[OutVoice] Topeka, KS: "Estrada brings mix of humor, political commentary to campus"

[TheChorusBoy at aol.com]

Washburn  Review
 
Estrada brings mix of humor, political commentary to  campus
By:  Victoria Ukaoma
September 17,  2007
Read  it online:
http://media.www.washburnreview.org/media/storage/paper1140/news/2007/09/17/Ne
ws/Estrada.Brings.Mix.Of.Humor.Political.Commentary.To.Campus-2972643.shtml
A Texan school teacher. A sassy unwed mother. A gay  cable access talk show 
host. 

These were just some of the many faces  brought to life by 
singer/comedian/activist Jade Esteban Estrada in his newest  solo play, "Pico de Gallo," a 
humorous and eye-opening journey into modern  Latino culture. Just in time for the 
start of Hispanic Heritage Month, Estrada  presented the one-man bilingual 
performance Sept. 6  in White Concert  Hall. 

First visiting Washburn University in 2005, the gay Latin star performed the  
award-winning solo play "Tortilla Heaven." Written by Estrada's sister 
Celeste  Angela Estrada, it showcased the lives of three generations of a  
Mexican-American family. 

"The audience loved him, and after that initial  performance, I knew that we 
had to have him back again," said Dona Walker,  director of multicultural 
affairs. 

The multicultural department, along  with the Hispanic American Leadership 
Organization, has sponsored both of his  appearances. 

Since the debut of his solo show "It's Too Late…It's  Already In Me" more 
than 10 years ago, the San Antonio native has appeared on  television networks 
such as Comedy Central and HBO Latino while traveling across  the nation to 
share his music and eight solo performances that shed light on  issues ranging 
from gay rights and aids awareness to Latino culture.  

Walker particularly enjoyed Estrada's portrayal of flight  attendant "Cynthia 
Camacho" who, while fluent in Spanish, hasn't spoken a word  of it for three 
years because "they don't pay her to."

"I really liked  the fact that he interacted with the audience," said Walker. 
"They seemed to enjoy it too and it brought about  other opinions and views 
to the issues at hand."

Estrada explained that  he himself did not learn or speak Spanish while 
growing up because it made his  mother feel dirty. 

"After my parents split, my sister and I moved in  with my grandmother and it 
was then that she began to teach us the language,"  said Estrada.

He then went on to learn Spanish in school and later in  life, 
professionally. 

"The more we know the better we are," said  Estrada. "The more that we as a 
nation become globalized, the more we will have  to understand the 
characteristics and the languages of people all around the  world."

Freshman Elise Richardson heard about Estrada's "Pico de Gallo"  in the weeks 
leading up to his arrival and afterward found the show's topics and  
characters to be interesting.

"I thought he did a very good job," said Richardson. "He talked about things 
that I've never even  thought of in that way."

Walker admired Estrada's ability to bring out the questions  that society is 
afraid to ask and talk about. 

"He does it in a humorous  way but the issues at hand are still serious," 
said Walker.

While Estrada says he enjoys performing more  than being about politics, he 
believes that sometimes the times you live in  force you into the forefront of 
change. 

Estrada, who finds being a gay  Latino in America to be "most rewarding," 
expressed that now is the  time to start addressing prejudice and discrimination 
instead of pretending that  it no longer exists.

"This is an era where I believe we are ignoring the  pink elephant in the 
room," said Estrada. "We are all prejudiced in some way,  shape or form, and it's 
important to talk about it, we have to learn to live  together."

After his performance, Estrada sat at the edge of the stage  answering 
questions from the audience and encouraging students, regardless of  their major, to 
step up and change the things they don't like about the country  they live in.

"No matter where we come from or who we are, we have to  take care of the 
place we live," said Estrada. 
_www.getjaded.com_ (http://www.getjaded.com/)   




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