Latino Culture Lives At Sofrito For Your Soul

Hawaii Prints + Guayabera = Hawaiiabera

I know, I know, I said the same thing. They cannot play with a classic...but they have and apparently, done it well...so I present to you the Hawaiiabera aka The Guayabera Reinvented.

Can you picture your favorite Jibaro rocking one of these things? I think I can pull it off...

George Torres
The Urban Jibaro

 

Here is a little bit from their website...
 
You may be asking what in the world is a Hawaiiabera™? Great question. The Original Hawaiiabera™ was concepted out of my love for Traditional Mexican Guayaberas and the wonderful textiles of the South Pacific. Every time I wore a traditional Hawaiian shirt I missed the convenience of having more than one pocket and stylin' pleats and when I wore a Guayabera on my back I was always wanting it to be more than the traditional whites, baby blues and yellows that are offered on the market. I decided that the traditional Hawaiian print could benefit from the creative sewing of a Guayabera and married the two cultural icons into one fantastic shirt! Now I have the comfort and convenience of a Guayabera with the wonderful and very colorful fabrics of the South Pacific. And now you can enjoy these shirts as much as I do.

Join the Hawaiiabera® revolution today and button one of these incredibly unique shirts on your back. Not only are they seriously comfortable, they are incredibly colorful, unique and functional. Your new Hawaiiabera™ will be a sure hit at your next party or around the office. Each individual Hawaiiabera is constructed of 100% lightweight cotton to ensure a lasting and comfortable fit for many years to come. We're new on the market so if your local men's store doesn't quite carry us yet, please make sure to send them to our website. We'll be happy to send some.

My question is...

What do you think? Is it something you would wear?

Answer in the comments section....

NYC Event: New Generation Latino Consortium on 4/5/2010

Sofrito Media Group is proud to join the NGLC 

as a Marketing Partner for their

NEW GENERATION LATINO CONSORTIUM

NGLC Media, Marketing & Entertainment Conference

Featuring Keynote CNN’s Soledad O’Brien and Celebrity Panelists

Actor/Comedian John Leguizamo and Writer/Director Franc Reyes

 

mun2 Joins as Title Sponsor   

NEW YORK, NY – The New Generation Latino Consortium (http://www.NGLC.biz), the only organization of its kind dedicated to educating and informing the business and entertainment worlds about the importance of the New Generation Latino (NGL) market, is hosting the ‘NGLC Media, Marketing & Entertainment Conference’ at the Harvard Club of NYC on Monday April 5, 2010. 
 
Presented by mun2, Telemundo’s New Generation Latino TV network, the one-day conference will take place from 9:00am until 6:00pm at The Harvard Club of NYC located at 35 W44th Street between 5^th and 6^th Avenues in Manhattan.  Representatives from featured co-sponsors MTV-Tr3s and Sí TV will also be on hand to exclusively discuss New Generation Latinos’ impact in the fields of media, marketing and entertainment.  The day will kick off with a special keynote address by CNN anchor, Soledad O’Brien, followed by three exciting panel discussions, a celebrity sit-down with actor/comedian John Leguizamo and writer/director Franc Reyes, a catered attendee luncheon, a special research keynote and Hennessy cocktail networking reception.  HispanicAd.com will serve as the NGLC’s exclusive trade media partner with uStream also participating as the LIVE video outlet that will feature portions of the conference online throughout the day.

 
“When we first started the NGLC back in 2002, the New Generation Latino (NGL) audience was just beginning to be noticed.  In the years that have followed, thanks to the dedication of those in the NGL media and entertainment fields such as our sponsors and panelists, we’ve come a long way.  Given New Generation Latinos’ critical role in shaping the face of this country, I expect there to once again be some very insightful and engaging discussion taking place on April 5^th at the Harvard Club of NYC.  As the only Latino business conference of its kind, NGLC is not one to be missed,” says David Chitel, NGLC Founder and Chairman. 

Keynote, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien states, “As a New Generation Latina, I can appreciate first-hand what the NGLC conference is all about.  Hopefully organizations and events like this help to publicly recognize the diverse Latino population living in the U.S. and play a meaningful role in getting our stories told.” 

"As the leading Young Latino American brand, mun2 is excited to partner with NGLC Media and entertainment thought-leaders on a conference that delves into the heart of one of America's most fascinating conversations...The Next Generation Latino,” says Jacqueline Hernandez, Chief Operating Officer for Telemundo.  “In this new decade, for many businesses this consumer is the new definition of the sweet spot." 

