January 29th. St John, Antigua- New York resident, Caribbean author Mario Picayo presented his children's book A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z) during a brief visit to the island today. The author spoke to students at Island Academy, and at Potters Primary School. He also presented signed copies of A Caribbean Journey to Ms. Dorothea Nelson, Chief Librarian at the Antigua Public Library, and to Ms. of the Ministry of Education. Several copies of A Caribbean Journey have been purchased by the Library and will be available to all patrons. Mr. Picayo made a quick stop at Best of Books, the only bookstore in Antigua where A Caribbean Journey can be purchased. 

One of the two copies presented to the library is a Special Edition made exclusively for the United States Virgin Islands. The copy arrives courtesy of the First Lady of the US Virgin Islands, Cecile de Jongh, as a gift to the children of Antigua.  Mrs. De Jongh is a well-known literacy advocate. Another copy will be presented to Barbados National Library tomorrow.

On to Barbados. On Friday at 10 AM as part of the events celebrating the re-opening of Barbados National Library, Mario will present three signed copies of the popular book to the library, including the Special Virgin Islands Edition. As in Antigua, several copies of A Caribbean Journey have been purchased by the Library and will be available to all patrons at its many branches.

A Caribbean Journey from A to Y has been a commercial and critical success.  Dominican writer Silvio Torres-Saillant (An intellectual history of the Caribbean) wrote, "The images and the words combine to disrupt many of the visual and discursive stereotypes that often recur in representations of the Caribbean. I can think of no better book for children to begin the lifelong adventure of knowing the Caribbean”.  Glen "Kwabena" Davis, Director of the US Virgin IslandsEducation Department's Culture Division, said "Mario Picayo's A Caribbean Journey from A to Y is a book sure to motivate kids to read it over and over. The illustrations and the artistic appeal of the book make it really stand out among other children's books."          

Published at the end of 2007, The 64 page, hardcover, fully illustrated book has gather steam with each passing month, selling over 10,000 copies in December 2008 and becoming an Americas Award Commended Title.

The back cover describes it as a "fun and educational journey through the Caribbean Islands, one letter at a time! From Aruba to Trinidad and from avocado to yam, the reader learns the names of many of the islands, plus fascinating facts about them.  A Caribbean astronaut? From which island? An island with over 300 rivers? Seals in our tropical waters?  And wait until you see what happened to the Z".

Mr. Picayo is making his visit to Antigua and Barbados onboard the Norwegian Gem as part of a multi-island presentation tour.  "He wants to introduce the book personally, to each Caribbean island where it is sold, or will be sold", according to McKinley Matteson, Assistant Manager at Campanita Books, publisher of A Caribbean Journey. On Wednesday the author stopped at his old home, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands to pick the signed copies from the First Lady herself. 

If you want to meet the author, and take a first look at the Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z)  visit Barbados National Library Service's new Independence Square Headquarters tomorrow, Friday, at 12:30 PM. Mr. Picayo will read from the book and talk to the audience.

For further information please call the National Library Services at 246-435-3371 or visit www.Editorialcampana.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MARIO PICAYO. es activista cultural, artista audiovisual y productor. Ha trabajado para instituciones culturales nacionales como Smithsonian Institution, el Instituto de Folklore de República Dominicana, entre otras instituciones en Estados Unidos y el Caribe. Su trabajo como fotógrafo ha sido presentado en exhibiciones individuales en Nueva York, España, Paraguay, República Dominicana, Argentina, Cuba, y las Islas Vírgenes. En el campo de la literatura infantil, Mario trabajó como editor para Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street). En estos momentos divide su tiempo entre su trabajo como editor de Editorial Campana, una compañía independiente de publicación, como productor del programa de televisión Gente y cultura, el cual ha ganado premios en televisión pública, y como director ejecutivo de LART (Latino Artists Round Table), una organización sin fines de lucro fundada en 1999. La Asamblea del Estado de Nueva York reconoció públicamente su carrera artística y su trabajo como defensor y promotor de la cultura latina en 2004. You can write to Mario at:mario@editorialcampana.com. To contact the author please call Carla at: 845-559-4656

