Enjoy these new documentaries and programs showcasing Hispanic and Latino culture in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
BROADCAST PREMIERES ON WHRO TV 15
AMERICAN MASTERS and VOCES: “Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined”
Premieres Tuesday, September 17, 9 p.m.
One of America’s most celebrated Latina writers, the Dominican-American poet and novelist Julia Alvarez burst onto the literary scene and blazed a trail for a generation of Latino authors. Her semi-autobiographical novel, How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, was published in 1991, followed by In the Time of the Butterflies (1994), which raised global awareness about life under Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. This new documentary opens a window into her extraordinary journey from her childhood in the Dominican Republic to a life of exile in New York City to a brilliant literary career that shows no sign of slowing down. At 74, she recently published the critically acclaimed novel The Cemetery of Untold Stories.
VOCES “American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos”
Premieres Friday, September 27, 9 p.m.
Actor and playwright John Leguizamo’s work preparing for his 2018 Broadway show, “Latin History for Morons,” produced an obsession with reading and researching the history of the Americas. His passion for uncovering the full scope of American history, coupled with his nature as a curious student of the world, resulted in “American Historia.” In this three-part series, Leguizamo travels throughout Mexico and the U.S. to shed light on both the known and lesser-known Latino stories.
37TH HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS
Premieres Friday, September 27, 10 p.m.
Celebrate the recipients of the 37TH HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS. The evening commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month includes performances and appearances by some of the country's most celebrated Hispanic artists and visionaries, including Designer Carolina Herrera, Beautyblender Creator Rea Ann Silva, and NBA Legend Carmelo Anthony.
VOCES “Mambo Legends: The Music Never Ends”
Premieres Friday, October 4, 10 p.m.
The Mambo Legends Orchestra is committed to keeping the sounds of the great Afro Cuban bandleaders Machito, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez alive for future generations. Comprised of several former members of these legendary orchestras, The Mambo Legends provide a link to the golden era of music in New York in the early 1940s, when the Machito Orchestra fused the big-band sound of popular music with the rhythms of Africa, Cuba, and Puerto Rico to create an enduring musical genre beloved around the world.
VELVET
Premieres Thursday, October 10, 9 p.m.
In late 1950s Madrid, the golden age of haute couture, there was one place everyone would like to shop at least once in their lifetime: the Galerías Velvet. The series follows the love story of Alberto Márquez (Miguel Ángel Silvestre, “Sense 8”), heir of Galerías Velvet, one of the most prestigious fashion houses in Spain, and Ana Ribera (Paula Echevarría, “Gran Reserva”), who works as a seamstress there. In Spanish with English subtitles.
NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER “Snarky Puppy: The Family We Make”
Premieres Friday, October 11, 10 p.m.
Snarky Puppy, the acclaimed Grammy Award-winning band, brings their genre-breaking sound to a sold-out show at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall. When one of the main guest artists, Afro-Peruvian icon Susana Baca, falls ill the band quickly come up with a new plan to transform the concert into a loving tribute to her music and influence. Joined on stage by stars from several Spanish-speaking countries – Silvana Estrada (Mexico), Gaby Moreno (Guatemala), Silvia Pérez Cruz (Spain), and Fuensanta (Mexico) – they perform a special “Family Dinner”-style concert playing their own songs along with Susana’s.
PBS KIDS
Watch PBS KIDS online or access at:
15.3 | Cox 108 | Charter Digital 120 | FiOS 462
PBS KIDS XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM “I am Sonia Manzano”
Premieres Monday, September 9
This series follows the adventures of Xavier Riddle, his sister Yadina, and their friend Brad. In each episode, the three face a problem and must turn to the Secret Museum to help them solve it, where they travel back in time to meet real-life figures when they were kids. In this special episode featuring Sonia Manzano (beloved by generations as “Maria” on Sesame Street, who broke new ground as one of the first Latino characters on national TV), the trio travels back to learn the important lesson that telling stories can help manage big feelings.
PBS KIDS ALMA’S WAY
New episodes premiere Monday, September 23
Created by Sonia Manzano, ALMA’S WAY focuses on critical thinking, self-awareness, responsible decision-making, and empathy. The series is aimed at viewers ages 4-6 and follows 6-year-old Alma Rivera, a proud, confident Puerto Rican girl who lives in the Bronx with her family, friends, and community. It showcases Latino cultures through music, food, and language, and the new episodes follow Alma as she visits the American Museum of Natural History, teaches Uncle Nestor how to ride a bike, makes a care package for Granny Isa, and more. All episodes are available in both English and Spanish.
PBS KIDS ROSIE'S RULES
Now streaming - watch all of season 1 online
Rosie Fuentes is an inquisitive and hilarious 5-year-old Mexican-American girl living in suburban Texas who is just beginning to learn about the world beyond her family walls. In this series for ages kids 3-6, Rosie’s endless curiosity sets the stage for her ongoing pursuits to learn more about her family, her community, and beyond. As Rosie figures things out, the answers become “Rosie’s Rules.” Some of Rosie’s astute discoveries include, “Don’t try to mail your cat to Mexico” and “Sometimes flopping helps you get your feelings out.” ROSIE’S RULES will also be featured in a Hispanic Heritage playlist on the pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app starting Tuesday, September 13. All episodes are available in English and Spanish.
WHRO 90.3 FM
WHRO FM will feature music from Spanish and Latin American composers and performers, in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15-Oct. 15.
We’ll also celebrate the birthdays of two pioneering female composers this month: Amy Beach on Sept. 5 and Clara Schumann on Sept. 13.