From the weblog of Luis J. Rodriguez:

All good things must come to an end. Today, I ended my week of guest hosting on the Front Page talk show with Dominique Di Prima on KJLH-102.3 FM. It was a wonderful experience. According to Dominique, I was the first Latino guest host on the show. I commend her and KJLH for having me and allowing me this opportunity to speak on some crucial issues confronting both the African American and Mexican/Latino community.

Yesterday, I was able to address key concerns about Black & Brown unity—including the value of working together when the interests of our communities converge. It’s not about unity for unity’s sake. We have common issues of poverty, bad schools, bad police relations, gangs, domestic abuse, disproportionate health problems, and disproportionate rates in prisons. We cannot move fully forward in these areas unless we forge important strategic aims and actions mutually beneficial to both communities.

It must be a principled and purposeful unity, not a makeshift or superficial one.

I’ve had a lifetime of working in this area. Including from living in South Central LA as a child, then working on police abuse actions with people like Michael Zinzun, may he rest in peace, to the coalition for Harold Washington for Mayor in Chicago (I lived there from 1985 until 2000), and the work I’ve currently done for many years with gang intervention/prevention and street peace, particularly in Chicago and LA.

Even now, as we move to bring developmental and policy changes in the poor working class community of Pacoima in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, which has a large Mexican/Latino population and a significant African American population, I’m involved in a Community Benefits Agreement process with the old Price Pfister Brass Foundry site that is slated to become a new mall/park/community gathering place. I’m also working through Tia Chucha’s Bookstore and Cultural Center to bring in more diverse aesthetics to our current workshop, events, and cultural expressions with African Americans as well as other communities.

Today, we had Marqueese Dawson Hawkins of the Community Coalition in studio to speak on the Coalition’s work in South Los Angeles concerning the lack of clean and adequate grocery stores (many that came in after the 1992 Civil Unrest have now left), school exit exams, and more. The Coalition has had an organic Black and Brown organizing process since its inception.

Historically Mexicans and Central Americans (who are mostly of indigenous descent) and African Americans have a long history of slavery, peonage, colonialism, and capitalist exploitation. We have more in common as far as working for the advancement of economic, social, and cultural well being than differences. I understand that there is a lot of ignorance, prejudice, and fear in both communities about each other. I have condemned the racially-based attacks against Blacks by Latinos in Los Angeles and elsewhere, and whenever this happens to Latinos from Blacks. There is already enough hate in this world—I personally don’t want to contribute any more or do anything to perpetuate it.

In addition, Mexicans have African ties from when the Spanish first brought African slaves to Mexico in the 1500s. The Native population of Mexico was greatly and quickly decimated by wars, hunger, tortures, and disease. The Valley of Mexico—the most populous area in the hemisphere before the Spanish arrived—had an estimated 25 million inhabitants when Cortez and his conquistadors first set foot there in 1519. In 50 years, only 2.5 million survived. In fact, most of the continent lost from 80 to 95 percent of their populations shortly after the Europeans came. The Spanish numbers reached a height of 150,000 during the colonial period; African slaves were believed to number around 300,000. In addition, some 100,000 Malaysians (from the Spanish colonies of the Philippines and other Asian areas) were also brought in.

In fact, Mexico had the first recorded African slave uprising in the Americas in 1546. Later rebellious slaves established the first free African pueblo in the Western Hemisphere in 1609. It was called Yanga, located in the present-day state of Vera Cruz, Mexico.

A leader of the Mexican war of independence from Spain in 1820 was Vicente Ramon Guerrero—an African-Mexican. He also became Mexico’s second president (Benito Juarez, of Zapoteca Indian, became the first full-blooded native president in the 1860s). And then Mexico eventually lost Texas and later half of its national territory in the US invasion of 1848 after Mexico refused to return runaway slaves to US slave masters after Mexico had abolished slavery in the 1820s.

Still, with all this history, the remaining native population of Mexico is the main root and source of the Mexican character and makeup. Today there are 240 native languages in Mexico. Many of the newer so-called immigrants are coming from highly Native areas of central and southern Mexico, including tribal members of Mayans, Huicholes, Raramuri, Yaquis, Mixtecos, Zapotecas, and more. There are an estimated 2 million full-blooded Mayans in the US, almost as many as the whole Native American population (believed to number 3 million, with a majority of mixed blood). Many of these tribal peoples don’t even speak Spanish, let alone English.

