¿Que Pasa, Calabasa? -

Thanks for reading up on this blog again. I am a few days over due (like a week) just ignore that. I promise to be on time for the next one - look at it this way - you will get the next blog really close to this one... great stuff, ¿no?

ON WITH THE TEASE

So this lovely book - EVERYTHING BEGINS AND ENDS AT THE KENTUCKY CLUB - is Benjamin Alire Sáenz's latest work. I think I mentioned it before in another blog post, but I wanted to get more in depth with it. (MY copy is on its way. One day, I will get it signed by the man, making sure I do not act all geeky or aguitado in front of him and more like a grad student, unless he says "hello, sure I will sign it" or "not a problem, hombre, give me the book", then all bets are off as I will probably pass out. - The guy works at my UTEP - PICKS UP!!!) Saenz's book, won the 2013 PEN/Faulkner Award - it is the first time any Latino writer has even done so. Its pretty bad ass!! I for one can't wait to get my hands on it - and hopefully one day, I get to take class with the man.

Here is bit of a blurb from the news from UTEP's website!!
- Renowned novelists Walter Kirn, Nelly Rosario, and A.J. Verdelle served as judges for the prize, considering more than 350 novels and short story collections by American authors published in the United States in 2012. Submissions came from 130 publishing houses, including small and academic presses. First awarded in 1981, the prize is named for Nobel Prize winning novelist William Faulkner, and Sáenz is the first Hispanic writer to receive it.

“He's one of the most prolific writers I have ever met, sometimes producing two books in one year, like he did this year,” said Saenz’s colleague Associate Professor of Creative Writing Daniel Chacon. “Both of those books have gone on to win amazing prizes and to get positive critical attention.”

In speaking about his experience as co-host of KTEP-FM’s (88.5) “Words on a Wire” radio program with Sáenz, Chacon said, “We have the chance to talk to some of the greatest writers in the country, and together we are able to extract a lot of valuable information and advice from these writers, but the ironic thing is that Ben himself is one of the country's most distinguished writers.”

Judge A.J. Verdelle praised Saenz’s mastery of language.

“In Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club, his 20th published book,

Benjamin Alire Sáenz shows how decades working at your craft gives birth to might and mastery ... He presents a rendering of reality that is lush, tender, expansive, inclusive and profound. The author takes stunning care with language — English, Spanish, and the languages of sunlight, daylight, dimlight, night light — twisting and tumbling with the whispered language of the human heart. Sáenz also devotes impressive attention to rendering communities on the borders of the United States and Mexico, on the boundaries of sensual and sexual expression, on the edge of despair, and on the cusp of redemption.”

SO, there you go. Oh yeah, here is one last bit. -

TEXAS, RISE... TESTIFYING TO SAVE ETHNIC and GENDER STUDIES!!

Ok, so let me catch you up on why I am little late with my bloga duties. I wouldn't have missed it for anything else, really - but sometimes battle plans and actions must happen quick as lightening. Wednesday, the same day as I would plan on working on the blog, also became the day my compadres y comadres in the LIBROTRAFICANTE MOVEMENT traveled to Austin, TX to hear the presenting of HB1938 - the twin to SB1128 - both bills would seek to change up a 1955 law that requires college students to take 6 hours of Texas or U.S. History courses to fulfill the requirement for getting a degree. This new set of bills, if passed would want to see students take courses that meet the requirement so long as the classes were about "a comprehensive course of U.S. or Texas History". The problem: 1) No one, including the creators of the bills have defined what "comprehensive U.S. History" is 2) the creators of the bill - including Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) and Congressman Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake) both Tea Party Republicans have both used a scary report created by a heavy handed Republican group - the National Association of Scholars, named Recasting History: Are Race, Class and Gender Dominating American History? - with a name like that, and the research results within, it makes comments they make - that they aren't after ethnic studies or cultural relevance in U.S. History, all the more disingenuous. 3) if the bill succeeds, then gateway classes that may lead into women's studies and ethnic studies, may be turned into electives, signifying that their importance would be minimal. Basically, if you want to study history from the perspective that includes African- Americans from Slavery to Civil Rights, then do it, but it wouldn't count for credit to your degree... let that sink in. Riiiiiiight.

So, the bill was heard on Wednesday- and I have to say Thank you, Mil Gracias, Obrigado to my principal, Diana Del Pilar. I came to her and asked if I could take the afternoon off to go testify against the bill and without batting an eye - "Mendez, you need to go, our kids need you to go". It says a lot about where her priorities are for our school community and her respect for me as an educator. I will forever be in her debt. - We packed it up from Houston and along with 22 other folks testified on the bill (3 for, 19 against- 2 of which were people Capriglione brought himself and a 20 yr. old kid dressed up as Paul Revere), and it was an amazing moment to be an American. The House Committee on Higher Education eventually figured out that the majority of us came from OUTSIDE of Austin to speak against the bill and they were impressed. - But the work is not done. The bill was left pending - so now, WE must call (yes, this includes you if live in Texas) and let them now that the bill is no good - that they must vote NO on HB1938. Here are the numbers to get a hold of the members -

Dan Branch - Chair
(512) 463-0367
(512) 322-9935 (fax)

Diane Patrick - Vice Chair
(512) 463-0624
(512) 463-7275 (fax)

