Ruben Martinez
Encyclopedia
Ruben Martinez is a journalist, author, and musician. He is the son of Rubén Martínez, a Mexican American who worked as a lithographer, and Vilma Angulo, a Salvadoran psychologist. Among the themes covered in his works are immigrant life
and globalization
, the cultural and political history of Los Angeles (Martinez's hometown), the civil wars of the 1980s in Central America (his mother is a native of El Salvador
), and Mexican politics and culture (he is a second-generation Mexican-American on the father's side of his family).
; becoming the first Latino on staff there. Subsequently, he became a contributing essayist to National Public Radio, and a TV host for the Los Angeles-based politics and culture series, Life & Times
, for which he won an Emmy Award
. His essays, opinions, and reportage have appeared in most of the country's major newspapers and magazines.
Martinez's books include: Flesh Life: Sex in Mexico (with Joseph Rodriguez, Powerhouse Books, 2006), The New Americans (New Press, 2004), a companion volume to the PBS
series of the same name, Crossing Over: A Mexican Family over the Migrant Trail (Metropolitan/Holt, 2001), East Side Stories (with Joseph Rodriguez, Powerhouse Books, 1998), and The Other Side: Notes from the New L.A., Mexico City & Beyond (Vintage, 1993).
As a political commentator, Martinez has made appearances on Nightline, Politically Incorrect
, and FRONTLINE.
Ruben Martinez currently holds the Fletcher Jones Chair in Literature & Writing at Loyola Marymount University
in Los Angeles, previously having taught at the University of Houston
's Creative Writing Program, the University of California
, Santa Barbara, and Claremont McKenna College
.
As a musician he has recorded with Los Illegals
, Concrete Blonde
, and The Roches
.
town of Cherán
, Mexico, into and across the United States. Three of the Chavez's were killed in an accident resulting from a Border Patrol chase while they attempted to cross the border
. Martinez also traced the migrations of other families from Cheran, including the Tapias, Enriquezes, and Guzmans. Martinez followed these families as their journeys took them to California, Wisconsin
, Missouri
and Arkansas
in search of the better life. But Martinez found out that this is not what the immigrants necessarily find. Many faced racism and hardship.
. It is an account of the new culture formed by the guerrillas of San Salvador
, performance artists of Tijuana
, young graffiti artists in Los Angeles, and rock and roll singers from Mexico City. It displays both the lifestyle of immigrants and new Latinos to Los Angeles, and the sadness and sympathy which he shows for those who struggle forward in bad times, both in the North and down in Salvador and other Central American countries.
when America's response to immigration changed immensely. Throughout the book he makes references to Ellis Island
, the Statue of Liberty
, and "The New Colossus
", the poem on the Statue of Liberty. Martinez wrote The New Americans to show not only how America's view of immigration has changed, but also how immigration is changing America.
The book follows the story of seven families as they immigrate to the United States. One family is from Palestine
. The daughter of this family is marrying a second generation immigrant from Palestine that lives in Chicago
. Another family is in exile from Nigeria
, and has been granted permission by the United States to move to Chicago. Two other immigrants are from the Dominican Republic
, and have come to the United States to play professional baseball. Another family is from Mexico, immigrating to California in order to make money. The last family immigrated from India
to California, to make more money than they would be able to make in India.
The New Americans also brings to light many of the difficulties the immigrants face in the process of leaving their homeland and arriving in America. The book shows that the immigrants face problems such as racism, difficulty finding a job, difficulty acculturating, and the overwhelming sadness of leaving the land that they have always known. The New Americans is based on a PBS documentary series also named The New Americans. The book received many positive reviews.
, the Loeb Fellowship from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, the "Freedom of Information Award" from the ACLU, the "Greater Press Club of Los Angeles Award of Excellence", and an Emmy Award. The Lannan Foundation fellowship is given to a person whose "work inspires communities domestic and international that are struggling to uphold and defend their right to cultural freedom and diversity", (Lannan Foundation). Martinez won this award in 2002, for his nonfiction work, Crossing Over.
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
, the cultural and political history of Los Angeles (Martinez's hometown), the civil wars of the 1980s in Central America (his mother is a native of El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
), and Mexican politics and culture (he is a second-generation Mexican-American on the father's side of his family).
Professional career
From 1988 until 1993, he was a writer and editor at LA WeeklyLA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
; becoming the first Latino on staff there. Subsequently, he became a contributing essayist to National Public Radio, and a TV host for the Los Angeles-based politics and culture series, Life & Times
Life & Times (TV series)
Life & Times was a long-running award-winning local news magazine and public affairs series produced by and broadcast on KCET from 1991 to 2007. It was KCET's signature local program, airing weeknights, Monday through Friday, at 7pm....
