This wonderful poem, "A Forgotten People" can be used in prayer services, don't you think? "Love your gente" is a rephrasing of ancient wisdom, even of "love your neighbor."
The whole site, Soy Chicano portal/site is a good mix of entertainment, thought and community connections. I always wonder why "religion" or "spirituality" is never a category on these sites. There's a question that I will probably never be able to answer.
Adan
If you are intersted in media issues and the life of the soul, I invite you to sign up for a weekend seminar that I am leading about latino film/video and contemporary ministry. We'll attend screenings at the San Antonio Cinefestival the first latino festival in the US, which I founded in 1976. We'll arrange discussions with the video and film directors and discuss linkages between the imaginations, symbols and narratives of Latino films and the world views, symbol systems and narratives of ministry like: worship, community activism, religious education.
Sign up at MACC. It is scheduled for February of next year, so make plans early.
Adán
Last Thursday, 6/19, I presented a workshop to students at MACC in San Antonio, Texas and they were greatly surprised to learn that US Hispanics, as well as the general population, watch over 50 hours of TV every week. I see two general reactions among ministers to this fact. One is to try to find ways to help their congregation watch less TV and replace that time with other activities that are considered more productive. Another is to find out what meaning the congregation is making of their TV watching and what joy they are finding there.
For information about the latter, Stewart Hoover, Lynn Schofield-Clark and their team of researchers are giving us valuable insightes into meaning-making and the joy of watching.
During TV viewing we both enjoy and denounce. What we like makes us laugh and gives us joy. What we don't like makes us mad and affirms our stance against injustice, shallow consumerism, prejudicial news.
It seems to me that when ministers watch some of that same TV and thus accompany congregations in their enjoyment of viewing experiences, no matter how secular they may appear, this celebration of joy enables the minister to be more attuned to the viewing experience. The result of this is that the minister is better able to help the congregation critically denounce the insidious aspects which are also there.
Peace,
Adán
Am today shooting the documentary in Lima, Peru. Imagine my surprise when upon approaching the presidential palace in the middle of Lima I saw the gay flag colors flying next to the Peruvian flag atop the palace!
This just goes to show my myopic view and I was quickly told that this multi colored flag, colors of the rainbow, is the flag of the ancient area of the Incas, Tahuantinsuyo.
When he was elected in July, 2001, President Alejandro Toledo Manrriquez insisted on flying the indigenous flag alongside that of the republic of Peru.
It looks great.
Adán
At Notre Dame I spoke with two other panelists whom I was very glad to meet. They were David Hayes-Bautistas, director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture and J. Gerardo Lopez, Executive Editor of La Opinión, the largest and longest-running Spanish-language newspaper in the US.
The participants of this conference, "Raices y Alas" were leaders in Catholic pastoral ministry from all over th US and Latin America. The panel title was "The Media." In Spanish the title was "Comunicaciones (TV, Radio, Prensa, etc.). David Hayes-Bautista made a provocative analysis that credited Latino culture with the good health that we enjoy amidst difficult access to health services, and Gerardo Lopez made a heartening recounting of the struggles and commitment of La Opinión. I spoke about media as culture and the implications for ministry.
Imagine my great surprise and delight when the participants embraced the notion of media as context and culture and that pastoral ministry had to open itself to dealing with all of the daily media experiences of those whom they serve. I've made this case to communications and media professionals with little and tepid response.
Particularly heartwarming was the postiive response to re-looking at religious education curriculum for young persons and emphasizing student participation in the content. By this I mean that instead of teachers looking for "appropriate" media and showing institutionally-produced videos about religious subjects, teachers could instead ask students to bring into the classroom (and to prayer settings) those CD's, videos and games that touch them deeply. The attendees thought this was a very practical and effective thing to do.
I used one example of current latino pop/rock that could be used. It is a video/song by "El Gran Silencio" from Monterrey. The title is "Déjenme Si Estoy Llorando" It's great.
I also showed a segment from last week's Wednesday episode of the telenovela on Univisión, "Entre El Amor Y El Odio."
I am happy that the younger ministry leaders are very eager to move ahead with embracing contemporary popular culture for its richness in rhythm, imagination and symbolism. But hold on....I am are also very passionate about criticizing virorously the Euro-centrism and ultra-consumeristic road being taken , naturally, by Univisión and other Latino media conglomerates.