For this week’s program, we turned to some of our friend to hear their memories of La Navidad; Christmas celebrations that were happy, sad, funny, and offbeat.
It’s all too easy to get caught up in the materialism of the Christmas season. Playwright Josefina Lopez shares a story that’s a perfect reminder of why the toys and games and clothes aren’t really what matter.
New Orleans-based performance artist José Torres-Tama recalls a pivotal moment… his family’s first Christmas as homeowners.
Monica Teresa Ortiz has very fond memories of spending Christmas with her family in Texas. But there’s something that’s pulling them apart…and this year, Monica is spending the holiday away from her family. Find out why.
Monica Teresa Ortiz and why she’s not with her family this Christmas
The appearance of the Christ child is supposed to be the joyous occurrence that the Christmas season is all about. But one year, on Three Kings Day, the Baby Jesus ended up causing some trouble in Michele Serros‘s family.
Writer Julia Alvarez grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she learned of the uniquely Dominican tradition of La Vieja Belén. Kids in the Dominican Republic might receive gifts on three different occasions during the Christmas season: on Christmas Day, on the Epiphany, and then… from La Vieja Belén who gives gifts to poor children who might not have received gifts before.
Alvarez wrote about the tradition in her children’s book The Best Gift of All: The Legend of La Vieja Belén. Maria reads from the tale.
Our reading comes from THE BEST GIFT OF ALL: THE LEGEND OF LA VIEJA BELEN/EL MEJOR REGALO DEL MUNDO: LA LEYENDS DE LA VIEJA BELEN Copyright © 2008 by Julia Alvarez; translation © 2009 by Rhina P. Espaillat; illustrations by Ruddy Núñez. Published in a bilingual edition by Grupo Santillana/Alfaguara Infantil, Dominican Republic. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
The first numbers for the 2010 Census are in, and they show a marked increase in population in states with large Latino populations. The precinct-by-precinct numbers, due to be released early in 2011, will show in greater detail how large the Latino population in the United States is, and how quickly it is growing, but by looking at the states that will gain more representation in the U.S. House, one sees the clear impact of Latino population growth.
In Colombia, FARC guerillas have kept scores of political prisoners hostage, some for more than a decade. In December, the Swedish website anncol.eu published a letter from the FARC secretariat addressed to—and announcing its support for—former Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba. The letter mentions that five of the FARC’s political prisoners would soon be freed.
Como un gesto de humanidad y de desagravio a la senadora de la paz, liberaremos a los siguientes cinco prisioneros: Mayor de la policía Guillermo Solórzano, Cabo del ejército Salín Sanmiguel, Infante de marina Henry López Martínez, y a los presidentes de los consejos municipales de San José del Guaviare Marcos Vaquero y de Garzón Huila Armando Acuña, estos últimos investigados por las FARC por corrupción. La decisión está tomada y la fecha dependerá de las garantías que otorgue el gobierno para que la senadora Córdoba pueda recibir a los que serán liberados.”
Reporter Annie Correal talked to Íngrid Betancourt, a former FARC prisoner, about the news, and about the treatment of FARC prisoners.
Our best wishes to Nick Blumberg who has worked at the Futuro Media Group this year as a production coordinator and intern. Good luck in the years ahead! And thanks.
Listen to Maria’s piece, Finding La Posada In Nueva York 
on NPR’s Morning Edition, Friday December 24th. The essay was produced by Nusha Balyan.
Josefina Lopez is an author and playwright, best known as co-writer of the award-winning 2002 film “Real Women Have Curves”, based on her play of the same name. She’s also the author of a new play satirizing Arizona SB 1070. Follow her on Twitter @JosefinaLopez.
José Torres-Tama is a writer and performance artist based in New Orleans. Torres-Tama was born in Ecuador and raised in New Jersey and New York.
Born and raised in Texas, Mónica Teresa Ortiz is a writer who currently lives in Austin. She holds a BA from UT Austin and an MFA from UT El Paso. You can follow her on Twitter @citlallifalling
Michele Serros is the author of Chicana Falsa: And Other stories of Death, Identity, and Oxnard, How to be a Chicana Role Model; Honey Blonde Chica, and ¡Scandalosa! She is a frequent contributor to NPR and lives in New York City.
Annie Correal is a reporter for El Diario/La Prensa in New York City. She’s also part of the Feet in Two Worlds project. She attended Princeton University and Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. You can follow her on Twitter @anniecorreal.
Ingrid Betancourt was taken hostage by the Colombian revolutionary group FARC while campaigning for that country’s presidency in 2002. She was held captive for six and a half years.
Barbara Piancastelli, ]babi] on Flickr, is a photographer living in Faenza, Italy. Her work can be seen on her blog ]babi] photography and her Flickr photostream.
Letter from FARC announcing prisoner release (en Español)
Even Silence Has an End: Ingrid Betancourt’s memoir
La Posada in New York
Intergenerational Activism
Latinos & the Political Process
A Story About Gratitude & Family
Children of the Exodus
Latinos & the Retail Market
DREAM Activist Hunger Strike
Latino Media Today
VozMob