, for which he won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
. His essays, opinions, and reportage have appeared in most of the country's major newspapers and magazines.
Martinez's books include: Flesh Life: Sex in Mexico (with Joseph Rodriguez, Powerhouse Books, 2006), The New Americans (New Press, 2004), a companion volume to the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
series of the same name, Crossing Over: A Mexican Family over the Migrant Trail (Metropolitan/Holt, 2001), East Side Stories (with Joseph Rodriguez, Powerhouse Books, 1998), and The Other Side: Notes from the New L.A., Mexico City & Beyond (Vintage, 1993).
As a political commentator, Martinez has made appearances on Nightline, Politically Incorrect
Politically Incorrect
Politically Incorrect is a late-night, half-hour political talk show hosted by Bill Maher that ran from 1993 to 2002. It premiered on Comedy Central from 1993 to 1997, and later on ABC in 1997, which cancelled it in 2002....
, and FRONTLINE.
Ruben Martinez currently holds the Fletcher Jones Chair in Literature & Writing at Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
in Los Angeles, previously having taught at the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
's Creative Writing Program, the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, Santa Barbara, and Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college and a member of the Claremont Colleges located in Claremont, California. The campus is located east of Downtown Los Angeles...
.
As a musician he has recorded with Los Illegals
Los Illegals
Los Illegals is an American Chicano punk band from Los Angeles, California.- History :The band struck a deal with the local order of radical Catholic nuns to open & run the legendary Club Vex at the Catholic Youth building where they booked & introduced Eastside to Westside groups Los Illegals is...
, Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde is an alternative rock band based in the United States. They were initially active from 1982 to 1995, and again from 2001 to 2004, and once again in 2010.-Biography:...
, and The Roches
The Roches
The Roches are a female vocal group of three songwriting Irish-American sisters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, known for their "unusual" and "rich" harmonies, quirky lyrics, and casually comedic stage performances.The Roches have been active as performers and recording artists since the mid-1970s,...
.
Crossing Over
Martinez's major work, Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail appeared in 2001. Martinez followed a Mexican migrant clan, the Chavez family, from the small MichoacánMichoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
town of Cherán
Cherán
The municipio of Cherán is located in the Mexican state of Michoacán, which is situated in the central western portion of the Republic of Mexico and extends to the Pacific Shore...
, Mexico, into and across the United States. Three of the Chavez's were killed in an accident resulting from a Border Patrol chase while they attempted to cross the border
United States–Mexico border
The United States–Mexico border is the international border between the United States and Mexico. It runs from Imperial Beach, California, and Tijuana, Baja California, in the west to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, in the east, and traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from major...
. Martinez also traced the migrations of other families from Cheran, including the Tapias, Enriquezes, and Guzmans. Martinez followed these families as their journeys took them to California, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
in search of the better life. But Martinez found out that this is not what the immigrants necessarily find. Many faced racism and hardship.
The Other Side Notes from the New L.A., Mexico City, and Beyond
The Other Side was published in May 1993, by Vintage Books USA. It has 192 pages and illustrations throughout. It was written in English, but there are also copies available in Spanish. The Other Side is the former name that people in Mexico and Central America gave to California and other northern points. It designates many frontiers like graffiti writers in L.A., guerrillas in El Salvador, the gap between a mother and her dying son, or the tough young punkeros of Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. It is an account of the new culture formed by the guerrillas of San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, performance artists of Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
, young graffiti artists in Los Angeles, and rock and roll singers from Mexico City. It displays both the lifestyle of immigrants and new Latinos to Los Angeles, and the sadness and sympathy which he shows for those who struggle forward in bad times, both in the North and down in Salvador and other Central American countries.
The New Americans
Ruben Martinez's book The New Americans was written in 2004. Martinez wrote the book in the wake of September 11, 2001September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
when America's response to immigration changed immensely. Throughout the book he makes references to Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
, the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
, and "The New Colossus
The New Colossus
"The New Colossus" is a sonnet by Emma Lazarus , written in 1883 and, in 1903, engraved on a bronze plaque and mounted inside the Statue of Liberty.- History of the poem :...
", the poem on the Statue of Liberty. Martinez wrote The New Americans to show not only how America's view of immigration has changed, but also how immigration is changing America.
