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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Living and learning in a bilingual world The World
“English has long been the lingua franca of US higher education. But in a country where 40 million people speak Spanish, is it time to think more bilingually? WLRN’s Elisa Baena visits educators who argue that teaching only in English is excluding talent that the US needs.”
https://theworld.org/media/2023-06-19/living-and-learning-bilingual-world
oe Biden raises eyebrows with ‘Flamin’ Hot’ Eva Longoria embrace
“President Biden got a little too close to actress Eva Longoria at the White House Thursday night — before the Hollywood starlet guided the 80-year-old’s mitts to relative safety.
The president embraced the “Desperate Housewives” alum after addressing a film screening of her directorial debut, “Flamin’ Hot,” but let his hands hover a bit too long on her waist before the actress quickly moved to grasp them and took a step back…”
https://nypost.com/2023/06/16/biden-gets-handsy-with-eva-longoria-at-white-house/
Mexican president taps UN veteran Barcena to be foreign minister
“MEXICO CITY, June 13 (Reuters) – Mexico’s president on Tuesday picked veteran U.N. diplomat Alicia Barcena to be the country’s new foreign minister after the incumbent resigned to campaign for the leftist ruling party’s candidacy in next year’s presidential election.
A trained biologist, Barcena served for nearly 14 years as executive secretary of the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and has been Mexico’s ambassador to Chile since last September…”
Buttigieg to meet Mexico’s president, aviation rating in the air
“MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuters) – U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg traveled to Mexico on Wednesday to meet with the country’s president and cabinet members to discuss transportation, as Mexico awaits U.S. approval to regain a coveted air safety rating.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said talks would center on his country’s efforts to recover the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Category 1 rating, which would allow Mexican airlines to open new U.S. routes..”
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Mexico to fight US dispute over GM corn after formal consultations fail
“MEXICO CITY, June 2 (Reuters) – Mexico said on Friday it would counter U.S. arguments over agriculture biotech measures, including plans to limit its use of genetically modified (GM) corn, in trade dispute settlement consultations requested by Washington earlier in the day.
The consultation request comes as the North American neighbors inch toward a full-blown trade dispute under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) over Mexico’s policies to limit the use of GM corn, which it imports from the U.S…”
Retired Law Enforcement Professional Serves Expats Through Unique YouTube Channel May 30, 2023 154
“Ernie Baca, better known by his YouTube alias Sirdragonx, has made waves in the online community with his unique YouTube Channel: Retired Life in Mexico NO BULL! From serving in the United States Marshals Service to providing security and investigating high-profile cases, Ernie Baca has had a decorated 30-year Federal law enforcement career. Today, he has traded his badge for a camera and a unique mission: to guide the Expat community through the complexities of life in Mexico.
Known online as Sirdragonx, Baca has made it his mission to share accurate, unbiased, and comprehensive information about relocating, living, and traveling in Mexico. His work is far from a typical YouTube channel; it’s a public service that aims to empower viewers with knowledge, serving as a guide for the uninitiated and the experienced alike…”
US Census breakdown: The largest racial group in each Bay Area county
“Newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau breaks down the largest racial group in each of the nine Bay Area counties. The data, released on Thursday in a report from the 2020 Census, is divided into subcategories, including age, sex and race.
The Bay Area’s population is 7,765,640, and the largest racial group is white people at 39.2% (3,047,707), according to the latest U.S. Census data. The region’s second-largest group is Asians at approximately 27.9% (2,171,656)…”
The Association of Mexican American Educators is looking for sponsors to refurbish the Cesar Chavez Native Garden in Nipomo
“NIPOMO, Calif. — The Association of Mexican American Educators (AMAE) is holding a meeting today at the Cesar Chavez Native Garden in Nipomo in hopes of gathering resources to refurbish the park and hiking trail.
The AMAE is a state-wide organization that helps students receive scholarships to further their education.
The AMAE and many others used the San Luis Obispo County park for parent meetings and family picnics. Unfortunately, it has been unavailable since the pandemic…”
Las Cafeteras Presented By ¡Viva el Arte!
