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Off The Page
Arts & Culture on the Corner with Melanie Romero
Spotlighting our local and diverse O.C. communities and global topics that traverse our streets.
Dec 6, 202410 min read
Holiday Gift Guide for Scholars & Our Community
Need some tips on academic books? Here are 10 recommended by LibroMobile's bookstore owner, Sarah Rafael Garcia!
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Nov 1, 20245 min read
No Sanctuary in SOLIS: Resistance & Connectivity in a Near-Future Dystopian World Scarily Similar to Our Own
SOLIS, released on October 8, 2024, is a companion tale to Sanctuary. Activist Paola Mendoza and author Abby Sher co-write both novels.
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Oct 4, 20246 min read
Orange County’s First Black History Book Only Ripens with Time
“A Different Shade of Orange:Voices of Orange County, California,Black Pioneers,”published 15 years ago as OC’s first tome of Black history.
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Sep 6, 20245 min read
Beauty in the Lens RD
I needed an outlet that shared my vulnerabilities without being too revealing; photography seemed the closest to it...
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Aug 2, 20244 min read
Sympathy for the slasher? Stephen Graham Jones’ latest novel upends the horror genre
In Stephen Graham Jones’ latest novel, all the horror subgenre’s hallmarks are present while being turned on their head at the same time.
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Jul 5, 20248 min read
¡Luces, Cameras, Acción! Poco a Poco Productions Reclaims Latinx Film Stories, Founder Aims to Save the World
Elvia may not have yet saved the world, but she’s coming damn close to it—one stage, one set at a time.
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Jun 7, 20248 min read
Frederick Luis Aldama Against a (Capitalist) World: A Superhero’s Origin Story and the Endgame Behind Latinx Comics
For Frederick Aldama, books were not mere physical objects just for reading material...
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May 3, 20244 min read
Romance, War and the Undead entwine in Isabel Cañas’ ‘Vampires of El Norte’
Where Cañas thrives in ‘Vampires of El Norte’ is her setting in the RGV," writes local writer Gabriel San Román.
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Apr 5, 20244 min read
Tracing Memory & Cosmos in El Rey of Gold Teeth
Reyes Ramirez's debut book of poems, El Rey of Gold Teeth, doesn’t promise us gold, but instead maps out poems of wonder that are critical.
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Mar 1, 20244 min read
Then & Now: Kilson Street Broadcasts OC Rockstars from Garage to Glory
Kilson Street is “‘[t]he World’s BEST live-music-video show you’ve never heard of. Broadcasting from our Garage to yours.’”
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Feb 2, 20245 min read
A Looking Glass into Black History in Orange County: Past & Present, Pride & Parades
The Black community within the walls of Orange County has set its roots and is here to stay.
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Jan 5, 20245 min read
BIPOC Cookbooks, Chisme y Más
Sarah Rafael Garcia offers her Top 5 BIPOC cookbooks...
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Dec 1, 20235 min read
A Letter from the Founder: ¡Aquí Estamos y No Nos Vamos!
This year is rapidly ending. And as we take a moment to reflect, we realize how much our community has carried us along the way...
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Nov 3, 20237 min read
From the River to the Sea: Books that Raise Awareness on Palestine & Its Liberation
The list below is a selection of beloved books that offer another side to the conflict: a raw portrayal of what it means to be Palestinian.
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Oct 6, 20236 min read
Unos Libros Para El Susto: Latinx ~Espooky~ 2023 Books List
~Espooky~ season is upon us! Check out this list if you're a Halloween and/or Dia de Muertos fanatic.
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Sep 1, 20234 min read
Jesus Cortez has always been here, this show is our time to really notice
¿Ya Mero Compa? features the photography of Anaheim's Jesus Cortez — intersecting his life as an artist and immigrant worker.
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Aug 4, 20234 min read
Mapping Our City: How Santa Ana Lives On in the Cyberworld
Whether you’re a Santa Ana native, an OC local, or just a curious lover of all things history, A Storymap of Santa Ana is meant for you.
