• Photo courtesy of Con-Nichiwa 2014.
• Con-Nichiwa 2014!

If you're looking for boredom in Tucson, then you shouldn't go to Con-Nichiwa. The rapidly growing anime/manga pop culture event started today and will go on through Sunday, March 23 at the Tucson Convention, 260 S. Church Ave. The special guests include American manga artist and graphic novel illustrator Armand Villavert Jr. Vallavert Jr. is a Phoenix based artist and he's famous for his work at Tokyopop and Boom! Studios. Notable Anime voice actors Ellyn Stern (Robotech), Richard Epcar (Batman, Rototech, Lupin The Third, Naruto) and Bryce Papenbrook (Dynasty Warriors, hack//Sign) and Cherami Leigh (Throwing Stones, Radio Disney) will be at the event.

As always, there's cosplay (costume performance) contests and a full schedule of panels and programing all three days. There will be musical performances by all girl L.A. rock band Nylon Pink and Candy Bomber.

Click here for more information.

• Photo courtesy of shutterstock.com
• Shot of tequila keeps the doctor away?

If I was at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Dallas and heard the presentation on the health benefits of sugars found in tequila, I'd want to know exactly how many shots I could get away with every day and does mezcal work wonders too (because I already know that it does)?

Unfortunately, it sounds like a study that's all about creating another sugar substitute that ends up next to the pink and yellow packets on the tables at my favorite breakfast joint. Ho-hum.

The recent Time magazine health post on tequila sugars mentions a shot, but specifics are needed, but for those who love tequila and have been telling people for years it's the only brew a liver appreciates:

A shot of tequila is not exactly part of a balanced diet, but sugars found within it could offer health benefits to the obese and diabetes sufferers

Sugars found in the plant that makes tequila could lower blood glucose levels for people with type 2 diabetes, and help obese people lose weight, researchers say.

A type of natural sugar called agavins come from the agave plant, which can be used to make tequila. These sugars (which are not the same as in the more commonly known agave syrup) are non-digestible and do not raise blood sugar, according to Mexican researchers.

In new research, the team of scientists fed mice a standard diet, and added agavins to some of their water. They discovered that the mice who consumed agavins ate less overall and had lower blood glucose levels. The effects were stronger than other artificial sweeteners like aspartame and agave syrup. The mice consuming agavins also produced a hormone called GLP-1 that keeps the stomach full longer and produces insulin, which is another reason it could be beneficial for people with diabetes and weight issues.

“This puts agavins in a tremendous position for their consumption by obese and diabetic people,” the study authors write. “We believe agavins have a great potential as a light sweetener.”

• MOCA Tucson
• Janaina Tschäpe, "Ocean Floating Worlds"

It's not about coffee, but an even better treat: free admission to a colorful and uplifting exhibit of videos and installations evoking the personality of water. It's happening at MOCA, Tucson's Museum of Contemporary Art, from noon to 5 p.m., daily through Sunday, March 23.

One of the benefits of writing for the Tucson Weekly is working with a new group of interns every semester. Last year, working with UA journalism senior Noelle Haro-Gomez was, well, like working with family. I've gotten to know other interns over the years and watched them go on to do amazing work for us and other publications. However, Haro-Gomez is one of those students who is a hard worker in and out of the classroom, so it's easy to share her GoFundMe campaign with you.

Haro-Gomez was recently accepted to take part in the VII Student Program in Cambodia this summer. Led by VII photojournalists Gary Knight and Anastasia Taylor-Lind, the program will provide Haro-Gomez with an experience that will undoubtedly shape her life and work to come. She should be proud that she got accepted, but paying for this experience is another challenge altogether.

• I'm sure it'll be just like this tonight at Golden Pin
• Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

As someone who has had all the jobs, I used to work at a local bowling center ages ago. It wasn't the worst experience as a whole as far as crappy low-paying service gigs go, but the worst part of every week was when it was the completely terrible "Cyberbowling" event. In the case of where I worked, that consisted of some discount disco lights and a VHS tape (and this was decidedly in the era of the DVD, I promise) of music videos provided by some national service. I've managed to black out most of the experience, but I do remember a back-to-back hit of Billy Squier and Third Eye Blind. It was not a pleasant experience.