Michael Schwimmer, Sí TV CEO said, “We are excited to partner with the NGLC Marketing, Media & Entertainment conference to celebrate the powerful and lucrative New Generation Latino audience.  Our television network is 100% focused on serving this community, so it’s great to see the NGLC’s success in bringing this conference together to focus on the importance and influence of New Generation Latinos, the media they consume, and the opportunity they represent for advertisers.” 

Conference attendees will learn more about the New Generation Latino population and its critical importance within the U.S. Latino marketing mix and will have the opportunity to interact all day with companies from the Latino media, marketing and entertainment fields, Fortune 500 executives, general and Latino market ad agency executives, celebrities and various international and national press outlets.  Unique sponsorship opportunities are still available for those who would like to have a featured presence at the conference. 

$299 PRE-CONFERENCE RATES ARE AVAILABLE ONLY ONLINE AT http://www.NGLC.biz 

About NGLC:

Founded in 2002 by entrepreneur and Latino marketing expert, David Chitel, the New Generation Latino Consortium was and still is the first business organization of its kind dedicated exclusively to the New Generation Latino population.  With upwards of 70% of the U.S. Latino market under 35, and 65% of its population growth being driven by US-born Latinos, the NGLC's mission is to advocate two key points; 1.) New Generation Latinos represent a viable and lucrative media target audience that merits special attention and 2.) Quality media, marketing and entertainment resources are available to effectively touch New Generation Latinos who are critical to growing market share now and in the future. 

NGLC Contact:

David A. Chitel

Founder & Chairman

New Generation Latino Consortium

(c) 917-345-4025

david@nglc.biz / davidchitel@hotmail.com  

About mun2:

mun2 (moon-dos) is the lifestyle cable network for today's culture connectors (C2s) – bicultural Latinos 18-34. As the bilingual network that amplifies the Latinos experience, mun2 is culturally-grounded and reflects the best of both worlds – mun2 is uniquely American. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content across a multi-screen platform. As the only nationally measured bilingual cable network by Nielsen NTI, mun2 has an increased distribution to over 33 million households, and is a part of the Telemundo Communications Group, a division of NBC Universal. 

mun2 Contact:

Debbie Lazo

Manager, Media Relations

818-622-4066

debbie.lazo@nbcuni.com 

About MTV-Tr3s

MTV Tr3́s (mtvTr3́s.com) is available in broadcast in 7 million Hispanic TV households and 38 million total TV households, making it the most-widely distributed TV network dedicated to superserving today’s bicultural Latino youth.  MTV Tr3́s programming is rooted in the fusion of American and Latino music, cultures, lifestyles and languages. Music programming is at the core of MTV Tr3́s and the channel features hitmakers, emerging artists and new sounds that resonate with young U.S. Latinos.  In addition to music programming, the MTV Tr3́s programming slate also features lifestyle series, news, documentaries and other long-form programs that celebrate US Latino hybrid identity and culture. 

MTV-Tr3s Contact:

Ariana Urbont

310-752-8079

Ariana.Urbont @mtvstaff.com 

About Sí TV:

Sí TV is America’s first media company to reach the millions of 18–34-year-old Latinos who prefer their content in English and seek it across all platforms—including linear television, the internet, video-on-demand and wireless devices.  Sí TV offers authentic, relevant content and a 70% original programming slate that includes comedy, reality, music, movies, lifestyle and talk.  Sí TV’s original programming caters to Latino viewers’ wide ranging tastes with shows such as the first-ever Latina modeling competition series, Model Latina, the Latino pop culture comedy show Latino 101, and the first-ever Web-to-TV reality series Elle & Tito: The Married Life, premiering in March 2010.  

Sí TV is available nationwide on Dish Network, and in more than 200 cities and communities across the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco / Bay Area, Dallas, Houston, Detroit, Denver, San Antonio and Las Vegas.  Sí TV’s cable and telco affiliates include AT&T, Comcast, Cox, Insight, Qwest, Time Warner Cable and Verizon, among others.  For more information about Sí TV, please visit www.sitv.com. 

Sí TV Contact:

Todd Apmann

212-736-2810

tapmann@sitv.com

The Poetry of Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc

 This year is the year of making dreams a reality and recently in the barrios of social media, I was able to meet a young poet by the name of Hannah Roth. Hannah reached out and rekindled an idea I had about starting a series of poetry that highlighted the Latino Greek community, of which I am a member.

