de Free VolumeLa 3 Number 1 VozInformandoAustin a la comunidad January, 2008 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

People in the News

Lydia Mendoza Passes Away

The Hidden Cost of Remedial Education

How I Learned English

Hail to the Chief Joel Moreno to Lead the TABC

Ramen Noodles, Salaries and UT Tuition

Latino Cultural Quiz # 3

MACC: Hecho a Mano Monthly Festival

Calendar of Events 1952 AVERAGE INCOME $3,850.00 Mexican American Cultural NEW CAR: $1,754.00 NEW HOUSE: $9,075.00 Center invites the public to its Loaf of Bread . . . . . $.16 Gallon of Gas . . . . . $.20 “Hecho a Mano” family festival Gallon of Milk . . . . . $.97 and artist market on Sunday, Dow Jones Average - 270 th President - Harry Truman January 27 . See Page 6 Vice-President - Alben Barkley Page # 2 La Voz de Austin - January, 2008 People in the News investigator or co-principal investigator in research projects totaling more than $8.7 million while a faculty member at Iowa State and A&M universities. She has been widely published, as author or co-author of seven books, book chapters or monographs, and scores of scholarly papers, abstracts and related materials. Murano Named Linda Yañez is Hector Najerá Dr. De la Teja New President of Running for a Spot New Intern at Elected President Texas A&M in the Texas Austin Voices for of TACHE Dr. Elsa A. Murano was Supreme Court Eduction and Youth named the 23rd President of Dr. Magda de la Teja, is the Texas A&M University on Jan. Linda Yañez, a Justice in the Hector Najerá is from President-Elect of the Texas 3, 2008. She is the first woman 13th Court of Appeals has filed Escondido, California, attends Association of Chicanos in and first -American to as a Democrat for Place 8 on college in Bennington, Ver- Higher Education (TACHE). serve as President of the oldest the Texas Supreme Court. mont and will be spending the She take the helm of this 34 year public university of higher Yañez said she could no longer next six weeks in Austin, Texas old professional organization in learning in Texas. turn a blind eye to the “extreme as an intern with Austin Voices February during its annual Dr. Murano has served since Maldonado Files right judicial activism” of our for Education and Youth. conference in Austin. January 2005 as Vice for Texas State state’s highest court. One of the Originally from Oaxaca, Currently she is the Dean of Chancellor of Agriculture and highest profile examples of the , Najerá graduated from Student Services, South Life Sciences for The Texas Representative current brand of judicial activism high school in Southern Califor- Austin Campus at Austin A&M University System and as is the case of Duenez v F.F.P. nia. During the 2004-2005 year Community College. In this iana Maldonado has filed to Dean of Agriculture and Life D “I authored the Court of he served as the student Presi- position she spends a great deal Sciences for the University. run as a Democrat for Texas Appeals’ decision that affirmed dent of the CLYLP (Chicano- of time helping students find the State Representative in District From October 2001 through the jury’s verdict in favor of the Latino Youth Leadership Project. resources they need in order to 52 which is contained entirely in brain damaged child victim of the complete their education at ACC. 2004, she was Under Secretary He is currently the President Williamson County. She has no drunk driver,” Yañez noted. “The for Food Safety with the U.S. of Bennington College’s stu- De la Teja earned her opponents in the March 4th current members of our state’s Department of Agriculture, as dent government Hector believes bachelor’s and master’s degrees Primary. highest court reversed a jury appointed by President George that the youth have a voice rel- in speech communication from Republican Mike Krusee, verdict, ignored the Dram Shop W. Bush. Prior to her USDA evant to any decision made the University of Texas at who currently holds the seat Law, and overturned their own service, Dr. Murano was a about their schools. As adults, Austin. She later returned to the decided in November of 2007 to prior ruling in the same case after Professor in the Department of he says, we often assume we university and obtained her Ph.D. not seek re-election. A total of an election took place.” Animal Science at Texas A&M know what is best for students in higher-ed administration. four candidates have filed in the University and holder of the Yañez, was appointed to the without taking their opinions into After a working at a number of 2008 Republican Primary. Sadie Hatfield Professorship Thirteenth Court of Appeals in account. It is for this reason—to jobs in the field of education she aldonado, who has already in Agriculture. She joined the M 1993 by Governor Ann see students taking charge of returned to The University of Texas A&M faculty in 1995. been twice elected to the Round Richards - making her the first their education—that he dedided Texas at Austin and earned her Dr. Murano was an Assistant Rock Independent School Hispanic woman to serve in an to intern for Austin Voices. law degree. Professor in the Department District Board of Trustees and appellate court of Microbiology, Immunology is its immediate past president in history of and Preventative Medicine at says she will work hard to bring Texas. She Iowa State University from solutions to the problems in her received her first Quality Vision Eyewear 1990 until her appointment to the district. law degree from Texas A&M faculty. She received She is an award-winning Texas 2 pairs of Marco, lentes y Eye Exam a bachelor’s degree in biological government efficiency expert with Southern transición sciences from Florida the Texas Comptroller’s office, University’s Eyeglasses International University, and where she’s worked for 20 years. Thurgood para visión 00 earned both a master’s degree Diana earned her Bachelor’s in Marshall sencilla in anaerobic microbiology and a Business Management in 2000, School of Law $89 $99 $30. doctorate in food science and graduated magna cum laude in 1976 and her technology from Virginia from St. Edward’s University Masters of Hablamos Español Su amigo el oftalmólogo Polytechnic Institute and New College and was on the Laws from the Valentino Luna, 2800 S. IH-35) salida en Oltorf State University. She is a native dean’s list while working full- University of con gusto lo atenderá of Havana, Cuba. time. She is a member of St. Virginia in Mon - Fri 8:30am until 5:30pm A noted expert on food safety, William’s Catholic Church and 1998. Saturday from 10am until 3:00pm 462-0001 Dr. Murano was principal is mother of two children. La Voz de Austin - January, 2008 Page # 3 PRODUCTION Pensamientos del Año Nuevo Editor & Publisher Editorial Alfredo R. Santos c/s Pues aquí estamos en el año organizar actividades en su . . . 