Posted by Elena del Valle on June 15, 2007
Salsa, Soul and Spirit book cover
Photo: Berrett-Koehler
Juana Bordas, president, Mestiza Leadership International, has made a career out of leading and coaching future leaders. In her first book, Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, $17.95), a May 2007 title, she shares insights on multicultural leadership gained from interviews with national multicultural leaders and her career long experience.
In the 226-page paperback book, she describes eight core leadership principles she feels are common to Latino, African-American and American Indian cultures. She also discusses how incorporating these principles into mainstream leadership efforts will result in more effective and inclusive strategies than those commonly adopted. In addition to interviews with national multicultural leaders, the book includes historical background and the author’s reflections.
“The purpose of Salsa, Soul, and Spirit is two-fold. First to integrate the wisdom and experience of Latino, Black and American Indian communities into a new and more inclusive form of leadership for our country that is more suited to our multicultural age and global village,” said Bordas. “Second to find the common ground in the way communities of color exercise leadership which will cultivate a great unity and ability for them to work together more effectively.”
In the book, Bordas shares the insights gained from interviews with 11 American Indian, African American and Latino leaders. The American Indian leaders are Ada Deer, John Echohawk, LaDonna Harris, and Benny Shendo, Jr. The African American leaders are James Joseph, Ph.D., Lea Williams, Ed.D and Andrew Young.
The Latino leaders Anna Escobedo Cabral, Treasurer of the United States; Antonia Pantoja, Ph.D., Puerto Rican Civil Right Movement activist; Federico Peña, managing director, Vestar Capitol Partners; and Raul Yzaguirre, former president of the National Council of La Raza.
A Colorado resident and former U.S. Peach Corps volunteer, Bordas is a founder of Mi Casa Women’s Center and was the first president and chief executive officer of the National Hispana Leadership Institute. Bordas is a former faculty member of the Center for Creative Leadership, an international executive leadership program. She was initiated into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame and was recognized by the U.S. Peace Corps with the Franklin Miller Award for her dedication to advancing communities of color.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on May 25, 2007
The Ghosts of Guantanamo Bay book cover
Photo: Seacay Publishing
The United States Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba is steeped in history, controversy and upheaval. It is known to most as a prison or detainment center, but for military families who live there, it’s home. According to the author of a new book, The Ghosts of Guantanamo Bay (Seacay Publishing, $14.95), beyond the prison guards and barbed wire fences, Guantanamo Bay and Cuba offer beautiful beaches, intriguing people, controversy, and deep, dark secrets yet to be revealed.
K.R. Jones, military spouse, former longtime Guantanamo Bay, Gitmo, resident and author of the new tell all book blends fact and fiction and promises readers a novel view of the infamous military base and country. Jones provides readers a walk in the shadows of actual Guantanamo residents. The focus is not about the prison camps. Instead she reveals a side of Gitmo and Cuba that most people will never know. She promises an all-access pass into the lives of the military families stationed at the base and the citizens who live there.
Jones was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Marymount College, Fordham University. She later pursued a Master’s degree in American Government from the University of West Florida.
Married to a military officer, Jones was stationed on various bases. During time spent at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, she taught 20th century politics at Coastal Carolina Community College. Jones is a resident of Stafford, Virginia.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on May 11, 2007
Latinos in New England book cover
Photo: Temple
Described as the first comprehensive look at the growing Latino presence in New England, Latinos in New England (Temple, $27.95), examines the impact one million Latinos have had on the region’s culture, politics, and economics. At the same time, the authors look at the effects of the locale on Latino residents, their lives, traditions, and institutions.
Twenty-one contributors dedicated 344 pages to exploring three broad areas: demographic trends, migration and community formation, and identity and politics. They peek at the Latino panorama through oral histories, case studies, ethnographic inquiries, focus group research, surveys, and statistical analyses.
The book also includes information about the “Dominicanization” of the Latino community in Waterbury, Connecticut; the immigration experiences of Brazilians in Massachusetts; the influence of Latinos on New England’s Catholic churches; and the development and growth of a Latino community in Providence, Rhode Island.
