He is coming again, and it will be a sight to behold. Luis Valdez, the playwright, director, trail blazer and visionary, will be honored this Thursday evening at the Camera 12 Cinema as part of the International Latino Film Festival—not for the first time, nor the last. Zoot Suit, La Bamba, the Cisco Kid, and so many other accomplishments have become part and parcel of our stage and cinema tradition and our culture. He has enriched us greatly.
When he founded El Teatro Campesino in the sixties, Valdez created something new and unique that has since chronicled the Mexican-American and Chicano experience in California and, indeed, America. Just as he can hold an audience on Broadway with spellbinding dialogue, so, too, I saw him one day 25 years ago accomplish the same thing with an audience of high school students in East San Jose (no mean accomplishment), riveting them in awe as he discussed his life and the future that could lie ahead for those who dream. I found him astonishing then and now.
As a playwright and director, he has risen from the fields to James Lick High and San Jose State and all the way to Broadway (the “Great White Way”). With his wife and partner, Lupe, he is now in San Juan Bautista passing on the torch to his two talented sons. They know and understand the legacy and are perfectly prepared to make it burn brightly. It is all about passing on the dream with Valdez—the dream that continues to propel him.
Valdez has been so inspirational that it is tough to know where exactly to place him in the pantheon of iconic figures of our state. He is political, but not a politician. He has an agenda, but it is not one that is easy to describe. He is clearly a symbol of much that is good in the cauldron that is California. Yet, it is very unfortunate, indeed tragic, that he does not have a larger presence in the city that he has done so much to define and explain.
San Jose needs Luis Valdez more than Valdez needs San Jose. But what a grand partner he would make. A theatre that would bear his vision has been in my mind as the critical missing ingredient in the new San Jose that we all trying to build here. I hope that we may see it one day soon. If our city is led by the wise and thoughtful, that day will not be far off.
Tom,
An excellant discription of one of our role models that allowed us to see where we can all aspire to go with our lives.
Little Louie capturered my heart when I first saw it at the opening of our new theater many years ago. I recieved a copy and have shown it to many children’s groups since.
What a treat it would be to have the mind of Luis Valez and his wonderful and talented family, have performances right here in San Jose.
I am looking forward to Thursday evening at Camera 12.
I am looking forward to attending a venue where an open invitation can be given Theatro Campesino’s performances.
It is time to welcome the bridge builders of our future here in San Jose.
The Village Black Smith
Demolish the Mexican Heritage Plaza and sell the land to a housing developer. Then use the proceeds to build a “Luis Valdez Theatre and Performing Arts Center” where the Center for Performing Arts is located at San Carlos Street and Almaden Boulevard.
Could we trade a statue of Luis Valdez for Quetalcoatl? Gil could cast it. Perhaps it could be the first in a series of famous folks with strong ties to SJ.
If I recall correctly, Mr. Valdez was eyeing the Jose Theater as a possible home for TC a number of years ago. For whatever reason, the city or the building’s owner couldn’t come up with a viable plan. Again SJ is upstaged, so to speak, by a much smaller neighboring town.
Tom’s attempt to secure the Studio Theater as a venue for the SJ Rep was met with protests by a handful of uppity people who felt Tom was slighting the hispanic population by taking over a movie house that showed Spanish language films. This group didn’t even support the Studio, as it closed soon after Tom and council abandoned their efforts, submitting to this group that enjoys protesting for the sake of protesting. We have a turd in the plaza as a result of a spineless council bowing to pressure from a similarly misguided group. So the Studio is now a night club that will likely change hands over and over, get wrecked inside, and render it useless for any performing arts venue. It could have been an option for TC instead.
This town’s leaders continue to keep their heads securely positioned where the sun doesn’t shine, any easy thing to do when you have no spine.
No intent there to upstage our resident poet.
I never thought I would find myself saying this, but George Berlin in #2 has actually come up with a very good idea worth discussing. As many of us rely on him for a daily dose of humor, I hope this doesn’t mean we will have to start taking him seriously all the time!
George # 2: Do we have to keep that horrible CPA building, or can we demolish it, as well? Pockets of poor acoustics.
How many downtown theaters, centers, museums with theaters, auditoriums, entertainment spaces etc that city owns or city taxpayers support?
Most we have seen are inefficient, costly to maintain and operate while being underutilized and require regular bailouts or yearly taxes subsidies
Anyone have complete list with taxes or bailouts given to each over last 5 years?
If Caesar Chavez changed the world, then what did a local native, Amadeo P. Giannini do? He founded the Bank of Italy that helped poor immigrants build their dreams in California and also played a significant role in rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. He later went on to build the Bank of America and helped millions fulfill their dreams of developing or growing a business or just building the home of their dreams.
In short, he helped create wealth, not redistribute it like unions do.
# 9 has a point. Why is it that the only Italiano we recognize in San Jose is Christopher Columbus; a man who tried to enslave the indigenous people of the new land?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for inspiring our children by educating them of the efforts and accomplishments of our current and past leaders. If Jerry is right about Amadeo P. Giannini, why don’t we celebrate his life?
We need more history of inspirational and noteworthy leaders – not less. The “Fallon’ fiasco is one that ALL should learn from and encourage us to honor our history without the pc filters. No more tinker toy art until we honor the flesh and blood men and women who made this Valley. TMcE
#9 & #10…
We don’t celebrate his life, because he isn’t “Mexican”. Sad, but it’s the world we live in now. He would be considered “White”, and I guess as the thinking goes, we have enough of that already.
George,
You’ll have to find another way to leverage tearing down the CPA.
What would make a lot more sense is for the Theatro Campesino to be invited to set up shop at the MHP, especially since Theatro Vision has not paid its way since its inception.
