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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Richard Santillan: Mexican American Baseball in Los Angeles


Richard Santillan, emeritus of ethnic and women studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and Co-Author of the books, "Mexican American Baseball in the Inland Empire" and "Mexican American Baseball in Los Angeles" will be here  
Tuesday, January 22nd from 6-7:30pm.


Being a part of this project, Santillan said what he found most interesting was the number of Mexican Americans that played baseball for the military during times of war and the number of women who formed their own leagues to play when even their own parents were embarrassed to have their daughters seen in shorts out in public.
"There were also a lot of Mexican Americans who played baseball in Mexico," he said. "Some who spoke no Spanish and didn't know much about Mexico played in Tijuana, Mexicali, Chihuahua ... because of the discrimination they got here."

This program will be streaming live at www.livestream.com/cypressparklibrary. You can watch along, chat with other viewers and ask any questions you might have.

Books will be available for purchase/signing at $20 each or both for $35 will all proceeds going to fund future books/projects.

Do you have photos and/or memories of Mexican American baseball in Los Angeles you'd like to share? Richard Santillan would like to see/hear them. He's working on a 4th publication and would be interested in including them. 

JUST ADDED: Al Padilla, who played for both Roosevelt High School and Occidental College from the 1940's to 50's will also be joining us.

 

Monday, December 10, 2012

This Week at the Library Dec 10-15


Monday
2- 4:30pm "Used Book Sale"
The "Friends of The Cypress Park Library" holds a small book sale every Monday in the community room. This one isn't as big as the one they hold Saturdays but it's just as important and proceeds fund library programs and some materials. Please join us.

3:30-5:30pm "Story time and Reading"
Books come alive for kids when they share the fun of reading with "S.T.A.R." library volunteers. Grandma Sara will be here.

Tuesday
3-4pm "Story Time"
Author of "The barking Mouse", Antonio Sacre, joins us for a story time today. This free program is for children up to the age of 12.



Wednesday
12-1pm "Adult Computer Class"
Adults, join us for a beginner's guide to the internet. Patrick will teach you the basics of web browsing, word processing and how to create and access your email account. Bring your questions. Patrick will supply the answers.


5-7pm "CALS Unplugged
Students from the California Academy of Liberal Studies will join us for an evening dedicated to Arts Education featuring a variety of student artwork and performances. 

Thursday
4-5pm "Origami"
 Join us as we celebrate Christmas by making beautiful Christmas ornaments with Origami paper. Hang them on your tree or give them as a gift! 

Friday
12-1pm "Story time and Reading" 
Books comes alive for children when they share the fun of reading with GAB library volunteers. "Grandpa Allen" will be here.

Saturday "The Library Store on Wheels" 
1-5pm
The Library Store On Wheels debuts on Monday, and during its inaugural one-week run will hit a different location each day. Catch them here Saturday as they bring Central Library's gift shop to you. 


Friday, November 30, 2012

Cypress Park Branch brings you Antonio Sacre!


  On Tuesday December 11, 2012 from 3-4pm 

Cypress Park Branch brings you Antonio Sacre!

Antonio Sacre is an internationally touring storyteller, writer, and solo performance artist based in Los Angeles. He has been a featured storyteller at the Kennedy Center, the National Storytelling Festival, the National Book Festival at the Library of Congress, and museums, schools, libraries, and festivals worldwide.
barking mousenoche buena
      His recordings have won numerous national awards, and his retelling of the story The Barking Mouse was published as a picture book by Albert Whitman and Company in March 2003. In 2003, Sacre's first children’s book, The Barking Mouse, was published by Albert Whitman and Company.  It has fast become a staple in many classrooms and libraries in the United States because of its humor, multicultural message, and emphasis on the importance of speaking other languages. His latest book is A Mango in the Hand. Francisco is finally old enough to journey to the mango grove all by himself to gather the mangoes for a special dinner. But bees swarm the fruit, and Francisco has trouble picking them from the tree. He returns to his father several times, and each time his father shares a different proverb to inspire Francisco to continue trying. "Querer es poder. Where there's a will, there's a way!" Finally, Francisco is able to gather some mangoes, and on his way home he stops to visit his uncle, grandmother, and aunt. Francisco shares his mangoes with them, and by the time he gets home he no longer has any! "Es mejor dar que recibir. Sometimes it's better to give than to receive." I love reading these books to the children because there is such a great message along with a great story that kids remember.  I have children come up to me weeks after I have read the story asking me for the books.  I'm very excited to have Antonio Sacre visit our branch. For more information about this wonderful author & storyteller go to www.antoniosacre.com (book references and author bio taken from website)  Special Thanks to the Cypress Park Branch Friends of the Library for providing this wonderful program!                            


