WNET

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the series that explores race, culture and identity through genealogy and genetics, focuses on Latino ancestry in the season finale this Sunday, May 20 at 8 p.m.

What does it mean to be Hispanic? This Sunday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET, the season finale of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the PBS television series that explores issues of race and identity through the genealogy of some of America’s best-known personalities, seeks to answer that question. Through the family histories of actors Michelle Rodriguez and Adrian Grenier, and Linda Chavez — an author, syndicated newspaper columnist and political analyst for FOX News — host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. investigates American identities that took shape long before the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock.

The three subjects of Sunday’s episode all share Spanish colonial roots, yet each views him or herself very differently: as Native American, Puerto Rican, Dominican, or simply Latino. Crisscrossing Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and the American Southwest, Professor Gates reveals underlying connections that show how Hispanic identity has emerged from the tangled histories of European, Native-American, and African peoples.

Such connections drive home the point that Gates makes in this series, as well as in his previous television productions: despite our diverse backgrounds and racial differences, Americans are much more deeply related than we commonly acknowledge. In the past nine weeks of the series, viewers learned that married couple and award-wining actors Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon are distant relatives. Viewers saw how CNN anchor Dr. Sanjay Gupta, comedian Margaret Cho and media mogul Martha Stewart had similar ancestral stories, though their roots led to completely different parts of the globe. The series also showed how Harry Connick, Jr., and Branford Marsalis, musicians and best friends from New Orleans, both had European ancestors who immigrated to the slave-era South in 1850. And viewers discovered that musician John Legend and comedian Wanda Sykes shared dramatic, long-lost stories of freed black slaves in their respective family histories.

For this Sunday’s episode, the Finding Your Roots research teams trace the families of Chavez, Grenier, and Rodriguez back in time to uncover parallel stories about the interactions between Spaniards, Native Americans, and Africans in the New World. Chavez’s roots lead from bootleggers in Depression-era New Mexico all the way back to Spain in the 1500s — by way of the Pueblo Indians who the Spanish sought to suppress.

Grenier’s ancestry also has a strong connection to Native American tribes in the Southwest. His 11th great-grandfather, Hernan Martin Serrano, arrived in New Mexico in 1598 with the territory’s controversial “founder,” Don Juan de Onate — and found himself marrying into the Indians he came to fight.

Similarly, Rodriguez’s family is steeped in the racial politics in the Caribbean, where generations of her ancestors interbred — with cousins marrying cousins — to keep out African and Native American blood. In the end, Gates reveals that none of these families were as racially “pure” as they pretended to be — and that Hispanic identity is far more complex than we imagine. Perhaps most surprising of all, Chavez’s ancestry links her to “Crypto-Jews” — Spanish Jews who converted to Catholicism to survive the Inquisition, yet continued to practice their religion in secret.

Previously aired episodes of the series, which were filmed on location across the United States, are available online at PBS Video. The season finale will air nationally Sunday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings). Additional information about the series, Professor Gates and the entire production team is available at PBS PressRoom.

Utilisíma Launches “Tu Vida Más Simple”, An Original Lifestyle Production To Make Latin Families’ Lives A Whole Lot Easier

Monday – Friday, 6:00pm EST/PST

Utilísima, the only 24-hour, 100% original, Spanish-language lifestyle network, will premiere its new original production, “Tu vida más simple,” on Wednesday, May 16. This new one-hour lifestyle show is dedicated to helping Latin families improve their day-to-day lives and overcome everyday challenges by offering tips, tricks, DIY projects and more.  Hosted by Martin Llorens (Hola Martín!) and Luz Blanchet (Luz en Casa), the show will bring together top shelf talent from throughout the Utilísima channel.

“Tu vida más simple” will air Monday through Friday and is slated for an initial 60 episode run.  Programming will include sections on Cooking, Crafts and Decor, Fashion and Beauty, Parenting, Health, Celebrations, as well as tips for the Man of the House, Home and Gardening. Each segment will be hosted by one of Utilísima’s talented experts, who will help viewers learn how to save time and money while enjoying more fulfilling lives.

