"I Am Joaquin" the film produced by Teatro Campesino in 1969, based on the epic poem written by Rodolfo Corky Gonzalez in 1967, was selected to 2010 National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
From the website: Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names 25 films to the National Film Registry that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant, to be preserved for all time. These films are not selected as the "best" American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring significance to American culture.
The selection process is kind of democratic, "...the Librarian after reviewing hundreds of titles nominated by the public (this year 2,112 films were nominated) and having extensive discussions with the distinguished members of the National Film Preservation Board, as well as the Library’s motion-picture staff. The Librarian urges the public to make nominations for next year’s registry at the Film Board’s website.
Other films added this year included: Malcolm X (1992), Empire Strikes Back (1980), Saturday Night Fever (1977), Airplane! (1980), and Let Their Be Light (1946) which was banned by the War Department for 35 years because it shows the psychological trauma of soldiers without hiding their identities. One of the first films ever made in America by folks at the Edison company (and you heard he was Chicano) Newark Athlete (1891)
Showing posts with label Chicanos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicanos. Show all posts
4/16/10
March/April Madness
Its been a tripped out two months within and without.
Earthquakes, deaths of friend's family member, eruptions of egos and ashes, more earthquakes, polar shifts in emotional cartography, lucid dreams, found great music, possibilities never imagined, texting replacing talking, riding across town, rolling up the coast, new levels of beauty and viciousness, rewiring old friendships, erotic art that lingers, fairy dust, confessions, relinquishing, moving on, ...
I wish I had the energy to write it all out nice and neat for you to understand, but things are moving so fast these days. One day I will look back at this and remember this time. How will I feel about it? Will I laugh, cry or sigh? Regret, forgot or misunderstood it all?
To sum it all up:
Earthquakes, deaths of friend's family member, eruptions of egos and ashes, more earthquakes, polar shifts in emotional cartography, lucid dreams, found great music, possibilities never imagined, texting replacing talking, riding across town, rolling up the coast, new levels of beauty and viciousness, rewiring old friendships, erotic art that lingers, fairy dust, confessions, relinquishing, moving on, ...
I wish I had the energy to write it all out nice and neat for you to understand, but things are moving so fast these days. One day I will look back at this and remember this time. How will I feel about it? Will I laugh, cry or sigh? Regret, forgot or misunderstood it all?
To sum it all up:
3/4/10
CSUN Protest
In the end, 6 students were arrested and one 72 yr old professor was pushed by police, and fell on her arm, breaking it.
We had a month build up on campus for this day. Chicana/o Studies had a teach in on Feb. 3 and began telling our students that today, March 4th the whole State was going to protest.
I couldn't have paid anyone to make this happen. During my 11 am class I just finished showing them the 10 minute version of "Storm At Valley State" the 1985 documentary that looks at student activism on our campus 41 years ago. I was explaining how many in that generation protested because they demanded more from their country. They expected more for offering their lives and bodies in wars. They expect America to live up to its promise.s And they loved themselves. They felt they deserved more and asked for it. They loved themselves and were moved by love for a better future, like true revolutionaries always are. Moved to act out of love. I asked my students how many loved themselves? How many of you feel you deserve better than what they are offering and cutting away? I asked them if they were ready to start demanding satisfaction.
And like it was a sign from the Goddess, protesting students kicked open the doors out in the hallway and were yelling "Walkout!!!
I looked back at my students and said "They are calling you. Are you going to act? Or be like a good slave and not piss off the master, not rock the boat?"
"WALK OUT" you could hear the students coming closer to our door.
"They are calling you, what u going to do?"
One of my students put his fist in the air and yelled "Walkout" and boom they all jumped up and out the door.
Like I said, I couldn't have paid for that to be more perfectly timed.
The wait for the big meet up in the quad had various groups walking campus asking other students to 'walkout.'
