Susan Sarandon famously said that if Trump won, the revolution would start sooner. What she did not know is that millions would suffer devastating harm. But she didn't care. For her, it was either Bernie  or Trump.

Dear Susan Sarandon

Janine Fondon is an Assistant Professor and Chair of Communications at Bay Path University, and one of the conveners of the March 8 “On the Move Forum” that  honors our collective intention to advance women -- from Seneca Falls to Houston for the 1977 Women's Conference and now Longmeadow, MA.
Also, La historiadora y coordinadora de Arecibo es Color, el proyecto cultural de Arecibo, Cynthia Velázquez, comparte su perspectiva de cómo la crisis de Puerto Rico se va desarrollando.

Canto a Borinquen

Janine Fondon, Womens Forum and Cynthia Velazaquez

We interviewed Charles Blatcher lll, chairman of the National Coalition of Black Veteran Organizations, about the very limited display of black veterans and their contributions to the country in times of war and peace and the Civil Rights Movement at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.
We also speak with Shereen Marisol Meraji, one of the hosts of among the best podcasts in any category, called “Switch Code” and presented by NPR.Shereen recently did a story on the 100th anniversay of the Jones Act, which gave Puerto Ricans American citizenship. What that means, what that feels like, what the Diaspora is about, was the focus of her program. On Vaya, we ask her about her Puerto Rican identity and how the work of putting together her program felt to her.
Then we speak en español, con Ariadna Goenaga, crítica de cine por exelencia, sobre el valor del cine en esta época dominada por Donald Trump.

Black Veterans, Puerto Rican Diaspora and Moonlight

Patricia Sandoval, professor of communications at Holyoke Community College, produced and directed the heart-filling and bursting multimedia event “Latinas con Pluma,” a Spanish-English bilingual performance of poems, plays and essays by famed and distinguished writers from Springfield-based Magdalena Gómez to Chicago-based Sandra Cisneros and beloved friend, the late playwirght Dolores Prida; and music by congueras por excelencia Julissa Rodríguez and Iréne Shaikly, plus a photo exhibit curated by Waleska Santiago of some of the city’s grandmothers with text about their influence in their lives provided by their adult grandchildren, plus fabulous food from Mexico to Puerto Rico. Julissa Colón, Ticina Cotto, Jocelyn López, Caila Lourdes Ver, Alora Machuca, Priscilla Page, Jovan Roman and Nathalie Vicencio declaimed as if they were the authors of every word. A magical night at the Leslie Phillips Theater at HCC.
Then filmmaker Larry Hott sounds the warning about what federal cuts in the arts could mean; essentially, silencing the diversity of arts and voices that contribute to the cultural enrichment of the United States, such as “Latinas con Pluma” and extraordinary documentaries.

Patricia Sandoval and Latina Writers, Larry Hott and filmmaking  V25feb17

The Museum of the Old Colony is a work of conceptual art conceived by Pablo Delano. The exhibit at the King Juan Carlos l of Spain Center at New York University, 53 Washington Square South, NYC, gathers still photographs and moving images of Puerto Rico that reveal the visual logics of colonialism. This repertoire of images and subjects form a visual history of the political and cultural hegemony imposed by the United States on virtually all aspects of Puerto Rican life. More info here: http://www.kjcc.org/event/the-museum-of-the-old-colony/

Pablo Delano Photography Exhibit on Puerto Rico

Larry Hott and the organizers on the 12th Annual Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival, presented by the Springfield Jewish Community Center, runs March 18 through April 4, 2017, screening 22 films in 9 cities and towns across Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties.  More info here: http://pvjff.org
Also, Estela López, an educator living in Hartford, originally from Cuba and Puerto Rico, on mixed identities and desires.
The soul queen of Cuba, la Lupe, sings us out with “Lamento Boricano,” a national anthem of sorts for Puerto Rico. As Cuban journalist, poet and rabblerouser José Martí said, Puerto Rico and Cuba are two wings of the same bird.

Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival, Estela Lopez on cross-cultural identities V18mar17

The 12th annual Pioneer Valley Film Festival presents award-winning films March 18 through April 4 with screenings, speakers and special events at 16 venues in Hampshire, Hampden and Berkshire counties in Western Massachusetts. Trailers and more info here: pvjff.org/

2017 Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival

We have a conversation with Crystal Senter-Brown, featured in Redbook Magazine, Vibe Magazine and Essence Magazine and has been a performance poet and writer for most of her life, about her movie "The Rhythm in Blue," based on her novel of the same name, that is making the rounds in film festival this year.
Born in Morristown, TN to a bass-playing Baptist preacher (Dad) and a visual artist (Mom), Crystal performed her first poem (The Negro Mother by Langston Hughes) onstage at the age of six. 
Crystal is the author of six books: But Now I See, But You Have Such a Pretty Face, Doubledutch, Gabby Saturday, Gabby Gives Back, and The Rhythm in Blue, which will be released as a full-length movie in March, 2017. She is an adjunct professor at Bay Path University and lives in New England with her husband (A BBQ Pitmaster), son (a music producer) and her furry companion named Venus. 
www.gabbysaturday.com
www.crystalsenterbrown.com

Author, Poet and Screenwriter Crystal Senter Brown

Deb Krivoy — co-Director of the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival, now in its 12th year  — and Lisa Newman, director of communications and visitor services, on the films showing through April 4 up and down I-91, join filmmaker Larry Hott for conversation on what’s coming up, and behind the scenes on putting together a film festival. More info here: http://pvjff.org

More Films! Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival

Reseña de la serie "Narcos, por crítica de cine Ariadna Goenaga

Narcos

Here are conversations with Emmy-award winning filmmaker Larry Hott on documentaries.

Larry Hott Movies Are Relevant

Gricel Martínez Ocasio and Nicole Lashomb are the publisher and editor in chief, respectively, of The Rainbow Times, the largest LGBTQ newspaper in New England, now in its 10th year. Here is the link: http://www.therainbowtimesmass.com/

The Rainbow Times With Gricel Martinez And Nicole Lashomb

Gina Ayvazian leads the annual commemoration of Armenian Martyrs’ Day, when 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed by the Turkish government starting in 1915, a genocide. All are welcome and asked to ear black at the event, which takes place April 24 at 5:30 pm at the garage  behind Thornes Marketplace.

Gina Ayvazian On Martyrs Day April 24 Armenian Genocide We Remember

Ariadna Goenaga reseña “Stranger Things,” la serie de ciencia ficción presentada por Netflix. Viene la segunda temporada este año, y con razón, dice ella.

Ariadna Goenaga Reseña Stranger Things

Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Larry Hott on independent filmmaking in the Age of Trump.

Larry Hott On Filmmaking In Age Of Trump

A moving story by Michael Garjian about his aunt Mabel, a pioneer in the aviation industry.

Michael Garjian On His Aunt Mabel

Ariadna Goenaga reseña la película 'Hell or High Water". Corto aquí: youtube.com/watch?v=JQoqsKoJVDw

Ariadna Goenaga Reseña Hell Or High Water

Emmy-award winning filmmaker Larry Hott reviews “Street Fight,” about Cory Booker’s 2002 successful 2002 Newark, NJ, mayoral campaign. A documentary film by Marshall Curry.Trailer here: youtube.com/watch?v=u6EkpsYtrsE
Larry also reviews the documentary about deforestation activists “If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation.” Trailer here: youtube.com/watch?v=WRwN-crcQrI&feature=youtu.be&list=UU-pvs6x9N_SPOrT3ESNJ8qQ

Larry Hott On Street Fight And If A Tree Falls

Filmmaker Larry Hott and I talk with Diane Pearlman, executive director of the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative. The BFMC brings together people who want to start making films and film industry veterans for workshops and networking events, promotes Western Massachusetts to moviemakers and wants to connect with you! On May 12 from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm at the Sheraton Monarch Place in Springfield, BFMC is hosting a daylong workshop on how to make a quality video with itsy bitsy budget. It is led by producer and director Jem Schofield of theC47. He will focus on small to no crew production for in-house, corporate video and independent filmmakers. It will cover current digital cinema cameras, lenses, related support gear, audio recording and lighting gear that is best suited for small scale production teams. Go here to get tickets and more info: BerkshireFilm.com. Of course there will plenty of food as well!