Now things have turned on their heads. Now the brown-red indigenous peoples of these lands, with connections here that go back tens of thousands of years, have become the “foreigners,” “immigrants” and “illegals”—mostly by people of European descent who have only been in the US areas a little more than 300 years. This is how man-made and superficial borders, created by conquerors, colonialists and capitalists, have now determined who we are, our relationships, and who we unite with and who we fight with.

To find out more about this history, the racial/cultural make up of Mexico, and the African American/Mexican/Native connections, please look up the following publications:

Occupied America by Rudy Acuna
Anything but Mexican by Rudy Acuna
The Fifth Sun by James Russell
The American Holocaust by David Stannard
1491 by Charles Mann
Cycles of Conquest by Edward Spicer
Indian Givers by Jack Weatherford

This is a beginning list. There are so many great books and articles that spell out our common historical, cultural and strategic ties. On the World Wide Web, there are now many sites and informational links. It’s important for all of us to be armed with knowledge, books, history, and stories as we move forward to better all of our communities.

I also recommend, to those who are interested, to visit the website of Xispas Magazine; I am a co-founder and now editor of this online Chicano magazine. You can check it out at www.xispas.com.

A’ho.

From the weblog of Luis J. Rodriguez, March 26, 2007:

I’m glad to invite everyone to the grand opening of Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural this Saturday, March 31, from 4 to 8 PM. It will be at the new space that we’ve finally painted and organized after we were forced to vacate our old store/center in Sylmar (the new location is only 10 minutes away from there).

This will be an easy-going evening of food, poetry, raffles, and presentations by our instructors and some of their students from our various workshops, including Son Jarocho Mexican traditional music, Guitar, African Drumming, DJing, Reiki Healing, Danza Azteca, Mexikayotl Indigenous Cosmology, and more. Books will also be on sale as well as sign-ups for our events and workshops.

Your humble servant will be your host.

We will also be starting our regular schedule for “Noche Bohemias” (guitar, song, and poetry, mostly for our Spanish-speaking community), Open Mic (poetry, Hip Hop, Song for anyone), Film, and more (this schedule will be available on Saturday).

The new space is nice and clean, located at 10258 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace, CA 91340 (on the corner of Foothill and Wheatland, in front of the Number 91 Bustop). Our new phone number is 818-896-1479.

Please join us as we try to re-weave the amazing tapestry of song, dance, words, theater, art, and ideas that temporarily unraveled with our move. However, we have the regenerative power as community to start anew, to continue our important work, and to prepare for better days ahead. You’ll love our new space.

From a blog post by Luis J. Rodriguez at www.luisjrodriguez.com/blog/

Wow, we’ve had a crazy month – with the benefit event on February 17 that brought around 600 people (we also raised $10,000 – thanks to everyone) – and Tia Chucha’s move. Let me tell you—it’s extremely difficult to tear down a café, bookstore, and cultural center (it was hard enough to create it). My wife Trini organized the move, and she did an amazing job. The staff came through, beyond their hours, but we also had an army of volunteers. They packed boxes, moved furniture and heavy bookshelves, unhooked computers, and even tore down some of the Mayan wood motifs and other specialty wood items we had at the shop.

The hardest thing to move was the café stuff (refrigerators, water heaters, espresso machines, ice makers, display cases, and more had to be removed along with pipes and electrical lines). Most of this stuff went into storage, many of which we plan to sell (anyone interested, please contact us). Some of these things went to our new temporary location in Lake View Terrace. The new space is less than half the size of what the old space consisted of, so we won’t have a café, but we’ll have some books, our offices, a little storage, and a performance space (we’ll have some drinks for sale and hot water at least). More on this later.

Anyway, last Wednesday Trini turned in the keys. It was sad, heartbreaking really, considering how much money, work, love, and caring went into this space. But as we have been saying, Tia Chucha’s is not about any particular building or structure. It’s a spirit, an essential way to be alive, to be indigenous, to be active and conscious. We will take that spirit to the temporary location, and carry it forward until we create a new permanent or semi-permanent Tia Chucha’s in about two to three years.

It’s about knowing how to rise up stronger and more prepared out of any adversity and crisis, like the Phoenix renewed out of the ashes. It’s something we have to teach and model for our community, our youth, our families. We’re going to stay positive, hopeful. So we’re ready for our move, our next phase, our new beginnings.

