Emilio and Gloria Estefan recently gathered over 100 Latin artist to record a Spanish rendition of 'We Are the World' entitled 'Somos El Mundo' to benefit the Haiti relief. They did an incredible job that really out shined the English version!! Check out the video below....wow!
If you're looking for a good book to read by a Latina then you may want to download a free app from iTunes called GCP BookMatch. Just answer a few questions and this app gives you a choice of various books authored by Latinas. Check out your phone's applications to see if this helpful app is available on your phone.
Oye mi gente, we definitely suggest Emilio Estefan's memoir entitled 'The Rhythm of Success'. Long time musician, producer and husband to Gloria Estefan has come out with a memoir detailing how as a Cuban immigrant he was able to achieve the American dream. Estefan hopes to inspire other Latinos with his story. "This generation of Hispanics has to know its history, everything Latinos who came before them have done to open the doors and to see what they can achieve," he said. "That's why I've dedicated the book to the first Latino president. Maybe it won't happen now, but it will happen." It's a truly inspiring book that every Latino should read. Check the details out here.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor is not the only Latina creating first for Hispanics. Massachusetts and Texas recently made some history for Latinas in their respective states. Carmen Milagros Ortiz was just sworn in as the first woman and Hispanic US attorney in Massachusetts. Eva Guzman also made history as the first Latina in Texas to be appointed to Texas Supreme Court. What great examples these Latinas have set for the rest of us. Way to go!!
Vive Latino, the annual rock en espanol music festival, has announced it's line up for this years celebrations which will be held April 23-25 in Mexico City. The 11th edition of the festival will include the artist listed below. Check out more info here.
Abominables, Ágora, Aguamala, Andrés Cantisani, Astro, Aterciopelados, Ataque 77, Austin TV, Banda de Turistas, Bocafloja, Calexico, Calle 13, Carca, Cecilia Toussaint, Celso Piña, Cienfue, Corcobado, Cráneo de Jade, Crista Gali, Cuca, Chetes, Da Punto Beat, Deftones, Descartes a Kant, DLD, Dr Frankenstein (ópera rock), Dr Krapula, El Cuarteto de Nos, Ely Guerra, Empire of the Sun, Estados Alterados, Francisca Valenzuela, Furland, Juan Pablo Villa, Kafka Jones, Kapanga, Kenny, Klemerzon, Kumbia Queers, La Chilanga Habanera, Le Bucherttes, LeBaron, Liber Teran, Liran'roll, Los Amigos Invsibles, Los Auténticos Decadentes, Los Mentas, Los Músicos de José, Los Negretes, Los Odio, Los Románticos de Zacatecas, Los Tres, Manuel García, Misterio, Monte Negro, Muna Azul, Mystika Girls, Nacho Vegas, Nos Llamamos, Ozomatli, Panteón Rococó, Paté de Fua, Pedro Piedra, Polka Madre, Qué Payasos, Quiero Club, Rise Against, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Rostros Ocultos, Silverio, Ska-P, Sonex, Sussie 4, Thermo, Tijuana No!, Todos Tus Muertos, Troker, Ventilader, Veo Muertos, Vicente Gayo, Víctimas del Doctor Cerebro, Victoria Mil.
We love love love Obie Bermudez here and it's been too long finally he's back featured on la tema de Magnate & Valentino's Si Te Acuerdas De Mi. Check out the balada version of the song below featuring Obie.
Did you guys know there was a Wikipedia for Latinos?! WikiLatino is a free encyclopedia of Latino culture and history. Check it out at www.wikilatino.com.
Colombian singer Juanes was awarded Colombia's National Peace Prize for helping to promote peace by assisting landmine victims via his foundation, Mi Sangre. Juanes has held concerts throughout South America and Cuba in an effort to further promote peace. Go Juanes!!
Odd combo, but interesting result. Check out Wisin y Yandel's Imaginate featuring T-Pain. The cameos from Wilmer Valderrama and Amaury Nolasco caught us by surprise, but good video.