So, as someone who enjoys bowling and doesn't hate my ears, the latest experiment by local DJ Herm to bring the music from his Saturday night gig at La Cocina to non-nightclub spaces is right up my alley (RIMSHOT). Tonight's the premiere of Pins and Needles, an all-ages event at Golden Pin Lanes from 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. For $11, you get unlimited bowling (shoe rental included), Herm and special guest DJs will be playing "the dopest Hip Hop, Funk, Soul, Disco, House, Old School and Latin jams." Plus, there's a bar.

Also, as part of the monthly event, various groups from around town will be challenging each other in a charity bowling showdown. This month, it's the staff of Breakout Studios, the FC Tucson supporters club Cactus Pricks and the ladies of Black Cherry Burlesque. Should be a pretty good time, assuming you enjoy bowling and fun.

Left behind in the rubble is a community and school district torn apart, as well as friendships and organizers who once stood together only to breaking each other's hearts. However, right now there remains work to do while we wait for a Ninth District Court of Appeals decision on a failed lawsuit against the state that will hopefully strike the law and for TUSD to stop fighting the implementation of a court-ordered desegregation plan, which includes full-implementation of culturally relevant curriculum with Mexican-American and African-American studies classes.

And that's why a new book published by University of Arizona Press, Raza Studies: The Public Option for Educational Revolution edited by Augustine Romero and Julio Cammarota is needed. It tells the program's origin story without malice or pretense or even hiding from its ties to the UA's Social Justice and Education Program. Really, we've had so many outsiders come in, interfere in the movement, try to take some ownership over what was built, dismantled and fought for, seems like a book with truth behind it is need now more than ever.

This book is exactly that—an attempt to tell the story with truth and not just through Romero or Cammorota's perspective—albeit their part of the story is very important. Romero currently works in TUSD as director of the Department of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Instruction and is co-founder of SJEP. Cammarota is a UA associate professor of Mexican-American studies, and the author of Suenos Americanos: Barrio Youth Negotiating Social and Cultural Identities.

The book serves as both history and how-to guide that illustrates the importance of critical multicultural curriculum and education. Inside are chapters by Nolan Cabrera (Cabrera report was presented to the TUSD governing board, administration and State Superintendent John Huppenthal's office multiple times. The report explicitly showed that the classes did increase test scores and graduation rates), Andrea Romero and Anna Ochoa O'Leary looking at resiliency and stress faced by undergraduate students in the face of the anti-ethnic studies laws (pay attention, Texas.)

I'll be moderating a panel with Romero and Cammarota at the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend, Saturday, March 15, 10 a.m., at the Nuestra Raices tent off the mall. But we are going to get things started a little early with an Q&A.

See you on Saturday, you and all those wonderful, wonderful books:

There's always been a lot of discussion in the background or claims on how Raza Studies/MAS began in TUSD, was it important to either of you to explain SJEP's part in the development of the program?

Augustine Romero: Mari, the discussion around this question did not start until the start of the SES (Save Ethnic Studies) the help of Julio and our students established the foundation and structure of the MAS program. Yes, when I came aboard in 2002 the department existed, but was a shell of a department, and for all intents and purposes existed in name only. For instance, there was no theoretical framework, there was no vision, and there was no mission. All of those things plus much more were created after I took over the program. More reality is the fact the Sean Arce was very rarely part of the discussions I was having with confidants, as I was theorizing the development of the department and all of its projects.

Julio: Well the SJEP added the action component to Paulo Freire's notion of praxis, which is critical reflection and action. There was reflection going on in MAS classes prior to the SJEP but the SJEP really added the action component, which helped students grow intellectually. When the students were engaged in praxis, the SJEP and MAS really took off. Students were connected to their learning, and word got out that this was the class to take if you wanted to make a difference. You would be surprised but a lot of young people want to improve the world in which they live. The SJEP became the opportunity to make that possible; it empowered young people to voice their concerns about education and society. However, the SJEP students not only voiced their concerns but actually took action to bring about change.

When did you start working on putting the actual book together?

Julio: We started about four years ago. Right about the time HB 2281 was passed.

How did you pick the different academics and writers who contributed? By topic or request?

Julio: We sent out a call to many different folks, academics, educators, community members and youth. Most people were interested but the academics were better situated to take advantage of the opportunity. They were more prepared to actually write something.

Augustine: It is important to note that the SES teachers were invited to contribute and most had originally agreed to participate. However, over the course of time they on their own accord withdrew from the process.

