Tia Chucha Press is a world-class small press of poetry--one of the best publishers of poetry in the country. Now one of our authors, Elizabeth Alexander, has been designated to read poetry at the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on January 20, 2009. This is a great honor for an amazing writer. Tia Chucha Press is proud to be associated with Elizabeth's life and work. We stand with her on this distinctive moment: Elizabeth is only the fourth poet to read at the inauguration of a US president (that includes Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, and Miller Williams). She joins Aretha Franklin, civil rights figure James E. Lowery, and classical musicians Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill on the program. Most recently, one of our other authors, Patricia Smith, and a former editor, Reginald Gibbons, were nominated for the National Book Award in Poetry. And we've had amazing other successes with our writers since we began in 1989. In fact, 2009 also happens to be Tia Chucha Press' 20th Anniversary. We plan to reprint Elizabeth's book and others and to have events commemorating our accomplishments in Los Angeles and Chicago. Congratulations to Elizabeth and all our authors. Poetry is needed now more than ever. You can order Tia Chucha Press books at www.tiachucha.com or from our distributor, Northwestern University Press at nupress@northwestern.edu or call 1-800-621-2736.

--from editor/founder Luis Rodriguez,

Tia Chucha Press, a project of Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural.

Tia Chucha's will be closed FRIDAY July 4th. Visit us this day at The Farce of July

at
1221 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(near the Staples Center in Downtown LA--Metro Blue Line, Pico/Chick Hearn exit)

Live music, DJ's, Speakers, Food, Vendors, Teatro, Poetry, Art, Danza

Tia Chucha's will be closed SATURDAY June 28th

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REELism film night: Into the Wild scheduled for June 19th has been postponed. It is rescheduled for THURSDAY, July 3,2008 at 7pm

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Author Reading with Charles Campbell May 31, 2008 has been postponed.

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Author reading with Paul Krehbiel, originally scheduled for SATURDAY May 24th at 2pm has been postponed. We will give updates when the event is rescheduled.

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Back by overwhelming demand, the new pride of the Eastside, straight out of Garfield High School, cumbia-ska funksters, Upground have been added to our line up at the Ford Benefit Concert

August 3rd at 7pm! Support Tia Chucha!

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TÍA CHUCHA'S 2ND ANNUAL BENEFIT CONCERT – “A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY & CULTURE – SÍ SE PUEDE! / YES WE CAN!”

SUNDAY August 3, 2008 7pm at Ford Amphitheatre, Hollywood

Legendary and emerging Angelino artists who will unite for this electric cross-cultural evening include counter culture icon Cheech Marín who will provide high jinks and songs ; renowned funk masters Charles Wright & The Watts 103 rd Street Rhythm Band ; back by overwhelming demand, the new pride of the Eastside, straight out of Garfield High School, cumbia-ska funksters Upground ; award winning author and co-founder of Tía Chucha's Centro Cultural , Luis J. Rodr í guez ; celebrated singer/ performer/activist Nobuko Miyamoto ; hilarious new political sketch comedy troupe OPM (Opening People's Minds); and Olmeca , an inspiring new Chicano consciousness hip hop artist. Temachtia Quetzalcoatl , Tía Chucha's resident Aztec danza group, will open the event with a special ceremonial blessing and fast rising new comedian Ernie G. is back to MC another exciting crowd pleasing show.

Tia Chucha's Benefit at the Ford: A Victory for Community Arts

12:45 PM PDT August 14, 2007

On July 29, 2007 Tia Chucha's first benefit event at the 1200-seat Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood became an amazing success.  Despite a major 13-car pile up on the 101 freeway just where the Ford Theatres are located (the back up lasted for 11 hours), we almost packed the place--and we were able to raise more than $22,500 (including from our generous donors). All the acts came through like champs and then some--we had two encores for the bands Upground and Tierra, both of whom had people rocking in their seats or dancing in the aisles.

