It was a familiar sight in front of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's downtown office yesterday afternoon. Another assembly of a dozen protesters or so had gathered and members of the media were waiting in tow.
Word eventually reached Joe that some multilingual, slightly-famous international recording artist was on his way to play some music or something. "Is he gonna sing my favorite song 'My Way,'" Arpaio asks.
Not quite Joe. This "singer-guy" happens to be Manu Chao and um, he's kind of a big deal.
By Maria Hinojosa | October 7, 2011 | Sourc: NPR: Latino USA
It’s rare to find a popular musician these days who embraces a controversial political message, but that’s precisely what Manu Chao has done in his career. Originally from France, but his music transcends borders. Manu Chao’s songs speak of poverty and world politics, often in multiple languages – and his stardom has brought attention to many issues around the world.
“The Robot Artists” is a short documentary by African Cartel showcasing a group of undocumented Zimbabwean artists who’s marketplace and livelihood is a traffic light (aka "Robots") intersection in Cape Town, South Africa. This short gives a glimpse into the lives of talented migrant workers who are targets of discrimination and harassment from law enforcement forced to flee the economic and political hardships in their homeland in search of a better way of life. The struggle of migrants is similar through out the world and xenophobia and racism create targets of the most vulnerable in society, and these artists take the courage to make a livelyhood in crowded street corners, exposing themselves as targets of public scrutiny and law enforcment, similar to the situation of day laborers and other immigrant workers across the United States.
Support the cause, get to know more about these artists, and see their art the wesbite: http://africancartel.com. Follow them on twitter @africancartel.
Join us as more than 20 poets lend their energy and language to a group reading in response to Arizona Senate Bill 1070 and in resistance to the atmosphere of national xenophobia under which the bill (and its emerging counterparts) were created.
Confirmed readers include: Francisco X. Alarcon, Luis Alberto Ambroggio, Tara Betts, Sarah Browning, Regie Cabico, Carmen Calatayud, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Susan Deer Cloud, Martín Espada, Odilia Galvan Rodriguez, Carmen Gimenez Smith, Aracelis Girmay, Randall Horton, Juan Felipe Herrera, Dorianne Laux, Marilyn Nelson, Mark Nowak, Barbara Jane Reyes, Joseph Ross, Abel Salas, Sonia Sanchez, Hedy Trevino, Pam Uschuk, Dan Vera, Rich Villar, and Andre Yang. Hosted by Oscar Bermeo.
In Arizona we’ve deeply encouraged by the actions of solidarity we've seen come from throughout the nation. We’ve seen it all – from people who took leave from their jobs to help us organize, to volunteers that help care for kids, to people from the community who cook delicious meals for us, to people who house visitors and donors near and far. We know you understand the need for us to come together in order to combat the anti-migrant sentiment n Arizona.
And so we are excited to that in only a few days the Puente Movement and our dear friends from The Sound Strike will be hosting a large Community Posada in central Phoenix.
At this community event we will distribute over 40 tons of food to 5,000 families in Arizona. This is incredibly important as many of us are facing a various challenges. - from the economic recession that is affecting many throughout the world to the added pressure of senseless attacks on our communities.
With the help of The Sound Strike, NDLON, Presente.org, the Committees for the Defense of the Barrio (CDBs) and countless business, and selfless individuals we’ll also be hosting a large Toy Giveaway for Arizona’s children. We will do this to provide a bit of joy for the kids and to highlight the fact that at the end of the day there are children who are most affected by the anti-migrant laws.
The Community Posada which is aimed at empowerming our communities will take place on December 18th - International Migrants Day. International Migrant Day was established in 2000 by the United Nations. It was established in order to raise awareness about the increasing numbers of migrants due to the disastrous effects of globalization. Millions of people are displaced each year and forced to migrate in order to help their families.
Thanks to all who’ve participated and to those who haven’t and would still like to please text “ARIZONA” to 50555 to donate $5 or donate online: http://bit.ly/donateaz
Ex Mano-Negra front man, Troubador, poet and human rights advocate, Manu Chao, sends a message to the migrant communities in Arizona who are suffering under oppressive anti-immigrant laws such as SB 1070, HB 2281 and now the attempt to revoke birthright citizenship. Alto Arizona! ¡Proxima Estación, Esperanza!
El Círculo es una asociación de creativos publicitarios que trabajan en el mercado Latino de Estados Unidos. Con más de 50 agencias y 400 creativos repartidos por todo el país, el Circulo se conforma como una voz única dentro de los creativos hispanos de USA.
Nuestra misión es unir, acercar y defender los intereses de a nuestros asociados.
