Author: Amigos805.com

Frank X. Moraga is publisher / editor of Amigos805, providing information for and about the vibrant Latino community in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties — "Bringing cultures together by sharing information."

Check out the November print edition of Amigos805

  Politics, upcoming cultural events, tips on travel, food and personal finance — you can find all these in the latest print edition of Amigos805. Distributed throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, the 10,000-copy November print edition can be found…

Bilingual report: Control of the presidency, Congress will impact Latino community

DREAM Act, comprehensive immigration reform, education and jobs among top issues By Frank X. Moraga /Amigos805 Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012. A day to look forward to. Silenced will be the annoying “I approve this message” campaign advertisements on television, the…

Bilingual report: Latino community playing strong role in local elections

  Campaigns mobilize get-out-the-Latino-vote efforts to compete in close elections By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 After months of meet-the-candidates debates and forums, registration walks, multi-media campaign advertisements and battling media releases, the long 2012 election campaign is coming into…

Bilingual report: Ventura College art galleries presenting Latino art exhibits throughout November

“Autonomy and Cultural Identity: 20th Century Art of Latin America” will be presented Nov. 1 through Nov. 30 at the Ventura College Media Art Gallery. Curated by Ann Bittl, the exhibit explores the art of Latin America and Mexico during…

Café on A to celebrate Día de Los Muertos on Nov. 2

The Café on A will hold a Día de los Muertos celebration: “Community, Cultura y Conciencia,” starting at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2 at 438 So. A St., downtown Oxnard. Presented by Union del Barrio and Café on A, the…

Bilingual report: Museum of Ventura County to hold series of Día de los Muertos events from Nov. 2-4

“Night of the Living, Day of the Dead!” will be presented from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2 at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St., Ventura. Join the museum’s Las Contemporaneas Committee as they host an…

Bilingual report: Inlakech Cultural Arts Center to celebrate Día de los Muertos in Camarillo on Nov. 3

Conejo Mountain Funeral Home, Memorial Park and Crematory, along with the Inlakech Cultural Arts Center, will present the annual “Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)” celebration featuring “Comida, Altars, Prayer, Laughter and Tears,” from 10 a.m. to 6…

Bilingual commentary: “Gucci” camping on the Inca Trail

By Stacey Wittig / “Vagabonding Chica” Travel Writer The remote ruins of Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Peru, can be reached by train. However, the hardy – may I add fool-hardy? – prefer the road less traveled, the…

Business and community leaders kick off FOOD Share’s annual ‘Tackle Hunger’ campaign

VENTURA — From Oct. 30 – Feb. 3, more than 60 of Ventura County’s prominent business and political leaders will join forces to support FOOD Share’s most ambitious campaign endeavor of the year – “Tackle Hunger,” the organization reported in…

Rosary for Max Mora of Ventura will be held Nov. 1

Longtime Ventura resident Max Mora (Candelario Maximo Mora) 85, died on Friday, Oct. 26, 2012 at home, reports Moses Mora, community organizer of the Tortilla Flats historical program in Ventura. Max was born on Feb. 2,1927 in Colmor, New Mexico…

Bilingual commentary: Returning home, starting over

By David Magallanes /Guest contributor Many years ago, I tried to return home. I was going about separating from my wife, I was flat broke, and I felt that my life was going downhill—in flames. So I tried returning home — the…

UCSB discussion on Mexican literature on Nov. 1 will highlight works by Elena Poniatowska, Carlos Fuentes

SANTA BARBARA — Elena Poniatowska, the Mexican feminist writer, journalist, and author, will deliver the keynote address when scholars from across the United States and Mexico gather at UC Santa Barbara for the 15th annual colloquium on Mexican literature, the…

Cabrillo’s Azahar Place receives ‘Platinum for Homes Rating”

VENTURA – The Cabrillo Economic Development Corp. (CEDC) reported it successfully achieved the LEED® for Homes Platinum level of certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for achievement in green homebuilding and design, for its newest affordable home…

Oxnard mayoral debate to be held on bilingual radio on Oct. 31

Candidates will appear on “The David Cruz Show” on KOXR 910AM OXNARD – The four candidates for mayor of Oxnard will appear in an historic, bilingual radio debate from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31 on “The David Cruz Show” on…

Huerta to speak at Latino Issues Forum rally on Oct. 27 in Oxnard

OXNARD — National civil rights activist, labor leader, and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dolores Huerta will speak at the Latino Issues Forum (LIF) “su voto primero” (Your Vote First) rally at Plaza Park in Oxnard at 10:30 a.m. Saturday…

Latino Issues Forum to hold voter rally on Oct. 27 in Oxnard

OXNARD — The Latino Issues Forum (LIF), a coalition of Ventura County community based organizations serving the Latino community has organized a second key event in an effort to maximize voter turnout for the Nov. 6 general election, the group…

Bilingual commentary: The Fine Arts

By David Magallanes /Guest contributor I have just had the privilege of attending the 25th Anniversary of the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard. There is something special about being amongst people who are interested in, dedicated to, intrigued by and simply…

Día de los Muertos celebration set for Oct. 27 in Ventura

Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc & Westpark Community Center will present a “Día de los Muertos” celebration from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 at Westpark Community Park, 450 W. Harrison Ave., Ventura. Traditional Aztec dance ceremony, altars, face painting, piñatas…

