Letters

PU MEMORIES

I am from the Class of 1975, Phoenix Union High School. This class has been totally forgotten: no yearbook, no class reunions. Our class of less than 120 came from the old barrios: Campito, Cuarto Milpas, Golden Gate, Marcos, Eastlake, Central Park, Green Valley. It's a sad situation; 30 years have passed, maybe because the war was ending. I was brought up in a strong Latino family, in Catholic school. We were taught to be strong providers; never come first, God, country, family, then yourself.

President Kennedy was killed when we were in first grade. We were told that some day we would have to protect our way of life, from first grade until senior year. Most of us turned 18 that year, so we would walk to the old post office on Central and Fillmore to sign up, even after a nun in third grade had all us boys stand in front of class and count off 1-2-3, 1-2-3É I will never forget her words: "Ones and threes represent those of you who will not return from Vietnam."

I think we were programmed and not needed after the conflict, or maybe just plain forgotten.

Ricky Guevara

BIZ BUZZ

I like your new Bottom Line section about Latino business news. I remember you (Editor Ruben Hernandez) from the Business Journal, and enjoyed reading your articles about Hispanic business there. I enjoy your reporting even more so now, because you have an insider's point of view. Thanks.

Elias Rivera
Latino entrepreneur

GOOD & BAD

I will preface this e-mail with a compliment. I have read several issues of Latino Perspectives and I am impressed with much of the content. I was especially impressed with James Garcia's editorials.

Mr. Hernandez, I recently read your first editorial in the September issue. After a quick read, I became very upset with your copy editors. For fear of finding more than the five mistakes that I initially discovered, I didn't read the article again.

As a Latina, I want your magazine to be maravilloso[sic], so it pains me to see such careless mistakes detract from good content.

I have spoken to several Anglo journalists that consider local Latino periodicals and newspapers second-rate. Mistakes like the ones in your September issue, and especially ones from the editor, are inexcusable. So, please speak to your copy-editors, and make sure that they are despierto[sic], have an Associated Press stylebook attached to their desk and understand that protecting the credibility of your magazine is their responsibility. Buena suerte.

Dianna Nanez

LONG RUN

Thank you for including me in the nice piece about Thunderbird. The article was nicely written and, I must say, I really enjoyed the magazine as a whole. The photography and design are great, the content is interesting and the text is well written. I feel honored to have been part of it. Best of luck and many wishes for a long run of Latino Perspectives.

Genevieve Gutierrez

LATINO NATIVES

Did you know that until the 1950s, "Latino" was defined as "a Spanish-speaking Indian?" At some later point in time, Latinos were reclassified for Census reports as "Hispanics," which re-defined them in such a way that the Indian disappeared, and with it, the possibility of any reparations. Interesting, isn't it?

Evelyn Dye-Garcia

DARIO GROOVE

All of us here at Dario Inc. just want to say thanks for the support we've received from your magazine. Since the release of the article Dario's single (Lies) has gone to debut on five charts and the song has become his first top 40 dance hit. Dario is currently on tour promoting the single and enjoying every step of the way.

Chloe Lopez
Tucson

PURO CLASS

My name is Rosemary Ybarra-Hernandez and I am president/founder of AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute. I am thrilled that we are in your magazine. Your magazine is absolutely wonderful- finally a magazine with puro class and information that I can allow my children to also take part in. !Adelante!