The past couple of years have been difficult for the community, do you see this book and its message being helpful in moving us forward or more of an academic example of how to put a program like this together?

Augustine: Both, the truth is a powerful tool, and it is only challenged by those who have something to gain by the spreading their lies. The book is based upon the truth. If someone wants to understand how to develop a similar program Raza Studies can help them do that. If people want to move forward let’s do so from a position of truth versus the mythologies that have been constructed by various groups of people.

One of the chapters ends with a section asking Forward, how?, where do you see TUSD, CRC and SJEP moving forward? How?

Augustine: MAS’s theoretical framework known as Critically Compassionate Intellectualism is ground in many of the same theory within the culturally relevant and culturally responsive frameworks. For intents and purpose if we follow the tenets of these frameworks we will ground ourselves in many of the same principles and ideal regarding our newly created lens of what is consider equity and excellence in education. In fact, what has been lost in this debate is what is best for our historically underserved and oppressed student groups. We had some very powerful and effective answers, but these answers actually answered the question. There are a lot of people who want to credit for asking the question, and who are simultaneously looking for the same old wrong answers that have been packaged differently or have been given a new and clever name. However, they are not seeking real answers. If they were seeking real and honest answer our program would have never been eradicated. In fact, the reciprocal would be true. There would be a similar program in every school in Arizona. That’s the truth!

Finally, what is the most important message that both of you want and hope to convey with the publishing of this book?

Julio: The important message that I hope to convey is that education should be way more than learning about facts, figures and concepts. Education also should be about accessing freedom, reinforcing self-determination, engaging one's community, uncovering lost or stolen histories, and forming a critical consciousness in which students know the true causes of oppression and know how to address these causes.

Augustine: I would add that the dream of academic equity and excellence is possible for our historically underserved communities. Today, more so than ever we know this to be true! We must recognize the reality that our historically underserved students are not inherently “at risk.” Rather, our systems; especially the educational system inherently create risk for these students. This is a historical fact! We need to flip the paradigm upside down, and ask how the system creates risk for these children. From this point, we then start the structural transformation and transcendence's that are needed to create a structure of equity and excellence for our historically underserved student populations.

• Photo courtesy of Female Storytellers.
• Female Storytellers Presents: I Fought The Law!

The Female Storytellers are hosting their next event and benefit for No More Deaths at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12 at Plush 340 E. Sixth St. The local raconteurs will recount their run-ins with the law. One of the performers is a University of A creative writing teacher and local author Melanie Madden.

"I'm a poet and essayist and writing can seem like a pretty lonely enterprise sometimes," Madden said. "FST! gives me an opportunity to write something where I get the immediate gratification of sharing my work with a live audience. A great audience. And the women of FST! are just a great, supportive, non-competitive group where I've felt really encouraged and like I'm part of something special. It's my favorite thing about Tucson."

Some folks celebrate their Birthdays for one day or a week, but not us. You only turn 30 once, so we are going to party all year long. You're all invited to our Endless Dive Bar Dirty 30 celebration from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 12 at Danny's Baboquivari, 2910 East Fort Lowell Road. There will be free cake and drink specials. Join editor Danny Gibsons and the rest of the Weekly staff and play some of your favorite jukebox tunes.

Kitty Quasar is back and his fun, fun laser gun is set to party. After a two year hiatus, party aliens Quasar and Andromeda Katz are hosting Glitter Ball at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 22 at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. WAX 5,6,7 DJs are going to spin records and there will be live performances by The Hustler and The Warm Jets. Elaborate costumes are encouraged, of course.

• Photo courtesy of MEOW MEOW Productions.
• Glitterball is Back.

• Photo by Henry Barajas
• Adult Swim Fun House

Adult Swim is back in town. The late night cartoon network partnered with KFC and Ice Breakers Mints to give Tucson a two-day event from 5 to 10 p.m. starting today and Friday, March 7 at the 4th District Parking Lot (near Bumsteds) on 522 N. Fourth Ave.

The mini park will start giving out tickets at 4 p.m. Don't wait because the line started at noon.

The 40-foot tall inflatable castle is filled with 15 themed rooms inspired by Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Childrens Hospital, Loiter Squad, Metalocalypse, Robot Chicken and Squidbillies.

Here are some pictures of the rooms:

• Photo by Henry Barajas
• The Squid Room!

• Photo by Henry Barajas

• Photo by Henry Barajas
• Here's one way out of the fun house.