MALDEF General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz and Members of Ozomatli to Join Modern "Soldadera" Dolores Huerta in an Evening of Conversation

SAN JOSE, CA–(Marketwire – September 13, 2010) – San Jose’s Mexican Heritage Corporation (MHC), producer of the largest Mexican heritage and Latin music festival in California, continues its traditions of “firsts” — announcing today that the President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Thomas A. Saenz and members of the popular urban Latino band Ozomatli will join civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, for an evening of conversation moderated by National Public Radio journalist Richard Gonzales on September 23, 2010 at Morris Dailey Auditorium on the campus of San Jose State University.

The evening topic is the immigration legislation recently passed in Arizona, its impact to the U.S. Latino community and the work being done by artists and activists alike to promote the contributions of U.S. Latinos to American civic culture.

The event is part of a two week schedule of cultural offerings at the 2010 Festival, which this year commemorates the centennial of the Mexican Revolution, and honors the revolutionaries of the past and today who through their art, music and humanity make our world a better place. 

Highlights include on September 25, at the San Jose State Event Center, the premier of “¡Adelita!”– an original concert event honoring the women of the Mexican Revolution, which will include a special celebrity tribute honoring Dolores Huerta as a modern day “soldadera” on the occasion of her 80^th birthday year. Ms. Huerta will be in attendance at this performance.

In addition to Ms. Huerta and members of Ozomatli, notable artists and activists participating in the Festival include Grammy winners Los Lobos, Intocable, Los Tex Maniacs and Mexican diva Eugenia Leon direct from Mexico City, Mariachi Cobre, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, solo show artist Dan Guerrero, Mexican filmmakers Patricia Riggins and Martin Barajas Llorent, documentary filmmakers Ray Telles and Abby Ginzburg and San Jose’s home town mariachi ensemble Mariachi Azteca and ballet folklorico group Los Lupenos de San Jose. 

For the schedule of events, please visit: www.sanjosemariachifestival.com.

About the San Jose Mexican Heritage Festival — Now in its 19^th year, the Festival offers a two week schedule of music, cultural and educational events, drawing over 50,000 people annually. Throughout the years the Festival has presented a variety of traditional, Latin alternative, pop and regional Mexican headline artists in concert such as Linda Ronstadt, Aida Cuevas, Juan Gabriel, Marco Antonio Solis, Pepe Aguilar, Los Tigres Del Norte, Los Lobos, Ozomatli, Mariachi Vargas, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Mariachi Cobre, Mariachi Sol de Mexico, and Mariachi International de Guadalajara, as well as local artists and folklorico companies such as Mariachi Azteca, Los Cenzontles, and Los Lupeños de San Jose. The Festival is the cornerstone of Mexican Heritage programming and the largest of its type in the nation. 

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