Ana Pescador presents on "La Nueva Ola" and the changing cultural landscape in America. She discusses how Latinos are an influential minority that shapes popular culture through hybridization. While gains have been made, Latinos remain marginalized economically and culturally. Pescador advocates for preserving Latino cultural patrimony and ensuring Latino youth complete their education to understand their cultural identity and potential. The Latino Museum of History, Art & Culture focuses on the community to promote multiculturalism and cultural equity through accessible programs that reflect LA's diversity.
This document summarizes a workshop about voices of Latino immigrants in the USA based on two New York Times articles. The workshop aims to rethink metaphors and hybrid identities through these immigrant perspectives. It provides background on The New York Times as an influential American newspaper and discusses key topics like immigration statistics, challenges immigrants face, and conceptual metaphors revealed through language. Participants will analyze the newspaper articles using guiding questions and discuss how identity and immigration relate to teaching practice.
This document discusses the cultural background and traditions of Mexico, specifically focusing on mariachi music, tequila, and Dia de los Muertos. It notes that mariachi music originated in the 1850s in Jalisco, Mexico and consists of violins, trumpets, guitar, and other instruments. Tequila also originated in Jalisco and is made from blue agave plants. Dia de los Muertos is celebrated November 1-2 to honor the dead through altars, decorating graves, and sugar skulls. The document explores how these cultural traditions are deeply rooted in Mexican heritage and have spread internationally.
This document discusses cultural analyses of organizational models in Latin America. It begins by introducing the concepts of culture and modernity and their relationship to understanding Latin America. The document then analyzes some key issues in Latin America's modernization process and its relationship to culture. Finally, it discusses organizational models, focusing on their social construction, transfer, and re-appropriation to question their cultural relevance and contribution to organizational and social development in Latin America.
The document discusses how wealthy philanthropists in Grand Rapids, Michigan have sparked a modern Renaissance by funding the arts, education, and culture over several generations, similar to wealthy families during the Italian Renaissance like the Medicis. It provides examples of philanthropists like Peter Wege, Frederik Meijer, Richard DeVos, Jay Van Andel, and Peter Cook who have donated billions to organizations, buildings, and attractions in Grand Rapids that have elevated the city's reputation and quality of life through supporting areas like the arts, gardens, hospitals, and more. Their generous contributions have transformed Grand Rapids into a cultural and economic center much like cities during the original Renaissance.
1) The document discusses four cultural obstacles to economic development in Latin America: resistance to change and lack of support for entrepreneurship, absence of confidence and legal insecurity, fragility of democratic institutions and rule of law, and the influence of the military.
2) Latin America is very resistant to change which glorifies the past and protects existing privileges over innovation. This hinders entrepreneurship.
3) The region also lacks confidence and suffers from legal insecurity, undermining development. Predictability is needed for economic growth.
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement in the 1920s centered in Harlem, New York that celebrated African American culture and identity. Key figures like Langston Hughes, Alain Locke, and W.E.B. Du Bois promoted the idea of the "New Negro" who took pride in their African heritage and demanded equal treatment. During this period, Harlem became a center of African American artistic, social, and intellectual life that produced many influential black writers, musicians, poets, and thinkers. The Harlem Renaissance helped establish modern African American literature and cultural traditions.
Hybridization refers to the process of cultural and ethnic mixing that occurred in the Caribbean beginning with European colonization. When different groups like Europeans, Africans, and indigenous peoples encountered one another, they adopted aspects of each other's languages and cultural practices, producing new "creole" forms. However, it was the institution of plantation slavery that most deeply entrenched hybridization in Caribbean society and culture by forcing interactions between these groups.
1. This book provides an in-depth study of Chicanos from various perspectives including social sciences, education, humanities, and arts.
2. It explores the development of Chicano Studies programs and departments in universities as well as the innovation of curriculum focused on the Chicano experience.
3. The book aims to provide a better understanding of Chicanos' history, culture, and the socioeconomic and political issues they face.
This document summarizes a workshop about voices of Latino immigrants in the USA based on two New York Times articles. The workshop aims to rethink metaphors and hybrid identities through these immigrant perspectives. It provides background on The New York Times as an influential American newspaper and discusses key topics like immigration statistics, challenges immigrants face, and conceptual metaphors revealed through language. Participants will analyze the newspaper articles using guiding questions and discuss how identity and immigration relate to teaching practice.
