Nathan Apodaca Skateboards Through Joe Biden & Kamala Harris’ “Parade Across America”

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Nathan Apodaca’s Dream(s) moment continues…

The 38-year-old Mexican-Native American TikTok star (aka DoggFace) displayed the moves that made him go viral on the social media platform, this time as part of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris‘ Parade Across America special — hosted by former Scandal star Tony Goldwyn — part of the Inauguration Day festivities, on January 20.

Apodaca’s new video started with him once again smoothly skateboarding to Fleetwood Mac‘s 1977 hit “Dreams.” Only this time, instead of cruising with a big bottle of Ocean Spray cran-raspberry juice, he had a small U.S. flag in his left hand and a face mask on as he skateboarded around snowy roads in his native Idaho.

Apodaca — whose viral video has received Fleetwood Mac‘s stamp of approval and more than 12.5 million likes since being posted in September — wasn’t the only one rolling around in the clip.

True to the name of the inauguration special, the video also featured Americans from across the country — including Michigan, California, D.C., Massachusetts, Colorado, New York, and more — smoothly skating to “Dreams” in their own states. Like Apodaca, some skateboarders were holding little flags, while others opted to stay true to the original and went with his beverage of choice.

The Parade Across America special also featured appearances by Jon Stewart, a reunion by the New Radicals, DJ Cassidy‘s Pass the Mic, and others. It was just one part of the star-studded Inauguration Day events, which included performances by Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Garth Brooks earlier in the day.

https://twitter.com/BidenInaugural/status/1352003173712420864

Jennifer Lopez Performs Patriotic Medley During at Joe Biden & Kamala Harris’ Inauguration Ceremony

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez is celebrating this land…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican superstar honored President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday with a special performance during the 59th Inaugural Swearing-In Ceremony.

Dressed in an all-white outfit and sparkling jewelry, J.Lo opened with a rendition of Woody Guthrie‘s “This Land Is Your Land,” before transitioning into “America the Beautiful.”

“One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” Lopez then said in Spanish.

She also sang a few moments of her 2000 hit “Let’s Get Loud,” before closing with more notes of “America the Beautiful.”

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to Swear in U.S. Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Sonia Sotomayor will make a special appearance at this week’s inauguration…

The 66-year-old Puerto Rican Supreme Court Justice will swear in U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Wednesday, January 20, a ceremony in which the first woman of color to become vice president will take her oath of office from the first woman of color to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Harris chose Sotomayor for the task, according to a Harris aide who was confirming a report by ABC News. The vice president-elect and Justice Sotomayor have a shared background as former prosecutors. And Harris has called the justice a figure of national inspiration.

“Judge Sonia Sotomayor has fought for the voices of the people ever since her first case voting against corporations in Citizens United,” Ms. Harris wrote on Twitter in 2019. “As a critical voice on the bench, she’s showing all our children what’s possible.”

Justice Sotomayor, who was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed to the Supreme Court in 2009, swore in Joseph R. Biden Jr. for his second term as vice president in January 2013 (first in a private ceremony and again in public the next day because of a quirk of the calendar).

Sotomayor was born in The Bronx, New York City, to Puerto Rican-born parents. She graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1976 and received her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1979, where she was an editor at the Yale Law Journal. She worked as an assistant district attorney in New York for four and a half years before entering private practice in 1984. She played an active role on the boards of directors for the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, the State of New York Mortgage Agency, and the New York City Campaign Finance Board.

Sotomayor was nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by President George H. W. Bush in 1991; confirmation followed in 1992. In 1997, she was nominated by President Bill Clinton to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Her nomination was slowed by the Republican majority in the U.St Senate, but she was eventually confirmed in 1998. On the Second Circuit, Sotomayor heard appeals in more than 3,000 cases and wrote about 380 opinions. Sotomayor has taught at the New York University School of Law and Columbia Law School.

Eva Longoria to Take Part in Presidential & Vice Presidential Inauguration Special “Celebrating America”

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is celebrating America in a special way…

The 45-year-old Mexican American actress and producer will introduce segments during the two-hour Joe Biden and Kamala Harris inauguration special that starts at 8:30 pm ET on January 20th.

While Tom Hanks will serve as the official host the program, Longoria and Kerry Washington will reprise their duties from last summer’s semi-virtual Democratic National Convention, which had the same producers.