Contributors include: Amílcar Antonio Barreto, Yoel Camayd-Freixas, Jorge Capetillo-Ponce, José E. Cruz, Cileine de Lourenço, Ruth Glasser, Phillip J. Granberry, Megan Halloran, Deborah Pacini Hernandez, José Itzigsohn, Gerald Karush, Robert Kramer, Nelly Lejter, Enrico A. Marcelli, Angel A. Amy Moreno, Hosffman Ospino, Adrian D. Pantoja, C. Eduardo Siqueira, Michael E. Stone, and Miren Uriarte.
Book editor Andrés Torres is research associate of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College, City University of New York. Prior to the publication of the book, he was director of the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts. He is past president of the Puerto Rican Studies Association and is the author of The Puerto Rican Movement: Voices from the Diaspora.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on April 27, 2007
Clipping Their Own Wings book cover
Photo: Ernesto Caravantes
Los Angeles, California – Author Ernesto Caravantes defies conventional wisdom, shattering notions that Latino underachievement is due exclusively to under funded schools and overcrowded classrooms, coupled with socioeconomic disadvantages common to Latinos in a new book, Clipping Their Own Wings (Hamilton Books, $22). Instead of focusing on outside factors, Caravantes tackles one of the nation’s most troubling trends and toughest social problems, Latino underachievement. He focuses on Latino culture as the root of the problem.
Although Latinos are the largest minority market in the United States, according to Caravantes, for the past 40 years, the average number of Hispanic high-school dropouts has been more than twice what it has been for African Americans. He believes this is the result of the identity politics of educators, policymakers and other influencers. In spite decision maker’s good intentions, their attempts to empower Latinos with Chicano studies and bilingual education have been unsuccessful. Caravantes argues that Latinos are contributing to their own oppression by stubbornly refusing to learn English and devaluing the importance of education.
“Hispanics are lagging behind as a result of ignorantly and stubbornly adhering to cultural aspects that do not place education at the top of its values hierarchy and instead, are clipping their own wings by refusing to assimilate into the American educational system,” said Caravantes. “Unless Latinos rethink these values and consider change, no amount of money, books or happy talk will make a dent in the problem.”
Caravantes, a native of Los Angeles, is the only son of Mexican immigrants. He is an instructor of culinary history and psychology at the California School of Culinary Arts, Pasadena, California. Prior to that, he was host of “Dialog,” a cable television talk show in Glendale, California. He received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from California State University, Long Beach, California and a Master of Science degree in counseling from the University of La Verne.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on April 13, 2007
The Puerto Rican Diaspora book cover
Photo: Temple University Press
In The Puerto Rican Diaspora: Historical Perspectives, published September 2005, nine contributors, including the book’s two editors, set out to dispel two common misperceptions about Puerto Ricans in the United States; that the majority of Puerto Ricans live in New York City, and that they are recent arrivals to the United States. The price of the book is $22.95.
The 306-page soft bound book, published by Temple University Press, was selected 2006 Outstanding Academic Title by Choice magazine, a division of the American Library Association. In the 10-chapter book, the authors share eight stories of settlement and community building, and focus on the economic, political, social effects of the Puerto Rican migration from 1900 to the present.
According to the authors, Puerto Ricans arrived in Hawaii in 1900. They also established communities in the eastern seaboard with noticeable communities in New York City and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Following World War II, large Puerto Rican communities were established in the Midwest and New England.
The book was edited by Carmen Teresa Whalen and Víctor Vázquez-Hernández. In addition to the editors, Linda C. Delgado, The College of Mt. St. Vincent; Ruth Glasser, University of Connecticut; Iris O. López, City College of New York; Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Hunter College; Eugenio “Gene” Rivera; Maura Toro-Morn, Illinois State University; and Olga Jiménez de Wagenheim, Rutgers University, Newark contributed chapters to the book.
Whalen is associate professor of history at Williams College and author of From Puerto Rico to Philadelphia: Puerto Rican Workers and Postwar Economies (Temple, 2001). Vázquez-Hernández is an adjunct orofessor of history who teaches Latin American studies, American studies and U.S. history.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on April 6, 2007
Mujeres Valerosas book cover
Photo: Hispanic Women’s Council
Mujeres Valerosas, a 142-page documentary book published by the Hispanic Women’s Council, showcases the accomplishments of 79 contemporary Latina women leaders in New Mexico. All of the women in the book were nominated by their peers. Except for the book committee who selected the final nominations for publication, there were no judges.
