Cover photo by
Luther Orrick-Guzman

About the Cover
Our Adventure Issue cover model is Angel, a Mexican-American who was born and raised in Los Angeles. His hobbies include camping, hiking, playing video games, and especially drawing. He says, “I love drawing comic illustrations. I’ve been drawing since I was a little kid.”

Angel also enjoys all kinds of movies—particularly horror flicks. And music-wise, he likes R&B.

And he seems to be the adventurous type of guy. He explains, “I want to skydive, I want to bungee jump. I like everything that’s adventurous.”

If there is one thing that he won’t do, it’s step foot in the ocean. He explains, “I don’t know, I just don’t like getting into something that I can’t see—touching things at the bottom. I just can’t.”

Despite his handsome looks, Angel remains humble. He explains, “I’m really a quiet guy. I’m a family man. My family means everything to me—my mom, my dad, my sister. They come first. Even my little boy—who’s 8 years old.”

Angel continues, “I used to party a lot, but now I’m a changed person. Now I’m looking forward to the married life.”

And what does Angel look for in a partner? He says, “I like a strong man—someone who knows what he wants and who can take care of business.”

Photo by David Gil

The Adventure Issue

Welcome to the Adventure Issue! This high-octane issue is dedicated to showing Latinos who like to push the boundaries and live on the edge. You’ll see Latinos doing things you never thought we could do—and going places you never thought we would go.

Of course, when we see images of QVs in the media, we usually don’t see us as a courageous group of people. However, there is a whole other world of QVs out there who are involved in sports and other crazy activities. From bungee jumping and skydiving to skiing and surfing, we can be a daring group of individuals! And in this issue of qvMagazine, we’ll explore just what we, particularly Latinos, are doing to make our lives daring and exciting...

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George Lopez mimicks J.Lo in this ad for the "George Lopez Show"

Tidbits of news, views, and politics-from in and around the qvCommunity.

• QV Adoptions ! Pediatrics Panel Gives Okay for QVs to Adopt.
• The New Latinos! Study of Census Reveals New Finding About Latinos in the U.S.
• It's QV Pride Time! QV pride events to take place across the nation.
• TV News! Rosie O'Donnell, Will & Grace, and George Lopez
• They Said What? Latino celebrities like Jacob Vargas and Jose Solano talk to qvMagazine about the Latino Community!

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Alana Davis

Fortune Cookie with a Bite!
Sizzling Singer Alana Davis Talks About Her Unique Music.
--Interview by Brad Jacobson

Alana Davis is somewhat of a rarity in the music industry. Signed with a major label, she is one of the most independent minded singers around with her acoustically driven fusion of jazz and funk. That sound launched her into the mainstream with her 1997 album “Blame It On Me.” Now, she is back with a new album called “Fortune Cookies” and a US tour. QV conducted a phone interview with Alana as she was traveling around the country.

“Just be you. We’re all individuals. There’s a huge pressure put on for you to conform, to fit in, to be cool from such a young age that it can really hinder your actual natural abilities. We’re all put here for a reason so embrace that.” --Alana Davis

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Benjamin Bratt
Photo by Luther Orrick-Guzman

Benjamin Bratt!
A Conversation with the star of "Piñero."
--Interview by Luther Orrick-Guzman

ACTOR BENJAMIN BRATT is one of today’s biggest Latino stars. Since his break-out role on the hit NBC drama series, “Law & Order,” he has gone on to play even bigger roles in films such as “Miss Congeniality” with Sandra Bullock, “The Next Best Thing” with Madonna, and the Oscar-nominated film "Traffic." Now, he is getting rave reviews for his lead performance in the independent film “Piñero,” a film which tells the story of the turbulent and creative life of a Latino icon, the poet-playwright Miguel Piñero, whose urban poetry is recognized as a pre-cursor to rap and hip-hop. qvMagazine spoke with Benjamin about this intense film and about playing Miguel Piñero.

“The fact of the matter is, Miguel (Piñero) didn’t play the sexual identity politics game. To him, sex was sex, whether it was with a man or a woman... I guarantee that if you called him QV, he’d probably stab you. And yet, he was a practicing bisexual on a regular basis. He was kind of complicated that way.” —Benjamin Bratt

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Model: Tarek
Photo by Marcus Acosta

Living on the Edge
Adventurous Latino guys who dare to be different.