Hannah is a proud sister of Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. from Hamilton College and she rose to the challenge of assisting me curate the first installment of this series. In addition to collecting some great work from her hermanas, she has also allowed us to share some of her work.

So here it is, the first of the Latino Greek Poetry Series....presenting The Poetry of Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc

Buen Provecho...

As I am,

George Torres
The Urban Jibaro

Skype:

urbanjibaro

Before we get into the poetry of these remarkable young poets, let's learn a little about the organization they are representing....

About Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc.

It all begin in 1987 at Binghamton University...

 On December 1, 1987 at Binghamton University, Founding Mothers Cynthia Santiago-Guzman, Adriana Zamora-Tirado, Carmen Ibeth Garcia-Quinones and Carol Elizabeth Torres created an organization that would not only serve as a voice for women in an academic setting, but would also provide sincere sisterhood and unconditional support while actively promoting academic achievement, service to the community, and cultural enrichment.

Today since 1987, Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. has membership at over 40 universities with recognized chapters at over 30 institutions. We have undergraduate chapters at 7 of the 8 Ivy League Colleges/Universities across the United States of America. We also have established  13 Graduate/Professional chapters.  We continue the legacy of our Founders--our goals and ideals continue to be exemplified by our Hermanas: Sisterhood, Leadership, Community Service, Cultural Awareness and Academic Excellence.

Señoritas continue to make a mark on their campuses and communities as individual chapters or nationally.  Together we want to make a difference and give back to our communities through organizing workshops, programs, our service, and through our passion.  This year, for our RAICES Week, a week of workshops and events spread across every chapter, is inspired by Obama's campaign for service and volunteer work.  It's called: A Call to Service: Strengthening Our Communities.  Community work is an important part of our sisterhood and we believe each Hermana has a hand in making positive change. 

Each chapter has their own ethinic make-up.  Although we are a Latina-based organization, we are not Latina exculsive.  Nationally, our  sisterhood unites Hermanas of African, African-American, Argentinean, Belizian, Bolivian, Brazilian, Cape Verdean, Chicana, Chilean, Chinese, Colombian, Costa Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Ecuadorian, English, Filipina, French, German, Guatemalan, Haitian, Hmong, Honduran, Italian, Irish, Jamaican, Jewish, Korean, Mexican, Native American, Nevisian, Nicaraguan, Nigerian, Panamanian, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Polish, Puerto Rican, Romanian, Salvadorian, Spanish, Uruguayan and Venezuelan backgrounds to work towards common Goals and Ideals. Our relentless commitment to Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. and to each other is why we consider our sisterhood-Our Hermandad-lasting Hasta La Muerte!

 

 
 

Hermanas are leaders and strive to excel academically.  In the past 21 years our individual chapters continue to succeed both inside and outside of the class room.  Our impact can be seen in the outstanding accomplishments of our Hermanas, the women we have mentored through our LADYS and PEARLS programs, and through the lives of all the people we have touch through our many literacy initiatives.  We are extremely proud of the accomplishments we have made to date. More importantly, we are committed to continue to empower one another and our communities.

Here are the featured voices of Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc.

 

 My name is Hannah Roth and I am from Cambridge, MA.  I have been writing for most of my life, loving poetry, playwriting, and keeping a journal.  I attend Hamilton College as a Posse Scholar, Emma Bowen Scholar, and one of the founders of the Alpha Iota Chapter of Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. in Spring 2008. In 2007 I won 2nd place in the MA state-wide Sherwood Collins Playwriting Contest with “The Tragic Mulatto is Neither.”  In 2007 I began performing spoken word and my work as a freshman at Hamilton College and became addicted!  Most of all, I love writing for myself taking in the world around me and pouring my thoughts and rhymes into the pages of my journal.

My poem is entitled: This American Nightmare

 My name is Luz Burgos and I am graduate from Wesleyan University. As an undergraduate, was an active student leader and received numerous awards for my activism and community service. In my junior year, along side two other women founded the Alpha Theta Chapter of Sigma Lambda Upsilon. I am currently working as a Union Organizer for 1199 New England Health Care Union in Hartford, CT. 

