Every Day is Magic: Ada Limón

In her 2015 collection, Bright Dead Things, a National Book Award finalist for poetry, Ada Limón writes of moving to Kentucky: “Confession: I did not want to live here.” It’s perhaps not a surprising sentiment coming from a coastally oriented person who was raised in Northern California, attended college in Seattle, and then spent over a decade in New York City.

 

But Limón and her husband, Lucas, have been in Lexington for seven years now and the effects of settling into this place are noticeable in her new book, The Carrying (Milkweed, Aug.). It’s a phenomenally lively and attentive collection replete with the trappings of living a little closer to nature. While Bright Dead Things is marked by a preponderance of light, such as images of fireflies and neon signs, The Carrying features numerous appearances by various trees, birds, and beetles. Limón also demonstrates a greater willingness to be explicit in naming colors, particularly green. “It’s crazy green, the whole book,” she says. “Lexington is the greenest place I’ve ever lived.” Similarly, where in Bright Dead Things, Limón tells a lot of stories and anecdotes, in The Carrying she is very present in her thoughts and experiences.

As it turns out, these shifts in focus have another, altogether unexpected source. While putting Bright Dead Things together, Limón was diagnosed with chronic vestibular neuronitis, which can cause bouts of vertigo. “If I’m really having vertigo, it’s pretty intense and I really have to focus,”
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Arts & Entertainment

‘Theater for Social Change’

“At UC Santa Barbara, as at many universities, the early 1970s are remembered as a period of conflict and strife. But something remarkable emerged from that tumultuous time: A new theater company created by Hispanic artists, for Hispanic audiences.

It was called El Teatro de la Esperanza — the Theater of Hope — and for more than a quarter-century, it promoted justice and inclusion through storytelling and music.,,”

https://www.news.ucsb.edu/2022/020562/theater-social-change?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=%E2%80%98Theater%20for%20Social%20Change%E2%80%99&utm_campaign=March%201%2C%202022

Austin: Design Team for City’s Mexican American Cultural Center Provides Update

“…Austin (Travis County) — The Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) recently held a meeting, in which they detailed the expansion that will nearly double the footprint for Phase II of the city’s Emma S. Barrientos-MACC improvement project…

…Juan Miro said that they envision extending the semicircular cultural center with more classrooms for children and adults, a new gallery and performance space, along with other improvements…”

https://www.virtualbx.com/construction-preview/austin-design-team-for-citys-mexican-american-cultural-center-provides-update/

Doctor turns his photos of S.F. homeless residents into huge street-facing exhibit

“On his walk home from work, Dr. Eduardo Peña Dolhun passes people living on the sidewalk along Polk Street and Broadway. He’d made that walk hundreds of times before one evening when on a whim he stopped at a man resting on the sidewalk and said, “Hello sir, I’m a community doctor. Are you homeless?”…

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Family-physician-turns-his-amateur-photo-study-of-16714560.php

 

 

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Latin Grammy Awards 2021: Complete Winners List

“The 22nd annual Latin Grammy Awards were held in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Thursday night. The ceremony honored Latin music released between June 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021.

Roselyn Sánchez, Ana Brenda Contreras and Carlos Rivera hosted; Gloria Estefan, Christina Aguilera, Bad Bunny, Ozuna, Rubén Blades and C. Tangana were among the many performers…”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/arts/music/latin-grammys-winners-list.html

UCLA student takes dance moves to national level in commercial

“Alejandra Rodríguez has found her rhythm.

The third-year dance and political science student performed in a commercial for Fox Deportes, a division of Fox Sports broadcast in Spanish, that aired Oct. 26. The commercial celebrates the 25th anniversary of the network with newscasters and dancers moving to the song “Fuego” by Bomba Estéreo. This was her first appearance on a large national network and one of her first dance jobs since the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

“There was a time where we couldn’t do what we love the most,” Rodríguez said. “To get work off of something that you love and is your passion – it’s a complete blessing.”…”https://dailybruin.com/2021/11/10/ucla-student-takes-dance-moves-to-national-level-in-commercial

Shining a Light on U.S. Latinx Art and Artists

“If you go the website for pretty much any museum and search for art by Latinx artists from the United States—well, good luck finding it. More often than not, if you put in the search terms Latino, Chicano, Latinx, Hispanic, Nuyorican—nothing comes up.