One scene that was an 'only at CSUN' moment was when a small group of marchers came upon one of the CSUN choir's impromtu performances they hold in the breezeway of Jerome Richfield. I walked over to see if the choir was really doing their singing thing today, a day of protest. I was hoping they would be doing protest songs.
When the marchers came up on them I half expected the marchers were going to get up in the face of the choir and ask them to join the march and stop the singing. It was the "american idol" generation facing its burgeoning activist other half, would they clash? No.
The choir said "We are singing this one for you."
The marchers stopped their chanting and listened for a few minutes then, while the choir kept singing, just turned around kept on recruiting other students to join them with another chant and marched away.
When 2pm finally came around there were about a core of 300-400 students throughout the quad in front of our library. Speeches were made, people inspired. We lined up on Matador Way and it looked like the 3-400 swelled a little more. Teachers and students from local schools came to join the march. By the time the march hit Prairie we had at least 2,000 people.
At Prairie and Reseda we went south to Nordhoff. Cars were stopped and honking in support. People got out of their cars and were taking pictures and video. There were no negative Nellies to be seen or heard.
As we went East on Nordhoff the long line of protesters was split in half by CFA 'march leaders.' These were the adults in charge. As faculty we tend to hang back and support our students, but not take any leadership or guiding roles. We advise before hand and if anything gets crazy, but its the students who are doing this, its theirs. CFA did play a major role in organizing this day of protest on a State level and they obviously did a great job of getting people out. At one point they cut the protest in half by letting half the column proceed down Nordhoff to Zelzah and turning the other half back in to campus at Lindley. I stayed with the front half knowing this was going to be a long walk.
We kept going down Zelzah and stopped briefly at Plummer. Some students tried to sit -down there, but the mass wanted to keep moving. At this point I got my homey Nelson's djembe from him. He said he was tired and I love drums. I carried and banged that sucker all the way around campus back to Reseda and Prairie where we had Thee Sit Down, you see in the news.
As you can see in these videos, all the numbers that the media reported are under counted.
(video is from iphone using an app.)
We had a month build up on campus for this day. Chicana/o Studies had a teach in on Feb. 3 and began telling our students that today, March 4th the whole State was going to protest.
I couldn't have paid anyone to make this happen. During my 11 am class I just finished showing them the 10 minute version of "Storm At Valley State" the 1985 documentary that looks at student activism on our campus 41 years ago. I was explaining how many in that generation protested because they demanded more from their country. They expected more for offering their lives and bodies in wars. They expect America to live up to its promise.s And they loved themselves. They felt they deserved more and asked for it. They loved themselves and were moved by love for a better future, like true revolutionaries always are. Moved to act out of love. I asked my students how many loved themselves? How many of you feel you deserve better than what they are offering and cutting away? I asked them if they were ready to start demanding satisfaction.
And like it was a sign from the Goddess, protesting students kicked open the doors out in the hallway and were yelling "Walkout!!!
I looked back at my students and said "They are calling you. Are you going to act? Or be like a good slave and not piss off the master, not rock the boat?"
"WALK OUT" you could hear the students coming closer to our door.
"They are calling you, what u going to do?"
One of my students put his fist in the air and yelled "Walkout" and boom they all jumped up and out the door.
Like I said, I couldn't have paid for that to be more perfectly timed.
The wait for the big meet up in the quad had various groups walking campus asking other students to 'walkout.'
One scene that was an 'only at CSUN' moment was when a small group of marchers came upon one of the CSUN choir's impromtu performances they hold in the breezeway of Jerome Richfield. I walked over to see if the choir was really doing their singing thing today, a day of protest. I was hoping they would be doing protest songs.
When the marchers came up on them I half expected the marchers were going to get up in the face of the choir and ask them to join the march and stop the singing. It was the "american idol" generation facing its burgeoning activist other half, would they clash? No.
The choir said "We are singing this one for you."
The marchers stopped their chanting and listened for a few minutes then, while the choir kept singing, just turned around kept on recruiting other students to join them with another chant and marched away.