This document discusses the cultural background and traditions of Mexico, specifically focusing on mariachi music, tequila, and Dia de los Muertos. It notes that mariachi music originated in the 1850s in Jalisco, Mexico and consists of violins, trumpets, guitar, and other instruments. Tequila also originated in Jalisco and is made from blue agave plants. Dia de los Muertos is celebrated November 1-2 to honor the dead through altars, decorating graves, and sugar skulls. The document explores how these cultural traditions are deeply rooted in Mexican heritage and have spread internationally.
This document discusses cultural analyses of organizational models in Latin America. It begins by introducing the concepts of culture and modernity and their relationship to understanding Latin America. The document then analyzes some key issues in Latin America's modernization process and its relationship to culture. Finally, it discusses organizational models, focusing on their social construction, transfer, and re-appropriation to question their cultural relevance and contribution to organizational and social development in Latin America.
The document discusses how wealthy philanthropists in Grand Rapids, Michigan have sparked a modern Renaissance by funding the arts, education, and culture over several generations, similar to wealthy families during the Italian Renaissance like the Medicis. It provides examples of philanthropists like Peter Wege, Frederik Meijer, Richard DeVos, Jay Van Andel, and Peter Cook who have donated billions to organizations, buildings, and attractions in Grand Rapids that have elevated the city's reputation and quality of life through supporting areas like the arts, gardens, hospitals, and more. Their generous contributions have transformed Grand Rapids into a cultural and economic center much like cities during the original Renaissance.
1) The document discusses four cultural obstacles to economic development in Latin America: resistance to change and lack of support for entrepreneurship, absence of confidence and legal insecurity, fragility of democratic institutions and rule of law, and the influence of the military.
2) Latin America is very resistant to change which glorifies the past and protects existing privileges over innovation. This hinders entrepreneurship.
3) The region also lacks confidence and suffers from legal insecurity, undermining development. Predictability is needed for economic growth.
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement in the 1920s centered in Harlem, New York that celebrated African American culture and identity. Key figures like Langston Hughes, Alain Locke, and W.E.B. Du Bois promoted the idea of the "New Negro" who took pride in their African heritage and demanded equal treatment. During this period, Harlem became a center of African American artistic, social, and intellectual life that produced many influential black writers, musicians, poets, and thinkers. The Harlem Renaissance helped establish modern African American literature and cultural traditions.
Hybridization refers to the process of cultural and ethnic mixing that occurred in the Caribbean beginning with European colonization. When different groups like Europeans, Africans, and indigenous peoples encountered one another, they adopted aspects of each other's languages and cultural practices, producing new "creole" forms. However, it was the institution of plantation slavery that most deeply entrenched hybridization in Caribbean society and culture by forcing interactions between these groups.
1. This book provides an in-depth study of Chicanos from various perspectives including social sciences, education, humanities, and arts.
2. It explores the development of Chicano Studies programs and departments in universities as well as the innovation of curriculum focused on the Chicano experience.
3. The book aims to provide a better understanding of Chicanos' history, culture, and the socioeconomic and political issues they face.
This doc is the ultimate guide to Holidays and Mexico, and holidays in Latin America, including dates, historical significance, and other important information.
This document discusses the formation of ethnic minorities and identities of immigrants. It argues that the identities of both immigrants and native populations are malleable and can evolve over time and through contact with each other. The openness of the host country's people to new cultures, and their laws and treatment of immigrants, play a major role in how immigrants view their own identities and relationship to their home country. Negative stereotypes of immigrants are often inaccurate and overlook their contributions, but public perceptions can still influence government policies on immigration.
This document discusses hybridization in the Caribbean region over the past 500 years. It describes how racial, ethnic, cultural and religious mixing between indigenous peoples, Europeans, Africans and Asians has produced new creole societies and cultures. It provides examples of how new mixed-race populations like Mestizos and Mulattoes emerged, and how religions and languages syncretized over time through contact and interaction between different groups in the Caribbean. Creole languages developed as immigrants spoke different languages, and cultural forms changed through processes like enculturation, assimilation, transculturation and interculturation as Caribbean societies became increasingly diverse.
The document outlines the missions and planned activities of several Latino student organizations at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), including the Latino Student Organization (LSO), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Educating Latinos for Kentucky's Future (ELKF). The organizations seek to support Latino students, raise cultural awareness, advocate for Latino issues, and collaborate with community organizations. Their activities include cultural celebrations, volunteer opportunities, leadership programs, and outreach events to recruit and support Latino students.
