For a long time, I've wanted to perform my play in Arizona. The state's notoriety in stoking anti-immigrant sentiment was something I thought about often. When SB 1070 (Show Me Your Papers Law) was enacted in 2010, it was the broadest and strictest anti-immigrant state law. Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Governor Jan Brewer gloated in media outlets about their state's anti-immigrant law. Soon, other states tried to outdo each other, passing punitive anti-immigrant laws. The history of discriminatory laws and the norms they preserve are themes in my one-woman show, Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name? Two years after Arizona adopted SB 1070, baseball pitcher Sergio Romo wore an I Just Look Illegal t-shirt at the 2012 World Series Victory Parade in San Francisco. Days earlier, Sergio had clinched the World Series victory for San Francisco's beloved baseball team with his fine pitching. Sportscasters and news analysts discussed whether Sergio was making a political statement and if it was appropriate to do so on this occasion. He was most definitely making a statement: laws like SB 1070 racially profile people who look like him. Four years later, Colin Kaepernick took a knee and heightened awareness about police brutality in the African American community. In the following years, many athletes, including entire NBA teams, showed up courtside protesting police killings of black men by wearing t-shirts with the words "I Can't Breathe." One day, while working on my play, I flashed on this image of Sergio Romo at the SF Giants World Series Victory Parade. This reminded me of various situations where I and others (who look Mexican) have been expected to justify our presence in the United States. I knew then that I needed to use this picture of Sergio Romo in my show. My wish to bring the play to Arizona finally came true in Scottsdale on December 10th. I had a wonderful time visiting Scottsdale and Phoenix and seeing long-time friends who have lived in Arizona their whole lives and others who found their way to this beautiful part of the country. The Kerr (pronounced care) Theater is a warm, intimate space in a handsome Southwestern adobe that was once the home and studio of one of the nation's early women composers and classically trained musicians, Louise Lincoln Kerr (remember its care). She was known as The Grand Lady of Music for her generous arts patronage. World-class musicians came from around the world for days and weeks to visit and play music at the Kerr home. I could feel the power of the woman who created this space and imagined her joy - doing what she loved best, making music with friends and colleagues. I am happy to report that all went well with the show (something one can't ever be sure of; see below) and that I had a wonderful audience. Thanks to my friend, Micha Espinosa, ASU Professor in the School of Music, Dance and Theater, for connecting me to the Kerr Theater. She also introduced me to one of her students, Gianbari Deebom, who recorded some audience members' reactions to the show, which we've put in this short video. Do You Get Nervous Before Shows? I'm often asked this question YES, I do, and I was significantly more anxious than usual as I had new material that I was presenting for the first time. Although I was pleased with what I had added and how it complemented the other scenes in the show, I kept messing up my lines. Typically, when this happens, I simplify the text and tinker with specific words. On Friday evening, two days before my show, I concluded that my script needed more than tinkering. I needed a rewrite of several pages, which I did. But I was beside myself with worry that I would be able to remember this part of the script. Saturday was set aside for tech rehearsal, which is the time when the performer (and the director, if present) sort out appropriate lighting for each scene and make sure that the images and sounds that support the story are seamlessly incorporated into the flow of the show. The number of techs that are part of the behind-the-scenes of a solo show varies depending on the complexity of the set and the size/budget of a theater- sometimes, it is just one person. Other times, it is a team of several people. I had two experienced techs at the Kerr: David, responsible for stage lighting, and Mitchell, who handled sound and images. All started well enough, but I was not performing well when I got to the new part. We practiced the same material a couple of times. I told the techs we should move on, and fortunately, the rest of the show ran smoothly. Since it was just 3 pm Saturday, I decided I'd be okay with a few more hours of dedicated work. When I'm having trouble remembering my lines, I do the following: I re-record them on an App named LineLearner. I then hit the trails (or streets) and hike or walk around, listening and repeating the lines. The physical movement is essential to the learning process for me. I start with one sentence, then another, and in a matter of hours, I can remember bigger and bigger chunks of the script. Back home (or in a hotel room), I write out the vexing lines with multiple colors pens. Sometimes, I'll write the same line in longhand -- five, six, ten times over. I did his Saturday evening (before and after my dinner break with friends). I went to sleep, confident I was ready. Early Sunday morning, I set out on my walk and started reciting my lines. Soon, dread seeped in. YIKES, I didn't have my lines down. I was due at the theater at noon but decided to go earlier to warm up and get more practice. The house was set to open at 1:30 pm, with the show starting at 2 pm. The techs and I agreed to run the hour-long show at noon, allowing us enough time to fix any glitches before the doors opened. About 20 minutes into the show, I was still messing up repeatedly when I got to the new material. Freak out time. Let's forgo the rest of the rehearsal, I told the techs. I returned to the Green Room, heart pounding, palms sweating. Take a deep breath; now take another deep breath. Calm down. It will all be OK, I reminded myself. I pulled out my colorful pens and a piece of paper, wrote down several bullet points, and made a flow chart. I told myself I didn't need to know my specific lines; I just needed to remember the sequence. First, the 1963 Birmingham Church bombing, then the racially motivated killings this past decade: Mother Emmanuel Church, Tree of Life Synagogue, El Paso Walmart, Pulse Nightclub, the passage of historic Civil Rights Acts in the 60s, George Floyd, Rodney King, Jose Campos Torres, ethnic studies, the fight against CRT, Justice Ketanji Jackson's Senate Confirmation hearing. This random listing of events won't mean anything to you unless you saw the Scottsdale show. But this list guided the story I was sharing with the audience. I walked around the room (fortunately, it was a nice-sized room,) imagining the flow of the story. Then, repeating this sequence, I danced to my eclectic preshow playlist, including Little Joe, Etta James, Rolling Stones, and Donna Summers. Finally, there was a knock on the door, showtime. Without a doubt, I was more nervous than at other times. Within a few minutes, after getting some laughs from the audience, I felt at ease, at one with the universe. When I got to the portion that had vexed me for several days, the lines flowed as they were supposed to. What a relief; the rest of the show was smooth sailing. Thanks to my SF Bay Area friends who have seen my show and recommended it to their Phoenix peeps. (Maria, Ellen, Gilda, Bonnie, I'm looking at you, and I know there are others). It brought me such joy when Maria shared part of an email from her friend who had attended. “So glad to learn of Irma Herrera's work, which was very entertaining, funny, poignant, and educational. It gave me pause as I contemplated her journey and a deeper understanding of some of her and others in similar circumstances, experiences, and challenges. She has new fans in Arizona.” ~Janet If you saw my Kerr Theater performance, I'd be happy to get a testimonial from you, too. I welcome any leads to theaters in Phoenix, Tucson, or Flagstaff as I'd love to return to Arizona.