When 2pm finally came around there were about a core of 300-400 students throughout the quad in front of our library. Speeches were made, people inspired. We lined up on Matador Way and it looked like the 3-400 swelled a little more. Teachers and students from local schools came to join the march. By the time the march hit Prairie we had at least 2,000 people.
At Prairie and Reseda we went south to Nordhoff. Cars were stopped and honking in support. People got out of their cars and were taking pictures and video. There were no negative Nellies to be seen or heard.
As we went East on Nordhoff the long line of protesters was split in half by CFA 'march leaders.' These were the adults in charge. As faculty we tend to hang back and support our students, but not take any leadership or guiding roles. We advise before hand and if anything gets crazy, but its the students who are doing this, its theirs. CFA did play a major role in organizing this day of protest on a State level and they obviously did a great job of getting people out. At one point they cut the protest in half by letting half the column proceed down Nordhoff to Zelzah and turning the other half back in to campus at Lindley. I stayed with the front half knowing this was going to be a long walk.
We kept going down Zelzah and stopped briefly at Plummer. Some students tried to sit -down there, but the mass wanted to keep moving. At this point I got my homey Nelson's djembe from him. He said he was tired and I love drums. I carried and banged that sucker all the way around campus back to Reseda and Prairie where we had Thee Sit Down, you see in the news.
As you can see in these videos, all the numbers that the media reported are under counted.
(video is from iphone using an app.)
4/28/09
"A Future with a Past, if we are Connected and Fight"
Finally saw SLEEP DEALER and it was all that and a Jumbo Jack.
I got to see the first prototype of this film in 1996 when it was called "Animaquiladora" where the term "Cyberbracero," was coined by Alex Rivera and Lalo Lopez. Rivera was a cool guy with sci fi dreams, just like me! We never connected even though we know the same people, nonetheless I always would hear how he was always one step closer to making his dream film come true. It was well worth the wait. Thanks for not giving up.
For those who have not gone to see it, expect to see a not too distant future where corporations have developed technology to outsource manual labor. Imagine being wired up in a warehouse in Mexico, and able to drive a cab in London. Si se unfortunately Puede, in the near future. The lead protagonist walks us through this world, and along the way meets a beautiful woman who makes her money selling her memories online. Kind of like blogs but more intense.
I don't want to give too much away, just watch the trailer below, I'll just say there is a great story and visuals to trip your mind. I feel it has a very 1970's sci fi vibe like "Soylent Green" or "Omega Man." It is not flashy nor slashy, it's more of a thinking man's sci fi.
I hope that Rivera takes this into other platforms like webisodes, animation, manga or even photo novela. The world he presents is rich and full of so many possibilities to comment on our current state that it would be a waste to just leave that SLEEP DEALER world with just one chapter. He already has the cool website about Cyberbracero that I linked above. Very much like the Hanso Foundation website that works with thee TV show LOST. I hope he gets a TV series, or more films. It is that rich. Now go see it!!!
2/4/08
Ratting out MEN...
Here are some things I have recently learned, am pondering, can see clearly now, or have finally been able to put into words, about my fellow MEN. Be warned, they are bold generalizations. Be warned, they are conceptual, I think...
- We don't know shit until after 25 or 27 years old. Up til then, we are just making it all up.
- We are told to want the hot, sexy, girl in the little skirt that goes home with us after a few drinks, but more times than not when we get her home that night, we don't/can't have sex with her, because another more primal impulse/response kicks in: This is not the woman I want to procreate with.
- Some of us can take that hot, sexy girl home after a few drinks and rock her world, but we are trying to prove something, working out some issues, and basically not into her as much as we are into ourselves.
- Some of us are relationship guys, even though we'd like to be players. This kind usually screws up a lot of relationships before they can admit to who and what they are.
- Some of us are players, even though we'd like to be relationship guys. This kind has a lot of screwed up relationships because they can't admit who and what they are.
