Tejano Monument Unveiling p. 11
That’s three years.
Volume III, 12 | April 2012
Giving and Getting Back: inside
New ‘Civil’ Detention Center Unveiled p. 5 Samira Ghosh’s Spotlight on SAHELI p. 7 Old Settler’s Music Festival p. 12 Eastside Social Enterprise Complex Opens p. 13
Court Appointed Special Advocates Speak Up By Callie Langford and Sonia Kotecha
contact@todoaustinonline.com
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Bridge2Bridge From Montopolis Bridge to 360 Bridge, Everything Austin
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CASA
(Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Travis County
Volunteer Spotlight Max Ekesi was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. His father is Nigerian and his mother Italian; hence his diverse upbringing intertwined both African and European cultures. He shares that his upbringing “has been very defining in how I interact with people. I have an easy and open-minded way of communicating across cultural barriers.” After attending college at Syracuse, Max came to Austin as a Program Manager at Dell in 2001. He lives with his wife,
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • Sara, who is expecting their first child. “Being half Nigerian and half Italian, I don’t really have a choice but to love soccer,” said Max. “I play it, I coach it, I watch it on TV. I appreciate the diversity of cultures that play soccer and anywhere I’ve traveled in the world, I’ve been able to join a pickup soccer game or talk about the sport.” Max started volunteering with CASA in 2007 and has worked with two teenagers. He knows that “it means a lot to a child to see a person volunteer and give up their time – just because they are interested in ensuring that the child continues to make progress. I am not part of the child’s family, church, social group, etc. … but nevertheless, I am genuinely interested in ensuring they continue to make progress through life.”
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India Fine Arts brings one of the most sought after Carnatic classical vocalists of today to Austin for a Grand Carnatic Music Concert. Vidwan Unnikrishnan, who is credited with bridging classical Indian music to film with over 600 songs appearing on the big screen, is joined by Embar Kannan (violin) and Anand Ananthakrishnan (mridangam), Saturday, April 7, 6 p.m. at Helm Fine Arts Center (6500 St. Stephens Dr.). austinifa.org • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Celebrate the arts with Austin Community College’s Carnival ah!, Wednesday-Thursday, April 11-12 at ACC Rio Grande Campus (1212 Rio Grande St.). ACC’s Arts and Humanities Division’s fourth annual festival features live performances, art installations, film screenings, dance classes and more, with an emphasis on exploring and celebrating our rich cultural heritage. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. austincc.edu/carnival • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The first Austin Alliance for Peace Rally (AA4P) will be held on Saturday, April 14 from noon-2 p.m. on the south steps of the Capitol. The public is encouraged to attend as AA4P welcomes renowned peace activist Dr. Dahlia Wasfi, Iraq Veterans Against the War members Hart Viges, Malachi Muncy and Austin resident Antonio Buehler, and Texans for Accountable Government’s John Bush and Heather Fazio. austinallianceforpeace.org • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Master guitarist Earl Klugh has been lauded first as a prodigy and groundbreaker, then a defining figure, and ultimately, as one of the true statesmen of contemporary jazz. He is known for his lighthearted, easy funk style infused with sounds from almost every musical genre from soul to calypso to R&B. Appearing Friday, April 20, 7 and 9:30 p.m. at One World Theatre. oneworldtheatre.org • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Join thousands of reggae enthusiasts from all over for a celebration of spring bringing together world music, ethnic food and an international marketplace. Austin Reggae Festival, FridaySunday, April 20-22 at Auditorium Shores, was launched in 1994 and boasts a stellar line-up this year including Collie Buddz, New Kingston, Tidal Waves, Dubtonic Kru, Grupo Fantasma, Rootz Underground, Cas Haley and more. austinreggaefest.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Austin chapter of Amigos de las Américas hosts Fiesta 2012 on Thursday, April 26 at The Villa at Laguna Gloria. The event benefits young Austin Amigos volunteers who will serve in Latin America to help improve the health and well-being of its citizens. This year’s festivities will honor longtime supporter Doug Alexander and include an auction and music by the Crying Monkees. austinamigos.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Oliver Rajamani has the magic, fire and spirit of Indian music and the passion of Gypsy melodies in his blood, and it flows naturally from his unique artistic well in live performance. He celebrates his new release “Texas Gypsy Fire,” Sunday, April 29, 7 p.m. at One World Theatre. The CD is highlighted by collaborations with Texas legends Willie Nelson, Edie Brickell, Eric Johnson, Joel Guzman and more. oneworldtheatre.org • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
TODO Arts
April --------------------------------------------------UT Jazz Orchestra w/ John Clayton // Bates Recital Hall
Grammy Award-winning bassist extraordinaire John Clayton joins the UT Jazz Ensemble as part of the Butler School of Music’s annual Longhorn Jazz Festival on Saturday, April 14, 7:30 p.m. Directed by Professor Jeff Hellmer, the UT ensemble will feature Clayton, co-leader of the Grammy-nominated Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and past artistic director of jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. --------------------------------------------------Austin Lyric Opera’s ‘Turandot’ // Long Center
Puccini’s operas are the essence of grand opera and the new ALO production of “Turandot” is a spectacular feast for the eyes and ears. Saturday, April 14 and Friday, April 20 (7:30 p.m.) and Sunday, April 22 (3 p.m.), enjoy “Nessun dorma,” the aria that achieved pop status after the Three Tenors recording. The title role of Turandot, the beautiful but icy princess, is sung by soprano Lise Lindstrom. --------------------------------------------------Mythili Prakash // Helms Fine Arts Center
India Fine Arts presents Sharanagathi-Surrender, spotlighting Mythili Prakash, one of the world’s leading young exponents of Bharata Natyam—the classical dance of South India—with a live orchestra on Saturday, April 21, 7:30 p.m., at Helms Fine Arts Center. Her inventive approach to classicism revitalizes the form and awakens the physicality, musicality and expressive theatricality of the dance to audiences across the world.
Volume III, Number 012 Publisher/Editor – Gavin Lance Garcia contact@todoaustinonline.com
HABLA Austin
News and notes on current affairs and issues impacting our community from advocates and business leaders of Austin.
Paul Saldaña – Latinos Will Determine Political Landscape // If we were to take the top 10 cities in Texas with the largest Latino Population which include Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, Laredo, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and McAllen, the total Latino population (based on latest US Census Data) indicates a total Latino population of 3,999,726. These same top 10 Latino cities in Texas have an estimated 1,719,500 eligible Latino voters. A 60-65% Latino Voter turnout in these top 10 Latino Cities has the potential to permanently alter the political landscape and voter calculus in Texas. Austin is home to nearly 120,000 Latino eligible voters. Dale Gas Hermanos! —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—//-—-—-—--—--—-—Perla Cavazos – Help Save Your History // Hermanos y Hermanas, we are looking for interviewers for an oral history project. An Oral History study to recover and preserve the history of the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center is under way through the Austin History Center and Austin Public Library. For more information go to www.cityofaustin.org/library/ahc —-—-—-—---—-—-—//-—-—-—-—-—-—-—Kathy Vale – A major victory for MALDEF and the Latino community // “This country has a large Latino population and millions of Latinos live here without legal permission. However, the great majority live quietly, raise families, obey the law daily, and do work for our country. For all that they contribute to our welfare, they live in constant dread … Because the sole purpose and effect of this ordinance is to target the presence of (undocumented immigrants) within the City of Farmers Branch and to cause their removal, it contravenes the federal government’s exclusive authority over the regulation of immigration and the conditions of residence in this country, and it constitutes an obstacle to federal authority over immigration and the conduct of foreign affairs. The ordinance is unconstitutional, and the judgment of the district court is affirmed.” —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—//-—-—-—-—-—-—-—Javier Hernandez – Golf for a Good Cause // Golfers and sponsors wanted. Support the future of young Latinas between the ages of 11 and 18 by participating in the 2012 Swinging for Education Golf Tournament on Saturday, April 14, hosted by Latinas Leading Tomorrow. For info call 512-470-9564. —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—//-—-—-—-—-—-—-—Cinco de Mayo // Save the date! Fiestas Patrias of Austin, established in 1978 by the Velasquez family, presents the 2012 Cinco de Mayo Celebration Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6 at Fiesta Gardens. With music from Jimmy Gonzalez y el grupo Mazz, Gary Hobbs, David Marez, Joel Guzman and Sarah Fox and more. 04 TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com
Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition Fights for Human Rights By Otis Lopez
Human Rights abuses are a daily reality for many in Austin, and the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition (AIRC) is launching its first campaign to document these abuses in our community. This campaign will involve dozens of trained members of AIRC who will carefully document and catalog reports of abuses to civil and constitutional rights. AIRC will be documenting cases of abuse as they relate to local law enforcement and public safety in Austin. The reason for this focus is the outcry from immigrant community members on this issue. Documenters want to hear from Austin residents who have experienced issues such as racial profiling and immigration enforcement. “The immigrant community in Austin believes that no sector of the society should be alienated from the protection of local law enforcement” said AIRC Executive Director Esther Reyes. “They want a better relationship with local law enforcement agencies, and so they are organizing to achieve it.” People who believe they have experienced human rights abuses will be able to report to documenters at 10-15 locations in Austin. Residents can also call AIRC at 512-476-2472 to report abuses. The campaign will last between two and three weeks. “We do this so we can know and expose the status of human rights in our communities, and so we can eradicate human rights abuses by educating the community about their rights,” said Reyes. “We want to know what types of abuses are being committed and which agencies are involved. We also want to work with these agencies so that they are aware that whenever we find an abuse, we take it very seriously.” Once the campaign is completed, AIRC will compile and analyze the data to release a report on the state of human rights abuses in Austin.