Here is a slideshow about the integration of Digital Literacy and Chicanx/Latinx Studies. This was my final presentation for my Ethnic Studies Class in fall, 2018.
This thesis compares the literary representations of nation-building, myth creation, and citizenship in Adalberto Ortiz's novel Juyungo and Manuel Zapata Olivella's novels Changó, el gran putas and Chambacú, corral de negros. Both authors employ elements of social realism and highlight issues of citizenship concerning the African diaspora, such as discrimination and miscegenation. However, there are differences in the geographic scope and literary innovations used. Whereas Juyungo is set in Ecuador, Changó attempts to represent the experiences of the African diaspora across the Americas. Chambacú, due to its structural similarities to Juyungo, facilitates a comparison
This document summarizes an article about the Smithsonian's Festival of American Folklife from 1970-1976, which featured presentations by Native Americans about their traditions and contemporary issues. It was spearheaded by Clydia Nahwooksy and aimed to counter stereotypes by allowing Native people to interpret their own cultures. Unlike static ethnographic displays, it was a "living exhibition" that combined cultural demonstrations with discussions of issues like land claims and tribal recognition. It challenged the separation of politics and culture and provided a space for diverse Native viewpoints.
This document discusses the concept of cultural hybridity in select Indian diasporic fiction. It explores how migration and globalization have led to a blending of cultural influences, traditions, and values for immigrants. Writers like Jhumpa Lahiri, Bharati Mukherjee, and others depict the experiences of Indian immigrants who blend elements of Indian and American culture together, creating a new hybrid cultural identity and space in their adopted homelands.
Culture: Catalonia´s Flag (IT In Transit #21)Miqui Mel
This document discusses how Catalan culture and artists have helped promote Catalonia on the global stage. It argues that famous Catalan artists like Miró, Dalí, Gaudí, and Tàpies have raised awareness of Catalonia even among those unaware of its existence. Their creativity, innovation and genius have associated positive values with Catalonia. Culture is seen as Catalonia's strongest asset and "flag" to the world. The document examines characteristics of Catalan culture that have fostered artistic talent, like the central role of culture in Catalan identity, the desire for both tradition and modernity, and the development of a strong civil society when political power was lacking. In closing, the author believes Catalan writing will also
Houston Museum of Natural Science Plans BookHannah Alkadi
Client: The Houston Mueseum of Natural Science
Objective: To create awareness and generate higher attendance for the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s monthly summer event, Mixers and Elixirs.
Westernization has dulled the Filipino mind's perception of exploitation and resulted in an identity crisis. This crisis is difficult to resolve because westernization is widespread and Filipinos are unaware of their lack of national consciousness. While other colonized Asian countries had developed civilizations, the Philippines did not and was easily conquered by Spain. Spanish friars were crucial in westernizing the islands and spreading Catholicism, demanding conformity and prohibiting native culture. This created a cult of conformism that discouraged independent thinking. Americanization also distorted history to portray Americans as benefactors rather than occupiers. Global corporations now aim to change values and consumption patterns, further threatening national identity and culture.
A stack is a data structure that follows the last-in, first-out (LIFO) principle. It allows for two basic operations - push, which adds an item to the top of the stack, and pop, which removes an item from the top. The document provides examples of stacks in real life and defines overflow and underflow situations. It also describes some additional operations that can be performed on a stack like duplicate, peek, swap, and rotate.
Game-based learning and data collection can be used to track behavioral risk factors for obesity in children. By using smartphone GPS technology, behaviors can be tracked by location.
My Research Proposal "Bambara Groundnut"Fita d'Pooh
This document describes a study on the variability of morphological and agronomic characters in 14 local and 6 introduced genotypes of bambara groundnut. The purpose is to determine differences in variability between local genotypes, introduced genotypes, and overall. The study uses a randomized block design with 20 genotypes and 3 replications. Data is analyzed using ANOVA and orthogonal contrasts to test hypotheses about differences in variability between groups. Observations are made on morphological and agronomic characters of the plant.
Dokumen tersebut membahas tentang masalah hubungan antara sekolah dengan masyarakat. Terdapat beberapa jenis hubungan seperti edukatif, institusional, dan kultural. Dokumen juga menjelaskan tujuan dan manfaat hubungan tersebut bagi sekolah dan masyarakat. Namun demikian, hubungan antara sekolah dan masyarakat sangat kompleks sehingga perlu dipahami lebih dalam lagi masalah yang mungkin muncul.
