Coast2Coast

The Impostor Opens at LATC, Keep Foil in the Box & More

LOS ANGELES: Luis Avalos’ modern production of Rodolfo Usigli’s 20th Century classic Mexican play El Gesticulador (The Impostor) opens June 5 at The New LATC in Los Angeles. The Impostor is a production of The Americas Theatre Arts Foundation, and is presented by special arrangement with La Sociedad General de Escritores de Mexico and the family of Rodolfo Usigli.

The story revolves around a college professor who assumes the identity of a lost hero of the Mexican Revolution and in so doing changes the lives of everyone around him. El Gesticulador, Usigli’s most famous play became the only play ever banned by the Mexican government for political reasons after its premiere in 1938.

Avalos, founder and artistic director of the Americas Theatre Arts Foundation, is translator and director of The Impostor. He was born in Cuba and raised in New York City, where he graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the immediately joined Lincoln Center Repertory Theater performing on Broadway, off-Broadway and regional theatre productions.

The multi-talented actor, who earned national recognition for his starring role in the critically acclaimed TV series The Electric Company (630 episodes), has also accumulated an impressive record on the small screen in other TV series, including ER and Resurrection Boulevard for which he received the Alma Award. His screen credits include The Ringer, Hollywood Homicide, Love Stinks and many more.

His directing credits include two Spanish language features in Mexico, Palenque and La Revancha and a Telemundo special, El Regalo de Paquito, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He later wrote the book and lyrics for the multi-award winning musical Paquito’s Christmas, which debuted at LATC in 1994 and has been much produced on both coasts since. He also directed a short for Universal, Always Roses which won the San Antonio Film Festival.

Avalos joins the cast of The Impostor, which also includes Blanca Araceli, Ivan Basso, Lorenzo Callender, Armando Di Lorenzo, Elizabeth Duran, Angel Fajardo, Gerard Marzilli, Maximiliano Mastrangelo, John Olvera, Rosemary Orozco, Leo Vargas and David Vega. 
 Set design: Francisco Stohr. Lighting design: Brendan Gravatt. Costume design: Mariel McEwan. Sound design: Juvencio Segura. Casting: Mina Vasquez. Production stage manager: David Mingrino. Assistant stage manager: Angel Febo. Properties: Nicole Maroon.


The play opens June 5 and runs through June 22. Performance times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m. General tickets reasonably priced at $15 and $12 for seniors and students. Reservations: (213) 489-0994 ext. 107. Online Ticketing: www.thenewlatcstore.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the New LATC box office starting two hours before each performance. Since this production is presented in the intimate Theatre 4, seating is limited, so make your reservations early. You won't want to miss this extraordinary production.

The New LATC, 514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013, is a City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs facility, operated by Latino Theater Company.

PASADENA: The National Hispanic Media Coalition has launched a new Web site to combat the verifiable increase in hate crimes against American Latinos and the Latino immigrant community, in particular. The new Web site, www.latinosagainsthatespeech.org, is user-friendly and content-rich with three primary objectives: to raise awareness about this growing issue; to educate the public and supporting organizations about the emotional and long-term impact of hate speech; and to help visitors to the Web site take action against the increasing amount of ugly rhetoric against Latinos on American radio and television.

“We must take a stand against Hate Speech,” explained Alex Nogales, NHMC President/CEO. “The most recent report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on this issue (“Immigrants Targeted: Extremist Rhetoric Moves into the Mainstream”) addresses how the strategy of blaming immigrants for all of society’s ills, is now spreading to mainstream America.” Nogales also explained that the FBI released a report this year demonstrating that hate crimes against Latinos had increased by 25% between 2004 and 2006. “This is simply unacceptable,” lamented the well-known Latino media activist.

NHMC began its campaign against hate speech over a year ago by asking Congress to request an update of the 1993 National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Report to Congress: “The Role of Communications in Hate Crimes.” The NHMC anticipates that this updated report will document that there is in fact a direct cause and effect to violence generated by what radio and television is broadcasting. As a result of the efforts by the NHMC, members of Congress recently signed a joint letter addressed to the NTIA requesting an update to the 1993 report. “Although it will take a year to complete, an update of this study is imperative in order to produce verifiable data that shows the cause and effect of hate speech and its manifestation of hate crimes,” explained Mr. Nogales.

As part of the launch, the NHMC will work closely with the ADL and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), to address hate speech and the increase of anti-immigrant sentiment across the country. MALDEF’s launching of its own Web site, www.truthinimmigration.org, is a means to refute legal and factual inaccuracies about immigrants and Latinos.

The goal of the NHMC and its partnering organizations is to make sure that hate speech is not allowed to hide behind the banner of “free speech.” Nogales summarized, “Hate speech is simply bad for all Americans – it encourages bigotry, makes ignorance acceptable and it emboldens extremists to take action against those who are least able to defend themselves.”

For more information on the National Hispanic Media Coalition, or Hate Speech against Latinos please go to www.nhmc.org, www.latinosagainsthatespeech.org, or call (626) 792-NHMC (6462).

ESCONDIDO: On a lighter note, just discovered from one of my cyberspace pals, that most of us have unnecessarily been struggling with aluminum foil boxes for the longest time. I can’t count the number of times I’ve gone to pull out a piece of foil and the entire roll falls out and after retrieving it had to start over.

Okay, so it’s not a life threatening experience, but annoying just the same, especially since it seems that the solution to this problem has been in front of us all the time. In fact, all my buddies with whom I’ve shared this with are in awe of how we’ve all missed it. So, the next time you grab for your aluminum foil take a look at the end of the box. Believe it or not, right there on the both ends is a tab that when pushed in, locks the roll in place. And on top of that, it seems like we’ve been missing those locking tabs on Saran Wrap boxes as well.

Certainly the world won’t come to an end because we never noticed this before, but by commenting on it, perhaps there will be fewer of us trying to keep it from rolling out of the box onto the floor, or trying to stuff crumpled foil back into the box.

NEXT POST: Hopefully before someone comes up with a solution to keep Saran Wrap from sticking to itself. Stay tuned.

!Gaytino! Returns; Superstar Donates Millions & More

LOS ANGELES: ¡Gaytino! is back. Written and performed by Dan Guerrero, this innovative 50-year journey is directed by Diane Rodriguez. Choreography by Kay Cole. Music arranged and produced by David De Palo, Joseph Julian Gonzalez, Germaine Franco. Wardrobe: Bob Mackie. Now playing Oct. 25, 26, 27 (8 p.m.) and 28 (3 p.m.) at Theater 4 at the new Los Angeles Theatre Center. Tickets range from $15 to $28. For more info, call (323) 489-0994.

COLUMBIA: Multi-talented Colombian singer/songwriter Shakira, who has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide making her the highest selling Colombian artist of all time, is also widely recognized as a philanthropist who donates a hefty amount to charitable causes each year. OK! Magazine recently ranked her at number 48 on the list of Top 50 Most Charitable Celebrities, reporting that she donates approximately $55,000 dollars to charity each year.

The two-time Grammy Award winning and seven time Latin Grammy Award winning artist, who has performed at numerous benefit concerts and events, founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a charitable organization with special schools for poor children in Colombia. Her deep commitment to helping children was just one of her attributes that got her selected as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to help bring the organization’s mission to audiences around the world.

At the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative, held Sept. 28, it was revealed that Shakira’s charitable foundation (Latin America in Solidarity Action) donated $40 million to help victims of natural disasters. Add to that an extra $5 million dollars that will be donated to four Latin American countries to be spent on education and health.

BURBANK: On the subject of health, the Disney Channel has launched a daily series of interstitials, Pass the Plate, designed to help kids and their families understand more about healthy foods. Rotating on-air each day, the segments will be presented in multiple languages with subtitles.

Disney’s ongoing healthy kids initiatives, led by Kelly Pena, and especially 'Pass the Plate,' led by Jill Hotchkiss, represent our global team's effort to both inform and empower our viewers, showing them how kids just like them around the world enjoy and benefit from healthy foods."

The international series, produced in association with Disney Channels in 10 countries, is presented to inspire kids and tweens to lead the way to healthier lifestyles; it shares cultural and historical facts about food and cooking, and highlights kids assisting in the preparation of their own meal.

Hosted by actress Brenda Song (of Disney Channel's hit series "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody"), the multicultural "Pass the Plate" series features young stars in Argentina, Australia, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States, each telling a story about interesting ways to eat healthy foods in their culture and their families.

As each recipe is showcased, it will be available at the #1 entertainment website for kids age 6-14, DisneyChannel.com (at www.DisneyChannel.com/passtheplate), where kids and families can access information to adopt healthier lifestyles through good nutrition and physical activity. Included will be a look at how different cultures prepare the same nutritious foods plus interesting facts, pictures, videos and games that further the healthy lifestyle theme.

Each of the six segments focuses on the exposition, preparation and health benefits of one food item – mangoes, rice, fish, tomatoes, bananas and spinach -- and takes viewers across the globe on a tour of how these foods are enjoyed by kids and families in each country. Family recipe examples are a Mango, Spinach and Chicken Salad from the U.S., Sliced Mango on a Stick from Mexico, a Mango Lassi from India, a Beef Mango Stir Fry From China and a Fruity Icy Pole from Australia.

Featured are: Brenda Song, Jack Pearson, Alicia Banit and Deniz Akdenzi (of Disney Channel Australia); Lv Yun and Chi Shuai (of Disney's Dragon Club in China); Sonia and Sunny Malhotra (of Disney Channel India); Manon Azem and Come Levin (of Disney Channel France). Also, Giulio Rubinelli (of Disney Channel Italy); pop group Bless 4 (for Disney Channel Japan); Daniel Martins, Federico Di lorio and Robson Nunes dos Santos (of Disney Channel Argentina); Paulina and David Holguin Garcia (of Disney Channel Mexico), Rondell and Isha (for Disney Channel South Africa) and Sydney White and Gregg Sulkin (of Disney Channel UK).

Pass the Plate is a production of Riverstreet Productions.

HOLLYWOOD: In an exclusive interview in TVNotas (Oct 9, 2007), entertainment industry veteran Rita Moreno reveals her incredible and arduous journey toward stardom. A pioneer in her own right, Moreno has certainly been responsible for paving the way for the younger Latina stars of today who have not had to face the indignations and humiliations she had to endure during her early days in the industry.