LifeWorks Opening East Austin Campus A mother struggling with literacy issues can’t read to her children; an 18-year-old foster-care youth faces homelessness unless he gets support when he ages out; and a man experiencing deep depression after losing his job and can’t afford or find professional help. Each of these people will access services at the new East Austin Youth and Family Resource Center. LifeWorks provides the most comprehensive safety-net of support for each of these issues. The Grand Opening of the LifeWorks six-acre
campus in East Austin on March 28 marked the beginning of a new national model for helping people. LifeWorks already provides youth housing, counseling, education, workforce training and foster care transitional services, and this 4-Star Austin Energy green building will allow LifeWorks to provide services to 2,500 additional people from the 10,000 they currently serve. The Sooch Foundation East Austin Youth and Family Resource Center is unique in that services people had to previously traipse across the city to access will be available for the first time all in one location. The Center will increase access to critical mental health, educational and social services for the surrounding community at the new facility, reducing the need to travel between several offices in various parts of Austin. The Center will also now be the hub for educational and financial literacy for all of Central Texas. It houses LifeWorks’ prevention and youth development programs and functions as a clinical lab/internship program for area universities’ Master’s degree counseling students. In addition, the Center also provides comprehensive support services for foster care youth. The next phase of the first-of-its-kind campus will be a 45-unit affordable housing complex.
Turkish Journalists Visit Austin By Güner Arslan
The Institute of Interfaith Dialogue and TODO Austin hosted a dozen journalists from Turkey on March 18 at the Raindrop Turkish House in North Austin for a cultural exchange of ideas. Many of the top Aegean-region national newspapers in Turkey, including Hurriyet, Milliyet, Zaman, Aksam, Sabah, Posta, and Yeni Asir, were represented. The Institute took the writers on a tour of the city, one of a selected few stops in the United States, and held a lunch and dinner with guest speakers Necip Sayiner, CEO of Silicon Laboratories, Ben Ramirez, the International Economic Development Director for the City of Austin, and TODO Austin publisher, Gavin Lance Garcia. The journalists included Şebnem Bursali, editor-in chief of Yeni Asir, “New Era,” and a columnist for Takvim, Yeni Asır and Sabah; Bulent Zarif, of Posta, ”Mail” Daily; Hamdi Türkmen, columnist for Milliyet (“Nation”); Erol Yaras, producer, journalist and columnnist and a founding member of Ege TV; Osman Gencer, editor -in -chief of Habertürk “News Turkish”; Vahit Yazgan of Zaman, “Time”; Ufuk TürkYılmaz, İzmir representative for Akşam; Unal Ersözlü, journalist, columnist for Sabah Daily and a founder of İzmir City Library and İzmir City Culture magazine; Deniz Sipahi of Hurriyet (“Liberty”) Daily Newspaper; and Barbaros Muratoglu of Dogan Media Holding’s Ankara representative.
Art Director – Dave McClinton www.dmdesigninc.com Deputy Editor – Katie Walsh Contributing Editor - Erica Stall Wiggins Senior Editors – Cindy Casares, Güner Arslan, Sonia Kotecha, Esther Reyes, Yvonne Lim Wilson Associate Editors – Layla Fry, Yadira Izquierdo, Harish Kotecha, Alexandra M. Landeros, Callie Langford, Julia Lee, Blake Shanley Contributing Writers/Artists – Pratima Agrawal, Mohammad Al-Bedaiwi, Joseph Banks, Stefanie Behe, Padmini Bhat, Adriana Cadena, Jason Cato, Sirsha Chatterjee, Jennie Chen, Priscilla Cortez, Harmony Eichsteadt, Samira Ghosh, Mita Haldar, Jillian Hall, Maria P. Hernandez, Paul Hernandez, Fabiola Hurtado, Ryan Hutchison, Gabino Iglesias, Nandini Jairam, Chaille Jolink, Jamie Jones, Ryan Jordan, Sushma Khadepaun-Parmar, Ramey Ko, Vandana Kumar, Heather Lee, Liz Lopez, David Marks, Jessica Meyer, Lata Narumanchi, Cristina Parker, Monica Peña, Aleah Penn, Kathy Pham, Jorge Reyes, Rebecca Robinson, Paul Saldaña, Marion Sanchez, Hani Saleh, Lorenzo Salinas, Jaya Shukla, Rupal Shah, Sachin Shah, Vinit Singh, Kristina Vallejo, Kuetzpalin Vasquez, Vanessa Valdovinos, Rocio Villalobos, Joseph P.A. Villescas, Bowen Wilder, Sait Yavuz Photographers – Heather Banks, Jenny Fu, Mark Guerra, Mari Hernandez, JoJo Marion, Anna Moreno Cover: Photo by National CASA TODO Austin: Multicultural Media for All of Austin (TODOAustin.com) Multicultural Media for All of Austin TODO Austin is a free, colorful print and online journal for all of Austin highlighting our multicultural heritage. Our mission is to promote the concept of community in an ethnically diverse city. TODO Austin’s content closely mirrors the changing demographics of Austin. TODO Austin is circulated throughout Austin, spanning the city from the West Side’s Pennybacker Bridge on Loop 360 to the Montopolis Bridge in East Austin. TODO Austin provides a platform that profiles Hispanic, Anglo, Asian, African American and other individuals, groups and organizations that are representing a positive vision in the community. TODO Austin is published by Spark Awakened Publishing. © 2012 Spark Awakened Publishing. All rights reserved. Unsolicited submissions (including, but not limited to articles, artwork, photographs) are not returned. TODO Austin is a free print and online journal for all of Austin highlighting our multicultural heritage, promoting the concept of community in an ethnically diverse city. Advertising/Submissions/Editorial: Contact@todoaustinonline.com, 512.538.4115 TODO Austin - P.O. Box 4142 - Austin, TX 78765-4142
Immigration Editorial
New Texas ‘Civil’ Detention Center Unveiled By Rocio Villalobos
On March 13 this year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unveiled its new “civil” detention center in Karnes County, Texas, located one hour southeast of San Antonio. By the end of the month the facility will hold male migrants who are either asylum-seekers or have been categorized as “lowrisk.”
However, it is important to point out that the majority of the cages that the GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the nation’s largest private prison corporation, have constructed are not gilded. Human rights violations occur frequently in these facilities and deaths in detention are not an aberration. In December 2010, the ACLU of Texas sued the GEO Group after Jesús Manuel Galindo died in the Reeves County Detention Center (RCDC) after suffering from an epileptic seizure while in solitary confinement. Mr. Galindo was punished with solitary confinement after he complained about the facility’s failure to provide him with the necessary medication to control his seizures. RCDC had already been under scrutiny before Mr. Galindo’s death due to riots and the deaths of other people at the facility.
alternatives to detention cost approximately $12 per day per person, ICE continues to rely on detention, which costs approximately $122 per day per person. Major investors in the private prison industry, such as Wells Fargo, also profit from immigration detention by paying lobbyists who help the GEO Group lobby in favor of policies that expand immigration detention. The federal government gives private prison companies nearly $5.5 million dollars every year to detain migrants therefore it is in these companies’ best interest to fill detention centers.
Enlace’s national prison divestment campaign to call for companies to divest of their holdings from the GEO Group and CCA, and for community members to close their accounts with Wells Fargo.
We cannot stand idly by as the players in the private prison industry assign a dollar value to human life and profit from human misery. The reasons why people risk their lives to come to the U.S. and the trauma they may have experienced along the way are conveniently erased and replaced with an alien registration number once they are detained. It is time to recognize immigration detention as a In Austin, members of Texans United for Families human rights violation and call for the end of its (TUFF), the labor and faith communities, students, expansion. and Occupy Austin have united to raise awareness about Wells Fargo’s pernicious practices and Rocio Villalobos is a member of Texans United for the private prison industry. TUFF has also joined Families.
Karnes County contracted with private prison giant the GEO Group to build the detention center, which sits upon 29 acres of land and has 608 beds with the possibility to expand to 1200 beds. The detention center is heralded by ICE as a model facility that is demonstrative of its efforts to move towards “humane detention.”
The T. Don Hutto Detention Center in Taylor has also been under intense scrutiny, first because of family detention and the sexual assault of two women by a CCA guard and most recently because another CCA guard sexually assaulted eight undocumented women while he transported them to the Austin airport. The Hutto facility is also lauded as an example of “civil” detention, and yet a Despite its shiny exterior and the presence of lack of oversight and accountability led to human volleyball courts and soccer fields, the GEO rights violations. group’s troubled history and record of human rights violations within its facilities are cause for On any given day there are nearly 34,000 people alarm. The promise of “humane detention” itself detained in the U.S., which costs taxpayers billions is an oxymoron that community members should of dollars, destroys families, and denigrates the challenge. A gilded cage is still a cage. humanity of those locked behind bars. Although
Amala’s One Village Harvest Day at Urban Roots Farm As a village, Amala Foundation will host the community on Saturday, April 28, 9:30 a.m.12:30 p.m., at Urban Roots Farm (7651 Delwau Ln in East Austin) to learn about sustainable agriculture as well as work on the land and help harvest vegetables that will go to feed those most in need in Austin.