Berkshire Film And Media Collaborative

Liz Roberts, CEO of Valley Venture Mentors, says the first step to developing your awesome idea is to get out of the house and come to the monthly meeting, held the second Wednesday of the month (this month it’s on May 10) at 5 pm on the first floor of Tower Square next to Champions Sports Bar. Whether you have a kernel of an idea or want to mentor an entrepreneur, Liz wants to meet you! And yes, there’s free food and drink here, as well as free parking and child care. OMG! Ramón Lorenzi says he showed up with an idea and VVM guided him to fully develop it into a now functioning company. Here is the link to Valley Ventures Mentors: valleyventurementors.org/participate/

Valley Ventures Mentors

We check in with state Rep. José Tosado of Springfield on some of the projects he has been working on to benefit his community.

State Rep. Jose Tosado Of Springfield On Public Service

Filmmaker Larry Hott on filmmaking in the age of Trump, Part 2. It gets worse...

Filmmaking In The Age Of Trump Part 2

la curadora Waleska Santiago comparte su perspectiva sobre la pintura “Ataúd abierto”, por la pintora blanca Dana Shutz, de Emmett Till, un muchacho negro de 14 años que fue golpeado y ahorcado en 1955 por racistas en Mississippi.

Waleska Santiago y La Licencia Artistica, Emmett Till y Dana Schutz

Filmmaker Larry Hott recommends a podcast called “S-Town”.Link here: stownpodcast.org. Listening to it, you will see a magnificent film created by your imagination based the true story of an Alabama man who thinks he knows who committed a murder.

Larry Hott Reviews NPR Podcast STown

Laura Lovett, U.S. women’s history professor at UMass, and Maurianne Adams, retired social justice professor at UMass, and journalist Marla Goldberg (amherstspectator.com) on the push to create a new historic district in Amherst based the people who lived in the North Prospect-Lincoln-Sunset area.

New Historic District For Amhert Mass

Filmmaker Larry Hott reviews “The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography ” a documentary by Errol Morris. Trailer here: http://bsidefilm.com

Larry Hott Review The B - Side

A heart divided by two. A Guatemalan mother and daughter share their experiences about going back for the first time (daughter, 19 years old, born in USA) and mother (who had not been back since she was an adolescent more than 20 years ago). In English and en español.

Familia Vuelve a Guatemala, Por Unos Días

Ariadna Goenaga reseña a “Detriot”, dirigida por Kathryn Bigelow, sobre los disturbios raciales hace 50 años. ¿Qué ha cambiado?

DETROIT Reseña Por Ariadna Goenaga

Vice President Pence was scheduled to go to Puerto Rico as well. As if Hurricane María and Trump weren’t already horrible. As if the pro-statehood party hadn't already done catastrophic damage to Puerto Rico with decades-old corruption that weakened the electric power grid.

Trump In Puerto Rico

Hurricane Corruption joined forces with Hurricane María  in Puerto Rico. The manmade storm began in the 1990s, when US Attorney for Puerto Rico Guillermo Gil summarized the jaw-dropping theft of untold millions of public dollars by the Gov. Rosselló Administration this way: “Corruption has a name and it’s called the New Progressive Party.” The debt was compounded because of illegal multi-billion loans and spending on poorly concieved projects that resulted in the complete abandonment of the island’s infrastructure in order to pay back the loans with interest rates of 75 cents on the dollar. Gil sent many from the administration to prison, but the island’s health, education , publoc works and electrical grid was already in shambles.       
Now Trump is going on Tuesday. Ay Dios mío. How many storms must Puerto Rico take?

Hurricanes Corruption And Maria

Filmmaker Larry Hott reviews “Whose Streets,” about the street responses to the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson MO in 2014. Trailer here: whosestreets.com

Larry Hott Reviews Whose Streets

La ponceña Lillian Torres comparte su perspectiva sobre el impacto de Huracán María, y la corrupción y mal manejo de ayuda.

Lillian Torres y el Huracan Maria

Reseña de la película 1917, dirigida por Sam Mendes

Natalia Muñoz is a multimedia journalist from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Interviews and rants and raves about Puerto Rico and the US on politics, culture, media and movies for WHMP Progressive Talk Radio out of Northampton MA, in English and en español.

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