Now, at age 72, she’s still going strong in a starring role opposite Hector Elizondo and Jimmy Smits as the matriarch in the CBS series Cane. She still holds the record as the only Latina to win the four most important awards in the industry: the Emmy, Oscar, Tony, and Grammy.

Today, while enjoying the fruits of her labor and the ability to still perform, Moreno also enjoys her role as wife, mother, and grandmother. Above all, she remains an industry pioneer to whom many of the newcomers should be ever grateful.

NEXT POST: Coming soon. Stay Tuned.

Cheetah Girl a Winner, Influential Latinos & More

BEVERLY HILLS, CA: The Imagen Foundation, the first organization to honor the entertainment industry for its production of positive Hispanic images through its annual Imagen Awards (now in its second decade), has scored another first by recognizing more than 60 individuals (creative, business executives, talent) as the most powerful and influential Latinos in the entertainment industry. The following honorees were honored at the organization’s inaugural luncheon, a premier event, held during the final day of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Oct. 15.

Gerald Alcantar (Vice President, Diversity Development, Fox Entertainment Group) oversees Fox Entertainment Group's strategies to enhance its leadership and growth through recruitment and employee development.

Alfonso Arau (Director) has had a long and fruitful career both in front of and behind the camera and is one of the most prominent filmmakers of the Latino community in Hollywood. A renowned writer-producer- director-actor in theater and films for the past 20 years, his directing credits include A Walk in the Clouds with Keanu Reeves and Picking Up the Pieces with Woody Allen.

Guillermo Arriaga (Writer) is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and producer. A native of Mexico City, Arriaga collaborated with film director Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu in the making of Amores perros (1999), one of the most awarded films in the history of international cinema. The duo collaborated on a third movie, Babel, which went on to win Arriaga an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best original screenplay in 2006.

Jonathan D. Avila (Vice President/Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer, The Walt Disney Co.) supervises data privacy law counseling and compliance for the domestic and international operations of Disney’s offline and online businesses.

Javier Avitia (Senior Vice President, Business Affairs CBS Paramount Int'l Television) has been with Paramount Pictures for 11 years and previously served four years as Senior Legal Counsel for Univision. He volunteers as a recruiter and interviewer for Harvard University and serves on the Board of Directors of The Imagen Foundation.

Nestor Barrero (Vice President, Employment Counsel, NBC Universal) is actively involved in providing preventive legal advice and training for managers and advising on internal policies and procedures affecting the NBC Universal and Telemundo television stations.

Darlene Caamano Loquet (President, NALA Films) produced the company's first film, The Air I Breathe, starring Andy Garcia and Sarah Michelle Gellar, to be released in early 2008. Her latest production is In The Valley of Elah, directed by Paul Haggis and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon.

Carlos Carreras (Latin Talent United Talent Agency) heads one of the world's largest full service talent and literary agencies. His expertise and influence is in Spanish entertainment and works toward elevating the presence of Latino talent in film and television.

Natalie Chaidez (Writer/Producer) received a full scholarship from the late Tichi Wilkerson Kassel, publisher of the Hollywood Reporter, which enabled her to finish her last year at UCLA’s film school. Her illustrious credits include such television programs as Heist, Judging Amy, New York Undercover, Profiler, and the Emmy-nominated Heroes.

Cynthia Cidre (Writer) is recipient of Imagen’s 2007 Norman Lear Award, and one of the most sought after and award-winning screenwriters of our time whose career began when she won a nationwide search for new writing talent. Her film and television credits include The Mambo Kings, the Emmy-nominated A Killing in a Small Town, and most recently wrote the pilot for Cane, a drama about a wealthy Cuban family with a rum and sugarcane empire in South Florida.

Juan Carlos Coto (Writer/Producer). His television credits include Standoff, Invasion, Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Hotel, Spycraft: The Great Game, Tales from the Cryptkeeper, and The Dead Zone, among others. He also served as a consultant for the TV film, For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, was story editor for The Pretender and developer of Mortal Kombat: Conquest.

Christina Davis (Senior Vice President, Drama Development, CBS Entertainment). Since joining CBS, Davis has been involved in the development of CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Without a Trace, Cold Case, The Unit, Ghost Whisperer, Jericho and the new crop of dramas that debuted this fall: Cane, Viva Laughlin and Moonlight. Her greatest moment in entertainment has been working with her mentor Nina Tassler.

Raul De Quesada (Assistant General Manager and Senior Vice President Marketing, 
Communications & Creative Services, Fox Sports International) is responsible for the planning and execution of strategic integrated marketing campaigns for all Fox Sports International channels. His areas of expertise are international business and television, a result of his many years of experience in the field and an unmatched knowledge of the Latin American and U.S. Hispanic markets.

Marlene Dermer (Executive Director, Los Angeles Latino Film Festival) is also programmer, and member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, which she co-founded with George Hernandez and Edward James Olmos. Since its inception in 1997, the festival has exceeded 27,000 attendees, and secured major corporate sponsorships. Dermer is also co-founder and executive director of Latino Public Broadcasting and serves on its Board of Directors.

Lourdes Diaz (President, VOY Pictures) is responsible for the company's multiplatform visual products and the packaging of visual content to traditional film and television outlets. Most recently, she was founder and president of Agua Entertainment, where she developed and produced films for theatrical and television distribution. Diaz also developed and managed multi-year studio deals for Green Moon with Warner Bros., Telemundo, Sony International Television, and HBO.

Hector Elizondo (Actor) is an award-winning actor whose successful career includes film, television, theater, and radio. He first gained recognition on the New York stage for his performance in Steambath, which earned him an Obie Award. He earned four Emmy nominations and an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance on CBS' Chicago Hope. He has appeared in at least a dozen Garry Marshall films, among them Pretty Woman, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

Moctesuma Esparza (Filmmaker/Producer) is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, entertainment executive, and entrepreneur. Among his many notable productions are Selena, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez and The Milagro Beanfield War. Esparza is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's Medallion of Excellence.

Stephen Espinoza (Entertainment Attorney) is an attorney with the law firm of Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca, Fischer, Gilbert-Lurie, Stiffelman & Cook, one of the premier entertainment and media law firms in the country. He represents a broad range of TV and film producers and directors, as well as a diverse group of talent, including an impressive list of up-and-coming Latino talent.

Jean Fuentes (Senior Vice President, Human Resources Fox Television Stations) oversees the community relations efforts of the Fox Television Stations Group, which is comprised of 35 owned and operated stations located throughout the country, and responsible for assisting senior management in the human resources policy development and implementation as well as consulting in all human resources disciplines.

Kathryn F. Galan (Executive Director, NALIP) was a news media consultant and independent producer prior to joining NALIP in 2001. She worked for seven years at Atlantic Entertainment, first in the acquisition of international films, then as head of production. In 1989, she joined the new Hollywood Pictures division of the Walt Disney Co. as a VP of production. She produced Daybreak for HBO, Squanto for Disney and French Kiss through her production company with Meg Ryan, Prufrock Pictures.

Nely Galan (Creator/Producer) is a media entrepreneur who launched her company Galán Entertainment with the mandate of creating multi-platform content specializing in the Latino market. Her company has since successfully produced over 600 episodes of programming in both English and Spanish. Galán credits her success to the great mentorship of entertainment great Jerry Perenchio, owner of the radio station in New York where, at 23, she embarked on her career in entertainment as the nation’s youngest station manager.

Alexis Garcia (Agent, Endeavor Talent Agency). Garcia's expertise is in independent and international film finance and sales. He earned his Bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, in English and Theatre from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and his Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law

Phil Gonzales (Vice President, Communications, CBS Entertainment) oversees the network’s publicity efforts on behalf of its primetime series, specials, movies and mini-series as well as late night and daytime programming. In 1996, Gonzales was a senior member of the Warner Bros. TV marketing team that received the Publicists Guild Maxwell Weinberg Publicist Showmanship Award for best television campaign for their work on Friends.

Diego Gutierrez (Writer) of Flaco Films, was one of the writers for NBC’s Latino-themed Kingpin, a six episode mini-series that featured a mostly Latino cast and behind-the-camera creative team. Amid the controversy the mini-series received from Latino media watchdogs because of its drug trafficking premise, Gutierrez defended his stance that the show portrayed both sides of the human element—good and bad—and has opened the doors for Latinos in the industry by demonstrating that Latinos can entertain with great stories and superb acting.

Helen Hernandez (President & Founder, The Imagen Foundation). Under her leadership, Hernandez has led the Foundation's Imagen Awards for the past 22 years. The Imagen Awards, which have become one of the most prestigious awards in the entertainment industry, were presented this year at The Walt Disney Concert Hall. Hernandez was raised in Azusa, Calif., and began her professional career as a labor union official before going into entertainment where she worked for Norman Lear and Jerry Perenchio at Embassy Communications. Helen has three grown children and two grandchildren. She has been recognized by the United States Congress in the Congressional Record for her work on behalf of the Latino community in the entertainment industry. She was recently named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the top Latinas in entertainment.

Silvio Horta (Executive Producer/Writer), one of Hollywood's brightest screenwriting talents, is currently the creator/executive producer of ABC's Emmy-winning comedy Ugly Betty. A native of Miami, Horta grew up being forced to watch Spanish language telenovelas with his Cuban-American family, not realizing that decades later he would be adapting the popular Columbian telenovela Betty la Fea, as Ugly Betty for American television.

Leon Ichaso (Writer/Director), a native of Cuba, is an award winning writer/director whose latest milestone is director of the biopic El Cantante, starring Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony as Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector Lavoe. Other milestones include Pinero, starring Benjamin Bratt, the Showtime biopic Hendrix, among others.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Producer/Director/Writer) is an award winning Mexican film director, who at the age of 27 became one of the youngest directors in Mexico. In collaboration with screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga, their feature film, Amores perros, garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as many other awards from festivals and film societies around the world. His most recent project, Babel, earned him the Best Director prize at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture and Academy Awards in numerous categories, including a Best Director Award.

Emilio Kauderer (Composer) is a music composer who performed as a classical pianist in his native Argentina. In addition to producing the soundtrack for several films, including Plata dulce and Asesinato a distancia, he also composed the music score for The Patriots, Friends & Lovers and A Place in the World, an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film. Kauderer still receives accolades for Luis Avalos' Latino musical Paquito's Christmas, which appeared at the Washington Opera and the Pasadena Civic Center, and featured Placido Domingo's grandson Dominic.