Over the years, the Amala Foundation and Urban Roots have had a strong partnership, impacting many youth in Austin. Each year, Urban Roots sends several youth to work with Amala’s Global Youth Peace Summit. Peace Leaders from the Summit have also joined the Urban Roots program after hearing about their work at the Summit.
Urban Roots is a youth development program that uses sustainable agriculture to transform the lives of young people and increase the access to healthy food in Austin. Urban Roots provides paid internships to Austin youth, age 14-17, to work on their 3.5 acre urban farm in East Austin. Each fall, they hire 24 Youth Farm interns, three youth Assistant Crew Leaders, and three youth agriculture interns to work with the organization over the coming program year. During the 25-week spring and summer program, youth receive essential life and job skills while growing food for the community. Urban Roots donates 40% of their produce to local soup kitchens and food pantries and sell the rest at farmers’ markets and farm stands in Austin. Additionally, they provide their youth with a variety of workshops in order to ensure a well-rounded education on food, agriculture, and service to the community.
The Urban Roots farm is located in East Austin near the intersection of Bolm Road and 183. The location was previously known as Oasis Gardens and Hands of the Earth. For more info go to www.amalafoundation.org.
YWCA Seeks Women of Distinction By Monica Peña
Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Greater Austin, which boasts a long history of empowering women and girls and helping to eliminate racism, will host its 2012 Women of the Year Awards Soiree honoring five women of distinction on Friday, June 15 at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. YWCA seeks nominations for five women of distinction in the following categories: Leader of Promise (21-40 years of age); Lifetime Achievement (over 40 years of age); Women’s Economic Empowerment; Racial Justice; and Young Woman of Achievement (15-20 years old). The Young Woman of Achievement includes a $1,000 scholarship. Nominations for the 2012 YWCA Women of the Year Awards will be accepted until Friday, April 20. Information including nomination forms and tickets to the YWCA’s 2012 Women of the Year Awards Soriee ($65 per person) are available by calling YWCA at 512-326-1222, or go to www.ywcaaustin.org. The YWCA Greater Austin offers therapy for women, couples, and families through the YW Counseling & Referral Center, prevention/
intervention services to at-risk youth through the Generation YW Program, therapeutic supervised visitations through Common Ground and information and referral services, professional education, and a variety of community service and fundraising events. Counseling services at the YWCA of Greater Austin are offered on a sliding scale based on household income and number of dependents. The YWCA supports policies that contribute to the elimination of racism including policies that eliminate racial profiling, increase immigrant rights, retain and strengthen affirmative action, reduce hate crimes and result in increased education on racism and its elimination. For over 20 years, the Austin affiliate of the YWCA has been an accredited provider of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for licensed social workers (LM/LCSW), licensed marriage & family therapists (LMFT) and licensed professional counselors (LPC). By offering educational and informative presentations by nationally-known speakers, mental health professionals, social workers, educators, school counselors, youth workers, and others working in social service organizations, women have the opportunity to gain new ideas on racial justice in our communities. The YWCA also offers Continuing Education Units (CEU) to those attending these presentations. TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com 05
South Asian histories presented at the Austin History Center By Yvonne Lim Wilson
A new oral history project underway at the Austin History Center brings to life the histories of South Asian settlers to Austin, uncovering rich perspectives on migration, identity, home, work, family, faith and love. Each interview reveals the diversity of South Asian America from all walks of life. “South Asian Americans are a growing community in Texas,” said Amber Abbas, assistant instructor and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Texas at Austin. “We live in the same neighborhoods, attend the same schools, churches, mosques and temples. South Asian American History is not apart from Texas or American history, it is a part of it.”
Dr. J.K. Aggarwal has been teaching at the University of Texas at Austin for almost 50 years. He was hired in 1964, and was the first nonCaucasian engineering professor of engineering at the university. His achievements in the field of computer engineering have been recognized through numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. (Photo courtesy of Aggarwal Family, 1971, Aggarwal Family Papers, AR.2010.003, Austin History Center.)
Abbas taught the course “South Asian Migration to the U.S.” in the fall, 2011, at UT during which students conducted oral history interviews with South Asian migrants. Abbas is curating a collection for the South Asian American Digital Archive; copies of these transcripts and recordings will also be made available at the Austin History Center.
“Research on South Asian Americans is in its infancy, in part because South Asians represent a relatively young diaspora,” Abbas said. “Most have arrived here in the last forty to fifty years, making it a rich field for additional research as we build collections.” The Austin History Center is hosting a special reception on April 17 to highlight this important work. “We need these stories to help us complete the picture of what Austin looks like today as their increasing population and presence gains visibility and recognition for their contributions,” said Esther Chung, Asian American Community Liaison for the Austin History Center. “The Austin History Center is so proud to house these
oral histories and hope to add more interviews as well as archival materials about this community.” “Ultimately, oral history interviews of this kind invite us to explore the meaning of experience, and this collection offers a wide range of experiences and perspectives on migration, identity, home, work, family, faith and love,” Abbas said. The collection is open to the public. The Austin History Center continues to accept donations of any items of historical significance including photos, documents as well as oral histories. For details, contact Esther Chung at 512-974-7394, esther.chung@austintexas. gov. David Chan Memorial Fund Austin lost a community leader, businessman and advocate for the Asian American community as many gathered to honor the legacy of David Chan, who passed away last month on March 3. Chan was a founder of the Texas Asian Chamber of Commerce and was active in many organizations including the Long Center, the Austin Lyric Opera, and the U.S. Asian Chamber of Commerce. David Chan was passionate The David Chan Memorial Fund about connecting Asian and seeks to honor the legacy of U.S. businesses together as well David Chan (b.1927-d.2012), as ensuring the needs of Asian who spent the better part of 30 Americans in the community years advancing the interests were met. The memorial fund will of Asian Americans. He was be used to provide scholarships to Asian American high school passionate about connecting students. (photo by Yvonne Lim Asian and U.S. businesses Wilson) together as well as ensuring the needs of Asian Americans in the community were met. The memorial fund will be used to provide scholarships to Asian American high-school students in honor of David Chan’s pursuit of knowledge.
“David lived life to the absolute fullest seizing every opportunity and
always doing his best to make the world around him a better place, never imposing or asking for much in return,” read a statement from the Chan family. The Memorial Fund is offered through the Texas Asian Foundation. For details, visit www. txasianchamber.org, click on Texas Asian Foundation, David Chan Memorial Fund. A full copy of David Chan’s obituary is posted on www.AsianAustin.com. Young Musicians Festival encourages future artists The sixth annual Young Musicians’ Festival, Asian American Community Partnership Challenge Cup was held at the Asian American Cultural Center on March 3 and 4. More than 65 talented competitors participated in the event. Edward Wang, performing on piano and violin, Edward Wang, won the Grand Prize. “The level Grand Prize Winner of performance was so high that the judges were thoroughly impressed,” said Hai Zheng Olefsky, Artistic Director of the Young Musicians Festival Competition. Winners will be invited to perform at Austin’s Asian Occasion in May. For a complete list of festival winners, visit www.AsianAustin.com. Dragon Boat Festival 40-foot long dragon boats will race down Lady Bird Lake on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m to 3 p.m.. Enjoy multi-cultural performances, kids’ activities, Asian food and more at Festival Beach, at the Northeast corner of Lady Bird Lake. Free admission. Sponsored by the Asian American Community Partnership. For more information, 512-336-5059 or visit www.asianamericancc. com. Yvonne Lim Wilson is founder and publisher of Asian Austin at www. AsianAustin.com, an online news magazine featuring news about Asian American people, organizations and events in Austin. Contact Yvonne at yvonne@asianaustin.com. photos by Krishna Gobburu
Harish Kotecha of Hindu Charities for America at Austin Hindu Temple. 06 TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com
Austin Hindu Temple opened in 2007 and now welcomes large throngs for the annual Holi.
The March 10 Holi gave families and friends the opportunity to spread colorful joy.
Young dancers await their cue at the Austin Hindu Temple’s Holi celebration.