I have so many stories I want to share with you on my Stairwell Teatro and look forward to doing so in the new year. Travels in November and getting ready for my show in Arizona earlier this month kept me from recording new episodes. Here's one about an amusing exchange with a young barista. While visiting Scottsdale, I stayed at a hotel across the street from a Starbucks. Before heading out for my morning walk, I stopped in every morning. I had a wonderful time performing at the Kerr Center in Scottsdale, Arizona and have much more to share about that early next week. I hope that you and your loved ones are well as you gather to celebrate whatever traditions are followed in your homes. You can watch the previous twelve episodes of my Stairwell Teatro in just over a half-hour since individual stories are typically around two minutes. Click here for the playlist.

Just returned from 2+ weeks in Egypt, and the jet lag got to me at this end. In Egypt, we saw remarkable temples, tombs, pyramids, and obelisks dating back thousands of years. Seeing the quarries where they mined the limestone, sandstone, and marble to construct these grand structures was awe-inspiring. The testament to the human imagination and the desire to create beauty and leave one's mark. The need to be seen and remembered is universal. Pharaohs and royalty made sure they created the grandest of monuments to themselves (often seeking to erase those who preceded them and distorting the history of succession). Quarries were often hundreds of miles from these temples, and the colossal building blocks were transported on boats when the Nile flooded during the summer. In my mind’s eye, I can see the hundreds and thousands of highly skilled laborers and craftsmen chiseling away to create the beautiful carvings at these temples. Beyond the archeologic points of interest, I was equally eager to learn about people’s lives in Egypt today, especially women, with whom we rarely interacted. All of our guides were men, as was the crew of 12 people on the dahabeeyah (sailboat), where the 15 passengers spent five days on the Nile, stopping along the way to visit archeological sites. I had the opportunity to speak numerous times with crew members and guides and was curious about the lives of their wives and daughters. I will be sharing more about this trip in future blogs. For now, here is a Stairwell Episode about Nobuko, who was our guide last year for two weeks while we traveled in Japan. AND I’m super psyched about my trip to Phoenix next month to perform my last 2023 show at ASU’s Kerr Cultural Center. If you know people in Phoenix, I’d love to connect with them and tell them about my show. Tickets at this link. You can watch the previous eleven episodes of my Stairwell Teatro in about a half-hour since individual stories are typically around two minutes. Click here for the playlist.

