July 2009 Archives

The wisest Latina in L.A. County according to my unscientific poll is... Mamá. Aww, isn't that sweet. A couple of others got about as many votes: Latino civil rights advocate Antonia Hernandez, now head of the California Community Foundation, and L.A. County labor chief Maria Elena Durazo, and L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina trailed behind Mama.

There's a lot of talk about "wise Latinas" in the middle age crowd, Pasadena activist Roberta Martinez tells me, after Judge Sonia Sotomayor defended her comments and apologized that sticking up for wise people like her may have offended some people. Sotomayor looks headed to the marble halls of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Senate confirmation hearings may be remembered for inserting the "Wise Latina" phrase into the lexicon, alongside "Yo Quiero Taco Bell." The words are there, maybe devoid of context.

Southland Latinos I've interviewed over the years mostly complained about the confirmation hearings. The whole thing was off-key to East L.A.-based composer Geoff Gallegos. "A Supreme Court Justice needs to have the freedom to state their interpretation of the law without feeling shell shocked about expressing a semantical word. I thought she was just trying to bring some levity to the process. Has she put any pubic hairs on any soda cans? That didn't prevent another justice from getting confirmed."

He snickers that he knows a lot of wise-ass Latinas, and I'm sure they all know one big wise ass Latino (sorry Geoff, I couldn't resist). He nominates two wise Latinas, one in art and one in public transportation: Angelica Loa Perez in L.A.'s Department of Cultural Affairs and Monica Rodriguez at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. "...who was one of the architects at the beginning of the eastside MTA Gold Line extension. Once again, someone who is behind the scenes, and doesn't get much press, but nonetheless, has earned my respect with her brain."

If this were a real contest, with beer company sponsorship for example, I'd have some Wise Latina girlie tees to give out. Too late, Roberta tells me.

UCLA Chicano Studies professor Marissa Lopez believes ex-L.A. first lady Corina Villaraigosa is the wisest Latina, "por que cheaters never change; they just get more crafty."

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