In the world of sports, it’s rare to find Latinos involved in anything other than baseball, boxing, or soccer. But QV has found out that we Latinos do anything and everything. In fact, many of us really like to live on the edge. Here’s what you told us when we asked you, “What’s is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?”

“My most adventurous thing I did was I once went bungee jumping and it felt great. You get this crazy ass rush to your head and then your heart stops for a second when you feel that it’s over, but it’s really just beginning. Your trip back up makes your whole body numb. It’s great.”
—22 years old, Los Angeles, CA

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Michael Alexander

Surfin' USA!
Michael Alexander Talks About His Life As a Latino Surfer.
--Interview By qvStaff Roldán

A Latino surfer? Is there such a thing? Yes! Meet Michael Alexander, a 21 year old Latino surfer, who enjoys riding the waves off the Southern California beaches. qvMagazine talked to him about how he got started in this sport, what it means to be a surfer, and how he managed to find a group of Latino surfers to surf with.

Q: How did you find these other Latino surfers? A: I found them in my neighborhood! (Laughs) I just went out and got them. Most of them I met in high school and when we got older, we just started surfing together. We kind of knew about each other, but didn’t say anything. We were struggling by dating girls. Of course, we weren’t into them, but we were just trying to fit in. And then eventually, we came out to each other and ended up dating each other (laughs)...

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Dennis Ramos

The Pennsylvania Pilot
Dennis Ramos Talks About What It Feels Like Flying Planes For a Hobby.
--Interview By qvStaff Roldán

Dennis Ramos’ life is flying high—literally! The Lancaster, Pennsylvania native has a deep passion for flying airplanes and being up in the sky. We spoke with Dennis about his unusual hobby and about his adventures up in the friendly skies.

"Well, being a pilot and being Latino and being QV—you’d figure the three don’t mix. But I’m sure there are others out there. If anyone ever thinks about flying, but they feel they don’t have the right stuff, I’d tell them to go flying for one hour. Take an orientation flight. Never feel that you’re out of place because you’re Latino and QV. Pilots are their own breed themselves. You don’t have to be white just to fly. If you’re going to be a Latino and you say that flying is not for you because of who you are and what you do or the kind of life you live, nah, don’t think about that. Being a pilot is something anyone can do. I think everyone should go out and get some experience flying a plane." --Dennis Ramos

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Sgt. Edgar Rodriguez

NYPD Boricua!
Edgar Rodriguez Talks About His Life as a Police Sergeant and Coming Out.
--Interview by David Rodriguez

For 20 years, Edgar Rodriguez served on the New York City police force, working his way up the ranks from a rookie to a sergeant. Rodriguez, a Puerto Rican who has been an outspoken advocate for QVs and minorities, spoke with qvMagazine about his unique experiences as a Latino police officer and about the impact that the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, had on him.

“I encourage people, especially Latinos, to get involved in the criminal justice system. To those people who are Latino and QV, lesbian, or transgendered, I encourage them to go into criminal justice. It’s they who are going to build that bridge and make it a safer place for all of us.” --Sgt. Edgar Rodriguez

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Astrolo-V: The fierce La Chicharona reveals what the stars have in store for you!
HEY PAPA! I’m almost there…just a few more weeks, and I’ll be ready for the beach. I’ve got my sexy bikini, golden tan, flat stomach, and if you know me by now, I always have my bitchy attitude. You got it, I’ll be ready for all those cute brown boyz walking in their shorts and no T-shirts. I love this time of the year, and I get excited thinking about it! And what about you? Will you be with that guy you like? Will you win the lottery? Let me take a look into your future:... [click here to read full text]

Dear Papi: Boyfriend troubles getting you down? Let your dear 'ol Papi help you out.
THE PAPI IS IN! Relationships are an intricate part of life, but why are they so complicated? Sometimes, you meet a really fine guy, who, unfortunately, turns out to be a real jerk. And other times, you meet an average looking guy, who’ll turn out to be pretty cool. So whatever is happening to you, let me know... [click here to read full text]