Luna Blues Machine: Two sisters, one cd & lots of livin' & learnin'

The multi-talented Cervantes sisters have roots in Back of the Yards and Chicago's Southside but their music casts a much wider net and draws inspiration from a very diverse mix of music genres.

The Luna Blues Machine fuses acoustic hip-hop with soul, folk, latin and any other genre that moves them. Fronted by sisters Belinda and Maritza Cervantes (mandolin and guitar), LBM stands out as one of the most experimental acoustic music acts working in Chicago today. With the accompaniment of bass and drums, their feel-good rhythms, engaging stories, tight harmonies and charismatic hooks will make you want to getcha self a little luna love.

Part I: Luna Blues Machine, 8:21


Part II: Luna Blues Machine, 8:17


Part III: Luna Blues Machine, 5:14


Catch The Luna Blues Machine, this Thursday, April 30th @ 10pm @ Silvie's Lounge, 1902 W. Irving Park Road. $5 cover. Say you're there to see LBM. You can learn more about them and their new cd at www.thelunabluesmachine.com

Interview by Yolanda Cardenas

Michelle Otero: An open heart and writing to heal

Proyecto Latina had the pleasure of featuring Michelle Otero, author of Malinche's Daughter this past February. Before Michelle boarded a plane back home to the Southwest, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to her about life as an author and her approach to her craft.

Part I: Writing journey and the universal story, 9:37


Part II: Writing a book that heals and opening our heart when creating, 9:59


WEB BONUS: Morning pages, 3:00



Interview by Irasema Gonzalez

Proyecto Latina @ Poetry Fest

Saturday, April 25, 2009 @ 2:30 p.m. in the Video Theater

Its poetry month and we are taking the chisme box and our favorite Latina poets with us to the 10th annual Poetry Fest @ The Harold Washington Library.

Featured readers: Cristina Correa, Stephanie Gentry-Fernandez, Irasema Gonzalez, Diana Pando.

Poetry Fest is a free festival of poetry readings, workshops, performances and discussions, all under one roof.

Jorge Valdivia talks to us about Sor Juana's quinceanera

On May 16th, Proyecto Latina returns to the Sor Juana festival to celebrate literary and musical contributions from Latina artists. The lineup includes: Alla, Gwendolyn Zepeda, Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, Lisa Alvarado, and Dawn Herrera-Terry. Diana Pando recently had a chance to talk to Jorge Valdivia, the Director of Performing arts at the National Museum of Mexican Art, about the 15th anniversary of the Sor Juana Festival, an annual tribute to Mexican women.

Part I: Interview with Jorge Valdivia, 5:44


Part II: Interview with Jorge Valdivia, 6:15

Get the Sor Juana 2009 Chicago calendar here (pdf).

Sandra Cisneros: Compost your rage & fuel your art

That's Jorge Valdivia with Sandra Cisneros in the photograph above, it was taken moments before I got to sit down and interview her last Wednesday. Jorge is the Director of Performing arts at the National Museum of Mexican Art and we will be posting an interview with him later this week, so make sure to come back and check for it, he talks to us about the 15th annual Sor Juana Festival.

I owe Jorge, Annie Tully, and Diana Pando, a HUGE shout out and THANK YOU in getting this interview done. It was such an amazing opportunity, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


Part I: Interview with Sandra Cisneros, 3:50


Part II: Interview with Sandra Cisneros, 9:10


Part III: Interview with Minerva who writes poems, 2:53


interview by Irasema Gonzalez

Mangos, Chismes y Mucho Más

This month’s Proyecto Latina honors Sandra Cisneros and includes a sneak peak at Tanya Saracho's adaptation of The House on Mango Street. We encourage you to bring your Mango themed poems, stories and chisme! As always it's FREE and we look forward to seeing you!

Join us on Monday, April 20, 2009 @ 7 p.m. Held at Radio Arte, 1401 W. 18th Street.