The Celebrating America television special will air on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and more next week.

Biden and Harris are scheduled to give remarks of their own during Celebrating America.

The finale for the five-day America United themed event in a deeply and violently divided nation, Celebrating America has already made public that Justin Timberlake will be busting a move or two onstage. Demi Lovato, Ant Clemons and that other Garden State superstar Jon Bon Jovi will be performing also.

More acts and big names are expected to be revealed by the Presidential Inaugural Committee in the next few days.

Along with the TV networks, Celebrating America will be seen on Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, NewsNOW from Fox, and AT&T DIRECTV and U-verse as well as the PIC’s social media feeds.

Cristela Alonzo to Take Part in “America’s Changemakers” Event to Kick Off Five Nights of Presidential Inauguration Festivities

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Cristela Alonzo is preparing for a presidential presentation…

The Biden/Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee announced additional programming in advance of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on January 20, with the 42-year-old Mexican American comedian/actress taking part in the festivities.

The theme of the now five consecutive nights of events is “America United.”

On Saturday, January 16, Alonzo will take part in America United: An Inauguration Welcome Event Celebrating America’s Changemakers.

The event will “celebrate America, reflect and honor our history, and highlight the incredible diversity of the nation” and kick off the five days of programming.

In addition to Alonzo, the roster of participants includes Whoopi Goldberg, actor Nik Dodani, musician Darren Criss, Representative Grace Meng, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Resistance Revival Choir will participate. The Welcome Event will feature a special performance by Adrian Quesada and his Grammy-nominated Black Pumas. It’ll stream live from 7:00-8:30 pm ET at bideninaugural.org and on Presidential Inaugural Committee social media pages.

Also announced is United We Serve: A Celebration of the National MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 18. According to the news release, thousands of volunteers across the country will participate in the National Day of Service, which will then be celebrated by entertainers and inspiring speakers like Aloe Blacc, Rev. Dr. Bernice King, Martin Luther King III, Chesca, Rep. Sharice Davids, Rosario Dawson, Andra Day, Yo-Yo Ma, Rev. Al Sharpton, Sean Patrick Thomas, Diane Warren, Lynn Whitfield and Bebe Winans. The event will stream live from 8:00-9:00 pm ET at bideninaugural.org and on the inaugural committee’s social media pages.

Other events include the Memorial and Nationwide Tribute to Remember and Honor the Lives Lost to Covid-19 on Tuesday the 19th. At 5:30 pm ET, a D.C. ceremony will feature a lighting around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The inaugural committee has invited cities and towns around the country to join in illuminating buildings and ringing church bells.

Inauguration Day events include President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris laying wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery with former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and the former First Ladies in attendance.

Tom Hanks will host the primetime Celebrating America special that will culminate the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

Along with appearances from the 46th POTUS and 49th VPOTUS, the Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss-produced 90-minute show will feature “The Star-Spangled Banner” courtesy of Lady Gaga; a “musical performance” by Jennifer Lopez, the details of which were not disclosed; and performances from Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Ant Clemons and longtime Democrat supporter Jon Bon Jovi.

Celebrating America will air on multiple networks. Starting at 8:30 pm ET, the unity-aiming special will be carried by ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC and CNN. Additionally, the Weiss-directed show will be seen on Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, NewsNOW from Fox, and AT&T DIRECTV and U-verse, as well as the Presidential Inaugural Committee’s social media feeds.

Alex Padilla to Become First Latino to Represent California in U.S. Senate

Posted on December 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Alex Padilla is the next senator from the great state of California…

Gov. Gavin Newsom is appointing the 47-year-old Mexican American politician, the state’s current Secretary of State, to fill Kamala Harris’ U.S. Senate seat.

Padilla will be the first Latino senator to represent the Golden State.

“Through his tenacity, integrity, smarts and grit, California is gaining a tested fighter in their corner who will be a fierce ally in D.C., lifting up our state’s values and making sure we secure the critical resources to emerge stronger from this pandemic,” Newsom said in a statement. “He will be a senator for all Californians.”

Newsom posted a video, taken on Monday evening, in which he asked Padilla whether he wanted to take the post.

“You serious?” Padilla says in the video.

“This is the official, this is the ask, brother,” Newsom says.

