Hispanic survival at Texas ‘Christian’ college: White wash (video)


Why did Samantha Granado cover herself with white wash and post the video online? Here’s the explanation she shared on Vimeo:

I was inspired by the idea of an institutional critique based on my personal experience as a Hispanic female student at TCU. My performance was documented as a short film in which emphasizes the emotional and physical transformation I have endured these past years within the “TCU bubble,” an environment that prevents minorities from feeling included and embraced within the community.

Can a Day of the Dead skull blowing bubbles sell more burritos? (video)


Kingston University (UK) Product and Furniture Design students Milo and Hannah conducted a controlled experiment to see if a motorized remote-controlled Dia de los Muertos sugar skull that also blows bubbles could drum up more business for a local burrito stand, Mighty Burrito & Co. You won’t believe what happened next! (Día De Las Burbujas = Day of the Bubbles.)

Mas…Can a Day of the Dead skull blowing bubbles sell more burritos? (video)

Here’s what I thinko about Cinco in one ranty, illustrated post

chipssalsa
White folks in sombreros and serapes.
Spanglish beer commercials every few minutes. Yup, pretty ridiculous, señor.

I agree with most of my friend Gustavo Arellano:

He says it’s ridiculous, only serves some limited purposes as far as educating about the evils of Imperialism, or the promotion of self-determination, y todo eso. Battle of Puebla my ear. Sure. OK, guey.

However, I think Gustavo misses one big fat burrito-sized point:

We’ve got to celebrate with the holidays we have,
not the holidays we want

Mas…Here’s what I thinko about Cinco in one ranty, illustrated post

Born in the USA: The secret downside of espeaking Spanglish

primos“Wow, it’s so cool you can speak Spanish,” people tell me after they hear me on the phone with my mom.

I say thanks and try to shrug it off, but I worry that letting them think that gives a mistaken impression.

I mean, yes. I can speak Spanish.

My parents taught me Spanish when I was growing up in California because it was the only language they had to give.

Like a lot of children of immigrants, I grew up in a Mexican immigrant bubble – my tias and tios spoke only Spanish. My baby primos spoke Spanish with me when we watched Plaza Sesamo and ate conchitas.

Mas…Born in the USA: The secret downside of espeaking Spanglish

Pocho Ocho top reasons Child of the 60s The Donald is so Donald

trumpheadroomAfter POCHO’s Dennis Wilen AKA Comic Saenz finally came clean about his history with UPenn classmate Donald Trump, we’ve learned more about the events that turned a Child of the 60s into the bitter meng he is today.

Here are the Pocho Ocho Top Reasons Child of the 60s The Donald is so Donald:

8. Still heartbroken and resentful after the end of a passionate love affair with UPenn boyfriend, Afro-Mexican exchange student Mumia Abu-Fuentes.

7. Childhood backyard “fort” overrun by kids playing “Viet Cong.”

6. Kicked out of Wharton School MEChA for attempted “firing” of Cesar Chavez.

Mas…Pocho Ocho top reasons Child of the 60s The Donald is so Donald

PochOpinion: Here’s what I thinko about Cinco

chipssalsaWhite folks in sombreros and serapes. Spanglish beer commercials every few minutes. Yup, pretty ridiculous, señor.

I agree with most of my friend Gustavo Arellano’s Cinco de Mayo video rant, mas o menos.

He says it’s ridiculous, only serves some limited purposes as far as educating about the evils of Imperialism, or the promotion of self-determination, y todo eso. Battle of Puebla my ear. Sure. OK, guey.

However, I think Gustavo misses one big fat Manuel’s El Tepeyac Hollenbeck Burrito-sized point:

We’ve got to celebrate with the holidays we have,
not the holidays we want

Mas…PochOpinion: Here’s what I thinko about Cinco

Gustavo Arellano at ASU: The Glories of the Arizona Latino

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POCHO amigo Gustavo Arellano (he's the ¡Ask A Mexican! guy and editor of the O.C. Weekly) delivered this keynote speech at Arizona State University's biannual Hispanic Convocation Wednesday. The photo (below) shows him at his day job.

Gracias, Arizona State, for asking me to be this year’s Hispanic Convocation keynote. I’m sure it’s a mercy offering to UCLA, after your Sun Devils demolished my Bruins this year in football. No hard feelings–hey, at least we both kicked the nalgas of USC this season, right?

When I announced that I was giving a speech here today, congratulations came from across the country. But also invading my inbox were the inevitable insults–not toward me, but toward the state of Arizona. “Don’t forget to take your papers!” was the most obvious dig. “Watch out for Sheriff Arpaio!” was another one–that one I took to heart, because he did have my former bosses at the New Times arrested a couple of years back. But the slams that I found especially egregious were those that insisted I shouldn’t bother coming to this so-called evil estado in the first place.

Mas…Gustavo Arellano at ASU: The Glories of the Arizona Latino

Dreams Without Borders: I am going to grad school in London

nancylandaOn August 5 I launched a fundraising effort which I named Dreams Without Borders.

It is about a dream that had been buried along with many other aspirations for some time. After graduating from college when residing in the U.S., I knew I wanted to earn a graduate degree.

I had not figured out exactly what I would pursue but I was sure it had to be aligned with my life purpose; a work in progress that was halted the day I returned to Mexico.

Nancy Landa was brought to the U.S. without papers when she was a child and grew up in Southern California. She graduated with honors from Cal State Northridge where she also served as student body president. And then she was deported. She introduced herself in this POCHO story.

Some of us experience life-altering moments, those in which we see our dreams fall into pieces right in front of us. In my case, a border became the physical and emotional barrier to a future I had once envisioned.

Some of my friends encouraged me to look for options to continue my education in Mexico. Given that it was my country of nationally, it was assumed I would be able to pursue opportunities I was not easily afforded as an undocumented immigrant in the United States. Right?

Mas…Dreams Without Borders: I am going to grad school in London