Having Theatro Compesino at the MHP would attract the audience, young and old. I’d be the first in line for season tickets.
Throw in some comedy performances thru out the year and programing that was produced by the MHC of recent, and that is a winning combination.
The area known as Sal Si Puedes “Get Out If You Can”, surounds the MHP.
What could be more perfect than inviting Luis Valdez to house his Threatro Campesino in the area where Cesar Chavez lived, the Mexican Heritage Plaza and Gardens.
Our previous City Council squandered our life savings away and now it is being suggested that we now must suffer at our now NEW City Council suggesting that we must not allow new ideas to grow into community because new ideas cost money.
I was there from the start , and may I remind you readers that there was no development director worth salt, nor was any attempt made in acquiring board members that had the ability to bring doners to the table Once the MHP was being built.
Much has been made right since Marcela has come on board of the MHC. the GI Forum’s infuence is all but gone. The politics of control has been revealed of the local area.
Now is the time to support those that would make the east of San Jose reflect the culture brillance and dedication of two individules that changed the world, Cesar Chavez and Luis Valdez.
Include into this celebration the National Hispanic University, and the incredible devotion of Dr David Lopez to the youth of our valley. How can this not benefit our remarkable city.
There is much to celebrate tonight, in honoring our own Luis Valdez.
The village Black Smith
#12 You could not be more right. At this point I’m going to take a stance similar to JMO’s on historic preservation and say that if the Mexican community wants more historical recognition, they can fund it themselves. The city has poured millions into recognizing the Mexican community and the result is a cultural money pit, the world’s ugliest library building and giant turd. The Tropicana shopping center is a good example of private interests accomplishing something that the city said they couldn’t. We need more of this type of private initiative so taxpayer dollars are put towards basic services.
#10 A.P. Giannini was indeed the father of B of A and deserves some sort of local nod, but I’m sure the hispanic community will once again dig up some sort of oppression angle to protest it and drive things to instead place a giant pile of road apples in front of the new City Hall. And yet another spineless council will approve it.
And you guys say you aren’t racists!?!?
You might want to pose that question to the people responsible for the turd, and also check out the remarks about people like Al Sharpton on today’s thread to get an idea of where the turd mongers are coming from.
Count me among those who think that locally the pendulum has swung way too far in one particular direction when it comes to decision makers accommodating a certain segment of the SJ community. How about giving us “racists” some examples of anything good that has come of it?
yup, planner, we’re not; ‘cuz if a bunch of white guys asked for the same thing, my response would be the same—fund it yourself. It has ZERO to do with whether it’s Mexican or not; it has to do with the limited public funds available, and the demonstrated inability of MHP and other groups to be fiscally responsible, like the History Society. SJ Rep,(decidedly white) etc. etc..
You bozos who cry racist at everything ought to just sign up with that black racist Al Sharpton, and crusade around on someone else’s dime calling everyone a racist.
Congress and cal. state assembly , etc. have black caucuses, hispanic causcuses, etc. That ain’t racist? What would happen if there were a white caucus? Brother Al and Brother Jesse—neither of whom appear to have ever had a real job where they actually earned money—would be all over it like white on rice, as they used to say in the hood.
If you disagree, planner, present a cogent argument—don’t get out your spray can and tag “racist” on people with whom you disagree.
How about black student unions, hispanic police officers’ assoc., etc/ They’re not racist?
#13
The Tropicana shopping center is a good example of private interests accomplishing something that the city said they couldn’t.
I do not understand this statement. The Tropicana shopping center is a rundown piece of blight, and has been for over 30 years. Rather than tear it down and rebuild it, the owner(s) just milk their tenants for every dime.
The only thing fixed up at that intersection is the shopping center across the street from Tropicana, and that was done by the RDA.
The existing baseball hall of fame doesn’t exclude hispanics. Wouldn’t one that excludes everybody except hispanics be racist? I see no point in creating such a museum when one already exists that is not exlusionary. The wisdom (or lack thereof) behind a hispanic hall of fame makes about as much sense as legions of hispanics marching and waving the flag of **Mexico** as they tried to make their case around the U.S citizenship issues a while back.
I’ve had quite enough of this town’s leaders pushing each other out of the way in order to honor and appease such a foolish segment of the local community. When the Mexican population finally decides to assimilate, they will have my respect. Meanwhile, they wield far too much influence over the people we’ve elected to represent ALL members of the community regardless of ethnic origin.
From the posts on this thread, it is evident that there is much to do before we can enjoy understanding.
These are difficut times in our lives. With the senceless war and the senceless wall we are building between us and one of our largest trade partners. The housing market sliding and the Chinese producing most of what we ingest and failing to protect us from being poisoned. Yet we are still chasing the poor farm worker who like the Europeans, came here for a better life. It is easy to point a finger and relieve one’s self of the responsibility.
Yet, with the world becomming more complex, I found the time and courage to attend a comedy at our down town Improv. It was the funniest stand up I have ever enjoyed. I left that wonderful place with a renewed resolve that this is exacly what we need in our lives to understand who we are. Theater, Art, Music, Poetry, and places where Villagers can gather in Safety.
I’ve worked with some very amazing people that honor their own with with the use of bronze plaques. It is so wonderful to see the efforts that they put in to the task of validating their own ethnic heros and those they hold dear in love and sprit.
I’ll leave you with this, on this beautiful November, Veteran’s Holiday weekend.
I was in Garberville on my way back home after stream fishing with my son Paul. I took a break and while in this little town, I walk into a very small store. There hanging on the wall was a female tank top. It read,
“STOP BITCHING! START A REVOLUTION!”
The Village Black Smith