I'm on a two-week trip to Egypt, and before leaving, I recorded several episodes of my Stairwell Teatro. Episode 11 is a story about someone reclaiming the pronunciation of the name their parents gave them. This is a recurrent theme of name stories that folks share with me. Posts about this topic appear regularly on LinkedIn and typically generate hundreds of comments. No matter where I travel, I always find name stories. On arrival in Cairo last week, we were met at the airport by Mohamed, whom I greeted like an old friend as I’d been communicating with Mohamed (at the Egyptian travel agency) for several months. He explained that he was a different Mohamed than the one I'd been emailing at the Nour el Nil agency. He added that Mohamed was a common name, and we would meet many Mohameds during our time in Egypt. And so it is. Almost every day, we meet a new Mohamed, who is likely to tell us his middle name -- Abdul, Ahmed, Hussein (just three examples). Mohameds lightheartedly joke that if you call out the name, more than half the men will respond. So best to use their middle names. One Month Away-- December 10 I'll perform the final 2023 show at ASU's Kerr Cultural Center on December 10th in Scottsdale, AZ. Spread the word to friends or family in the Phoenix area. I'm excited to see long-time Arizona friends and to meet new ones. You can watch the previous ten episodes of my Stairwell Teatro in a half-hour since individual stories are typically around two minutes. Click here for the playlist.

Felipe Jason’s story continues to pain me. His wife shared this with me after seeing one of my shows. To protect his privacy, I changed his names -- keeping a distinctly Latino first name and a typically white-sounding middle name. Felipe has done everything to set himself up for success in mainstream corporate America, finished college with distinction, got an MBA from an Ivy League School, and landed a job with an investment firm, he was ready. While some job seekers whitewash their resumes so that their ethnic/racial backgrounds are less salient (if at all noticeable), Felipe didn’t do this. This article in The Atlantic, about whitewashing, may be of interest. Click here to read. It reports on academic research that confirms that minority job seekers who whiten their resumes are likelier to be more successful at securing interviews and getting job offers. Although now several years old, this article is interesting and relevant at many levels, especially as conservative factions are seeking to eliminate programs that recruit employees from underrepresented groups. Even more surprising in this situation is that Felipe had worked with this firm the previous summer and colleagues had then used his first name. Only after they had hired him did his employer unilaterally decide to whiten Felipe for their clients by using his “more acceptable” (to them) middle name. True, it was his name, and he did include it in his resume, it just wasn’t the name he used. It’s hard for me to imagine that Felipe could thrive in this environment, although it is my great home that he succeeded and that his career did get off to a good start. I was reminded about a similar story two-name story that was shared by a woman lawyer, whom I’ll call Ann, who was waiting for her case to be called on the motion calendar at Alameda County courtroom in Oakland, California. The young male lawyer introduced himself (again, I’ve changed the names). Counsel: Good morning, Your Honor, David Levy-Jones, on behalf of the plaintiff, John Doe. Judge: Counsel, which is it Levy or Jones? Counsel: Your Honor, It’s Levy-Jones, a hyphenated last name. Judge: Not in my courtroom it isn’t. Which should I use? Ann said you could have heard a pin drop in the courtroom. Everyone’s eyes looked up from their papers and zeroed in on the rookie lawyer at the podium. She wondered if the judge didn’t like hyphenated last names because women typically used them but didn’t want to seem biased against women, so he picked on a man with a hyphenated last name. Ann, who is Jewish, said, I also wondered whether the judge was putting him through some loyalty test asking him to choose one name over the other. She added, “this exchange made me very uncomfortable. If he picks the Jewish last name will that be a bad or good thing?" Levy-Jones told him he could use Jones. That story made me equally uncomfortable. Hopefully, that Judge is now no longer on the bench. I am always amazed by the name stories that come my way. Heading to Phoenix in December Just five weeks to my ASU show. If you know folks in the Phoenix area, please let them know I’ll be on December 10th performing my final live show this year at Arizona State University’s Kerr Cultural Center in Scottsdale, AZ. Spread the word to friends or family in the Phoenix area. I promise you the best show I’ve got. Click here for tickets. You can watch the previous nine episodes of my Stairwell Teatro in a half-hour since individual stories are typically around two minutes. Click here for the playlist.