John Leguizamo (Actor) is a prolific actor and comedian, who began his career while still in high school where he wrote comedy material and tested it out on his classmates. His stage credits include Mambo Mouth, which he wrote and performed seven different characters, and went on to win both an Obie Award and an Outer Critics Award. His film credits include To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, Executive Decision, Moulin Rouge, and Empire which he co-produced. Among his numerous television roles, he played a doctor on ER during the 2005-2006 season.

Cheech Marin (Actor/Director/Writer) is an actor, writer, director, musician, art collector and, above all, a humanitarian. As part of the duo Cheech and Chong, he participated in a number of comedy albums and feature film comedies. After he and Tommy separated, he starred in a number of films, most notably Born in East L.A., Tin Cup, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. He made the transition to television, co-starring opposite Don Johnson in the hit show Nash Bridges in which they played San Francisco police detective partners.

Jose Martinez (Entertainment Attorney), based in New York and Los Angeles, has represented writers, directors, and producers in all aspects of production, finance, acquisition, and distribution. He also represents film distributors, and advises on formation, financing intellectual property, acquisitions, and sales of real estate, as well as trial counsel. A Los Angeles native, he received a Bachelor's degree in political theory from UCLA and his JD from Hastings College of Law in San Francisco.

Lucinda Martinez-Desir (Vice President, Market Development, HBO) joined HBO in 2003. As director of Strategic Partnerships, she was responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of all network national subscriber acquisition efforts as it pertains to mobile and segment marketing. She was also instrumental in the launch of HBO en Español. During her tenure at Comedy Central, she was a key player in one of the industry’s most successful subscriber growth spurts for a basic cable network—from 48 million subscribers in 1998 to over 80 million by the end of 2002.

Robert Mendez (Senior Vice President, Diversity, Disney ABC Television Group) oversees all business affairs and legal aspects of Buena Vista Television and Buena Vista Productions. Of his career in the entertainment industry, Mendez says it has offered new challenges and made the journey rewarding. Mendez earned his Bachelor's degree from Pomona College and his Juris Doctor from University of California, Davis School of Law.

Edith Mendoza (Vice President, Comedy Development, CBS Entertainment) is responsible for developing new comedies, which have recently included Two And a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, Out of Practice, and Still Standing. Her previous positions at CBS include manager/comedy development, supervisor/comedy development, as well as a former assistant to executive vice president Wendi Trilling. She began her career as a CBS page while earning her Bachelor’s degree in communications from UCLA.

Belinda Menendez (President, NBC Universal Int'l Television Distribution). President since May 2004, Menendez, who has more than 20 years in the industry, oversees international free, pay, and new media television licensing for NBC Universal's current and library film and television product, outside of the United States and Canada.

Vibiana Molina (Vice President, Business Affairs, Twentieth Century Fox Television)
started her career as an entertainment lawyer with the prestigious Manatt, Phelps & Phillips law firm. She moved on to become VP of business affairs at Turner Network Television and then VP of business affairs for Gavin Polone’s Pariah Productions. Raised in Redondo Beach, she attended UCLA undergrad with a degree in political science and received her law degree from Columbia University.

Peter Murrieta (Writer/Producer) is executive producer at It’s a Laugh Productions, the production company responsible for the live-action sitcoms on the Disney Channel. These include That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Hannah Montana and Cory in the House. Murrieta’s big break came with his first pilot, Greetings From Tucson, based on his life growing up in Tucson, Ariz. With a mostly Latino cast, critics applauded the show (which aired on The WB during the 2002-2003 season) as “a welcome addition to TV’s largely white landscape.”

Alex Nogales (President & CEO, National Hispanic Media Coalition). With 39 years of experience in the industry, Nogales’ background includes that of an executive, producer, writer, and director in both television and film. A tireless advocate, Nogales has been involved in the signing of Memorandums of Understanding with ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox and has helped integrate the employment, procurement, programming, governance and philanthropy in television.

Christina Norman (President, MTV) was appointed president of MTV in 2005, where she oversees the company’s day-to-day leadership, strategy, and management. She previously served as president of VH1, and executive VP of music programming and talent for MTV and MTV2.

Armando Nunez, Jr. (President, CBS Paramount Int'l Television) is considered one of the international television industry's most successful executives. In his current role, Nunez has oversight of all international distribution, sales and marketing for programming assets from King World, CBS News, CBS Paramount Television's network and syndicated areas as well as the largest library of television product.

Edward James Olmos (Actor), a native of East Los Angeles, is an award-winning multi-talented actor, producer, writer, director and chairman and founder of Latino Public Broadcasting. His big break came with his portrayal of the narrator "El Pachuco" in the play Zoot Suit. When the play moved to Broadway, Olmos received a Tony nomination and subsequently took the role to the filmed version in 1981. His role on the television series Miami Vice earned him a Golden Globe and an Emmy. He also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in the movie Stand and Deliver.

Lupe Ontiveros (Actress) is an award-winning actress dedicated to her craft. From the moment she joined the ranks of film extras, Ontiveros knew what her true calling was. Experiences that have tested her endurance and a commitment to her work include learning about her mother's death during the intermission of the play Zoot Suit and having to complete the show about a family's joyous reunion. The second was flying to New York to receive an award immediately following her father's funeral in Texas. As an artist these experiences took her to the maximum moments of agony and ecstasy, and the words "the show must go on" took on a whole new meaning for her.

Kenny Ortega (Director/Choreographer) is an Emmy Award-winning producer, director, and choreographer, who earned fame as a choreographer for such classic films as Dirty Dancing and music videos such as Madonna's Material Girl. Among his many accomplishments, Ortega has choreographed many major events and more recently, choreographed Disney's critically acclaimed High School Musical and its sequel.

Viviana Pendrill (Vice President, Targeted Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures) joined Warner Bros. in 2003. Her responsibilities include researching and developing motion picture marketing strategies for a variety of niche audiences, including Hispanic, urban and teen, among others. Pendrill founded and formerly co-owned the Hispanic advertising agency, Casanova Pendrill Publicidad, Inc., where she served as vice president and creative director and where her work garnered such awards as the Clio, Belding, and Se Habla Español.

Lourdes Portillo (Director/Producer/Writer) is a screenwriter and filmmaker whose award-winning films have been much studied and analyzed, particularly by scholars in the field of Chicano studies. Born in Mexico, Portillo was raised in the United States. She learned about documentary filmmaking while working for a company that made educational films in Los Angeles. After graduating from the San Francisco Art Institute, she began her career as a producer and director.

Santiago Pozo (CEO, Arenas Entertainment), founder and chief executive officer of Arenas Entertainment, is considered one of the foremost authorities on entertainment and film marketing to U.S. Latino audiences. Additionally, Arenas is also involved in the production and distribution of films targeting the Hispanic audience.

Rick Ramirez (Vice President, Emerging Markets, Fox Entertainment Group). Soon after his arrival in California from Texas, Ramirez signed on with Phil Roman Entertainment and found a mentor in Roman, honing his skills in the areas of production, development, and business affairs. In his current position, Ramirez is involved in research, business development and strategic planning, along with some publicity and marketing aspects.

Gabriel Reyes (President and Founder, Reyes Entertainment). Reyes Entertainment is a leading communications firm specializing in public relations, marketing, and event production for the Latino media markets. A leading Hispanic market expert, Reyes specializes in bilingual campaigns in both Spanish and English-language media. Reyes was the founding publicist for Latina Magazine and remained its sole publicist for five years. One of Reyes’ strongest suits is his unparalleled network of contacts in the areas of entertainment, media, business, government, and community groups that allow him to offer his clients enhanced career visibility and opportunities.

Jose Rios (Vice President, News, KTTV and KCOP) is an award-winning broadcast journalist. As vice president of news, he is responsible for all newscasts, newsgathering, and production. Since joining KTTV in 1992, Rios has expanded the daily newscasts, was instrumental in KTTV’s exclusive and unprecedented live gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Rodney King beating trial in Simi Valley, and also developed Los Angeles’ only full-time investigative news unit, the Emmy Awarding-winning Fox Undercover, among other accomplishments.

Jose Rivera (Writer) is president of Paper Rain Productions, Inc., and the first Puerto Rican to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his adaptation of Diarios de Motocicleta (The Motorcycle Diaries). An award-winning playwright, he has had several of his plays translated into multiple languages. His next project is writing and directing the screenplay Celestina, loosely adapted from his play Cloud Tectonics, which will be produced by Brazilian director Walter Salles.

Phil Roman (Phil Roman Entertainment) drew his way from a comic strip in the high school paper to become one of the top animators in the highly competitive field of animation. His most vivid memory is walking onto the Walt Disney Studio lot for the first time in May 1955, thus fulfilling a childhood dream. At his own company, Film Roman, Inc., he executive produced the Emmy-nominated Garfield & Friends, King of the Hill, and three-time Emmy winner The Simpsons. Under his new company, Phil Roman Entertainment, he has executive produced several TV specials and video series. Ever grateful to his mentors, Roman has established internship programs for high school students and young adults to work in the animation studio, giving them an opportunity to fulfill their own dream of being part of the industry.

Martin Sheen (Actor) is an award-winning actor, who was born Ramon Gerardo Antonio Estevez in Dayton, Ohio. He is perhaps best known for his role as Captain Willard in the film Apocalypse Now and as President Josiah Bartlet on the critically acclaimed television drama series The West Wing, a role for which he received a Golden Globe and two SAG awards, as well as six Emmy nominations. Sheen is well known for his support of liberal political causes. He supported the 1965 farm worker movement with Cesar Chavez in Delano, Calif., and has supported causes for PETA and other organizations.

Jimmy Smits (Actor) is a Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actor who is perhaps best known for his long running roles on L.A. Law and NYPD Blue, as well as his role on The West Wing as a congressman and successful presidential candidate. The Brooklyn born actor currently plays the main character on CBS' primetime serial, Cane. Smits is one of the founders of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts to advance the presence of Latinos in the media, telecommunications, and entertainment industries.

Nina Tassler (President, CBS Entertainment) is recipient of numerous awards, including the 2005 Imagen Creative Achievement Award. Selected as one of the Top 50 Hispanic Women in Business by Hispanic Magazine, she provided insight into what very well may be among the secrets of her success when she advised women to "embrace your heritage and reach out to all people, take advantage of the dual nature of our heritage, adapt and evolve."

