Sucked back in

by Eileen Rivera

How many of our mothers and grandmothers made sure that dinner was done, eaten and the kitchen cleaned up just in time for their evening novela. My mother, who came to NYC at the age of eight, never watched a novela in her life. Her mother was another story. My grandmother lived and breathed novelas; when one finished, another began and that house better be quiet (except for when she was yelling at the heroine.) I’m glad that novelas have become a bit more modern and accessible because, dammit, I’ve been sucked back in.

What’s in a name?

by Cindy Tovar

I was named after the female protagonist in the movie Grease. You might notice that my name is Cindy, not Sandy, but that’s the name my mother heard and liked when she was pregnant with me in 1982.  Luckily, at least in my opinion, Cindy isn’t so bad, although it’s always sounded a little ditzy to me.  However, some children aren’t as lucky.

Ethnic identity and college applications

by Eric Jude Cortes

For most high school students the hardest part of the applying to college is the essay. Trying to figure out the best way to present oneself to a group of anonymous reviewers can be a daunting task. For a growing number of applicants, however, an equally difficult task could be filling in those little boxes that specify race or ethnicity. For students of mixed ethnicity, choosing which box to check can mean having to choose between academic opportunities or ethnic pride.

Norway, Joe, and Amy: Tragedy, sadness, and reality

From the Editor…

I love Facebook. There, I said it. I spent almost five days at the National Council of La Raza Conference. Attending workshops, meetings, luncheons, and dinners, one doesn’t get the opportunity to stay in tune with the news of the world. Thankfully, the sneak peeks at my Facebook news feed allowed me a glimpse of the weekend’s stories.

In those five days of–a wondrous reenergizing of the Latino base–I learned about the tragedy in Norway, as well as Amy Winehouse’s demise, and just today, the sad news of Joe Arroyo’s passing. All three were news that brought sadness to many and to some begged the question, “Why is there more focus on Amy’s death than the tragedy in Norway?”