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Jul 7, 20236 min read
Just Around the Corner: Free POC-Led Art Spaces in Southern California
From Monterey Park to Long Beach, Compton to Santa Ana, we’ve gathered a list of free POC-led art spaces that beckon us home.
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May 5, 20234 min read
Orange County’s Book-Banning Dilemma: Age-Inappropriate Content vs. Literacy Censorship
Our little ones are our future, and their empowerment to read books, whether physically or digitally, shouldn’t be limited...
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Apr 7, 20235 min read
Welcome to the Santa Ana Public Library: A Looking Glass into Tradition & Modernism All in One Space
Santa Ana Public Library offers a quieter, more laid-back alternative to the hustle and bustle of DTSA...
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Mar 3, 20234 min read
From Bookshelves to Literary Arts Festival: A Look into the Books (& their Authors) from Yesteryear
With LibroMobile’s Literary Arts Festival just around the corner,it’s important to celebrate the books (and the authors behind their pages).
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Feb 3, 20233 min read
A Letter to the Comunidad: At the Heart of Art & Culture
Melanie Romero is thrilled to share that she's the incoming featured columnist for LibroMobile’s Arts & Culture “Off the Page”.
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Jan 6, 20234 min read
Silvia Rodriguez Vega Forces Us to Listen to Children of Immigrants in Drawing Deportation
Dr. Rodriguez Vega's debut book published by NYU Press is both an interdisciplinary feat and an account of her professional researcher life.
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Nov 4, 20226 min read
From the Ground Up: Orange County BIPOC Businesses on the Rise
Although not new to the region, Black,Indigenous and people of color businesses have evolved with a new generation of foodie entrepreneurs.
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Oct 7, 20226 min read
From One County to the Next, Author and Columnist Gustavo Arellano Oversees a New Horizon in L.A.
Born in Anaheim to Mexican parents, Arellano sought from the get-go to spotlight both the American and Mexican cultures in a divided OC.
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Sep 2, 20226 min read
From Book to Film: Coppola’s Apocalypse Now is an Anti-War Epic
One of the most anticipated films in September at The Frida is the final cut of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now.
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Aug 5, 20229 min read
A New Chicanx Cohort: Profes in Borderlands, Punk Communities, & Healing Justice
“They are all doing cutting-edge and critical work that goes beyond disciplinary boundaries,” said Dr. Patricia A. Pérez.
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Jun 3, 20225 min read
Cinematic Experience Series includes Spielberg’s timeless Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Spielberg’s Close Encounters trades in terrifying thrills for tender emotions and awe-inspiring visuals.
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May 3, 20225 min read
Navigating the In-Between: A Review of Luivette Resto’s “Living on Islands Not Found on Maps”
If you’re seeking a place not found on a map, you need someone who has been there to show you.
828 views
Apr 8, 20224 min read
OC Youth Poet Laureate Curating a Community Poem For & By Youth
The inaugural OC Youth Poet Laureate, Tina Mai, is culminating her term this summer with a Community Poem For-and-By Youth.
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Mar 4, 20225 min read
Jodorowsky’s Social Commentary & Surreal Fantasy in “The Holy Mountain” is Still Relevant Today
The Holy Mountain, a recurring favorite at The Frida Cinema will be coming back around on March 18th.
1,352 views
Feb 4, 20224 min read
A Letter from the Founder: Where we’ve been, where we’re going
Dear Comunidad, This letter should have been written last month for the new year, but we had a lot going on at the beginning of 2022...
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Dec 3, 20216 min read
This Holiday Shop Small, Reinvest In Our Community
LibroMobile is featuring local artists of color you should support this holiday season, investing in them is reinvesting in our community.
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Nov 5, 20215 min read
First-time Feature Director Unravels a Monstrous Femme on the Screen at The Frida
As the only art house in OC, The Frida Cinema plays a wide variety of programming. Yet, horror continues to be a favorite all-year-round.
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Oct 3, 20215 min read
Inaugural Poet Laureates Picture a Home for Poetry in Orange County
Orange County became home to its first-ever poet laureates this summer, but they would say that poetry has lived here.
