University of Houston Graduate Research Fellows at Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage (Recovery) work closely with archival texts, such as periodicals, manuscripts, photographs, albums, correspondence, books, ephemera and other documents. In doing so, they gain valuable experience with archival collections and asset management. The US Latino Digital Humanities Program (USLDH) at Recovery provides training in digital tools and students contribute to digital humanities data and projects. They have the opportunity to learn the following skills: Scanning of archival items Microfilm scanning Handling and preserving archival texts Inventory of primary documents Organizing collections Creating finding aids Curating exhibits Database research Primary document research Asset management Data management (with spreadsheets) Metadata creation Metadata translation Familiarity with Library of Congress Subject Headings E-book editing and translation (APP Digital) Digital archives (Omeka) Digital tools (mapping, timelines, digital collections, OpenRefine) Archival theory Digital humanities theory Academic conference presentations Academic conference posters Planning an academic …
Love in the Time of Covid: New Award Honors Picture Book about Family, Technology and the Pandemic
HOUSTON, TX—A bilingual picture book that explores intergenerational family relationships, technology and Covid, Abuela y covid / Grandma and Covid by Airy Sindik (ISBN 978-1-55885-955-5, hardcover, $18.95), is the winner of the inaugural REYES-OLIVAS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF LATINO CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE. The award was presented to Sindik at Arte Público Press’ 40th anniversary celebration on Thursday, September 15, 2022. THE REYES-OLIVAS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF LATINO CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE seeks to stimulate the work begun by Arte Público Press and its imprint, Piñata Books, which is dedicated to the publication of children’s and young adult literature that realistically portrays themes, characters and customs unique to US Hispanic culture. In addition to the publication of the book and royalties from sales, Sindik received a $5,000 prize. Funding for the award was provided by long-time Arte Público Press supporters and University of Houston …
Award Recognizes Book About Perseverance and Family Heritage
HOUSTON, TX— Jasminne Mendez’s new picture book, Josefina’s Habichuelas / Las habichuelas de Josefina (ISBN 978-1-55885-923-4, hardcover, $18.95), has been awarded the Writers’ League of Texas 2022 Discovery Prize. Established in 1991, the Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards recognize the year’s outstanding books published by Texas authors. The Discovery Prize honors books with fresh perspectives and outstanding narratives to bring recognition to new voices. Young Josefina loves sweets and eats plenty of cookies, cupcakes and candy, until one day her mother suggests they refrain from eating sugar for 40 days and 40 nights in preparation for Easter Sunday. In exchange, her mom promises to teach her how to make habichuelas con dulce, or sweet cream beans, her family’s traditional dessert. Josefina reluctantly agrees, and struggles to keep her promise while her friends continue to eat their favorite sweets at school. When she and her mom, tías and abuela finally …
A Sweet Tradition: Children’s Book Celebrating Mexican Birthdays Wins Prize
HOUSTON, TX—A bilingual picture book about a Mexican birthday celebration, El cumpleaños de mi hermana Dulce / My Sister Dulce’s Birthday by Erika Said (ISBN 978-1-55885-954-8, hardcover, $18.95), is the winner of the 2022 Salinas de Alba Award for Latino Children’s Literature. Published October 31, 2022, this joyful story depicting two girls’ excitement as they prepare for a birthday party is sure to inspire kids’ plans for their own birthday celebrations. In 2019, according to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only 225 of the 4,029 children’s books published were written by Latinos; only 235 were about Latinos. The SALINAS DE ALBA AWARD seeks to stimulate the work begun by Arte Público Press and its imprint, Piñata Books, which is dedicated to the publication of children’s and young adult literature that realistically portrays themes, characters and customs unique to US Hispanic culture. In addition to the publication of the book and …
Enjoy this recap of Arte Público Press’ 40th Anniversary Celebration!
Attendees at the welcome tableAuthor and astronaut, José M. HernándezUH Mariachi PumasDr. Blas Canedo-González and Alejandro Magallón, Houston Grand Opera Solero Flamenco dancersFrom left to right: Jessica Rossman, Dr. Nicolás Kanellos, Rolando Maldonado, MD.Picture book loversAttendees at the wine tableAuthor Erika Said, winner of the Salinas de Alba Award for Latino Children’s LiteratureSambabom dancersFrom left to right: Geraldina Interiano Wise, Dr. Nicolás Kanellos, Nellie González, Mikaela Selley, Miriam Maldonado, Dra. Carolina Villarroel, Marina Tristán, Jesús González, Julia Dávila, Rosanna Moreno, Dr. Lorena Gauthereau Attendees at the receptionFrom left to right: Dr. Suresh Khator, Associate Dean of UH Cullen College of Engineering; Dr. Renu Khator, President of the University of Houston; Dr. Nicolás Kanellos, Director of Arte Público PressAuthor Airy Sindik, winner of the Reyes-Olivas Award for the First Book of Latino Children’s and Young Adult LiteratureCecilia Duarte (singer) and Ana María Otamendi (piano), ROCO40th Anniversary in the News Arte Público …
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS!
