Sunday, October 21, 2012

9th anniversary of HispanicNashville.com

Photo by Daniel Kulinski. Licensed via Creative Commons.

Today is the 9th anniversary of HispanicNashville.com!

Nine years ago today, two of the first stories on this site were about the Scene's Best of Nashville awards that year.  Conexion Americas won Best New Entrepreneurial Venture, and the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute - where many Spanish-speakers learn English and where many English-speakers learn Spanish - won Best (And Most Unheralded) Learning Resource.  Nine years later, Conexion and the TFLI are still innovating and integrating, the former having recently previewed its new digs, Casa Azafran, and the latter having launched a mobile ESL classroom.  The public can still get in on supporting Casa Azafran with a grand opening scheduled for December 1, and the TFLI is raising support next Friday, November 1, at an international wine and food tasting.

On last year's anniversary, I talked about what this site means to me and what I want my children to know about it. What I said there is still true.

Looking back specifically on this past year alone, the interviews and our guest contributors stand out.  If you haven't already, read the personal tales of these interview subjects: Rolando Rostro, "Manuel" (not the clothier), Gabriela Lira, Yvette Martinez, Ricardo Sanchez, and Jaime Romero. As for contributors, you have surely read some of their posts over the past year. They are what keeps this site going, so a heart-felt "thank you" goes out to Cindy McCainRebecca Zanolini, Javier RodriguezRalph Noyes, Gabriela Lira, Humberto CasanovaMiah Castillo, and Councilman Fabian Bedne for gracing the pages of HispanicNashville.com with their ideas, interests, and images.

From the truth and justice desk, it was my pleasure to report this year on where our food comes from, the spectrum of identity words from "American" to "il-----," the so-called Volunteer Rally of pro-immigrant bills introduced in the Tennessee legislature, and the 25th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan's immigration amnesty.  I even proposed (via a short work of fiction) my own, simple, amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
"All persons having resided in the United States for twenty-one years are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." (full story here)
All in all, this 9th year of HispanicNashville.com has been a great year and a joy to share with you.  Let the 10th year begin...


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