- When we are in love, our ego is gone or seldom seen or heard from.
- Many of us do like comfort, but not boring repetative comfort.
- Yes, many of us think, to some degree, we are gifts from God.
- Yes, many of us think that any woman who looks at us and smiles, wants us.
- Yes, many of us don't know what do when a woman smiles at us.
I've done enough for today. Fire at will...
- We don't know shit until after 25 or 27 years old. Up til then, we are just making it all up.
- We are told to want the hot, sexy, girl in the little skirt that goes home with us after a few drinks, but more times than not when we get her home that night, we don't/can't have sex with her, because another more primal impulse/response kicks in: This is not the woman I want to procreate with.
- Some of us can take that hot, sexy girl home after a few drinks and rock her world, but we are trying to prove something, working out some issues, and basically not into her as much as we are into ourselves.
- Some of us are relationship guys, even though we'd like to be players. This kind usually screws up a lot of relationships before they can admit to who and what they are.
- Some of us are players, even though we'd like to be relationship guys. This kind has a lot of screwed up relationships because they can't admit who and what they are.
- When we are in love, our ego is gone or seldom seen or heard from.
- Many of us do like comfort, but not boring repetative comfort.
- Yes, many of us think, to some degree, we are gifts from God.
- Yes, many of us think that any woman who looks at us and smiles, wants us.
- Yes, many of us don't know what do when a woman smiles at us.
I've done enough for today. Fire at will...
11/28/07
Eastside essentials
Eastside has:
-botanicas
-bionicos
-bu~elos, tamales and champurrado on street corners
-elotes, tacos, hot dogs w bacon, everyday, at anytime
-verduleros
-98cent stores, not just 99cents
-the majority of people are Mexican, Chicana/os or some generation of Raza immigrant
-banda music, techno, explicit rap, and KROQ 80's music blasting out of homes and cars
-we know what KROQ music is newbies
-backyard parties with DJs that play every type of music without being ironic or thinking it's kitsch
-segundas
-strolling mariachis
-Virgen murals on most street corners, most with accompanying flowers and candles from the devout
What the Eastside DOES NOT HAVE, or need:
-gellato
-fixed gear riders
-Pabst Blue Ribbon
-know how to spell kitsch
-overpriced Mexican food
-vintage stores
-chain smoking, depressed looking gringos
-juice bars
-translation
-botanicas
-bionicos
-bu~elos, tamales and champurrado on street corners
-elotes, tacos, hot dogs w bacon, everyday, at anytime
-verduleros
-98cent stores, not just 99cents
-the majority of people are Mexican, Chicana/os or some generation of Raza immigrant
-banda music, techno, explicit rap, and KROQ 80's music blasting out of homes and cars
-we know what KROQ music is newbies
-backyard parties with DJs that play every type of music without being ironic or thinking it's kitsch
-segundas
-strolling mariachis
-Virgen murals on most street corners, most with accompanying flowers and candles from the devout
What the Eastside DOES NOT HAVE, or need:
-gellato
-fixed gear riders
-Pabst Blue Ribbon
-know how to spell kitsch
-overpriced Mexican food
-vintage stores
-chain smoking, depressed looking gringos
-juice bars
-translation
6/17/07
Eastside vs. eastside CHINGAZOS
Throughout bloglandia there has been an upsurge in the battle over what is considered Eastside spurred on by a new rag, which will remain nameless here. This rag claims to reflect the views of 'eastsiders' in neighborhoods such as Hollywood, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Echo Park and Downtown LA.
One word that all the discussions like here, here, and here have pussy footed around is RACISM/WHITE SUPREMACY.
This re-imagining of LA is fueld by racism/white supremacy. Yes there are and have been Chicanos or hi-spanics also claiming Eastide on the westside of the river, but racism doesn't just come from white toward people of color, in its most insidious form racism/white supremacy manifests in the minds and actions of people of color who agree with the lies and views of reality from a white is always right perspective. Think: dye blonde hair & blue contact lenses on a person of color and feeling safe around white people as opposed to your own people of color.