Steve Tellez (Agent, Creative Artists Agency). Currently a motion picture and television talent agent at CAA in Los Angeles, Tellez graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business with a minor in music from California State Polytechnic University in 1976. Tellez is a member of the Country Music Association and a board member of the Academy of Country Music. He also serves on the board of governors for the Valley Community Clinic in North Hollywood.

Esteban Torres (Chair of the National Latino Media Council & former U.S. Rep.). Torres heads the NLMC, a group of 14 national civil rights organizations championing Latinos in the television and film industry advocating for greater visibility and positive presentation in the media. An Arizona native, he grew up in East Los Angeles, which he later represented as a congressman. Elected to Congress in 1982, he represented the 34th Congressional District that stretched from East Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Valley. In 1999, Torres retired from the U.S. House of Representatives after a distinguished 16-year career.

Frida Torresblanco (Producer) is a multi-talented producer/composer whose works include Gaudi Afternoon, Pan's Labyrinth, Black Sun, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, and Chronicles. Her upcoming projects include Mexico '68, The Memory of Running, and The History of Love.

Joseph Tovares (Executive Producer). An executive producer at WGBH Boston, Tovares oversees a variety of multi-platform productions. A veteran documentary television producer and executive producer, he currently serves as the executive producer of La Plaza, the Emmy Award-winning Latino production unit, in addition to supervising a number of other public affairs, arts, and culture and science projects. A native of Texas, Tovares has worked for a number of media companies and has served as a consultant for a number of organizations.

Walter Ulloa (Chairman and CEO, Entravision Communications) has served in this position since its founding in 1996. His foresight and vision in recognizing the importance of the Hispanic market to our nation's economy and his dedication in helping to bring Spanish-language programming to the nearly 20 million Hispanics who live and work in the fast growing U.S. Hispanic markets, earned Ulloa Imagen's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

David Valdes (Producer). Award-winning Valdes is one of the industry's most respected film producers. Before finding his niche as a producer of motion pictures, he worked in all television formats including movies-of-the-week, series, commercials, and music videos. Among his extensive television credits, Valdes directed the series Moonlighting, starring Cybil Shepherd and Bruce Willis.

Jeff Valdez (Co-Chairman, Maya Entertainment, Founder, SiTV). Valdez's accomplishments are a dream come true for the youngest of nine children who was born in the housing projects of Pueblo, Colorado. One of the first to recognize that Latinos wanted to see themselves in English-language TV programs beyond the traditional Spanish-speaking stations, Valdez created, hosted and produced a local Los Angeles TV series and a myriad of other projects, leading the Los Angeles Times to dub him "the Ed Sullivan of Latino talent."

Luis Valdez (Founder & Artistic Director, El Teatro Campesino) is a playwright and film director who has been called the father of Chicano theater. El Teatro Campesino, a touring farm workers’ theater troupe, produced one-act plays, often without stage, script, or props, but which sparked the Chicano theater movement. He has written, co-written, and directed many plays depicting the Hispanic experience, among them Zoot Suit and the box office hit movie La Bamba, which he directed.

Reynaldo Villalobos (Director/Cinematographer). Villalobos, a Los Angeles native, is a director of photography whose famous works as a cinematographer include Twentieth Century Fox's Nine to Five, Paramount's Urban Cowboy, Warners' Risky Business, and Embassy Pictures' The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, among others. His work as a cameraperson includes Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Jumpin' Jack Flash. His television credits include L.A. Law, Sinatra, Remington Steele, L.A. Doctors, and Tour of Duty.

Antoinette Alfonso Zel (Sr. Executive Vice President, NBC Universal/Telemundo/Mun2) is responsible for leading seven key strategic areas of the company’s operations and managing over 20% of Telemundo’s total employees, both at the company’s headquarters in Florida and at its satellite office in Los Angeles. During her two-year tenure, Zel has been a catalyst in Telemundo’s recent resurgence in market position, brand profile and new strategic alliances and businesses. She has been effective in turning around formerly non-performing assets and areas to positions of strength and revenue generation. She is a vocal advocate of the need to elevate the identity of the Hispanic population with quality digital and broadcast content, music, and marketing solutions.

More information regarding these remarkable individuals is available on the Imagen Web site: www.imagen.org.

HOLLYWOOD: How about that Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan (and dance partner Mark Ballas) scoring a perfect score (30) in the fourth episode of Dancing With the Stars, and then getting a 28 in the fifth show. Wow! The perfect score for the couple’s Paso Doble in the fourth show is said to be the earliest anyone has had a perfect score in the show’s history.

Bryan, who rose to fame in The Cheetah Girls movies and subsequent albums, has also starred in The Bold and the Beautiful, and is set to star in the upcoming The Cheetah Girls 3.

The actress and recording artist, who was born Reba Sabrina Hinojos in Yorba Linda, California revealed in a recent interview that while she is proud of her Hispanic background, she changed her last name to Bryan to honor her deceased brother.

YORBA LINDA, CA: Also from this Orange County community is nine-year-old Hailey Rose, who has scored a column in this blog. So, be sure to check out Hailey’s Corner for some delightful stories that she has written for your enjoyment.

NEXT POST: Coming Soon. Stay Tuned.

An Emmy for Betty, A Spanish-language Heist & More

LOS ANGELES: She did it! America Ferrera beat out some fantastic veteran actresses (Felicity Huffman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tina Fey, Mary-Louise Parker) to win the Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy (Ugly Betty), and became the first Hispanic to be nominated and win in this category.

The Golden Globe winner of the ABC award-winning hit returns for her second season on Sept. 27, 8 p.m. Ferrara's co-stars include Eric Mabius, Alan Dale, Tony Plana, Ana Ortiz, Ashley Jensen, Becki Newton, Mark Indelicato, Michael Urie, Judith Light, Christopher Gorham, Rebecca Romijn, Vanessa Williams, and recurring guest star Freddy Rodriguez. Is it any wonder Ugly Betty also picked up an Emmy for Best Casting for a Comedy Series?

The premiere episode, How Betty Got Her Grieve Back, guest stars Kevin Alejandro, Jayma Mays, Max Greenfield, Lorraine Toussaint, Illeana Douglas, Kurt Fuller, Stephanie Faracy, Matt Riedy, Kat Sawyer, and Alec Mapa. The episode was written by Silvio Horta and Marco Pennette and directed by James Jayman.

Coming up: Victoria Beckham, style icon and Spice Girl, visits Ugly Betty in an episode to film this fall. She will play herself, a celebrity bridesmaid at the wedding of the millennium: Wilhelmina Slater’s (Vanessa Williams) nuptials to publishing mogul Bradford Meade (Alan Dale).

New spots featuring the entire cast in a new marketing campaign hit the small screen mid-August. Featured in the campaign is music from Universal Republic’s hit recording artist Mika who re-recorded his smash single Big Girl (now Betty Girl) from his chart topping album Life in Cartoon Motion, specifically for the campaign. The on-air campaign is produced by the Saline Project, creators of videos for Eminem, The Black Eyed Peas and The Hives, among others.

Ugly Betty, produced by screen star Salma Hayek, is a remake of the popular Columbian comedy drama Yo Soy Betty La Fea. The girl with the million dollar smile (insured by Lloyds of London for $10 million), Ferrera has picked up numerous awards for her work on the series, among them, the Screen Actors Guild Award for Female Actor in a Comedy Series and the 2007 Imagen Award for Creative Achievement.

SANTA MONICA: Talented female and male amateur performers who can dance and sing are being sought for a new, live, one-hour primetime reality series featuring Dancing with the Stars judges Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba. Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, a six-week series that will air this winter on the ABC Television Network, is hosted by second season Dancing with the Stars champion Drew Lachey.

Singers and dancers of all types are welcome at open auditions in Santa Monica, CA and New York. Auditions were held in Nashville on Sept. 15. Chosen contestants will team up this January with the choreography giants to compete in song and dance and form the ultimate dance team, with viewers helping to whittle down and ultimately choose the winning group.

The Santa Monica auditions are set for Saturday, Sept. 22 at 8 a.m. at the Santa Monica Pier (North Parking Lot), 1550 Palisades Beach Road. Parking: 2030 Ocean Way, Santa Monica, CA 90405.

New York auditions will be held Saturday, Sept. 29, 8 a.m. at Central Park – Wollman Ice Rink, 830 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10021. Entrance: Central Park East Drive.

For further audition information, contact www.myspace.com/carrieannvsbruno or www.abc.go.com/site/casting.html, or email carrieannvsbruno@yahoo.com.

HOLLYWOOD: Ladron Que Roba A Ladron (A Thief Who Steals From a Thief), a Spanish-language film (with English subtitles) featuring some of Latin America’s greatest and most popular stars made Entertainment Magazine’s top 20 list, quite an accomplishment considering it opened only in selected theatres. According to the magazine, this critically acclaimed film had the second highest per screen numbers in the top 20.

Fernando Colunga and Gabriel Soto head up this heartwarming and humorous heist movie about a team of criminal amateurs recruited by two crack thieves to dispose a TV infomercial guru of all his millions that he’s taken from poor Latino immigrants.

An engineering graduate, Fernando Colunga never got to practice his profession after taking part in an acting competition. Beginning his acting career on stage, he was soon selected for lead roles in telenovelas where he has worked with the famous singer and actress Thalia, as well as leading ladies Gabriela Spanic, Edith Gonzales, Lucero, Araceli Arambula and Adela Noriega. He is currently filming Carla Estrada’s next telenovela, Passion, opposite Susana Gonzales.

The film, directed by Joe Menendez, also stars Sonya Smith, Saul Lisazo, Ivonne Montero, Miguel Varoni and Julio Gonzalo.

The incredibly beautiful and talented Sonya Smith is an American by birth. The daughter of Venezuelan actress Ilana Jacquet, Smith was raised in Venezuela and is Venevision’s most popular actress. She made her Hollywood debut in Cyxork 7, opposite Ray Wise, and has also appeared on stage at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts in Los Angeles.

The screenplay was written by JoJo Henrickson, produced by Roni Equia, James M. McNamara, Ben Odell and Meta Valentic II and distributed by Lionsgate.