In Cooking, Puerto Rican chef Doreen Colondres (Boricuas) and the Mexican culinary artist Toño de Livier (Hombres en la Cocina) join James Tahhan and Enrique Piñeiro to share healthy recipes and dishes and give Latin families a step-by-step guide to prepare delicious meals for the whole family.

In Crafts and Decor, Jackie Castañeda (Hogar Express), Carmen de la Paz (Be Handy con Carmen) and Maggie Hegyi (Tienda de Diseño) will show viewers how to put together DIY and handcrafting projects for kids, as well as how to reuse and recycle materials around the house.

Latin families seeking to run their homes better will be able to turn to host Luz Blanchet for organization and gardening tips, Jackie Castañeda for pet care and Julie Stav, who recently joined the Utilísima family, for financial advice.  Meanwhile, Laura Posada (Manual de Supervivencia) will share her parenting advice and experiences with Hispanic families.

Renowned LA-based designer and decorator, Eduardo Xol, will team up with an international team of experts that includes Marcial del Río and Martín Amado. The crew will help viewers improve their homes with tips on reusing materials from around the house to improve living space and share highlighting design trends.

In Fashion and Beauty, Martin Llorens will conduct on-air makeovers as well as give Latinas home beauty tips, tricks and recipes, makeup secrets and more.

Finally, Health, a star-studded team of specialists will cover body and mind topics to help audiences copy with everyday life.  Dr. Claudio Aldunate (Salud Emocional) will educate viewers on common illnesses, care and prevention, while psychologist Blanca Almeyda will help Latinos overcome everyday conflicts.  And to keep the body fit and healthy, Jorge Luna will show outdoor yoga routines while Luana Hervier will cover nutrition and show to exercise at home.

“Tu vida más simple” premieres on Wednesday, May 16, at 6:00 PM EST/PST.

For more information on Utilísima and its programming, please visit www.utilisima.com.

About Utilísima:

Created in 1996, Utilísima offers 24 hours of Spanish lifestyle programming especially oriented to women. Utilísima is one of the largest producers of Television and Internet Spanish lifestyle content producing over 1,200 hours every year. One of Latin America’s dominant entertainment destinations for women, Utilísima’s programming spans across Food, Arts & Crafts, Home Improvement, Health & Beauty and Parenting. As a unit of Fox International Channels since 2007, Utilísima is distributed across Latin America, United States, Canada, Spain, and the Balkans.

You never know who will change your life FOREVER.

About Mamitas 

Beautifully shot in Echo Park and against Los Angeles’ downtown skyline, this beguiling coming-of-age romance introduces two phenomenal young actors in EJ Bonilla and Veronica Diaz-Carranza.  At school, Jordin (Bonilla) is a cocky but charming Latino firebrand; at home he is a doting grandson who can’t seem to please his perpetually cranky father. On the day he’s suspended for insulting a teacher, Jordin meets Felipa (Diaz-Carranza), a bookish, no-nonsense New York girl who sees past the swaggering facade. The two immediately embark on an unlikely friendship that inspires Jordin to find out who he really is.

Written and directed by the remarkable Nicholas Ozeki in his feature debut, Mamitas stars EJ Bonilla, Veronica Diaz, Jennifer Esposito, Joaquim de Almeida, Jesse Garcia and Pedro Armendariz Jr.

Awards

Independent Spirit Awards

‘Someone To Watch Award’ Nominee

2011 Los Angeles Film Festival 

Premiere

Best Narrative Feature Film

2011 Urbanworld Film Festival

2011 Napa Valley Film Festival

Jury Prize and Audience Award

Best Narrative Feature Film Nominee

2011 New York Latino International Film Festival

Wieslaw Mysliwski’s novel Stone Upon Stone, translated from the Polish by Bill Johnston and published by Archipelago Books, won the fiction prize. In poetry, the prize went to Kiwao Nomura’s Spectacle & Pigsty, translated from the Japanese by Kyoko Yoshida and Forrest Gander and published by Omnidawn.

Congratulations to Bill, Kyoko, and Forrest!