Praise for A Caribbean Journey from A to Y. 
Selected Reviews and Comments:

“This very original alphabet book gives brief descriptions of many aspects of the geography, animal species and history of the Caribbean. Even though a reader might consider an alphabet book as appropriate only for beginner readers, this one has so much information and poetic language, that older, more mature children will benefit from the information conveyed. Colorful and detailed naïve illustrations accompany the text. The best part of the book is finding out what the Z means to the Caribbean”.
(gr K-4) 
                  -- 2008 Americas Award Commended Title

“A Caribbean Journey from A to Y, written by Mario Picayo and illustrated by Earleen Griswold, describes insular portions of the Caribbean region in a manner that truly teaches and delights the child reader for whom the book is intended. Told as an account of the letters of the alphabet, the verbal side of the story engagingly caters to the child’s curiosity offering invaluable information about the flora, the fauna, the landscape, and the human populations of the region. Picayo delivers historical details throughout with beautiful simplicity, as in the explanation of “what happened to Z,” which alerts readers to the slavery period and the presence of Africans in the cultures of the region. With equal command of well chosen details, Griswold’s visual side of the story of A Caribbean Journey from A to Y depicts the rural, the urban, the past, the present, tradition, and change without resorting to binaries, while giving women their due at the center of life in the Caribbean and suggesting the region’s racial and cultural diversity. The images and the words combine to disrupt many of the visual and discursive stereotypes that often recur in representations of the Caribbean. I can think of no better book for children to begin the lifelong adventure of knowing the Caribbean”.
                   --Silvio Torres-Saillant.Author of An Intellectual History of the Caribbean

"Mr. Picayo, from his personal experiences, has compiled a fascinating collection of historical and natural facts. All young people in our islands and elsewhere, would gain immense knowledge and enjoyment from the lively narrative and brilliant illustrations. A Caribbean Journey should be on everyone’s reading list."
                 --Prof. Roy L. Schneider, M.D., Former Governor, United States Virgin Islands

"From a Caribbean perspective, this book is relevant to children living in the Caribbean and also to those children living outside the region. A Caribbean Journey is a must have in every library, and great learning tool in which a person of any age could pick up and learn a thing or two."
                  --Myron Jackson, Executive Director of the Virgin Islands Cultural Heritage Institute

“ A simple search in the Internet will tell us that few ABC book about the Caribbean exists.  Another, more complex search allows us to see that these kinds of texts usually are limited to the normal experiences of a traditional US or European child.  A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z), is an alternative to bigger publishers that don’t yet know the market or tastes of Latino and West Indian families nor take them into account in their marketing.  In the illustrations we see people of all colours and sizes, carrying out different activities that are particular to the Caribbean.  These are today’s natives, past natives, tourists and dozens of starting points for lessons on history, science music and vocabulary.  But a child isn’t given a book only because of the lessons we can get them to learn. A book is an object that activates the imagination and transports them to other worlds.  For a nine year old child, like mine, a book has to provide just the right details to fire his desires and passion.  It could be the birds or the iguanas, the flags, the volcanoes the indigenous people or the yachts.  A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z) has all of these and more.  At the end, the Z surprises us with an invitation to make a leap across the Atlantic and continue the journey”. 
                   --Tanya Torres is a Puerto Rican artist and writer who lives in New York.  In 2002 she was selected one of the 50 Women of the Year by El Diario/La Prensa New York's oldest and most read Spanish language newspaper.

A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z) ISBN: 978-0-9725611-8-1 Format: Hardcover   Price: $19.95 Number of pages: 64   Fully Illustrated Distributed by: Baker & Taylor, Follett Library Resources, Coutts, Brodart and soon, Ingram. Available online at Amazon.com, bn.com and many other virtual booksellers.