Nos sirve para intercambiar impresiones y mostrar nuestro trabajo entre nosotros y hacia afuera.
Nos permite conocernos, borrar fronteras, abrir mentes.
Nos ayuda a levantar el nivel creativo de nuestro mercado y crear un archivo histórico.
Nos organiza para fomentar la Educación y apoyar a las nuevas generaciones.
Como Hispanos que somos queremos demostrar nuestra repulsa a esta ley y lo queremos hacer con la única arma que sabemos utilizar, nuestras ideas. Por eso hace unos meses planteamos a nuestros creativos la posibilidad de enfrentarnos pacíficamente a la sin razón que representa la aprobación de esta ley y así crear una colección de posters que demostrara nuestra repulsa a tan injusta ley. El resultado fueron estas 32 piezas. 32 gritos pacíficos a sumar a los millones que día a día continúan y continuaran luchando en contra de la discriminación por razones de sexo raza o religión.
Jaguares, Maldita Vecindad
y Molotov, tres
de las bandas de rock más representativas de México, además de otras
agrupaciones de este país, de Cuba y Chile, lograron reunir a más de 85
mil personas en la explanada del Zócalo de esta capital, para protestar
contra la "ley antiinmigrante" de Arizona.
Pese a la lluvia que cayó desde las 14:00 horas de este domingo, justo
en el inicio del concierto titulado "Jóvenes prepa sí por la dignidad:
Todos somos Arizona" y durante casi toda la tarde, el público, en su
mayoría jóvenes, adolescentes y niños, llenó la plancha del Centro
Histórico y se mantuvo eufórico.
Según cifras del Gobierno del Distrito Federal, organizador del evento,
al final del evento que se prolongó hasta las 21:25 horas cuando estaba
programado hasta las 20:00 horas, hubo 85 mil asistentes sobre la
explanada y en total 120 mil sumados a los flotantes en la periferia y
calles aledañas.
The irreverent Mexican singer Amandititita just unveiled a new song, entitled 'Sheriff Arizona,' inspired by Arizona's controversial SB1070 immigration law. The singer had already shown her disgust towards the bill, calling it "senseless and obtuse," as she is well known for expressing herself through political and social commentary. Throughout her career she has defended her own equality as many see her as part of the 'Naco' subculture and don't tolerate her mocking personality.
'Sheriff Arizona' is a fusion of Cumbia, Rock and Reggaeton, and it goes straight to the core. The song tackles on the issue of cops serving as immigration agents, for which the song states, "F__k the Sheriffs of Arizona, they have spread the fear over the zone, in the name of the law they maltreat you." The song is confrontational and captures the anger of the Latino community towards the law, while keeping the characteristic humor that has made her a star.
This week, a multicultural group of 13 rappers from Arizona have brought out a music video featuring their diverse voices in protest of a law that they call “heartless and “racist.”
Directed by Carlos Berber, the video features artists DJ John Blaze, Tajji Sharp, Yung Face, Mr. Miranda, Ocean, Da’aron Anthony, Atllas, Chino D, Nyhtee, Pennywise, Rich Rico, Da Beast, and Queen YoNasDa. Beginning with a montage of images of people protesting the law, the video is a call to action that begins with the words, “My brothers and sisters, it’s time to rise, Arizona…the revolution, will be televised.” It warns, “You thought we were just going to sit back and say nothing, well guess what…You push us, we push back…They say you need strength in numbers, well I’ve got some friends with me, and we’ve got something to say.”
Queen YoNasDa, a Native-African American Hip-Hop artist who led the “Hip-Hop 4 Haiti” fundraiser said that the new music video was a tool with which the diverse Hip-Hop community could take a stand against the harsh new law. Leading the collaboration, she said:
“I requested the help of Arizona’s finest hip-hop artists to remake Public Enemy’s “By the Time I get to Arizona” to show the world that Arizona’s hip-hop community will not stand for this injustice and will unite our talent to demonstrate our activist roles and responsibility. All you need is one mic...”
"Being brown was never easy. But now, due to SB 1070, it can get you thrown in jail. Deprofiler.com allows you to print a mask of a friendly white person's face to wear while you're in Arizona. Now you can back in the freedom and confidence of knowing you'll never be harrassed by the police."
In support of PUENTE ARIZONA who has been leading the
fight for some time now against the mistreatment of migrants and day
laborers by Joe Arpaio, 287g and now SB 1070, I created these posters as
part of the ALTO ARIZONA Art Campaign initiated by NDLON. Please
use them and distribute. Go to this link to download a pdf: http://rageoneart.com/alto_arizona/
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