For Hispanics, bakeries offer a sweet taste of home; for others, a taste of culture – When some customers walk into Ana’s Mexican Bakery on Gulfway Drive in Port Arthur, the experience evokes feelings of nostalgia.This is especially true for the customers who have roots in South Texas, Mexico or other predominantly Hispanic areas, said Alvaro Reyes, who owns the bakery along with his wife and the store’s namesake, Ana Garcia. ’When they see their favorite breads for the first time in a long time, it’s a good feeling,’ Reyes said. ’This style of bread plays a very important part in Mexican culture. It’s more than just good food. It takes them back.’ Beaumont Enterprise, online.
Rethinking Multiculturalism: Beyond ‘Cultural Relevancy’ – The power of ethnic audiences is apparent in everyday life. But inherent risks exist when messaging previously meant for a minority group becomes part of the mainstream. In its fourth year, the just-released Yankelovich Monitor Multicultural Marketing Study points to the impact of the ’commercialization of culture,’ or repeated use of certain cultural elements to reach broader audiences. In 2004, 37 percent of non-Hispanic whites thought Hispanics were influencing everyone’s lifestyle; today, it’s 44 percent. ADweek, online.
Hispanic youths are targeted for college – Ask 14-year-old Jesus Mendez about college and he’ll tell you not just that he plans to go, but also what he plans to study and which school he’s considering. Mendez recently completed the program, which was created through a partnership of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization focused on increasing Hispanic participation in higher education. Only San Antonio and Chicago will host the program. San Antonio Express, online.
Stamp honors journalist Ruben Salazar killed in ’70 East L.A. riot – ’Ruben Salazar put an indelible stamp on the profession of journalism in Los Angeles,’ said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. ’From the battlefields of Vietnam to the streets of East L.A., he reported the news with a rare combination of toughness and humanity. It’s great to finally see his legacy honored on a national level with the issuance of this postage stamp.’ Los Angeles Times, online.
Is American TV ready to tune in Latino culture? – Census figures last year put the number of Hispanics in the United States at 44.3 million, making them the nation’s largest minority and 15 percent of the U.S. population. A show like Cane seems long overdue. ’For so long, the goal of the major networks was to appeal to the greatest common denominator,’ says John Echeveste, a partner in Valencia Perez Echeveste Public Relations. ’For a long time, Hispanics weren’t necessarily seen as a part of that.’ The Arizona Republic, online.
Myths, facts about N.C. Hispanics – In discussions about immigration, broad assumptions are often heard. We tried to find the facts about some commonly held beliefs about Hispanic immigrants. News & Observer, online.
Among networks, Spanish-language Univision is now a top contender – Many Americans click past Univision’s melodramatic Mexican soap operas and sportscasters yelling ’GOOOOOOAL!’ But after a couple of recent rating coups, the Spanish-language TV network is carving out a Latino face on the Mount Rushmore of broadcast television alongside NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX. For the first time, Univision bested the major English-language networks for an entire week among young adults. And Univision’s historic bilingual presidential debate last week attracted the most 25- to 54-year-old viewers of any televised debate thus far. Christian Science Monitor, online.
SUBSCRIBE