Episode 8: Interview With Chris Davila

When I met Chris Davila at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center the first thought that came to mind was, “Wow, she has some awesome hair.” However, it didn’t take long for me to discover there is much more to Davila than cool hair. She is currently living her dream of working in the arts in her hometown of San Antonio. She says she loves what she does because she has the opportunity to work in a career in which she feels fulfilled, working and giving back within her community. The story of how Chris realized this goal is interesting and inspiring. Faced with the opportunity to settle with mediocrity, she instead decided to take control of her life and follow her heart through several obstacles to find herself where she is today. Her journey continues to be one of self-discovery and growth.

Resources

• Chris on Twitter: @bigBROWNojos
• GCAC Website: http://guadalupeculturalarts.org
• GCAC on Twitter: @TheGuadalupe
• GCAC on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/guadalupeculturalartscenter

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Sometimes It Is What It Is: Why I Love This Poster

Before I start, let me thank Melissa Lojewski, for unknowingly let me steal this picture from her Facebook page.

I love this poster because it makes a strong and simple point: it is what it is. Why do we have to qualify everything? Sometimes a person is a person. Sometimes a phone is a phone. We love descriptions to the point where we often OVER-describe things. For instance, why does someone have to be “athletic for a woman,” “well-spoken for a black guy,” or “cool for a rich person?” Why can’t they just be athletic, well-spoken, or cool? 

People often describe me as, “the whitest black guy I know.” I always ask what that means. As of yet, nobody has been able to explain. While I love to play basketball, eat chicken, drink Kool-Aid, and listen to R&B, I also love to read, write, start and participate in conversation, volunteer, and travel. Do any of these activities make me more or less black or white? I don’t think so. Last time I checked black and white were both still colors, not sets of behaviors.

Just this past weekend, my mother (whom I see about once or twice a year) came down to visit. I showed her around some of my favorite spots. We started the day in one of the  most underserved areas in the city and ended at a wine bar. I felt comfortable in both.

Enough about me. Back to the poster. This poster is important not because it’s a “gay” poster, but because, well, it’s important. You can substitute “gay” within the poster copy for any other descriptor, (e.g., tall, short, disabled, black, white, emo, smart, athletic) and “marriage” for any other noun, (e.g., immigration, conversation, education), and it still makes sense. While there are many specific issues we need to address, sometimes we need to take a step back and see something for what it is. Sometimes it’s very complex. Sometimes it simply is what it is.

Liz Feldman is a comedian, presenter, actress, and writer. She is also the author of the blog This Just Out, which can be found here.

Gowalla Trips: San Antonio Culture Crawl

I’m fairly new to the geo-tagging service provided by the folks over at Gowalla, but one of my favorite features thus far is “Trips.” Once exclusive to a select few, now every Gowalla member can create a trip (list of “spots” where a person must check-in in order to complete). When people check-in, they can leave comments, tips, pictures, etc., which makes these visits a little more exciting and engaging. There are several public trips available for historic spots, pubs, bars, and other venues. I decided to create one for cultural exploration here in San Antonio. The name of the trip is San Antonio Culture Crawl, and includes places such as the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Witte Museum, Artpace, and others. If you find yourself in the area and are a Gowalla member, please feel free to check out the trip and tell me what you think. Please leave any comments below in this post or on Gowalla when you check in.

Citizen Photojournalism: Guardian Eyewitness

What ever happened to picture books? Remember how well they told a story with few to no words? Remember when you read your first “chapter book” and how accomplished you felt? It seems as though, the older we get, the longer the content has to be. That’s not the case with photojournalism. Photojournalists are somehow able to capture incredible moments and tell incredible stories, often with no words at all. We might say we want content, content, content - and in many cases that’s true. I find myself constantly reading. Between academic journals, literature, business books, magazines, blogs, and news articles, I fill up just about every spare minute by consuming words. However, sometimes it’s nice to take a look at beautiful pictures and let those pictures explain their stories. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/series/eyewitness lets me do just that. They showcase great pictures from around the world, commenting on global catastrophes, successes, events, and cultures. Take a look at some of the images below.

All photos provided by Guardian Eyewitness

Report: The Public Favors Tougher Border Controls and Path To Citizenship

According to the Pew Research Center For The Public and the Press, the majority of the United States public is seeking tougher regulation on immigration. Although most still agree with birthright citizenship, many are concerned with the impact (whether it be real or perceived) illegal immigration has on job selection, burden on government services, and crime. To read the entire story, visit the Pew website. Become informed and take action. 

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