UPFRONT.

Images of Inequality?

Americas has published few images of Africans in the Americas. Its March-April 1999 issue included seven photos of Sammy Sosa of the Dominican Republic. The two larger ones were of his back and side. Images are powerful, and the number 21 on Sosa's back evoked powerful images of invisibility. This was an opportunity to present the strong, determined face of an African descendant in the Americas, and Americas declined, notwithstanding that one of every three persons in the Americas is of African descent and all its member states have citizens of African descent. I ask that Americas equally represent the people of African descent.

Willie Thompson

Oakland, California

Editors' reply:

As part of our mission, we regularly feature stories about African descendants in the Americas. As for the image of Sammy Sosa showing his back and the number 21: this number has great significance to him--since it was also the number of his hero, Roberto Clemente--and it was the connection between these two great athletes--and their philanthropy--which was the focus of our article.

Portuguese Please

I was very pleased to read the words of Cesar Gaviria in the April 1999 issue. Fifty years ago the founders of the OAS had the idea of creating a magazine that focused on the Western Hemisphere. With the dawning of the twenty-first century, shouldn't the magazine include articles written in Portuguese as well, in order to truly represent this hemisphere? I greatly enjoy the magazine and find it useful for practicing my knowledge of Spanish. I would also like to be able to practice Portuguese, with at least one article an issue.

Reginald Lee Heefner

Chambersburg...