Mexican  Heritage  Consortium
Mission Statement

The  MEXICAN HERITAGE CONSORTIUM promotes the teaching, publishing and dissemination of Mexican and Mexican American history and culture which is:

• Accurate, authentic and easily understood
• Positive and non-prejudicial
• Accessible, attractive and competitive

This is done through collaboration with existing institutions serving the Hispanic community, through publications, lectures, exhibits, workshops and public performances. The consortium also engages in research to design suggested curricula and educational programs, and to promote general public knowledge of Mexican and Mexican American history and culture.

Among our goals will be to provide constantly updated catalogs, bibliographies, event calendars and other materials to increase general awareness of the public contributions of each of our members. Public speakers, authors, artists, performers and workshop leaders will also be organized and listed according to specialization and availability.

The consortium plans to become a 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural and historical organization. Activities will include jointly-sponsored seminars, battle re-enactments, “living history” presentations, folkloric and musical performances, museum exhibits, authentic souvenir collections for non-profit fundraising as well as for businesses which support the consortium’s mission. The consortium will include literary and video committees to advise gift and book stores on quality items available to serve “Mexican Heritage” interests. We will maintain memberships in the American Association of Museums and the American Library Association, among other local, state, regional and national organizations.

Our Board of Directors

Major Julieta Teresa Ritzman (Ret.)

Major Ritzman has many years of military experience in management, operations and logistics. The latter will be a key for a successful cavalry re-enactment. Her ties to the Battle of Puebla stem from her Mexican-American heritage, with relatives in Puebla and other parts of Mexico.

"Queen of the Bullfight," -  Near Mexico City, 1969

Julieta is the daughter of Donald Miles, the author of Cinco de Mayo: What is Everybody Celebrating? Her background includes twenty-five years of military service: active Army, Army Reserves, Guard and Air Force Reserves. The majority of her service was as a helicopter pilot. Juliette’s military experience has helped her transition to the equine industry. She has a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Equine Administration.

Juliette has been married for twenty-three years and has two adult sons, each serving in the military: one in Army ROTC, one in the Reserves. As an “empty-nester,” Juliette is actively involved with her horses and dogs. In January of 2010, she will become a Logistics Analyst for Northrup Grumman.

Juliette’s blog

Don examines a bullet in a Cholula shopkeeper’s door. Don, guest speaker for a high school Spanish class

Donald W. Miles is the author of Cinco de Mayo: What is Everybody Celebrating? He and his wife, the former Minerva González Angulo of Mexico City, traveled all over Mexico together for more than forty years. Minerva earned a Ph.D. and taught at the University of Nebraska, St. Edward’s and Texas State Universities. Although she died in 2006, Minerva is still the inspiration behind Don’s involvement with this consortium and the books he is currently writing in the field of Mexican history.

Don has been a college professor, an elementary teacher, and - for more than thirty years - a radio newscaster. The couple have two adult children: daughter Juliette, who is also on our interim board of directors, and son Richard, a former State Department diplomat who served a term as National Security Council Director for North America (Canada and Mexico,) at the White House. Counting nieces, nephews and their children, Don has about twenty people in Mexico who call him “Tio,” (uncle.)

Don’s blog:

www.donmiles.blogspot.com
www.DonMiles-Spanish.blogspot.com

Maribel at "Battle of the Hook," supporting George Washington`s army, Gloucester, VA-Oct 2008

Maribel Rios

Dr.  Maribel Rios is a seasoned veteran of re-enactments. In addition to parades and flag ceremonies, she has helped “George Washington’s” army defeat the British at the Battle of the Hook in Gloucester, Virginia, (October, 2008,) and was there when the Regimiento Fijo de Puerto Rico fended off a 1797 British invasion of San Juan (April, 2009.) She is currently Vice President of the Fijo,” and in charge of its artillery unit. Her “day job?” She’s a dentist, with her own dental practice in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

In her “spare time,” Maribel is also a show promoter. In November of 2009, she brought the tall ship Bounty (think Marlon Brando, and Pirates of the Caribbean,) to Puerto Rico, handling the investigative work for the government, the diesel fuel delivery, port authorities, customs, security, etc.  She has done seventeen concerts with U.S. and local artists, including the Moody Blues, Badfinger and the comedian Sinbad. Should we try something like that for our event in 2012? It would be better to encourage someone else to do it, she says, rather than have our organization take it on. “It will take too much time and effort, and it will drain you of time and money,” she advises. “We have to concentrate on the re-enactment. We can’t be distracted by thinking of other events [even though] they may help us, if we want to succeed with the one event that is important. Believe me, I’ve been there.”

Maribel’s blog

Hector Diaz is the national president of Hispanics in History, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization which seeks to promote the positive contributions made by Hispanics to United States history and culture. He is the Lieutenat Colonel in charge of re-enactments for the Regimiento Fijo de Puerto Rico, a group which portrays colonial soldiers under the flag of Spain. Historically, that unit was among many in the 1600’s and 1700’s which protected Spain’s Caribbean and North American colonies.

The “Fijo” participates in re-enactments throughout many U.S. southeastern and mid-Atlantic states. They have been in parades, flag ceremonies and other “living history” events at such places as the George Washington estate at Mt. Vernon, Virginia, and the Battle of the Hook, supporting American troops in that and several more of the last few engagements before the British finally surrendered at Yorktown. Members of the “Fijo” and its sister unit, the Spanish Louisiana Regiment, live throughout the United States, including places like Baltimore, northern Virginia, Chicago, St. Louis and San Antonio.