2008. Como son las cosas? comunidad. Estas personas lo que estan diciendo los Managing Editors Pa decirte la mera verdad no siempre estan dando de su candidatos pero este idea de Yelana Santos pensaba que hiba estar viviendo tiempo y en veces de su propio “cambio” se me hace que va y trabajando aquí en Austin, dinero para realizar proyectos y tronar con tiempo. Como dicen Texas. Después de muchos ayudar a la gente. en English, something very fishy Distribution años en California, Indiana, Cuando la gente empezo a votar is going on here. I predict this El Team Houston y otras partes, habia por las personas más influyentes “change idea” is going to take a regresado a mi pueblo de se podia ver que las personas very interesting turn. Marketing Uvalde, Texas en 1996 con las que estaban escojiendo eran per- Es más, when we were doing Eric Garcia intenciones de escribir unos libros sonas de arranque. Personas que the Chicano Movement some 30 y reflejarme un poco de la vida. de deveras mercian este years ago, we were talking about Pero hace tres años se reconocimiento. Así es que, con change and a lot of people didn’t Contributing Writers presentaron unos oportunitdades gusto queremos decir a todo los want to hear what we had to so Angel Espinoza de asistir a la universidad de que participaron en la votació el say. It’s like the immigration is- Barbara Renaud vuelta. Habia terminado mi mes pasado, muchas gracias. sue today. People say they want maestria y todavia tenia el deseo immigration reform, pero la mera Alfredo R. Santos c/s Gonzalez Cambiando Editor & Publisher Mary Cardwell de acabar el doctorado. No verdad es que, too many people porque creo que me va ayudar de Temas are benefiting from the way things conseguir un trabajo mejor. No, are. Production Assistance Como ya saben todos, ya On the Cover a mi edad, realmente ese tren ya Cambiando Yleana Santos paso. Quiero terminar el llego la temporada de las de Temas Wayne Sanchez doctorado porque hace muchos elecciones, de votar, de hacer propaganda y que se yo. Lo años estaba en un programa en hora, unos cuantos Héctor Nájera intersante con los que se han A la Universidad de Notre Dame comentarios sobre el contenido y me sali sin acabar. Regrese a postulado para presidencia de los United States es que todos de este ejemplar de La Voz de Tejas con mucha pena y tuve Austin. Our main story is a take que empezar en zero. Pero quieren hablar de cambio. Todos PUBLISHER’S andan con el mensaje de off on the University of Texas nunca, como quien dice, se me tuition increases that are start- STATEMENT apago esa vela educativo. “change.” Change has become the big buzz word. ing to get the attention of an in- Así es que, sea por terco o por creasing number of students. But I don’t understand. I re- La Voz de Austin is a otra cosa, tengo en la mente que Before the Christmas break a monthly publication spon- hay que acabar esta meta de member several years ago in Uvalde, Texas, there was a big group of students staged some sored by the Mexican Ameri- sacar el doctorado. Vamos a ver political rally at the civic center. protest activity to call attention can Center for Community que pasa aquí en Austin. Por lo John Sharp was running for to the proposed increases that and Economic Develop- pronto Happy New Year a todos were being considered. These ustedes y a sus familiares. some office. He and Kirk ment. The editorial and busi- Watson came to the rally and students are correct to call at- ness address is P.O. Box tention to what they see as a Cambiando while Sharp was speaking he 19457 Austin, Texas 78760. said, “Nobody likes change ex- growing problem. We join them de Temas I was at an event at the Mexican The telephone number is (512) cept a baby in a wet diaper.” The in their efforts to call attention to 291-9060. The use, reproduc- the tuition issue by our reserarch American Cultural Center and saw Dejame comentar por un crowd roared with laughter be- the artwork above as a poster. I took tion or distribution of any or contribution on pages 8 and 9. momento en en esfuerzo que cause it was indeed very funny. one and found that the artist is a part of this publication is In the coming months we will realizamos para encontrar los 25 The in the crowd man named Carlos Callejos from strongly encouraged. But do turn our focus toward the primary Latinos más influyentes en Aus- laughed also, but their laughter El Paso, Texas. We tried several elections and the extent to which call and let us know what you tin. En cada pueblo donde he was more nervous. times to locate him in El Paso, but Latinos are participating. Expect no one seemed to know his where- are using. Letters to the edi- vivido, siempre hay personas que So now some years later, to see reports on campagin con- abouts. Maybe we even got the tor are most welcome. se encuentran trabajando en la “change” is not so funny anymore. tributions, voter turnout and plat- name wrong. In any event, if any- comunidad tratando de mejor las It seems that it has become a form issues that various candi- one knows who this artist is, cosas. En cada pueblo existen serious topic of the current cam- dates will lay claim to. Es todo! please have him/her contact us. individuos que se avientan para paigns. Voy a seguir escuchando We have a check for them. Amaya’s Taco Village Mexican Restaurant David and Laura Inside Dining Amaya and To Go Orders Democrat for Constable Precinct 4 Family Operated www.alonzoreyes.com [email protected] 458-2531 P.O. Box 272 Del Valle, TX 78617 At Capital Plaza 5405 North IH-35 Austin, Texas (512) 586-4626 Page # 4 La Voz de Austin - January, 2008 Passes Young Hispanic Away at 91 Years of Age Professional Austin Association by Barbara Renaud Gonzales

