During my 1970s adolescence there were few famous Latina actresses or singers, like Jennifer Lopez or Salma Hayek, who made curves cool and Latinas fashionable. The first major image of Latina womanhood that I discovered was on a childhood road trip with my family to Mexico.… Read full post »

While much attention has been paid to the Occupy Wall Street movement and recent arrests, there is another youth movement that hasn't got as much national media attention.

They call themselves the DREAMers.

They are undocumented students and dozens of them have been arrested in the last two… Read full post »

Contemporary poet Javier Sicilia is leading a campaign against violence and the drug war in Mexico.

Poet and writer Piri Thomas, who recently passed away, wrote of race and inequality in the United States.

Writer and poet James Baldwin once said, "Artists are here to disturb the peace."

I've be… Read full post »

Once I drove through Michoacan, Mexico, where night vigils in the cemeteries lit up the town for Día de los Muertos. I took the road around Lake Patzcuaro stopping where flowers and candles decorated the graves. In one home, a life-size altar had been built… Read full post »

Two years ago an "illegal alien" Halloween costume generated controversy.  It featured an orange prison jumpsuit and an illegal alien mask. It was on sale at Target.com and Toys "R" Us but they stopped selling it. I still found you can purchase it on buy.com.

A… Read full post »