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

C.A.L.S. Unplugged

The Cypress Park Branch Library will be hosting an evening dedicated to Arts education on Wednesday, December 12th from 5pm to 7pm.
 
The California Academy for Liberal Studies (CALS) will be featuring a variety of student art work and performances. CALS offers a rich arts education in Visual Art, Theater, Computer Technology, and Music. CALS unplugged will showcase many student performers and visual artists. A gallery space will feature student art work in a variety of mediums. The music stage will feature an evening of acoustic performances. Many student musicians will perform original compositions for this special evening. Along with student performances, there will be several performances by professional musicians.
 
 
Please join the CALS community for this very special evening.
 
For more information on CALS Middle School and CALS Early College High School please visit www.pucschools.org .
 


Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Ultimate Breaking Dawn Part 2 Giveaway

As you're probably aware by now, we've been excitedly celebrating the release of the final installment of the epic vampire series Twilight. Soon Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 will be released.


Since June we've been hosting creative movie poster giveaways. Our two online giveaways were the most fun:

The first giveaway was simple, we chose a random winner from a list of Facebook friends who "liked" our Facebook post announcing the giveaway. 


The winner, Anthony Cruz from Murrieta, California, 
was chosen randomly from a list of over 70 "likes"

In the second giveaway we asked fans to send us, via Twitter or Instagram, photos of themselves outside of their favorite LAPL branch.
Arianna was one of the winners of our second giveaway.
With 5 sets of posters left and plenty of goodies, we're going out with a bang!

Starting November 16, the first 4 people to come to our branch and check out any of our Twilight books or movies (don't forget to mention this blog post) will win:

One set of these 3 posters
AND
One BDP2 goodie bag which includes
-1 BD keychain
-1 BD slap bracelet
-1 set of four BD temporary tattoos
-2 BD pens


>>>THE GRAND PRIZE<<<
On November 16, the first fan to come in and show us your Breaking Dawn Part 2 movie ticket stub will win:
THE GRAND PRIZE
1 BDP2 Goodie bag, including two extra stickers
4 Breaking Dawn P2 posters
1 Collector's Edition Twilight Graphic Novel
Our Grand Prize winner Sazi showing off her winnings!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Javier Guillen invites you to "GoEastLos"



If you've spent any time on Instagram, you might have come across the account belonging to Javier Guillen, a 31 year old East L.A. native, who just won LA Weekly's "Best Instagrammers Award". In the words of one, “Murals, street scenes, people, details and even Jack White’s recent pop-up show at Mariachi Plaza? Javier has it covered, con sabor.” We appreciate Javier's love for his community and like him, we wanted to share it with you.We ask him a few questions about it and are sure by the end of this interview you'll have that sudden urge to @GoEastLos.




First off, Javier, congratulations on winning LAWeekly's Web Award for best Instagram account. That's got to be exciting right? What was it like getting the nomination then the news that you won? 

This whole LA Weekly/Instagram experience has been craaazy. I was very excited to just be nominated and mentioned by the LA Weekly. For the most part of my life I’ve looked forward to Thursdays (the day the LA Weekly comes out) to read about the cool stuff going on in/around Los Angeles and I would especially love to read about other Angelenos and the way they’ve stood out in their communities. I’ve been very influenced by this paper. So, to be mentioned by the LA Weekly and interviewed by LA Weekly Editor and Chief Sarah Fenske has been surreal. Then, when I actually won the Best Instagram award, dude,that just blew my mind.