It’s that kind of lack of visibility for Latinx artists in the U.S. that Adriana Zavala is working to overcome. Zavala is a professor in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, and though her academic work has long focused on Mexican art, she has expanded it to include Latinx art in the U.S…

https://now.tufts.edu/articles/shining-light-us-latinx-art-and-artists

Happening Today: Mayor Turner to honor Hispanic Heritage Award Winners

“…Ana Maria Martinez is the 2021 Mayor’s Hispanic Arts in the Community Award winner. The Grammy Award-winning soprano was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Martinez has 24 albums and an international career that spans the world’s most prestigious opera houses and concert halls. Ana Maria is also the first ever Artistic Advisor for the Houston Grand Opera and was recently designated Artist in Residence at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music…”

https://cw39.com/news/hispanic-heritage-month/happening-today-mayor-turner-to-honor-hispanic-heritage-winners/

 

Latinx Writers Couldn’t Get Hollywood’s Attention. So They Came Up With Another Way

“During last year’s Latinx Heritage Month, Nuyorican actor and filmmaker Dominique Nieves launched a mentorship initiative for up-and-coming Latinx television writers having a harder-than-normal time getting their foot in the door. Using the hashtag #ReadLatinxWriters, Nieves issued a call on Twitter for established industry professionals willing to read scripts from Latinx writers and provide feedback. Then, she deployed the hashtag to encourage aspiring writers to sign up for mentorships…”

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/09/10641181/latinx-authors-writers-representation-in-media

Six Latino artists break through in the acting categories with 2021 Emmy nominations

“The 2021 Emmy Award nominations were announced Tuesday, and across all acting categories, six Latino performers were recognized by the Television Academy: Anthony Ramos, Anya Taylor-Joy, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mj Rodriguez, Rosie Perez and Alexis Blede

“…“Gilmore Girls” star Bledel, who is Argentine on her father’s side and Mexican on her mother’s side, was nominated for guest actress in a drama series for “The Handmaid’s Tale.”…”

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-07-13/2021-emmy-nominations-latinx-representation

SC campaign highlights culture, traditions of Hispanic Heritage

“Every day during Hispanic Heritage Month, an SC agency is sharing details about food, music, historical figures, and yearly festivities from Latin American countries…”

https://www.wltx.com/article/news/community/south-carolina-campaign-highlights-hispanic-culture-traditions/101-ac55c4e3-f4a5-4070-82ef-a3666ea0d0ab

 

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With PBS Wisconsin

“Every year since 1988, Congress has recognized Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month, highlighting the impact of Hispanic Americans on our nation and recognizing five of our Central American neighbors who celebrate their independence in September.PBS Wisconsin pays tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have enriched American society and culture with these programs airing in September and October on PBS Wisconsin and on the PBS App on your phone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV, other digital TV devices and many Smart TVs…”

https://pbswisconsin.org/article/celebrate-hispanic-heritage-month-with-pbs-wisconsin/

 

National Media Coalition Announces 10 Latino Screenwriter Program Cohort – Deadline

“…Exclusive: National Hispanic Media Coalition We welcome 10 new Latino writers to the 2021 series screenwriter program. Linzy Beltran, April M. Sanchez, Diego Moreno, Michel Lichand, Eli Vazquez, Ana Defillo, Rolando Gomez, Desiree Carcamo, Samantha Renee Cordero, Linda Dillon Moya

Civil rights nonprofits offer writers at various stages of their careers the opportunity to network with industry professionals with the goal of finding recruitment opportunities and learning how to sell scripts to top studios and networks. doing. The program is part of NHMC’s commitment to making Hollywood a more comprehensive industry by supporting Latino creatives navigating in highly competitive markets.

“NHMC is proud to develop the next generation of storytellers. We are always delighted to see a new group of writers launching this program. They are the future of the industry. Next From staff writers to showrunners on their favorite shows, “said Brenda Victoria Castillo, president and chief executive officer of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. “We’ve been doing that for nearly 20 years, and we’re still moving Latin writers forward in an industry that hasn’t fully exploited the rich and diverse talents of the community. The NHMC fills the gap and is real. We are here to connect the entertainment industry with well-equipped writers who are ready to tell the story of. “…”

https://illinoisnewstoday.com/national-media-coalition-announces-10-latino-screenwriter-program-cohort-deadline/337246/

 

Academy Gold Rising program helping boost diversity in Hollywood

“..A total of 100 young people selected from among more than 9,000 applicants took part in the 2021 edition of Academy Gold Rising, which was held virtually for the second straight year and will hold its graduation ceremony on Saturday.That group has spent the past eight weeks participating in panel discussions on filmmaking and networking with industry professionals and receiving support and guidance from the Academy, best known for organizing the annual Oscars ceremony.Christine Simmons, the Academy’s chief operating officer, told Efe that her organization is excited to see the positive impact Gold Rising has had on the careers of program participants from the United States and abroad.One of the participants in Gold Rising 2021, Sofia Ayerdi, said she was thrilled to learn she had been selected for the program, whose partner companies include AMC Networks, The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Pictures and WarnerMedia.“It was something I simply couldn’t believe. I said, ‘there has to be some mistake. This is really happening to me? The Academy?’ It’s something truly incredible.”A Texas-born woman of Mexican descent who studies film production at California State University, Northridge, Ayerdi said the Academy Gold Rising program is introducing younger generations to the inner workings of Hollywood…”

https://www.laprensalatina.com/academy-gold-rising-program-helping-boost-diversity-in-hollywood/

 

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César Millán Hires Three Six Zero as His Global Management Team (EXCLUSIVE)

“César Millán, aka the “Dog Whisperer,” has hired Three Six Zero as his global management team. The Mexican American celebrity dog behaviorist, three-time Emmy nominee and New York Times bestselling author is one of the world’s most renowned authorities in the field of canine rehabilitation. The longtime television personality’s shows are broadcast and streamed in more than 120 countries…”

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/cesar-millan-management-three-six-zero-1235029411/?fbclid=IwAR3_RFxWszIvVxSmWr4GmF9el07MwY_nmGGs2sEGLpvkldB7rkZHpuqz_zA

 

Eva Longoria Teams With Grace Parra Janney, Josh Bycel to Develop Mexican American Comedy at ABC

“Eva Longoria will direct and executive produce a single-cam comedy in the works at ABC that hails from Grace Parra Janney and Josh Bycel.

