Category: Cultural

Hernandez, Perez among individuals, groups honored by United Way

Orlando Hernandez, a volunteer tax preparer for the United Way of Ventura County’s Earn It, Keep It, Save It program since 2006, and David Perez, chair of the Young Leaders Society’s board of directors, are among a group of individuals and organizations that…

Latino Links: Media trends

To counter opponents of NBC’s proposed merger with Comcast last year, NBC promoted a number of TV series featuring minorities. But little more than six months after the approval of the merger by the Federal Communications Commission, some of NBCUniversal’s…

Concierto de Son Jarocho con ‘Los Vega’ 27 de Agosto

Proyecto Jarocho presenta talleres y concierto de Son Jarocho con “Los Vega”, sabado, 27 de Agosto de 2011, Casa de la Guerra, No. 9 E. De la Guerra St., Santa Barbara. Talleres: 4:00 a 6:00 pm (Jarana, Guitarra de Son, Arpa,…

‘Che’ film, faculty discussion set for Aug. 23 at UCSB

John Foran will be the faculty speaker prior to the presentation “Che: Part One” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23 at the UCSB MultiCultural Center in Santa Barbara. Part of the UCSB Education Abroad Program’s “Word Revolutions Film Series,” the…

Encuentro Comunitario con el Gobernador de Oaxaca Gabino Cué Monteagudo el 20 de Agosto en Oxnard

Buenos días a todos. Por instrucciones del Cónsul Rogelio Flores, me permito extender a Ustedes una invitación cordial para que nos acompañen en la visita que realizará el Gobernador del Estado de Oaxaca, Lic. Gabino Cue Monteagudo, el próximo sábado…

Commentary: What they have

This is the second of a two part article started last week about my visit to an African village. By Boyd Lemon / Guest contributor After walking more than a mile from the village center, we arrived at the village…

Commentary: Chaos

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor Earlier this year I started to read a book that is not your average bedside novel. When people at a party ask me, “What books are you reading now?” I no longer tell them that…

Social Justice Fund seeking donors for grantmaking challenge

The Social Justice Fund for Ventura County reports that Aug. 31 is the deadline for community members to donate $25 each to match a $5,000 grant-making challenge from Meenal and Kris Kelkar. “We need 100 people to donate $25. Step…

Bilingual report: Enedina Castañeda to perform Aug. 20 at Expo México Emprende Los Angeles 2011

Santa Maria Valley educator Enedina Castañeda will be performing her poetry at the Expo México Emprende Los Angeles 2011, at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 a the Los Angeles Convention Center. Jose Luis Rojas, Mexican singer and song writer, will…

Tour de Dreams comes to CSU Channel Islands on Aug. 19

Dreamers without borders will host the Tour de Dreams with a potluck BBQ, discussion, live DJ and Dance at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19 at CSU Channel Islands at the Student Union Treehouse Courtyard. The Tour de Dreams will be…

Lacayo celebrating 80th birthday on Aug. 20

Henry “Hank” Lacayo will celebrate his 80th birthday at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 during the “Hank Lacayo 80th Birthday Tribute & HLI Fundraiser at Spanish Hills Country Club, 999 Crestview Ave., Camarillo. Join us in celebrating Hank’s lifetime of…

Clubes Zacatecanos celebrar treceavo aniversario 20 de Agosto

La Organizacion de Clubes Zacatecanos del Condado de Ventura los invita “A Celebrar su Treceavo Aniversario — Certamen Seõrita Zacatecas 2011-2012,” 6 pm a 12 am. domingo, 20 de Agosto del 2011, Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel, 2010 Mandalay Beach Road,…

Latino Links: Political trends

Rick Perry may have a challenge convincing Latinos to support him after the Texas governor announced on Aug. 13 that he was entering the race for the 2012 Republican nomination. Writer Yolanda Gonzalez Gomez reports in the Huffington Post that…

De Colores fundraiser set for Aug. 13 in Santa Paula

The first fundraiser of the year for the De Colores Arts Festival will be held from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 at Los Arcos Restaurant, 978 E. Main St., Santa Paula. The event features Mariachi Orgullo de Mexico,…

Danza Folklórícas de México celebrar 14 de Agosto

Danzas Folklórícas de Méxîco de la Federacíon de Clubes Unidos Mexícanos, 1 a 5 p.m. domingo, 14 de Agosto, Pacifica High School, 600 E. Gonzales Road, Oxnard. Con “La Guadalupana” de Club Copándaro, Michoacán; “Los Huehues” de Tlaxcala; “Los Diablitos”…