Instagram is a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Pictures of food, cars, sunsets and more food. Was it your intention to start an account to celebrate East L.A. and how did that idea come about?

When I first got my iPhone in 2010 I started instagramming everything around me; friends, food, dogs, and especially my community. I realized that other people from around the world were doing the same thing on Instagram. They were sharing elegant/artistic Instagram pictures of their community with each other. Everyone was experimenting with this new photo-sharing/social-network app, and that was very exciting for me. The newness of it got my attention! When I searched for East LA and Boyle Heights via Instagram’s search feature, I thought to myself wouldn’t it be cool if someone instagrammed East Los Angeles to dispel the negative stereotypes and to show the world what were really about. Show the world that we have a rich history, a beautiful culture, and that we’re good hard working people with a strong sense of community. Show the real East LA, not the East LA that makes the news or the movies. Show the Beautiful murals, the cool community events, the businesses, organizations and the new and old culture that makes up the Eastside. Show the positives that doesn’t usually make it to the mainstream media. So I took my love for East LA and y le puse ganas to make the goEastLos Instagram account.

I lived in Boyle Heights during the time I went to Jr. High and High School so the community will always hold a special place in my heart and your photos remind me of that everyday. Do you find that a lot of your followers also have a special relationship w/ the area and the Eastside in general? How do they react to the pictures you post? 
To me, East LA is a unique place to grow up in. There is a special energy in this community. First, you’re growing up with your same people (the largest Chicano/Mexicano/Hispanic population in the US) and you’re going through the same struggles in order to live a better life in the U.S. That immediately bonds you. That feeling combined with the past history that’s made up from all the different ethnic and cultural groups that lived here before creates this unique East LA energy/emotion. I don’t know what to call it, but it’s a feeling. You can definitely feel it. And when you leave this community, that feeling doesn’t leave you. Since I’m not the best at the best at articulating my thoughts in words, I found that with Instagram I can capture that feeling. Most followers react very positive to that East LA feeling/nostalgia.
You've posted over 1500 pictures to date. Do you have any favorites and if so can you show/tell us about it/them? 

I have one favorite. The first picture I posted on my goEastLos Instagram account was a picture of “El Corrido de Boyle Heights” mural. That mural represents my East LAand it’s one of my earliest childhood memories. This might sound weird but I believe this mural holds very special energy. I quickly realized that when you Instagram it, you can feel the energy through the picture. It’s Art! It’s Beautiful! It’s Alive! The energy of the mural is captured in that Instagram picture. And the cool thing about Instagram is that you can immediately share that feeling/energy/picture whatever you want to call it to Instagram and get an immediate response. It’s Social/Human interaction on another level. On our phones! And I think that’s pretty cool.

"El Corrido de Boyle Heights" mural painted by the East Los Streetscapers in 1994.
Photo by @GoEastLos 

Community is very important to us here in Cypress Park. Javier's account is like a daily reminder to look around and pay attention to things that usually go unnoticed and to celebrate our communities and the hard working people who call them home.
Check out a few pix you'll find on the @GoEastLos feed. 



          


                         






Wednesday, October 17, 2012

La Cholita and the Open Mic: An Evening of Empowerment

We are excited to announce the return of our Open Mic program, November 29th, 2012 from 6-7:30pm. Participation is open to everyone but teens, and girls in particular, are encouraged to share their poetry, writings and music.  

We believe in the importance of empowering our youth and what better way than to encourage their creativity and self expression. We decided to dedicate this program to teenage girls in particular and we knew just who to invite to host our Open Mic. Luckily for us, @VivaLaCholita is just as excited to to help us out.



