Hispanic Heritage and Thanksgiving. In Tallahassee They're One In The Same.

 

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

BB can hear y’all now.  “Hispanic Heritage Month was finished over a month ago. What do you mean it’s the same as Thanksgiving?” Dear Beautifuls, they’re both about being with familia and saying Gracias, no?? Also, if we go far enough in history, we were probably the first Europeans to have celebrated a “Thanksgiving” here in the US.  Pero Babushka is getting ahead of herself, primero let’s talk about this festival given by Hola Tallahasseee.

According to the US Census, in 2020 there were 13.2 thousand Hispanics in Tallahassee.

Wow and Woah. Betcha didn't think there were that many did you? Most are of Mexican descent, but there are many groups represented here, and being proud of our common language we wanted to share our heritage with everyone. First, the history of Hispanics in the US.

The pilgrims arrived on their rock in 1620, long after the 1539 arrival of Spain's

Hernando de Soto visit to La Florida. De Soto's visit was an early documented presence of Europeans to the US, one piece of history shared to visitors of the festival. Facts of Hispanic contributions to this country was highlighted throughout the festival. Here are some posters shown:

Just some of the history and adversity of the Hispanic peoples.

Nice posters verdad? Pero even nicer was the in persona representation at the festival.

OH C!!!

COMPRAS/CONVERSACIONES

Peter Boulware Toyota  , Styling My Life , True Samaritan

B-EZ Graphix , Nedazul Pure Romance , Leon County Sheriff's Office

Hola Tallahassee , Mabel's Boutique , Clothes de Guatemala,

y por supuesto, Conexion and BB's column of the month.

CANTO / CULTURA

Simply Panama , Amid Montelongo

COMIDA

Warmi Peruvian Foods, El Jalisco Southwood, Tally Arepas, Babushka enjoying it all!!!

Contributions de Comercios

The Fabulosos, Fun Four de Peter Boulware Toyota

IGrammy names included for you to show your Gracias!!

Cariños

Como Familia

Rudy Saenz LaBuenaMusic, BB, Erika Rojas HolaTallahassee/HealthyFitMom

Maria Ortiz CulturaLatinaMagazine/MariaOrtizWonderworld

Brian Keith Wyatt Jr. B-EZ Graphix Sierra Wyatt Styling My Life by Sierra

A wonderful quick spot by B-EZ Graphix! 

It took 5 years to have this festival again, and though we weren't many, we were there for each other. Not a big comunidad, pero definitivamente big hearted. 

Thankful for where we live, and each other.

Y realmente, isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about?

Babushka Besos a todos.

Cuidensen.

#TBT Month of Love -Months of Movement #ValentinesDay #BlackHistory #PrideMonth #HispanicHeritage #MinorityMentalHealth

Originally shared in 2014, the links and sentiment are still valid and very much alive now in 2022.  Hope this blast from the past illustrates  that the year is for celebrating our diversities, learning and caring about others, and that no matter how much time may pass, these are still temas to communicate and bring attention to.

 HolaHolaHola My Beautifuls!!

February. In this month we've celebrated Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, and a month of Black History. That's a lot of activity, energy and love. It's also no coincidence.  

For Babushka a new year symbolizes hope, and Valentine's Day of course is love.  Black History is the history, both past and present, of the contributions made by blacks to our lives, the world.  BB sees it as a perfect combination.  We hope to bring enlightenment and love by sharing our histories with each other, and this is the month that the black community can share theirs with us so that we may have a better sense of their story.  And we all have our stories.

For Latinos, September starts Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 - October 15.  These are our days, our past and present will be highlighted for the world to see. Of course these months are used to celebrate the good, educate on accomplishments, and BB's all for that. But Babushka's also about keeping it real.

Pride is fine if it's for betterment, to help our youth strive higher, however Pride is a double-edged sword that's also stabbing our youth.  We are losing the future because we're hanging on to the past.  The past where being different, not being "strong", was either ridiculed or the person was ignored.  The Pride of solitary self-sufficiency and strength, very clear cut rules on what was sane and acceptable, is from another unelightened time, and we MUST leave it behind.  Unfortunately this is a common thread between both stories. Fortunately, we have a month for mental health enlightenment and share love for this too.

July is "National Minority Mental Illness Awareness Month."  Si, so great is the need that we have a whole month just for this.  According to the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health-

" In May 2008, the United States House of Representatives proclaimed July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, providing agencies with the opportunity to raise awareness about severe mental illness in diverse communities, while highlighting avenues for wellness and recovery." 

"Mental illness is a leading cause of disability, yet nearly two-thirds of people with a diagnosable mental illness do not seek treatment, and racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. are even less likely to get help".

Their website goes on to say, "During National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, help raise awareness in your organization or community. Encourage your family, friends, loved ones and clients to learn more about improving mental health and illness."

