ImmigrationProf Blog

MAJOR PBS SERIES “LATINO AMERICANS” TO PREMIERE NATIONALLY DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2013

Watch Episode 6: Peril and Promise Trailer on PBS. See more from Latino Americans.

PBS has announced that LATINO AMERICANS, a landmark three-part, six-hour documentary series narrated by actor Benjamin Bratt, will air nationally on PBS on three consecutive Tuesdays, premiering on September 17, September 24 and October 1. LATINO AMERICANS is the first major documentary series for television to chronicle the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinos, who have for the past 500-plus years helped shape what is today the United States and have become, with more than 50 million people, the largest minority group in the U.S.

A companion book by Ray Suarez, Senior Correspondent for PBS NEWSHOUR, will be released to coincide with the series. The television broadcast will also be accompanied by a nationwide public engagement initiative, and bilingual digital engagement and public education campaigns.

ATINO AMERICANS is led by Emmy Award-winning series producer Adriana Bosch and documents the evolution of a new “Latino American” identity from the 1500s to the present day, featuring interviews with close to 100 Latinos from the worlds of politics, business and pop culture — including Herman Badillo, Dolores Huerta, Gloria Estefan and Rita Moreno — as well as deeply personal portraits of lesser-known Latinos who lived through key chapters in American history.

KJ

Banda Star Jenni Rivera, Daughter of Mexican Immigrants, RIP

 

  

Jenni Rivera, the Mexican-American singer and reality television star known as “the Diva of Banda,” died early Sunday in a plane crash outside Monterrey, Mexico, after a performance there. She was 43.

Rivera began recording in 1992, and her recordings often have themes of social issues, infidelity, and relationships. Her tenth studio album, Jenni (2008), became her first number-one album in the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart in the United States. In 2010, she appeared in and produced the reality TV show Jenni Rivera Presents: Chiquis & Raq-C.

A U.S. citizen by birth, Rivera was born in Long Beach, California. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico.  Fans have been mourning at Rivera's home in Encino.

Rivera was a champion of immigrants rights.   On May 29, 2010, tens of thousands of protesters converged on Phoenix to denounce Arizona's immigration enforcement law known as S.B. 1070.  While other well-known musicians stayed away, or just signed a petition, Rivera showed up and marched five miles in scorching heat.   She went on to play a full concert and gave a speech for immigrant rights and justice for the community she came from and never left.

KJ

Naturalization Ceremony on the Today Show

On Friday, November 16, USCIS welcomed 30 new citizens during a naturalization ceremony televised live on the Today Show in Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas provided the call of countries and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano administered the oath ceremony. 

KJ

Jon Stewart on the dismantling of Mexican American Studies

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

 KJ

Who's Debate Gaffe is Bigger? Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's or Texas Gov. Rick Perry's?

 

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer -- Running for Governor of Arizona

 

Texas Governor Rick Perry -- Running for President of the United States

What do you think?

KJ

X Factor Contestant Faces Deportation

PerezHilton reports that an X Factor contestant is being deported from the UK.

 

KJ

Lost in Detention

 

 

 

Watch the full episode. See more FRONTLINE.

 

Lost in Detention: PBS Frontline, Oct. 18, 2011

FRONTLINE and the Investigative Reporting Workshop investigate the Obama administration’s controversial get-tough immigration policy; featuring Maria Hinojosa.

 

KJ

The Law and Order SVU Version of the DSK Case

Law and Order SVU aired its season premiere ("Scorched Earth") on Wednesday night with a great episode ripped from the headlines. It also looks at th erealities facing refugees, U.S., asylum law, and rape as a form of persecution in military conflicts in Africa. Here is the episode description:

"Moments after a businessman leaves a hotel room, a maid stumbles into the hallway sobbing. At the squad room, Cragen gets word that a maid claims she was assaulted by Roberto DiStasio, the odds-on favorite to be Italy's next prime minister. At the hospital, Benson interviews the maid who describes a grisly tale of sexual assault. At the hotel room, Detective Amanda Rollins - a new hire from Atlanta PD - finds a semen sample on the floor. Moments later, Fin and Munch track down and arrest DiStasio before his plane takes off. "

Sound kind of like the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case?

KJ

Sign of These Times: Los Americans

The telenovela Los Americans is a series that focuses on a multi-generational, middle-income Latino family living in Los Angeles. The Valenzuela family deals with many issues facing American families today, including unemployment, cultural identity, and alcoholism. The series features Latino-Americans in a realistic and complex manner seldom seen on television or the Internet. Here is a trailer that piqued my interest in the series.

While the series portrays some of the experiences unique to the Latino community, such as the challenges of straddling two cultures, the series also shows that much of the family’s struggles can be identified with families from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Following each episode of Los Americans, viewers will be directed to online resources and information offering solutions and help for the issues portrayed in the program.

The series is written and directed by Dennis Leoni, who is best known for having created and produced the award-winning, television series Resurrection Blvd. for Showtime. Los Americans feature Esai Morales (Caprica, Jericho, La Mamba), Lupe Ontiveros (Southland, Family Guy) Raymond Cruz (The Closer, Breaking Bad) and Tony Plana (Ugly Betty, 24).

The web series is funded through a grant of the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to promote broadband and technology use to help people improve their lives.

It was announced earlier this week that Los Americans will be shown on Metro buses in Los Angeles

KJ

Mexican Actress Gets 30 days in Marriage Case

"LOS ANGELES – A Mexican soap opera star accused of entering a sham marriage to stay in the United States was sentenced Monday to 30 days in jail after admitting she lied during an immigration proceeding."

Full story here.

MAS

Immigration on Army Wives

Army Wives, a TV show on the Lifetime Network, which runs on Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m., has episodes this week and next that feature a military family member with immigration problems. Law prof Margaret Stock was a technical advisor on the immigration story line.

Life And Death On The Border

The first episode of "Life And Death On The Border" that premieres is next Monday, November 15 at 9/8c on Current TV. Here is a preview of the season premiere.  Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.  We no doubt will hear some incredible -- but unfortunately all too real -- stories over the next three weeks.

KJ

(UN)FAIR Asks EOIR to Make Public Aunt Onyango’s Case

Jason Dzubow on The Asylumist reports that the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is calling upon the Justice Department and the Executive Office for Immigration Review to make public the record in the asylum case of President Obama’s aunt.  One wonders whether FAIR would have made such a demand if Aunt Bee, Sheriff Taylor's aunt in the old "The Andy Griffith Show," had been granted asylum.

KJ 

Watch PBS "Faces of America” Series

What made America? What makes us? These two questions are at the heart of the new PBS series Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., which airs opn PBS this week.  The Harvard scholar turns to the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of 12 renowned Americans — professor and poet Elizabeth Alexander, chef Mario Batali, comedian Stephen Colbert, novelist Louise Erdrich, journalist Malcolm Gladwell, actress Eva Longoria, musician Yo-Yo Ma, director Mike Nichols, Her Majesty Queen Noor, television host/heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, actress Meryl Streep, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.

For a N.Y. Times review, click here.