 

 

El libro es especialmente apropiado para Best Friends (Los mejores amigos) ya que la gata de la historia es una felina rescatada y también porque su dueña, Cristina, la hija del autor, ha estado colaborando con Best Friends (Los mejores amigos) desde el 2001. De hecho, Best Friends (Los mejores amigos) es responsable, de cierta manera, de que Picayo sea el propietario de la “gata muy inteligente”.

En el 2001, Cristina y su mamá, Carla, visitaron Best Friends (Los mejores amigos) para participar en el taller “Cómo comenzar un santuario para animales”. Cristina y Carla regresaron a la casa llenas de ideas y con una perra llamada Inka. También se encantaron con la misión de Best Friends (Los mejores amigos) y comenzaron a adoptar animales y a promover la adopción entre los rescatadores locales. Cristina vive con su esposo, Andrés y con sus dos hijos en una finca de heno de 300 acres, en las afueras de Nueva York, que comparten con su familia extendida: 7 perros, 12 gatos, 6 caballos, 2 burro, 10 ovejas, 4 cabras, 5 conejos, 3 puercos, 12 gallinas, 10 guineas y 1 chinchilla. Sus padres “solamente” tienen 16 gatos y dos perros rescatados.

Una gata muy inteligente es completamente bilingüe. Alicia Catañeda, editora jefa de Campanita Books, agrega que “las librerías se están dando cuenta de la ventaja que significa tener libros para niños en varios idiomas, y han comenzado a exhibirlos notablemente. La acogida que ha tenido el libro de Mario ha sido fenomenal”.

Esta aventura gatuna es un excelente regalo navideño, y un por ciento de las ganancias de todas las ventas irán a las organizaciones benéficas de animales. Una gata muy inteligente está a la venta en tus librerías favoritas, incluyendo a Barnes & Noble, y también en varias librerías virtuales como Amazon.com. También se puede comprar directamente de la casa editorial (campanitabooks.com).

Este es el segundo libro infantil de Mario Picayo. Su primer título, A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z) ha vendido más de 10, 000 copias desde su lanzamiento en octubre del 2007.

 

Lectura y charla con Paquita Suárez Coalla quien presentará su libro Para que no se me olvide.

 

Editorial Campana presenta su nuevo libro, titulado Se vende, se alquila o se regala: Antología de dramaturgia latina en Nueva York . El evento cierra la serie 2008 de lecturas, en Barnes & Noble, presentada porLART (Latino Artists Round Table) titulada Letra con Filo.

 

Sonia Rivera Valdés (Historias de mujeres grandes y chiquitas) y Mario Picayo (Una gata muy inteligente / A Very Smart Cat/, y A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z), conversarán con los estudiantes y leerán fragmentos de sus obras

 

A Very Successful weekend for A Very Smart Cat.

Free adoption days at Animalkind.

October 20, 2008- It was FREE ADOPTION weekend at the famous cathouse (the only cathouse in Hudson, as they like to remind us) and A Very Smart Cat author Mario Picayo joined the good cause. The event was a success with many kittens and cats finding families to love them, and many children taking home the cat-in-the-book as well. Campanita Books shared half the proceeds of the sales with the host organization, Animalkind, Inc. (www..animalkind.info). Katrin Hecker, director of Animalkind, invited Mario when they met at the Cat’s Meow Gala in Catskill, NY, where the book was released (September 21st). A Very Smart Cat is a perfect match for Animalkind, since it is a story inspired by the antics of a real cat that was adopted, and lives just a few miles away. The author was a bit late and by the time he got there, a small crowd waited for him. Carla (Picayo) was in charge of the camera, and of carrying books from the car to the table on the second floor of the facility, while Mario signed away (so glad she is in great aerobic shape. Thanks Carla). Animalkind’s staff did a wonderful job covering Warren Street with flyers for the book signing (rumor has it that volunteer staff member, Chip, was very active in that department). The highlight of Saturday’s event was supposed to be Mario’s book signing, but the Very Smart Cat (VSC) made a quick visit and stole the show. How do we know? Well, none of us saw the VSC, but volunteers Patty, Pam and

Tina knew there was something odd when one of their cats was caught trying to turn Chip’s camera on, while two other cats posed. A definite sign that the VSC had given them a lesson in picture taking. Later, a young man named Jamie and his mom took a very interesting picture, which proves that the VSC was in Hudson on Saturday (see photo album below).