And this Beautifuls is what BB'S asking of you.  My #StopTheStigma campaign has not stopped, and neither has Babushka.  And neither has the climbing rate of suicide among our young.  PLEASE, POR FA, help spread the word about this very important month.  Any event is welcome and needed.  It doesn't even have to be a fundraiser, just a chance to start the conversation going.  We need to have these conversations. 

Being Black History Month BB will share this post from NAMI's Website-

NAMI- Ntl. Alliance on Mental Illness Feibu Page

Black History Month: A Historic Call for Action

This is for February; what do you have in mind for July?

A long time away you say?

JU SO FONII!!!

Babushka Besos a todos.   Cuidensen.

P.S. The Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Feibu page 

highlights various minorities, and is a page worth the "like".

P.S.P.S. Added 2022 Pride Month History

#TBT Sigue Nuestro Mes Y Necesidad. #InThisTogether #LatinxVotan #AD

 This is a share of Babushka's article in October's Conexion bilingual newspaper. Feel free to click and read the rest of the periodico too!!  https://conexionflorida.com/sigue-nuestro-mes-y-necesidad/    

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

BB se repite, porque no hay de otro. HAY QUE VOTAR!! We have no problems complaining outloud, so why don’t we do something about it and vote? THAT is the only way to be truly represented, with numbers, in numbers. For that reason Babushka joined MamasConPoder.org in their #InThisTogether campaign. 

¡Pon tu cara en el marco! ¿Como vas a votar el 3 de Noviembre?

"La elección del 2020 será una de las más importantes de nuestra vida y cada voto es importante. MamásConPoder marca el ritmo y genera entusiasmo para salir a votar. Depende de nosotros asegurarnos de que nuestras voces sean escuchadas. Agrega tu foto y comparte lo que te trae a las urnas en noviembre. #Elections2020 #InThisTogether “

The link to get your own frame-  bit.ly/NVRDVotarBB  and a little video de Babushka explaining why she’s voting EARLY. https://www.facebook.com/BBabushka/posts/4043276642365940  Si, unbelievable, but it’s that importante to BB. How about to you? How badly do you want change? Representation? Equality? Y’all know the dicho, “The squeaky wheel gets the oil.”  or the Spanish equivalent, “Bebé que no llore no máme.”  Now is the time to cry Beautifuls, and LOUD. With everything we have. With everyone we have. Don’t lose your voice; don’t lose your voto.  

Videos from the campaigns.

Links will take you to full wording/translations.

WHAT ARE YOU VOTING FOR? IG Post

HOW ARE YOU VOTING? Feibu

WHY ARE YOU VOTING? IG Post

Ahora eso si, if you think that's all BB's gotta say about voting-

JU SO FONII!!

Todavia hay tiempo to Votar.

Here's hoping you do.

BB2U

#TBT Our Hispanic Heritage (Month). The Importancia of Being Represented. @ConexionFlorida Sept.2020

umcgiving.org

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

This is a repost of BB's column in this month's edition of Conexion.

Why Hispanic heritage month? For the same reason there is a movement to erect an American Latino museum. To quote the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino “to create a museum in our nation’s capital to educate, inspire and encourage respect and understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience within the U.S. and its territories. By highlighting the contributions made by Latino icons, pioneers and communities to the American way of life we are all better able to truly understand what makes our nation great.” Contributions we have made, hispanos en las Americas. And there have been many contributions in our US historia. En el pasado esta la potencia, but the importance of NOW is also valid in noting our history.

This brings to mind the US Census. Beautifuls, if we don’t have our presence accounted for, how can we expect respect and establish need? Strength in numbers, detailed and documented disparities, all this comes from llenando the census; tenemos until September 30. Taken every 10 years, BB can’t stress the importancia of this constitutionally mandated count. From this census comes the ayuda and allocations for the proximo 10 años, truly, where the past and the future collide. Estan contentos with the representation Hispanos have had in federal programs? Have our needs been acknowledged and met? Parte del problema is not knowing how many Latinos live here, and what that population number will mean, and how it’ll impact society. Al final of this writing you’ll find links to the aforementioned organizaciones, and a video BB did to recruit participation in this very importante census. Babushka truly believes in llenando that questionnaire; nuestros futuros truly do depend on it.

American Latino Museum https://americanlatinomuseum.org/our-story-es/
US Census 2020 https://2020census.gov/es.html
Bohemian Babushka Buscando Nuestra Gente pa’l #2020Census . #CuentaConmigo

http://bit.ly/BBCuentaConmigo

Let's Make Sure We're Represented Beautifuls!!

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen.

Hispanic Heritage Month- Our Past, Our Pride, and The Power.