Near tears, Padilla says, “I’m honored, man, and I am humbled.”

Padilla will face an election in 2022.

Padilla was atop the list of possible successors to Harris even before she was elected to the vice presidency. He’s a former Los Angeles city councilman and state senator, and was first elected secretary of state in 2014. He was re-elected in 2018.

He also has longtime ties to Newsom, having been chair of his first gubernatorial campaign in 2009.

“Whether you voted for (Joe) Biden or (Donald) Trump… whether you live in the North State or the Southland… whether you grew up speaking English, Spanish, Korean or Cantonese… we are all Californians,” he wrote. “And I intend to be a Senator for all the people.”

Padilla emphasized his roots in the San Fernando Valley. The son of Mexican immigrants, he grew up in a three-bedroom house in Pacoima. “It wasn’t the safest neighborhood, but we had a backyard,” Padilla wrote.

Harris, the first California Democrat on a presidential ticket, hasn’t said whether she will resign her Senate seat before the President-elect Biden’s inauguration on January 20.

Shakira Tops Google’s List of Most Searched Musicians/Bands in 2020

Posted on December 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Shakira is this year’s web search siren…

Google has unveiled the top trending searches of 2020, continuing its annual reflection on some of the year’s most searchable moments, with the 43-year-old Colombian superstar topping the artists’ chart.

Shakira, who earned a lot of online attention for co-headlining this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show with Jennifer Lopez, comes in at No. 1 on the Musicians and Bands list.

On the overall People chart, the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer comes in at No. 7, behind the likes of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Tom Hanks, among others.

Shakira is the only Latinx artist on the People chart, as well as the Musicians and Bands list.

Meanwhile, the late Naya Rivera comes in at No. 2 on the Loss chart.

The former Glee star drowned in California’s Lake Piru while on an excursion with her son in July.

Here’s a look at Google’s list toppers:

News
Election results
Coronavirus
Stimulus checks
Unemployment
Iran
Hurricane Laura
Super Tuesday
Stock market
Murder hornet
Australia fires

People
Joe Biden
Kim Jong Un
Kamala Harris
Jacob Blake
Ryan Newman
Tom Hanks
Shakira
Tom Brady
Kanye West
Vanessa Bryant

Loss
Kobe Bryant
Naya Rivera
Chadwick Boseman
George Floyd
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Eddie Van Halen
King Von
Kelly Preston
Pop Smoke
Ahmaud Arbery

Actors
Tom Hanks
Chris D’Elia
Jada Pinkett Smith
Timothée Chalamet
Ricky Gervais
Amber Heard
Joaquin Phoenix
Danny Masterson
Ryan Dorsey
Lea Michele

Movies
Parasite
1917
Black Panther
Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey
Little Women
Just Mercy
Bad Boys 3
Sonic the Hedgehog
Contagion
Fantasy Island

Movies: Action
1917
Black Panther
Birds of Prey
Bad Boys 3
Sonic the Hedgehog
Mulan
The Old Guard
Artemis Fowl
Bloodshot
Extraction

Movies: Drama
Little Women
Just Mercy
Tenet
365 Days
Jojo Rabbit
The Photograph
Enola Holmes
The Gentlemen
The Hunt
After we Collided

Movies: Thriller
Contagion
Fantasy Island
Underwater
The Grudge
The Invisible Man
The Turning
The Devil All The Time
Antebellum
Gretel & Hansel
Knock Knock

Movies: Comedy
Hubie Halloween
Like a Boss
Onward
Trolls World Tour
Borat 2
Spies in Disguise
The Wrong Missy
Dolittle
King of Staten Island
Downhill

Musicians and Bands
Shakira
August Alsina
Adele
Doja Cat
Grimes
Van Halen
Lizzo
Tamar Braxton
Quando Rondo
Tory Lanez

TV Shows
Tiger King
Cobra Kai
Ozark
The Umbrella Academy
The Queen’s Gambit
Little Fires Everywhere
Outer Banks
Ratched
All American
The Last Dance

Dr. Robert Rodriguez Named to President-Elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 Advisory Board

Posted on November 9, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Dr. Robert Rodriguez is ready to fight the coronavirus pandemic in a big way…

The Latino doctor, a native of Brownsville, Texas, is among the health officials named to President-elect Joe Biden‘s COVID-19 advisory board.

Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received their first briefing from the board on Monday morning in Wilmington, Delaware.The team will be led by three co-chairs: former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former Food and Drug Administrator commissioner Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, a professor of medicine at Yale University.

Thirteen co-chairs and members will comprise the board, including Rodriguez.

He graduated from Harvard Medical School, returned home to the Rio Grande Valley as the number of people dying from coronavirus soared over the summer. He volunteered to help with the critical surge in the ICU.

He told ABC News in July that he saw at least one person die daily from the virus.

“Everybody is wearing masks here. The spread is not because people aren’t being responsible. I think it’s largely due to socioeconomic issues,” Rodriguez said at the time. “The best way you can take care of frontline providers and everybody else here in the hospital is by taking care of yourself.”

Currently, Rodriguez serves as a Professor of Emergency Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine, where he works on the frontline in the emergency department and ICU of two major trauma centers.

According to a release from Biden’s transition team, Rodriguez has authored over 100 scientific publications and has led national research teams examining a range of topics in medicine, including the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of frontline workers.

It’s not clear whether or not President Donald Trump‘s administration will work with Biden’s task force. However, Biden says he plans to reach out to governors about a state mask mandate as soon as possible.

Becky G Interviews Kamala Harris & America Ferrera on Her Multimedia Podcast “En La Sala”

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Becky G is bringing in some big guns to talk politics and more…

The 23-year-old Mexican American singer/rapper’s new voting-themed episode of her En La Sala multimedia podcast features Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris and actress America Ferrera.

The candid conversation, which went live Tuesday (October 6) exclusively on Amazon Music with corresponding video on Amazon Music’s Twitch channel, touches on a wide range of topics including Harris’ experience as California’s attorney general, the importance of voting on November 3 and 2Pac.

“This is one of the biggest moments in my entire career,” Becky G says in the episode’s trailer. She also speaks with Ferrera about She Se Puede, the new nonprofit the actress and activist founded to pursue social justice and support civic engagement for Latinas. The episode will also be dedicated to the Latino Community Foundation, a nonprofit working to increasing political participation of the Latinx community in California.

Becky G is confirmed to speak at this year’s virtual Latin Music Week. The hitmaker will join Jorge and Hernán Hernández from the iconic norteño group Los Tigres del Norte to discuss the role artists currently play in engaging Latino voters who for the first time in a presidential election are the nation’s largest racial minority among eligible voters this year with a record 31.6 million Latinos eligible to vote. They will also chat about the immigrant experience as seen by two generations of Mexican-American artists. To reserve a spot and receive updates, RSVP here.

Julian Castro to Take Part in 2020 Presidential Candidate Forum on LGBTQ Issues

Posted on September 17, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Julian Castro will be discussing LGBTQ Issues later this week…

The 45-year-old Mexican American politician and Democratic US presidential candidate will take part in the national 2020 Presidential Candidate Forum on LGBTQ Issues.

Hosted by Pose actress Angelica Ross, the forum is presented by GLAAD, One Iowa, The Gazette and The Advocate and will be livestreamed from Coe College’s Sinclair Auditorium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on September 20 at 7:00 pm CT.

In addition to Castro, whowas the youngest member of President Barack Obama‘s Cabinet, serving as the 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2017, participants include Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Sestak, Elizabeth Warren and Marianne Williamson. Country artist and contestant on season 11 of The Voice Billy Gilman is set to perform the National Anthem at the event.

A transgender activist, Ross will join GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellison stage tol bring LGBTQ specific-issues to the forefront of discussion in the 2020 presidential election.

During the Forum, each candidate will discuss their plan and vision for improving LGBTQ acceptance in a divisive time for marginalized communities.

“This LGBTQ Presidential Forum is a pivotal moment in the 2020 election cycle,” said Ellis. “It’s the first time that LGBTQ issues will be exclusively discussed by 2020 presidential candidates on a national stage.”

She adds, “We look forward to hearing how the 2020 candidates plan to reverse the attacks and rollbacks of the Trump Administration and put LGBTQ Americans on a course to 100% acceptance.”

This comes at a time when members of the American LGBTQ community have faced more than 124 anti-LGBTQ attacks in policy and rhetoric from the Trump Administration. This includes the ban on transgender Americans from serving in the military and the administration’s opposition to the Equality Act.

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