Hispanic Heritage Month is a year-long celebration

Plus, a look at the Latinos who keep Hollywood afloat. [View this email online]( [Best of NPR]( October 11, 2022 NPR's Pablo Valdivia is closing out Hispanic Heritage Month by looking back at some of the great stories, Tiny Desks, and podcast episodes NPR did to celebrate la cultura this past month. Pablo's thoughts on Hispanic Heritage Month, today and beyond Pablo Valdivia/NPR Hi there! My name is Pablo and I’m an audience editor focused on platforming and uplifting Latino stories at NPR. I also happen to be a first-generation Mexican American. As we meet the end of [Hispanic Heritage Month]( I’ve done some reflecting on what it’s come to mean for me. The month — which has now taken on [many names]( — was birthed in 1968 and has since evolved. From Latinos creating hilarious memes on Twitter, to [corporations Hispandering]( for a quick buck, there's one thing that remains constant: Celebrating Latino achievements should never end on Oct. 15. As with other heritage months, people are always quick to put an expiration date on celebrating the very community being recognized. And on one hand, this month gives us an amazing opportunity to be recognized for our endless contributions to society and culture at large. But Latinidad isn’t limited, and our celebration of it shouldn’t be either. So, in my own effort to keep that spirit going, I’ll be highlighting some of the amazing stories NPR has done this Hispanic Heritage Month. And as I do so, I’ll continue reminding myself, as well as everyone else, to uplift the Latino community year-round. [Pablo Valdivia]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Stories honoring la cultura Mike Gallegos for NPR NPR culture correspondent [Mandalit del Barco]( five-part "Latinos in Hollywood" series pays tribute to some of the legends and pioneers in the industry. The stories examine how some Latino actors, film composers, and directors are getting more opportunities while others have been cut out, and how a few Latina actors-turned-directors and producers are trying to [shake up the film industry](. Social media star Jonathan Chavez has become famous for impersonating Latina moms on TikTok. Now, he has his eyes set on acting, music, and ultimately, [becoming a "Latino king."]( Puerto Rico is still reeling from the aftermath of [Hurricane Fiona](. If you want to help the recovery effort, here is a non-exhaustive list of [organizations that are asking for assistance](. Rock band Interpol has managed to capture the adoration of many loyal fans in Mexico. The rock band is part of a larger history of the country's relationship [to rock and alternative music](. The "American Dream" remains a compelling tale among migrants south of the border. The objective has shifted, though. [For many, simply trying to stay alive is what's driving them](. The NFL missed the mark when launching its Hispanic Heritage Month campaign this year, and they’re not alone. It’s easy for companies to miss the mark, [but there are also ways to get it right](. Recorded with Claus Ogerman, Joyce Moreno's Natureza could have made the Brazilian singer-songwriter an international star. Now released, the long-lost album captures [a turning point in her approach to music](. Tradition and modernity coexist peacefully in the band Son Rompe Pera, where punk collides with the cumbia its members [grew up playing](. Los Espooky's star and co-creator Julio Torres joined Peter Sagal on NPR's Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me and talked about placing his childhood Barbies in cardboard homes that [looked like bare-bones New York lofts](. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Tiny Desk becomes El Tiny Sasha Fominskaya/NPR For the second year in a row, [NPR Music]( and [Alt.Latino]( have transformed the iconic Tiny Desk into “El Tiny” in honor of the many Latino artists making waves in the music world. This year’s line-up includes: [Omar Apollo]( [Carin León]( [Girl Ultra]( [Trueno]( [Jessie Reyez]( [Susana Baca]( [Carla Morrison]( [Tokischa]( and Farruko. --------------------------------------------------------------- A picture's worth a thousand words Estefania Mitre/NPR NPR associate producer Estefania Mitre inherited her love for dance from her family. Her mom and tíos created a tradition for themselves dancing baile folklórico, and now she's building on that legacy by [exploring dance rhythms of her own](. Every year, dozens of Venezuelan migrants travel to Colombia to join a community formed around break dance. It kicks off an electric exchange of steps and tricks that keeps the [art form constantly evolving](. After a pair of devastating hurricanes struck Puerto Rico five years apart, residents of the island have come to rely not on government agencies, but each other. ["I think mutual aid is what has kept us going all this time, because the government abandoned us a long time ago."]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Into podcasts? Don't worry, I've got you Sasha Fominskaya/NPR NPR's weekly podcast Alt.Latino has been reimagined and relaunched! [Anamaria Sayre]( has joined [Felix Contreras]( as co-host on the podcast, in which they invite artists and other guests to share stories about themselves, their culture, heritage and the joys and struggles of the Latino community. They've recently been joined by guests including Omar Apollo, Carla Morrison, and Rosalía. [New episodes drop every Wednesday](. Radio Ambulante is continuing to tell uniquely Latin American stories with the launch of its 12th season. New episodes have featured stories about bringing the real-life Superman to Chile, women’s suffrage in the Nahua Indigenous community in Ocotequila, Mexico, and a Colombian helpline created to help men manage their emotions. You can even join a [listening club]( for this podcast or create one yourself. [New stories drop every Tuesday](. Short Wave, NPR's daily science podcast, highlighted the Latino researchers changing and challenging the STEM fields. Their episodes explore the [scorpion renaissance, sustainable seafood and the rise of the dinosaurs](. Bullseye with Jesse Thorn spoke with comedian and This Fool star and creator Chris Estrada about growing up in South Central Los Angeles, co-creating his hit Hulu show, [and his late start as a stand-up comedian](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Looking beyond Oct. 15 LAist Studios NPR, in partnership with Futuro Studios, will launch a dual-language podcast called The Last Cup/La Ultima Copa. The podcast will be hosted by NPR's [Jasmine Garsd]( and will use soccer to explore themes of identity, capitalism, immigration, class, and race. [It will launch later this fall, in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup](. The first Oye Lab for Latinx Creators is underway! The lab selected four projects which center the Latinx and Latino/a/e experience, and their creators are currently receiving training, coaching, and resources to develop their pitch and pilot a proof of concept. [The projects range from an exploration of Latinx fashion to resurfacing the legacies of trailblazing Afro Latina women and men](. Be sure to follow [@NPROye]( on Twitter to keep up with all things Latino at NPR! --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! [They can sign up here.]( Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]