AUSTIN, Texas—Listeners of Latino USA will be able to hear four special programs during September and October in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month that delve into the cultural contributions of Latinos in the United States.
Latino USA is a production partnership of the Center for Mexican American Studies and KUT Radio at the University of Texas at Austin. The series illuminates the culture and history of the estimated 30 million Latinos living in the United States today.
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, coinciding with independence day celebrations in a number of Latin American countries.
Latino USA begins the series, which is available Sept. 17 via satellite, with a program titled Common Ground: Latinos, Filipinos and Native Americans. The segment will focus on the unique relationships between Latinos and Native Americans in New Mexico, and the Filipino community.
“Latino Parenting” is the focus of the second program, which examines the state of Latino children today. It is an interview with Dr. Gloria Rodriguez, author of the book Raising Nuestros Niños, Bringing Up Latino Children in a Bicultural World. The book is a report on a unique program in Los Angeles that teaches parenting skills to young fathers and features and childhood lullabies. This program will be available via satellite Sept. 24.
The third program, Cross-Cultural Youth, will examine how Latino youth incorporate aspects of other cultures, particularly African American, to express themselves. The program also includes an interview with members of the musical group Union 13, about growing up in the projects and finding hope through the sounds of punk rock. This program will be available via satellite on Oct. 1.
The last program, Living Legends of Latino Music, will profile the maestro of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mongo Santamaria, the Puerto Rican king of the timbales, Tito Puente, and singer and composer Lydia Mendoza, the first queen of Tejano music. The program will be made available via satellite Oct. 8.
Celebrating six years of award-winning programs, Latino USA is distributed by National Public Radio and can be heard on 175 stations nationwide.
For more information, contact Kate Dearborn at (512) 475-6767, visit the Latino USA web site at http://www.latinousa.org or call your local National Public Radio station.