President Obama is naming Latinos to top post at a record pace. He is on track to naming more Hispanics to top administrations than any other president. Pa'Lante!!
Papi chulo Ricky Martin is raising money for children's charities. Ricky teamed up with German broadcaster RTL for a telethon to support his foundation to help build a youth center in Loiza, Puerto Rico. The telethon will raised money for other international children's charities. He said "The idea is to build a centre, a safe haven for children that are at risk of exploitation, which is the main mission of my foundation." ¡Que bueno!
Hey Chicas theres a new book out dedicated to Latina women. Univision's fashion expert Martin Llorens has written Descubre Tu Estilo: Tu Guía Para Vestir Mejor (Discover Your Style: Your Guide to Dressing Better). The book which is written in Spanish points out what exactly to wear for occassions depending on your body type and personality. You can check out Martin's site and details on the book here.
For the first time in its 20 year history the Billboard Latin Music Awards will be held outside of Flordia in 2010. The awards will take place in Conrad, Puerto Rico on April 29, 2010. Can't wait to check them y la isla out!!
With the Hispanic population growing each day YouTube and Univision have decided to team up to bring full length programming of TV shows aired on Univision. Along with the full length shows, YouTube will also feature exclusive footage from Univision including celebrity interviews and celebrity events. This is great because sometimes depending on where you live it's hard to find Univision on your cable network!!
We know this probably isn't an official remix that is going to be released, but man we wish it were cause we need this on our i-pod. Check out this remix of Shakira's She Wolf con none other than our boy Daddy Yankee. We're loving it...definitely gets us up and moving!!
Latina Eva Longoria Parker has been named philanthropist of the year by the 'Hollywood Reporter' magazine. Eva has been dedicated to social causes especially within the Hispanic community. She founded "Eva's Heroes' which provides an after school program for children with developmental disabilities in her home town of San Antonio, Texas. She is also a spokeswoman for 'Parents Against Cancer' which aims in improve lives of families of Latino children with cancer. ¡Que bueno!
National Public Radio has come out with a list of the 50 most important recordings of the past decade and surprisingly two Latinos are on the list! Juanes and Shakira both made the list. Juanes with his album Fijate Bien and Shakira's song Tortura. Check out the complete article and what NPR has to say about each here. ¡¡WEPA...Pa'Lante!!
The 2010 U.S. Census should be interesting this year for Latinos. It should show strong evidence that Latinos have a huge buying power that stands at $1 trillion annually and growing. By 2050, Census figures project, a quarter of the U.S. population will be Hispanic. Only one word can describe the Hispanic market and that's growth! Check out this article that says "The Latino contribution to the nation's economy is critical". ¡WEPA!
Check out the latest video for Aventura's single "All Up To You" featuring Wisin y Yandel and Akon. The video is hot hot HOT gentlemen everyone's looking good and we're definitely diggin the song! Akon is smart to jump on board with these reggaetoneros and bachateros!!
We just found a group of sites that are targeted towards Latinas. The 'Tiene' line keeps us informed and update to date on fashion , technology , finance, education and health . "Latinas are one of the fastest growing, most tech-savvy groups of Internet users, but until the Tiene sites, there were few sophisticated and smart informational sites targeting this highly connected and influential group," said Alicia Morga, CEO of Consorte Media. Their pages are a must checkout!
Puerto Rico's own Calle 13 came out on top with the most wins with a dominating five out five awards at the 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. Way to go Residente!! The nights top winners are listed below, for a complete list of ganadores visit http://www.latingrammys.com.
