of conformity, that measures literacy by the mastery of English, that measures adaptation by how far removed one is from the ancient, ancestral ways.

Minority communities have much in common; foremost of which is the yearning to just be ourselves and still achieve great heights in this country.

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