Clubes Zacatecanos celebrar treceavo aniversario 14 de Agosto

La Orgaizacion de Clubes Zacatecanos de Condado de Ventura los invitar “A Celebrar su Treceavo Aniversario,” con presentacion de vestido regional, 2 p.m. a 5 p.m. domingo, 14 de Agosto del 2011, Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, (Ventura…

MICOP seeking donations for ‘Operation Backpack’

The Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project is seeking donations for “Operation Backpack,” its 2011 backpack drive. Backpacks filled with school supplies will be donated to children of indigenous farmworkers. MICOP is seeking supply-packed backpacks (scissors, crayons, pens, pencils, etc.) or cash to…

Reservations due Aug. 10 for SCE’s ENLACES Latino Community Forum

Southern California Edison will present the “2011 ENLACES Latino Community Forum and Capacity-Building Workshop” from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12 at Casa Lopez Restuarant, 325 So. A St., Oxnard, El Concilio Family Services reported this week. The…

Breakfreee.org free financial seminar on Aug. 9 in Oxnard

Breakfreee.org is sponsoring free sessions on finances from 6 to 8 p.m. the second Tuesday (Aug. 9) and the fourth Thursday (Aug. 25) of each month at 415 W. Fifth St., Oxnard (6 to 7 p.m. by appointment and 7 to 8 p.m. for…

Sk805 skate, arts competition set for Aug. 20 in Oxnard

Arts for Action is presenting “Sk805 — Skateboarding and Board Design Competition” from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 at Oxnard’s Skate Park off of Rose Avenue. The event features local and professional artists and skaters will include an…

Commentary: Searching For Aztlán—Part III

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor On April 3, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, Martin Luther King gave, in retrospect, an eerily prophetic speech that hinted at his assassination one day later. He also appeared to shred the veil between our perceived…

Hensley to be honored Aug. 3

Jim Hensley of Jim Hensley Information Service, which produces a weekly “Events Log,” will be honored at the 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3 weekly Stress, Health and Longevity class, held at 702 County Square Drive, Ventura, in the Cabrillo Economic…

The real models to roll with…

        Picture this: Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Snookie, The Kardashians, The Girls of the Playboy Mansion… as our current role models. Don’t our young people deserve better than learning about bizarre sex scandals, open promiscuity, drugs and…

Commentary: Searching for Aztlán, Part II

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor In my article last week, the first regarding the search for Aztlán, I mentioned that I first heard about this mysterious place during my college years. Since I was an engineering major, and not a…

Latino Links: Economic trends

Median household wealth among Hispanics fell by 66 percent from $18,359 in 2005 to $6,325 in 2009, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends project. That was the largest percentage drop for any racial…

Commentary: Why write?

By Mona AlvaradoFrazier/ Guest contributor Today was one of those days when I just didn’t want to write. It was chilly outside my warm blankets and overcast. My character, Juana Maria, pobrecita, had just received a letter from her mother-in-law, Mrs.…

Poet Enedina Castañeda to speak at July 23 conference

Santa Maria educator and poet Enedina Castañeda, author of Del Puño y Mente de Una Mujer… Poemas, will speak at the seminario “El Desafío de Triunfar,” at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23 at the Holiday Inn, 14299 Firestone Blvd., La Mirada.…

Tickets available for Aug. 6 Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival

Tickets are now available for the Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival concert at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6 at the Santa Barbara Bowl. The event features Pedro Fernandez, Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan and Mariachi Los Toros. Tickets are $48.50, $58.50 and $83.50.…

Latino Links: Demographic trends

Births have overtaken immigration as the main driver of Hispanic population growth in the United States, the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, D.C. reported recently. In a story on www.msnbc.com, the center found that the Mexican-American population grew by 7.2…

Taller de Lenguas Indígenas 19-21 de julio en la Universidad de Channel Islands

“Me permito informar a la comunidad que en el Taller de Lenguas Indígenas que se realizará en la Universidad de Channel Islands, CA., se inscribieron cerca de 70 personas. “La finalidad del taller es conocer la riqueza de las Lenguas Indígenas de México, apoyar…

Commentary: The importance of place

By Boyd Lemon / Guest contributor I was born in Alhambra, California, 9 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, and at the age of 63 I hadn’t strayed far across L.A. to the west side. For many years I felt…