CLU’s José Marichal to speak on ‘Does Facebook Make us Better Citizens?’ on Oct. 24

José Marichal, CLU associate professor of political science, will speak on: ‘Does Facebook Make us Better Citizens?’ during the next Center for Equality and Justice Lecture Series discussion at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24 at California Lutheran University, 60 W. Olsen Drive, Thousand…

Bilingual report: The last day to register to vote is Monday, Oct. 22

The last day to register to vote for the November Presidential General Election is Monday, Oct. 22. Online, potential voters can visit http://registertovote.ca.gov/ for information on registering to vote on the California Online Voter Registration Website. Potential voters can still come…

Brownley campaign announces ‘Latinos for Julia’ committee

SANTA PAULA — The Julia Brownley for Congress campaign on Oct. 20 announced its “Latinos for Julia” committee, made up of Ventura County, Federal and State elected officials and community leaders that have united behind Julia Brownley, the campaign reported…

Strickland supports Oct. 18 fundraiser for La Colonia Boxing Gym

OXNARD —  State Sen. Tony Strickland (R-19th District) took part in the “Locked Up for Kids” fundraiser on Oct. 18 at La Colonia Boxing Gym in Oxnard. Strickland is a Republican candidate for the  newly-formed 26th Congressional District, (which includes all of…

‘Latino Issues Forum,’ featuring Congressional, State Senate candidates, set for Oct. 20 in Santa Paula

A ‘Latino Issues Forum,’ featuring Congressional and State Senate candidates, will be held from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 at First 5 of Santa Paula, 217 10th St., Santa Paula. Presented by SEIU Local 721, the Central Coast…

Commentary: Latinos, religion and the Campaign of 2012

Survey says: Catholics strongly favor Obama. Evangelicals divided. Rapidly growing Latino support for same-sex marriage By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 After a lively political debate this week, President Barack Obama and Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney have been busy hitting key…

Bilingual report: Mexican Consulate in Oxnard seeking Día de los Muertos calendar items

The Consulate of México is currently organizing a community calendar for the “Day of the Dead” activities in the Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties A committee of community leaders will be visiting each site with “Ofrendas” and in recognition…

Local groups receive grants from Social Justice Fund for Ventura County

Grantees will be honored during “Celebration of Justice” reception on Nov. 8 in Ventura. One Step a la Vez for the One Step Adelante, the  Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy,  El Centrito Family Learning Centers and the Mixteco/Indígena…

Commentary: Why pink makes me cringe

By Mona AlvaradoFrazier / Guest contributor  It’s not Pink, the singer, that stirs up ambivalent feelings in my soul. It’s the color pink linked to October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month. It’s all the pink stuff beyond the commemorative ribbons. It’s pink deodorant…

Bilingual commentary: Rules, Freedom and Consequences

By David Magallanes /Guest contributor As American citizens, or residents, of this great country, we are accustomed to think in terms of the freedom that we enjoy in this society. Throughout the history of the United States, more and more sectors…

Gold Coast Health Plan signs specialty contract with Clinicas del Camino Real

Clinicas to Operate as a Professional Risk Bearing Organization  OXNARD — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) and Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. on Monday announced the signing of a specialty physician contract that designates Clinicas as a Professional Risk Bearing Organization.…

Bilingual report: Rubicon Theatre Co. to present ‘La Razón Blindada’ starting Oct. 17

VENTURA — The Rubicon Theatre Co. will open its 15th anniversary season, “Our Town/Your Theatre,” with the production of “La Razón Blindada (The Armored Reason)” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 1006 E. Main St., Ventura, Teatro de las Américas…

Nancy Conk of Cabrillo Economic Development Association to speak on Oct. 17 in Ventura

Nancy Conk, chief executive officer of Cabrillo Economic Development Association, will speak at the next “Stress, Health & Longevity Session” from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 702 County Square Drive, ground floor of the CEDC building, Ventura.…

Bilingual report: El Centrito Family Learning Centers to host Oxnard School Board candidates forum on Oct. 19

Parent Promoters of Education, a project of El Centrito Family Learning Centers, will host a forum for Oxnard School Board candidates from 5:30-7:30 Friday, Oct. 19 at El Centrito Family Learning Centers, 450 So. K St. Oxnard, Room 108, the…

VC Mexican-American Bar Association to present scholarship dinner on Oct. 19

The Education Foundation of the Ventura County Mexican-American Bar Association will present its annual scholarship dinner beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19 at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, 600 E. Esplanade Drive, Oxnard. Dinner and the program…

Latino peace officers group to present annual comedy show fundraiser on Oct. 19

The National Latino Peace Officers Association — Ventura County Chapter, will present its 4th annual “Comedy Show Fundraiser” beginning with a reception at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 at the Tower Club, 300 E. Esplanade Drive, Oxnard. Featuring comedians Cliff…

Bilingual report: Promotores health worker luncheon set for Oct. 21

October is Promotor and Community Health Worker month, Maria-Felix Ryan, executive director of the Promotoras y Promotores Foundation in Oxnard, reported in a media release. The members of the Central Coast Regional Promotor Network and Vision y Compromiso would like…