How Ticketmaster and Live Nation
- makes live event recommendations
- helps artists understand and grow their audience
- fights ticket scalpers with machine learning
Kepemimpinan kharismatik dalam pendidikan islam 2rahman rahman
Dokumen tersebut membahas tentang kepemimpinan kharismatik dan penerapannya di lembaga pendidikan Islam. Kepemimpinan didefinisikan sebagai kemampuan untuk meyakinkan bawahan agar patuh melalui wibawa. Kepemimpinan kharismatik didasarkan pada karisma pemimpin yang dianggap memiliki karunia. Pemimpin kharismatik dianggap efektif memimpin lembaga pendidikan Islam karena mampu memanfaatkan
Export documentation serves several important purposes: to indicate ownership of goods, keep shipments on schedule, obtain payment, and describe cargo. It also facilitates customs clearance. There are many documents an exporter must prepare to arrange shipments. Multiple government agencies and organizations are involved in international trade transactions and exporters must comply with their rules. Poor documentation can lead to problems like payment delays and additional costs to fix issues. The Adapted Documentation Systems methodology in India aims to standardize export documents for efficiency. It creates a "Master Document" containing common information across aligned documents of uniform size. This simplifies information requirements and reduces the time and effort of documentation.
Quantum computers use quantum bits or qubits that can exist in superposition and represent a 0 and 1 simultaneously. Qubits use the spin property of electrons or other quantum objects that can be in a spin up or down state. This allows quantum computers to perform computations on all possible permutations at once, giving them enormous processing power compared to classical computers. A quantum computer with just 20 qubits could represent over a million classical bits of information.
1. NU didirikan oleh ulama pengasuh pesantren pada tahun 1926 untuk menyatukan komunitas Islam dan mewadahi aspirasi mereka. Hal ini berlatar belakangi tidak diundangnya ulama tradisional dalam kongres Islam dunia.
2. KH. Hasyim Asy'ari mendirikan pondok pesantren Tebuireng pada tahun 1917 dan mendukung pendirian NU untuk mewadahi gerakan ulama tradisional.
This doc is the ultimate guide to Holidays and Mexico, and holidays in Latin America, including dates, historical significance, and other important information.
This document discusses the formation of ethnic minorities and identities of immigrants. It argues that the identities of both immigrants and native populations are malleable and can evolve over time and through contact with each other. The openness of the host country's people to new cultures, and their laws and treatment of immigrants, play a major role in how immigrants view their own identities and relationship to their home country. Negative stereotypes of immigrants are often inaccurate and overlook their contributions, but public perceptions can still influence government policies on immigration.
This document discusses hybridization in the Caribbean region over the past 500 years. It describes how racial, ethnic, cultural and religious mixing between indigenous peoples, Europeans, Africans and Asians has produced new creole societies and cultures. It provides examples of how new mixed-race populations like Mestizos and Mulattoes emerged, and how religions and languages syncretized over time through contact and interaction between different groups in the Caribbean. Creole languages developed as immigrants spoke different languages, and cultural forms changed through processes like enculturation, assimilation, transculturation and interculturation as Caribbean societies became increasingly diverse.
The document outlines the missions and planned activities of several Latino student organizations at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), including the Latino Student Organization (LSO), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Educating Latinos for Kentucky's Future (ELKF). The organizations seek to support Latino students, raise cultural awareness, advocate for Latino issues, and collaborate with community organizations. Their activities include cultural celebrations, volunteer opportunities, leadership programs, and outreach events to recruit and support Latino students.
Here is a slideshow about the integration of Digital Literacy and Chicanx/Latinx Studies. This was my final presentation for my Ethnic Studies Class in fall, 2018.