The book follows the story of seven families as they immigrate to the United States. One family is from Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. The daughter of this family is marrying a second generation immigrant from Palestine that lives in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Another family is in exile from Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, and has been granted permission by the United States to move to Chicago. Two other immigrants are from the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, and have come to the United States to play professional baseball. Another family is from Mexico, immigrating to California in order to make money. The last family immigrated from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to California, to make more money than they would be able to make in India.
The New Americans also brings to light many of the difficulties the immigrants face in the process of leaving their homeland and arriving in America. The book shows that the immigrants face problems such as racism, difficulty finding a job, difficulty acculturating, and the overwhelming sadness of leaving the land that they have always known. The New Americans is based on a PBS documentary series also named The New Americans. The book received many positive reviews.
Articles
Ruben Martinez has been featured in many literary magazines for his work. His articles have shown up in various magazines, and his interviews have also been widely published. Below are a few of his articles selected for easy online viewing.- In his interview with Robert Birnbaum, Ruben Martinez tells of how he was nominated to work at HarvardHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in the field of urban studiesUrban planningUrban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
. Birnbaum talks a bit about Martinez's contract with PBS for his book The New Americans, and quickly moves on to his newest book Crossing Over. After the book was completed, Martinez says he was shocked to find that the Mexicans he encountered in Norwalk are largely gone. - The Minutemen ProjectThe Minuteman Project Inc.The Minuteman Project is an activist organization started in April 2005 by a group of private individuals in the United States to monitor the United States – Mexico border's flow of illegal immigrants. Co-founded by Jim Gilchrist, the name derives from the Minutemen, militiamen who fought in the...
is a project in which volunteers show up on the border to help deal with Mexicans migrating into the United States. Martinez comments on the project in an interview with Julia Goldberg. - "The Migrant Story" is an article written by Ruben Martinez, in which he encourages the reader to envision an immigrant briefing the United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
on our current immigration policy. This article requires a free and easy membership to be read in its entirety. - "The Undocumented Virgen" is another article written by Martinez. He spent December 12, the birthday of la Virgen de GuadalupeOur Lady of GuadalupeOur Lady of Guadalupe , also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.According to tradition, on December 9, 1531 Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, had a vision of a young woman while he was on a hill in the Tepeyac desert, near Mexico City. The lady...
, at Our Lady Queen of Angels in downtown LA with many Mexican immigrants. He joins the celebration of la Virgen de Guadalupe's birthday, and illustrates just how important she is to Mexicans, even when they are many miles away from home. - Another immigration interview with Ruben Martinez. This interview examines why exactly Ruben is so interested in writing about immigration, and why it is such a big deal in the United States.
- Benjamin Adair interviewed Ruben Martinez about his newest book, Crossing Over, on the radio. This webpage has a link to the actual radio interview, but also provides a textual overview of the important points throughout the conversation. It also contains some interesting photos of the accident scene from Crossing Over.
- In another free membership required article, Ruben Martinez describes immigration from the standpoint of someone whose father and grandfather were immigrants. He describes what life is like being of Mexican and Salvadoran heritage while living in the United States. He also talks of how the process of crossing the border affects the immigrants' sense of identity.
Awards
Ruben Martinez has received multiple awards for his work. The awards he has received are the following: The Lannan Foundation fellowshipLannan Literary Awards
The Lannan Literary Awards are a series of awards and literary fellowships given out in various fields by the Lannan Foundation. Established in 1989, the awards are meant "to honor both established and emerging writers whose work is of exceptional quality", according to the foundation...
, the Loeb Fellowship from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, the "Freedom of Information Award" from the ACLU, the "Greater Press Club of Los Angeles Award of Excellence", and an Emmy Award. The Lannan Foundation fellowship is given to a person whose "work inspires communities domestic and international that are struggling to uphold and defend their right to cultural freedom and diversity", (Lannan Foundation). Martinez won this award in 2002, for his nonfiction work, Crossing Over.
Other written works
- The Other Side: Notes From the New LA, Mexico City, and Beyond (1993), Vintage Books USA, New York
- "Techinolor" in Half + Half: Writers on Growing Up Biracial + Bicultural (1998) Edited by Claudine Chiawei O'Hearn, Pantheon Books, New York
- Eastside Stories (with Joseph Rodriguez) (1998), Powerhouse Books, New York
- Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail (2001), Henry Holt and Company, New York
- The New Americans (2004), New Press, New York
- Flesh Life: Sex in Mexico City (with Joseph Rodriguez) (2006), Powerhouse Books, New York