CYBERSPACE: Received the following interesting “facts” about the 1500s from a pal who got it from an anonymous source, so thought I’d share. Enjoy!

* Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.*

* Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained, it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence, the saying It's raining cats and dogs.*

* There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.*

NEXT POST: Coming soon. Stay tuned.

A WWII Victory & More

LOS ANGELES: This story begins in March 2007 when the National Latino Media Council sent a letter to Paula Kerger, PBS President and CEO asking for a meeting to discuss the exclusion of Latinos in Ken Burn’s The War, a documentary about World War II.

Incensed at the exclusion of Latinos in the documentary, retired Congressman Esteban Torres, NLMC chair, wrote: “It is inconceivable how a documentary on World War II that took six years to complete would exclude the contributions of 500,000 Latinos that served our country proudly. Without the inclusion of Latinos this documentary is inaccurate and should not be broadcast on public television.” What makes matters worse, he added, “is that this documentary has an educational component, which will be widely distributed in schools. Latino children will not benefit from seeing their ancestor’s contributions to this country and this is disheartening to say the least.”

Marta Garcia, co-chair of the National Media Coalition, New York Chapter, pointed out “PBS is partially supported by tax dollars and as such, there is an obligation by PBS to provide for an accurate and complete documentary.

NLMC joined forces with dozens of organizations and thousands of individuals mobilizing to force Ken Burns to include the Latino experience. This included the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation whose President and CEO Martin Castro said, “Thousands of people that have family members that fought in World War II are outraged to learn that The War excludes the American Latino experience. Latinos were the group that proportionally received the most Congressional Medals of Honor and we cannot be left out of the World War II story. We must be included.”

Once the word was out, this topic became widely discussed in the Latino community where the consensus was that since the documentary had already been filmed, nothing could or would be done to correct the inaccuracies.

This time however, to everyone’s surprise, PBS did a turnabout when only a month later, PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger made a decision that marked a historic victory for the Latino community. In April, she announced that the documentary would be shot and re-edited to include additional content that focuses on stories of Latino and Native American veterans of the Second World War. Furthermore, the addition would also be included in the educational outreach materials.

NLMC Chairman Esteban Torres applauded the decision stating "The Defend the Honor Campaign moved thousands of Latinos in the nation to take action to demand that PBS include our participation in this important documentary. We owe the campaign leaders enthusiastic accolades for leading us to this victory.”

“It is even more gratifying to learn that Native American veterans will also be included in this film,” said Moctesuma Esparza of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. “The Congressional Hispanic Caucus played an important part in this campaign as well,” added Alex Nogales, President & CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. “It was a unified effort by our national leadership as well as from individuals from every corner of the nation to include Puerto Rico.”

PBS’ plan includes the following specific elements:

• The New Latino and Native American narratives to the documentary will be included as well in The War’s DVD, website and PBS’ educational outreach materials.

• A Latino producer will be hired by Burns’ production company, Florentine Films, in consultation with PBS, to be part of the production team that will create the additional content.

• The War will premiere on September 23, 2007 during Hispanic Heritage Month as scheduled with the inclusion of the new content.

• Additional programming will be aired on World War II that will include and focus on the Latino contributions to the war.

“This is a victory not only for Latinos and Native Americans, but it is also a victory for all Americans regardless of color or creed. We will all now learn the contributions of two groups that have long been ignored and regulated to the sidelines,” said Alex Nogales.

“Paula Kerger and Ken Burns are to be congratulated for hearing our voices and acting on them to make sure our concerns were addressed,” concluded NLMC Chairman Torres.

And the NLMC, as well as other organizations and concerned individuals deserve recognition for standing firm and taking this issue to a positive resolution.

NLMC is comprised of 15 of the largest Latino Civil Rights and advocacy organizations in the nation and advocates for diversity in the media, especially as it impacts the Latino community.

National Latino Media Council Member Organizations: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute * Latino Literacy Now * League of United Latin American Citizens * Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund * Mexican American Opportunity Foundation * National Association of Hispanic Publications * National Association of Latino Elected Officials * National Association of Latino Independent Producers * National Hispanic Media Coalition * National Institute for Latino Policy * National Puerto Rican Coalition * Nosotros * Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education Fund,

CAMBRIDGE, MA: Kudos to Noelia Rodriguez, former press secretary to First Lady Laura Bush, who has been selected for a Resident Fellowship at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics.

Selection to this prestigious program is quite an accomplishment for it is central to the Institute’s dual commitment to encourage student interest in public life and to increase interaction between the academic and political communities.

Resident Fellows interact with students, participate in the intellectual life of the community and pursue individual studies or projects throughout an academic semester. The Resident Fellows will join the Institute for the fall semester and lead weekly, not-for-credit study groups on a range of topics.

Selected as a Resident Fellow is quite a commendable recognition of Rodriguez’s illustrious accomplishments. As Press Secretary to First Lady Laura Bush from 2001 through 2003, she served as Mrs. Bush’s spokesperson and communications strategist, and counseled the First Lady on how best to promote her education, women’s health care and children’s advocacy initiatives.

After 10 years of public service experience, Rodriguez joined Univision Communications, Inc. -- the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States -- as vice president of Corporate Communications, where she was responsible for managing the company’s strategic communications needs and promoting Univision’s award-winning media services and operations.

Her public service began in March of 1994 when she was named Press Secretary to Los Angeles Mayor Richard J. Riordan. In 1998, she was promoted to Deputy Mayor in charge of Communications and Scheduling. In 2000, Riordan appointed her President and CEO of L.A. Convention 2000, the host committee for the first Democratic Convention of the 21st century.

It’s been an exciting journey for Rodriguez, who began her communications career at Southern California Edison, specializing in media relations and corporate advertising. She also served on the board of directors for L.A. Inc., Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Rodriguez joins other Resident Fellows that include:

• Tony Leon, Member of Parliament, Republic of South Africa (1989-present); Leader of the Democratic Party (1994-1999) and Leader of the Democratic Alliance and the Official Opposition (1999-May 2007) in the South African Parliament

• Meghan O’Sullivan, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan, National Security Council, The White House (July 2004-present)

• Bill Purcell, Mayor of Nashville, Tennessee (1999-present)

• Maralee Schwartz, Deputy Business Editor (2006-present) and former National Political Editor (1996-2005), The Washington Post

• Clay Shaw, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1981-2007; R-FL) and Mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Florida (1975-1981)

Harvard University’s Institute of Politics (IOP), located at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, was established in 1966 as a memorial to President Kennedy. The IOP’s mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis and to stimulate and nurture their interest in public service and leadership. The Institute strives to promote greater understanding and cooperation between the academic world and the world of politics and public affairs.

Throughout her incredible journey, Noelia Rodriguez has always extended a helping hand and been an inspiration for aspiring young leaders, as well as her peers who have witnessed and experienced her generous and giving nature. The Harvard students who will have the privilege of meeting this remarkable individual are in for one of the most wonderful and fortunate experiences of their lives.

NEXT POST: More coming soon. Stay tuned.

Imagen Award Finalists & More

LOS ANGELES: Movin’ on Up -- Celebrating 22 years, The Imagen Foundation is pulling out all the stops for a spectacular awards presentation that will be held at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Saturday, July 28. The new venue will more than double the audience at this prestigious event that honors the industry and acknowledges contributions for excellence in Latino entertainment.

Imagen President and Founder Helen Hernandez explains that while the move to the Walt Disney Concert Hall – in collaboration with The Music Center – is an ambitious one, it more than doubles the size of last year’s gala and reinforces the bridge between the Latino and entertainment communities. Hernandez is also creator of the pioneering Imagen Awards that annually draws A-list stars and luminaries from the world of Latino entertainment.

Hernandez said the move became a necessity to accommodate this year's explosion of interest in every area from award submissions and talent involvement to attendance and sponsorship. "The quality and level of our entries reflect the growing creativity and talent that the Latino community brings to the world of entertainment, she said.

The Imagen Foundation was founded in 1985 to encourage the positive portrayals of Hispanics in all forms of the entertainment media. It works to enhance opportunities for Hispanics in front of and behind the camera. It also serves as a liaison between the industry and the Hispanic community by providing access, education, and resources.

Following is the list of the nominees and special awards that were announced last month at a Television Academy ceremony hosted by actors Constance Marie and Eddie Matos. Imagen’s President’s Award will be presented to Disney-ABC Television Group. The award will be accepted by Anne Sweeney, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks, and president of the Disney-ABC Television Group. Picking up the Lifetime Achievement Award is Walter Ulloa, chairman and CEO, Entravision and America’s sweetheart America Ferrera, star of ABC’s hit show Ugly Betty, will receive Imagen’s Creative Achievement Award. Writer-producer Cynthia Cidre, whose most recent work is the upcoming CBS series, Cane, featuring a stellar cast that includes Jimmy Smits and Hector Elizondo, is recipient of the prestigious Norman Lear Writer's Award.

2007 Imagen Awards Nominees:

FILM
BEST PICTURE
Pan's Labyrinth- Directed by Guillermo del Toro and distributed by Picturehouse Entertainment.

Goal! The Dream Begins - Directed by Danny Cannon and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.

Quinceañera - Directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland and distributed by Sony Picture Classics.

Apocalypto- Directed by Mel Gibson and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.

Babel- Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and distributed by Paramount Vantage.

BEST ACTOR
Kuno Becker, Goal! The Dream Begins- Directed by Danny Cannon and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.

Jesse Garcia, Quinceañera- Directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland and distributed by Sony Picture Classics.

Wilmer Valderrama, Fast Food Nation- Directed by Richard Linklater and Fox Searchlight Pictures.

BEST ACTRESS
Ivana Baquero, Pan's Labyrinth- Directed by Guillermo del Toro and distributed by Picturehouse Entertainment.

Emily Rios, Quinceañera- Directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland and distributed by Sony Picture Classics.

Eva Mendes, Ghost Rider- Directed by Mark Steven Johnson and distributed by Columbia Pictures.

BEST DIRECTOR
Guillermo Del Toro, Pan's Labyrinth- Distributed by Picturehouse Entertainment.

Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, Babel- Distributed by Paramount Vantage.

Kenny Ortega, The Cheetah Girls 2- Distributed by the Disney Channel.

Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland, Quinceañera- Distributed by Sony Picture Classics.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Dalia Hernandez, Apocalypto- Directed by Mel Gibson and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.