HOUSTON, TX—Arte Público Press, the country’s oldest and largest publisher dedicated to amplifying US Hispanic voices, will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a performing-arts showcase Thursday, September 15, 2022, from 6:30-9:30 pm at the University of Houston’s Moores Opera House (3333 Cullen Blvd, Houston, TX 77004). Bringing together outstanding artists from a variety of genres, the event will feature author and former astronaut José M. Hernández as the emcee and highlight the vibrant influence of Latin American and Latino cultures. The University of Houston’s Mariachi Puma will welcome attendees; other performers include the Brazilian dance and drum group, Sambabom; the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, presenting a selection of Latino songs in honor of Arte Público Press; Solero Flamenco; and the Houston Grand Opera, doing its children’s production based on Jorge Argueta’s trilingual picture book, Agua, Agüita / Water, Little Water (Arte Público Press, 2017). In addition, two children’s book awards …
Hispanic Theater Digital Exhibit
HOUSTON, TX–The University of Houston’s US Latino Digital Humanities Center (USLDH) announces the release of the interactive Hispanic Theater Collection curated and created by Dr. Gabriela Baeza Ventura and Dr. Lorena Gauthereau. The digital collection centers the Hispanic community within US theater production (1789-2000) and highlights the role that Hispanic theater (actors, writers, producers, musicians, technicians, artists and many others) played in the creation of cultural and sociopolitical capital. Some of the items feature: Miguel Piñero, Miriam Colón, Susy Astol, Chata Noloesca, Don Lalo (Leonardo García Astol), Carpa Theater, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, Teatro Campesino, among many others. This digital exhibit draws from the Nicolás Kanellos Theater Collection at UH’s Special Collections. This valuable digital exhibit is a unique and useful teaching and research tool for educators, students and community members interested in performing arts, visual art, art history and Latina/o culture. UH’s USLDH received funding from the American …
Join Us for Hispanic Heritage Month
SEPTEMBER September 15, 2022 | 6:30 – 9:30 pm Showcase of Latino Performing Arts Moores Opera House/University of Houston (3333 Cullen Blvd, Houston, TX) Celebrate Arte Público Press’ 40th anniversary with food, drink and performances by Mariachi Puma, Sambabom, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Solero Flamenco, and Houston Grand Opera. Tickets and more details here. September 15-17, 2022 La Raza Unida Party 50th Anniversary Conference University of Texas San Antonio – Downtown Campus (501 W. Cesar E. Chavez, San Antonio, TX) Arte Público Press founder/director Dr. Nicolás Kanellos speaks about publishing opportunities for Latinos. More details here. September 23, 2022 | 10 am – 4:30 pm Latin American Book Fair Love Park (1501 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA) Authors and illustrators share their work, including children’s book author Raquel Ortiz, who will delight audiences with her musical storytelling! More details here. OCTOBER October 1, 2022 | 1 – …
Miriam Damaris Maldonado joins Arte Público Press as Program Manager for El proyecto de la literatura puertorriqueña/The Puerto Rican Literature Project (PLPR)
Miriam Damaris Maldonado joins Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage/Arte Público Press at the University of Houston as Program Manager for “El proyecto de la literatura puertorriqueña/The Puerto Rican Literature Project” (PLPR). Damaris Maldonado brings to the project years of experience as an award-winning poet and community organizer. She is an active promoter of cultural events in Houston and founder/member of the Houston-based Colectivo Colibrí, a feminist community organization. She participates and coordinates literary festivals and performs outreach as a social worker and as a member of the Colectivo de Grupos Puertorriqueños. Damaris Maldonado has a background in Human Behavior, Gender and Diversity and is currently studying Creative Writing at the Universidad de Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico. Her recent publication is Enraizada (Valparaíso Ediciones). The Mellon Foundation awarded the University of Houston (UH) a grant to establish PLPR, a free, public-facing open-access digital portal for Puerto Rican literature. PLPR …
National Museum of the American Latino to Feature Documents from University of Houston Program
HOUSTON, TX—The Molina Family Latino Gallery, the first physical presence of the National Museum of the American Latino, will open at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. on June 18, 2022. Established by Congress in December 2020, the new National Museum of the American Latino will feature documents and artifacts from the University of Houston’s Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage project (Recovery), directed by Dr. Nicolás Kanellos, the Brown Foundation Professor of Hispanic Studies and founder/director of Arte Público Press. Dr. Kanellos was a consultant for the gallery, which will exhibit periodicals, photos, documents and books related to his research on the history of Latino printing presses and newspapers, dating back to the late eighteenth century in areas that became part of the United States. Other items on loan from the Recovery Project include documents from the 1929 founding of the League of United Latin American Citizens …