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Sep 3, 20214 min read
5 QBIPOC Artists in California to Know
Let’s take a moment to highlight 5 Queer BIPOC artists in California who are using their art forms to create change...
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Aug 6, 20215 min read
From Anaheim to TimesOC, Gabriel San Román Shares his Journey Towards Journalism
"I feel I have something to express out into the world,” said San Román, “and that is best done through storytelling."
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Jul 2, 20213 min read
‘Canciones Bordadas’ Radio Show Stitches the Sounds of Santa Ana Together
“It’s all over the place,” Velasco says of her playlists, with a laugh. “That’s how I am. I don’t like listening to just one genre. I’ll get
151 views
Jun 4, 20214 min read
Between OC and OJ, the Lives of ‘The Lockhart Women’ Delight in Debut Novel
Ninety-five million viewers tune into the spectacle, but Brenda Lockhart exchanges a quick glance with Simpson up close and personal as his
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May 7, 20214 min read
History is Healing as the Heritage Museum of Orange County Finally Reopens!
“I kept getting sympathy messages,” she says. “I felt the complete opposite. I’ve had nine years to brew ideas in my head that we just
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Apr 2, 20214 min read
Frosty Heats Up OC's Hip-Hop Scene With Her Rebel Rhymes
“I found a creative outlet in my journals,” says Frosty. “A lot of it was expressing my frustrations in coming to terms with the dark realit
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Mar 5, 20214 min read
Santa Ana Poet Finds His Way Back Home With ‘Flower Grand First’
“It just felt fitting to have those intersections of the city as the title of my book.”
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Feb 5, 20215 min read
‘The Saints of Santa Ana’ Shows Ethnic Identity Isn’t Far From God
“Where does religion begin and where does ethnic identity end?” he asked himself. “The life of the community was so intertwined with the lif
900 views
Jan 8, 20214 min read
Apollo Bebop’s Blend of Hip-Hop and Jazz Pivots in the Pandemic
“People want music. Even though there’s a lot of things going on politically and socially, people need light at the end of the tunnel.”
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Dec 4, 20206 min read
A Holiday Gift Guide for Books by Local Authors of Color—and Beyond!
Off the Page has curated a holiday gift guide of ten works by authors of color across genres to keep up healthy reading habits.
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Nov 6, 20204 min read
Santa Ana Artist Reflects on Día de los Muertos with ‘And Still I Rise’ Installation
“The narrative pots were a way for ancient civilizations to tell their stories,” says Maldonado, Santa Ana-based artist.
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Oct 2, 20204 min read
‘The Only Good Indians’ is a Haunting Native American Horror Story
Equal parts horror and thriller with social commentary woven in, The Only Good Indians prefers to employ a creeping psychological terror...
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Sep 3, 20206 min read
‘Manufacturing Celebrity’ Spotlights Exploitation in Hollywood-Obsessed Media
“Anywhere where there’s cultural production happening, there are various hierarchies that are shaping it."
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Aug 6, 20204 min read
OC Zine Fest Goes Virtual Amid Pandemic
“How could we still serve and provide this platform?” Van Stralendorff asked herself. “We saw an opportunity to create..."
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Jul 3, 20205 min read
Photographer Federico Medina Captures the Frontlines of OC’s Most Raucous Protests
“Photojournalism is vital,” says Medina. “It’s a necessity and people want it.”
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Our Arts & Culture column was initially founded by local journalist Gabriel San Román in May 2020. Since then we have collaboratively featured over 25 stories and paid nearly 10 contributors from our community. Starting February 2023, #OffThePage is featuring Melanie Romero as our monthly columnist.
Melanie Romero is a trilingual writer born and raised in Orange, CA. It was during childhood weekend trips to Randy’s $1-a-book stall at the OC Market Place that she discovered a passion for reading and, eventually, writing. Today, she serves as Editor at Lil’ Libros and has written two children’s books, Amor de colores and J is for Janucá under the publisher. In her free time, she can be found indulging in challah and getting lost among the shelves of independent bookstores.
Contact:
Pitch Melanie a story or email us for more information!
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