Author Victor Villaseñor will be featured in a landmark documentary, Latino Americans, to air nationally on PBS this month. Latino Americans is the “first major series for television to chronicle the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinos” produced by Emmy Award-winning Adriana Bosch and narrated by actor Benjamin Bratt. The series delves into the evolution of the Latino American identity and features interviews with almost 100 Latinos within politics, business and pop culture.
Villaseñor will discuss his book, Rain of Gold, which tells the story of his own parents who were undocumented immigrants from Mexico. He has also written other books, notably Crazy Loco Love that addresses the discrimination and stereotypes Latino Americans face, and Macho! that highlights a journey of a brave immigrant who leaves his small village in Mexico to seek his fortune across the border.
Villaseñor was born in the barrio of Carlsbad, California, in 1940 and raised on a ranch four miles north. Since his parents were born in Mexico, Villaseñor spoke only Spanish when he started school. After years of facing language and cultural barriers, heavy discrimination, and a reading problem (later diagnosed as dyslexia), Villaseñor dropped out of high school his junior year and moved to Mexico. There he discovered a wealth of Mexican art, literature, and music that helped him recapture and understand the dignity and richness of his heritage. Villaseñor’s acclaimed written works, as well as his inspiring lectures, have earned him numerous awards and endorsements, including the Founding John Steinbeck Chair appointment.
The series will air on PBS on September 17, September 24 and October 1 from 8-10pm EST. It will also be broadcast nationally in Spanish on Vme, the Spanish-language channel on public television, over six consecutive Fridays beginning on September 20.