The book was partially funded by major grants from the Center for Regional Studies, University of New Mexico and the New Mexico Women’s Foundation. The book, which includes 83 black and white photographs and a soft cover color illustration by Simone Debbas, costs $25.
Through essays, photos and short biographies, the women share life lessons and practical approaches to personal and professional success in Mujeres Valerosas. The idea behind the book was to highlight the many accomplishments and successes of the women who “improve the quality of life of others” by serving their community, growing a business or working to institute public policies. Their creativity and tenacity in overcoming obstacles and their ability to summon the strength and courage to move beyond setbacks are described as inspirational to readers.
The Hispanic Women’s Council is a non-profit organization founded in 1988 to promote, support and create opportunities for Hispanic women. The organization is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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“Latino Family Dynamics” audio recording
Brenda Hurley and Liria Barbosa
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Posted by Elena del Valle on March 30, 2007
Opening the Borders book cover
Photo: Level 4 Press
About the only agreement in the vitriolic illegal immigration debate is that it’s one of America’s thorniest hot-button issues and will play a pivotal role in the 2008 presidential election. Politicians are tap-dancing around the topic and offering few practical solutions. Is there a logical and humane answer that benefits the United States and Mexico? Journalist Larry Blasko dives head-first into this raging controversy with a new 211-page hardcover book, Opening the Borders: Solving the Mexico/U.S. Immigration Problem For Our Sake and Mexico’s (Level 4 Press, $24.95).
Research indicates there are between 10 and 12 million illegal Mexican immigrants in the United States. That enrages some Americans who feel their tax dollars are supporting illegal immigrants. Other Americans champion anyone’s right to find jobs and build better lives for their families.
“You have one side shouting ‘Deport Them!’ and the other side shouting ‘Love Them!’” said Blasko. “But the reality is hand-wringing and finger-pointing solve nothing. A logical solution could be implemented by now with all the energy both sides have expended screaming for extreme measures.”
According to promotional materials, in Opening the Borders Blasko outlines the early, rocky relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. He then hones in on the immigration issue today, and reminds readers that America was founded by immigrants.
By illustrating the impact illegal Mexican immigrants have on the U.S. economy, Blasko makes a case for hammering out an agreement between U.S. and Mexican leaders that would benefit both nations. He points to a speech by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg detailing the crucial role immigrant workers play in that city’s economy.
Opening the Borders takes a close look at the argument that illegal immigrants are stealing jobs from law abiding Americans. “Let’s be realistic for just a minute,” said Blasko. “Sure, you can say that these low-paying jobs have been proliferated by illegal immigrants, but ask yourself, are there really millions of Americans lining up for these jobs?”
Blasko served for more than three decades with The Associated Press as writer, editor, columnist and executive. He is the author of two other books, ABCs of Computing, a Plain-English Guide, and Vamp!
Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations Understanding and Targeting America’s Largest Minority book
“A must resource for practitioners/professionals expecting to reach US Hispanics; also valuable for college programs in marketing, public relations and communications. Highly recommended.”
Choice magazine
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Posted by Elena del Valle on March 16, 2007
Mexican Light:Healthy Cuisine for Today’s Cook book cover
Photo: University of North Texas Press
A recently released cookbook, Mexican Light: Healthy Cuisine for Today’s Cook, focuses on preColumbian low in fat and high in fiber and vitamins diets of Mexico. The paperback book by Kris Rudolph was published by University of North Texas Press late last year and retails for $17.95. The recipes and text are included in Spanish on facing pages.
Rudolph is a native of Houston and owner of the restaurant El Buen Café in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she lives. She also offers culinary tours and teaches Mexican cooking classes, as well as a dancing and cooking workshop called “Salsa and Salsa.”
According to promotional materials, before the arrival of Columbus the people of Mexico ate corn, squash, tomatoes, beans, and lean meats and had a diet close to the recommendations for healthy eating of today.