La Cholita is Northeast L.A.'s very own royalty. Referred to as "The Latina Queen of Burlesque" by her fans for pioneering a Latina revolution in the Burlesque scene when there was none. Cholita's dynamic dance moves, elaborate one of a kind costumes and larger than life stage persona have earned respect and recognition around the world. She has dazzled stages of sold out venues in the UK, Germany, Canada, and every major city across the US. 

(photo credit to funakifoto.blogspot.com)

Now that she's conquered the burlesque world she's making her mark on the music scene with a bang! After a guest vocal appearance with Cumbiabilly sensations The Moonlight Trio more requests to sing began pouring in and led to a successful collaboration with Santos De Los Angeles singing at packed venues like House of Blues on Sunset, Long Beach Convention Center and Downtown L.A's art walk. Read more here.

 
 “When I sing it’s so much more honest. There are no frills, no vanity just a direct source to my soul. I’m singing my life for all to judge and while it’s makes me feel more vulnerable it makes me feel alive and free.” - La Cholita

You can catch this program streaming live at www.livestream.com/CypressParkLibrary so feel free to join in there. 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Cypress Park Community Clean Up

      Councilman Ed P. Reyes
                             invites you to participate in the 


           Cypress Park 
        Community Clean up

    Saturday, October 20, 2012
             8am-1pm

We encourage you and your family to join us in taking pride in our community.

For more information please contact: 
Daniel Andalon: 213-485-0763

                    Volunteers please meet at
                       Cypress Park Library
                       1150 Cypress Avenue
                      Los Angeles, CA. 90065


                       In partnership with:
Friends of Cypress Park Library * Nightingale Middle School Parents * Greater Cypress Park Neighborhood Council * Cypress Park Improvement Association * Sotomayor High School * Children's Hospital * Aragon Elementary * LACC * 




English as a Second Language classes

                            East Los Angeles Service Area 
                    Division of Adult and Career Education
                                              Los Angeles Unified School District


                     English as a Second Language
                              Inglés como Segundo Idioma 

                        Learn English by Video
                             Clases para padres por DVD


                      Cypress Park Library
                           1150 Cypress Avenue
                                   Los Angeles, CA. 90065

                             Every Friday
                        10:00am - 12:00pm

               If interested, sign up NOW!!!!!


Classes are free* / Clases son gratis*
*Small monthly $5 fee for materials / Pequeña cuota para materiales ($5 por mes).

For more information, call (323) 223-1283. All educational opportunties are available without regard to race, color, national origin, gender or handicap. 


Saturday, October 13, 2012

This Week at the Library (Oct 15- 20th)

Monday 

2- 4:30pm "Used Book Sale" 

The "Friends of The Cypress Park Library" holds a small book sale every Monday in the community room. This one isn't as big as the one they hold Saturdays but it's just as important and proceeds fund library programs and some materials. Please join us.

3:30-5:30pm "Story Time And Reading"
Books come alive for kids when they share the fun of reading with S.T.A.R. library volunteers. Grandma Sara will be here.


Tuesday
3-4pm "Infant/Toddler Story Time"
We're celebrating Latino Heritage Month. Danza Azteca Xochipilli presents the ancient tradition of the Aztec people through music, stories and dance and performs in indigenous costumes. 

6-7:30pm "¡Ask a Mexican!"
We welcome back nationally syndicated writer and friend of the library, Gustavo Arellano, for what is expected to be a hilarious program. Gustavo will talk about some of the most ridiculous, strange and straight out raciest questions that he's answered for his nationally syndicated OCWeekly column, "¡Ask a Mexican!". More info here


Wednesday
12-1pm "Adult computer class" 
Adults, join us for a beginner's guide to the internet. Patrick will teach you the basics of web browsing, word processing and how to create and access your email account. Bring your questions. Patrick will supply the answers.

Thursday
4-5pm "Teen Author Roundtable"
In honor of Teen Read Week 2012, we present a Teen Author Roundtable with guests, Janet Tashjian and Ann Stampler. We'll also announce the winner of our teen writing contest. More details here.