Blonde Asian?
How is this racist? Well when did the term come up in these areas? When there was enough white people in these areas lower middle class sections to make them feel they had a community. Up until then they were just a few gringos in the middle of brown working class areas. They learned the language shopped in the 'marketas' and blended in. Yes, there have always been white people in the hills high above Echo Park & Silver Lake and Los Feliz is primiarily white, but those folks don't worry about stuff like this, they got theirs. It is the ones who are trying to make a buck by labeling their area into a demographic to sell and to sell to.
Funny how these folks from the rag don't include Thai Town, Little Armenia, Korea Town or Philipino Town in their view of Eastside. uh maybe because there is not enough white people in these areas? Just like the 'Westside' does that include Mar Vista, the brown and black areas of Culver City? What about Palms? NO. Not enough rich white people there.
These terms and attempts to change cultural, social, political and plain old LA history is what racists do.
What about the dang Nayarit bar in Echo Park? Oh yeah we agreed to call it the Echo.
Folks blame immigrants for coming here and not learning the language and culture, but they are only doing what they see others doing. They move into our areas, once they get enough of them in, they start changing names, opening shops that only cater to theirs and stop trying to learn the local vernacular.
So it is.
East of...
...where you use to live?
...where you wish you lived?
...what you know?
...where you are comfortable?
...where you always go to?
...where you feel safe?
...where you always find and take a date?
One word that all the discussions like here, here, and here have pussy footed around is RACISM/WHITE SUPREMACY.
This re-imagining of LA is fueld by racism/white supremacy. Yes there are and have been Chicanos or hi-spanics also claiming Eastide on the westside of the river, but racism doesn't just come from white toward people of color, in its most insidious form racism/white supremacy manifests in the minds and actions of people of color who agree with the lies and views of reality from a white is always right perspective. Think: dye blonde hair & blue contact lenses on a person of color and feeling safe around white people as opposed to your own people of color.
Blonde Asian?How is this racist? Well when did the term come up in these areas? When there was enough white people in these areas lower middle class sections to make them feel they had a community. Up until then they were just a few gringos in the middle of brown working class areas. They learned the language shopped in the 'marketas' and blended in. Yes, there have always been white people in the hills high above Echo Park & Silver Lake and Los Feliz is primiarily white, but those folks don't worry about stuff like this, they got theirs. It is the ones who are trying to make a buck by labeling their area into a demographic to sell and to sell to.
Funny how these folks from the rag don't include Thai Town, Little Armenia, Korea Town or Philipino Town in their view of Eastside. uh maybe because there is not enough white people in these areas? Just like the 'Westside' does that include Mar Vista, the brown and black areas of Culver City? What about Palms? NO. Not enough rich white people there.
These terms and attempts to change cultural, social, political and plain old LA history is what racists do.
What about the dang Nayarit bar in Echo Park? Oh yeah we agreed to call it the Echo.
Folks blame immigrants for coming here and not learning the language and culture, but they are only doing what they see others doing. They move into our areas, once they get enough of them in, they start changing names, opening shops that only cater to theirs and stop trying to learn the local vernacular.
So it is.
East of...
...where you use to live?
...where you wish you lived?
...what you know?
...where you are comfortable?
...where you always go to?
...where you feel safe?
...where you always find and take a date?
4/23/07
Mexican American Princes
On the cover of last week's L.A. Weekly was Daniel Hernandez's feature story about Mexican American Princes.
I was perplexed about whether this was a tongue in cheek/satirical piece or not. Hernandez includes a 'who's who' in MAP land titled 'All Over The M.A.P.' A list that includes too many big & not so big name politicos (some whom we should be ashamed of), two pretty boy actors who haven't had a hit in years, two sportsmen, one reality show wannabe champ, one true champ, and an OC based writer.
