LaLaLa VozVozVoz Volume 15 Number 12 A Bi-Cultural Publication December, 2020 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Tribute to Dr. Juan Gómez Quiñones Hispanics in the Media Overview The God of Spinoza Election Results En palabras hay poder Page 2 La Voz Newspaper - December, 2020 the United States and Mexico for much of his childhood. He earned a degree People in the News in Humanities and Social Sciences In- terdisciplinary Studies from the Uni- $625,000 prize paid quarterly over the versity of California, Riverside, and span of five years. The program’s prize an MFA from Arizona State Univer- is presented with a “no strings at- sity in Tempe. tached” policy, allowing the fellows the freedom to follow their own creative and intellectual visions. “What I’m most excited about with Corpus Christi her receiving the MacArthur Fellow- Councilwoman ship is that now the English-speaking Paulette Guajardo Cristina Rivera Garza world sees what the Spanish-speaking world has seen all along,” said Raúl González, New Editor Headed for a Run-Off Awarded MacArthur Ramos, a history professor at the Uni- at Camino del Sol Two-term incumbent Mayor Joe Fellowship versity of Houston. “She has a sensi- Series Univ. Arizona tivity and insight into the border expe- McComb and two-term at-large coun- An award-winning novelist, poet, edi- The University of Arizona Press re- UTRGV Mexican rience across all lines — gender, class cilwoman Paulette Guajardo have tor, translator and educator Cristina cently announced that Rigoberto and indigeneity. She understands the American Studies emerged as the top contenders among Rivera Garza was one of 21 recipi- González will be the editor of its primal importance of language to a total of nine candidates who ran for ents of a 2020 MacArthur Fellow- Camino del Sol Series. This award- Names Carmona identity and human experience.” the job of Mayor of Corpus Christi, ship. Rivera Garza is a distinguished winning and critically acclaimed se- The University of Texas Rio Grande Texas professor in Hispanic Studies and a di- Early Life ries of poetry, fiction, and essays pub- Valley is pleased to announce the ap- rector of the creative writing program lishes emerging and established voices pointment of Dr. Christopher Guajardo and McComb each drew at the University of Houston. Rivera Garza, 56, was born in in Latinx literature, such as Juan Carmona’s as Interim Director of the about the same number of votes: Matamoros in the Mexican state of Felipe Herrera, Carmen Giménez UTRGV Mexican American Studies McComb pulling about 33 percent of Rivera Garza says she didn’t take the Tamaulipas in 1964. “Having grown Smith, Luis Alberto Urrea, Richard Academic Program. the vote, with about 34,000 votes in MacArthur call at first because she up on the border elicits many questions Blanco, Alberto Ríos, Pat Mora, Tim his favor, and Guajardo garnering didn’t recognize the number. She re- about limits, about where differences Z. Hernandez, Emmy Pérez, and Dr. Carmona is a Chicanx Beat writer. about 32 percent support, or about ceived an email asking for information are established and why.” Reflecting Francisco X. Alarcón. The Texas Observer has recognized 33,000 votes. about another candidate. “So I finally on her early years she said, “As a child. him as being one of the top five writ- answered, and they delivered the news. I wanted to write, that it was a goal in González is the author of eighteen ers in 2014. He has two books of po- Guajardo said she was committed to It was quite a shock,” she said. “But life. But I also knew it would be a dif- books of poetry and prose. He is cur- etry, beat and I Have Always Been being a fulltime mayor – which she it was wonderful news to receive, es- ficult road ahead.” rently Distinguished Professor of En- Here. He edited The Beatest State In described as involving fulltime over- pecially during a time like this.” glish and Director of the MFA Pro- Cristina Rivera Garza received a BA The Union: An Anthology of Beat sight of the city’s $1 billion budget, as gram in Creative Writing at Rutgers- (1987) from the National Autono- Texas Writings with Chuck Taylor well as connecting more with the com- Rivera Garza’s work is remarkable Newark, the State University of New mous University of Mexico and PhD and Rob Johnson and Outrage: A munity and working with council for its breadth. She has published sev- Jersey. (1995) from the University of Hous- Protest Anthology about Injustice in members to bring unity. eral novels, poetry collections and ton. She was affiliated with San Di- a Post 9/11 World with Rossy Evelin short story collections. She also has “Camino del Sol has been essential ego State University (1997–2004), Lima by Slough