Along with my passion for social justice, I've always had passion for the  arts and discovered my ability for the visuals at age of 3. Since then I continued to challenge my visual art abilities but I did not discover poetry later on in my life. My fear of writing poetry was great do to the fact that I was a bilingual student and was told at a young age that I would not succeed in the English language.  I was constantly being reminded that I was not a native English speaker and became even more fearful of poetry and spoken word.  As I  discovered the world of poetry I realized that it was a visual world,powerful and inspirational words. This discovery allowed me to challenge and express my ideas verbally. 

My poem is entitled: Cancion Poderosa

 Ysanet Batista - I was born in New York, went to grade school in the Dominican Republic, and was raised in Miami, FL. Coming back to the United States I had to learn the English language and being raised by a single mother it was a little difficult but it was beneficial to me because it pushed me harder to become a woman of well-being. I finished high school in Florida and came to Providence, RI to attend Johnson & Wales University. My freshman year I decided to pledge Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. Going through this I learned a lot about myself therefore I needed a way to express myself. Poetry became so natural to me because I would put whatever I was feeling into a piece of paper yet the paper evoked so much. Writing is an escape for me because I am soft spoken and through my poems I can sound strong, thunderous, and outspoken.

My poem is entitled: Herstory

 J F Seary - educator/poet/actor. She has been writing and performing her poetry for over ten years. Her performance career began at Binghamton University. Since then she has performed at the Nuyorican Poets Café, the Bowery Poetry Club, Cemí Underground, 5C Cultural Center, East Harlem Café, Binghamton University, Cornell University, Columbia University, Penn State University, Rutgers University, University at Albany, SUNY Stony Brook, Camaradas el Barrio and other venues. Theater credits include: Margie in "The Death of a Dream" by Nancy Genova and La Llorona in "Braided Sorrow" by Marisela Treviño-Orta. Film credits include: The Bigger the Hoops directed by Linda Nieves-Powell, 24 to Score directed by Jairus Cobb, Duplicity directed by Tony Gilroy and She's Gone directed by Melissa Hickey. Television credits include: OPEN with host Rhina Valentin.

My poem is entitled: Love Letter

 My name is Jaletza Arias, 24 yrs old, born and raised in NYC. I have been writing poetry since I was 12years old and began performing my sophmore year of college. I pledged in the Spring of 2006 at Mu Chapter,SUNY Albany.  

I was inspired to write Mis Raices when I was playing with the curls in my hair. I decided to go natural and realized that the process would mean so much more to me than a new hair style. It would define me. 

My poem is entitled: Mis Raices

She Loves Me...She Loves Me Not...She Loves Me...

SHE LOVES ME!!!!  

I hope that each of you enjoyed some quality time with your significant other this Valentine's Day... I just wanted to say that I had the most amazing time with my better half.

As some of you may know, I recently attended one of Don Coqui's Media Cooking Parties to sample some of the new flavor Jimmy Rodriguez has brought to New Rochelle. That event was great and you can read more about it here...but it was what it was, a showcase event. 

I was anxious to experience Don Coqui so I incorporated a trip to New Rochelle into my V-Day plans with my beautiful wife "Reina". She obviously wanted to go because I am sure she was tired of hearing me rave...and she wanted to taste it for herself. (I can almost hear her thought...oh yeah...it is so great...then take me there).

 La pegue big time because we had a very romantic dinner (I had the plaintain crusted red snapper, she had the salmon with yuca mash). She was very impressed with everything and we had an incredible time.One of her gifts to me (besides her company...and making me look good) was a beautiful crossword puzzle that she created using memories of the last 12 years we have spent together....incredibly sweet and creative. So we spent a good amount of time waiting for me to complete the puzzle...and trust me I was under pressure. I am happy to say that I successfully finished the puzzle and I only needed three hints along the way.

After an evening exploring some other cultural places in NYC we decided to stop and experience dessert at a place called SPOT on St. Mark Place where we enjoyed an assortment of delicious desserts (including chocolate covered strawberries). If you are in the neighborhood, drop in and experience dessert from a place that does nothing else...and you will see what it adds to your special night on the town ;)

Thank you Jimmy (Don Coqui) and Ace (SPOT) for living up to the hype in your individual establishments and making our special night, a night to remember...I will tell everyone I know!

And to my Reina...Thank you for making my night...(and every night before it) special in a way that only someone that is truly in love can do...I love you "con todo lo que soy" and look forward to our next "date" ....

As I am,

George Torres

The Urban Jibaro