Civismo

In a couple days, Antonio Villaraigosa will have been mayor of Los Angeles for two months. So far, everyone I speak to is hopeful about his tenure, excited about his leadership, and eager to see what unfolds as he becomes more comfortable in his new position.

Before becoming mayor of the 2nd largest city in the U.S., Antonio served as my City Councilman, and everyone in my neighborhood of Hillside Village in Northeast Los Angeles continues to be pleased with his activism and general energy.

Despite the generous publicity Antonio has received from both national and international media, for many Chicanos in LA Antonio comes off very natural.

Antonio grew up in City Terrace, a neighborhood in the hills north of East LA, west of Monterey Park and southwest of Alhambra. His house was about three blocks away from mine. City Terrace is a great neighborhood with an awesome park, a very nice public library, and several community oriented elementary schools.

So when I returned from Mexico City in early July, I knew that I couldn't miss Antonio's inauguration in Downtown LA. So there I sat, another Chicano from East LA, feeling civic about my city....and pondering what the future held for Southern California in general, and the City of Angels in particular.  

Ostrich Mode

So we only have about a dozen days before Labor Day weekend comes and summer 05 begings to fade away. You have now been warned. Guard these final summer days like ostriches defending their eggs against the many dangers of the African savannah. Activate your ostrich mode, and you will surely look back on these final days of summer with joy and pleasure. Unless of course, the gasoline prices keep on rising.

I am sure every American paying today's gas prices is tempted by Hugo Chavez's recent offer to provide low cost petrol. See article below:

CNN Article published on Tuesday, August 23, 2005; Posted: 7:29 p.m. EDT (23:29 GMT)
Title: "Chavez offers cheap gas to poor in U.S."

HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, popular with the poor at home, offered on Tuesday to help needy Americans with cheap supplies of gasoline.

"We want to sell gasoline and heating fuel directly to poor communities in the United States," the populist leader told reporters at the end of a visit to Communist-run Cuba.

Chavez did not say how Venezuela would go about providing gasoline to poor communities. Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA owns Citgo, which has 14,000 gas stations in the United States.

The offer may sound attractive to Americans feeling pinched by soaring prices at the pump but not to the U.S. government, which sees Chavez as a left-wing troublemaker in Latin America.

Gasoline is cheaper than mineral water in oil-producing Venezuela, where consumers can fill their tanks for less than $2. Average gas prices have risen to $2.61 a gallon in the United States, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Chavez said Venezuela could supply gasoline to Americans at half the price they now pay if intermediaries who "speculated ... and exploited consumers" were cut out.

Venezuela supplies Cuba with generously financed oil and plans to help Caribbean nations foot their oil bills.

Chavez, in Cuba to attend the graduation of Cuban-trained doctors from 28 countries, was seen off at the airport by Cuban President Fidel Castro. Washington has accused the two leaders of being a destabilizing influence in South America.

Chavez and Castro offered to give poor Americans free health care and train doctors free of charge."


 

Lens Crafters @ the LBC

There are beer goggles and then there are Huracan glasses. It was great to see the old UCLA gang in full force at the LBC Yardhouse a couple weeks ago. Obviously, some of us have gotten new vision enhancing prescriptions, one way or another. Saludos from the LBC. Enjoy your summer, wherever you are this August. Don't let it slip you by too soon. 

Palmas en el Centro

Los Angeles in August is a great place to be. I cannot believe summer is almost over. Actually, some people argue that summer never leaves LA, it only takes a light nap in the winter and quickly wakes up in early March. But to commuters in Los Angeles, palm trees always grace our highways, whether we are in traffic or not. Most days are sunny, and every now and then we get a nice breeze from the Pacific Ocean to keep us from sweating. Viva SoCal.  

Las Torres de Satelite

Driving back into Mexico City from the landfill, I took the Periferico highway south. When you drive on this stretch of the highway, you see the Satelite Towers, five colored concrete slabs in the center divider. These "torres" are synonimous with the city of Satelite, a northern suburb of Mexico City.

For those familiar with the Mexico City music scene, the band Cafe Tacuba was formed in a garage in the Satelite neighborhood. Residents of Satelite are called many names, and one that they probably dislike but that most other Mexico City residents use in describing them is the term "sateluco." Satelucos drive to other parts of the city looking to hang out and enjoy more attractive parts of the metropolis. In Manhattan, they often refer to such people as the B&T crowd.

But I say, come one come all. The city is big enough for everyone.  

The Cocina Crew

My two colleagues, Haiko (in blue) and Daleth (in yellow), are pictured here with the volunteer staff of Manos de Ayuda. These women volunteer to make sure that dozens of children are able to enjoy a nice Mexican breakfast. The women are residents of the landfill community, and since the breakfasts are for children only, the nice perk of volunteering is that they too can enjoy a hearty breakfast.  