Mario & Carla stayed after the book signing and chatted with Katrin and several staff members about the superb job that this organization does and their dedication to the neediest felines. The place needs to be described with that over-used word, AMAZING, which in this case is totally appropriate. The dedication of everyone involved in caring for these animals is admirable. We urge you to visit their website: www.animalkind.info (make sure you go to .info), and make a donation. Mario left a few signed copies of A Very Smart Cat for future kitty parents, with half the proceeds staying at Animalkind.

Before leaving Hudson, Katrin had a final request. It had been a very busy day for everybody, especially for the cats, Could Mario read the story to the tired, sleepy kitties? Our cat-loving author (and owner of 16 adopted cats himself) happily obliged, and found them to be a great audience, even if none had money to buy books. A great way to close the day. Our thanks to Katrin for the invitation, and to everyone who makes Animalkind possible.

View photo album

 

Diseminado la cultura hispana a travès del libro "Una Gata Muy Inteligente."

Martes 7 de octubre de 2008, Por Antonio Flores-Lobos

KINGSTON - Dicen que los gatos tienen siete vidas, número que tal vez se compare con el número de ocupaciones que tiene el cubano Mario Picayo, autor del libro bilingüe "Una Gata Muy Inteligente", que recientemente salió al mercado.

Y es que Picacyo, quien reside en Saugerties, ha sido y/o sigue siendo es activista cultural, artista audiovisual, cineasta, productor, editor, empresario y otras cosas más, se reinventa como lo amerita la ocasión para continuar promoviendo su literatura, arte y la cultura hispana en los Estados Unidos.

A mediados de septiembre, se le vio por Catskill, la comunidad que tapizó el pueblo con esculturas de gatos y que, al final del verano, las subastó para repartir las ganancias entre artistas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro.

En el día de la subasta, que es todo evento de gala, y que se llevó a cabo a mediados de septiembre, estaba Picayo con su mesa repleta de libros y marcador en mano para autografiar sus obras al que así lo pidiera. Al lado estaba, también con marcador en mano para estampar su firma, la ilustradora de la obra, la cubana Yolanda Fundora.

Y muchas fueron las firmas que los dos artistas tuvieron que estampar y gatitos que dibujar (porque los artistas no sólo

firman). Es que "Una Gata Muy Inteligente" tuvo una buena aceptación entre los asistentes, quienes estaban ahí, para variar, por ser amantes de las mascotas felinas.

Uno de compradores agradecidos fue Dot Rosenthal quién salió del evento con su libro bajo el brazo. En realidad, esta era un regalo para su nieta, pero cuando Rosenthal lo leyó (risa a risa) se dio cuenta que, al que le gustan los gatos, sin lugar a duda le va a gustar el libro y sus ilustraciones. Pero Rosenthal no paró ahí, sino que se fue al Internet y le dio a "Una Gata Muy Inteligente" una "crítica" de 5 estrellas.

Y es que el libro narra la historia de una gata bastante inteligente ... que, de hecho esta basada en "la vida real" de una de las gatas de la hija del autor.

La famosa gata, aparentemente sabe dibujar, llamar por teléfono, sacar fotos, y tocar instrumentos musicales. La bribona gata finalmente cansa a su dueño y este trata de hacerse de ella haciendo un sinnúmero de cosas, entre ellas poner un clasificado en un periódico.

