E Newsletter

May/June 2008 E-Newsletter

Showing young Latinas how being a journalist can not only get you backstage at a Hannah Montana or Daddy Yankee concert, but how media can be used to support and motivate community, Latinitas magazine is holding its second annual summer camp at the Mexican American Culture Center downtown (600 River St.) providing three intensive two-week courses in media production.

Session #1 Writing and Photography Mavens – June 9-20

Session #2 Video and Radio Superstars – July 7-18

Session #3 Design and Web Divas – July 28-Aug. 6

Putting the power of media in the hands of girls in grades four through eight, Latinitas summer camp is a refreshing mix of lessons in cutting edge technology, cultural pride and media fun. Depending on their preference, girls engage in everything from creating their own television talk show to web publishing to creating a digital photography show fit for Latinitas magazine’s online gallery!

Call the MACC at 512-478-6222 to register or 512.322.9947 for more info.

in this issue

1. Latinitas Summer Camp Registration
2. Support Tiara Tuesday this Tuesday
3. Latinitas Hits the Public TV Airwaves
4. Thank You Foto Enthusiasts
5. A Glimmer of Hope
6. Latinitas El Paso
7. Alicia Rascon Named Young Visionary
8. Otras Gracias

Every month the wonderful staff at Austin Woman Magazine (see this month's issue for a great story on Latinitas!) select a non-profit to benefit from their "Tiara Tuesday" happy hour.

On Tues., May 20th Latinitas will be that beneficiary. Tiara Tuesday features a silent auction of massages, spa treatments and chic chic haircuts, other raffles and great networking opportunites. This month's event at ZTejas restaurant on W. 6th from 6-9pm. Bring amigas!

Docubloggers interviewed some Latinitas "reporteritas."

Latinitas founders, staff and programs were featured on KLRU-TV's Docubloggers program this month.

This weekly magazine program features local Austin-inspired happenings as well as providing amateur documentary makers a forum to feature their own work reflecting Austin Life.

Thank you photographers and sponsors for your support in last month's Fotos de Mi Alma silent auction.

Contemporary and traditional photography sharing the thread of "depicting Latino life" was auctioned to Austin patrons and though less art was sold - more donations were collected than ever!

Raffle items were donated by generous Austin eateries such as Huts Hamburgers, Moonshine, Cannoli Joe's, County Line BBQ and wonderful gift certificates were given from Birds Barbershop, Art on 5th and Waterloo Records. Latinitas also thanks Wal-Mart for gift cards used to by materials and frames.

Very special thanks goes to photographers: Claudio Bartoloni, Anet Bea Chavez, Alicia Estrada, Skip Hunt, Javier Jara, Alberto Jimenez, Bibi Lobo,Deyla Lusk, Jorge San Hueza Lyon, Emily Manahan O’brien, Lesley Nowlin, Alicia Rascon, Fern Ramirez, Sara Rodriguez, Nancy Royden, Martin Quiroga, Dacia Saenz, Ellen Schele, Loren Utley, Edward Velasquez, Michael Velasquez, Cheryl Wilson and Matthew Young.

Lastly, a heartfelt thanks goes to our bueno amigo Sylvio Ramos, owner of Copa Restaurant, for always opening his doors to Latinitas events.

A Glimmer of Hope Foundation is a compassionate social enterprise seeking to make a sustainable difference in the lives of some of the poorest people in the world.

Since its inception in 2000, the foundation has shone a light of awareness on exclusion and suffering and has helped more than one million people improve their quality of life. With outreach efforts here in Austin and in Ethiopia, Africa - A Glimmer of Hope provides a wide berth of support to hundreds of noble causes from water filtration to youth empowerment.

Latinitas is grateful for Glimmer's recent gift to support expansion of Latinitas programs to five additional campuses next year. The grant will also support Latinitas' free Saturday media camps at the St. John's branch of the library and development of new curriculum to better bridge ties between Austin's Latino and Black youth communities.

Thanks to the dynamic Alicia Rascon - Latinitas West Texas has hit the ground running!

Already Latinitas co-founder has presented at the University of Texas at El Paso's Women's Conference and has contributed Latinitas expertise to UTEP's Expanding Your Horizons conference focused on teaching girls about STEM careers, those in Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine.

Rascon was also the lead on the Girl Empowerment Conference El Paso in a partnership with Austin non-profit Arte Sana and its executive director Laura Zarate who started this state-wide movement to educate girls on building self-esteem, character and how to deal with family, sexual and dating violence. Rascon gathered speakers, workshop presenters, sponsors and press for the conference which will feature multiple workshops all day on May 19th. Rascon and recruited volunteers will be serving over 400 girls from El Paso Independent School Districts scheduled to participate.

El Paso Call to Action: Tell your sisters, primas, friends and anyone you know in El Paso who may be interested in volunteering for Latinitas El Paso to reach out to Alicia and her crew at volunteer@latinitas magazine. org.

Let those primas know Latinitas West Texas will be hosting a Summer Volunteer Mixer for anyone interested in learning more about how they can volunteer for Latinitas El Paso at Taco Cabana (6345 Gateway West) from 5-9 pm on Thurs., June 12th.

Latinitas is incredibly proud of co-founder Alicia Rascon who was selected as the 2008 Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz "Women of Achievement Young Visionary award by the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, Illinois, out of a national nomination process.

Alicia was honored with national and international Latina women of distinction at Houston's Museum of Fine Arts on March 26, 2008.

The Sor Juana Festival is a multidisciplinary festival that honors one of Mexico ’s greatest writers, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a 17th-century Mexican nun who valued the education of women. Sor Juana was a celebrated playwright, mathematician and poet in her own time and considered to be the first feminist of the Americas .

Alicia Rascon (right) with co-founder Laura Donnelly.

Thank you to Viatran Inc for donating t-shirts for girls in Latinitas' programs. They rock!

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Latinitas, Inc. is an Austin-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Hispanic girls in media and technology. We accomplish this by publishing a bilingual webzine for Hispanic girls, hosting innovative media workshops in the community, and facilitating an after-school program for junior reporters.