Roberto R. Alonzo
(512) 463-0408
(512) 463-1817 (fax)

Travis Clardy
(512) 463-0592
(512) 463-8792 (fax)

Drew Darby
(512) 463-0331
(512) 499-3978 (fax)

Donna Howard
(512) 463-0631
(512) 463-0901 (fax)

Armando "Mando Martinez
(512) 463-0530
(512) 463-0849 (fax)

Jim Murphy
(512) 463-0514
(512) 463-8715 (fax)

John Raney
(512) 463-0698
(512) 463-5109 (fax)

and click here if you want the link to the video of that meeting. - You have to see and hear all the testimony - get popcorn and fast forward to Paul Revere, that guy was a hoot. (Mas Puto) WARNING - the meeting itself lasted from 2pm til 10:00pm - yep, and HB1938 was the last bill to be heard. So we stayed. That's What's Up.

¡ME VOY A UNA QUIENCEÑERA!

So, 15 years ago, April 22, in 1998, a young Tony Diaz and a few friends started a new venture: let's start highlighting Latino Literature, Latino Poetry and the folks who write it. Let's do it in the party room of Chapultepec Restaurant. Let's talk about "our words" - NUESTRA PALABRA. - and so it went and it is still going. I am proud to say I am a 14 year veteran of the group and I wouldn't trade it for the world. It has given me the opportunity to meet, discuss and argue with some of the best Latino writers in the country and it has helped mold me into the kind of leader, writer and poet I am today. I am forever grateful to Tony and the gang for all the energy, all the diversity of thought and all the bad -assness we bring, from the book tours, to the showcases, from the book festivals to the radio shows, from the literary throw-downs to educational forums, seguimos adelante. Always mas, mucho mas. -

This Sunday, I invite you to join us in Baytown, at the Yepez Vineyard - a Latino owned and operated business as we celebrate our 15 years of Latino Literary work.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS - remember, it is a fundraiser as well (we gotta pay some bills):

You're invited to the 15th anniversary celebration of Nuestra Palabra "Latinos Having Their Say" on Sunday, April 21 from 3:00-6:00 p.m., at Yepez Vineyard. $50 per person or $80 per couple (any pair a couple) Includes Hors d’oeuvres, dessert & wine. Attire is summer casual.

RSVP by April 17 to Laura Acosta at lacosta4040@gmail.com or text 832-414-3651.

Pay online-
$50 per person:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BZYBBQ34DR3WS
$80 per couple:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=PUE3SE4WXMJ3L

HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US!!!
I will be serving as the OFFICIAL NUESTRA PALABRA POETRY BUSKER - that means that you give me a topic, idea or feeling, and I will write you a poem on the spot.

I'MMA SLAM YOU!!
Ok, so a few weeks back, I took part in amazing poetic process - I served as a judge at a poetry slam- but not any poetry slam - THE POETRY SLAM, the one that decides the next team to serve as the HOUSTON VIP POETRY SLAM TEAM (when I say this, you have to all collective yell "the treatment", right after, trust me it hilarious - get it? VIP, treatment? Shuddup!) Truth be it known, that was an amazing night and I got to see a plethora of amazing performance and slam poetry and create history. SO, I wanted to take the time and include the members here. Right now, I only have a few bios, so what I will do is give you what I have, and then little by little spot light the rest of the team (Rooster, if you read this, give me your bio, duh).

First up:
DULCIE DAVID - Dulcie “Digh” David is a singer-songwriter, poet and teacher. She is the co-coach for Meta-Four Houston, and teaches Creative Writing to 9th graders at Sam Houston MSTC. A 2008 Teach For America alumni, Digh spends most of her free time trying to convince people that kids need slam poetry in schools. She holds a Bachelors in Arts degree in History and Creative Writing from Texas A&M, Corpus Christi. **** Dulcie is as beautiful as she is smart, witty as she is a bad ass.

IN JUST A FEW HOURS -

If you are in Houston and are looking something booky to do, then head over to the Menil - the HOUSTON INDIE BOOK FEST is pretty neat. Today, I get host a table for NP and show off some of my wifey's poems and art work by Lizbeth Ortiz - here are some details about today:

The Houston Indie Book Festival is hosted by Gulf Coast and the Menil Community Arts Festival through a collaboration with The Menil Collection the Council of Literary Magazines and Presseat Menil Park ( view map).

The 2013 festival will be on Saturday, April 20 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The event is completely free and open to the public and remains the only one of its kind in the Houston and Austin areas, featuring a variety of nationally-distributed literary journals and small-press books alongside local booksellers, book and magazine publishers, small presses, literary organizations, and writers.

Click HERE, to get more info. Show up!!! Let's talk!!!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST - A WAR OF WORDS (KINDA...)

This is now a tradition - see we have friends - fellow bad ass poets from Baton Rouge who make their way to the Houston Indie Book Fest and since we first met them, we worked on sharing some drinks and some words on a stage - thus the INTERSTATE POETRY SHOWDOWN is a hot minute of fun! This year, reppin' Houston is remarkable poets Stephen Gros and Chris Wise and from Baton Rouge Vincent Cellucci and Chris Shipman. Should be awesome. YOU SHOULD COME BY!! everything starts at 6:30, so get it together...

With that, I get to close out the blog post, but of course, not with out one last thing:

THE TEASE -