Adriana Barraza, Babel- Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and distributed by Paramount Vantage.

Miriam Colon, Goal! The Dream Begins- Directed by Danny Cannon and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Chalo Gonzalez, Quinceañera- Directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland and distributed by Sony Picture Classics.

Gerardo Taracena, Apocalypto- Directed by Mel Gibson and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.

Gael Garcia Bernal, Babel- Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and distributed by Paramount Vantage.

Tony Plana, Goal! The Dream Begins- Directed by Danny Cannon and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.

BEST THEATRICAL SHORT OR STUDENT FILM
Primera Comunion- Directed by Daniel Eduvi jes Carrera.

Marrying God- Directed by Duke Johnson.


TELEVISION
BEST DOCUMENTARY FOR TELEVISION OR FILM
Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano- Original Chicano Productions: PBS

30 Days- Reveille Productions: FX Network

For My Country : Latinos in the Military- Produced by Mun2; Mun2

Maribel- Albert Salaz Jr. Productions: Los Angeles International Short Film Festival.

Habla Mas in Chicago- HBO Studio Productions: HBO.

Los Lonely Boys: Cottonfields and Crossroads- Produced by Galan Productions, Inc: PBS

From Mambo to Hip Hop: A South Bronx Tale- City Lore, Inc: PBS

BEST PRIMETIME PROGRAM
Ugly Betty- Reveille Productions & Ventanarosa Productions in association with Touchstone Television; ABC

Angel Rodriguez- Journeyman Pictures in association with C-Hundred Film Corp. and HBO Films; HBO

Lost- Touchstone Television in association with Bad Robot Productions; ABC

George Lopez- Mohawk Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television; ABC

BEST ACTOR
George Lopez, George Lopez- Mohawk Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television; ABC

Miguel Ferrer, Crossing Jordan- Tailwind Productions in association with Universal Media Studios; NBC

Carlos Mencia, Mind of Mencia- Comedy Central; Comedy Central

Jake T. Austin, Go, Diego, Go! -Nickelodeon Studios in association withNickelodeon Network; Nickelodeon

J.D. Pardo, A Girl Like Me, The Gwen Araujo Story- Braun Entertainment Group, Inc. in association with Lifetime Movie Network; Lifetime

BEST ACTRESS
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty- Reveille Productions & Ventanarosa Productions in association with Touchstone Television; ABC

Kathleen Herles, Dora the Explorer- Nelvana Limited in association with Nickelodeon Network; Nickelodeon

Mercedes Ruehl, A Girl Like Me, The Gwen Araujo Story- Braun Entertainment Group, Inc. in association with Lifetime Movie Network; Lifetime

Judy Reyes, Scrubs- Towers Productions, Inc. in association with Touchstone Television; NBC

Constance Marie, The George Lopez Show- Mohawk Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television; ABC

Eva Longoria, Desperate Housewives- Cherry Alley Productions, Touchstone Television & Cherry Productions; ABC

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Lorenzo Lamas, The Bold and the Beautiful- Bell Phillip Television Productions, Inc. in association with CBS Television; CBS

David Zayas, Dexter- Showtime Networks, Inc.; Showtime

Benito Martinez, The Shield- Fox Television Studios in Association with Sony Pictures Television

Jose Yenque, Between- Showcase Entertainment in association with Opus Films.

Jorge Garcia, Lost- Touchstone Television in association with Bad Robot Productions; ABC

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sara Ramirez, Grey's Anatomy- The Mark Gordon Company in association with Touchstone Television; ABC

Aimee Garcia, The George Lopez Show- Mohawk Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television; ABC

Eva La Rue, CSI: Miami- Alliance Atlantis Communications, CBS Productions, The American Travelers, Jerry Bruckheimer Televisión and Touchstone Televisión; CBS

Alana de la Garza, Law & Order- Wolf Films, Studios USA Televisión, Universal Media Studios, Universal Network Televisión; NBC

Ana Ortiz, Ugly Betty- Reveille Productions & Ventanarosa Productions in association with Touchstone Television; ABC

BEST VARIETY SHOW OR REALITY SHOW
The Drop- SiTV

George Lopez's American Mexican- HBO Entertainment

Dancing with the Stars- BBC Worldwide, ABC

El Reto Final Nissan- Fox Sports en Español

Mind of Mencia- Comedy Central

BEST CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING
Maya and Miguel- Scholastic Productions a division of Scholastic Entertainment, Inc.; PBS

Dora the Explorer- Nelvana Limited in association with Nickelodeon Network; Nickelodeon

El Perro y El Gato- Prime Time Communications; HBO

Go, Diego, Go! - Nickelodeon Studios in association with Nickelodeon Network; Nickelodeon

The Cheetah Girls 2- Disney Channel; Disney Channel

BEST NATIONAL INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMMING
The Martin Garcia Story: Univision Network

Noticiero Univision Presenta: La Tormenta Después de Katrina: Univision

Univision Pasaporte al Espacio: Univision Network

VOCES: PBS

The Extra Weekend Show: Latinos in Entertainment Program: EXTRA TV

BEST LOCAL INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMMING
The Border, Illegal Immigration- KCBS-TV

Vista L.A.- KABC-TV

Life & Times- KCET-TV

Your L.A./Guadalupe Strings- KNBC-NBC Universal

State Divided- NBC4 (KNBC)

BEST ON-AIR ADVERTISING
Translation - Prayer: MTVN

Voto Latino Campaign: Mun2

Splenda: Mama Yo Quiero New: La Agencia de Orci and Associates

Goal! The Dream Begins Vignette: Arenas Entertainment

Ugly Betty, El Corrido de Betty: Arenas Entertainment

Honda, Vive-tu Momento C-Note: Mun2

Lactaid "Pass It On": La Agencia de Orci and Associates

VJ Campaign: Mun2

BEST THEATRICAL PRODUCTION
Macho Men and The Women Who Love Them - Produced by Oro Entertainment, Francisco Segovia and Maria Costa.

Go, Diego, Go Live! - Produced by Nickelodeon, Stuart Rosenstein and Erich Jungwirth, MTV Networks.

Event sponsors include: Disney-ABC, The Neilson Company, CBS, Fox Television Stations, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, iPressroom and Lear Family Foundation.

Additional information regarding the Imagen Foundation, its awards program, ticket information and annual job fair in January is available at www.imagen.org or by calling (626) 791-8140.

HOLLYWOOD: Funeral services were held June 16 at Hollywood Forest Lawn in the Little Brick Chapel for actress Alma Beltran, who died June 9 of an undisclosed illness. Born in 1927 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, very little is known about her private life, however, professionally she was recognized as an accomplished actress dedicated to helping her fellow actors get a foothold in the industry.

A two-term president of Nosotros, she earned distinction as the first woman to hold that position. Founded in 1970 by Ricardo Montalban, Nosotros’ mission has been to improve the image of Latinos in the entertainment industry, and promote employment and educational opportunities for Hispanics in the performing arts.

Also, a member of AFTRA and SAG, Beltran was featured in several movies and television programs that included The Flying Nun, Zoot Suit, Ghost, Luminarias and Knight Rider.

NEXT POST: More coming soon. Stay tuned.

Gotta Go! Gotta Go See It!, Career Fair & Awards

Olé For Hollywood – Gotta Go – Gotta Go See It!
They’re baaack! Latins Anonymous is back with Olé For Hollywood, a newly revised show featuring sketches such as The Minute Mensos/Dummies, Wetback Mountain and The Maid Shopping Network, the mock Latino awards show hosted by Cheech “Marinjuana.”

Writer/comedian Cris Franco has re-teamed with the founders of Latin Anonymous, the fabulously talented Armando Molina, Luisa Leschin (writer/producer and executive story editor on the ABC series George Lopez) and Diane Rodriguez (Latino Theatre Initiative at Mark Taper Forum), to create this new production celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Theatre Department of California State University, Northridge.

The show’s 20 new sketches and song parodies explore undocumented workers, Spanglish, the Minute Men and their anti-immigrant movement, machismo, gangs, amnesty, and same-gender love – with such Latino luminaries as Edward James Almost, Plastico Domingo, Cristina Off-Keylera and Oscar de la Homeboy.

Olé For Hollywood opens Sept. 29 at the CSUN Little Theatre for only eight performances, running through Oct. 8.

Franco, a two time Golden Mike Award, Imagen Award and an L.A. Emmy Award winner – currently seen on KCET’s Life & Times – is co-directing with Molina, artistic director of Silverlake’s Company of Angles.

For tickets, call (818) 677-2488. Prices are: General/$16, Seniors/$14, Students & Alumni/$11.

Free College Fair in East L.A.
The Variety Boys and Girls Club will hold its first ever college/career fair on Saturday, Sept. 30. Youngsters and their families, from East Los Angeles and clubs throughout Los Angeles County will have the opportunity to learn about colleges and careers, courtesy of the club’s Alumni Association.

The free event is open to the public and takes place from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at 2530 Cincinnati Street. The event features presentations and information about many academic institutions, as well as a number of career options, including nursing, teaching, law enforcement, and military service.

All Student Loan, a major sponsor of the event, will offer information in English and Spanish about applying for and receiving financial aid.

Attendees can also gain useful tips for career planning, including help with resume writing and interviewing from Louis Kravitz & Associates, and opportunities to talk with financial advisors from Merrill Lynch.

Participating colleges will include: USC, UCLA, Cal State L.A., East Los Angeles College, Pasadena City College, Woodbury University, East Los Angeles Skills Center, and Los Angeles Trade Tech, among others.

Food will be provided from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., and attendees will have an opportunity to participate in a drawing contest, and raffles for special prizes, including a new I-pod donated by All Student Loan.

For more information, please call (323) 269-3177, or visit the Web site: www.vbgc.org.

HPRA Celebrates Sabor, Cultura y Exito
The Hispanic Public Relations Association held its annual awards banquet in L.A. this month, honoring three remarkable individuals and Wells Fargo as Corporation of the Year with its prestigious PRemio Award.

Event Chair Stephen Chavez (La Agencia de Orci) and his committee did a marvelous job of organizing a very enjoyable evening that included Latin music provided by Domingo Siete, a Latino art auction provided by Self Help Graphics & Arts and authentic Mexican cuisine catered by Chef Lala, who gifted every guest with a copy of her latest cookbook which she graciously autographed at the end of the evening.