Spotlight on SAHELI: Beneath By Samira Ghosh
The latest census shows that the Asian community is growing rapidly in central Texas. At last count, there were approximately 75,000 Asians living in the Greater Austin area. In all aspects, the Asian community is assumed to be exemplary, frequently referred to as the model minority; perpetuating the stereotype of well educated, accomplished and contributing members of society whose statistical prevalence at elite universities and in white-collar professions supports this stereotype. This positive view is not without consequences. The Asian community has the unique burden to conform to expectations to be smart, nonviolent and have the perfect family. It is only too easy for them to get caught up in the demands of this stereotype. When confronted with such issues as job losses, divorces in the family, children with special needs, family violence, C grades, extra-marital affairs, these life-altering situations that detract from the image of perfection seem daunting. It is natural for our community members to be embarrassed and hide their less-than-perfect situations. The real tragedy is when someone feels that they cannot find support and compassion in their community when facing a problem and do not seek help that is available. Living with a problem
The A+ Community
out of fear of what people will say or the mounting So how do we maintain a healthy attitude of fear of “loss of face” becomes an unbearable our community where we celebrate our unique advantages yet make sure that the less fortunate burden for most. among us get our support? The other consequence of this positive view is that the public perceives Asian Americans as being • Be yourself, and do not impose unrealistic immune to problems like domestic violence, drugs, societal expectations on yourself and your suicide, poor grades, juvenile delinquency, incest family. etc. This attitude results in the limiting of access • Let your voice be heard. Let people know that all to the resources and privileges available to our Asian-Americans are not the same. Be assertive community and the lack of funding of programs when voicing your opinion. that serve the needs of Asians. • Don’t impose these stereotypes on your peers and your children. Don’t assume they will get the The reality is that the Asian community is made perfect test score or grade. up of many different groups. Although we share • Be a change agent. Make the choice to take act some exemplary cultural traits such as a respect against discrimination, racism and prejudice. for family, education and community, we come from countries with different histories, languages, • Be a part of the larger Asian American community. Join task forces, support religions and increasingly, socio-economic culture-specific non-profits financially and backgrounds. by volunteering, write letters to the elected officials. With Austin being a refugee resettlement city, an increasing number of Asians do not fit the model • Take on leadership roles. Develop young people into leaders too. minority stereotype. They may be less educated
or judgmental. If you have a hidden agenda, people will recognize you are not genuine.
Remember that we are human and our failures do not detract from our exceptional achievements and our contribution as a community to the society we live in starts with each of us making small efforts. SAHELI provides assistance with culture-specific support, legal advocacy, self-sufficiency training and basic needs for Asian families affected by abuse.
and have limited English language proficiency • Form coalitions with other groups to strengthen your voice. Host cultural events, workshops, which leads to fewer economic opportunities, no social gatherings to do outreach in the matter how hard working they may be. Moreover, community. the economic slowdown has impacted Asians of • Believe in your cause and do not be pretentious all backgrounds.
New Production Highlights Asian American Works By Yvonne Lim Wilson
While Asian Americans have made some gains, With its debut, Lucky Chaos is presenting five at Salvage Vanguard Theater Friday and Saturday evenings, April 13 to 21. For details and tickets, visit Asian Americans are still underrepresented in works including: www.luckychaos.com. mainstream media. The newly formed Asian • “Cheese,” a funny and touching play about American Arts Collective (AAAC) is making a a Chinese-American family dealing with Q&A with Irwin Tang, creator of “Cheese” difference, starting now. generational differences; Yvonne Lim Wilson: Tell me about the play. • “Forgotten Trail,” a reflective and melancholy With a mission to promote original works by Irwin Tang: It’s based on a short story I wrote 18 play about a South Asian woman who during artists of Asian descent or works about the Asian years ago. My original inspiration was to capture a volunteer cleaning up Town Lake finds a American experience, AAAC founder Leng Wong tricycle, triggering memories from her own life; the family dynamic in a goofy way. The parents wants to provide a consistent outlet for Asian • “Clay,” a short film about letting go narrated are caught up in a war, told through World War II American expression. flashbacks, and the kids, who are Americanized, through a South Asian lens; don’t want to hear about it. It’s a mixture of • “Post Racial,” a short film about a screenwriter The first project of AAAC is to present a comedy and tragedy. dogged down by political correctness (viewers performance art showcase, entitled Lucky Chaos, get to see the writer’s story continually being whose motto is: “Create Art, Create Identity, YLW: Why is it called “Cheese”? reworked to make it more politically correct); Create Possibilities,” which summarizes Wong’s IT: The story is kicked off when the frugal father • “Love, Chaos,” a series of improvisational works goal to provide a space for Asian Americans to tell brings home a block of government issued cheese directed by Leng Wong exploring identity and their own stories and shape their own identities. All - this is food for poor people, but they are not self-expression. works are written/directed by Asian Americans and While these works all express something unique poor. The parents save everything - sauce packets eight of the nine performers are Asian American. about the Asian American experience, they can and 10-year old jello packets. This causes chaos also be appreciated for their universal messages of in the family. “Even if I stand here and don’t say a word, people family, childhood, love, loss, culture, identity and come with expectations about who I am,” said self-expression. YLW: Do you have a favorite scene in the play? Wong, speaking of the stereotypes of Asian IT: There’s a scene of the father as a boy during Americans. “It’s great to be represented as a “Some of us have had a previous life [in a different WWII discovering matches for the first time. He doctor on TV, but what if that doctor has a drinking country], and somehow we mesh those values finds an escape from the war by lighting matches problem? The reason why I’m in the entertainment and experiences and make it work,” Wong said. in the dark. That was a story my father told me. business is to challenge perceptions on what it’s That blows my mind that we have iPads and “Cheese and Other Oddities” will be performed video-conferencing, but just one generation back like to be an Asian American.”
someone was discovering matches for the first time. YLW: What do you hope people will get out of the play? IT: I hope they are entertained and I hope they can feel for the characters and know that there are others who feel for them and the hardships they go through. To read the full interview with screenwriter Irwin Tang, visit www.AsianAustin.com. TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com 07
Austin Dance India presents ‘Journey: Tradition to Innovation’
spirits by bridging the very old with the very new through the timeless language of dance. “Dance in India has always been a means to uplift the human spirit, usually performed during religious ceremonies, rituals, and festive occasions. It is meant, not only for the artist to reach a higher place, but also for the audience to be taken there,” said Naimpally. “As a teacher and performer in our contemporary world in the Western hemisphere, this still resonates deeply for me. Even in the highly technological world that we live in today, the study and performance of the arts is a way in which the human soul can be in a place where it reconnects with a higher spirit.”
Austin Dance India—an Austin-based outfit known for teaching and performing many types of ancient, traditional Indian dance (often via Sanskrit verses)— is for the first time placing one foot firmly in the contemporary realm with a forthcoming project called “Journey: Tradition to Innovation.” The bold new dance project bridges a three thousand year gap effortlessly—with two inspired approaches to movement. Conceived by Austin Dance India creative director, Anuradha Naimpally, the April 21 (8 p.m.) and April 22 (3 p.m.) shows at Boyd Vance Theater in the Carver Cultural Center at 1165 Angelina Street promise to captivate audiences’ imaginations and
Pohela Boishakh South Asian Festival Welcomes Bengali New Year One of the newest and most unique of the rich tapestry of ethnic cultural events in Austin is the South Asian New Year Festival at Zilker Park, Saturday, April 14, from noon-9 p.m. The free celebration, now in its 11th year, draws thousands from all walks of life to mark the South Asian New Year, a date based on a solar calendar introduced in North India 400 years ago by the Mogul Emperor Akbar. This year’s celebration, according to the Bengali calendar, ushers in the year 1419. Organized by the Texas Bengali Cultural Alliance with other regional South Asian groups, the event showcases the historically rich, colorful culture of South Asian countries and recreates the atmosphere of optimism and joy that characterizes the occasion for South Asians. Traditional, authentic South Asian cuisine will be available, with an open air non-stop live cultural program featuring music, dances, fashion show and more including performers from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, China and other native countries. The performance schedule is loaded with Bollywood Shakes, NruthyaShakti Dance 08 TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com
Naimpally, who has been promoting Indian dance in the Austin community for over 20 years, will offer a highly unique performance of the Bharata Natyam style of Indian dance, juxtaposing traditional and contemporary choreography. “Journey: Tradition to Innovation,” which pairs dances dating 1000 BC to those created in 2012, will be performed to live accompaniment by two ensembles. Special guests will include Eastern Soul diva Naga Valli, Spoken Word poetess Chandra Washington, Shiv Naimpally, Soumya Ashok, Ratan Kumar, and V. Sriram. The production will also feature a tribute to Tina Marsh, a colleague and close friend of Naimpally’s who passed of cancer two years ago. The work will be set to Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem,” which Marsh sang on one of her albums.
Radha Madhav Dham Temple ‘Mela’ an Indian Cultural Experience By Joe Chorneau
With all the fixings and treats of Indian cuisine and culture, this year’s Mela at Radha Madhav Dham Temple on Saturday, April 28 (noon to 5 p.m.), welcomes Austin to celebrate spring and new beginnings. For starters, the exotic open-air Bazaar provides its multi-colored and elaborately patterned fabrics of saris, shawls and kurtas, its intricately designed bangles, toe rings, anklets and earrings, accompanied by all the sounds of an Indian village marketplace.
The myriad food booths offer an array of traditional Indian sweet and spicy fare such as mango lassi, rose milk, samosas, bel puri, pani puri, masala dosa and sweets like gulab jamin and the very popular ladoos, as well as delicious Italian food, popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones and much more. Take a seat in the beautiful, air-conditioned Temple where you’ll enjoy authentic dances of India, featuring Aparupa Chatterjee from College Station performing Odissi dance from Orissa. Other dances include Bharatnatyam Classical and fusion, Khatak and Khatak fusion, Bhangra and Dandia. In addition, Swami Nikhilanand will be leading a series of fun and interactive sessions entitled: “Hinduism: Myth vs. Fact,” and “Being Good & Finding God,” as well as meditation and kirtan.
