LINDURA DE MI CULTURA This is MY BEAUTIFUL CULTURE! El Cortez Tequila Bar and Kitchen, this is one of the things Latino culture is about. Im sure that if you had tried hard enough to find it in Los Angeles, East LA when you lived there, you would have found it but instead you chose the Latino gangs/Cartel/MARAs to represent Latinos here in #Edmonton #YEG in your promotional video/images/Art to sell your Tequila Bar. Discussion that took place with El Cortez: https://facebook/lacen.edmonton/activity/321881404633045?comment_id=321904204630765¬if_t=like ] Another Discussion thread: https://facebook/DanielvFunktion/posts/10154403984335584?comment_id=10154407437825584&offset=0&total_comments=33¬if_t=share_reply The fact that you spent so much time fighting us on why it was culturally insensitive to use the Latino gangs/Cartel/MARAs made it even more wrong and then dismissing us because you were just trying to artfully express yourselves as you saw fit and as your right. You are Culturally In-Competent and Insensitive. You chose not to take the culture lesson we tried to give you in a positive way, instead, you accused us of using hate, and trying to stir hate in our community for showing you the error of your way. We respectfully asked you many times to do right by our culture since you chose to represent us, but you chose to fight us. We didnt ask you to open up a Tequila Bar that promoted Latino culture, you took that upon yourself, with that comes a responsibility that if you are going to promote Latinos, you do so in the right manner. If you are going to promote a culture that is not your own, then the onus is on you to cover all your bases [ask the culture questions you are promoting, in the community you are going to promote it in] so that you are not accused of being culturally insensitive. We live in a city that is trying really hard to celebrate all its cultures in a very respectful manner, but when establishments such as yours take another peoples culture and sells it as you see fit with no consequence, that sirs is disrespectful and ignorant. As we explained, we hated having to use the really hard words because we shouldnt have had to but as we explained in another thread, some Edmontonians during the world cup [even though there were so many Latino countries represented] still think we are all from Mexico, which is not an insult because we are all Latinos but the insult is the lack of understanding/knowing that Latino America has over 22 nations and some people still chose only one. This served as an educational piece for you. Edmonton is not East Los and Latinos here dont come with that mentality [we come with the scars and memories of the Latino gangs/Cartel/ MARAs]; you represented us in a very negative light just to sell your Tequila Bar with Latino flavour, you didnt consult the Latinos of this community instead you thought you could bring East Los to Edmonton and plant it here as art, your freedom of expression, selling the Latino gangs/Cartel/MARAs in your promotion and Latinos here would celebrate with you; Using images of the gangs from the movie Domino because you liked the movie doesnt make it right. Learn the history of the Latino gangs/Cartel/MARAs as we tried to teach you but you chose your own path and as we explained to you there are consequences when you chose to do the WRONG thing. You want it too look like its been wiped under the rug and its too bad no one saved the video but we have the image of the SUR13 womens gang you were promoting with, we have that, and that image will not go away until you issue an apology. We ask you again as we have been for the last two days to issue a public apology for whats occurred and most importantly, that you attempt [and we hope you will take this advice] to reach out for training you and staff to a Cultural Competence Workshop given at the Centre for Race and Culture in Edmonton or ask for assistance from Renee Vaugeois over at the John Humphrey Centre for Peace & Human Rights. You see, some of your followers on Facebook, the people who supported your statements/bar are just as blind about culture competence as yourself from some of the comments that have been made and you have a responsibility to #Edmonton that you will be intentional to promote #Edmonton in a good way and not bring negatives like promoting Latino gangs/Cartel/MARAs. If the City of Edmonton doesnt promote the Hells Angels, or allow white supremacists to get a foot hold in our city, what made you think that we Latinos would allow you to glamorize the Latino Gangs/Cartel/MARAs so you could sell your Tequila Bar? You have a responsibility to this community now and in this community, there are Latinos, and those Latinos dont promote or represent Latino gangs/Cartel/MARAs. One finally example so we hope you will finally see the point we are trying to make and why you must respect cultures and be culturally competent. Lets say you lived in Japan and loved the culture, [I hope the Japanese would speak out if anyone tried this] lets say you decide you want to open up a Sake Bar and use the Yakuza in your promo videos/information/Art because you watched the movie Black Rain or Kill Bill, you liked it and wanted to use it because it was cool and inspirational to you. We are waiting for you to issue a public apology for disrespecting our culture, for trying to sell GANGSTER as GLAMOROUS as a way for you to make money here in #Edmonton #YEG. This issue will not go away and nor will we stop asking. Thank you. P.S. Please dont think that by my using caps I am screaming at you as it is taught in North America. We Latinos are loud, and we write loud, this is part of our culture. This is how #MichaelMaxxis #ElCortezYEG @El Cortez Tequila Bar and Kitchen describe their bar in an Edmonton Journal news article from June 19, 2914: “This used to be an East L.A. gang hangout,” says Maxxis, referring to El Cortez’s design. “Some cartel boss came in, wiped everyone out, and took over the neighbourhood. He showed the room to his wife – a Hollywood blonde — and she said: ‘I want to make this a bar or restaurant.’” #BeLatino #DigiLatino #MichaelMaxxis #ElCortezYEG #YEGLatino #CANLatino #ABLatino #CulturalIncompetence #RacismFreeEdmonton #SohiAmarjeet #DonIveson #RememberMarch21 #akafeera EDMONTONIANS WHOVE MADE COMMENTS AND/OR SUPPORT THIS STATEMENT AND THE OTHER STATEMENT THREADS ON FACEBOOK: Lucy Barahona, Mirna Elizabeth Garcia, Kris King, Dan Amador, Sandrita Abril Hernandez, Reddog Rudy, Kat Tellez, Franco L Bonnizoni, Marcia Chavez, Mildred Salcedo, Carlos Cabrera, Lissette Radder, Jorge A Cervantes, Boris Contreras, Jason Gladue, Dick T. Eman, Jason Sherban, Derek Lee, VåńĔSsa Àmådór, Lee Frank, Justin T, Chris McAllister-Norman, Jackie Lachance, Mari Rodriguez-Rafoss, Dean Lealand, Brandi Guzman, Melanie Swerdan
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 19:52:20 +0000