Use promocode QNPARTNER for ticket discounts
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Before we were a sought after demographic, there was a sole Latino figure on national TV-Emilio Delgado on SESAME STREET. He is here in Houston starring in the brilliant play QUIXOTE NUEVO, written by Octavio Solis, at The Alley Theatre wt an all-Latino cast!
He is iconic.
When I watched Emilio Delgado as Luis on SESAME STREET, he just made it more pleasant and more meaningful to learn my ABC’s.
I did not know I would grow up to become the first Chicano to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Houston’s Creative Writing Program.
I didn’t know I would write books. I didn’t know I would go on to create Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say. I didn't know words would help me unite our community to organize the largest book fairs in Texas, to create the Nuestra Palabra radio show, to help others earn their Master’s degrees in writing, too.
But I did know I loved words. His was the recognizable face that let me know these words were part of our world, too.
There were no superheroes who looked like me.
None of my teachers looked like me. I would not read my first novel by a Latino author until I was a Junior in College.
But figures like Emilio Delgado got me there.
Luis reminded me of my uncle. He sounded like my dad, and he would bust loose in Spanish as we did at my house.
It made sense for me to keep chasing these words that did not seem to want to stay in place or explain themselves.
It is a blessing to get to meet Emilio in person and see him perform in QUIXOTE NUEVO. If you see the play, you know he loves to be on stage. He was born to be on stage. He is 79 years old, but he performs with the energy of a 20-year old for 2 hours, making the audience laugh, ponder, and yes, even cry.
The show hits so many notes, and it is tailor-made for Houston, Tejas, especially now as we continue to fight for representation. At least now, we know we are talented, we are brilliant, we are artists.
I look forward to spreading the word so that Houston will make Emilio feel at home like he made us feel at home on SESAME STREET.
Catch it from now until Feb 9. Visit www.AlleyTheatre.org for tickets. Use promo code QNPARTNERS for discounts. #QuixoteNuevo #AlleyNuevo #LATISM #LatinoArt #Teatro #unidos
Tune into the
Nuestra Palabra radio show
for interviews and more cultura Tuesdays live 6 pm - 7 pm 90.1 FM KPFT, Houston, Texas, livestream www.KPFT.org.