Friday
Books comes alive for children when they share the fun of reading with S.T.A.R. library volunteers. Grandpa Allen will be here.


Saturday
10am-2pm
The "Friends of the Cypress Park Library" will be holding a used book sale in the community room. Previously enjoyed books, tapes and CDs will be available ranging in price from .25 - $1. Please join us. Proceeds from the book sale go to fund special library programs, events and materials.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

This Week at the Library (Oct 8-13)

Monday
Library is CLOSED for Columbus Day  

All LAPL facilities will be closed today in observance of Columbus Day. 


Tuesday
3-4pm "Infant/Toddler Story Time 
Miss Alicia will read stories to the children and we’ll also be making crafts. This free program is for children up to the age of 12.



Wednesday
12-1pm "Adult computer class" 
Adults, join us for a beginner's guide to the internet. Patrick will teach you the basics of web browsing, word processing and how to create and access your email account. Bring your questions. Patrick will supply the answers.

2-4pm "Worksource Mini Job Fair"
WorkSource centers are your best sources for resources and solutions and every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month they're here with us to assist you with preparing your resume for potential employers and pointing you in the right direction with new job leads. 

Thursday
4-5pm "Teen XBox Night"
Teens, join Paula for another hour of Xbox on the big screen. Light refreshments will be provided and feel free to bring your own Xbox games to play. 

Friday
Books comes alive for children when they share the fun of reading with S.T.A.R. library volunteers. Grandpa Allen will be here.


Saturday
10am-2pm "Book Sale" 
The "Friends of the Cypress Park Library" will be holding a used book sale in the community room. Previously enjoyed books, tapes and CDs will be available ranging in price from .25 - $1. Please join us. Proceeds from the book sale go to fund special library programs, events and materials.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Unique Ladies: Lowriding at the Library

Cruising low and slow down the streets of Chicano San Diego is the city’s only all-women’s low-rider car club, The Unique Ladies. Pat and Sherry turn heads for their super slick and tricked out vehicles, and cause a stir by challenging a gender norm–where traditionally, men rule the road, and women take the sidelines. Now the ladies want to expand their club, inviting another lady low-rider to their club, Linda. The transition isn’t proving easy, as the low-rider scene is still resistant to women taking the driver’s seat.



The Unique Ladies is a short documentary aimed to expose an audience to Low-rider culture localized around women’s work and participation. Using a hybrid style of verite footage with interwoven interviews, The Unique Ladies takes you on a funky ride down the streets of Chicano San Diego. Punctuated with multimedia animation and cut to a bass thumping soundtrack, the audience engages with lowrider culture through the eyes of Chicana cruisers.



Filmed entirely in the densely Mexican American populated city of San Diego, The Unique Ladies specifies it’s lowrider community while highlighting that this sport maintains variations in it’s geographical practice. While focusing on women within the practice of lowriding, The Unique Ladies closely engages with women who are actively resisting passive roles in the lowrider hierarchy, it is through their practice of lowriding that they consistently contest their exclusion.

As an example of localized working class feminism, this film challenges these notions and critiques low-riding’s male hegemony while highlighting the trials and tribulations women low-riders encounter when navigating in a highly contested space.


                                       


The Unique Ladies will be here, Monday, October 22nd, from 6-7:30pm , for a special screening of their film and a Q & A session following.


If you can't join us in person for this event, please follow along online at www.livestream.com/CypressParkLAPL and/or tweet us at @CypressParkLAPL with any questions or comments you might have for The Unique Ladies.

Download and print this program's flyer here


Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Paint Like Frida Kahlo Program
Thursday, October 4 
4:00-5:00 pm

Join us tomorrow to create a watercolor self-portrait inspired in the style of Frida Kahlo. All materials are provided and FREE! 

Who was she? Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who lived from July 6, 1907 to July 13, 1954. She was married to Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Many of her paintings are self-portraits reflecting different periods in her life, many of which were filled with pain and suffering. In this activity, you can pick up a paintbrush and create a self-portrait inspired by this renowned artist.