Record of the year: "No Hay Nadie Como Tu," Calle 13 featuring Cafe Tacvba
Album of the year: "Los de Atras Vienen Conmigo," Calle 13
Song of the year: "Aqui Estoy Yo," Luis Fonsi
New artist: Alexandre Acha
Pop album by a duo or group with vocal: "Un dia mas," Reik
Urban music album: "Los de Atras Vienen Conmigo," Calle 13
Urban song: "Abusadora," Wisin y Yandel
Rock solo vocal album: "Teatro," Draco Rosa
Rock album by a duo or group with vocal: "45," Jaguares
Alternative song: "No Hay Nadie Como Tu," Calle 13 featuring Cafe Tacvba
Have you guys heard about the controversy behind Sammy Sosa's new lighter skin? The picture to the right was taken recently during an appearance at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Sosa claims to be going through a rejuvenation process on his skin. Whatever it is Sosa definitely looks totally different!
We just read these sad stats on Latinos. One in five Hispanic teens drops out of high school, according to U.S. Education Department statistics. That's about twice the rate for black students and more than three times the rate among white students. Only 12% of Hispanics ages 25 to 29 have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared with 31% of the general population, according to an analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center. This is really disappointing with the Hispanic population growing each day so should our education levels. A college education is a vital asset in any career field and can only benefit you. The Hispanic College Fund is a great resource for Hispanics who aspire to go to college and be a professional. Please visit their site at http://www.hispanicfund.org/.
George Lopez is taking on a new conquest Lopez Tonight, a late night talk show that airs on TBS. Lopez has become the first Hispanic performer to star in a major English speaking late-night TV talk show. ¡¡WEPA...Pa'Lante!! I hope you guys check it out not only for support, but because it's really FUNNY!! Lopez Tonight airs Mondays thru Thursdays at 10p.m. on TBS.
Oscar De La Hoya has just had a high school dedicated to him in his honor. Oscar De La Hoya Charter High School opened in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles, CA on the site of his old boxing gym. The school was founded in 2003 after Oscar donated $4.5 million to support Los Angeles charter school orangizations. Classes were held in a temporary site while construction of the high school was being completed. So far 322 students have graduated in the past three years with 72% being accepted into a four year college. Way to give back to your community Oscar!!
In an attempt to attract more viewers and attendence Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has brought on board limited partners. These celebrity partners intentionally were in the image of fellow South Flordia minority residents in hopes of attracting more people to the team. Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez have all teamed up with Ross to make it happen. Que crees...do you think their attempt to reach out to the Latino community will work, will you watch?
Songstress Nelly Furtado dropped her second single Mas from her first Spanish album "Mi Plan". We're loving the cross over album and Mas is one of our favorite tracks. The only thing the album is lacking is an appearance from Juanes! Check out Nelly's official video below.
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will be featured in an upcoming spread for Vogue Magazine. Legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz will be photographing the Justice. "Modelame así, dame ahora tu mejor pose, pose!"
A Hispanic woman from Texas was issued a ticket not for speeding or running a red light, but for being a non-English speaking driver! How crazy is that!? After hiring an attorney Ernestina Mondragon found out that there was no such law. The Dallas police department has issued 38 similar tickets over the last three years....how unfair!! On another note of craziness, a hotel owner in New Mexico forced his Hispanic employees to change their Spanish names to more common English names and forbade them from speaking Spanish while at work. We live in America people! It's insane how some people in this so called melting pot try to strip people from their names, their native language and ultimately their identities.
Some of the top Latino players in Major League Baseball are playing in this years World Series which has the Philadelphia Phillies facing the New York Yankees. The Yankees have Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera while the Phillies have Pedro Martinez, Raul Ibañez, Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz. Lets see which Latino will stand out...botalo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks like there's a new Twitter-like site up and running for Latinos called Birddi. Birddi.com has the same look and feel of Twitter expect with a Spanish interface. It was created by a 19 year old Argentine named Martin De Lio who hopes to live up to Twitter's success with Latinos! ¡Buena suerte Martin!
Shakira has just dropped a new single featuring hit makers Timbaland and Lil' Wayne called 'Give It Up To Me'. Lil Wayne and Shakira...odd combo huh!? ¿Qué crees? Check out their new single below.