One thing that irked me about the MAPs listed was that they all were the basic archtypes of a capitalist society. Working for some fame, power and bling, playing the game. Not really rocking the boat so much as rolling with the punches. I don't want to knock anyone's dream to accumulate and have material goods. I recognize many just want to lay low and get theirs, fine.
What I do want to offer is other examples of MAPs who aren't just seeking temporal gains, but are also speaking to our consciousness, identity, beauty, heart, soul, mind, intelligence, and wit. Men who aren't afraid to bring up the tough questions, our contradictions, our ancient past and that help us dream about nuestro futuro. Men who despite the brightness of the spotlight don't shrink in fear of saying the wrong thing, even if it is. I'm just saying there is more to life than politics, real estate and the 4th estate. Also, we shouldn't replace one gap toothed sombrero wearing stereotype with a new shinier stereotype of 'cold hispanic ambition.'
So here are my inductees for MAP-dom or as we call them here in Pachucoville, Bad Ass MuthaFunkas:
George Lopez. Who uses the term Chicano on national TV every week? Can sell out the Universal Amp like only him and Chente can? Talks about loving golf because he gets to hit something white with a club? and tells it like it is -like no other brother can? G. Lo cabrones.
Marcos Aguilar. Co-Director of Academia Semillas del Pueblo. He saved his school! Well he and the staff, parents, students, community, and anyone with a clue about what our Raza filled schools need. ASDP is now sueing KABC and one of their talk show pendejos for creating an unsafe learning environment at ASDP when he targeted them and called them future terrorists. Aguilar is a danzante who danced the whole march route from Olvera Street to LAUSD on Beaudry and 3rd. How many principals would dare (or could or would be allowed) to take off his shirt and dance bare chested for 2 miles? 'nuf said.
Lalo Alcaraz. Come on. Who are we kidding? This is thee OG muthafunka: LA CUCARACHA cabron! Can you say POCHO HOUR OF POWER? What about POCHO MAGAZINE? If not? I won't even ask you about CHICANO SECRET SERVICE.
Zack De La Rocha. Sunday at Coachella on 4/29 is going to have more brown and proud people than that festival has ever seen. His free concert last year in support of the South Central Farm helped launch media coverage of that battle which subsequently inspired many toward working in community gardens for health and sustainability. His support of the EZLN in the mid 1990s helped forge in a new strand into Chicanismo. And his band's music and videos are bad ass.
Culture Clash! Where would we be without Culture Clash? I mean the MAP article kicked off with a bad ass quote from Richard Montoya's award winning show "Water & Power" then left them out of the list! Here in Pachucoville C.C. gets props for everything they have done siempre! Teatro, carpa, stage, TV, video, Big Top Loco! (I 'member homes) and all the chingon plays, books and verbage.
We will forever know that yes, we are "confused and full of rage."
You know here in Pachucoville we gotta have some DJs a.k.a our digital shamen:
Raul Campos is the only on air Latino left at KCRW. His Monday - Friday 10-midnight show "Nocturna" has been fullfilling night time musical cravings for nearly 7 years. The show has won serveral distinctions from artists groups, magazines and the music industry for helping to break new music and artists. He also can be found in dark underground clubs spinning the latest.
David Delano can be heard practically every night of the week spinning in a club from Hollywood to City of Industry, Long Beach to Glendale. He draws a young hip Latino crowd that shake their best and finest to his beats and that is just his night job. During the day he helps his family business as Vice President of La Gloria tortillas. Now you don't get any more Prince than that ese.
Overall I appreciate the effort to frame a Chicano male experience. We need to do it. We need new images and icons of Raza men. We need to show more of our diversity in thought and actions, jobs and dreams. If we don't start doing it, who will?