Relax and have a cup of chai and delicious Indian sweets as you watch children enjoy the petting zoo and pony rides, or join them for a ride on a camel. This year’s Mela will include a vedic Jyotish astrologer, henna body art and face painting. Bonzo Crunch, aka “fool at large,” twists balloons and delights all ages with his juggling and antics. Austin’s own Darren Peterson, “Circus Chickendog,” his parrot, and fellow jugglers will roam throughout the fairgrounds. And for the cricket enthusiasts, or those wanting to try their hand at it for the first time, the Cricket Batting Cage will be a challenge you will not want to miss.
Academy, Agni Dance, Texas Bhangra, Bengali Musical Group of Austin (BMGA), Sargam Dance School, BHuman Dance Production, and more on the Zilker Hillside Theater. There’s also a marketplace with ethnic dresses, jewelry, crafts, henna and a children’s entertainments with a moonwalk, face-painting, and assorted games.
For those who want to tour the beautiful grounds, they can hop aboard tram rides or take walking tours to view the holy places, ponds and fountains, gorgeous gardens and wildflower meadows. www.radhamadhavdham.org
For more information go to www.tbca-austin.org. channelAustin hosts East x South East:
A Call to Poets and Spoken Word Artists This April, East x South East (EXSE) returns to channelAustin. Showcasing poets and spoken word artists, EXSE invites bards of all sorts to submit original work to be considered for broadcast. If selected to participate, performers will receive local exposure during an all-day, twenty-four hours showcase on April 27 in celebration of National Poetry Month. “Available space will be limited this year because we are a part of Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project. As a partner, we are producing a live performance with spoken word artists that will commemorate Yom Hashoa, Holocaust Remembrance Day. We could not be happier to be included in this project,” says EXSE Spoken Word Lead Producer, Karla Saldaña, coordinated six EXSE showcases.
“Karla has done an amazing job working with the poet and spoken word artist community to bring together awareness and appreciation for this cultural homage to National Poetry Month,” channelAustin Executive Director Linda Litowsky said. “To provide this kind of content to the Austin community makes us especially proud.” EXSE Spoken Word takes place every April as a part of National Poetry Month, dedicated to drawing attention to the importance of artistic expression, free speech and poetry, both of new and old forms. With poetry evolving throughout the years, channelAustin gathers spoken word artists who speak to the beat of a different poetic drum when sharing their fresh and innovative words. Spoken Word Humanity will air live at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, as a part of this community event, with spoken word artists B Fran, Ebony Stewart, Selah Vie, Da’Shade Moonbeam and Christopher Michael. Participants are encouraged to submit applications to channelAustin.org/ EXSESpokenWord no later than April 11.
with a number of organizations to get the word out about the need for volunteers. The Young Hispanic Professional Association of Austin, Las Comadres, Austin Black Newcomers Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority are among the support more individuals in the community and encourage people to join in the noble work of organizations supportive of the endeavor. speaking up for all children. CASA strives to mirror the demographics of their dedicated volunteers, “I am truly grateful that [CASA’s] work—and staff and board to more closely reflect the Austin the commitment of CASA of Travis County to community and the children and families served. recruiting volunteers that reflect the diversity Around 29% of the children CASA serves are of children (they) serve—means that AfricanAfrican American while around 43% are Latino. American children who need an advocate in CPS CASA has been very intentional in being more court will have one who has received training on actively present within Austin’s African American valuing cultural difference and who may even and Latino communities where, historically, they share the cultural and ethnic heritage of the child,” may have been absent. In the past year, CASA has shared Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Reshanta Stewart. become a member of both the Capital City African American Chamber of Commerce and the Greater CASA’s need for volunteers is critical, no matter Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. one’s ethnic background, and CASA asks everyone CASA representatives can be found at an array of to consider standing up for a child in need. As events around town that celebrate the rich diversity Executive Director Laura Wolf often reminds, “To of Austin, including the annual MLK community us, the most important quality of all in a prospective celebration, Juneteenth community celebration CASA volunteer is simply a commitment to making and Expo de la Familia. CASA has also partnered the future better for a child in need.”
CASA of Travis County Speaks Up on Diversity By Sonia Kotecha
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Travis County recognizes that creating a diverse and inclusive organization, from volunteers to staff to board, is a means toward creating a more effective and powerful voice for the children they serve. CASA provides its volunteers with rich experiences to build their cultural competence in working with individuals from different backgrounds and life experiences.
Volunteer Melissa Winans shared that these conversations were “one of the most important things that I learned … they have helped me more than once in dealing with the difficult issues that can arise in a Child Protective Services case.” Volunteers have also been participating in a oneday dialogue about the issues raised in the powerful PBS documentary series, “Race-The Power of an Illusion.” This effort is giving volunteers a deeper understanding of the history of racial inequities within various social service systems. Each of the 200 new volunteers who join CASA each year receive three hours of cultural competency training as part of their core training. CASA also offers a number of continuing education training opportunities to longtime volunteers that include topics such as working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.
In the last couple of years, CASA volunteers have been introduced to a number of informative and life-altering training methods and workshops to enhance their ability to work with youth and families across cultures. More than 100 CASA volunteers and staff have participated in a oneand-a-half day training program called “Knowing Who You Are.” The training helps youth in foster care develop a healthy sense of their racial and ethnic identity. Participants also learn how to hold CASA recently developed a strategic diversity outreach plan to expand outreach, empower and courageous conversations about race.
Giving and Getting Back: CASA volunteers share the experiences they bring and the lessons they’ve learned By Callie Langford
In 2011, 562 people volunteered with CASA of Travis County as advocates for children who’ve been abused or neglected. CASA volunteers are diverse members of the community coming from all walks of life. While no particular background is required to volunteer, volunteers bring unique skills, histories and experiences to their advocacy work that make the difference in children’s lives.
shared that his “experience negotiating with groups of people with different goals has helped me immensely as a volunteer. My job is to bring people together to communicate, so years of functioning within corporate politics have come in very handy.” Nurses ask to be assigned to cases with medically fragile children. One psychiatric nurse came onto a case where the mother had bipolar disorder. The volunteer knew exactly what Many volunteers bring the skills gained through the mother needed to succeed for her family their own careers to their advocacy. Jim McAllister and when the case was coming to a close, the
mother opted to continue in the Child Protective working with elementary school children for over Services system for a few more months to have 30 years is the basis for my belief that children need the continued support of this volunteer. love, attention, nutrition and guidance to become emotionally and physically healthy adults.” Volunteers with backgrounds in finance and economics help teenagers who are preparing CASA works with many families who speak only for adulthood and need advice on how to earn Spanish, and bilingual volunteers are always and save money wisely. Teachers and principals needed to help communicate between parties and bring a wealth of information when it comes ascertain a child’s situation. Other foreign languages to educational advocacy. Former teacher and have been found unexpectedly helpful—American principal Elma Berrones said, “My experience Sign Language, Arabic, Vietnamese and Thai have TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com 09
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all been put to use by skilled volunteers on cases.
to her to advocacy was simply the “desire to help solve problems.” Max Ekesi (see page 2) said that It is often the intangible qualities a volunteer brings “the most important thing I bring to the table is a that help children the most. David Chasis stated, can-do spirit and a positive approach towards all “My personal experiences of three generations of people and situations.” children being raised in caring and loving families has allowed me to transfer my energies, caring While volunteers give a lot of themselves, many feel and nurturing skills in helping those abused and they get much more back from volunteering. “The neglected children who have not experienced a number one thing I take away as a lesson for life is safe environment and unconditional love.” Victoria consistency in being there for a child,” said Ekesi. Pearson felt the most important thing she brought “It has impacted my personal and professional
life. We have to make it clear to people that they can depend on us because we will be there for them. It’s a fundamental and simple fact: I’ll be there for you.” McAllister added, “Just realizing that there are ‘normal’ families who may have no heat in their homes has opened my eyes to how vast the need is for basic items that most of us take for granted. Being humbled has made me a stronger and better person.”
the impact they have on the life of a child. “The biggest thing I get out of volunteering is seeing children who are living in chaos transition to a life they deserve in a stable, safe and loving home and helping that process along,” said Susanna Busico. “I love watching them blossom.” Juliet CastanedaValdez received a letter from her CASA child that read, “Thank you for being the best volunteer. Thank you for including me in your life and your schedule. Thank you for caring so much and For many CASA volunteers, it is simply seeing having faith in this troubled girl.”