I love research studies, especially those examining bias and discrimination. This episode references the 2003 National Bureau of Economic Research study titled Are Emily and Greg More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal? This study sent out 5,000 identical resumes concerning education and experience for jobs advertised in the Boston and Chicago areas. The only difference in the resumes was the names of the applicants. Applicants with Black-sounding names were less likely to be invited to interview for jobs than applicants with White-sounding names. Read the study here. As I mentioned in this Stairwell Episode, these studies have also been done in other countries, reaching the same conclusion. Applicants are perceived as “more qualified” or are of greater interest to employers if their names suggest they are members of the dominant (ruling) group in that country. Name discrimination expands well beyond the employment arena. It could deny access to an apartment or home, or it may keep your child from being admitted into a preschool, as was reported in this article for Wired (UK), where British parents with Muslim-identified names were told there was no space in a preschool, but persons with White-sounding names who inquired about openings were offered spaces. The Wired (UK) article also references the GEMM Study (GEMM stands for Growth, Equal Opportunities, Migration, and Markets), which is a comparative analysis of hiring discrimination across 53 ethnic groups in five European countries: Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Norway, and the Netherlands. The data analyzes cultural differences, religion, phenotype, and soft and hard skills of job applicants. Read the GEMM study here. The results are consistent with studies from the United States, and the GEMM Study found that ethnic minorities needed to send 60 percent more applications to get as many callbacks as the white majority. Countries with a longer history of immigration from former colonies seemed to have higher rates of discrimination, according to this study. British employers were the most discriminatory compared to Norway, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands. “We were a bit surprised by that,” says Valentina di Stasio, an assistant professor at Utrecht University who worked on the research. “In Britain (name discrimination) is very high by international standards.” And if this topic interests you, and you share my nerdy tendencies, here is another interesting article here. Heading to Phoenix in December Know someone in the Phoenix area? Maybe you even live there yourself. If so, I hope to see you on December 10th when I perform my final live show this year at Arizona State University’s Kerr Cultural Center in Scottsdale, AZ. Spread the word to friends or family in the Phoenix area. I promise you the best show I’ve got. Click here for tickets. You can watch the previous eight episodes of my Stairwell Teatro in under 30 minutes since individual stories are typically around two minutes. Click here for the playlist.

I love that some of you send me emails, texts, and call to share your name stories. I summarize or rephrase because I’m seeking to tell a story in two minutes. Hopefully, I present a “good-enough” shortened version of what you've told me. In my writing I can provide a bit more about the stories you share. When my friend Maria got high praise for her good Spanish, she told her friends the following: "I'm blessed to be bi-lingual, but trust me, I know what you mean. In learning to speak English, I knew pronouncing English words correctly was crucial - why wouldn't I? And English is exponentially much more difficult to learn than Spanish, so few words are phonetic, like in Spanish. It just takes practice and a commitment to respecting language - any language." "Crickets.” Yep, there was complete silence; no one said anything in response to Maria's comments. Awkward. Maria concludes her email by saying, “if an English speaker can pronounce the following words correctly, a Spanish R or double L should be easy/peasy: Au contraire Bon appétit Bourgeois C’est la vie Cliché Entrée Faux pas Nouveau Potpourri Touché Questions to my friends who are not native speakers of English. Do you make an effort to pronounce French words correctly? Does it feel embarrassing if you don’t get them quite right? Do Spanish words feel more intimidating than French words? Do you find yourselves offering explanations (to self or others) about why you might struggle with Spanish words? Asking for a friend. Know someone in the Phoenix area? Maybe you even live there yourself. If so, I hope to see you on December 10th when I perform my final live show this year at Arizona State University’s Kerr Cultural Center in Scottsdale, AZ. Spread the word to friends or family in the Phoenix area. I promise you the best show I’ve got. Click here for tickets. When I was in San Antonio, I enjoyed recording a podcast with Dr. Elena Foulis at Texas A&M University, San Antonio. Latin@ Stories is a podcast born out of the oral history project about Latin@s in Ohio, Oral Narratives of Latin@s in Ohio (ONLO). It seeks to amplify the Latin@ experience with interviews in Spanish, English and Spanglish. The podcast has stories about Latin@s that live all over the US. Have a listen at this link. You can watch the previous seven episodes of my Stairwell Teatro in under 20 minutes, since individual stories are typically around two minutes. Click here for the playlist. Finally, please join me in sending thoughts of loving kindness into the universe. Many of us feel hopeless and despair with the world in such a crisis. Let us choose empathy and compassion for all our brothers and sisters experiencing this unimaginable trauma. And remember, spread hope and love. No te cuesta nada, an expression I grew up hearing about many things, and one that certainly applies to spreading hope and love.