Acerca del Autor: Mario Picayo es activista cultural, artista audiovisual y productor. Ha trabajado para instituciones culturales nacionales como Smithsonian Institution, el Instituto de Folklore de República Dominicana, entre otras instituciones en Estados Unidos y el Caribe. Su trabajo como fotógrafo ha sido presentado en exhibiciones individuales en Nueva York, España, Paraguay, República Dominicana, Argentina, Cuba, y las Islas Vírgenes.--En el campo de la literatura infantil, Mario trabajó como editor para Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street).--En estos momentos divide su tiempo entre su trabajo como editor de Editorial Campana, una compañía independiente de publicación, como productor del programa de televisión Gente y cultura, el cual ha ganado premios en televisión pública, y como director ejecutivo de LART (Latino Artists Round Table), una organización sin fines de lucro fundada en 1999.--La Asamblea del Estado de Nueva York reconoció públicamente su carrera artística y su trabajo como defensor y promotor de la cultura latina en 2004.

Lo interesante para los residentes del Valle del Hudson es que cuando el dueño no puede más con el felino, salen a relucir las raíces locales del libro. Es decir, en los clasificados, que están maravillosamente dibujados por Fundora, aparecen verdaderos anuncios, de verdaderos negocios como La Oaxaqueña 1 de Kingston y La Oaxaqueña 2 de Saugerties. Arriba del supuesto clasificado está un bolígrafo (pluma) que anuncia Sawyer Chevrolet de Saugerties. Entre los clasificados verdaderos aparecen, y grabados para siempre, anuncios de establecimientos ubicados en Rhinebeck, Athens, Woodstock y Catskill.

Esta idiosincrasia en realidad representa la experiencia empresarial del autor. Según comenta Picacyo, cuando andaba buscando fondos para financiar "Una Gata Muy Inteligente", fue a los diferentes negocios del valle y les pidió apoyo económico, pero de una manera en el que todos salían ganadores. Los negociantes iban a comprometerse a darle dinero a Picayo, pero no para publicar el libro, sino pagar por los libros que se comprometían a comprar de la editorial.

Al final de cuentas, el anuncio del establecimiento iba a estar imprento en el libro de manera gratuita. Picayo sólo requería que compraran unos libros, y el dinero no tenían que dárselo al momento, sin hasta cuando el autor regresase con el libro impreso.

El plan funcionó y hoy algunos de los negociantes les leen a sus hijos los libros por las noches y/o se los dan de cortesía a sus clientes.

Mientras tanto ... la muy inteligente gata anda suelta por el valle, la nación y el mundo, sacando sonrisas, en inglés y en español, de cuanto niño y adulto se atreve a leer sus aventuras.

Acerca de la Editorial Campana publica la literatura en español e inglés escrita en por latin@s que se arriesgan a desafiar el canon literario, el pensamiento social convencional y que creen en la cultura como patrimonio de todos. "Una Gata Muy Inteligente" puede conseguirse pidiéndolo en cualquier librería o visitando la página cibernética: www.editorialcampana.com.

A Very Smart Cat joins the "Paint a Story" club @ "Imagine That"

 

The Cat's Meow Gala, Sunday September 21st, 2008, Catskill, NY

The cat is out of the bag. A Very Smart Cat is officially released at Cat's Meow Auction and Gala.

With hundreds of people in attendance eating and drinking the afternoon away (from cat decorated wine glasses, of course) the new children's book A Very Smart Cat was introduced to a very feline obsessed crowd.

The event was the Cat's Meow Auction and Gala where, beside the release of A Very Smart Cat, 62 beautiful cat sculptures were auctioned. The proud owners, collectively, spent over $75,000 for the privilege of adopting the full litter and taking the colorful kitties to their new homes. Linda Overbaugh, director of the Heart of Catskill/Catskill Chamber of Commerce could not give us an accurate tally yet, but as of our last conversation, the above number could be dwarfed by the time the final figures are revealed . "I am still counting" she told us, with what sounded over the phone as a large Cheshire Cat smile.

The event was an overwhelming success with every item on the block, including the "flat cats" which had their own silent auction, finding an owner.

