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Welcome to the Celebrating our Culture, History, and the Arts
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Bienvenidos!
The month’s highlight is Hispanic Heritage Month, which is really two halves of two months, the end of September and start of October. It all kicks off September 15, the day before Mexican Independence Day, And all that weekend (September 15-16) Olvera Street will be celebrating. There’s slow dancing at the Music Center Plaza from September 18-26, beginning at 6 p.m. And Cirque du Soleil continues at The Forum, while “The Arts in Latin America, 1492-1820” is booked at the Los Angeles County Museum of art through the end of October. Make sure to visit our “See L.A.!” so you can plan your summer with your family and friends. We have links to various places right here in Los Angeles for you to explore. It’s a great page to bookmark for your reference. |
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What’s Happening at
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16 of September Fiesta September 15 - 17, 2007 Come and join us at Olvera Street’s 16 of September Fiesta festival, which will be all weekend long.
For more information on the activities and schedule of performers contact: El Pueblo Special Events at (213) 485-8372 or (213) 485-6855." |
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El Grito The 16 of September (Fiestas Patrias) El Grito celebration will be held on Saturday night, September 15, 2007 at Main Street in Downtown Los Angeles between 1st Street and Temple. For more information on the activities and schedule of performers contact: : El Pueblo Special Events at (213) 485-8372 or (213) 485-6855. |
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El Grito and The 16th of September Written by John Trausch, MA
"Libertad", 1991 Artwork by Luis Becerra
In the early morning hours of September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla made a momentous decision that dramatically altered the course of Mexico. The priest initiated a revolution against Spain by ordering the arrest of the town’s Spaniards (gachupines). He rang the church bell in his town of Dolores in the state of Guanajuato, as he customarily did to call the locals to church.
Months before his clarion call, Hidalgo had been driven to revolution when news spread of the military ambitions of Napoleon Bonaparte of France coupled with the long-time Spanish oppression of Mexico. Life for the peasants of New Spain was uneasy and threatened the little liberty they had left. Prior to his call for revolution, the 57-year-old Hidalgo had begun plotting for the potential coup of Mexico. But he was targeted for arrest after a priest who had learned of the plot through a confessional tipped off the gachupines. When Hidalgo heard his plans had been discovered and that he was a hunted man, Hidalgo saw he had three options. He could await arrest, flee Dolores, or rally the Indian and mestizo forces.
Within a month, more than 50,000 men, primarily poor Indians, had joined Hidalgo. As the forces advanced toward Mexico City, they acquired a picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe, their patron saint who was indigenous to Mexico; The Virgin of Guadalupe became the banner of the revolutionary forces. The multitude devastated the cities of San Miguel, Celaya, and Guanajuato and was nearing Mexico City when Hidalgo ordered a retreat. Hidalgo was captured, subjected to the Spanish Inquisition, and executed. Hidalgo’s martyrdom became a rallying cry for the cause, and Father Jose Morales picked up the banner and led a populist revolt led by 400 armed parish priests. But Morales also failed and was executed. These two men today remain symbols of Mexican liberty and patriotism. After the Mexican-born Spanish and the Catholic Church joined the revolution, Spain was finally defeated in 1821. Mexican Independence Day is celebrated annually on September 16, the date of the start of Hidalgo's revolt.
Throughout the years, El Grito de Dolores, "Mexicanos, viva México," and "Long live religion! Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe! Long live the Americas and death to the corrupt government!" have persevered. Every year at midnight on September 15, Mexicans from the president at his balcony in the National Place in Mexico and every governor to Mexicans throughout the Americas shout the gritos, honoring Hidalgo’s crucial, impulsive action that was the catalyst for the country's bloody struggle for independence from Spain.
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Somebody’s Children
As of September 10, 2007, according to a CNN count: “There have been 4,072 coalition deaths -- 3,773 Americans, two Australians, 169 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, one Korean, three Latvian, 21 Poles, two Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians -- in the war in Iraq. The list are the names of the soldiers, Marines, airmen, sailors and Coast Guardsmen whose deaths have been reported by their country's governments. The list also includes seven employees of the U.S. Defense Department. That is 127 more deaths since July 30, 2007. At least 27,767 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon. That is 814 more than July 30, 2007.