Visit ALTA (American Literary Translators Association) to learn more about “bridging cultural communication among countries and languages through the art and craft of literary translation.”

And the winners are...

To all of the festival audience members, participating filmmakers, volunteers, sponsors, supporters and friends.

The 15th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival was a success thanks to you. Without your support, work, and attendance, Cine Las Americas would not be able to continue fulfilling its mission. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Jury and Audience Awards 

• Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature

Las malas intenciones (The Bad Intentions)

Dir. Rosario Garcia-Montero, Peru

• Special Jury Award for Individual Performance

Kisha Tikina Burgos

Under My Nails

Dir. Arí Maniel Cruz, USA/Puerto Rico

• Special Jury Award for Ensemble Performance

Andrés Almeida, Jessy Bulbo

El lenguaje de los machetes (Machete Language)

Dir. Kyzza Terrazas, Mexico

• Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature

El árbol de las fresas (The Strawberry Tree)

Dir. Simone Rapisarda Casanova, Canada/Cuba

• Special Jury Mention for Documentary Feature

Morir de pie (Die Standing Up)

Dir. Jacaranda Correa, Mexico

• Jury Award for Best Narrative Short

Amaqqut Nunaat (The Country Of Wolves)

Dir. Neil Christopher, Canada

• Special Jury Award for Individual Performance

Jazmine Zapata Morante

Pescadora (Fisherwoman)

Dir. Daniel Enrique García, Peru/USA

• Jury Award for Best Documentary Short

Paraíso

Dir. Nadav Kurtz, USA

• Special Jury Mention for Documentary Short

pt.es

Dir. Pedro Sena Nunes, Portugal

• Texas Archive of the Moving Image Hecho En Tejas Award

Canción del cuerpo (Song Of The Body)

Dir. Andrew Segovia, Gabriela Alcalá, USA

• Hecho en Tejas Honorable Mention

All She Can

Dir. Amy Wendel, USA

• Audience Award for Narrative Feature

Las malas intenciones (The Bad Intentions)

Dir. Rosario Garcia-Montero, Peru

• Audience Award for Documentary Feature

La maleta mexicana (The Mexican Suitcase)

Dir. Trisha Ziff, Mexico/USA

• Emergencia Youth Film Competition Audience Award

Piolas, Paúl

Dir. Adrián Macías, La Poderosa Media Project, Ecuador

Photo by MS

The US is a culturally diverse nation. Nowhere is this more clearly reflected than in workplaces and learning environments. Cultural diversity adds value to learning environments and enhances the school experience for students. Population experts have pointed to the need for students to embrace cultural diversity as this facilitates positive learning outcomes. Embracing different cultures involves learning how to accept and interact with others in an ethnically diverse environment. The increasingly multiethnic composition in schools presents teachers with a major professional challenge.

For students enrolled in various learning programs, academic success now involves learning how to cope with each other. For teachers, effective instructional strategies must be culturally responsive for all students. It is vital that one group of students does not feel privileged over other groups. Below are some ways in which teachers can build cultural awareness and sensitivity among students.

Emphasizing Mutual Respect

Teachers must play a lead role in establishing ground rules for students in classrooms, with regards to cultural awareness and sensitivity. They should also encourage students to participate in establishing these rules, to promote individual responsibility in promoting cultural tolerance. Teachers must make it very clear that there is no room for disrespect of different cultures in the classroom. This helps to promote respect for diversity in learning environments.

Fostering Emotional Safety

If students are to be active participants in classroom activities, emotional safety is crucial. Teachers must encourage students to respect each other’s opinion and show sensitivity for different cultures represented in the classroom. Once students understand the need to be respectful to each other, it fosters a feeling of emotional safety, which facilitates positive learning outcomes for all.

Multicultural Education Activities

By including more multicultural activities in learning activities, teachers can encourage students to embrace diversity. When students are able to identify their culture and recognize other cultural groups in the classroom, they begin to think more critically about the need for cultural tolerance. Multicultural activities also allow students to play a more active role in the learning process. Teachers need to continually encourage the active participation of all students during discussions.

