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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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…”
UCSB Young Artists String Quartet (YASQ): Spring 2021 Recital
“…Anthony Navarro, Violin
Anthony Navarro is a first year master’s student studying violin performance with Professor Ertan Torgul. Making music is his passion and he loves the collaborative aspects of classical music one finds in chamber music, orchestral music, opera and ballet…”
El laberinto del fauno
“…Firmly set in the harsh reality of Franco’s iron-clad dictatorship in Spain, El laberinto del fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) uses fantasy to take flight from the horrors of the real world and into the mystery of the fantastical one. Kickass Mexican director Guillermo del Toro uses the classic fairy tale format with a fresh spin to tell the story of a Spanish girl and the three wishes granted her when she meets the mythical Pan. Del Toro is a big believer in and master of the fantasy format, something hard to do well and believably, but his incredible visual style, uncanny CGI world, and gift for a particular style of …”
https://remezcla.com/lists/film/streaming-sci-fi-fantasy-films/
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Highlights Latin American Art This Summer
“HOUSTON—April 29, 2015—This summer, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, highlights works from its renowned collection of Latin American art that focus on visual explorations of light and the cosmos. Cosmic Dialogues: Selections from the Latin American Collection features nearly 50 significant sculptures and drawings created over the past 70 years, including immersive light installations, rarely seen works on paper, and masterpieces of Kinetic art. The exhibition is on view from May 14 to August 23, 2015.
“The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, has become a leader in collecting and presenting Latin American and Latino art,” said Gary Tinterow, Museum director. “Cosmic Dialogues presents a thematic examination of artworks from the Museum’s collection that will allow our visitors to engage with Latin American artistic innovators in new and exciting ways.”,,,”
https://www.mfah.org/press/museum-fine-arts-houston-highlights-latin-american-art-summer
Why is progress so slow for Latinos in Hollywood?
“…Despite making up nearly 17% of the U.S. populace, Latinos are underrepresented in nearly every critical job category tracked by the report, the latest of which was published today.
Chon Noriega, director of the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, said decades of attempts at media reform and market-based arguments haven’t yielded significant gains for Latinos in film and TV.
“The approach to media reform over the last 50-some years has always been either the carrot or the stick,” said Noriega, a media scholar who teaches in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. “Initially, it was the stick — the laws and regulations around equal employment opportunity. And because Latinos go to more movies than any group and watch more TV than any group, the carrot was, ‘Here are things you can do and these things will enhance your ability to make money.’”…
https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/slow-progress-for-latinos-hollywood
Mexico’s Andrea Meza crowned Miss Universe from Chihuahua City, Mexico
“…Meza, who is from Chihuahua City, is a model and make-up artist and has a degree in software engineering, according to Miss Universe Organization’s news release.
She is also an activist, and “works closely with the Municipal Institute for Women, which aims to end gender-based violence,” the release said.Meza also serves as the official Tourism Brand Ambassador for her hometown of Chihuahua, according to Miss Universe Organization…”
https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/17/entertainment/miss-universe-winner-mexico-andrea-meza-trnd/index.html
‘American Girl’ turns 35 and re-releases its first Latina doll: Josefina Montoya
“…The doll was developed with the guidance of an advisory board made up of historians, educators, curators and other professionals with academic knowledge of the American Southwest, according to the American Doll brand. She lives on a ranch near Santa Fe with her father and three older sisters, wears a braid with a flower, faux leather loafers, a white shirt with short puffed sleeves trimmed with lace and a necklace of crosses that the brand says came from Mexico City.
Josefina aspires to be a curandera, like her godmother Magdalena. She is an idealistic, loving and hopeful character and faithfully believes that “kindness really is the best medicine.”..”
Alumna-owned Stunner Jewelry brings together style and ethical manufacturing
“…Collaborating with small silversmiths, Chloe Moreno designs stunning jewelry.