Babushka originally penned this for the bilingual N.Florida publication Conexion, the Oct. 2016 edition. The title for the article was "Hispanic Heritage Month- The Pride & The Power."

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!!

In 1968 President Lyndon Johnson issued the first Presidential Proclamation 3869, which stated in part:

Wishing to pay special tribute to the Hispanic tradition, and having in mind the fact that our five Central American neighbors celebrate their Independence Day on the fifteenth of September and the Republic of Mexico on the sixteenth, the Congress by House Joint Resolution 1299, has requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating the week including September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage Week.

It was later changed to a full month when the number of Latinos grew substantially to be placed on the official US Census questionnaire.

And so it has been done every year since then.  Babushka gives thanks to this great country in recognizing the impact and importance our gente have made and do not take for granted the responsibility that comes with that.  The richness of our cultura, the history of siglos and the strength and beauty of it all is for us to emphasis and not forget. To many, Hispanic Heritage Month is the only time our accomplishments are shared and we must take advantage of this.

The querido editor of Conexion, David Triana, acting as Master Of Ceremonies at the Hispanic Fest 2016, benefiting non profit United For a Good Cause Annual Emerald Coast Christmas Miracle Needy Children’s Fiesta, on the importance of the festival,

“Our success is not based on how many Hispanics are going to show up —
we know they’re going to show up — but by how many non-Hispanics show up,” David Triana

Babushka wholeheartedly agrees with this statement and would even say this is true for all moments of Hispanic Heritage Month. The more we learn about our fellow Earth dwellers, their cultures, their customs, their beliefs, the less we fear and appreciate them and their offerings to our world.  Pero BB would like to expand on this, take it deeper and even inward.  For Hispanics/Latinos themselves this is the perfect momento for self discovery.  Take advantage of the topic and explore the richness and historia of our gente.

https://www.azteccalendar.com/

From earliest civilizations- Aztec,Taino,

Theater With A Mission- Cardenio monologue from #LocoForLove based on Miguel de Cervantes works

the Spanish Golden Age- Cervantes,Sor Juana ,

BB interviewing for the first time on camera.

Part of the ALHF Roadtrip Recap.

to our part in US history, 1565 first European settlement,

 and even the early days of US citizenship, nuestra raza was a part of it all!

https://www.facebook.com/perolike/

Not only a part of it, but part of US culture too.

Ahora mismo,  Mexico and Colombia are the only nations with larger Hispanic populations than the U.S.  Not realize la fuerza de los ciglos within us, not bring forth la potencia we US Latinos share?  JU SO FONII!!  A wonderful place for us to start is http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/ . Here they showcase past and present, and events all over the globe.  Whatever forma you decide to follow, be it your immediate familia’s history, or a particular subject, art form you enjoy, learn about your Hispanic Heritage. Porque Beautifuls, with Pride there is Power. Y somos dignos de both.  

corporate.univision.com

Learn,Educate,Live our raices.

Comenzamos con un mes, y despues toda una vida,

para complimentar y completar the enrichment of All.

Babushka Besos a Todos. Cuidensen.

TWAM makes a Conexion to Hispanic Heritage Month. HispanicFest2015 #HHM

 

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!!!

Si, that's Babushka en la foto.  If you've been reading BB's posts you know how important my culture

is to me, and how much I enjoy acting, so when there's a chance to combine them, Babushka's there! Saturday 26, 2015 my beloved TWAM will be performing at the Hispanic Fest 2015. Beautifuls, this goes beyond a twofer, it's a THREEfer!! This festival not only celebrates the Hispanic culture and has the Theater With A Mission troupe performing, but the proceeds will be going to the nonprofit United for a Good Cause Inc. This nonprofit gives gifts to needy children of the area and makes their holidays brighter with a party celebrating the season and them.

So who says you can't help the future by going into the past?? You know Babushka believes that things happen for a reason, and that the S Sisters are always ready when we are. It was with great pleasure BB was able to introduce David Triana, editor of the bilingual newspaper Conexion  to founder/director of TWAM Ben Gunter. And even greater pleasure when David decided he wanted to bring TWAM to the festival. He saw the vision and the reason for TWAM and how by connecting us to our Spanish past and the glory that was the Spanish Golden Age, present generations and the future leaders of society, will be proud of their heritage and the contributions made to the world by them. Besides, it's great fun for a festival!

Cast of characters for Sept. 26 TWAM performance of "El Muerto".

Marching in to one of the mottos in the Hispanic Fest theme:  "Spain's Gift to the World!  Come see!" TWAM will perform the comedic, one act farce by Francisco Bernardo de Quiros "El Muerto" . Written in the 1600's it's the timeless tale of how Love always finds a way.  Pero here, in both English & Spanish is a better description of the play.

BUENISIMO verdad? And it's even better in person!!