After the announcement of massive layoffs in Puerto Rico totaling nearly 17,000 iconic singer Gloria Estefan has decided to treat thousands of employees affected by the layoffs to a free concert. The seven time Grammy winner bought 2,000 tickets to her concert in the Puerto Rico Coliseum in hopes of cheering up those affected by the layoffs. Awesome Gloria!!
We are LOVING the first single dropped off of Daddy Yankee's next studio Album 'Mundial'. It's been rumored that this song will be the official anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Only time will tell Daddy, but this song is definitely our new anthem, makes us want to shout out our pride to be a Latina…as DY says it best ‘Voy Pa’Lante!”!!
Check out the song below. We're loving this part....
“Somos La Sangre, Un Solo Cuerpo, Somos Una Raza, Un Solo Pueblo, Un Corazon, Una Nacion Somos El Mundo Bailando En Una Cancion,”
Columbian Songstress Fanny Lu has just been named Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization. She was chosen because of her efforts with helping in initiatives to feed the hungry in Colombia.
Move over Kanye West here comes Residente desde Calle 13. Residente hosted Los Premios MTV 2009 with Nelly Furtado. The never shy René Pérez took the stage and voiced his political opinions by wearing a number of different shirts throughout the night that displayed a range of political statements. The shirts spoke of government officials from Columbia, Honduras, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. After the days following the award ceremony Calle 13 was met with a number of backlashes in the way of concert cancelations which included concerts in Puerto Rico and Columbia. Residente has been speaking out publicly against Puerto Rico's massive layoffs of nearly 17,000 employees.
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host a music event at the White House to celebrate Hispanic musical heritage. Some of the musical guest will include Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan, Jose Feliciano, Thalia, Los Lobos, Tito "El Bambino", Aventura and Sheila E. The White House will be alive with the tropical sounds!! PBS will tape the event for broadcast on Oct. 15. It will then air on Telemundo Oct. 18. ¡WEPA!
The legendary and memorable voice of Mercedes Sosa has been silenced. The Argentine folk singer died on Sunday October 4th in Buenos Aires from complications from liver problems at the age of 74. Her voice was distinctive and her presence will be missed, but her voice will forever live on para siempre. Mercedes recorded more than 70 albums throughout her career and was a long time critic of Latin America's military regimes. Her latest CD 'Cantora 1', which includes duets with Residente de Calle 13 and Shakira, was just nominated for three Latin Grammys. ¡Su voz nunca se murrirá!
Its rumored latino lovebirds Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz are engaged! They supposedly announced the news to family and friends recently. They have been denying rumors that they are expecting their first child after they were seen leaving an OB/GYN clinic in Madrid last month. The cute couple has been together since 2007 and look to be going strong. ¡¡¡¡Felicidades!!!!
Almost a month until the fight boxing fans have been waiting for Pacquiao vs. Cotto and we're definitely in our Boricua Cotto's corner!! The fight is scheduled for Saturday, November 14th at the sold out MGM Grand in Las Vegas. In HBO's classic pre-fight excitement style they will begin airing their always compelling "24/7" series that follows fighters in the weeks leading up to fight night. “24/7 Pacquiao/Cotto” premieres Saturday, October 24th at 10:15 ET/PT. Don't forget to cheer on our boy!
It's been a while, but our favorite boricua Jenny from the block is back again with a hot new collabo with none other then Cuban bad boy Pitbull! Pitbull is one of radio's most in demand artist bringing his Latin sound into households across America! Jennifer is releasing the song under her alter ego 'Lola'. We are definitely feeling J-Lo's new single with Pitbull “Fresh Out The Oven”. Check it out below!
Josh Peterson wrote a helpful article on how to make your clothes last longer which can definitely come in handy during these tough times! Check it out below or click here
8 Ways to Make Your Clothing Last
If you are practical, eco-savvy and smart, then you'll find ways to make your clothing last. Here are eight tips to help you along:
1. Dry your clothes on low. Not only will this save energy, but it also extends the life of your clothing.
2. Sew up holes ASAP. A little hole isn't such a big deal, but a little hole will become a big hole. Sewing up a hole as soon as you see it will make your clothing last longer.
