Actually….

The pain of reading by Luis Negrón

Santurce, P.R.

Daniel Haskett

 

THE fights between my parents were frequent, and my three siblings and I were used to their separations. Papi would gather his things or Mami would throw them into the street, cursing the day she met him. But this time we were the ones who left. Papi had gotten involved with the woman next door, and for Mami this was the last straw. She swore never to go back with him. And she didn’t.

We moved into my grandparents’ house in Guayama and from there, in quick succession, to my aunt’s, my godmother’s, my sister’s godmother’s, my neighbors’ and, on occasion, even strangers’. We lived like nomads, pushing on whenever our hosts’ hospitality had run dry. We hated living in those houses. Mami had become a tyrant: we couldn’t talk at night, not even in a whisper, and if anyone offered us an extra helping of food we had to say no. If we did something bad, she’d lock us in the bathroom and beat us in a blind rage — and we had no right to cry.

via The Pain of Reading – NYTimes.com.

AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center.

Now in its 23rd year, the AFI Latin American Film Festival showcases the best filmmaking from Latin America and, with the inclusion of films from Spain and Portugal, celebrates Ibero-American cultural connections. This year’s selection of 50 films makes it the biggest festival yet, and includes international festival favorites, award-winners, local box-office hits and debut works by promising new talents. Look for featured strands in this year’s lineup including: Music Movies Family Fun and Late Night Latin .

Highlights of the festival include the Opening Night selection, the rousing LA-set hip hop drama FILLY BROWN; Mexico’s A SECRET WORLD, a sensation at the Berlin International Film Festival; the US premiere of Argentina’s CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD; David Riker’s Mexico-US immigration drama, THE GIRL, starring Abbie Cornish; festival sensation UNA NOCHE, from Cuba; TROPICÁLIA, the definitive documentary on the influential Brazilian music movement, and LA CASA DEL RITMO, A FILM ABOUT LOS AMIGOS INVISIBLES, chronicling the story of Venezuela’s most famous Grammy-winning band; HERE AND THERE, winner of the top prize in Critic’s Week at this year’s Cannes Film Festival; and Alex de la Iglesia’s lunatic media satire, AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, starring Mexico’s Salma Hayek.

Look for the fall issue of AFI Preview, featuring the AFI Latin American Film Festival, in the Washington Post and El Tiempo Latino on September 14!

This past weekend–for the launch of Latino Heritage Month–students in two sections of SPAN303 Approaches to Cultural Materials in the Hispanic World, taught by Ana Patricia Rodríguez participated in two outreach and service learning activities. On Saturday, 11 students volunteered to assist in various activities at the Central American Traditions Festival at the Smithsonian’s Museum of National American History.  On Sunday, 15 students led bilingual arts activities at the Lane Manor Hispanic Month Festival on University Blvd. My students provided valuable service, engaged people in Spanish, and represented the SLLC and UMD. Prof Rodríguez received lots of compliments and commendations for her students’ work by event organizers and the public.  Based on their participation, they will write critical reflections on their experiences, and, after doing research throughout the semester, they will do group presentations on community issues or cultural practices observed at weekend events. Thanks to Pam Deane and Michelle Dove, who provided Prof. Rodríguez with materials on learning languages and on the SLLC, which they gave out to parents and children at the Festival.

The Department of Spanish & Portuguese is pleased to announce that Mr. Álvaro Enrigue successfully defended his dissertation, entitled ” Valiente clase media. Literatura, dinero y bienes en América Latina,” Thursday, August 23, 2012.

The Dissertation Committee Members were:
• Dr. Juan Carlos Quintero-Herencia (Chair SPAN)
• Dr. Sandra Cypess (SPAN)
• Dr. Eyda Merediz (SPAN)
• Dr. Mehl Penrose (SPAN)
• Dr. Roberto Patricio Korzeniewicz-Dean’s Representative (SOCY)

Dr. Enrigue is a Research Fellow at the Center for Creative Writing & Latin American Studies at Princeton University.

Again congratulations to Dr. Álvaro Enrigue!

Ante todo, y aunque más no sea para paliar un poco la habitual confusión que reina en la materia, convendría hacer una diferencia entre dos usos de la palabra best seller: el primero y más natural, el sentido que podría decirse “etimológico”, es el del libro más vendido. Sobre eso, obviamente, no hay nada que decir: cualquier libro puede venderse más que otros, o más que todos los otros, en determinado momento. Las circunstancias más diversas, la moda, la actualidad, la casualidad, pueden llevar a ese resultado. El otro sentido, sobre el que sí convendría reflexionar un poco, es el de best seller como género específico: el libro, generalmente en forma de novela, hecho con vistas al consumo de un público inmediato.

Best sellers y literatura, vigencia de un debate – 28.12.2003 – lanacion.com  .

Our graduate student, Oscar Santos, have been selected to receive the 2012 Graduate Student Minority Achievement Award to recognize the many outstanding contributions and accomplishments he has made for the University.  The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 10th at 4:00pm – 5:30pm in the Maryland Room, Marie Mount Hall. Oscar will also get a congratulatory letter from President Loh in a few days. Please feel free to invite your family, friends, and colleagues to the ceremony.  Invitations will be forwarded to all vice-presidents, deans, directors, and department chairs,as well as many other members of the campus community.

Felicitaciones, te lo mereces, Oscar.

donde queda San Juan

JUAN CARLOS QUINTERO-HERENCIA, editor, University of Maryland

Entre las prendidas y los sleep modes de las pantallas, donde queda San Juan es el parco resultado de un ordeño online. Luego de un año de peticiones, acosos y silencios, este dossier es la culminación precaria de una variada meditación en torno a las figuraciones contemporáneas de un área metropolitana, más que de una ciudad en posesión de sus paisajes y avistamientos…. (leer más)

La Habana Elegante.

Congratulations to Ana Acedo, Rocío Gordon and Ana Patricia Rodríguez!

Ana Acedo

One of Ana’s students, Charlotte Kiernan, a rising senior in the College of Education, has been chosen as a 2012-2013 Philip Merrill Presidential Scholar. Ana has been named by Charlotte as the faculty mentor who has made the most impact on her academic achievement. This highly selective program is made possible by the generosity of the Philip Merrill family and recognizes academic excellence in our students and the important role that teachers and faculty have as mentors.  Felicidades Ana.

Rocío Gordon

Rocío is one of our graduate students and she was awarded the prestigious Ann D. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship. Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowships are one-semester awards intended to support outstanding doctoral students who are in the final stages of writing their dissertation and whose primary source of support is unrelated to their dissertation. Wylie Dissertation Fellowships carry a stipend of $10,000 plus candidacy tuition remission and $800 toward the cost of health insurance. The Graduate School awards approximately 40 Wylie Dissertation Fellowships per year. Felicidades Rocío.

Ana Patricia Rodríguez

The Office of Multi-ethnic Student Educatin (OMSE) 2012 Academic Excellence Awards committee selected our Ana Patricia Rodríguez as the recipient of the Outstanding University Faculty Member Award.  Based on the nominations of undergraduate students, this award is bestowed on an individual that has contributed to the academic excellence of multi-ethnic students at the University of Maryland.  Please note this is a highly-competitive selection process and well-deserved based on her ongoing dedication and service to multi-ethnic students. Felicidades Ana Patricia.

Un abrazo a este trío. Nos sentimos orgullosos por sus logros.