Our resident Mexika Danza group, the staff, board members, and key volunteers held a beautiful ceremony last Tuesday, a day before we closed up everything. We buried some sacred medicine and other items near a tree in the back of the old space. We said prayers and a good many wonderful words about Tia Chucha’s – our impact, our importance, and the future. There were also many sentiments of thanks, so many thanks, for the blessings we’ve been bestowed and the community we’ve helped engender and grow.

Our new temporary location is at 10258 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace, CA 91342. Our new main number is 818-896-1479 and our fax number is 818-896-1489. However, we are not yet open. We will inform everybody about our opening date – we’ll have a new Grand Opening event – and our plans for future workshops, events, meetings.

I do want to remind everyone to keep May 19 on you calendar. That day we’ll hold our 2nd Annual “Celebrating Words: Written, Performed & Sung” Festival at Sylmar Park, free to the public (with poets, bands, speakers, booths, books, and more).

And to set aside July 29, 2007 for the “Tia Chucha Under the Stars: First Annual Celebration of Community & Culure” benefit to be held at the Ford Amphitheater – 2580 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90068 – from 6 PM to 8 PM. Our theme this year is “Si Se Puede/Yes We Can” and we’ll be joined by the bands Tierra, Ollin, Upground, and others. We’ll have poetry by John Densmore of the Doors and Luis Rodriguez, the Chicano comedy group, Culture Clash, and our host will be comedian Ernie G. Our Azteca Danza group will open the event and Power 106 DJs will be on hand for music and entertainment. Tickets are $30. You can get more information at the Ford Box Office at 323-461-3673 or go to our website at www.tiachucha.com.

[ On January 9th, 2007, Luis J. Rodriguez, the co-founder and creative director of Tia Chucha's Cafe & Centro Cultural, gave us the following sad news, Tia Chucha’s Café at its present location is closing - permanently. Here's Rodriguez's statement on the closing: ]

“Tia Chucha’s must move–but our Spirit, Creativity, and Unity are intact. Just after the holidays, Tia Chucha’s Cafe & Cultural Center was served with a notice forcing us to move. We have to leave by February 28, 2007. A powerfully energized and thriving bookstore/cafe/performance space/cultural center is to be replaced by high-tech laundry machines. The laundry company is apparently investing $8 million in the strip mall, something we can’t compete with.

Maintain a vibrant community space? Of course not! Instead, make way for another laundry outlet! That’s capitalism. Money follows money, not needs, not literacy, not community, or cultural expression. In the world we’ve inherited, most creativity and expression has to make big money, or it’s out.

We created a space that requires a lot of personal and community investment. The community came to embrace Tia Chucha’s and make this space its own. We plan to take the spirit, creativity, and unity we helped nurture to a temporary site as we plan and prepare to obtain a larger permanent site in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. This is a time to come together, strategize, and work to keep Tia Chucha’s viable as a cultural center while we explore our options. We will not give up. We will find a temporary space; we will also curtail our retail operations while we concentrate on our programming, events, outreach, fundraising, and growth.

We ask that you strengthen our efforts and sign this petition in support of Tia Chucha’s coming back stronger, bigger, and better endowed than ever (Editor’s Note: The petition is only available at the Cafe - but you can e-mail letters of support to the address given below.) We need this written support to show the various developers; city, county, and state agencies; and foundations that this community will fight for the arts, music, dance, theater, writing, film, publishing, and a vital gathering place where we can share ideas, history, politics, economics, and our indigenous traditions and thinking.

Our strategy this year includes implementing a fundraising plan with a 5th Anniversary event at Tia Chucha’s on February 17 . We will also have another “Celebrating Words: Written, Performed & Sung” festival at Sylmar Park on May 19. And we have been approved to do a benefit event for Tia Chucha’s at the Ford Amphitheater in Hollywood on July 29. Sign up for our e-mail newsletter, or call 818-362-7060 for more information.”

Bert Green Fine Art presents, Smoking Mirror, a solo exhibition by Ecuadorian artist Eduardo Villacis which posits an alternative history following the landing of Columbus on the shores of the Americas. Instead of a European conquest of Aztec culture, Villacis envisions Columbus taken prisoner, his navigational tools examined and used to embark on an adventure to subdue and colonize a new world which will be renamed “Amexica.” Yes, the Aztecs conquer Europe in the year 1493 after encountering Columbus in 1492.