Author Mario Picayo, and illustrator Yolanda Fundora signed books and talk to the never ending line of people stopping by their table. The Very Smart Cat also brought a very cute team of young ladies who smiled and worked the room, books in hand, making it easy, and pleasant for those standing at the food line, or sitting, waiting for the auction to begin, to buy a book. "We would write their names down, and take the books back to Mario and Yolanda who would sign them", explained Mckinley Matteson, one of the cute and smart "cats" mentioned before. Jessie Churchill, another "smart cat" finished the story: "once signed by both, the author and the illustrator, we brought the book or books back to the buyer. They loved the convenience of shopping from their seats."

Many of the advierstisers whose real ads appear in the fictitious newspaper depicted in A Very Smart Cat
where seeing chatting with Mario and Yolanda. Larry Siracusano president of Sawyer Chevrolet, Tina Gagliardy owner of Mahalo and Wayne from Imagine That among them.

The food was great, the wine delicious, and we would have called the catering of the event perfect if it wasn't for the absence of anything to drink beside water for those too young to enjoy the wines, or that simply don't drink alcohol (no sodas or juices at all), and the early dissapearance of the coffee and desserts. It would have been nice to have a sobering cup and a sweet something after spending a couple of thousand (or $5,800- the record for the evening), on one of the precious felines.

If you have followed the news about the book, then you know by now that the book has been adopted by Ulster and Greene counties (especially by Catskill/Athens/Saugerties and Woodstock) and that there are several events planned for the next couple of weeks with the very clever, and extremely mischivious pussygata (that's cat in Spanish) as the star of the show.

On September 27 (that's next Saturday) at 2 PM, as part of the Read A Story series, our dear friend Lillian from Imagine That Ceramics shop, in Catskill will unveil four collector's plates depicting illustrations from A Very Smart Cat. Guests to the event will be invited to paint the plates, and create their own masterpieces. Lillian glazes and fires the plates and a week later you take home your creation. Author Mario Picayo will join the event and read the very funny children's book to those attending. For more information, visit imaginethatceramics.com

We don't want to flood you with too much information, so we will leave the rest of the announcements for next time. Enjoy the pictures.

View photo album

 

Margarita Drago presentará su libro Fragmentos de la memoria: recuerdos de una experiencia carcelaria (1975-1980) y conversará con los estudiantes y miembros de la facultad.

Children's Author, Mario Picayo, to Speak at V.I. Council on the Arts Gallery

As part of Campanita author Mario Picayo's visit to the Virgin Islands, the Department ofCultural Education has donated one copy of A Caribbean Journey from A to Y(Read and Discover What Happened to the Z) to each elementary school library in the Territory.

My Brain Won't Float Away author to appear in popular morning show Despierta America (Univision)

When: Thursday, January 31st., 2008. Despierta America from 7 to 10 AM
(UNIVISION) Check local listing for cable or dish channel

Despierta América, one of the most popular Spanish language morning television programs, will present a segment about Annette Pérez, author of the bilingual children's book My Brain Won't Float Away/Mi cerebro no va a sair flotando (Campanita Books, New York). The segment will recognize the merits both of the book and its author, who has suffered from hydrocephalus since early childhood. In My Brain
Won't Float Away, Annette narrates her true story of growing up with hydrocephalus with humor, honesty, and compassion, and proves with her story that even the simplest act can change one's life forever.

This is the second honor bestowed on Annette and her book during the month of January. On January 6, Puerto Rico's First Lady, Luisa Gándara, selected My Brain Won't Float Away as one of the presents to
give to thousands of children during the traditional Three Kings Day celebration.

Annette Pérez was born in New York City to a family of Puerto Rican origin. She was diagnosed with hydrocephalus as an infant.She is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education and works for the Department of Education of the City of New York.

 

Reyes Magos obsequian libros de Campanita en Puerto Rico

Miles de familias se dieron cita en el Parque Luis Muñoz Rivera, en San Juan, Puerto Rico, para celebrar la Fiesta de Reyes. En la actividad participaron agencias y entidades relacionadas con la educación y la familia. Los Reyes obsequiaron a los niños con libros, juguetes tradicionales y arbolitos. En diversas carpas se celebraron actividades para el fomento del libro y la lectura.

