CATAgorias

  Recently there was a lot of controversy to the music video and shoe that rapper and singer, Lil Nas X, released at the end of March. They both include things like the devil, human blood, a satan related bible verse, and lap dances. Many were outraged by the release of both, including many conservative politicians. As he received backlash, Lil Nas X remained unbothered. He received the reaction he was actually expecting.  'Montero' Music Video Lil Nas X's stardom sky rocketed after releasing his song "Old Town Road" in 2019. It was originally satire of country music, but was picked up by many young children across the world and loved by so many, becoming the longest-leading number one single in Hot 100 history. Lil Nas X has put out more music since then, including his latest track "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)".  Montero is Lil Nas X's first name, therefore the track represents him. He also identifies as being a part of the LGBTQ+ community and e...

House Music House Music is a genre consisting of Euro pop beats and is a blend of soul, funk , jazz, gospel, and Latin salsa. House music was born in 1977 in Chicago's Southside. There are many names to the creation of House Music but one of the biggest influences is known as Frankie Knuckles.  Frankie is a New York native who came to Chicago and opened up a club called "The Warehouse" in the late 70s. It was there where House music came to life. Frankie gave a new sound to music through House music. He did this by adding 4/4 tempos and adding drum tracks to many Philly classics by the O'Jays and Harold Melvin to name a few. Larry Levan was a friend of Frankie and also played a huge role in the start of House music. He was from Brooklyn and started spinning in a club in New York at the time known as "Paradise Garage".  David Mancuso was a friend of theirs and started parties known as "The Loft". These parties were made specifically f...

I know I can count on them for whatever Friends come and go but family is forever Mi familia es una familia differente and crazy some may say Y somos chismosas in a way It ain’t a bad thing and it can be funny Mi familia is actually as sweet as honey In this family we never let someone go uneaten Whether it’s menudo or tamales, you can’t be beaten Every family gathering turns into a party filled with dances It can even get you singing if you take the chances We stick together like our Mexican roots do We promise to keep it that way for when we argue too We know nothing can tear us apart Because mi familia tiene mucho corazon, or heart We are one of a kind and we have our own style With us, you will want to stay a while No somos perfectos, but we have so much love for each other Mi familia is just right and I wouldn’t want to be part of another.

Recently we have been seeing this orange man with a bad toupee in the news named Donald Trump who has been telling people of different origins to “go back to where they came from”. This man is supposed to be the president of the United States, but there is no way we can have a racist in office. Yes I know what I said, he is racist!  With the previous November midterm elections we elected many women of color into Congress and history was made that night. Since then many other women of color have been inspired and empowered thanks to these ladies. Most recently, Trump attacked four of these women in Congress when he told them to “go back to where they came from” in a tweet. These women are Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilham Omar, Rashia Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley.  Trump had a rally in Greenville, North Carolina last night (July 17th) as well and in the middle of the rally the crowd began to chant, “send her back!”, referring to congresswoma...

The places you will go aren’t always known  but you shall continue to grow and be shown The things you will see and do  Will teach you a lot too The people you will meet Will keep you on your feet The ones you will make proud  are always cheering for you loud The lessons learned Are a blessing earned The future that is yours Will open many doors The skills you will continue to utilize Comes with the knowledge you will apply The independence you hold Makes you strong and bold The memories, the lessons, the experience Have helped you become resilient From here you are off to take on any challenge given But all you must do is stay driven Do the unexpected and get out of your comfort zone For you have a life to live so make it your own Continue to grow in your own way And strive every single day Keep your head up high  Spread your wings and fly  The places you will go and the things you will do wi...

The American Dream is something we can’t see but we can vision It’s something we imagine to help us make decisions Because we all want a shot at this dream. What do I mean? I mean love and happiness and true success to live our lives up until death But the vision is hard to picture when we stay oppressed in a country that is a mess. We hope for a better future but get knocked down by racism and systems The ones in power act like the victims but it could all be solved if they would just listen There are people crying and children dying. Is this the justice and liberty the declaration is implying? We got kids in camps and shootings every day. How much more of this can we take? Until something is done we must stay awake and stay in this fight we do partake. We can’t see hope but we can feel it down to our core As we seek for peace and unity without war We are slaves to ourselves and to society It drives us up the wall and kills our sobriety. Now d...

With the celebration of Cinco de Mayo approaching, I thought I'd inform you guys on how to celebrate the holiday the right way. These are the dos and don'ts of Cinco de Mayo: DON'TS: DO NOT assume this is the Mexican Independence Day: Many people believe that this holiday celebrates the Independence of Mexico or that it is our 'Fourth of July' and that is not the case. The celebration is meant to celebrate Mexico's victory in the Battle of Pueblo. Before you make any claims that Cinco de Mayo is the "Mexican Independence Day", you might want to do your research.  DO NOT fall under cultural appropriation: Yes it is a time to celebrate, but do not over do it if you do not come from Mexican heritage. Please do not bring out the mustaches, sombreros, maracas, nor ponchos. As Mexicans, we do not walk around wearing sombreros and serapes 24/7, so please, leave the costumes at home. DO NOT make it an excuse to act a fool: We all want to have fun on ...

What is the deal with Kanye West? Well, let me tell you... Lately the Twitter world has been going crazy because Kanye tweeted a picture of himself wearing the MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat and he tweeted out about his love for Trump. Donald Trump has been one of the most hated U.S. presidents, so for Kanye to talk about having love for him created a lot of controversy. Other famous rappers and singers have spoken out and tweeted things to either defend or oppose Kanye's tweets. His wife, Kim Kardashian also tweeted. She defended her husband by saying that he has his own opinions and that she will continue to respect and love him. Chance The Rapper tweeted defending Kanye as well. Chance said that, "Black people do not have to be democrats". But are we really even worried about being a democrat or republican in this situation? I think not. It is about Kanye supporting someone that has so much hate towards minorities, immigrants, and the LGBTQ community. ...

Hello everyone, My name is Catlina Melgoza. I am a recent graduate of UMKC and I now have a bachelors in communication studies. The reason I am doing these blogs is to help improve my writing and to help create a platform for myself and my writings. I love to talk about sports, music, news, food, etc. I feel like we all have thoughts and opinions that should all be told and heard and that is why I love writing. I want to be heard and tell my story and I feel like I could do that through my blogs. My blogs will be about anything and everything. I want you all to see who I am through my blogs and the things I touch on. I also love to hear your opinions/thoughts. I want as much feedback as possible and I want to hear from you guys! As much as I love to talk about myself and sharing my thoughts, I love hearing from the people because that is also important. There is a reasoning as to why I named my blog website "CATAgorias". First off, my name is Catalina but growing up...

Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican celebration that happens October 31st and ends on November 2nd. The purpose of the celebration is to celebrate the life of those who have passed away. It is to look at death in a way that reflects off the life that was lived and not on the negative side of it. It is only to remember loved ones who have died. Many festivals and parades are held throughout Mexico, and even parts of the United States. People dress themselves up in colorful clothing and often paint their faces to look like skeletons. The festivals have food, music, and activities. Families sometimes gather at the cemeteries to pay their respect to their loved ones. Ofrendas , or altars, are built with belongings of those who have passed away. They are decorated with pictures, flowers, calaveras (sugar skulls), candles, etc. The celebration is connected with the Catholic church and their celebration of “All Saints Day”. The altars help give a space/area to...