The first “Altar of the Iraq War” was created on October 28, 2004 to honor and respect the memories and lives of all those who have died. NOTE: The figures do not count the estimated 100,000-200,000 Iraqi deaths, including women and children.
The “Altar of the Iraq War” was re-created at last year’s “El Amor Eterno” Dia De Los Muertos Juried Exhibition at the Pico House Gallery. There were several thousands of visitors including children who were very touched and left notes of love at the altar. The gallery was created to be a place of healing, understanding and a place of education. * (The "Altar of the Iraq War" honoring the dead was created by six artists: Ginette Rondeau, Juliane Backmann, Al Herion, Bonjunnie Comostiles, Gabriela Quintero, and John Trausch. The altar does not necessarily reflect the thoughts of the Olvera Street merchants or El Pueblo Historic Monument.)
We send our love to them, their families, and dear friends. |
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Mailbox to Heaven”
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“Mailbox to Heaven” There is a lovely story online in which you can share with your family and friends. Visit the site and learn about a child who desperately wanted to write to her Grandmother who had passed away. It is an inspirational story dedicated to Belen Tapia and by the Dia De Los Muertos Celebration. If you know someone who died in the Iraq War and would like to share your story in honor of his or her memory, please submit it to We are looking for communities who would like to make their own Mailbox to Heaven. |
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Supporting the Arts and Our Community |
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Community Fundraiser
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Boyle Heights Technology Red carpet, paparazzi flashbulbs, and limousines lined the street. Celebrity guests ranging from acclaimed actress Eva Longoria to recording artist Snoop Dogg made their grand entrances. While this scene resembles one from the pages of a Hollywood awards ceremony, the night didn’t belong to the Golden Globes. It belonged to the Boyle Heights Technology Youth Center in East Los Angeles-located on a corner once plagued by violence and drugs. Thanks to our supporters, the Tech Center celebrated the official launch of the Music & Arts Program earlier this year. While we certainly revel in the amazing moments of the opening, we realize that the work has just begun. We pledge to offer a Music & Arts program that mirrors that of professional schools across the nation. We still need your help! Please request a fact sheet outlining the Tech Center along and ways that you can support the center. Join the fight to bring opportunity to the next generation of future leaders. Support the Boyle Heights Technology Youth Center today. Should you have questions regarding the center or its programming, please contact me at 323.526.0143 or at jimmy.valenzuela@lacity.org . |
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The Museum of The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach will continue with its TARGET GARDEN SUNDAYS September 9, 2007. Each second Sunday of the month begins with unique hands-on art workshops open for adults and children of all ages. Creative and performing arts sessions either follow or are offered along with the workshops on the second Sunday of each month. During these entertaining sessions, families are offered the opportunity to enjoy and join the dances and talents of our dynamic artists. As families and individuals are encouraged to enjoy and have fun during art projects, performing arts sessions and selected film screenings, we hope to increase exposure and disseminate the importance of the Arts, culture and folklore of Latin America |
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The Los Angeles County Museum of Art The Los Angeles County Museum of Art will present The Arts in Latin America, 1492-1820, an ambitious, multimedia, presentation of approximately 250 works of art created in Latin America during the roughly three centuries between the European invasions and the creation of independent states. Opening August 5 in the Art of Americas Building, The Arts in Latin America, will disregard the political boundaries created in the early 19th century, instead exploring both the artistic differences and commonalities in a synthetic context. Examples of painting, sculpture, feather-work, shell-inlaid furniture, objects in gold and silver, ceramics, and textiles will be borrowed from public and private collections throughout the Americas and Europe. This exhibition is curated by Joseph J. Rishel, the Gisela and Dennis Alter Senior Curator of European Painting before 1900 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Suzanne Stratton-Pruitt, working with an international committee of scholars and in collaboration with the curators at the participating museums. Ilona Katzew, LACMA curator of Latin American Art, and a renowned specialist of Spanish colonial art, is in charge of the presentation at LACMA. The exhibition will run through October 28. Exhibition Roundtable Discussion: The Arts in Latin America For more information: www.lacma.org |
