From the Stacks: November 17, 2006

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A certain level of timelessness shines through Manuel Rivera-Ortiz's photographs of Cuba. Current fashion is absent, classic cars dot the background, and the sharp contrast of the black-and-white film offers little clue that these pictures are from 2002. The photographs are just some of the pieces highlighted in issue 11.02 of Nueva Luz, the tri-annual photojournal that publishes the work of photographers of African, Asian, Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander heritage. Commentator Margarita Aguilar revels in the featured artists' abilities to present themselves as travelers, both to 'real, geographical places as well as imagined landscapes or distinctive spaces conjured up by their imagination.' -- Rachel Anderson

At the recommendation of a colleague, a few of us sat down after work one evening this week and braced ourselves to view American Blackout. Directed by the Guerrilla News Network's Ian Inaba, the documentary highlights the egregious dearth of reporting on the voter suppression in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, offering the chilling truth about manipulation not only in Ohio and Florida, but also in Georgia -- as witnessed in former Rep. Cynthia McKinney's campaigns. McKinney, an African-American woman serving her fifth consecutive term in office, was asking the tough questions in Congress about the events of Sept. 11, 2001, when no one else was. When her behavior was deemed unpatriotic (and threatening), her reelection bid was sabotaged by crossover voting tactics employed by an unremorseful Republican interest group. American Blackout stimulates one's social conscience, heightens the importance of civic responsibility, and calls for action. -- Elizabeth Ryan

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