Fourth Grade Cinco de Mayo Activities: Paint a Frida Kahlo Inspired Self-Portrait

Danza Azteca Xochipilli

                         Celebrate/Celebre
                      Latino Heritage Month
                     Danza Azteca Xochipilli

                    All ages are welcome/Todos Bienvenidos 

Presenting the ancient traditions of the Aztec people through music, stories and dance. Danza Azteca Xochipilli performs in indigenous costumes. 

Presentado las tradiciones Aztecas con musica, danza y cuentos. Danza Azteca Xochipilli danza con trajes autenticos. 

  Tuesday October 16th/ martes 16 de octubre
                       Time/Hora 3-4pm

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Teen Author Roundtable this Thursday!!!

In honor of
Teen Read Week 2012
Cypress Park Library Presents 
Teen Author Roundtable 


Janet Tashjian is an American novelist living in Los Angeles. Her middle grade and young adult fiction is published by Henry Holt and Company. Her novels often incorporate different formats and play with the line between fiction and non fiction. 

       Thursday, October 18  4:00 - 5:00pm


Ann Redisch Stampler is an award-winning children's book writer whose first YA novel, Where It Began, (Simon Pulse, 2012), is a contemporary set in a Southern California high school.

We will have a Q & A with both authors, giveaways, and a grand prize winner for our Teen read Week writing contest. Prizes to be announced, but as a hint there will be books and shopping involved. ;)

Teen Read Week Writing Contest:
Write a short story (1-2 pages) about a big, life changing experience. It could be something you've been through or use your imagination and make one up. 
All stories must be turned in to the library (either by mail or in person) by Tuesday October 16.
The winner will be selected at the event. The winning short story will be posted on the library's blog and the authors will write up a "blurb" (summary or comment) about why they enjoyed the winning piece, to accompany the blog. Only teens can enter the TRW writing contest, but all ages can come and enjoy the program. 

Monday, October 1, 2012

This Week At The Cypress Park Branch Library (Oct 1-6th)


Monday 

2- 4:30pm "Used Book Sale" 
The "Friends of The Cypress Park Library" holds a small book sale every Monday in the community room. This one isn't as big as the one they hold Saturdays but it's just as important and proceeds fund library programs and some materials. Please join us.

3:30-5:30pm "Story Time And Reading"
Books come alive for kids when they share the fun of reading with S.T.A.R. library volunteers. Grandma Sara will be here.


Tuesday
2-3pm "Infant/Toddler Story Time 
Miss Alicia will read stories to the children and we’ll alsobe making crafts. This free program is for children up to the age of 12.



Wednesday
12-1pm "Adult computer class" 
Adults, join us for a beginner's guide to the internet. Patrick will teach you the basics of web browsing, word processing and how to create and access your email account. Bring your questions. Patrick will supply the answers.
Thursday
4-5pm "Teen Bingo Night"
Teens, join us for another hour of Bingo. Prizes and light refreshments will be provided

Friday
Books comes alive for children when they share the fun of reading with S.T.A.R. library volunteers. Grandpa Allen will be here.


Saturday
10am-2pm
The "Friends of the Cypress Park Library" will be holding a used book sale in the community room. Previously enjoyed books, tapes and CDs will be available ranging in price from .25 - $1. Please join us. Proceeds from the book sale go to fund special library programs, events and materials.

Pilar Marrero joins us November 15th


    Pilar Marrero is a journalist who for 25 years has extensively covered the areas of city government, immigration and state and national politics. She works for La Opinión as a senior reporter and it’s a regular commentator for radio and television in both Spanish and English media. She has a weekly syndicated column, Actualidad Politica, and works as a senior writer providing coverage and analysis of issues affecting the Latino community in the United States. 

She realeased her first book, "El despertar del sueno americano (Waking Up from the American Dream)" this past May. The English version is titled "Killing the American Dream: How Anti-Immigration Extremists Are Destroying the Nation" and will be hits store shelves Oct. 2nd. 