Press. “There needs to be more consensus written three books of non-fiction, to our Latinx literary legacy. For over and the University of California at building (in the council), so that we translated poetry from Spanish to En- 25 years this series has provided a San Diego (2008–2015) prior to join- He received his Ph.D from Texas can achieve and accomplish more and glish, and edited multiple anthologies. home for the stories and voices that ing the faculty of the University of A&M University in 2012m his mas- truly work as a team… and all this is Her work has been translated into at amplify, celebrate, and nuance the di- Houston in 2016, where she is a dis- ters degree from the University of going to require fulltime leadership,” least five languages, and she has earned verse experiences of our communi- tinguished professor in the Department Texas at Brownsville in 2007 and his Guajardo said. “Your elected leader- literary awards in France and Ger- ties,” González said. of Hispanic Studies and leads the bachelors degree from the University ship is the voice of the people.” many. graduate Spanish-language creative of Texas at Pan American in 2002. Rigoberto González was born in writing concentration. Her recent pub- The December 15th run-off includes Established in 1981 by the John D. Bakersfield, California in 1970, but lications in Spanish include Dr. Carmona is very active in the contests for two other Corpus Chrisit and Catherine T. MacArthur Foun- lived in Michoacán, Mexico, until the Autobiografía del algodón (2020), the promtion of Mexican American Stud- city council district. dation, the MacArthur Fellowship, age of ten. The son of migrant farm poetry collection La fractura exacta ies across the state of Texas and is of- often called a “genius grant,” bears a workers, González traveled between (2020). ten lobbying elected officials. PRODUCTION La Voz Newspaper - December, 2020 Page 3 PRODUCTION Editor & Publisher EditorAlfredo & SantosPublisher c/s Pensamientos Alfredo Santos c/s EDITORIAL Bienvenidos otra vez y por la the University of California On page 10 you will Managing Editors ultima vez de este año La Voz at Berkekley in the 1970s, I find a piece I “lifted” from a Associate Editors Yleana Santos Newspaper. I want to thank did take a silk screening class FACEbook post that really DianaKaitlyn Santos Theiss all of our readers who follow us with him. Every time I came out caught my eye. It is an every month. I want you to his studio I was high from all interpretation of what it means ContributingGraphics Writers know that appreciate your the paints and other chemicals to know God. I had to read it a AliciaJuan Perez-Hodge Gallo comments, suggestions and that were floating around the couple of times to really get a Gloria yes, even your criticisms. But room. good feeling for it and then most of all I appreciate the CisnerosDistribution Lenoir Ph.D decided that given that we are El Team opportunity to share stories of Dr. Gilberto Cardenas and in the Christmas season, I Elizabeth Lopez what is taking place con La Dolores Carrillo Garcia would share it in this issue. I Raza. have teamed up with Cynthia hope you find it interesting. Contributing Writers and Libby Perez of La Peña Distribution I prefer the term La Raza in Austin, Texas and have put I have been meaning to do an TomWayne Herrera (The people) rather than together an exhibit which is Overview of Hispanics in the HectorAnna Valdez Tijerina Hispanic, Latino or even described on Page 5. Check it Media in Austin for some time Alfredo R. Santos c/s SergioMarisa Porras Cano Chicano. That might surprise out si puedes. and so it is with this issue that Editor and Publisher some of you especially when I we are going to launch it. It is about New Media. What we Email Address: include the term Chicano. For Also in this issue of La Voz brief but I think it is important have on page 18 is just a tiny [email protected] me the term Chicano refers to you will find a tribute to the to highlight the people who blurp of what is going on with those of us who grew up and Chicano historian Dr. Juan work in print, radio and New Media. If you want to PUBLISHER’S worked for social and political Gómes Quiñones. He might television. know more, hit the internet. La Voz de Austin is a monthly change starting in the 1960s. not be that well known her in STATEMENT publication. The editorial and There are not many of us left. Texas, but his impact on the But because there is so much Last but not least, I would like Labusiness Voz is address a monthly is P.O.publi- Box It seems like every day telling of history is all over the information I have had to break to say that 2020 marks 30 that cation19457 Austin,covering Texas Bexar, 78760.