This thesis compares the literary representations of nation-building, myth creation, and citizenship in Adalberto Ortiz's novel Juyungo and Manuel Zapata Olivella's novels Changó, el gran putas and Chambacú, corral de negros. Both authors employ elements of social realism and highlight issues of citizenship concerning the African diaspora, such as discrimination and miscegenation. However, there are differences in the geographic scope and literary innovations used. Whereas Juyungo is set in Ecuador, Changó attempts to represent the experiences of the African diaspora across the Americas. Chambacú, due to its structural similarities to Juyungo, facilitates a comparison
This document summarizes an article about the Smithsonian's Festival of American Folklife from 1970-1976, which featured presentations by Native Americans about their traditions and contemporary issues. It was spearheaded by Clydia Nahwooksy and aimed to counter stereotypes by allowing Native people to interpret their own cultures. Unlike static ethnographic displays, it was a "living exhibition" that combined cultural demonstrations with discussions of issues like land claims and tribal recognition. It challenged the separation of politics and culture and provided a space for diverse Native viewpoints.
This document discusses the concept of cultural hybridity in select Indian diasporic fiction. It explores how migration and globalization have led to a blending of cultural influences, traditions, and values for immigrants. Writers like Jhumpa Lahiri, Bharati Mukherjee, and others depict the experiences of Indian immigrants who blend elements of Indian and American culture together, creating a new hybrid cultural identity and space in their adopted homelands.
Culture: Catalonia´s Flag (IT In Transit #21)Miqui Mel
This document discusses how Catalan culture and artists have helped promote Catalonia on the global stage. It argues that famous Catalan artists like Miró, Dalí, Gaudí, and Tàpies have raised awareness of Catalonia even among those unaware of its existence. Their creativity, innovation and genius have associated positive values with Catalonia. Culture is seen as Catalonia's strongest asset and "flag" to the world. The document examines characteristics of Catalan culture that have fostered artistic talent, like the central role of culture in Catalan identity, the desire for both tradition and modernity, and the development of a strong civil society when political power was lacking. In closing, the author believes Catalan writing will also
Houston Museum of Natural Science Plans BookHannah Alkadi
Client: The Houston Mueseum of Natural Science
Objective: To create awareness and generate higher attendance for the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s monthly summer event, Mixers and Elixirs.
Westernization has dulled the Filipino mind's perception of exploitation and resulted in an identity crisis. This crisis is difficult to resolve because westernization is widespread and Filipinos are unaware of their lack of national consciousness. While other colonized Asian countries had developed civilizations, the Philippines did not and was easily conquered by Spain. Spanish friars were crucial in westernizing the islands and spreading Catholicism, demanding conformity and prohibiting native culture. This created a cult of conformism that discouraged independent thinking. Americanization also distorted history to portray Americans as benefactors rather than occupiers. Global corporations now aim to change values and consumption patterns, further threatening national identity and culture.
A stack is a data structure that follows the last-in, first-out (LIFO) principle. It allows for two basic operations - push, which adds an item to the top of the stack, and pop, which removes an item from the top. The document provides examples of stacks in real life and defines overflow and underflow situations. It also describes some additional operations that can be performed on a stack like duplicate, peek, swap, and rotate.
Game-based learning and data collection can be used to track behavioral risk factors for obesity in children. By using smartphone GPS technology, behaviors can be tracked by location.
My Research Proposal "Bambara Groundnut"Fita d'Pooh
This document describes a study on the variability of morphological and agronomic characters in 14 local and 6 introduced genotypes of bambara groundnut. The purpose is to determine differences in variability between local genotypes, introduced genotypes, and overall. The study uses a randomized block design with 20 genotypes and 3 replications. Data is analyzed using ANOVA and orthogonal contrasts to test hypotheses about differences in variability between groups. Observations are made on morphological and agronomic characters of the plant.
Dokumen tersebut membahas tentang masalah hubungan antara sekolah dengan masyarakat. Terdapat beberapa jenis hubungan seperti edukatif, institusional, dan kultural. Dokumen juga menjelaskan tujuan dan manfaat hubungan tersebut bagi sekolah dan masyarakat. Namun demikian, hubungan antara sekolah dan masyarakat sangat kompleks sehingga perlu dipahami lebih dalam lagi masalah yang mungkin muncul.