   

Entre los libros seleccionados para obsequiar a los niños por la Primera Dama de Puerto Rico, Luisa Gándara, y por el Departamento de Educación de Puerto Rico, se encuentra nuestro libro Mi cerebro no va a salir flotando/My Brain Won't Float Away, escrito por Annette Perez e ilustrado por Yolanda Fundora. En la primera foto, una niña recibe Mi cerebro no va a salir volando/My Brain Won't Float Away.

En la segunda foto, el Secretario de Educación, el Dr. Rafael Aragunde, disfruta del libro Mi cerebro no va a salir flotando/My Brain Won't Float Away, de Annette Pérez.

 

Como parte de Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration 2007

The Spanish Discipline of the Department of Foreign Languages, ESL, and Humanities at York College cordially invites you to attend the events dedicated to the celebration of the Hispanic Heritage.

Monday, November 19th
“What’s happening in 2007 with Latinos in the Media: Television, Movies, Books, Radio, and Press.” Presenters include cultural activist and producer Mario Picayo, Colombian journalist Diana Vargas, Argentinean journalist Rodolfo Quebleen, and Albor Ruiz Editor in Chief of El Daily News, Executive Director of MAS Magazine, as well as Editor at La Familia de Hoy and Chief Editorial Writer, Columnist, and News Editor at New York’s El Diario-La Prensa.
6:00PM – 8:30PM Room 2D01

ALBOR RUIZ is a columnist for the New York Daily News. A former National Association of Hispanic Journalists' Region II Director and member of its National Board, he has had a long career as writer an editor. He was hired at the Daily News as an Editorial Writer and was the first Latino member of that paper's Editorial Board. He has also worked as an Opinion Page Editor for The News. Ruiz, a lecturer for NYU's Center of Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), was the Editor-in-Chief of El Daily News, the first bilingual newspaper in the country, as well as Executive Editor of Mas magazine, Editor at La Familia de Hoy and Chief Editorial Writer, Columnist and News Editor at New York 's El Diario-La Prensa. He has also written opinion columns for Newsday and published extensively in English and Spanish in several national and international publications. In 2003 he was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Hall of Fame. Before becoming a journalist he was a Humanities, Philosophy and Spanish professor in Miami , Puerto Rico and New York . Born in Cuba , he has lived in New York City since 1980.

MARIO PICAYO is a cultural activist, audiovisual artist and producer. He has worked for the Smithsonian Institution, the Dominican Republic 's Institute of Folklore and other cultural institutions in the United States and the Caribbean . As a photographer, Mario Picayo’ solo exhibitions have been presented in New York, Spain, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Cuba, and the Virgin Islands. In the past he has worked as editor for Sesame Workshop ( Sesame Street ). He currently divides his time between duties as Editor in Chief of Editorial Campana, an independent publishing house, as Producer of Gente y cultura, the award winning public television program, and as Executive Director of LART (Latino Artist Round Table), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1999. The New York State Assembly made public recognition to his artistic career and his work as defender and promoter of Latino culture in 2004.
DIANA VARGAS (Colombia-US) Trabajó durante 7 años en la dirección general del espacio documental Rostros y Rastros, programa semanal de televisión ganador de varios premios internacionales. Actualmente reside en Nueva York en donde organiza y promueve eventos culturales. Es consultora de medios y jefe de prensa para organizaciones culturales y artísticas en Estados Unidos; especializándose en el área de cine, literatura y música. En el área de programación de cine coordina, desde hace 4 años, la sección latinoamericana del Havana Film Festival in New York y es, además, directora y fundadora del Festival de Cortos Latinoamericanos Corto Circuito que realiza en asocio con el Centro King Juan Carlos I de New York University. En el 2004 fue programadora del programa de cine del tercer congreso de LART Ficciones y realidades. Como periodista escribe para varias publicaciones entre ellas Hoy, periódico del consorcio Tribune y La Opinión de Los Angeles.