The untitled series is inspired by Janney’s own large Mexican American family in Texas. It is described as a multi-generational comedy about an upper middle class family handling grief, identity, and a reevaluation of their roles following the death of the family’s patriarch.

“I’ve been a huge fan of Josh’s work since our time together on ‘Telenovela’ and Grace and I share similar ‘Texican’ backgrounds,” Longoria said. “At UnbeliEVAble we are always pushing to tell real and authentic stories so I’m particularly proud to share one that is not unlike my own family’s experience.”…”

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/twentieth-television-single-camera-comedy-created-by-grace-parra-and-josh-bycel-currently-in-development-at-abc-1235027511/?fbclid=IwAR0AQqjiBPutkCezv2kRWQdKjbzN_IIP5cjp2C8Ncci5gTLjR4qHXmcbhTM

Warner Media Access Writers Program Announces Finalists in U.S. And Canada

“…One of the writers of 21 selected domestically is Gabriel Vallejo, a Mexican American screenwriter who is using his experience growing up amidst poverty and gangs in Los Angeles to help youths locally at Central Juvenile Hall and adults in California State Prisons by teaching reflective writing…”

https://deadline.com/2021/07/warnermedia-access-writers-program-finalists-1234793708/

Chilemonos Offers its Entire Lineup Online, For Free, to Latin American Animation Fans

“This year’s official festival sections include both international and Latin American short film competitions, international and Latin American student short competitions, a Latin American series competition and a Latin America-Spain animated feature competition. Three features fill out 2021’s feature film competition: Celia Catunda and Kiko Mistrorigo’s “Tarsilinha” from Brazil, Toni García’s “Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds” from Spain, and Leopoldo Aguilar’s Mexican feature “Monster Zone.”

Charades

Supplementing the festival’s competition sections, Chilemonos will also host several public conversations and conferences as well as masterclasses and workshops hosted by established industry professionals from around..”

https://variety.com/2021/film/festivals/chilemonos-netflix-dogtanian-cuphead-jorge-gutierrez-1235017663/

 

Seven Latino heritage sites in need of protection

“WASHINGTON, DC – A new report, Place, Story and Culture: An Inclusive Approach to Protecting Latino Heritage Sites, released today by the Latino Heritage Scholars, an initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation, emphasizes the need for the protection of seven Latino heritage sites that embody the architectural, cultural and deep historical roots of the Latino community currently in need of preservation. The scholars are a group of young Latino professionals focused on historic preservation and ensuring that Latino history is protected, shared, and celebrated as part of the U.S. narrative…”

https://patch.com/michigan/farmington-mi/new-report-highlights

Lupita Infante Among 2700+ New Members Diversifying The Recording Academy

‘Regional Mexican star Lupita Infante is among the 2,710 new members that were invited to join the Recording Academy this year. The institution that hosts the Grammys every year wanted to diversify the membership who votes for the awards. Among the new invitees, 13 percent identified as Latino or Hispanic…”

https://wearemitu.com/latidomusic/recording-academy-new-members-lupita-infante/

NEA Announces 2021 National Heritage Fellowship Winners

“…Several musicians and groups were inducted among this year’s honorees. The best-known are the Mexican-American band Los Lobos, from Los Angeles, who are cited for having “the East Los Angeles sonic landscape for nearly a half century,” and the Irish-American flute and whistle player Joanie Madden from Yonkers, N.Y., who is the founder of the group Cherish the Ladies…”

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/15/1006679096/nea-announces-2021-national-heritage-fellowship-winners?fbclid=IwAR3-qXTAd0Pd4PLqx3jbxzBT673YzGQh7iXn64qEG6drT976kZU51QFrvlo

 


  

Poem
“…And would it have been worth it, after all,
Would it have been worth while,
After the sunsets and the dooryards and the sprinkled streets,
After the novels, after the teacups, after the skirts that trail along the floor—
And this, and so much more?—
It is impossible to say just what I mean!
But as if a magic lantern threw the nerves in patterns on a screen:
Would it have been worth while…”

T.S. Eliot
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

Mexican American Proarchive Annual Report for 2022

The American Community Survey is an annual survey administered by the federal government to help local officials and community leaders and businesses understand the changes that take place in their communities. It includes percentages of our population’s graduate school attainment and the employment of Mexican Americans in various occupations.  These important factors influence the allocation of federal resources. Mexican American Proarchives uses the data provided by the American Community Survey to better understand how Mexican Americans compare to the general population.

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