In 2018, the UCLA alumna began designing jewelry pieces for her mom and has since developed her line into a small business, Stunner Jewelry. Along with building a website to launch later this year, Moreno said she is trying to get her jewelry into boutique stores and pop-up shops across the United States. Working with her mom who owns a small silver jewelry store based in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Moreno said she hopes to continue expanding Stunner Jewelry by making her products more accessible to her consumers…”
From Colman Domingo to Rita Moreno, Here’s How the 2021 Oscars Went For Latinos By Carlos Aguilar
“..Mexican Sound Artists Integral to the Success of Sound of Metal
Oscar only went home with three Latinos last night, the Mexican re-recording mixers behind the Best Picture contender Sound of Metal. Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, and Carlos Cortés Navarrete were among the five people recognized for their work in the uniquely sensorial drama about a drummer losing his hearing. The use of sound as an integral tool to get the audience to experience the world from the point of view of the protagonist impressed the industry…”
https://remezcla.com/film/colman-domingo-rita-moreno-2021-oscars-latino-actors/
Yes, the Oscar nominations are more ‘diverse.’ But they largely leave out Latinos
“…“Latinx people make up at least 60 million of Americans,” tweeted Jose Antonio Vargas, founder of media advocacy organization Define American. “They’re the largest minority group in the USA. Why are Latina and Latino talent consistently left out of #OscarsNoms, especially in the acting categories?”…
Meet Daniela
“…Daniela Santiago Martinez (guitar), 18, hails from Del Valle, Texas and is a senior at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. She studies guitar with Matthew Cochran at Interlochen Arts Academy and has also studied music through the organization Austin Soundwaves. Daniela is part of the Draylen Mason Fellows Program which is a full scholarship initiative of Austin Soundwaves designed to help further the musical and personal development of high school musicians. In addition to playing classical music, Daniela loves playing Regional Mexicano music, especially Mariachi and Corridos…”
https://fromthetop.org/musician/daniela-santiago-martinez/
El Museo Looks to Define ‘Latinx Art’ With a Major Survey
“…The show is El Museo’s first national survey of what it calls Latinx art, using the much-debated gender-neutral and (the museum argues) culturally embracing alternative to Latino or Latina, to describe artists of Latin American descent working primarily in the United States or the Caribbean. The museum’s original plan was to have the show coincide with, and reflect, two defining 2020 political events, the United States census and the presidential election. It missed both, but still looks plenty newsy. Immigration, racial justice and assertions of identity, ethnic and otherwise, are undying features of the national story. And the show is very much about them…”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/25/arts/design/triennial-el-museo.html
Gymnastics freshman Sara Ulias looks to swing into bars rotation
“Gymnastics freshman Sara Ulias looks to swing into bars rotation
Freshman Sara Ulias has done exhibition routines in both of UCLA gymnastics’ meets this season, adding a bars routine in the Bruins’ most recent meet against Arizona. (Lauren Man/Assistant Photo editor)
By Nico Edgar
Feb. 7, 2021 10:14 a.m.
A fresh face may be cracking the Bruins’ bars lineup.
Freshman Sara Ulias is on the verge of breaking into the bar rotation for No. 9 UCLA gymnastics (2-0) per coach Chris Waller. Working on adjusting her bar mount, Waller said the team is trying to raise the starting value of Ulias’ routine before her official debut.
A multimedal-winning bar specialist in her club years, Ulias performed exhibitions on the uneven bars and floor for the blue and gold in its 196.750-195.075 victory against then-No. 15 Arizona on Jan. 31 after making her exhibition debut with a floor routine against then-No. 15 Arizona State the week prior…”
https://dailybruin.com/2021/02/07/gymnastics-freshman-sara-ulias-looks-to-swing-into-bars-rotation
Student combines art with business to create, sell personalized stickers
“…In September, the fourth-year Spanish student began selling personalized stickers on her Instagram account, @amoreymagia. Inspired by the stories and experiences of others, Alcazar said she turns personal photographs into artistic stickers for her customers as she hopes to touch the hearts of others during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic…”
Grupo Folklórico de UCLA to release online Día de los Muertos video performance
“With colorful choreography, dancers shine a celebratory light on death.