Structured Classroom Activities

When teachers employ structured instructional techniques, it helps to promote cultural awareness amongst students. For teachers, this entails acknowledging the diverse learning groups in the classroom and devising activities that require the contribution of each student. This is an excellent way of promoting the students’ awareness of diversity in the classroom. By being active participants in various learning groups, students begin to appreciate that each member in a group can engage positively in the learning process, regardless of ethnicity.

Teaching Diversity

When training for the field, teachers must meet various requirements. In California, one of the training requirements involves earning a single or multiple subject teaching credential, depending on the level of schooling. Along with other requirements, a subject teaching credential qualifies you for the California teaching credential. Although teachers take courses that prepare them to teach ethnically diverse student bodies, the majority of teachers report challenges when teaching in the classroom. Teaching tolerance is a vital principle in fostering cultural diversity in schools. This necessitates having an open mind to new ways, beliefs and thoughts.

In the multicultural classroom, teachers must shed old practices, modify their outlook and change traditions. Teaching diversity also entails asking open-ended questions. Rather than present questions to students which compels them to respond in terms of just one cultural group, teachers need to be more inclusive in asking questions. This works more effectively in subjects such as history and geography, which allow for a focus on various cultural groups. When teachers ask open-ended questions, it also encourages all the students to participate in the learning process as each student feels that they can identify with the subject matter. By embracing these principles, teachers can play a crucial role in creating a climate of diversity and fostering cultural awareness in schools.

Sources:

Diversity Activities. (2012) McKay School of Education.

Fostering Cultural Diversity in Your School. (2012) About.com

How important is cultural diversity at your school? (2012) Great Schools.

Blog Services, Inc.

FOX Deportes

FOX Deportes Airing the 2012 UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals LIVE

WHAT: FOX Deportes is proud to bring soccer aficionados one of the most popular sport events worldwide–the UEFA Champions League semifinals. The semifinals will air exclusively LIVE in Spanish on FOX Deportes starting on April 24th at 2:00pm EST with Barcelona vs. Chelsea in Spain. This match will be followed by the Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern München match on April 25th at 2:00pm EST.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 24 at 2:00pm EST: Barcelona vs. Chelsea – LIVE ON FOX Deportes

Wednesday, April 25 at 2:00pm EST: Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern München – LIVE ON FOX Deportes

WHAT ELSE:

• Barcelona and Real Madrid are down by one goal and will fight for a ticket to the Championship
• The 2012 UEFA Champions League Final will be held on Saturday, May 19th in Munich, Germany at 1:00pm EST Pre-Game, kicking off at 2:00pm EST

Electus & Latin WE

Electus Announces Initial Programming & Talent Line-Up for YouTube™ Channel “NuevOn” Set to Debut on April 16th

Programming Will Feature A-List Latino Celebrities Including Sofia Vergara, Wilmer Valderrama, Felipe Viel and Alejandro Chaban

NEW YORK –April 16, 2012 – Ben Silverman’s multimedia studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), today announced the initial programming and talent line-up for its new Hispanic celebrity-oriented, pop culture channel, NuevOn (Spanish for ‘New On’), launching on April 16^th on YouTube™.

NuevOn, which will feature high-impact, buzz-worthy programming almost entirely in Spanish, was conceptualized by Electus in partnership with Luis Balaguer, CEO of Latin World Entertainment, and a seasoned team with over twenty years of expertise in creating and marketing hits, including Melissa Escobar, a veteran producer and programming executive with over a decade of experience at Univision where she began her career.

The YouTube channel will feature a variety of entertaining reality, drama and comedy formats that are specifically tailored to young, multi-cultural Latinos. While primarily devoted to this unique demographic, taking into consideration the universal themes, humor and love Hispanics have for their own celebrities, family, drama and aspirational dreams, NuevOn’s shows will also generate global news and trends that transcend markets. Additional programming and talent will be announced in the weeks to come.

Nominate a woman that you know who is smart, creative and inspiring for one of the 2012 Women of the Year Awards to be presented by the YWCA of Greater Austin. The awards for outstanding achievement and leadership in the five categories, as well as a $1000 scholarship for a Young Woman of Achievement between the ages of 15 and 20, will be presented on Friday, June 15, 2012 at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center.