Our host was the incomparable Ernie G., one of LA's rising young Latino comedians. He was right on all night, and for his 15-minute monologue he had everyone in stitches. We also featured Tia Chucha's own Aztec Danza group, Temachtia Quetzalcoatl , which opened the event. We had the agit-prop comedy theater of the world famous Culture Clash (they were fantastic). We also had the conscious indigenous Hip Hop of Xela, formerly of Chihuatl Tonalli (Woman's Energy), and El Vuh ("The Book" in Mayan). And besides the amazing Chicano Ska sounds of Upground and the Old School Chicano R&B sounds of Tierra, we had Ollin perform an exciting and innovative set combining Mexican, Irish, German, and who-knows-what-else music that wowed everyone. I also read a poem after my wife Trini and I greeted the audience. And we had a special performance from Tia Chucha's long-time friend John Densmore (of the Doors), who did poetry with another drummer that truly brought home the meaning of Art and Culture as the path to peace, unity, and deep understanding.

It was a victorious evening for community-based and neighborhood-rooted cultural spaces and independent bookstores. Lately in Los Angeles --but also around the country--we have lost many vital bookstores and cultural venues to big development, gentrification and high rents. In February, Tia Chucha's was forced to move from the space we had for five years after the landlords practically tripled our rent to make room for a multi-million dollar laundromat. But we decided not to give up. We are now in a temporary location in Lake View Terrace sponsoring workshops in music, Aztec Dance and Mexikayotl indigenous thought, while we also feature Open Mic nights, film nights, author readings, community dialogues, and more). And we are working diligently to find and establish an even bigger, better and permanent Tia Chucha's.

The community deserves the best. It deserves more. We want to be an example of what authentic cultural expression and truly liberating holistic literacy are all about. We aim to impact our communities with the fullness of intelligence, creativity, imagination, and knowledge that is possible when all community members are treated as full and complete human beings.

We want to thank all our many supporters, friends and family who showed up on July 29 (I know we had people from as far away as the Bay Area and even Italy). We also want to thank LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and the LA County Arts Commission staff who showed up as well as the LA City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Community Redevelopment Agency for their ongoing support. We want to thank our many funders such as the DCA, CRA, LA County Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, the Panta Rhea Foundation, the Thrill Hill Foundation, Attias Family Foundation, Middleton Foundation, Youth Can Service, the Center for Cultural Innovation, Not Just Us Foundation, Toyota Sales, the Liberty Hill Foundation, the Border Book Festival, among others. In addition, we give thanks to our many individual donors, notably Bruce Springsteen, John Densmore, Dan Attias, the Luis and Trini Rodriguez Family (Andrea, Ruben, Luis, and Catalina), Suzan Erem, Cynthia Cuza, Mel Gilman, Dave Marsh, Denise Chavez, John Randall, David Sandoval, Jesus Trevino and many others.

We want to thank our many collaborators, including LA Commons, Northeast Valley Health Corporation, El Centro de Santa Ana , the Council of Venues, Teatro Chusma, Tres Chingazos Theater Collective, the EARTH Theater Company, John Trudell, the many LAUSD and LA County schools who've come for field trips to Tia Chucha's, and others.

A special shout out to our founding partner Enrique Sanchez, and his family, as well as our amazing staff: Melissa Sanvicente, Silverio Pelayo, Arlene Mejorado, Blanca Boche--and our past staff members over the years (too many to name here). Also our numerous volunteers (including Melba Hayes, Walter Little and our former program coordinator, Mike Centeno) and instructors: You're all the best. And we wouldn't be here if not for our hard-working board members and fellow co-founders Angelica Loa and Victor Mendoza.

Also a special thanks to Tia Chucha Press and all our wonderful authors and volunteers who have made this one of the most important cross-cultural poetry small presses in the country.

In addition, a big GRACIAS to Ruben Guevara--our benefit event producer and long-time friend--as well as John Cantu and George Rodriguez for recording the event, and Antigua Café for providing backstage coffee and fresh fruit tea. We want to thank the Ford staff (tech, sales, office, marketing, books, and more), in particular Community Bridges and the tremendous efforts of Lissette Alvarez.

And, finally, a most heartfelt thanks to the whole San Fernando Valley community, but also to our many friends in East LA, South Central LA, Pico Union, the Westside, the Harbor, San Gabriel Valley, and beyond. We will continue. We will not give up. Tlazhokamati ... Muchas Gracias ... Thank You.

--Luis Rodriguez, President of the Board and Creative Director, Tia Chucha's Bookstore & Centro Cultural