Villacis’ installation is a mock historical museum, complete with artworks, artifacts, and historical fragments of a vanquished people who once called their land “U-rop.” With his ambitious project, the artist reflects on racism and the manipulation of religious beliefs as ideologies of conquest and as tools of deceit. A full color, 36 page catalog will be available at the exhibition. Smoking Mirror opens with an Artist’s Reception on Thursday, January 11, 6 - 9 pm, and the exhibit runs until March 24, 2007. Bert Green Fine Art is located at, 102 West 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Phone: 213-624-6212. Web site, www.bgfa.us

For those Angelinos who missed the Oct. 28th Dia de los Muertos festivities at L.A.’s famous Hollywood Forever Cemetery, there’s always next year - but did you ever miss the greatest of all celebrations! This most glorious of all Day of the Dead observances here in L.A., where the photos accompanying this post were taken, was attended by upwards of ten thousand walking dead, with art and craft booths, troupes of folk and Aztec Dancers, art shows and hundreds of altars to the dearly departed - including a beautiful altar to Johnny, Joey, and Dee Dee of the Ramones! (Johnny is actually buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.)

“The indigenous cultures have always had celebrations to rejoin with all those who have departed from this world, usually around the autumn equinox. This is an opportunity to make the children aware of their past (self, familiar and communal.) In the Mexica tradition we elaborate altars, which display precious objects and dishes that have relationship with those being remembered. Children will, as expected, be puzzled about those objects and will ask, that is our chance to have them acquainted with their history; and prepared them for the difficulties ahead in order to have a good, long life though the stories about the live and death of their ancestors; all that in a joyful dancing and singing celebration about life and death. Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc Mexica Dance Group, invites you, to celebrate Día de los Muertos at Parque de Mexico - corner of North Main y North Mission in Lincoln Heights (L. A.). Wednesday Nov 1st from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. Join us, build your own altar or bring an offering, picture etc.”

Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc will be holding other ceremonies across Southern Califas, from Baldwin Park and Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley and Ventura county. Call (213) 481 8265 for more information.

Miccailhuitontli - Spirit of the Children: In celebration of Día de los Niños, is a most unusual Day of the Dead art exhibit. An event rooted in the ancient histories and folk traditions of Mexico, Day of the Dead has become a popular occasion in the City of Los Angeles. In presenting the Spirit of the Children exhibit, Avenue 50 Studio reemphasizes the principal meaning behind the observance - that of a heartfelt commemoration and celebration of the dead. And to widen the appreciation of the custom, making it relevant and understood by all - Ave 50 internationalized the theme by focusing on the children of the world. Artists in the exhibit have created works that commemorate, celebrate and mourn children and youth from around the globe who have died an untimely death from preventable disease, gang violence, abuse, and the horrors of war.

Miccailhuitontli - Spirit of the Children continues through November 6, 2006, and features artists, Edith and Rob Abeyta, Roberto L. Delgado, Kathi Flood, Clement Hanami, David Andrés Kietzman, Betsy Lohrer Hall, Ricardo Munoz, John Paul Thornton, and Mark Vallen. Avenue 50 Studio is located at 131 North Avenue 50, in Highland Park, CA 90042. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 12 noon; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more information, visit the gallery’s website, at: www.avenue50studio.com

CHICANO: Pronouncing Diversity is an exhibition celebrating the artworks of over forty established and emerging Chicano artists from across the greater Los Angeles area. Curated by Gilbert “Magú” Luján, the exhibit presents art refering to a complex cultural diversity and the process of constructive dialogue among artists.

The exhibit opens with an Artist’s Reception on Saturday Sept. 9th, 2006. 3 to 7 pm. The exhibit’s opening will feature by a sound art installation designed by the curator, as well as the music of the music Conjunto Los Pochos. Come and share in the food, drink, discussion and surprises! The exhibit runs from September 9th to November 4th, 2006, at the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock California - 2225 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. 90041. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays, 10 am to 3 pm. Click here for more information on the exhibit, including a map giving directions to the Center.

An exhibit that explores the artists and images of labor in California.

THE PICO HOUSE GALLERY
424 North Main Street. LA, California, 90012.At Olvera Street’s, El Pueblo Historical Monument.

The At Work exhibition features many of California’s most noted artists. It is a combination of original artwork from contemporary artists, such as Yolanda Lopez, Malaquias Montoya, Ester Hernandez, Don Normark, Mark Vallen, Jos Sances and Slobodon Dimitrov, and also includes high quality reproductions of historical works by noted artists Diego Rivera, Dorothea Lange, Tina Modotti and many others. This broad range of art and artists provides a dialog between political motives and aesthetic aspirations that occurred throughout the 20th century and continue today.