Culturally Competent Advocates Lead to Success for Families in Need By Callie Langford
CASA’s role on cases is to offer a well-rounded perspective on a child or family’s situation so that we can make thoughtful and informed recommendations to the judge in the best interest of the children. Demonstrating strong cultural competency skills when working with children and families is a high priority for CASA volunteers because it leads to successful outcomes. Here are just two examples of success stories in which CASA navigated cultural boundaries in the best interest of children: Jasmine, age 7, and Michael, age 2, were placed in foster care—and met their CASA advocate, Sonia—when their young mother’s drug abuse meant she could not care for them. During visits, Jasmine often asked Sonia about seeing her family again. Meanwhile, Michael was
struggling to adjust to his foster home. Sonia quickly located the children’s great aunt and uncle. Meeting them, she discovered they were eager to take the children permanently into their home and knew they would be good caregivers. But when the couple failed a home study visit, Sonia suspected cultural bias might have played a role. She and the Child Protective Services (CPS) caseworker visited the couple’s home in a lowincome neighborhood and discovered home repairs the uncle had been working on had been delayed due to his recent surgery. Sonia and the caseworker discussed the need to complete the repairs and the couple was happy to do so. The family then confided they felt the home study worker had been uneasy in their home and neighborhood. When the great aunt and uncle felt her discomfort they didn’t want to question
her judgment or appear uncooperative. Once repairs were made, a second home study was conducted and passed. When the children arrived at their family’s home, Jasmine was elated. While everyone was concerned about how Michael would transition given his behavioral issues, everything went smoothly. His foster father stated it best, “He knows he’s with his family, where he belongs.” Eugenia, age 3, and Yvonne, age 1, were removed from their parents’ home when the older girl suffered a head injury while under the care of a babysitter. Their parents, immigrants from Vietnam, had left Eugenia with the sitter so they could look for work and a new home. At the hospital they were unable to explain Eugenia’s injuries and CPS was called in. For a family whose
primary language is Vietnamese, communicating with the CPS caseworker, attorney and CASA supervisor about bringing their children home safely proved difficult. Luckily, CASA was able to find a volunteer interpreter, Marie, to assist on the case. Marie’s presence at visits with the family helped them to build rapport with CASA and open up about key information. Marie learned the parents were concerned about maintaining the children’s cultural and linguistic heritage while they were not in their own home, so CASA helped to place the children with their grandmother. The parents worked hard to prove to the judge that they could provide a safe home to their children, and with the help of CASA and Marie, were able to close the case quickly, welcoming Eugenia and Yvonne back home.
Child Abuse in our Community: What you should know
How You Can Help
• There were approximately 1,750 children in the Austin area who were involved with CPS due to alleged abuse or neglect in 2011. • A U.S. Department of Justice study found that abused and neglected children are 59% more likely to become juvenile delinquents, 28% more likely to be arrested as adults and 30% more likely to become violent criminals. • Once youth age out of the child welfare system at age 18 without having found a permanent home, 1 in 4 become homeless and “are at extreme risk of poverty… victimization and criminal involvement, illness, early childbearing, and low educational attainment.” Deficits in the child welfare system prevent older youth from attaining necessary life skills.
• 500 children in our community still needed a dedicated CASA volunteer last year. • Children with CASA volunteers are more likely to receive therapy, health care, education, and do better in school, less likely to be bounced from one place to another, less likely to get stuck in long-term foster care and significantly more likely to reach safe, permanent homes. • A CASA volunteer is often the child’s only link to maintaining family connections and can be instrumental in identifying family members as temporary or permanent placement options. • CASA volunteers come from every walk of life and share a commitment to improving children’s lives, a willingness to learn, and an open mind towards life experiences different from their own. Volunteers complete a screening interview, background and reference checks and 33 hours of intensive training. • Visit www.casatravis.org/volunteer or call 512.459.2272 to learn more, or to make a donation in support of this program.
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MARCH 29, 2012 “We’re quickly becoming a majority-minority city. Today we put our money where our mouth is.” — Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole
Texas’ First Tejano Monument Unveiled At Capitol Grounds
By Cindy Casares
On March 29, the first monument to honor Texans of Hispanic descent, or Tejanos, was unveiled at the State Capitol. The effort took over ten years of politicking and 500 years of contributions from the Tejano people to the livelihood and culture of Texas. The event, which took place on a soggy Thursday morning, was attended by hundreds from around the state including Governor Rick Perry, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst and the first Latina Texas Supreme Court Justice, Eva Guzman, as well as dozens of school children who were bused in to witness the historic day. Austin Community College professor of history Dr. Andres Tijerina closed the hour of speeches thanking those responsible for making the 500-square-foot statuary a reality by giving the crowd a lesson in Tejano contributions to Texas culture. “In so many ways the Mexican Tejano culture is so ingrained in our daily lives that many Texans fail to see the Mexican in their own lives,” Tijerina said. He added that Tejanos brought the cattle, wool and mohair industries that exist in Texas today, exposed Anglo Texans to mounted law enforcement— which they copied to form the Texas Rangers— and even served as an example to the United
States legal system who copied several Spanish the monument on the Capitol grounds. Tejano laws including homestead and community “If he had not sponsored it, if he had not stepped property laws. up and said, ‘I want this bill to pass,’ it wouldn’t have “In fact, everything that Texans brag about is Tejano,” happened,” she told the crowd at a reception held he boldly proclaimed. “The Texas Longhorns, the the night before for the monument’s sculptor from Texas Mustangs, chili, everything they brag about Laredo, Armando Hinojosa. today is Tejano. Come to think of it, if it wasn’t for the Tejano heritage, Texas would probably be Back at the unveiling, Governor Perry added that he has long believed that Texas’ future is tied directly to Ohio.” the future of the Latino population, but their history Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) was sure is just as entwined. A fact he conceded when he to point out that Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst told the crowd, “This is an important monument was solely responsible for getting unanimous because it reflects a larger truth about the origins support from the Senate for the installation of of Texas.”
Asian American Resource Center Breaks Ground, Expected to Open in 2013 By Yvonne Lim Wilson
Excitement filled the air as the long awaited Asian American Resource Center (AARC) made its first step towards becoming a reality with a groundbreaking ceremony on March 29 in Northeast Austin at 8401 Cameron Road.
and exhibition hall, an assembly hall for 500 to 600 people, classrooms, offices, a kitchen, Meditation Garden, sponsors wall, parking and lush landscaping. Plans for Phase 2 and 3 include space for retail shops, offices and a performance hall.
“It will be a great pride for our community to introduce AARC as a gateway for Americans and Asians to embrace a shared future that will thrive in an atmosphere of Texas ingenuity and hospitality,” said Channy Soeur, president of the Network of Asian American Organizations (NAAO). The Network, an umbrella organization of 15 local Asian American organizations, has provided the primary organizational support for the AARC.
The idea for the AARC started more than ten years ago and initial work started in 2003, said Sarah Chen, NAAO treasurer. What makes this project special is its inclusiveness—representing all Asian cultures, as opposed to the “Chinatowns” or “Koreatowns” you may find in other cities, Chen said.
Venerable Chueh Chao of Xiang Yun Temple, Debasree DasGupta, Manju Chakraborty, and Simone Talma Flowers.
Network of Asian American Organizations’ president Channy Soeur and incoming president Sumit DasGupta.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, city officials as well as community leaders and lead contractors shoveled the first piles of dirt for the new building. Local Korean-American band 512 Sound performed, a lion dance was presented and guests enjoyed burgers and hot dogs from local food trailers.
The AARC is a project that aims to serve the entire Austin community, bringing Asia-centric programs, educational initiatives, lectures, discussions, cultural festivals, art exhibitions and business opportunities to Austin. A $5 million bond for the project was approved by Austin voters in 2006. Phase 1 of the AARC is expected to complete in March 2013 with a grand opening ceremony in May 2013. Included in the first phase are a lobby
“Everyone is working together,” she said. “We are building this center for sharing with everyone with classes, cultural events, health fairs and also stimulating commerce from overseas. This will be a Mecca for all.”
Austin City Officials included Marc Ott (second from left), Sheryl Cole, Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Bill Spelman, Kathy Tovo and Laura Morrison. Yvonne Lim Wilson photo
“We’re quickly becoming a majority-minority city,” said Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole. “Today we put our money where our mouth is in dedicating the resources to make it welcoming and fulfilling for all.”
Ali Khataw and Nahid Khataw with Mayor Lee Leffingwell. TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com 11
Annual Downtown Living Tour Showcases Urban Lifestyle The Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association (DANA) presents the 8th Annual Downtown Living Tour on Sunday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring 15 homes, historic landmarks, modern residences, and commercial spaces all located in 78701.