Grupo Folklórico de UCLA will release an online video showcasing their annual Día de los Muertos celebration in December, and they finished filming the production Nov. 21 and Nov. 22. Through various traditional Mexican dances, the club hopes to emphasize the importance of community and honor lost loved ones. Featuring dances from Mexican states like Yucatán, Sinaloa, Veracruz, Nuevo León, Michoacán, Jalisco and Guerrero, the performance will be available for anyone to view on the club’s website. Beyond honoring the dead, club coordinator and fourth-year political science student Aranza Guzman said the club’s annual show allows members to honor their heritage…”
Becky G Honors Her “Abuelitos” and Other Immigrants in Personal AMAs Speech
“…Touching on the importance of her Mexican-American identity, Becky said, “When it comes to me and the decisions that I make in my career, I proudly wave both flags: Mexican and American. Like many children and grandchildren of immigrants — no matter where they’re from — we have learned from the ones before us what sacrifice and hard work looks like. I dedicate this award to all of our immigrant workers in this pandemic.” Becky added, “It’s because of my family, my abuelitos that I stand here today.” To learn more about Becky’s heritage, upbringing, and activism, read POPSUGAR’s recent cover story with the pop star…”
Linda Ronstadt: ‘We Should All Do Our Own Dancing, Playing and Singing’
“With more than 100 million albums sold and 12 Grammy awards under her belt, over five decades, Linda Ronstadt is undoubtedly a music icon. While the effects of Parkinson’s disease forced her into premature retirement after her final performance in November 2009, the world’s love for her has not waned. In ways big and small, Ronstadt’s fans continue to share their admiration and introduce her music to new generations: from the release of two recent documentaries, “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice,” honoring the singer’s legacy, and “Linda and the Mockingbirds,” which features a road trip to her grandfather’s birthplace, Sonora, Mexico with the band Los Cenzontles; to an indie-rock star wearing a shirt that reads, “Linda Ronstadt Is Queen of LA,” in a social post; and this month’s PBS SoCal and KCET broadcast of “A Tribute to Linda Ronstadt at The Soraya” on “Southland Sessions” featuring notable Mexican and Mexican American musicians. Clearly, Ronstadt is as influential as ever. But ever the humble queen, Ronstadt doesn’t hoard her gifts. “I don’t consider any songs ‘my songs’ — once they’re out there, they belong to everybody,” she says by phone from her home in San Francisco.,,”
Dance student to teach his choreography in national tour
“The next move for Christopher Aguirre’s career as a choreographer is just the beginning.
The second-year dance and communication student was invited to choreograph for The Nexxt Move, a two-day dance intensive in several cities across the United States and in London. Aguirre said this will be the first time he has taught his choreography on a national level as he travels to Fort Lauderdale, Florida Nov. 7 to Nov. 8 and Des Moines, Iowa Nov. 14 to Nov. 15…”
How Black Lives Matter Made a Mexican-American Beer Writer Rethink Her Role in Craft Beer
“The first time I experienced a brew festival more than 10 years ago, my only expectation was to see a lot of people, try some new and interesting beers, and to enjoy myself. My vantage point was as a volunteer, serving beers to the masses along with my husband. Two of the first things I noticed immediately were: 1. The disproportionate number of men compared to the women in attendance; and 2. The fact that I was one of the very few people of color in attendance. As a second-generation Mexican-American from upstate New York, I have always been aware of my social surroundings wherever I am, and this was no exception.
Later, as I attended fest after fest across the Northeast, the disparities became hard to ignore. I’d say to my husband, whose family hails from Eastern Europe, “Do you notice that I’m the only brown person here?” to which he would reply, “No, I hadn’t really noticed.” Was I uncomfortable..”