The book opens with a short introduction outlining the history of Mexican cooking, followed by an overview of healthy eating habits, a description of the most common ingredients, and a guide to planning for parties. Fifty recipes cover a number of topics such as appetizers and after-dinner refreshers including: Lime and Cilantro Soup, Shrimp Ceviche Salad, Chicken Poblano, Pork Loin with Mango-Chipolte Salsa, Mexican Beef Tips, and Fish Veracruz Style.
Each recipe also includes the number of calories, amounts of total fat and saturated fat, grams of carbohydrates, and amount of fiber. Rudolph suggests low-fat and low-carbohydrate alternatives, as well as ways to vary the spiciness.
“Latino Family Dynamics” audio recording
Brenda Hurley and Liria Barbosa
Click here to purchase a downloadable or CD audio recording with extended information on Latino Family Dynamics by Brenda Hurley and Liria Barbosa
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Posted by Elena del Valle on March 9, 2007
Puerto Ricans in the United States book cover
Photo: Lynne Rienner Publishers
Academics Edna Acosta Belén and Carlos E. Santiago focus on the trajectory and status of Puerto Ricans in the United States in the 272-page Puerto Ricans in the United States: A Contemporary Portraitbook (Lynne Rienner Publishers, $22.50). Choice magazine selected Puerto Ricans in the United States a 2006 Choice Outstanding Academic Title. Outstanding Academic Titles are chosen for their excellence in scholarship and presentation, the significance of their contribution to the field, and the important treatment of their subject.
The book is divided into eight chapters: Introduction: Portrait of a Commuter Nation; The Colonial Experience; Migrations Before World War II; Postwar Migration Patterns; A Demographic Portrait; Social and Civil Rights Struggles; Voices and Images of the Diaspora; and Overcoming the Colonial Experience: Future Challenges. It includes 28 graphics and 19 black and white illustrations. The cover designed is a reproduction from the mural “Sea of Flags” by Gamaliel Ramírez and Eren Star Padilla in Chicago.
Edna Acosta-Belén is Distinguished Professor of Latin American, Caribbean, and women’s studies at the University at Albany, SUNY, where she is also director of the Center for Latino, Latin American, and Caribbean Studies. She serves as coeditor of the Latino(a) Research Review, which she founded with Carlos Santiago. Carlos E. Santiago is chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and professor in the university’s Department of Economics. He has published extensively on the Puerto Rican diaspora.
“Latino Identity and Situational Latinidad ” audio recording
Presenters Diana Rios and Ph.D., Federico Subervi, Ph.D.
Click here to purchase a downloadable or CD audio recording with presentations on Latino identity by Diana Rios, Ph.D. and Federico Subervi, Ph.D. and a bonus interview with the professors
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Posted by Elena del Valle on January 26, 2007
El Zahir audio book cover
Photos: FonoLibro Inc.
FonoLibro, a Spanish language audio book company owned by Venevision International, recently announced it will make its products available online via Audible. This will allow FonoLibro customers to download the audio books onto their computers, audio and MP3 players and enabled cell phones.
They can also burn the audio books onto CDs. The versatile format allows “readers” access to books they might not have time for in the traditional printed format. Audible is the exclusive provider of audio books of iTunes, making those products available for download into the popular iPod players.
FonoLibro sells classics titles by Alejandro Dumas El Conde de Monte Cristo, El hombre de la mascara de hierro, and La dama de las Camelias. More recent titles incluye El Código Da Vinci, winner of the 2006 Audies Award as Best Spanish language audio book; and Ángeles y Demonios by Dan Brown.
Malinche audio book cover
Other titles include El Zahir by Pablo Coelho and John Grisham best sellers El Intermediario and El Rey de Los Pleitos. The company also offers a broad selection of self help titles. This month it will release Malinche by Laura Esquivel recorded by Lucia Méndez.
FonoLibro audio books are available at bookstores and on the company website FonoLibro.com. FonoLibro produces and distributes audio books and audio entertainment for Venevision International.
Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations Understanding and Targeting America’s Largest Minority book
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