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Grand Performances Grand Performances summer series takes place on two stages at California Plaza the Watercourt stage and the Marina Pavilion. The larger of the two venues - the Watercourt stage - is a performance site that can hold as many as 70 performers and is partially surrounded by a system of gardens and water features. The capacity crowd for this stage can be as large as 6,500 people. The smaller Marina Pavilion stage has an amphitheater style feel and can accommodate close to 300 audience members. September Schedule
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Downtown Art Walk The Downtown Art Walk is a free, self-guided tour of the many art exhibition venues in Downtown Los Angeles — commercial art galleries, museums, and non-profit arts venues. |
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Slow Dancing Music Center Plaza, Downtown Los Angeles
Dance at the Music Center proudly presents the West Coast premiere of Slow Dancing, an outdoor video installation of larger-than-life, hyper-slow-motion video portraits of extraordinary dance artists from around the world. Projected on 16-foot screens, Slow Dancing features over 40 master choreographers and dancers representing a broad range of styles, ages and cultures including the works of ballet, modern dance, Hip-Hop, Flamenco, and Javanese court dance. For more information: http://www.musiccenter.org
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CIRQUE DU SOLEIL CELEBRATES 20 YEARS IN THE Twenty years ago Los Angeles helped launch Cirque du Soleil worldwide. Join Cirque du Soleil under the Blue and Yellow Grand Chapiteau and celebrate the magic of 20 years with Corteo. — Opening at: Orange County Fairgrounds on Thursday, November 8. Tickets are on sale now! Call 800.678.5440 or click here today! Visit 20angels.com and celebrate with us! Our Olvera-Street.com subscribers Take advantage of a 20% or 30% discount on Category 2 and 3 tickets for selected performances of Corteo! Click here for your EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT OFFER today!!! LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN! |
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Past Events on |
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Wells Fargo The Summer Music Festival presented Sundays at the Olvera Street Plaza for the sixth straight year, giving Los Angeles an opportunity to celebrate its rich Latino culture and heritage. |
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Got Gas? As a public service we at Olvera-Street.com want to help you find the least painfully-expensive gas in your area. To find out the best gas prices around, click here! |
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Coupons for our Subscribers as a thank you for visiting us! |
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"One of the greatest things you have in life is that no one has the authority to tell you what you want to be. You’re the one who’ll decide what you want to be. Respect yourself and respect the integrity of others as well. The greatest thing you have is your self image, a positive opinion of yourself. You must never let anyone take it from you." Jaime Escalante, Educator |
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Thank You for Visiting! Bookmark Olvera-Street.com and our “See LA” link as a reference... and visit us often to find out about the latest arts, fundraisers, business mixers, screenings and much more. We hope you will visit us often throughout 2007. |
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Ginette Rondeau, Director & John Trausch, Editor |
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Our Sponsors: Limboland.net, Casa Belen and www.ibiz360.com |
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"Mexicanos, Viva México!" Hidalgo shouted to the peasants, who were part of the lowest caste of La Nueva España (New Spain). He called for the exploited and embittered Mexicans Indians and mestizos to rise up against the hated gachupines who stole land from their forefathers and "who had been exploiting the wealth of the Mexican people with the greatest injustice for 300 years." Hidalgo and his followers called for nothing less than a holy war, shouting: "¡Mueran los gachupines! Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!" ("Death to the Spaniards! Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe!"). 
His decision to call the exploited groups to revolt completely changed the character of the fight. The movement became a bloody class struggle instead of a shrewd political maneuver. By called the Indians to arms, Hidalgo tapped into powerful forces that had been simmering for more than 300 years. With knives, machetes, clubs, slings, axes and intense hatred, the peasants took on the Spanish artillery.
The original altar was featured in a children’s book: “Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life And Death” by Capstone Press and distributed in bookstores around the United States as well as on Amazon and other prominent retailers. National Geographic and NBC News also came out and filmed the exhibition last year.
