Hungry Woman In Chicago

Proyecto Latina just found out about an AWESOME event hosted by the National Museum of Mexican Art. We are thrilled to have Josefina Lopez, acclaimed author of the play and successful film Real Women Have Curves, present her latest work Hungry Woman in Paris.

The event is this Friday and best of all you save a few bucks for drinks afterwards because this event is FREE. Yes, another FREE AND FABULOUS event for you! Spread the word and swing by and support Josefina Lopez's new book. If you are interested in the book they will probably have them there day of or you can always contact Tianguis Online Bookstore for your order.

Friday, March 27 -FREE
Complimentary reception-6pm, Program-7pm
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 W. 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60608


Hungry Woman in Paris follows the story of a journalist and activist, Canela who believes passion is essential to life; but lately passion seems to be in short supply. It has disappeared from her relationship with her fiancé, who is more interested in controlling her than encouraging her. It's absent from her work, where censorship and politics keep important stories from being
published. And while her family is full of outspoken individuals, the only one Canela can truly call passionate is her cousin and best friend Luna, who just took her own life.

Canela can't recover from Luna's death. She is haunted by her ghost and feels acute pain for the dreams that went unrealized. Cooking school is a sensual and spiritual reawakening that brings back Canela's hunger for life. With a series of new friends and lovers, she learns to once again savor the world around her.

About the Author:
Josefina has had more than eighty productions of her plays throughout the United States. In addition, Josefina is also a poet, performer, designer, lecturer of Women¹s Studies, and Chicano theater and film and has won numerous awards and accolades for her work.

Celebrating Latina Creativity In Chicago

April is going to be a fabulous month for Latinas on the move! Our very own Irasema Gonzalez and Coya Paz of Proyecto Latina will be on a panel celebrating Latina Creativity in Chicago.

Swing by it's FREE & FABULOUS and we'd love to meet you and hear your thoughts on Latinas in the arts!

DePaul University
Thursday, April 2
Reception - 5:30 p.m.
6 p.m. - Panel
John R. Cortelyon Commons Bldg
2324 N. Freemont St. Chicago, IL

Join a distinguished panel of artists who will discuss the path of their own creative journeys, examine the ways in which their work has been influenced by Sandra Cisneros and The House on Mango Street, and trace the dynamic relationship between artists and their communities.

Panelists: Irasema Gonzalez, Writer/Poet / Proyecto Latina & Founder of Tianguis Books

Bibiana Suarez, Department of Art, Media and Design / DePaul University

Coya Paz, co-founder of Teatro Luna / Proyecto Latina/ The Theatre School / DePaul University

Tanya Saracho, co-founder of Teatro Luna / Adapted The House on Mango Street for the stage

A discussion with the audience will conclude the evening. Part of the 2009 Sor Juana Festival National Museum of Mexican Art and the 3rd Annual Cesar Chavez Service and Values Series Steans Center / DePaul University

Co-sponsors: The Department of English, Latin American and Latino Studies Program and The Women’s Center

For more information: (773) 325-7839 or (773) 325-7558 Free and open to the public.

Upcoming Interview: The Luna Blues Machine

Proyecto Latina Radio’s music director Yolanda Cardenas had an opportunity to interview sister songbirds Maritza and Belinda Cervantes of the Luna Blues Machine. This Chicago-based band is on the move and will have you jamming to acoustic hip-hop with soul, folk, Latin and any other genres that will have you out of your seat dancing. Check back here for details of when this interview will air on 90.5 F.M WRTE or online at our website. They have a CD release party coming up on April 4, at the Box Company in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. They even have a brand new website full of music, pix and other good stuff. For more details log on to the Luna Blues Machine.

Directorial debut @ S-e-x-oh! remix

Erika Sanchez, our correspondent for Proyecto Latina Radio show is spending her spring break in Ireland and we hope she's enjoying herself and drinking a Guiness or two. As she was packing to leave for her big trip, she dashed out to Berwyn's 16th Street Theater to interview Yadira Correa and Dana Cruz--its a directorial debut for both ladies with the production of S-e-x-oh! the remix. Listen to Ericka's interview with both ladies.


Part I: Interview with Yadira Correa and Dana Cruz, 3:47


Part II: Interview with Yadira Correa and Dana Cruz, 2:22


Part III: Interview with Yadira Correa and Dana Cruz, 3:07


Part IV: Interview with Yadira Correa and Dana Cruz, 4:17


Part V: Interview with Yadira Correa and Dana Cruz, 4:33


S-e-x-oh! the remix runs through March 29th. You can get ticket and show details here.

interview by Ericka Sanchez

Pistolera Power!

This Spring stay tuned for Irasema's interview with Pistolera lead singer Sandra Velásquez and Mari Elena the accordion diva!