A guest of Valencia, Perez & Echeveste, aka VPE, the country’s largest Hispanic public relations firm, I had the pleasure of breaking bread (actually tortillas) with John Echeveste, one of the firm’s principals (and one of my most favorite mentors), who was one of HPRA’s founders. As usual, he was surrounded by a bevy of beautiful ladies (some of them current or former interns who have benefited from his expertise). His partner Patricia Perez, who bought a slew of raffle tickets hoping to win some art work only to discover they were only available as silent auction items, was a presenter.

Emcees were the popular KNBC Channel 4 co-anchor David Cruz and KVEA-TV Telemundo 52 news anchor Lucia Navarro.

Navarro, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, is a recipient of two Golden Mikes, is a five time Emmy Award nominee and a two-time Emmy winner.

Also, an Emmy recipient, Cruz began his broadcast career with the Spanish International Network (now Univision) in 1974, and was part of the founding team for the first Spanish language television network news operation in the United States.

Recipient of this year’s Public Relations Award was Magdalena Beltran-del Olmo, vice president of communications for the California Wellness Foundation, which is nationally recognized in the field of philanthropy for its strategic communications program and public education campaigns. A veteran of 25 years in the journalism, communications field, she is a founder of the National Association of Hispanic Journalist and a former associate director of the USC-based California Chicano News Media Association.

Beltran-del Olmo has to be admired for her 24/7 dedication to every facet of her personal and professional life. (One has to wonder when she finds time to sleep.) The PRemio Award is but one more recognition of her communications and advocacy contributions that includes her exemplary volunteer work for Cure Autism Now. Among her other accomplishments, she is the co-editor of Frank del Olmo: Commentaries on His Times, a book of columns written by her husband, the late Frank del Olmo, Los Angeles Times associate editor, who died in 2004, and a past HPRA PRemio recipient.

Surrounded by her family and KTLA Channel 5 colleagues, and beaming from ear to ear, Analia Sarno Riggle felt so honored to have been recognized for her journalistic skill with a Journalism Award by her peers, she accepted it with great humility and tremendous joy and pride. The modest Ms. (whose other honors include a Golden Mike, an Emmy and Woman of Distinction Award), however, is recognized as the first true expert in the field of live TV news simulcasting – all thanks to her boss Jeff Wald who, recognizing her talents, had the foresight to recruit her to broadcast the Spanish language version of the station’s Prime News, through Second Audio Program technology.

That was 1985 and Sarno Riggle is still going strong, maintaining an excellent rapport with her audience as her combined skills as a simultaneous interpreter and a newscaster keeps them in touch with the people, issues, and events connected to Southern California’s Latino community. Sarno-Riggle also works for KCET, the Los Angeles PBS station where, since 1990, she has provided the Spanish simulcast for various award-winning community and current affairs series.

Beloved actress Carmen Zapata got a standing ovation upon receiving the Arts/Entertainment Award honoring her 50 years in the industry and as co-founder and president of the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, an Hispanic performing arts organization dedicated to presenting Spanish-language classics through bilingual theater productions.

From New York’s Broadway (where she began her career in 1945) to L.A.’s off-Broadway (near the BFA site), Zapata has enjoyed a highly diversified career as an actress, producer, translator, lecturer, and narrator.

As BFA’s producing director, she produced over 80 plays on the theater’s main stage and 11 children’s productions that toured Southern and Northern California. She produced seven major statewide tours of BFA’s main stage productions, as well as a New York production at the Lincoln Center.

Among her numerous awards, the Oscar nominee is recipient of an Emmy, A Treasure of Los Angeles Award, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1990 was Knighted by His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain and presented with the Cross of Isabel La Catolica for her contributions to the promotion and development of Hispanic American culture.

Wells Fargo picked up this year’s Corporate Award. The fifth-largest financial services company in the U.S. has been named as one of the Top 10 Companies for Latinos by DiversityInc. Magazine, listed by Fortune as one of the Best Companies for Minorities and one of the Top 50 companies for Latinas according to LatinaStyle magazine.

Special guests included nine college students who have been selected as scholarship recipients for 2006, joining a roster of hundreds of deserving students who have received the group’s scholarships during the past 21 years.

This year’s recipients are: Breanna M. Cardwell, Irene Ramirez (University of Southern California), Cristian Carrillo (Cal State L.A.), Ashley Gabaldon, Ana Marisol Najarro (Cal State Fullerton), Guillermo Wightman, Jacqueline Guzman (Cal State Northridge), Natalie C. Venegas (Cal State Long Beach), and Nicholas Villegas (California State Polytechnic University, Pomona).

Current HPRA board members are: Romina Bongiovanni (Edelman Multicultural), Leticia Rhi Buckley (Music Center), Letisia Marquez (UCLA, Dept. of Media Relations) and Michael Delgado (La Agencia de Orci).

More information about HPRA is available on their Web site: www.hpra-usa.org.

NEXT POST: New albums, October Birthdays & Hispanic Heritage Month news.

Hall of Famers & More

LOS ANGELES: Theodore Roosevelt High School Alumni Foundation is holding its 5th Annual Hall of Fame Luncheon, Sunday, Sept. 17 at the University of Southern California’s Town and Gown in Los Angeles. The event, from 11 am to 4 p.m., will feature presentation of the 2006 Hall of Fame Inductees that include the Dodgers’ Willie Davis, Dr. Evangelina Stockwell, Shigeo Takayama. Ralph “Doofy” Gutierrez, and Paul Xanthos who will receive posthumous honors.

Roosevelt Senior High, which is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District with a student population of about 5,000, is located in East Los Angeles. It is the alma mater of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa who went on to graduate from UCLA and People’s College of Law.

For more information regarding the luncheon, contact Candy Tanamachi at (213) 745-4560 or Miguel Torres at (323) 721-3456. Folks in the Inland Empire can call Charlie Molina at (951-323-6009.

BEVERLY HILLS: Elizabeth Barrutia, executive vice president of Marketing and Media at Arenas received a prestigious nomination recently from the Los Angeles Chapter of National Latina Business Women's Association. The nonprofit organization nominated Barrutia in the Media and Communications category.

Barrutia oversees all marketing activities including media, publicity, promotions for the company’s entertainment clients which include Walt Disney Pictures/Touchstone Films, Disney Channel, Universal and ABC.

Barrutia joined Arenas in 2002 as senior vice president, director of media overseeing the operation of the media department. Her nomination came on the heels of her first year as second-in-command behind CEO Santiago Pozo at the Beverly Hills-based company.

Arenas is a diversified entertainment and media company founded in 1988. A leading Hispanic marketing company in the entertainment industry, Arenas has a unique team of experienced bilingual and bicultural executives, and has marketed over 250 films for major motion picture studio clients.

NEW YORK: Rick Gonzalez and Wanda de Jesus (one of my favorite actresses) are starring in the John Singleton film Illegal Tender. The film, written by Franc. Reyes (Empire), tells the story of a Latino college student and his courageous mother fleeing the thugs who killed his father (Manny Perez). Finding themselves in life-threatening danger, the son must return to Puerto Rico to unveil the dark secrets from his family’s past. The film is set for release in spring 2007.

NEXT POST: Won’t be until my return the week of Aug. 20. Gone Fishing & More!

Surprise! Surprise! & More

LOS ANGELES: Surprise! Surprise! I waited so long to tell you this story that La Opinion scooped me. But. that’s okay, if I’m gonna get scooped it might as well be by the world-renowned and largest Spanish language newspaper in the country, which incidentally as I reported earlier recently picked up an international award (Premio Ortega y Gasset Award from Spain’s distinguished El Pais newspaper, the highest ranking and most influential recognition in Spanish-language journalism).

Now, back to the story promised long ago about Maria Ruiz Aguilar’s magic formula for staying young. This is quite an accomplishment for the remarkable Mrs. Aguilar, who at 100 years old, is only as old as she feels and a day doesn’t go by that she doesn’t feel younger than she is. What’s her secret? Very simply, she keeps a youthful outlook on life by getting out of the house and living it up.

One might say, she’s lived an “Auntie Mame” existence — adventurous, romantic, often spicy and outlandish — that she still harbors in her soul. As one family insider tells it, the family’s oldest member is simply a youngster at heart who absolutely does not like staying at home and just enjoys being out all the time.

Born June 8, 1906 in Sonora, Mexico, the incredible Mrs. Aguilar came to California as a young woman and never left. The mother of seven children, she has 25 grandchildren and so many great grandchildren, she lost count at 50.

Now a resident of Los Angeles, she was once a resident of Catalina Island. Her daughter, whom she named after the island, is a reminder of the small town she loved so much with its perfect climate and breathtaking views. One of her most enjoyable pleasures there was swimming in the ocean.

Nowadays, the still lively Mrs. Aguilar can be found playing her favorite game, Bingo at the local senior center. Although she is confined to a wheel chair, she does not let that deter her from going out and having fun, and is never shy about inviting her visitors to take her out for a jaunt. Mentally alert, she’s ready for anything, and when she’s not out partying, she’s busy addressing birthday cards to all her grandchildren.

In her younger days, she was a hard worker and world traveler who’s traveled practically around the globe, from Europe, to South America, to Mexico, including one of her favorite spots, Las Vegas.

Always the life of the party, Aguilar loved to give parties where she would dance the night away ‘til all hours with her family and friends. A very beautiful woman in her youth with pale green eyes and fair skin, she is still very conscious about her appearance and is always well groomed from head to foot.

L.A.’s “Auntie Mame” was honored with a big birthday bash on June 10 (which La Opinion covered) at the American Legion Hall in Long Beach, replete with Mariachis, a DJ and the whole enchilada.

I was waiting for some promised photos of the legendary Mrs. Maria Ruiz Aguilar to share, but I guess she’s been too busy playing Bingo to send them. Oh well, best wishes to a lovely lady, who’s living a lovely life and whose lovely family is proud and happy to call her one of their own.

LOS ANGELES: Natalie Almada’s debut feature documentary Al Otro Lado (To the Other Side), an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival, has its national broadcast premiere Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006 at 10 p.m. on PBS (KCET in Los Angeles) as part of the 19th season of public television’s P.O.V. series. (The PBS station in your local area and local listings for this program can be confirmed at http://www.pbs.org/pov.)