OPENING RECEPTION
Saturday June 17th, 2006. 7-10 pm

ARTWORKS BY: Armando Arorizo, David Avalos, Marion Barkus, Javier Bautista, Richard Bermack, Judy Branfman, Armando Cabrera, Barbara Carrasco, Claude Clark, Robbie Conal, Michael Connor, Jose Cortez, Richard Duffy, Ernesto de la Loza, Sergio de la Torre, Pele de Lappe, Slobodon Dimitrov, Francisco Dominguez, El Taller Gráfico, Christina Fernandez, Emilio Flores, Jamey Garza, Louise Gilbert, Daniel Gonzalez, Michael Gurka, Harman Press, Ester Hernandez, Louise Hock, Consuela Kanaga, Dorothea Lange, Andrea Long, Yolanda Lopez, Fletcher Martin, Nicole Miller, Doug Minkler, Tina Modotti, Malaquias Montoya, Julio Morales, Cathy Murphy, Leonard Nadel, Don Normark, Gil Ortiz, Emmy Lou Packard, Giacomo Patri, Peace Press, Sheila Pinkel, Red Pepper Posters, Diego Rivera, Jos Sances, Allan Sekula, Henrietta Shore, Herbert Sigüenza, Elizabeth Sisco, Zolita Sverdove, Sylvaín, Mark Vallen, Steve Wong, Andrew Zermeño.

At Work: The Art of California Labor, is the first exhibition to explore this important topic through the eyes of artists who witnessed or were inspired by some of the most significant trends and events in the history of the 20th Century. The exhibit delivers a powerful examination of California’s rich and tumultuous labor history since the turn of the 20th century. From the conditions that led to the rise of organized labor, to the farm workers movement and contemporary issues facing workers, including globalization, the exhibit explores the people, events and movements that have defined and continue to shape the state. This compilation of images offers surprising insights into one of the most fundamental components of our daily lives - work - and shows how our collective identity has evolved over time.

Related Free Public Programs:

OPENING RECEPTION: Pico House Gallery, June 17, 2006 7-10 PM with live music by Son Real.

ARTIST’S PANEL DISCUSSION: Pico House Gallery, Get The Picture?! Art & Social Change. A panel discussion and slide show featuring artist Mark Vallen and photographers Sheila Pinkel and Slobodan Dimitrov. Saturday, July 15, 6-9 PM.

FILM SCREENING: 125 Paseo de la Plaza (plaza area), Salt of the Earth, Friday, July 28, 7:45 PM.

For more info on the exhibit, including previews of art, event schedules, and maps to the gallery: www.art-for-a-change.com/exhibits/atwork.htm

Pico House Gallery, 424 North Main Street, Los Angeles, 90012Phone: (213) 485-6855. Open daily 10 am - 3 pm.

The following is from the South Central Farmers on June 13, 2006 with an update on today’s police action against the farm

Greetings!

For the highest readability, start your letter with a short sentence.The Farm is being Bulldozed! Let’s not mourn but continue to fight for its life and the livelihood of the South Central Farmers! Over 50 arrests have been made, a few demonstrators have suffered blows from batons and the bulldozers were sent in to demolish the blooming crops, indigenous plants and 14 years of love that have been put into the farm. We are continuing to stand strong with tears in our eyes. It is not over yet! The community cannot be defeated. Join us to peacefully protest the police attack on our community. A candlelight vigil will be held tonight at 7:00pm as we have for 21 nights at the Farm. There is police perimeter set up so be respectful of that barrier for your safety and the safety of the rest of the community. We want safety for our families and the land to be returned to the community. We are gathered at the corner of 41st St & Long Beach Ave. Los Angeles, CA. -please bring candles and supplies such as water or food to share as we have been dispossessed. A demonstration at the mayor’s house is also being organized simultaneously with the vigil at the Farm. Here’s the info: At 7pm tonight we will be gathering at Villaraigosa’s house in protest of the actions taken by the state against the community today. Bring banners, instruments, chants and signs. What: PROTEST/VIGIL AT ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA’S HOUSE When: 7pm today, Tuesday Where: the “mayor’s mansion” 605 S. Irving St., LA (In Hancock Park near Wilton and Wilshire) JOIN US IN EXUBERANT SHOW OF PEOPLE’S POWER AND OUTRAGE AGAINST THOSE BEHIND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FARM! Thank you for all your support and dedication to the struggle of the South Central Farmers. -South Central Farmers Support Coalition

www.southcentralfarmers.com
Mr. Tezozomoc
South Central Farmers