THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2003
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A
Students buy and display tiny, controversial Homies
By Nicole Roché
nroche@kansan.com
kansan staff writer
While Ben Koven's roommate was overseas, Koven borrowed some change and bought some new friends.
Homies, that is.
Homies, inch-tall plastic figurines that depict Hispanic Americans in careers from priests to professors, were created by Los Angeles artist David Gonzales in 1998.
Shortly after their introduction, the Los Angeles Police Department said the figurines encouraged gang violence, according to a May 1999 Los Angeles Times article. Homies were banned in the Los Angeles area, but eventually found their way across the country. Now more than 100 Homies characters are sold nationwide.
While initial controversy pegged the figurines as racist,
Lawrence collectors say they don't see the problem.
Koven, Overland Park senior, said although the figurines were predominantly Hispanic, there were some from every race.
Koven had 24 Homies, he said, and among his favorites were "Joker Child," which looks like one of the painted members from the band Insane Clown Posse, and "O.G." a man holding the Mexican flag.
Koven, who is Caucasian, said the Homies represented a closelyknit Hispanic-American community. He said they did not perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
Chandler McCune, Leawood freshman, said he was unsure what to think about the figurines.
McCune said that to an extent the figurines were racist and stereotypical, but other figurines such as Barbie also can be stereotypical.
"They take this white girl and make her look provocative."
McCune said. "It's the same thing."
Juan Izaguirre, Lincoln, Neb,
graduate student, wore a Homies shirt in his senior picture.
Izaguirre, a Hispanic-American graduate student from Lincoln, Neb., is the assistant director for Hawk Link, the University's freshman retention program.
Ben Koven, Overland Park senior, eyes his collection of Homies. Homies have drawn racial controversy, but Koven said they didn't perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
Though Izaguirre had some interest in Homies while in high school, he said, he can understand why people might see them as controversial.
"Either they're a street gang member or a provocative female," he said. "But it's just a caricature of those Homie people."
AndySamuelsson/Kansan
Sometimes Homie dolls are reminders of family members, said Claudio Mercado, assistant director for admissions and scholarships.
Although Izaguirre no longer owns any Homies, he said, they were a piece of culture and a way for Hispanic-Americans to remember their youth.
Mercado said she kept about 50 Homies in her office next to pictures of family and friends.
"I have all my Homies with my Homies," she said.
She said one Homie, "Flaco," which means "skinny" in Spanish, was reminiscent of her lanky
goofy-looking uncle.
Mercado said she had seen Homies at Hastings Books, Music & Video, 1900 W.23rd St., in 1999 and had become interested in the figurines. Other local Homie vendors include 7th Heaven, 1000 Massachusetts St., and Royal Crest Lanes, Ninth and Iowa Streets.
Mercado, who is Hispanic-American, said passers-by were fascinated by her Homie collection.
"People crack up about certain ones," she said. "They're really more humorous than anything."
— Edited by Julie Jantzer
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