Al Otro Lado takes a look at immigration and drug trafficking through Mexico’s 200-year-old tradition of corrido music, that Almada describes as “the musical underground newspapers, and today tell of drug traffickers and illegal immigrants — people who have beaten the system and provided jobs and much-needed infrastructure to rural communities in a struggling economy.”

Almada, a native of Mexico who spent her childhood on both sides of the border, used corrido music throughout her film because it provides culture, color, and texture, and in her words, “was also a way to hear the voices of the people most affected and least heard.”

Although this film is her first documentary feature — which she produced, directed and edited — Almada is not a novice to independent films. Her experimental short, All Water Has a Perfect Memory, was an official selection at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and won awards at the Tribeca and Chicago International Film Festivals.

Among its numerous awards, Al Otro Lado was selected as part of the Tribeca Film Festival’s “All Access Program,” and had a weeklong run at the Museum of Modern Art in 2006. Other film credits go to: Kent Rogowski, Tommaso Fiacchino (producers), Cara Mertes (executive producer for P.O.V.), Chuy Chavez (Cinematographer), Sam Pollard (consulting editor).

Almada, who lives and works in Brooklyn, holds an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. In 2003, she was a Fellow for both the New York Foundation for the Arts and the NALIP Latino Producers Academy. She recently received a Creative Capital Grant for her new project, El General.

Al Otro Lado is funded by grants from the Sundance Documentary Fund, New York Foundation for the Arts, Arizona Humanities Council, and Latino Public Broadcasting.

Produced by American Documentary, Inc., and in its 19th season on PBS, the award-winning P.O.V. series is the longest-running showcase on television to feature the works of America’s best contemporary-issue independent filmmakers. American Documentary is a multimedia company dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets.

For more information regarding P.O.V. and Al Otro Lado, go to www.pbs.org/pov. More information regarding American Documentary, Inc. is available at www.americandocumentary.org.

NEXT POST: A Guy Named Joe & More.

Imagen Award Finalists & More

HOLLYWOOD: The Bold & Beautiful star Lorenzo Lamas was on hand June 29 at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Conference Center to announce the 2006 Imagen Awards finalists. The Foundation, which normally presents awards in 19 categories, will only be handing out awards this year in 16 categories. Imagen President Helen Hernandez, who is executive producer of the Imagen Awards Program, noted that awards would not be presented in Best Live Theatrical Production, or Best Supporting Actor or Actress in Film because there were not sufficient entries to warrant an award.

FILM Finalists:

Best Picture:
The Lost City directed by Andy Garcia and distributed by Lions Gate Films.

Take The Lead, directed by Liz Friedlander and distributed by New Line Cinema.

The Adventures of Sharkboy & Lavagirl, directed by Robert Rodriguez and distributed by Miramax Films.

Best Actor
Andy Garcia, The Lost City. (Recipient of Imagen's 2002 Creative Achievement Award.)

Antonio Banderas, Take the Lead and Legend of Zorro, directed by Martin Campbell and distributed by Sony Pictures. (Recipient of 2004 Best Actor in a Television Drama and in a Film.)

John Leguizamo, Sueño: Directed by Renee Chabria and distributed by Destination Films. (If Leguizamo wins this year, it will mark his third win following his 1999 win for Freak and the 2004 Norman Lear Writer’s Award.)

Best Actress
America Ferrera, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, directed by Ken Kwapis and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution.

Jessica Alba, Fantastic Four, directed by Tim Story and distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Cameron Diaz, In Her Shoes, directed by Curtis Hanson and distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Ines Sastre, The Lost City.

Best Director
Andy Garcia, The Lost City.

Robert Rodriguez, Adventures of Sharkboy & Lavagirl.

Fernando Meirelles, The Constant Gardner, distributed by Focus Features.

Robert Rodriguez, Sin City. (Winner of Best Director Award and the Norman Lear Writer’s Award in 2003)

Best Theatrical Short or Student Film
My Backyard was a Mountain, directed by Adam Schlachter.

La Cerca (The Fence), directed by S.J. Main.

Rosa, directed by Wiliam Sten Olsson.

Mama Said, directed by Yasmina Cádiz.

TELEVISION Finalists:

Best Primetime Series
The West Wing: John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television; NBC (The West Wing picked up its first Imagen in 2000 and again in 2005, beating out the George Lopez Show which picked up awards in 2003 for Best Comedy and 2004 for Best Primetime Series.)

Epitafios: Pol-Ka Producciones in association with HBO Entertainment; HBO

George Lopez Show: Fortis Films, Mohawk Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television; ABC

Walkout: Maya Pictures and Amicus Entertainment and Y.O.Y. Productions in association with HBO Films; HBO

ER: Constant c, Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Television; NBC

Best Actor
Jimmy Smits, The West Wing. (Smits beat out George Lopez in this category in 2005.)

Michael Peña, Walkout.

George Lopez, The George Lopez Show. (Lopez won this award in 2004 and is recipient of Imagen’s 2003 Vision Award.)

Edward James Olmos, Battle Star Galactica: R&D TV, Sky TV and USA Cable Entertainment; The Sci-Fi Channel. (Olmos received Imagen’s Creative Achievement Award in 1988.)

Danny Pino, Cold Case: CBS Productions, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, Warner Bros. Television; CBS

Best Actress
Alexa Vega, Walkout.

Constance Marie, The George Lopez Show. (Winner in 2004.)

Rosa Blasi, Strong Medicine: Sony Pictures Television, By The Lake Productions, Columbia TriStar Television Inc., Lifetime Television, Whoop/One Ho Productions/Lil' Whoop Productions, Wooster Group; Lifetime Television. (Second nomination for Blasi in this category.)

Vanessa Hudgens, High School Musical: First Street Films, Salty Pictures Inc., Walt Disney Pictures; Disney Channel

Lisa Vidal, Odd Girl Out: Jaffe/Braunstein Films Ltd., Lifetime Television; Lifetime Television

Best Supporting Actor
Freddy Rodriguez, Six Feet Under: Actual Size and the Greenblatt/Janollari Studios in association with HBO Entertainment; HBO. (Rodriguez has picked up this award every year since 2003.)

Carlos Bernard, 24: Real Time Production; Fox Network

Benito Martinez, The Shield: Fox Television Network, Sony Pictures Television, The Barn Productions, Inc., 20th Century Fox Television, Columbia TriStar Television Inc.; FX Networks

Raymond Cruz, The Closer: The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television; TNT

Mario Lopez, The Bold & the Beautiful: Bell-Phillip Television Productions; CBS

Best Supporting Actress
Cote de Pablo, NCIS: Belisarius Productions, Paramount Television, Thinkfilm; CBS

Justina Machado, Six Feet Under.

Eva La Rue, CSI Miami: Alliance Atlantis Communications, CBS Productions, The American Travelers, Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Touchstone Television; CBS

Gina Ravera, The Closer.

Best Documentary for Television or Film
Behind the Mask of Zorro: El Norte Productions; History Channel

Viva Baseball: Shoot the Moon Productions; Spike TV

Mirror Dance: Shirley Road Productions; PBS

The New Los Angeles: Beyond the Dream; PBS

Best Variety or Reality Show
El Reto Final Nissan: Animus Group and Zeal Television; Fox Sports en Español

LATV Shadows: LATV

Mex 2 the Max: LATV (LATV has won an Imagen in this category for three consecutive years since 2003.)

MADE: Girly Girl: MTV Network

Best Children's Programming
Dora the Explorer: Nickelodeon Network; Nickelodeon Network (A winner each year since 2001, the program lost out in 2005 to Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, also a finalist this year.)

Go, Diego, Go: Nickelodeon Network; Nickelodeon Network

High School Musical: First Street Films, Salty Pictures Inc., Walt Disney Pictures; Disney Channel

Nick News, with Linda Ellerbee: Lucky Duck Productions and Nickelodeon Network; Nickelodeon Network

Best National Informational Programming
Alcanzando El Exito Escolar: Univision Television Group

LatinEyes: ILDK Media

American Latino TV: AIM Tell-A-Vision Group's Maximas Productions (Winner of 2005 award in this category.)

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner: SiTV

Best Local Informational Programming
Mid-Day Sunday: KTTV

Fiesta Cinco de Mayo: KTTV

Vista L.A.: ABC7 (Four previous wins in this category, 1995, 2000, 2004 and 2005.)

KCBS-TV News "Villaraigosa Interview": KCBS

A Place of Our Own: KCET

Best On-Air Advertising
HBO Latino Image: HBO

En Otoño: HBO

Hispanic Heritage Month: SiTV

Reventon Image Spot: Mun2

The Bold & The Beautiful: CBS

The Foundation has added a National Leadership Award to its special awards category to honor those individuals who continually confront and address issues of importance to all Americans, Latinos in particular, in all areas of life with courage and conviction. This year’s inaugural award will be presented to Chicago Congressman Luis Gutierrez.

Other special awards honorees include director and choreographer Kenny Ortega who is receiving the Creative Achievement Award. Writer, director, and producer Gregory Nava will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. The President’s Award is going to Susan Whiting, CEO of Nielsen Media Research.

The Imagen Awards were established in 1985 to encourage and recognize the positive portrayal of Latinos in all media, and to increase Latino representation at all levels of the entertainment industry.

All qualifying entries must have been televised in the appropriate categories in a U.S. market, (network, local, cable, first-run syndication), released theatrically, or exhibited at a major film festival or performed live theatrically between April 1, 2005 and April 30, 2006.

The Imagen Awards are held with the support of such companies as Wells Fargo, Lear Family Foundation, Hennessy, Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, ABC, Nielsen Media Research, and Fox Television Stations, among others. Additional information regarding the Imagen Foundation and its awards program is available on its Web site: www.imagen.org, or by calling (626) 791-8140.

SAVE THE DATES: Legendary broadcast journalist, now retired, Henry Alfaro is chairing the 5th Annual California Chicano New Media Association Charity Golf Tournament on Friday, Aug. 25 at the Brookside Golf Course in Pasdena, CA. For more information, call Julio Moran at (213) 437-4408 or check their Web site at www.ccnma.org.

The Los Angeles Music & Art School is holding its Stars for the Arts Concert to benefit youngsters and their development in the arts on Thursday, September 7 at the George & Sakaye Aratani Theatre in Los Angeles. For more information, call (323) 262-7734 or go to www.lamusart.org.

NEXT POST: Surprise! Surprise! & More.