Hope you can join us for this wonderful production and wonderful festival,
 pero si no, pueden donar to these two great non profits and do your part in helping create a better mañana.

United For A Good Cause Inc.
Theater With A Mission

Y con eso BB se va corriendo.

Sweetie and I will be leaving to the beautiful Emerald Coast  today and this was supposed to be just a short little post. 

 Que?? Ok si, JU SO FONII !!! 

You're correcto; this is neither short nor little. 

Talked a lot and am running late, Cubana al fin. 

Told 'ya BB was proud of her heritage.

; )

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2015- History & N.Florida Happenings

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!!!

 

When BB was bb, she didn’t really think about the whys of Hispanic Heritage Month; it was just a month of fun activities that mi madre would take us to. Ahora BB was curious as to when the US officially started this and why it doesn’t start on the first of September instead of the middle. Originally President Lyndon B. Johnson had declared a Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, which was then made into a full month in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan. Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, commemorating the date of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Tambien, Mexico declared its independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18. Pretty cool verdad? Babushka LOVES history and the whens and whys of things.

Quee?? So now that BB knows the background does Babushka no longer think it’s a good month of fun activities? JU SO FONII!!!  Por Supuesto, of course it is- especially now that one knows the whys.  Matter of fact, not only does BB know the “whys”, but knowing the “wheres” is even better! Y aqui, here Up North in The South, we have plenty going on for Hispanic Heritage Month. Ok Si, usually when one thinks of Hispanos in Florida it’s Miami, Orlando and maybe Tampa. Bueno believe it or not Beautifuls there are plenty of us up here in the state’s panhandle and we’re proud of our heritage and looking forward to showing it off!

 

The activities were fun and varied, just like the heritage and countries represented.

There was: 

 ZUMBA

 

From Hip and Heart Movement Studio, my friend Karen Chi.

 SPONSORS:

North Florida Hispanic Association

Conexion

Foods

 

Because you KNOW it wouldn't be a true Hispanic Celebration without our Foods.

It also wouldn't be a Celebration without Baile!

Some Folkloric Steps we all enjoyed-

Dance Troupes, A Little Bit of Mexico & Simply Panama

Friends 

Founder/Editor of Cultura Latina Magazine-  Maria Ortiz con BB.

 Flags

You know BB HAD to film that one right?  Heard my "ESO!!!" ?

Rudy Saez doing a great job as Master of Ceremonies, and
Mi Amigo Enrique Barrera proudly holding the American Flag.

Don't know who thought of having that Flag Parade, but ending it with the American Flag and asking everyone to stand during the US National Anthem made BB proud. Proud of my heritage and proud of my nationality, proud of and grateful for, the organizers that acknowledged and thanked this great nation for allowing us to share being Latinos, to share our heritage while still feeling very much American. This is the 22nd year the North Florida Hispanic Association has this festival, and BB couldn't have been happier with how it was organized and celebrated.  

Emerald Coast Hispanic Fest 2015

Sept. 26

This one Beautifuls is a major Twofer. Hispanic Fest 2015 is a fundraiser for the UNITED FOR A GOOD CAUSE INC. and their Emerald Coast Christmas Miracle Needy Children's Fiesta. Not only will attendees be sharing in our heritage and celebration, but they'll be helping make a child's holiday much, mucho mas brighter.

If the prior festival had Latinos being proud of  Loving America, then this one has Americans proud of Loving Latinos.  Si My Beautifuls, Theater with a Mission will be performing El Muerto, a play from the Spanish Golden Age, at this festival.  Mis Queridos TWAM amigos will be there thanks to the patronage of Conexion, a bilingual newspaper servicing all of the North Florida panhandle and South Alabama.

TWAM will be performing the one act farce by Bernardo Francisco de Quiros;

 a timeless comedy that will entertain the whole family.

Looks like fun verdad? And it is. BB should know, because she's part of the cast. Oh Si She Is!!

We'll get more into details another time, with more pictures and stories.

Y speaking of pics and stories...

 

Believe it or not, Babushka has lived Up North in The South almost a decade and never went to this.  BB was always in Miami!!  Hopefully this year Babushka will be able to attend and share the fun and proof that- 

#850Latinos #850Hispanos #TallyTeQuiere

#iHeartTally

 How will YOU be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Beautifuls??

Babushka Besos a Todos.  Cuidensen. 

P.S.This is the website for non profit: www.unitedforagoodcause.org 

This is the website for Hispanic Fest 2015 www.unitedforagoodcause.org/hispanic-fest15 

P.P.S. 2 sites with impresionante info on Hispanic Heritage Month are:

HispanicHeritageMonth.org http://www.infoplease.com/hispanic-heritage-month/

P.P.P.S. A Presidential Proclamation about Hispanic Heritage Month