I was perplexed about whether this was a tongue in cheek/satirical piece or not. Hernandez includes a 'who's who' in MAP land titled 'All Over The M.A.P.' A list that includes too many big & not so big name politicos (some whom we should be ashamed of), two pretty boy actors who haven't had a hit in years, two sportsmen, one reality show wannabe champ, one true champ, and an OC based writer.
One thing that irked me about the MAPs listed was that they all were the basic archtypes of a capitalist society. Working for some fame, power and bling, playing the game. Not really rocking the boat so much as rolling with the punches. I don't want to knock anyone's dream to accumulate and have material goods. I recognize many just want to lay low and get theirs, fine.
What I do want to offer is other examples of MAPs who aren't just seeking temporal gains, but are also speaking to our consciousness, identity, beauty, heart, soul, mind, intelligence, and wit. Men who aren't afraid to bring up the tough questions, our contradictions, our ancient past and that help us dream about nuestro futuro. Men who despite the brightness of the spotlight don't shrink in fear of saying the wrong thing, even if it is. I'm just saying there is more to life than politics, real estate and the 4th estate. Also, we shouldn't replace one gap toothed sombrero wearing stereotype with a new shinier stereotype of 'cold hispanic ambition.'
So here are my inductees for MAP-dom or as we call them here in Pachucoville, Bad Ass MuthaFunkas:
George Lopez. Who uses the term Chicano on national TV every week? Can sell out the Universal Amp like only him and Chente can? Talks about loving golf because he gets to hit something white with a club? and tells it like it is -like no other brother can? G. Lo cabrones.
Marcos Aguilar. Co-Director of Academia Semillas del Pueblo. He saved his school! Well he and the staff, parents, students, community, and anyone with a clue about what our Raza filled schools need. ASDP is now sueing KABC and one of their talk show pendejos for creating an unsafe learning environment at ASDP when he targeted them and called them future terrorists. Aguilar is a danzante who danced the whole march route from Olvera Street to LAUSD on Beaudry and 3rd. How many principals would dare (or could or would be allowed) to take off his shirt and dance bare chested for 2 miles? 'nuf said.
Lalo Alcaraz. Come on. Who are we kidding? This is thee OG muthafunka: LA CUCARACHA cabron! Can you say POCHO HOUR OF POWER? What about POCHO MAGAZINE? If not? I won't even ask you about CHICANO SECRET SERVICE.
Zack De La Rocha. Sunday at Coachella on 4/29 is going to have more brown and proud people than that festival has ever seen. His free concert last year in support of the South Central Farm helped launch media coverage of that battle which subsequently inspired many toward working in community gardens for health and sustainability. His support of the EZLN in the mid 1990s helped forge in a new strand into Chicanismo. And his band's music and videos are bad ass.
Culture Clash! Where would we be without Culture Clash? I mean the MAP article kicked off with a bad ass quote from Richard Montoya's award winning show "Water & Power" then left them out of the list! Here in Pachucoville C.C. gets props for everything they have done siempre! Teatro, carpa, stage, TV, video, Big Top Loco! (I 'member homes) and all the chingon plays, books and verbage.
We will forever know that yes, we are "confused and full of rage."
You know here in Pachucoville we gotta have some DJs a.k.a our digital shamen:
Raul Campos is the only on air Latino left at KCRW. His Monday - Friday 10-midnight show "Nocturna" has been fullfilling night time musical cravings for nearly 7 years. The show has won serveral distinctions from artists groups, magazines and the music industry for helping to break new music and artists. He also can be found in dark underground clubs spinning the latest. 
David Delano can be heard practically every night of the week spinning in a club from Hollywood to City of Industry, Long Beach to Glendale. He draws a young hip Latino crowd that shake their best and finest to his beats and that is just his night job. During the day he helps his family business as Vice President of La Gloria tortillas. Now you don't get any more Prince than that ese.Overall I appreciate the effort to frame a Chicano male experience. We need to do it. We need new images and icons of Raza men. We need to show more of our diversity in thought and actions, jobs and dreams. If we don't start doing it, who will?
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