It took a long time for COVID to get to me, and finally, it did. Like so many people, I got sick two days after my return flights from San Antonio. I did wear a mask at the airport and on the two flights, but hardly anyone is masked anymore. And who was I kidding? I did pull down my mask to drink a beverage. I had a 103.5 degree fever, and congestion. Felt lousy for three days. I started Paxlovid right away, and once the fever was gone, I felt much better. Finally tested negative on Day 7, and other than feeling a bit less energetic, I’m AOK. Please keep sending me your name stories; love reading them -- some make me mad, and others are so uplifting -- like the one in today’s Stairwell Teatro. The world is such a tough place; it is hard to watch the news, and I mostly keep up with world events through radio and print. Seeing images on TV and video is just too disturbing. So much destruction, pain, and suffering. Feeling the sadness and hoping all of us can hold on to our humanity.

Here is this week's installment of my Stairwell Teatro. I still shake my head when I think back to this incident with Shelly, the receptionist in the office. I mentioned what had happened to the senior partner I worked with, and he insisted on speaking to HR about this. I didn't want Shelly penalized; just informed that her comments were inappropriate. I had a good relationship with Shelly, and whether she got it or not, I don't know. The issue never came up again. Several of you have emailed or called me to share your name stories, and they are so good. Thanks so much, and by all means, keep them coming. I can be reached at irmadherrera@gmail.com. I'm finally home after almost two weeks away (Nashville and San Antonio). And I'm pleased to participate in a few Zoom events in October for the last two weeks of Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. Typically, I perform two or three short scenes from my play, followed by a panel discussion with two or three employees within the organization. These events are open to all employees, and it's genuinely heartwarming to see how folks relate to the conversation regardless of their ethnic/racial identity or gender orientation. The issue of names and how we show respect is quite engaging, and these presentations play equally well at financial services firms, research institutions, and non-profits. My next live show will be at Arizona State University (ASU) on December 10th. Please help spread the word if you know people in the Phoenix area. Tickets and more info here. If you are on social media, you can follow me by clicking on the links below: Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Facebook TikTok Mil gracias.

Had so much fun with this cuentito. People say the craziest things. Keep sending me and telling me your name stories. My goal is to publish a Stairwell Teatro Episode each Thursday, but this past Thursday I was focused on getting my show ready, so this is coming to you a wee bit later than usual. Gracias, San Antonio After two days of some rough rehearsals, where I kept messing up important lines, we produced a show that I am proud of. Thanks to the tech team Dion and Catherine and everyone at St. Mary's who made this performance possible. We had a full house and an appreciative audience. It is especially wonderful for me to perform before bilingual Tejano audiences, since a good part of my story is about growing up in South Texas and explores the history of the Chicano community. I've met so many amazing community leaders in the world of arts, politics, and civil rights while in San Antonio, thanks to all of you for your Tejas-sized hospitality. I've also had the opportunity to catch up with extended family, many of whom I've not seen in decades. I look forward to returning. Super happy to tape a Latin@ Stories podcast at Texas A&M University, San Antonio. I'll link that when available. Hasta la proxima. In October I'm participating in several corporate and non-profit Employee Resource Group (ERG) roundtable conversations as part of Hispanic Heritage Month activities. Don't need to wait for Hispanic Heritage Month, I give speeches and make presentations all year round. My next performance will be at Arizona State University (ASU) on December 10th. Please help spread the word if you know people in the Phoenix area. Tickets and more info here. If you are on social media, please follow by clicking on the links below: Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Facebook TikTok Mil gracias.