Commentary: Dealing with prejudice

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor Prejudice has not been a major problem in my life — at least as far as I know. I’ve brushed against it throughout my lifetime, as we all have in one form or another, whether…

Commentary: So you want to write

By Mona AlvaradoFrazier / Guest contributor There is a saying that “everyone has a story,” and that is true, but few know how to translate stories into books for readers. What motivates a person to write? What are the tips and…

Amada Irma Perez to unveil new book on July 12

Amada Irma Perez will unveil her new book and give a presentation at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 12 at the Pleasant Valley Senior Center, 1605 Burnley St., Camarillo. For more information, call Kathleen Kaiser at 805.524.6970. *** Amada Irma Perez…

Bilingual report: Mexican Consulate posts video of photographic exhibit

The Mexican Consulate in Oxnard has posted a video on the photographic exhibit on immigration by José Hernández Claire — “Exodo Natcional,” featuring images from Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. *** José Hernández Claire literalmente retrata estas historias…

Latino Links: Media Trends

Biculturalism is a key to understanding the advertising, marketing and media consumption habits of Latinos in the United States, according to a recent study by Horowitz Associates. In its annual FOCUS: Latino Report, 18 percent of those Latinos surveyed identified…

Gran Kermes benefit set for July 10 in Port Hueneme

Club Social Potrero de Gallegos will present the “Gran Kermes” to benefit the remodeling of the church from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 10 at Casa de Chuy,  665 Pearson Road, Port Hueneme. Event features food, entertainment by DJ…

Commentary: Eating in the 805 (and the rest of America)

By Boyd Lemon / Guest contributor I recently returned from living in Paris for about a year.  Of course, everyone raves about French food, but we have great chefs here in the United States. Is it really true that French…

Commentary: On Becoming An “Old Guy”

By David Magallanes/ Guest contributor The Fourth of July was a glorious summer day in Ventura, as are many summer days in our coastal county region. But the Fourth was particularly joyful for me because I was able to spend the…

‘A Better Life’ opening July 8 in Oxnard

A powerful film called A Better Life, with an all-Latino cast and already garnering positive reviews, may not be seen by millions of Latinos unless we take action and get the word out, Miguel Orozco of Nueva Vista Media reported in a…

Healthy community forum set for July 9

The Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, the Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, Future Leaders of America and other organizations will present “Raising healthy kids and healthy communities: A community action forum,” from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July…

Día de las Comidas set for July 8 in Santa Barbara

Día de las Comidas, a benefit for Hospice of Santa Barbara’s Hispanic Family Services, will be held at various times and restaurants in Santa Barbara.  Locations are Carlitos Café y Cantina, 1324 State St. in Santa Barbara, 805.962.7117; Cava Restaurant &…

CSUCI’s Lacayo Institute receives $25,000 grant from AT&T

The Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo Institute for Workforce & Community Studies (HLI) at California State University, Channel Islands, recently received a grant for $25,000 from AT&T, the university reported Wednesday in a media release. The grant will fund a Telecommunications/Technology Literacy/Workforce…

Ventura Film Festival opens July 8

The 2011 Ventura Film Festival, which features more than 250 films and screenplays from more than 25 countries around the world, takes place over 11 days from July 8-18 in five theaters. The festival includes an opening night dinner with Academy…

Commentary: Hey, let’s blame the President!

By David Magallanes/ Guest contributor This is my first foray into anything remotely political. I know that writing political articles is like touching that third rail: I’m asking to be “fried.”  That’s not a typo; I don’t think I’m going to…

A weekend filled with art

Events coming up on July 1 in Oxnard, San Luis Obispo From the artists of tomorrow to established artists in the north 805 region, this Fourth of July weekend will offer visitors a wide variety of works to examine. El Concilio…

Commentary: What’s “The Big Deal?”

By Mona AlvaradoFrazier/ Guest contributor Michele Serros fans, mark your calendars. Lulu y Mucha present a Lucy Rodriguez film based on a short story from Serros’ book “How to Be a Chicana Role Model.” It debuts at the Ventura Film Festival,…

Supporters attend Zaragoza reelection breakfast

A group of more than 500 supporters, including local business owners, elected officials, labor representatives and community leaders joined together at Casa Lopez in Oxnard to celebrate the opening event to re-elect John Zaragoza to the Ventura County Board of…