The AM Insiders

Many children benefit from the Manos de Ayuda center at this landfill community. They eat breakfast as christian music is played from the DVD player attached to the television. Because there are many children that come to these morning feasts, not all of them fit inside the room pictured here. So, Manos de Ayuda has several serving times to accommodate the crowds.

These kids were part of the AM insiders, the early birds who not only arrived for the first serving time, but also made it to the best seats in the house.

The two kids in the back of the room to the right of the television are extremely nice. The older sister kept pressuring her little brother to finish all his food. Unfortunately, the policy at the center is that no food can leave the premises. So children must finish all their food whether they are hungry or not at serving time.

When I talked to the older sister, she asked where I was from in the US. She smiled when she heard that I was from Los Angeles. And then she said that her father, who she had not seen in more than two years, had gone to Los Angeles. He sends her mother $30 dollars a week.  

The Breakfast Gatekeeper

Manos de Ayuda is a non-profit organization in Mexico City that receives substantial amounts of funding from Protestant groups in the United States. As a result, before entering the free-breakfast zone, children of this landfill community must first deal with the megaphone lady pictured here. She reads various bible verses and then conducts a morning prayer for the whole group. Her position as the gatekeeper to the inside should not be difficult to determine from this picture. She operates sort of like a bouncer, just that instead of focusing on your appearance, the line moves according to more spiritual factors.  

Quiero Chocomil y Que

The little girl on the right has great wit. She is very well spoken and is adamant about her linguistic patriotism. Here, she refused to ask for her "chocomil" in English. She told me that we were in Mexico, and that nobody could ever force her to speak English in her own country. Her defiance and stubborness are honorable. She is one of those children you know will grow up to become a leader, in some way or another. And for those reasons, I gladly made an exception to my English only policy and topped her off with more "chochomil."  

Chocomil en Ingles

The children at the landfill are very optimistic despite their daily challenges. Many of them joke around with each other all the time.

On this particular day, I only refilled their chocolate milk cups if they asked for the "chocomil" in English. This should not sound like some language imposition practice, but rather as an opportunity for many of these disadvantaged kids to show off their English language skills.

To my surprise, many of the children enjoyed this policy, allowing them to practice words and phrases like "good morning," "more please," and "thank you." English has found incredible ways to sneak up on many countries around the world. And Mexico is no exception.

Importantly, all jobs in the private arena and most in the public sector require English as a prerequisite for consideration. As a result, legions of posh Mexican families send their children to American and British academies established in Mexico decades ago, where their children are taught to speak English with impecable precision, often with such rigor that no accent is ever traceable. In fact, for some ultra elite Mexicans, American English is seen as such a vulgar and proleteriat form of speaking the language, that they specifically request for British instruction so that their children only speak English with a UK flair.

Unfortunately, those Mexican children that do not attend bilingual schools at an early age will live a life of constant catching up. Many of the children at this landfill have few opportunities to practice their English and to learn new phrases, like "chocolate milk."  

Up & Down

As you can see, I took full advantage of this landfill playground last May. The children at the Manos de Ayuda center enjoy this facility on a daily basis. The swings and slides offer a nice escape from the harsh realities of living in a place where running water, basic plumbing and heating are not immediate options.  

Little in Pink

This little girl in pink by the white trash can couldn't wait to be old enough to swing as high as I did. She was in the back of the breakfast line, waiting for the lady with the megaphone to finish reading the verse from the New Testament. Many of the Mexico City landfill residents that come to have free breakfasts are staunch Catholics that play the Protestant game to have access to these services. There are some that truly enjoy the complete package, but many of them have great need, and religion becomes a means to an end, even for them. Soon this little girl in pink will be old enough to swing as high as I did, but hopefully by then she won't be living on this landfill.  

Swinging in the Sun

The art of swinging brings great joy to any 4 year old that finally cracks the code. The momentum builds, and then suddenly you reach the point where you feel like you are flying. It is a temporary form of playground bliss, reaching new heights both literally and figuratively. Here, the missionary people from Oregon that put this playground together really understood the value of experiencing a nice swing ride. You should do the same soon.  

Columpios

Summer time is meant to be enjoyed. Whether you are fortunate enough to be by the ocean, by a river, or by a lake, you should really try to get the most of each summer's day. I learned this lesson many years ago, okay, actually about two decades ago. But I was reminded this last spring, when I was still in Mexico City, and I joined some of my colleagues on a Saturday morning to go give free breakfasts to children living on a municipal landfill. These columpios (swings) made the kids very happy. So happy in fact, that I needed to try them myself, and I did. For those that are not familiar with the art of columpios, batteries are most definitely not included. Columpios require a highly sophisticated form of body movement to create the proper motion and momentum needed to eventually swing back and forth on your own volition. Here, my colleague and I demonstrate how to decrease dependence on other humans for proper swinging.