15th Annual Cine Las Americas The annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival is back on April 24-29. This year’s lineup presents almost 100 films ranging from independent and big budget features, documentaries and short films from all over the world including Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Canada and the U.S. Gonzalo Justiniano’s “¿Alguien Ha Visto a Lupita? (Have You Seen Lupita?)” opens the 15th annual fest on Tuesday, April 24 at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. Partially shot in Austin, the film stars Dulce María, Carmen Salinas and Cristián de la Fuente. Scheduled to attend the opening night film are Salinas, director Gonzalo Justinano and producer Daniel de la Vega. Closing the festival is Selton Mello’s “O Palhaço (The Clown)” on Sunday, April 29, also at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. In addition to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, the film festival will take place at the Violet Crown and the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC), with additional screenings at St. Edward’s University. Special early bird badges
Fans of architecture, exterior and interior design and décor will see the makeup of downtown with historic buildings like the 1882 Graeber house renovated into a 4,600 sq. ft. urban home by the late, renowned architect David Graeber, juxtaposed with newer builds like The Milago Condominiums on Lady Bird Lake, and The Railyard Condominiums. Get inspired by the use of space and experience city living. General Admission Tickets are $25. General Admission + VIP After Party at Bar Louie are $40. VIP Package (including exclusive stops + After Party) is $75. *Early Bird Prices listed here are valid until April 12. Will call will be located at The Buttrey Building. Tour-goers are encouraged to walk, bike, pedicab or take CapMetro to visit the properties in any order, on the self-guided tour. A portion of proceeds from The Downtown Living Tour will benefit the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM). For tickets and more information, go to ATXDLT.com The Downtown Living Tour is presented by DANA, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for those who live, work and play downtown. are $65 through April 6; $75 afterwards. The badge gives full access to the film festival events, including screenings, exclusive parties and panels. Cine Las Americas is a non-profit organization based in Austin with the mission of promoting cross-cultural understanding and growth by educating, entertaining and challenging diverse audiences through film and media arts. Each year, Cine Las Americas invites filmmakers, producers and distributors to bring their work in Austin and participate in this unique international event. All the films screened at the festival are subtitled in English. A close connection between the public and festival guests makes the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival a unique environment in which to nurture cultural exchange, promote artistic excellence, and have lots of fun through the best Latino and indigenous films. The festival program offers a wide variety of entertainment, cultural, and educational choices for diverse audiences of all kinds, from the latest dramatic films made by breakthrough directors, to established studio releases, challenging documentaries, short films, entertaining animation series, and the always surprising youth films.
Free Theater at Austin Latino New Play Festival Teatro Vivo presents “Festival Latino de Nuevas Obras Teatrales de Austin,” in collaboration with the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center and ScriptWorks, runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday April 5-7, at 8 p.m. each evening. Screenings are free to the public but seating is limited.
On the program are: Thursday, April 5, “Rosalia,” by Arthur Marroquin; Friday, April 6, “Cura,” by Raul Garza; and Saturday, April 7, “Guapa” by Caridad Svich.
The Austin Latino New Play Festival is a groundbreaking theater event for Texas and the Southwest, bringing together playwrights and audience members in rich conversation about three new workshop productions, each running just one night. The productions invite insight into the Latino aesthetic and experience, and celebrate the power of the human experience. The workshop-style presentations feature lively readings with props and stage movement, riding the fence between staged reading and full-out production. After each workshop, the playwright and audience will participate in moderated talk back sessions so attendees can provide feedback to the
Old Settler’s Music Festival Celebrates 25 Years By Erica Stall Wiggins
For roots and Americana music fans who don’t go for the huge crowds or the corporate atmosphere of some of the larger music fetes in Austin, the 25th Annual Old Settler’s Music Festival probably can’t come soon enough. “It’s laid back,” says Executive Director Jean Spivey. “It’s Texas friendly. It’s an easygoing festival. We don’t have the crowds of other festivals.” The fans won’t have to wait much longer. April 1922 is right around the corner, and with wildflowers blooming and an average daily temperature of 80 degrees in the Texas hill country, they will be en route to the Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch in Driftwood to enjoy a first rate lineup of national acts and stellar newcomers on four stages. Asked to describe the festival, Spivey said, “First and foremost it’s about the music—you’ll find Americana, bluegrass and blues and a little Celtic—a big variety but all within the roots music vein.” Festival headliners include critically-acclaimed Oak Hill resident Sam Beam (of Iron and Wine) and local favorite Bob Schneider, who’s looking forward to playing the festival for the first time this year. Also on the bill are JJ Grey and Mofro, Amos Lee, The Wheeler Brothers, Sarah Jarosz and many more. Camping at Ben McCulloch is a large part of the festival culture. “People have really taken ownership and community in the festival,” said Spivey. “They come back year after year no matter who is booked.” With camp names like
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playwrights. Though the productions have Latino roots, they explore cross-cultural, age-old themes and modern dilemmas that will surprise, challenge, engage and push the dramatic envelope for audience members accustomed to one-way conversations at the theater.
“Camp Good Times,” “Camp Bayou Love” and “Camp Bamboozle,” it’s easy to imagine the multi-generational, family friendly experience she describes. For kids (12 and under are admitted free with a paying adult), activities include petting zoos and pony rides, rock climbing, face painting, arts and crafts and a highly touted youth competition which has been a part of the festival for 12 years (Sarah Jarosz was the first winner). Finally, for fans who are also performers, music workshops are given by professionals at the campground stage and include harmonica, vocals, shakers and more.
photo courtesy of Iron and Wine
So what will you catch Jean Spivey listening to at the fest? “I never see the music, I work the whole time,” she laments. If she can slip away, however, she’d like to see Iron and Wine, as well as last year’s youth competition winner, Grace London, perform. Let’s hope the opportunity arises. 25th Annual Old Settler’s Music Festival: April 19-22 at the Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch, Info: www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org
New Social Enterprise Complex Brings Jobs and Training to East Austin By Layla Fry A one-of-a-kind community center focused on getting people back to work is opening its doors in East Austin. The new development is part of the East Austin Children’s Promise, a collective effort of youth, parents and organizations to transform the Govalle/ Johnston Terrace neighborhood through education and employment support. Southwest Key will hold the grand opening of the new Social Enterprise Complex— made possible by an investment from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the City of Austin, the Meadows Foundation and other private donors—on Saturday, April 28, followed by free Cinco de Mayo-themed performances and family activities.
Development and Café del Sol. Many of the enterprises will be housed at the new complex. Other centerpiece programs housed at the complex are Job-Readiness Coaching and Life Skills Training, funded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. “We partner with many local organizations such as ACC, MexNet, Workers Defense Project, and Workforce Solutions to provide resources for adults on the Eastside, such as ESL, computer literacy and small business startup,” explained Career Services Coordinator Daniel Hinojosa. “I sit down with job seekers to assess their barriers to employment and their goals. We develop a Personal Career Plan so I can connect them with the right training and employers and generally commit as much time as possible to help them find a job.” Bessie Castro, who is currently taking a GED class at the facility, was introduced to Southwest Key after attending a Children’s Promise learning fair with her kids. “I was just walking around and found a flyer about the program and told myself: this is it. I have to make the decision to move forward with my life for my kids,” she stated. Castro now meets regularly with Hinojosa before class. “This program has helped me so much. I have an awesome counselor and teacher who both believe in me and know that I can achieve my goals. Mister Hinojosa has helped me through the job readiness program to build my resume, get ready for interviews and look for jobs, and I thank him for that.”
Located at the nonprofit’s El Centro de Familia campus in the Govalle/Johnston Terrace, the 14,000-square-foot complex will create at least 160 jobs in five years, serve thousands annually and house some of Austin’s most cutting-edge workforce programs, including nonprofit-run businesses known as “social enterprises.” So called because they are solely owned by the nonprofit and designed with a double bottom line: to create jobs right in the heart of East Austin that put East Austin residents back to work, and raise funds to support Southwest Key’s nonprofit mission. As part of the initiative, Southwest Key has established a number of small businesses, including The Blooming Florist, Southwest Key Green Energy & Construction, Southwest Key Maintenance, Southwest Key Workforce
The sustainably designed complex is soon to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified and sports unique features for workers and students, including a massage-chair equipped meditation and creativity area, a community board room with a rooftop balcony overlooking the entire campus, and a steep indoor slide which allows for easy access between floors. “The slide connects our community meeting space on the top floor with our other classrooms beneath,” said Dr. Juan Sanchez, founder and CEO of Southwest Key who envisioned the Social Enterprise Complex. “Our staff and students work so hard,” explained Sanchez. “It’s nice to take a break and offer them a little fun between meetings. After sitting through a parenting seminar or a job coaching session, you can pop into the escape hatch and bring out your inner child. ” The public is invited to participate in the ribbon cutting and stay for the free family Cinco de Mayo performances and activities on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6002 Jain Lane, www.swkey.org.
The Social Enterprise Complex has programs and classes open to the public on a walk-in basis day and night, Mondays through Saturdays, and offers workforce training classes to help unemployed and underemployed workers develop skills needed for the 21st century work force. Most adult classes offer free on-site childcare for participants during class hours. TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com 13
TODO Austin Senior Editor Esther Reyes and Publisher Gavin Lance Garcia present awards for Best Tejano Band and Best World Music at the Austin Music Awards. (ESW)
Alejandro Escovedo leads Chris Searles, Bruce Springsteen, Bobby Daniels, and Joe Ely in a rousing finale at the Austin Music Hall. (ESW)
Atash takes the title of Best World Band for the fifth straight year at the Austin Music Awards. (ESW)
TODO Austin at SXSW 2012 Photos by Mark Guerra (MG) and Erica Stall Wiggins (ESW) Linda Crockett (left), Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center coordinator with Kimberly MacNeely, assistant director of PARD, Herlinda Zamora, ESB-MACC manager and Melba Martinez. (MG)
Los Texas Wranglers’ Joyce Adams and Julian Fernandez, winners of a collective seven Austin Music Awards, accept this year’s Best Tejano Band prize. (ESW)
Mexican American Experience headliner Sunny Ozuna and Crossroads Events’ Leonard Davila in the dressing room before showtime.
