Café Media

The Rising Cost of Cultural Immersion

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Randi Belisomo Hernández  PHOTOS:   Elia Alamillo) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:53:49 +0000

Margot Gordon doesn’t speak Spanish. But to her, it’s imperative that her sons Lucas and Aaron do.

That’s why she enrolled them in Inter-American Magnet School on Chicago’s North Side. It’s a dual language, or two-way immersion program, that so far is unrivaled in the city.

Two Loves, One Heart

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Juan Carlos Hernández) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:55:44 +0000

“¡Viva México!” resounded from the stage. The boisterous crowd responded passionately, “¡Viva!” I raised a Mexican flag and waved it, yelling too.

The night was electric, magical and one of pride. I was standing on a chair next to my parents. Green, white and red waved up and down as a bell tolled. “¡Viva México!” resounded again.

How to Plan a Party for a 200-year-old

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (El Guapo) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:45:24 +0000

Mexico celebrates its bicentennial in September. For nations, as birthdays go, this is the quinceañera of celebrations. It’s when a country blooms into womanhood, wears a big puffy dress and declares to the world “Here I stand, world; court me.”

Of course, you only turn 200 once, and it’s important to make it count. However, Mexico has a history of bad birthdays, and now she’s worried about this important milestone, further cementing that tradition. Poor thing. Should she worry? See for yourself.

Perrozompopo’s Missives from Nicaragua

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Maria Ines Zamudio) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:07:39 +0000

Dozens huddled around a stage singing “Quiere a Tu País” – some waving Nicaraguan flags. “La economía politizada va va … a la derecha como a la izquierda y por el centro va tanta gente que nunca nunca le queda nada,” Perrozompopo sang during his first visit to Los Angeles for the recently celebrated Visionary Sounds Festival. Perrozompopo will again perform in LA Sept. 29 at a venue to be disclosed and in San Francisco Oct. 2.

Barcelona-based Festival Finds Its U.S. Home

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Daniela Garcia) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:58:22 +0000

The city of Chicago is no stranger to music festivals, serving as homebase for major gatherings throughout the year that cater to a variety of musical tastes. There’s Lollapalooza and Pitchfork for the indie and alternative crowd, the Grant Park Music Festival for classical fans and the Chicago Jazz Festival for those that love that New Orleans-born fusion of instruments. Now, as of this month, one more festival will be joining the ranks, directed at those who enjoy electronica and all things avant-garde: Sónar.

Playing the Vallenato Very Be Carefully

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Maria Ines Zamudio) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:16:51 +0000

Ricardo Guzman’s love for vallenato shines through when he plays the accordion. He holds the accordion so close to his face that the instrument seems to be whispering the musical notes into his ear.

Hector Duarte’s Butterflies Head North

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Arianna Hermosillo PHOTOS: Alberto Treviño) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:14:41 +0000

In 1978, artist Hector Duarte attended a muralist conference in Chicago that exposed him to a rich movement of artists working in the barrios of the city. Having never seen anything like it in his native Mexico, he was determined to return and take part.

When he did in 1985, the muralist movement had withered and artists had moved on to other areas or other projects. Still, Duarte went on to help create more than 50 murals, most of them in the city of Chicago and surrounding areas.

Unfinished Business

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Christina Galoozis PHOTO: Abel Arciniega) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:50:03 +0000

Like many other children of immigrant parents, Pablo Rejas was the first in his family to graduate from high school.

His mother, a native of Mexico, encouraged him to do well in school and eventually go to college. When he first signed up for classes at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago in 2006, just after graduating from high school, Rejas was undecided about his major. But he knew one thing for sure.

Sex, Drugs & Video

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Benjamin Ortiz PHOTO: Alberto Treviño) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:33:49 +0000

The buxom bombshell named Sabrina Solano stops her man Chuy drop-dead cold with impeccably arched eyebrows and a sizzling point-blank glare, as piercing as an actual bullet. “Even the worst of men has someone who would cry for him if he died,” she gasps.

Sabrina’s words prove prophetic when Chuy and his partner, Mauricio, brutally execute their rich kingpin rival, the ruthless Oscar Solano – Sabrina’s father. But Chuy makes the mistake of falling for her.

The Future of Tradition

cafeadmin@cafemediallc.com (Kristopher Fortin    PHOTOS BY Melissa Valladares) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:15:18 +0000

Christina Mariscal has lived at Olvera Street literally from womb to adulthood.

Mariscal was first taken to her parents’ store, My Rosa, two months after she was born. At 18 months, she was the baby Jesus in the nine-day Posadas celebration. Her babysitters were their fellow Olvera Street merchants, and her friends were other merchants’ children, like Marisol Hernandez, daughter of Jesús “Lalo” Hernández; Gregory Berber, whose parents owned La Luz del Dia restaurant, or Diana Guerrero Robertson, whose parents owned Cielito Lindo.