Author: Hipolito Munoz

The Official Latino Film and Arts Festival – Telling Raw Stories from Authentic New Voices

By Polo Munoz, Managing Editor/Publisher “This is an opportunity to tell all people how you see the world,” is the message the creator of the Official Latino Film and Arts Festival and powerhouse photographer Danny Hastings tells those that decide to be part of the 5 year old shorts film festival launched in New York and now expanding its roots to Los Angeles and to the Coachella Valley in California. His unique perspective is one of entrepreneurship molded by his lifetime in the center of one of the most important cultural musical landscapes, Rap, as it developed and evolved...

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Five Years Later: Creating Creators Impact on My Classroom

By Irene Guzman Five years ago my 4th grade class at Heninger Elementary in Santa Ana partnered with Creating Creators founders Polo Munoz and Jessica Just. Their program uses the medium of filmmaking to develop students academically and socially. At the onset, my knowledge of how to guide the students from story to script to film was limited–producing 5 films with these 10 year olds was going to be a monumental task. Learning alongside the students through the Creating Creators film program, I watched as my class transformed to become directors of their own learning. With film industry professionals present...

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Goya Robles, Artist and Founder of Paint the Mic – A Rare Breed

By Polo Munoz, Managing Editor Artists are a rare breed, not odd, but different in a way most do not understand. They discover their own talent before many see it, accept it, and appreciate it. Sadly many artists do not receive the support they require to develop it to their full potential. There is a certain dismissiveness in society which may be attributed to envy or protection from their own longing to continue their path as an artist after they’ve adopted a “normal” gig. This is especially true in communities where there is little room for pursuit of passion...

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A Sober 4th of July: “They Believed in Order, But NOT in the Order of Tyranny.” – Frederick Douglas

By Polo Munoz, Managing Editor/Publisher On July 4 1776, the continental congress declared independence from the British for the 13 colonies that made up the American colony, was it a day of freedom for all people who were in the colonies? http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/. As we now have traveled 243 years past that moment, some are still at a crossroads of who should be included in that freedom. The moral imperative that flamed the passion for autonomy and respect of the individual, has now, again, become a passion for subjugation for those that are now administering the country on behalf of...

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The Mystery of Networking – The Incredible Value of College and Career Day

By Polo Munoz, Managing Editor/Publisher Several months ago, I was at a college and career day at a local high school. I was, like many others that were there, invited to come and share my experiences about my career. I always love these opportunities to share and hopefully inspire one kid as I was inspired as a youth. I asked the several groups I conversed with to tell me what year they were in and the Seniors were the most enthusiastic to identify themselves. Some of them were heading to university, some to college and although some were just...

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