How Ticketmaster and Live Nation
- makes live event recommendations
- helps artists understand and grow their audience
- fights ticket scalpers with machine learning
Kepemimpinan kharismatik dalam pendidikan islam 2rahman rahman
Dokumen tersebut membahas tentang kepemimpinan kharismatik dan penerapannya di lembaga pendidikan Islam. Kepemimpinan didefinisikan sebagai kemampuan untuk meyakinkan bawahan agar patuh melalui wibawa. Kepemimpinan kharismatik didasarkan pada karisma pemimpin yang dianggap memiliki karunia. Pemimpin kharismatik dianggap efektif memimpin lembaga pendidikan Islam karena mampu memanfaatkan
Export documentation serves several important purposes: to indicate ownership of goods, keep shipments on schedule, obtain payment, and describe cargo. It also facilitates customs clearance. There are many documents an exporter must prepare to arrange shipments. Multiple government agencies and organizations are involved in international trade transactions and exporters must comply with their rules. Poor documentation can lead to problems like payment delays and additional costs to fix issues. The Adapted Documentation Systems methodology in India aims to standardize export documents for efficiency. It creates a "Master Document" containing common information across aligned documents of uniform size. This simplifies information requirements and reduces the time and effort of documentation.
Quantum computers use quantum bits or qubits that can exist in superposition and represent a 0 and 1 simultaneously. Qubits use the spin property of electrons or other quantum objects that can be in a spin up or down state. This allows quantum computers to perform computations on all possible permutations at once, giving them enormous processing power compared to classical computers. A quantum computer with just 20 qubits could represent over a million classical bits of information.
1. NU didirikan oleh ulama pengasuh pesantren pada tahun 1926 untuk menyatukan komunitas Islam dan mewadahi aspirasi mereka. Hal ini berlatar belakangi tidak diundangnya ulama tradisional dalam kongres Islam dunia.
2. KH. Hasyim Asy'ari mendirikan pondok pesantren Tebuireng pada tahun 1917 dan mendukung pendirian NU untuk mewadahi gerakan ulama tradisional.
Cloud computing refers to storing and accessing data and programs over the internet instead of a computer's drive. It involves using remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data. Some examples of cloud computing include iCloud, Google Cloud Connect, IBM Smart Cloud, and Google Drive. The advantages are worldwide access, more storage, easy set-up, automatic updates, and reduced costs while the disadvantages are security, privacy, loss of control, and reliance on the internet.
This document provides an overview of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) physics and the MRI appearance of normal anal canal anatomy and various grades of anal fistulas. Key points include:
- MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images based on the magnetic properties of hydrogen protons in tissues.
- Normal anatomy includes identification of anal sphincter muscles and mesorectal fascia on MRI images.
- Anal fistulas are classified using the Parks or St James's University Hospital system, grading complexity from intersphincteric to transsphincteric or supralevator types.
- Examples of each grade are shown with drawings and MRI images, demonstrating internal openings, tracts,
The document discusses the history and specifications of Intel Pentium processors from 1993 to the present. It describes the original Pentium processor and subsequent models including the Pentium II, Pentium III, and Pentium IV. It also discusses dual-core and Core 2 Duo processors, and provides details on the different Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors.
Upaya peningkatan kinerja guru untuk meningkatkan mutu pendidikanrahman rahman
Mutu pendidikan menentukan martabat suatu bangsa, dan negara dengan pendidikan bermutu akan unggul. Kinerja guru mempengaruhi mutu pendidikan, dan dipengaruhi oleh kepemimpinan kepala sekolah, kompensasi, disiplin, dan pengembangan sumber daya manusia. Guru dituntut untuk berupaya meningkatkan kinerja sebagai modal keberhasilan pendidikan.
1. Presented by Ana Pescador
Executive Director of The Latino Museum of History, Art & Culture
Los Angeles California
All copyrights reserved by the author Ana Pescador 2010
2. La Nueva Ola is a very adequate title for this gathering; we are surfing a wave that is
changing America’s cultural landscape. Whether institutionally or individually, we are all
contributing to this transformation and we should feel stoked about the prospects for la
gente. In what follows, I offer a reading of our current cultural context, an analysis of
where we are heading and a vision of how we ought to write our destiny.
Cultural contexts are determined by time, place and space. We understand “reality” in
unique and often distinct manners. Thus, a brief personal introduction is in order before
sharing my reading of the world.
I grew up in a household where single mothers raised two generations, first in ranches and
then in metropolis. With them, I learned how to use my hands and with their support I
became the first college graduate in my family. Over the past two decades I have been
working with Angeleno communities in different capacities: mentoring youngsters,
supporting community leaders and contributing my artwork to non-profit organizations.
As an artist, I have always portrayed what I feel. My work can only express what has
nurtured me: a deep respect and love for a magical culture. My creations do not venture
into the unknown, the lofty, the avant-garde. I am an optimist who gives shape, color and
form to what my people have enunciated since time immemorial: a love for nature and
life, an understanding of mysticism and death and a connection to a spiritual
omnipresence.