Random factoid: What am I listening to now? The Mamas and the Papas, "Monday Monday." Sometimes it just turns out that way. Every other day of the week is fine, but Monday requires special effort.  

El Sangeet

The festivities started on a Thursday, and basically carried on through Sunday morning. The Thursday event was very cool. I had just flown in from Mexico City into DC. I had never been to a Sangeet before, but I had heard that the live performances were worth it, especially because most of these were by family members demonstrating their joy and happiness for the wedding about to take place.

The Sangeet is a colourful evening of music, dance and celebration. It is usually held within a week or two of the wedding. But at Jorge and Malini's wedding, the event took place on Thursday night, 48 hours before the big day. The families chose to hold one large party together. The Sangeet included awesome Indian food.

This is a picture of the bride and the groom as their friends and family dance before them. Importantly, later that evening, they too demonstrated their dancing capabilities.

 

Wedding Rituals: Snap Away

Weddings and cameras go hand in hand. Everyone steps into position, and an army of digital, fun saver, and old school cameras are unleashed onto you whether you like it or not. For many of us, the attention can take its toll. But for others, like the groom here, going from one picture to another is just part of the grueling duty of surviving the wedding rituals. Here, Pang, Adam and I just had to sit as Jorge worked the room during the rehearsal dinner.  

Keep Last Names to Yourself

The morning after the big day, everyone in the wedding party gathered around for some empty glasses of OJ, and plenty of waffles and pancakes. I was scolded by the married couple once they discovered that I had labeled their gifts with a Mr. and Mrs. designation. Apparently, in the 21st century, some women don't see taking their husband's last name as an option anymore. Sorry. We live, we learn. The Lesson: Keep Last Names to Yourself.  

The Red Dot: Var Preksan

The Var Preksan (or Parchan) is the part where my friend Jorge Luis is officially welcomed as the Groom by his mother-in-law. From what I remember, the bride's mother performed rituals and prayers, and placed a tikka (red dot) on his forehead. And this is when and where Jorge's real "multicultural" world began! Who'd have guessed a couple years back, when he was looking to clerk for a federal judge, that he would be involved in a Parchan ceremony this past March....


 

Stepping into Position

That Saturday morning in March we all followed our scripts and stepped into position. The groomsmen and one groomswoman rose to the occasion, and tried to make it easy for the official photographer to capture the moments. But after the Catholic ceremony, we all knew we were just getting started. The best was yet to come.... 

No Blue/Red States Here

Attending a South Asian-Cuban wedding is no walk in the park, especially when you're a groomsman flying in from Mexico City and need to remember to be on call for all those pictures.

But Jorge Luis and Malini really made the entire experience memorable and enjoyable. At the rehearsal dinner, the wine flowed and the laughs bounced off the walls so nice and easy that we all almost forgot that the wedding was the very next day. Here, Pang, me, Malini and Adam enjoy one of those nights in the Beltway, where people come from all over and try to avoid the whole politics game, at least for one night. That night, we had no blue or red states.  

Quakers in Alexandria

Quakers have traditionally been known to stick to their neck of the woods. But last March, several of us came together from various points to celebrate Jorge Luis and Malini's wedding ceremonies in DC. Here, Pang, Amos, Liz, Anthony and I joined some of Jorge Luis' Miami friends at a small upstairs Latin lounge room in Old Town Alexandria, or at least that's what they told me. Viva Penn.  

The Benja Bday

Days later the welcome caravan was out in full force for Benja's birthday party at the BarCelona in Old Town Pasadena. The sangria was flowing, the musica was bumping...but one major detail was missing; there were no pinatas in sight.

Next year, we have to do better...ensure pinatas, even if they are just full of peanuts and oranges, old school style. Enjoy your 2005 summer.  

Tailgating @ the Rose Bowl

When I returned from Mexico City, I drove into California on July 3rd...just barely making it to the Rose Bowl fireworks show on the 4th. It was nice to be back, enjoying the swell Southern Cali weather, the chill music and the company of great friends. Frankie and Ben had the spot picked out for the rest of us. Tailgating at the Rose Bowl doesn't get any better...well, actually it does; when UCLA not only plays USC, but also beats them! Go Bruins! 

The Dar

The Pupule Luau was also a cover for Dario's bday, my flatmate from Texas. The pool party got off to a great start in the early afternoon. Before we realized it, even the clock stopped keeping track of the minutes. Wherever you are, always make the best of each summer day, even if you have to spill onto the night. The Dar taught me many things, but one lesson learned was that every second at a party counts, especially if it's your birthday.  

Cuerna: Gateway to Summer

During the Pupule Luau party back in June, many Chilangos were able to start the summer on a good note in Cuernavaca. Here, my colleagues Andres and Daleth quickly picked up on the intricacies of what makes a great Hawaiian style party, namely lots of pool time.