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos and boxer Alexis Camacho. (MG) 14 TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com
Ruben Cubillos, Paul Wall, Gavin Lance Garcia and Alfredo Antonio at Pan Americana Festival. (MG)
Hermanos de East Austin’s José Velásquez, Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Bellas Artes Alliance director Linda Ramirez and Brisa Communication’s Paul Saldaña. (MG)
Maclovio Perez, entertainment relations specialist for Gibson Guitar and guitarist of Master Blaster with Poc, a rising artist from Mexico. (MG)
Plum Writing
Chronicles of Undercover Mexican Girl:
Deep Green Resistance By Alexandra M. Landeros
“The task of an activist is not to navigate systems of oppressive power with as much personal integrity as possible; it is to dismantle those systems.” -Lierre Keith
As a teenager, I considered myself globally conscious, following my mom’s advice to recycle for the sake of future generations, and donating to the World Wildlife Federation so I could get my cool set of stickers. In college, I joined Model United Nations and took a course on Environmental Policy, and I learned about how first world countries were helping third world countries become agriculturally self-sufficient. I read Lester Brown’s books on saving the planet and dealing with the earth’s overpopulation.
“green” choices I’ve made, I am still consuming and using fossil fuels and participating in the industrialized system. I recently bought a pair of tennis shoes made in China. I am still guilty of taking unnecessarily long showers. I am still driving my car. The bus I take still has carbon emissions. The bike I ride still consumed energy and petroleum during its production. If you go to the Earth Day 2012 website www.earthday.com, some of the top Take Action items include planting a garden at school or home, changing out your light bulbs, organizing an Earth Day event, eliminating the use of pesticides and toxic cleaning products, and eating more local food. But we cannot simply take little steps when we feel inspired (once a year) and hope it will change the world. As Keith puts it, just because we do these things, “Polar bears everywhere [will be] weeping with relief.” Refilling our tires and filling our dishwashers aren’t enough to keep the ice caps from melting – we have to act faster and with more impact than that.
After living in Austin for thirteen years, I’ve amped up my sustainable lifestyle. Instead of simply recycling, I try to reuse. Instead of buying a hybrid car (that I can’t afford anyway), I drive a 1983 Mercedes Benz diesel that I hope to one day run on used cooking oils. When it breaks down, I walk, bike, or take the bus. Instead of buying falsely labeled organic items from the corporate-owned supermarkets, I buy sustainably and locally grown meat, dairy, and produce from the farmers market and CSAs. I conserve electricity, water, and gas at my house as much possible.
“But we can’t consume our way out of the environmental collapse; consumption is the problem,” says Lierre Keith. Lifestyle change doesn’t address the root of the problem. Even after considering all the
What are you (we) waiting for?!? HOLY CANOLI … if time were flashing, whizzing— whirring by any faster—I don’t think I could even attempt to keep track of the days, months, years. I don’t believe that time is ticking away at the same pace that it used to tick away. No, I sincerely believe that time (in-so-much as we know “time” to mean) is actually passing by at an accelerated speed.
I know I’ve said this more times that I can count, but TODAY IS ALL YOU HAVE. TODAY is all you have. Today is ALL you have. Today is all you HAVE. Tomorrow doesn’t exist. Literally. Does. Not. Exist. You aren’t guaranteed tomorrow so why wait to do anything tomorrow? Or next week? Or when X, Y or Z occurs? Today is IT! So, if today is all you have (and we can all agree that this is the case, yes?). What are you waiting for? And if today is even shorter than “today” was yesterday (humor me), you have even less time to poke around than you used to. I know. It’s pretty stressful to think about. Or not really.
The book begins by pointing out that 200 species a day are going extinct (Edward O. Wilson, The Future of Life, 1992 and Dan Olson, “Species Extinction Rate Speeding Up”, Minnesota Public Radio, 2005). Between the time that I started reading the book, and the time you are probably reading this article, it’s possible nearly 10,000 more species have gone extinct.
One of the book’s authors, Aric McBay, reports that “tropical forests are being wiped out at a rate of 160,000 square kilometers per year … to walk that scar from end to end would take you eighteen months.” And it’s not just our animals and our land that we are killing. According to a 2007 article by ScienceDaily.com, researchers at Cornell University blamed 40 percent of all human deaths on water, air, and soil pollution.
By Blake Shanley
So, assuming that the accelerated passing of “time” is a feasible possibility (go with it) we need to kick it into high gear. The highest gear we can kick it into!
Because I’ve been making personal choices to lead a “greener” lifestyle, I felt I was being a responsible citizen of the planet. Recently, I learned about the group Deep Green Resistance, which has a national presence, as well as local chapters including one in Austin. I also discovered the book, by the same name, published in 2011 by the movements’ leaders: Aric McBay, Lierre Keith, and Derrick Jensen. If you consider yourself an environmentalist, or even an eco-friendly enthusiast, you must read this book – it will change your views on what needs to be done to protect our planet from human destruction.
A polar bear should weigh 650 pounds to make it through the winter – in some areas, a female’s weight before hibernation has dropped to 507 pounds (“Two-Thirds of Polar Bears At Risk of Extinction by 2050”, Mongabay.com, 2007). The ice is evaporating like wetlands. Imagine a polar bear waking to impassable waters. She, and her babies, will drown. In parts of the Pacific, plastic outweighs plankton 48 to 1 (Jessica Leber, “Trash Course”, Audubon, 2008). If you don’t believe it, look up “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” on the Internet for some unimaginable photos.
Frame of Reference
“Green” and “sustainable” are merely buzzwords these days. “For ‘sustainable’ to mean anything,” says Keith, “we must embrace and then defend the bare truth: the planet is primary.” And our industrialized society is at complete odds with the planet. We cannot keep up this pace of living without destroying the earth. Many people, including some environmentalists, hope that people will take voluntary action. But how easily, and how soon, do you think people will stop using electricity, driving their cars, or wanting access to cheap and convenient goods? Are you going to keep buying bottled water and feeling justified because you are recycling it? Are you content that your compost pile and your biodegradable flip-flops are enough to make a difference? Or are you ready to take real action and join the deep green resistance?
You have ideas that have been churning in your mind. You have desires that are driving you in a particular direction. You have talents. You have dreams. You have things that tickle your tummy to think about. You have people that make you giggle or swoon when you see them. You have unfinished business and unfinished projects. You have connections that are waiting to connect you. You have doors that are flapping open in the wind. You have a world of options in front of you. All of you. All of us. It’s all ours for the taking. So take it. All of the magic today is offering you. And take it authentically, genuinely, simply, with integrity and without fear. Take today by the juevos. Cajones. Horns. Just ask for what you want. Just tell them what you’re after. Just talk to him or her. Just say what’s on your mind. Just try the things you want to try. Just trust in your intuition and in what is present in your soul. Just laugh as much as you can, particularly in the face of something that makes you mad, sad, or confused. Just love any and every one you can. Just do it. Today. Just do it. (Did I steal that from somewhere?) Today is all you have. Today. What are you waiting for? TODO Austin // april 2012 // TodoAustin.com 15
Good Times at Güero’s
For great tunes and great rita’s! Please join us for live music on our outside jardin stage, every Thursday through Sunday. Thanks to the fans & bands who support us!!! All outdoor shows are “weather permitting” April Line-up
----------------------------------------------------------------SUN 4/1 THE TEXAS TYCOONS (3:00) ----------------------------------------------------------------WED 4/4 THE LARRY MONROE RADIO SHOW (6:30) THU 4/5 THE BOB FUENTES SHOW (6:30) FRI 4/6 LOS FLAMES (6:30) SAT 4/7 LARRY LANGE & HIS LONELY KNIGHTS (6:30) SUN 4/8 **CLOSED FOR EASTER SUNDAY** ----------------------------------------------------------------WED 4/11 THE LARRY MONROE RADIO SHOW (6:30) THU 4/12 THE FABS (6:30) FRI 4/13 LOS FLAMES (6:30) SAT 4/14 THE PEDERSON BROTHERS (6:30) SUN 4/15 MITCH WEBB & THE SWINDLES (6:30) ----------------------------------------------------------------WED 4/18 THE LARRY MONROE RADIO SHOW (6:30) THU 4/19 MATT SMITH’S WORLD (6:30) FRI 4/20 LOS FLAMES (6:30) SAT 4/21 WINK KEZIAH BAND (6:30) SUN 4/22 CHICKEN STRUT (3:00) ----------------------------------------------------------------WED 4/25 THE LARRY MONROE RADIO SHOW (6:30) THU 4/26 PONTY BONE & THE SQUEEZE TONES (6:30) FRI 4/27 LOS FLAMES (6:30) SAT 4/28 PAUL ORTA & THE KINGPINS (6:30) SUN 4/29 TRENT TURNER (3:00)
Taco Bar
1412 S. Congress Avenue • Austin, Texas 78704 Open Weekdays 11am-11pm; Weekends 8am-11pm
photo by Kimbal Lorio
www.GuerosTacoBar.com
We thank you for supporting Latino arts. Congratulations to Mitchell Whiddon, winner of the Huichol Guitar www.bellasartesalliance.com
Oliver Rajamani “Texas Gypsy Fire” CD Release Sunday, April 29 | 7 p.m.
One World Theatre 7701 Bee Cave Road | www.oneworldtheatre.org