Yolanda Nieves: documenting the daughter's of the diaspora

I had the opportunity to sit down with Yolanda Nieves a couple of weeks ago in anticipation for our Proyecto Latina March 16th feature of Brown Girl Chronicles. It was a couple of days before they premiered the sold-out show and I was invited to stick around after our chat to see a dress rehearsal of the show. What a treat, I can't wait to check them out again tonight--and I know that they have recently scheduled more show dates for May.

Yolanda and the inter-generational Vida Bella Ensemble allowed me back-stage access and indulged all my questions. Below is the my interview with Yolanda Nieves. She speaks about how Brown Girl Chronicles emerged, the idea of permission is explored, and you learn how she decided to focus her lens on the experience of second generation Puerto Rican women from Humboldt Park—-she calls them daughters of the diaspora* whose families immigrated from Puerto Rico to Chicago through Operation Boot Strap**.

Part I: Interview with Yolanda Nieves, 8:18


Part II: Interview with Yolanda Nieves, 7:54


Part III: Interview with Yolanda Nieves, 5:32



*The term diaspora refers to the movement of any population sharing common ethnic identity who were either forced to leave or voluntarily left their settled territory, and became residents in areas often far removed from the former. Diasporic cultural development often assumes a different course from that of the population in the original place of settlement. It tends to vary in culture, traditions and other factors between remotely separated communities. The last vestige of cultural affiliation in a diaspora is often found in community resistance to language change and in maintenance of religious practice.

**Operation Bootstrap or "Operación Manos a la Obra" is the name given to the ambitious projects which industrialized Puerto Rico in the mid-20th century. The goal was that the densely populated island could not subsist on an agrarian system, so the government encouraged the establishment of factories. Puerto Rico enticed US companies by providing labor at costs below those on the mainland, access to US markets without import duties, and profits that could enter the country free from federal taxation. Through this project, a rural agricultural society was transformed into an industrial working class. Unfortunately by the 1960s, Operation Bootstrap was increasingly hampered by a growing unemployment problem thus leading to the forced migration that Yolanda Nieves spoke about.

One Book, One Chicago-House On Mango Street

This week the Mayor announced the One Book, One Chicago selection. Felicidades to Sandra Cisneros and her book The House On Mango Street! The book is in its 25th Anniversary and still delighting readers of all ages.

The House On Mango Street was published in 1984 and traces Esperanza Cordero's coming-of-age through a series of vignettes about her family, neighborhood, and secret dreams. Esperanza's character shows us her self-empowerment and will to overcome obstacles of poverty, gender, and race. I got a copy of the book in Spanish and I’m so excited to send it to my 11 year-old niece Aylín in Mexico City.

Sandra Cisneros was born in Chicago in l954, the third child and only daughter in a family of seven children. I studied at Loyola University of Chicago (B.A. English 1976) and the University of Iowa (M.F.A. Creative Writing 1978). She worked as a teacher and counselor to high-school dropouts, as an artist-in-the schools where I taught creative writing at every level except first grade and pre-school, a college recruiter, an arts administrator, and as a visiting writer at a number of universities including the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Read more about Sandra’s books here!

One Book, One Chicago was inaugurated in the fall of 2001, the One Book, One Chicago program is launched each spring and fall to cultivate a culture of reading and discussion in Chicago by bringing our diverse city together around one great book. Past winners include, one of my favorites, Tell It To The Mountain by James Baldwin. The Press Conference: When I arrived at the Harold Washington Library I found an army of cameramen shooting footage of the press conference and people flipping through pages of the book. Proyecto Latina Radio Co-Producer Irasema Gonzalez was already there and lurking between book aisles I spotted Radio Arte’s General Manager Silvia Rivera and made my way towards them. I always find myself greatly entertained when I’m in the company of these two women. The press conference took a weird turn when the Mayor went from talking about The House On Mango Street to drugs in Mexico. I think it took away from the focus of the book and hope no one associates the book with drugs in Mexico. While he said things I agreed with it was definitely a different press conference. A couple of years ago… I remember Irasema dragging me all the way to Loyola University one cold March day to see a special reading by Sandra Cisneros. I was resisting because it was early in the morning. I am so thankful I went because not only was her reading amazing something unexpected happened. When it was our turn at the book signing we asked her about writing and she said, “Start a writing group and she pointed to other women in the room that had asked the same question. Sandra doesn’t know this but she is our writing group Madrina and we’ve been writing ever since. Her suggestion brought me together with other wonderful writers like Professor Lizann Acosta, Dr. Yolanda Cardenas, PhD. Candidate Magda Banda and Tianguis Book Store Owner Irasema Gonzalez and together we form the Maravilla Writing Collective. Click on this link for a video interview with Sandra Cisneros. Also Irasema will be interviewing Sandra and scheduled to air on Sunday, April 18 at 6 p.m. on 90.5 FM WRTE. Proyecto Latina extends un ABRAZOTE FUERTE to Sandra Cisneros for her wonderful writing and for opening puertas for the rest of us!