RODOLFO C. QUEBLEEN (Rosario, Argentina, 1938) escribe teatro, cuento y poesía (Premio C.E.P.I., Nueva York). Fue corresponsal de Televisa en Nueva York y trabajó en El Diario-La Prensa, que dirigió en 1990. Actualmente trabaja para Daily News y dirige el semanario en español Hora Hispana.

Thursday, November 29th
“Books Presentation: Historias de mujeres grandes y chiquitas (Sonia Rivera-Valdés), Para que no se me olvide (Paquita Suárez-Coalla), Fragmentos de la memoria. Recuerdos de una experiencia carcelaria (1975-1980) (Margarita Drago).” (Spanish)
5:00 – 7:00PM
Room 4M06

Wednesday, December 5th
Books Presentation: My Brain Won’t Flow Away and Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Published by Campanita Books). With the participation of Annette Pérez (YC Graduate) and Mario Picayo, cultural activist, audiovisual artist and producer.

For more information, contact Dr. Margarita Drago (coordinator) at 718-262-2430

 

Musica, arte y literatura en Terraza Café

El miércoles 21 de noviembre, comenzando a las 6:30 p.m. Margarita Drago (Argentina) presentará su libro: Fragmentos de la memoria: recuerdos de una experiencia carcelaria (1975-1980)

 

 

 

PRESENTACIONES DE
FRAGMENTOS DE LA MEMORIA:
RECUERDOS DE UNA EXPERIENCIA CARCELARIA
BY AUTHOR MARGARITA DRAGO

En la Librería Calíope

Margarita Drago presenta Fragmentos de la memoria: Recuerdos de una experiencia carcelaria (1975-1980) en la librería Calíope el 12 de julio a las 8:00 p.m. en la Librería Calíope. En este libro, Margarita Drago relata sus memorias como prisionera política. La Librería Calíope se encuentra en el 183 de la calle Dyckman. Teléfono: (212) 567-3511.

XXVIII FERIA INTERNACIONAL DEL LIBRO DEL PALACIO DE MINERÍA.
Ciudad México
22 de febrero al 4 de marzo de 2007

El programa de la XXVIII Feria Internacional del Libro del Palacio de Minería presenta una variedad de paneles y presentaciones de libros de todo el mundo. Como parte del programa de la feria, el sábado 3 de marzo a las 3:00 p.m., se efectuará la presentación de los nuevos títulos de la Editorial Campana de Nueva York. Las escritoras Sonia Rivera-Valdés, Margarita Drago, Paquita Suárez Coalla y Jacqueline Herranz Brooks estarán presentes en este y otros paneles y presentaciones. Para más información, visite: http://feria.mineria.unam.mx/

 

 

PRESENTACIÓN DE AQUÍ ME TOCÓ ESCRIBIR
El día 22 de febrero de 2007, a las 8:00 p.m, se presentará Aquí me tocó escribir, de Paquita Suárez Coalla, en la Librería Calíope. Calíope se encuentra en el 183 de la calle Dyckman. Teléfono: (212) 567-3511.

CONGRESO
21st Conference on Spanish in the U.S. & 6th International Conference on Spanish in Contact with Other Languages
Del 15 al 18 de marzo de 2007.
Arlington, Virginia. Patrocinado por University of Maryland & George Mason University.
Para más información acerca de este evento, visite: http://lasa.international.pitt.edu/conferences.html


33ª Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires: "Libros sin fronteras"
Del 16 de abril al 7 de mayo de 2007
La Rural, Predio Ferial de Buenos Aires

La Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires es un catálogo nacional e internacional de industrias editoriales y una fiesta de la cultura. Es la muestra más importante de Latinoamérica y destacado referente en el nivel mundial, que convoca a más de un millón de asistentes.
Para más información, visite: http://www.el-libro.com.ar/