Pilar speaks immigration with Minnesota Public Radio. Listen to the interview here



Pilar will be joining us on November the 15th, from 6-7:30 pm. We're hoping there will be copies of her books available for purchase and autographs at the end of the program. We'll keep you posted. 



Can't join us in person? Watch along and ask Pilar questions live online at 
www.livestream.com/cypressparklibrary starting at 6pm or tweet us at @CypressParkLAPL.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

"Rhyme and Reason: Ozomatli presents Ozokidz"

     Hello readers, I was privileged to interview Wil-Dog Abers of Ozomatli on their latest album, Ozokidz! Learn about his perspective about their very first children's album!




What motivated you all as a band to create an album for the kids? 

It started three years ago when we were in Chicago backstage at the house of blues on a Tuesday night.  .. Nobody was showing up to our show and we couldn't figure out why so  I went on Facebook and posted up that said "who wants to come to our show tonight?  I'll give you free tickets"  Everybody was responding saying "sorry it's a school night! Or " I can't get a babysitter tonight" .... so our drummer said "we should do a kids album since all of our fans have kids anyways". Then we started looking into it more more deeply and figured out there was this whole other market of kids music and kids products that we could tap into that would allow families to come to our shows with their children.   

Are there any particular messages you intend to deliver in your songs?

The message with ozokids songs are pretty much consistent with the messages of ozomatli that is inclusion rather exclusion....
As for those ozokidz record ...each song has its own message.  We have  songs about exercising, skateboarding, overcoming fear of water and swimming.  I think that's one thing that is different between out kids stuff and the regular Ozo music is that each some has a defined subject. 


Growing up, were there any artists who influenced you to reach out to children through music?

When I was growing up I never listened to kids music. I was more into groups like the Clash and Prince and Rap music. I did start getting into  kids music until really recently because of doing this album. 

What type of genres would you say you interpret into your music and is there a particular age range this album is dedicated to address?

For the most part we interpret dance music from all over the world. Anything that you can dance to we'll put into our music. I would say this album is geared towards younger children probably age ranges 1 to 6.

The music you have on the Ozomatli albums are very similar to the Ozokids album, what makes the two diverse?

I would say it's a subject matters ...like we would not talk about a moose on the loose on an Ozomatli album.


I caught the Ozokidz concert in Echo Park and if I remember correctly, Asdru's daughter helped sing a song. Is she or any other children of your bandmates included in this album as well?

On this album Asdru's daughter is the only one on it. 


Me and my brother with Wil-Dog after an Ozokidz show.


What do you enjoy most about performing for young adults and children?

I like that you have to read the audience, stay on your toes and never miss a beat or they might get bored. It's defiantly been a learning process for us.  


Ive been to an Ozomatli concert and an Ozokidz concert. I notice that you give the same amount of energy for both. Would you say you have just as much fun performing for both?

I definitely have just as much fun playing for both however for the kids it's been a learning process and it's not easy it takes constant energy. Where on a regular Ozomatli show there's times that you can relax and take a breather with the kids you can never relax

Remezcla.com recently offered a free download of the song, "Balloon Fest". You can download it here.



What is your personal favorite song from the album and why?

"Germs" is one of my favorites because it has Justin and Asdru singing. I like it when different people are singing on one song it makes it really interesting and different.  I also like how the song talks about good germs that you need and also germs that are harmful to you.

All the songs on this album have a very positive vibe. They are upbeat and motivational. Not to mention educational aswell. For instance, the song about exercise and how to stay healthy and enviornmental friendly. I highly recommend this album for those of you who have children. As for those of you who don't, you still might find this album enjoyable. Afterall.. it is Ozomatli!!


Brianna Marie is a an over achieving Sophmore at a local High School. Her many interests include painting and writing but making music tops the list. You can find her singing with her band, hanging out with her friends or volunteering at the library.