Proyecto Latina welcomes Tanya Saracho back this April, we will be featuring a sampling of the full-length play and her adaptatation of the Sandra Cisnero's book The House on Mango Street. Tanya will also share the art process of how she took a lyrical narrative and modified it for the stage.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is celebrating its 25th anniversary in print. This Spring its been chosen as the One Book One Chicago for the city to read.

Tanya Saracho was born in Sinaloa, México and moved to Texas in the late 80's . She is the Co-Founding Artistic Director of Teatro Luna: Chicago's All-Latina Theatre, and a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists and Teatro Vista. Tanya's writing has been featured in most of Teatro Luna's ensemble-built works including "Generic Latina," "Dejame Contarte," "The Maria Chronicles," "SOLO Latinas," "SOLO Tú," "S-E-X-Oh!" and "Lunatic(a)s." Her plays include: "Our Lady of The Underpass" with Teatro Vista (2009), "Surface Day" with Chicago Children's Humanity Festival (2008 ), and "Jarred (A Hoodoo Comedy)" with Teatro Luna (2008). Tanya's play "Kita y Fernanda," a finalist for the 2003 Nuestras Voces playwrighting competition, received productions at Teatro Luna (2003) and 16th Street Theatre (2008). Other Awards include: The Ofner Prize given by the Goodman Theatre, Finalist for the Christopher B. Wolk Award at Abingdon Theatre in NYC, nominee for the Wasserstein Prize and winner of the Khan Award. Saracho's solo play "Quita Mitos" received a world premier with Teatro Luna in November of 2006 and has toured colleges and festivals, including the International Hispanic Theatre Festival and the Goodman's Latino Theatre Festival. Tanya is working on a fellowship in a collaboration between The Goodman Theatre and the Institute for Women and Gender Studies at Columbia College on an interview-based piece titled "27" where she will interview one woman from each of the 27 countries that make up the Latin Diaspora. She is also under commission from Steppenwolf Theatre to craft a musical adaptation Sandra Cisnero's "The House on Mango Street" slated to open in the fall of 2009. Directing/co-directing credits include: "SOLO Tú," "S-E-X-Oh!" and "Lunatic(a)s." the remount of "Generic Latina," "The Maria Chronicles," "Jarred (A Hoodoo Comdey)" and "SÓLO Latinas." Tanya's performing credits include: Neil Labutte's "Fat Pig" with Renaissance Theatreworks in Milwaukee, Migdalia Cruz' "Another Part of the House" with Teatro Vista, "Living Out" with American Theatre Co./Teatro Vista, "Electricidad" at Goodman Theatre and "La Casa De Bernarda Alba" with Aguijon Theater. Tanya's voice can be heard around the country in radio and television commercials.

Check out our interview with Tanya here.

Proyecto Latina provides a platform to showcase work by Latinas. In it's fourth year, the reading series takes place the third Monday of every month, it includes a feature, an open mic and a a chisme box! Proyecto Latina Radio Airs Sundays @ 6 p.m. on WRTE, 90.5 F.M.

Tanya Saracho & Sandra Marquez tell us about the discipline & power in theatre

Proyecto Latina speaks to the two leading women behind the making of the play Our Lady of the Underpass, which was presented earlier this year by Teatro Vista. Learn about the art process behind each of these women: Sandra Marquez, director, tells us about the required discipline when working in theater and Tanya Saracho, playwright, tells us where to find the power in theatre that will insure that more plays by and for Latin@s are produced.

Part I: Interview with Sandra Marquez, 14:01


Part II: Interview with Tanya Saracho, 21:38

What drives the art and work of Giselle Mercier?

Proyecto Latina interviews Giselle Mercier, an artist and arts educator with a culturally rich and multi-disciplinary approach to curriculum development in youth arts. Giselle is also an installation artist who draws inspiration from her Panamanian roots and the immigrant experience in an effort to create universal art. Earlier this year Giselle became the executive director for Pro’s Arts Studios in Pilsen, in this interview she also shares thoughts with us on that transition.

Part I: Interview with Giselle Mercier, 5:58


Part II: Interview with Giselle Mercier, 6:05


Part III: Interview with Giselle Mercier, 4:40


interview by Irasema Gonzalez