In this week's installment of my Stairwell Teatro, my friend Kathy is given a new name by her 7th-grade teacher, and she has to use it the entire school year. Although this happened decades ago, Kathy still feels the sting of the experience. I'm so grateful to all of you who generously share your name stories with me. Keep them coming. NASHVILLE Greetings from Nashville. I love this place and am so glad I was invited to present at two different venues in this great city. AllianceBernstein's Latino ERG asked me to be part of the Hispanic Heritage Month activities. I gave an excerpt of my play and had a roundtable conversation with two Alliance Bernstein staff members, Kristen Junco and Levis Padron. A diverse audience attended and shared their name stories as part of the program. We were fortunate to be in the top-floor conference room with smashing views of the Nashville skyline. And check out Nashville's famous Batman Building, the nickname of the ATT Headquarters. In the late afternoon, I was at the Nashville Public Library at TN Justice For Our Neighbors annual event, Oye Vecino, which was also being recorded for an upcoming podcast. In addition to performing some scenes from my play, Two TNJFON staff members, Aineth Murgia, Alvaro Manrique Barranchea, and I talked about the organization's work and my career in law, journalism, and now as a playwright addressing social justice issues. TNJFON represents immigrants from many different countries, the Americas, Asia, Middle East, Africa, and educates the greater Nashville community about immigrant rights. It is led by Tessa Lemos Del Pino, Executive Director. Shout out to the TNJFON staff and board for their dedication and hard work. Thank you so much, AllianceBernstein and TNJFON, such an honor to join you today, and I'll say it again, I LOVE visiting Nashville and hope to be back. Would love to return to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on some future occasion (just 'sayin). NEXT STOP - San Antonio I will be at St. Mary's University's beautiful Guadalupe Chapel at Treadaway Hall next week, on Thursday, September 28th @ 7:30 pm. The St. Mary's show is open to anyone and is a free community service -- no charge, GRATIS. I love the materials prepared by St. Mary's for my show. Chulo, verdad? If you enjoy my newsletter and the cuentitos in my Stairwell Teatro, please share with your friends and colleagues. And if you wish to follow me on social media, click below to be connected. Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Facebook TikTok Mil gracias.

Although I say my name using the Spanish, French, and Italian pronunciations, it's not the only way to say, Irma. For those who don't know any Romance languages, it sounds kinda- like Ear-ma (well close enough), rather than URma. And, it's pronounced like that in Nordic languages, too. When I first visited Denmark, I learned that the largest grocery store chain in Denmark is named Irma . . . and guess what? It's pronounced like my name. And to celebrate that, I've treated myself to all sorts of Irma store swag: a wine tote, candy and mints, and Irma mustard. If you're ever in Copenhagen, check out the Irma store. It's pretty nice, and I love that friends send me pictures of themselves in front of the store. And how do they say Irma in Russia, you wonder? One day, a blond, blue-eyed gent called out my name perfectly when his Uber pulled over to pick me up in San Francisco. In our conversation, I learned from Aleksandr (originally from St. Petersburg) that Irma is pronounced like Irina (a common Russian name), and he was baffled that anyone would have difficulty saying it the way I do. But I digress. In Episode 3 of my Stairwell Teatro, I share a story about someone using the URma pronunciation and why it amused me. It happens, and it is best not to get worked up about it in these situations. Next week, I'm heading to Nashville, where I'm the guest speaker at TN Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON) Oye Vecino Live event at the historic Nashville Library on Thursday, 9/21, at 5 pm. Tickets are still available and start at $50. Your donation supports a great cause. Click here to register. I'll perform some excerpts from my play and then participate in a discussion with Aineth Murgia and Alvaro Manrique Barrenchea, TNJFON's legal team members. I'd be so thrilled to see my Nashville friends there. From Nashville, I fly to San Antonio, where my show will be presented at St. Mary's University at the beautiful Guadalupe Chapel at Treadaway Hall. While in San Antonio, I'll be meeting with students and members of the St. Mary's community, and I'll be at Texas A&M San Antonio taping a Latin@ Stories podcast. I am also looking forward to seeing my many Tejano relatives and friends. The St. Mary's show is open to anyone and is a free community service -- no charge, GRATIS. I love the materials prepared by St. Mary's for my show. Chulo, verdad? If you enjoy my newsletter and the cuentitos in my Stairwell Teatro, please share with your friends and colleagues. Mil gracias.