Categories

~ Racial Justice

~ Women’s Economic Empowerment

~ Young Woman of Achievement (15 -20 years old)

~ Leader of Promise (21-40 years old)

~ Lifetime Achievement

Nomination forms here.

The Politics & Policy Convention of the Latino Community

Dear Community Leaders,

We reiterate our invitation for you to participate in the 2012 National Latino Congreso that will take place May 17 though19 at the Arturo Velazquez Institute located at 2800 South Western Avenue Chicago, IL 60608. The objective of the National Latino Congreso (NLC) is to create an open and inclusive space to explore the policy and political agenda of Latino communities in the USA, including the international/Latin American perspective.

The upcoming National Latino Congreso in Chicago represents the first time the National Latino Congreso will take place outside of the U.S. Southwest region. This year, we will focus on three over-arching themes: Economic Justice, Immigration/Migrant Rights, and Latino Vote/Civic Engagement.  Sessions will also discuss a range of related topics such as: Youth, Education, Art, Culture, Environmental Justice, Transnationalism, Gender Equity, and Community Health and Well-being.  The national convening organizations will prepare concept papers about the central themes with the purpose of promoting dialogue and developing a set of resolutions for consideration by the Congreso participants.  Resolutions may also be presented and discussed in any of the simultaneous workshops/panel sessions.

ORGANIZE A CONCURRENT SESSION (PANEL, WORKSHOP, etc)

DURING THE CONGRESO

We ask for organizations and leaders to take part in the dynamic decision making process by organizing an activity during one or more of spaces that have been designated for concurrent (simultaneous) sessions.  This activity could be a panel, workshop/discussion space, book presentation, or other activity related to the overarching themes, and cross-cutting issues of the Congreso. By hosting a concurrent session, your organization will have the opportunity to lead conversations based on the issue of your organization’s choice, take leadership, and promote activities. Concurrent sessions may last up to 90 minutes, and they will take place both in the morning and the afternoon of Friday, May 18. A panel of convening organizations and local host groups will select up to eight sessions for each of the two time slots from all the proposals that are received by the deadline.  The deadline for any submissions is April 5, 2012. For more information on organizing a concurrent session please send us an email at nlc-info@nalacc.org or call us at (877) 683-2908 ext. 7

BE AN ACTIVE PART OF THE NLC

Please support this important event by inviting your networks to participate in this engaging decision making process that will help define coordinated strategies for policies that affect the Latino Community in the United States.  Below are various ways to be part of the National Latino Congreso. Please advise us on your decision to participate by May 1, 2012.

• Co-convener, $1000.00- Co-convening entities will receive four (4) voting delegate passes and 15 observer passes; also a 1/4 page space for use as you choose in the program (ad book).
• Organizational Endorser, $250.00. -Endorsing entities will receive one (1) voting delegate pass and 10 observer passes. Their names/logos will be displayed in the program book.  (non-profit organizations, businesses, unions, religious institutions, government offices, and networks are cordially invited to be an organizational endorser of the 2012 National Latino Congreso.)
• Individual Observer $50, An individual with observer status will have full access to the Strategy and Plenary Sessions.  Please note, under this pass you will not receive voting privileges.
• Student  $20, An individual with a student pass will have full access to the Strategy and Plenary Sessions.  Please note, under this pass you will not receive voting privileges.
• Program/Ad Book Inclusion, Your organization can be included in the NLC Program book given to all participants. Full page- $400, ½ page- $250, ¼ page- $150.

Exhibit table

• $100

 Please make checks payable to: National Alliance of Latin-American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC) 1638 S. Blue Island Chicago IL, 60608 

VOLUNTEER FOR THE NLC

We need your help in making the NLC a success. If you wish to volunteer, please e-mail us at nlc-info@nalacc.org.

We are very excited about the opportunity that the NLC represents, and know that with everyone’s contribution we will advance in uniting the Latin American immigrant community and help build a better United States for everyone.