Although I have been navigating in “la nueva ola” for years, it was until I became an
institutional representative with leadership responsibilities that I began “labeling” my
work. I am a cultural agent sailing in search of cultural equity. My vessel, TLM, is led by a
virtuoso captain, UCLA Ethnomusicology Professor Steve Loza and a talented crew including
our Board of Trustees. We are committed to increasing awareness and expanding
knowledge about Latino art. We recognize that our essence is multicultural, born in Aztlán
and Tiwanaku, developed in the Mixteca and Cochabamba, and maturing in Lynwood and
the Bronx.
Now let me share my reading of our cultural context.
The United States is immersed in a process of cultural hybridization in which discrete,
independent socio-cultural structures; practices and products are combining to create new
ones. We have never been in a better position to participate in the definition and
preservation of Latino identity and patrimony. We are writing the preface of the United
States’ cultural future.
We are the largest minority in the country (so we have the critical mass to effect social
change); we have a high number of youngsters in our population (so our purchasing power
will continue to grow) and we have made gains in professional and political structures (so
we have strategic allies). Yet, we are still a marginalized community economically,
educationally and culturally.
Given the examples the world has seen over the last millennia, I am not sure if we will ever
see a society where everyone has the same amount of “wealth.” Yet I do know that
3. cultural hybridization is inevitable and it is up to us to make the best of the process. We
need to read critically the reality of Latino culture and act strategically upon it. We must
preserve and cultivate our cultural patrimony.
Since one in two young Latinos in Los Angeles does not finish high school, the cultural
richness of our people rapidly erodes. The distress of most academics, businessmen and
officials witnessing this tragedy lies in the diminished productivity, low political
participation, and low levels of income that accompany high school dropouts throughout
their lives.
For us, the catastrophe is material and existential. Political and economic systems are
external; they come and go, and operate on the material level. Culture and spirit are
internal, irreplaceable and live in the metaphysical dimension. Because half of our children
do not complete their basic education, it is impossible for them to know who they were
(Mayas and hidalgos), who they are (heroes and creators) and who they can become
(astronauts and presidents).
The fleet of Latino artists riding la Nueva Ola fights for the dignity of all people regardless
of race, color, gender and identity. Our crew believes in TLM’s ability to create a better
world for our children.
But are we heading in the right direction?
As we surf a hybrid swell changing mainstream culture, it is important to remember
that hybridization is not a new phenomenon in the Americas. Mestizaje and syncretism
gave birth to a cosmic race that has been replenishing, re-symbolizing and recreating itself
for more than 500 years. But economic, demographic and technological forces have
accelerated the velocity of change, and intensified the magnitude and the spatial scope of
this process over the past two decades.
Latino artists, consumers and publics are reshaping contemporary popular culture. We are
adding linguistic, idiosyncratic and distributional layers to a previously off-limits cultural
milieu. Just as burritos, nachos and margaritas gained a space in American culinary
traditions in the 20th
century, today enmascarados, corner fruit stands and state-of-the-art
roach coaches are taking root in Southern California and other metropolitan centers.
In sports and musical markets, corporate agents aggressively cultivate Latino audiences and
acquire proprietary rights over artists’ and athletes’ skills and, more importantly,
ownership of their broadcast persona (for example, the Shakira’s and Mark Sanchez’ of the
world). Mainstream cultural institutions are integrating Latinos into roles that were
unattainable last decade. Although entry to the elite markets is still limited to a handful of
artists, it is increasingly common to find creations from American barrios by artists without
Anglicized names commanding asking prices of 5 to 6 figures.
Over the next two generations, hybridization will expand Latino cultural production and
consumption in communities beyond the coasts and the borderlands. A growing number of
Latinos will share cultural artifacts, meanings and identities through multidirectional and
instantaneous information flows.
4. In seventy years, Latinos will comprise nearly half of the population in an increasingly
mixed-race America. In the interim, a growing Latino bourgeoisie with greater purchasing
power will multiply and diversify art collector circles and demand for affinity works. Also,
the National Latino Museum will set de facto standards for the classification,
dissemination, valuation and acquisition of Latino art by public cultural institutions and
museums.
