PANORAMA LATINO AMERICANO
(PLA) is a weekly television show broadcast in Spanish or English as the subject
or talent requires. This program covers a wide range of subjects concerning
Latin America, Latin Americans residing in the USA, and Latinos living in
Thurston County and surrounding areas. PLA began in September of 1989 as a
biweekly television program broadcast in English on Channel 22 (TCTV). In
1991 PLA became a weekly show alternating Spanish and English programs, and
broadcast three times per week --Sunday 8.00 P.M., Tuesdays12.30 A.M., and
Fridays 3.00 P.M. )
PANORAMA LATINO AMERICANO
is an open forum for the Latino/Hispanic segment of the population residing
in Thurston County, and for those interested in issues concerning this large
ethnic group. One of PLA's main goals is to serve as a link between the reality
of Latin America and; Latinos living in the USA, Latin descendants born in
the USA, and the Thurston County community. Between 1989 and now, over 350
televisions shows have been produced by PLA dealing with the culture, history,
religion, literature, folklore, arts and politics of Latin America. PLA has
produced many shows about Latinos in the United States, and in Thurston County.
The producers of PLA are aware
that the concept of "Hispanic" is not a homogeneous classification. People
from either Mexican or Spanish background are commonly lumped together by
those who assume all Latinos, whether native born U.S. citizens or people
coming to the U.S.from places ranging all the way from South of the Río
Grande to Patagonia, are all the same. Latin Americans are all immigrants,
uprooted from somewhere in the world and settled in an inadequately named,
"New World." These immigrants all represent diversity and are, without exception,
the bearers of a family of cultures: Indians, Europeans, Africans, Asians
etc. "The new world", would not exist without the heroic biographies, the
romantic languages, and the dreams of their worldly ancestors. A unique multicultural
mosaic exists primarily in Latin America created out of peoples ethnic, political,
historical, environmental, geographic, and regional cultural differences.
Many of these peoples later immigrated (for political or economic reasons),
were annexed (as with some Mexican territories), or reigned in under political
treaties (like Puerto Rico). Various aspects of the Latin American culture
mixed and began to interact with other cultures of the USA.
For eleven consecutive years
PLA has gathered the most important elements of Latino/Hispanic cultures as
described above. PLA has compiled an important library of unique artistic
materials, testimonies, and interviews created through production of regular
weely broadcasts. PLA celebrates the Hispanic/Latino Community in the Thurston
County area and in the USA. In this respect, PLA is a momentous videographic
testimonial resource, and an important contributor to the Humanities. Many
television shows about theater (street and peasant theater), dances, poetry,
murals and graffiti, history and politics, have been produced during the past
eight years.
PLA enjoys a positive affirmative
response from both English and Spanish speaking people in the area. PLA has
received many calls expressing thanks for what we are doing, and requests
for encores for many of these unique programs. PLA receives suggestions from
the community regarding topics and talent for future productions. Without
a doubt, PLA has filled a cultural void felt among inhabitants of the county.
Schools, churches, colleges, community and state organizations also benefit
from our productions. Folkloric programs from the Andes, Mexico, Central America
and the Caribbean, for example, are used --free of charge-- in our local schools
in their regular Spanish classes or classes dealing with multiculturalism
and ethnic minorities in the USA.
Another important contribution
provided by PLA occurs in its special programming which contains exclusive
material obtained through our personal sources and correspondents in Latin
America. For example, PLA's coverage of the (February) 1990 national elections
in Nicaragua. Exclusive footage about the participation of former President
Jimmy Carter and former Senator Dan Evans in the election was filmed by our
own crews. Similar coverage has been effected in El Salvador, Guatemala, and
most currently, Chile and Mexico. In addition, interview programs (talk shows)
with well known personalities from Latin America, for instance the interview
with Uruguayan writer, Eduardo Galeano, and the poet, songwriter and singer
Luis Mejía Godoy from Nicaragua, The folkloric ballad of Universidad
Veracruzana of Mexico, Grupo Illapu, Inti Illimani, Quilapayún from
Chile, Grupo Sukay from Bolivia and California have all given performances
which have been aired on PLA.