If you don’t know who she was, ask YHPAA Professional Development Series: your grandmother, who likely remembers her and her twelve-string “Critical Choices that Change Lives” guitar at the Plaza del Zacate in , Texas, with the chili queens by Author: Daniel R. Castro in the early 1930s. She sang, literally, for pennies, as part if a struggling On Wednesday, January 30th musical family following the migrant route to Michigan and back, until she 6:00-8:00 p.m. was signed to the Blue Bird label. One of her songs, Mal Hombre, was an Spaghetti Warehouse Banquet Room overnight success, when she was just 17 years old. 117 West 4th Street

She emerged as one of the few tejanas to gain national prominence Q & A session in a time when few women were encouraged to pursue a musical career. Throughout her life, until she suffered a stroke in 1988, she Complimentary appetizers & giveaways! was beloved for singing the songs of the poor, working-class mexicanos she came from, as la cancionera de los pobres and la Free for members! alondra de la frontera. $5 for future members In 1982, Lydia Mendoza became the first Texan to receive a RSVP: [email protected] National Endowment for the Art’s National Heritage Award. For more info. www.yhpaa.org Her last public appearance was a tribute to her, A Serenata to Lydia Mendoza, for her 90th birthday, presented by the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center at the Plaza Guadalupe in September 2006.

It rained that night, and Lydia Mendoza’s illness prevented here Car insurance with from singing for the thousands who came to just see her, and show their respeto to the woman who knew a thousand songs about their PERSONAL SERVICE. lives, their joys, and their sorrow. She learned the words when she was a little girl in Monterrey, Mexico, from bubble-gum wrappers, No extra charge. listening to the men who sang those At State Farm® you get a competitive rate and an agent songs, teaching dedicated to helping you get the coverage that’s right for you herself to play the and the discounts you deserve. Nobody takes care of you like mandolin, the guitar, State Farm. Contact me. I’ll prove it. the violin, the piano, the bass fiddle.

Adios, Lydia. I will remember you as the rain that falls in Texas, the softest lluvia, and the kind that haunts you all John Lewis CLU, Agent the way home. 2501 W William Cannon Drive Austin, TX 78745-5281 Bus: 512-443-9600 [email protected]

® RIGHT: The cover of the LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, STATE FARM IS THERE. book on the life of Providing Insurance and Financial Services Lydia Mendoza by Dr. Yolanda Broyels- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company • State Farm Indemnity Company ® Gonzalez. P040201 05/05 Bloomington, IL • statefarm.com La Voz de Austin - January, 2008 Page # 5 The Hidden Cost How I learned English of Remedial Education by Angel Espinosa When I came to the United States I By Brooke Dollens Terry economy. of a college degree less likely; in fact, it didn’t know any English. I was living for Colleges is the leading predictor that a student will several months with my aunt and then I Last spring, angry parents protested and drop out of college. went to Palm School. I didn’t understand that their kids could not walk across the universities anything