The exponential growth of mixed race marriages in the U.S. during the last decade, the
current market strength of African American popular icons, and sheer demographic
diversity are indicators that ethnic and aesthetic hybridization will continue to gain
momentum in America. We, as Latino cultural agents, have a formidable opportunity to
engage strategically in these early stages of North American transculturation. Latinos have
demographic, geographic and linguistic assets that ought to be used, if our cultural stature
is to flourish in tomorrow’s America. We need to confront the cultural siege of the
dominant media by becoming the most proficient practitioners of the commercial creed
without abandoning our principles of solidarity, respect and dignity.
Interestingly, it was in a letter written in English by Maestro David Alfaro Siqueiros—a
radical communist—where I found the key to riding the wave of Latino cultural patrimony.
Exiled in Los Angeles and frustrated by “expert” criticisms of his work, he shared the
following comment about American collectors with Carl Zigrosser:
“Disgraciously, the ones that favor me have been inviting me to their houses to feed me,
but so much that I am tired of it, instead when they should buy pictures from me.
July 14, 1932
Siqueiros’ work in Los Angeles transformed contemporary art. He created a plastic
medium, mechanized tools and dynamic techniques for what he saw as a revolutionary era.
Yet in the midst of his socialist dissertations, he acknowledged that one needs cash to
change the world.
Our young athletes, artists and creators should look how the “Golden Boy” transitioned
from talent to promoter, from property to owner. And by doing so, he increased his share
of the pie and his ability to give back to the community.
Latino talent sells—even in culturally closed markets. Scores of Brits, particularly the
young, can’t get enough Chicharito. Thousands of Mexican elites are replacing Donald
Trump ties with Pineda Covalin designs inspired in indigenous art.
Chicanitos, to use a preferred term of Maestro Sal Castro, seek what reminds them of
home, what brings back the love of their parents: the flag, la virgen, la selección, los
tacos, etc. The Asian entrepreneurs who developed Plaza Mexico in Lynwood and those who
sell hundreds of thousands of flags in downtown LA, Santa Ana or Huntington Park during El
Grito ceremony are surfing the wave. Why can’t our children start surfing?
I will conclude by describing how our vessel is engaged in promoting cultural equity.
Culture is a museum’s space and the people inhabiting that space are its time. The vision
of a transformative museum is defined by its historical moment, the geographic region
5. where it resides and the creative heritage it protects. Although in our cyber era we can be
everywhere at the same time without taking up physical space, transformative museums
reside in one or multiple cultures. TLM is anchored in the Latino capital of the United
States.
As agents of cultural transformation in Los Angeles, we know that the scorn poured on
immigrants is not founded solely on difference, on the unfamiliar or the undesirable. The
alarm of the nativists, minutemen or tea partiers also arises from desire and attraction. It
stems from the fraternity and solidarity created through cultural equity. What terrifies
those who believe that there are inferior people and cultures, is the possibility that their
children will fall in love with our children. It is that love, a feeling they cannot control,
what annoys them. And no matter how ignorant they are, it is impossible for them to deny
a hug or a kiss to the granddaughter who hops on their lap. This happened more than five
hundred years ago in the infancy of Latin America and this is happening today in the
gestation of Latina America.
Our President, Barak Obama, son of an African father and an American mother, exemplifies
the fruit of hybrid love. He is the offspring of love between two cultures that respect each
other; love between two people who support each other; and love creating a child in whom
the best values of the cultures which gave him life are blended.
Our Museum embarked in the quest for cultural equity over two decades ago. We believe
that respect for multiculturalism is as important as freedom of speech and as necessary as
social justice.
Culture is the education of the soul; museums are temples of creativity and cultural agents
are the priesthood of the people. Our mission is directly related to our social function and
to our pedagogical work.
In TLM, our temple of creativity, we focus our attention on the community rather than on
objects; we cultivate social heritage and not only institutional collections; we prioritize
communication over classification; and we promote participation as opposed to
contemplation. Our programs and educational services strive to instill in the young
sensitivity for art in all its manifestations and our collection reflects the diversity of
cultures in Los Angeles.
Mainstream cultural institutions in the US and other elite cultural centers of the world have
started using the methodologies of transformative museums. We already perceive the
results with many more young people participating in the afternoons dedicated to them;
with more ethnic minorities appreciating art produced by them and with new audiences
generating revenue through cultural consumption stimulated by an institutional openness
to the hybrid genesis of a cultural transformation.
All copyrights reserved by the author Ana Pescador 2010