Chicano Literature - New book Latina Mistress takes place in El Paso

Floricanto Press Book takes place in EPT

Latina Mistress by R.F. Sánchez (978-0-915745-91-3. 332 pgs. $24.95)

This story is about young and pretty illegal alien women in El Paso, Texas, who unknowingly fall or conveniently acquiesce to the sexual demands of their male employers, who most happen to be Anglo Americans.

Much what has been written about El Paso and the southwest is about its history, its settlers, its movers and its heroes.

Latina Mistress, however, is about ordinary people, illegal aliens, their loves, hates, beliefs, and more importantly their circumstances. The events which take place in the novel intersect the Hispanic and Anglo worlds, with their own good and evil characters.

This novel follows the long tradition of historical fiction in the sense that all the anecdotes told here are actually true, although the names have been changed to protect the guilty. The author gathered these very human stories through years of observation as well as personal experience and much research.

The author and his wife, Helen, actually knew personally Berta, one of the tragic heroines of this novel. He also interviewed scores of males and females of both cultures attesting to the accuracy of the story.

What is a young and beautiful illegal alien to do to survive two alien worlds, the Hispanic and Anglo worlds, with their own good and evil characters? The answer is shivering in its clarity: whatever is required. This novel depicts the dramatic lives of two beautiful sisters, both illegal aliens, and how some people take advantage of their weakness and their sex.

In this sense this novel is a classic tale of what has always occurred with the disadvantaged all along; the powerful taking advantage of the weaker and more disadvantaged members of society.

Although the novel starts with the arrival of the two pretty young women in the United States, dramatic events unleashed, which change the lives of these women.

Some of these circumstances are simply traumatic, others are downright heart-breaking, and some others are happy events, which they must undergo before setting roots in this country.

As in real life, not every immigrant coming to the United States makes it, in this novel; Rosario did, but not her sister, Berta. Some characters in this novel are truly lovable, others quite detestable; all nevertheless are quite human.

The reader weeps at times, is angry at times, rejoices at times, but at the close you will find a new meaning for what is meant for a Latina Mistress.

www.floricantopress.com

MultiRacial Justice’s Shades of Power

From Elizabeth (Betita) Martinez, editor

For 5 years, the Institute for MultiRacial Justice in San Francisco published a newsletter called SHADES OF POWER.

With the goal of helping to build alliances between communities of color, every issue of SHADES OF POWER contained articles, poems, raps, photos, drawings, etc. about alliance-building.

It was a unique newsletter, used by teachers, youth activists, anti--racist organizations and others to advance discussion, debate, and new efforts related to alliance-building and combating the divisiveness that holds back social justice work so often today.

The collection will appeal to the eye as well as the mind, with a beautiful cover, an Introduction about how to use it, a Table of Contents, all the issues, and an Index.

You can order it from the Institute for $10.00 plus $2.00 for shipping. Call or email the Institute now: i4mrj@aol.com or (415)701-9502 to order your copy.

Thank you, and venceremos!
Elizabeth (Betita) Martinez, editor

Sabbaticals for Long-Time Activists of Color

Fellowship Award Raised to $25,000

Beginning in 2007, Alston/Bannerman Fellows will receive an award of $25,000 to support sabbaticals of three months or more.
Deadline for Applications is December 15

For the 2007 Fellowships, applications must be postmarked by December 15, 2006.

Information: http://www.alstonbannerman.org/index.html

2006 Fellows: http://www.alstonbannerman.org/2006fellows.html

Corruption in Cuba

The University of Texas Press and Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez have published CORRUPTION IN CUBA: Castro and Beyond. This is a comprehensive analysis of corruption in Cuba, and prescriptions for

minimizing it in the post-Castro era.

http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/books/diacor.html

Al Soto to give Tumblewords Workshop in EPT

Where:

Memorial Park Public Library 3200 Copper Avenue (915) 566-1034

When:

All events are Saturday afternoons from 12:45 to 2:45

Cost:

Free, but donations accepted

Contact:

Donna J. Snyder (915) 328-5484 tumblewordsproject@yahoo.com or Ken Kenyon kenktx@aolcom (915) 490-6672

Oct 28 Al Soto From the Visionary Poets to the Beats

Soto manages several Chicano/Latino/Mexicano cultural and political electronic bulletin boards. He recently was a panelist in the Epiphany Events Literary Festival, and presented several creative writing workshops in the Tumblewords Project. Soto’s work has been published in Chrysalis 2004, Muse II and Muse III, and others poems are forthcoming. Professionally he works as a business consultant and teaches entrepreneurship.

By avocation, he strives to facilitate the development of developing writers, artists, and film makers. As such, he is active in Tumblewords Project, Meta4, and various other literary groups, as well as slams and open mikes in the area. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Soto’s hobbies include flying light and ultralight airplanes, Aztlan history and myths from around the world, as well as rejuvenating at local area hot springs.

Joe Olvera and Onate’s Left Foot

Check out this wonderful article by Joe Olvera on The Newspaper Tree. Click HERE to read.

Granados on Freddy Fender

I guess I missed this in the EP Times, but CLICA sent it over to us: Author Christine Granados, whose most recent book is titled "Brides and Sinners in El Chuco," sent her thoughts on the death of Freddy Fender:

http://www.elpasotimes.com/breakingnews/ci_4500155