3. Save your buttons. Save every single button that you find. If your shirt comes with an extra button, save it. Also, if some clothes are so ragged that they cannot be reused, snag the button(s). This way, if you lose a button, there is a good chance that you'll have a matching button on hand.
4. Wash clothes in cold water. This also saves energy. Most clothes wash just fine in cold water. Fabrics hold up better this way.
5. Zip up your zippers before washing. You know how chickens eat gravel to digest food in their gizzards? Well, washing an unzipped zipper is kind of like gravel in a chicken's gizzard. Those zippers will flap around the washer and dryer, tearing at your other clothes.
6. Wash your clothes less often. You don't need to wash your clothes just because you wore it once. Give it a sniff test and wear it again. It's not gross. It's smart.
7. Cut out tags. Don't tear. I hate those little labels in shirts, when they tickle my neck. But resist the urge to pull them out. Gently cut it out with scissors, instead. You can cause a hole if you yank.
8. Use a front-loading washing machine. Front loaders are gentler, and more energy-efficient, than top loaders.
Supriya Doshi from ChicagoNow.com wrote an awesome article on ways to reuse old t-shirts. So next time you throw away an old shirt think of these helpful hints! Read below or check Supriya's blog out here.
T-shirt takeover: 10 ways to reuse your old shirts
So, instead of donating the ones you like, but never wear, here are 10 ways to repurpose your T-shirts:
1. T-shirt bag: This one is one of my favorites. Not only are you reusing something, you're getting something useful out of the deal too. It's pretty simple, and it could make a great gift or gift bag. Plus, you get to pick your pattern!
2. Pillows: I'd totally take one of these on a road trip or plane, though I'd opt for the square pillow rather than the T-shirt-shaped one. And instead of buying stuffing, you can use the leftover shirt scraps and even entire shirts.
3. Rags: This option is perfect if it's an ex's shirt or one that's too old to look good in bag or pillow form. No read directions for this one: Just tear or cut the shirt into pieces, or use it whole.
4. Pet toys: If you're dog is less destructive than mine, these toys might work for you.
5. Underwear: If you're a sewing whiz, here's a site with directions and a pattern for making your own undies from a shirt. Or, for less effort but more money, Solojones will do it for you.
6. Wall art/decor: Some T-shirts are so cute they could be artwork. So make it happen! Frame your art in a shadowbox, or use it as fabric on chairs or other furniture.
7. Quilts: Another option for you crafty ones. Quilts would make great gifts, and particularly soft shirts could end up as baby blankets
8. Scarf: It's starting to cool down again in Chicago, but one of these should help you stay warm.
9. Rag rug: Crocheting is a need-to-know for at least this tutorial on making a rug, but it might be worth learning for such an awesome, useful final product.
10. Napkins: Be super-duper eco-friendly by turning decent quality shirts into cloth napkins. Just cut into rectangles and sew!
Now that you've filled your house with T-shirt items, you might still have a few left. And you can't keep 'em all forever. So pick out a few and donate them so someone else can wear or reuse them!
We'd like to thank everyone that took the time to visit us at our booth at this year's annual Hispanic Fiesta at Penn's Landing. We thank you all for the support, love and positive feedback!!
Hola Mi Gente!! Calle Ocho was a huge success for us and we would like to just take the time out to say a big thank you to all of those who passed by throughout the day and supported us!! Gracias y sigue Pa'Lante!!
HOLA!! Hope you all are having a happy New Year so far!! We just wanted to let you chulas know that we will be at this year's Calle Ocho celebrations in Miami, Florida on March 16th. We'll be partying and dancing the day away so if you are in the area make sure you come and visit us at our tent located between 22nd and 23rd Avenues!!