“Born and raised East of the Los Angeles River, Las Cafeteras are a sonic explosion of Afro-Mexican rhythms, electronic beats, and powerful rhymes that document stories of a community seeking to “build a world where many worlds fit.” This dynamic group transcends genres from Afro-Mexican to Americana, from Soul to Son Jarocho, from Roots to Rock and Hip Hop. The use of traditional instrumentation like the eight string jarana, four string requinto, quijada (donkey jawbone), and tarima (wooden platform) produce their unique and electrifying sound…”
Mexican-American artist Angelica Contreras uses her artwork to explore identity, culture, and social justice
“One of the most pronounced differences between Southern California and Wisconsin are the winters, and for Angelica Contreras six years ago, that was what welcomed her to Madison. Although Contreras moved from Los Angeles, she grew up in Guadalajara, Jalisco in Mexico. After earning a bachelor’s degree in art and a master’s degree in art education, Contreras moved back to the United States and eventually ended up in Madison where she was able to connect with a community of artists…”
The Autocrat Next Door
“…Mexico’s erratic and authoritarian president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, is scheming to end the country’s quarter-century commitment to multiparty liberal democracy. He is subverting the institutions that have upheld Mexico’s democratic achievement—above all, the country’s admired and independent elections system. On López Obrador’s present trajectory, the Mexican federal elections scheduled for the summer of 2024 may be less than free and far from fair…”
Mexican American to Graduate USM with the Highest Honors
“Meet Cheyla Muñoz Ramos, a Mexican American student who served as the Presidential Standard Bearer at The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Spring 2023 Commencement. Standard bearer is considered the highest honor bestowed upon a student during Commencement, as the selection is based on academic achievement, leadership, and campus involvement. Ramos finished with the highest grade point average of all USM graduation candidates.
Munoz graduated with a double major in International Studies and French through USM’s Honors College. Originally born in Minnesota to Mexican American parents, she spent most of her childhood and high school years in Veracruz, Mexico. She moved to the U.S. about seven years ago to attend high school in Pelahatchie, Miss…”
https://www.usm.edu/news/2023/release/cheyla-munoz-ramos.php
Black American entrepreneurs develop their dreams in Mexico
“…Tiara Darnell’s Blaxicocina restaurant in Mexico City is a “classic” immigrant business, deeply tied to being both Black and physically in Mexico. Her previous entrepreneurial experience included goat milk products and wine, but Blaxicocina’s inspiration is the home-cooked soul food of her Washington, D.C.-based family. The business began last year with cooking events at Darnell’s apartment, but once she was cramming 70 people at a time, she decided to take it to the next level…”
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/community/black-american-entrepreneurs-develop-dreams-in-mexico/
Graduating Electrical and Computer Engineering Major Receives the USC Viterbi Community Impact Award
“…Now, Rodriguez, an electrical and computer engineering major in the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is being recognized for his community-driven leadership. He’s the 2023 recipient of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Community Impact Award, which recognizes the student who has provided the highest quality service to the Viterbi School and gone above and beyond their area of responsibility within a student organization…”
Turning to Mexico in gaining market share
“…Naysayers and skeptics immediately emerged, he recalled. “Unfortunately, there are still misconceptions – Mexico is a third world country; Mexico is too dangerous; Mexico is violent,” he said, mimicking some of the more prominent critiques of his launch. “People thought I was crazy, insane, lunatic,” he said. Skeptics were misinformed about Mexico, Guzzo said, viewing it as a violent country although violence is largely limited to certain regions. He suggested the US has its fair share of violence: “I live in LA,” he added. “I know all about violence.”
His own views on doing business in Mexico have evolved, he noted. “When I started to look into Mexico, I took an investment approach rather than a mortgage approach,” he said, noting he manages a group of more than 30 loan officers although he personally is not licensed to originate loans. “Then I took the mortgage approach and was looking at the numbers.”…”
Cinco de Mayo’s surprise victory affected both Mexican, US history
“A recent poll conducted in the United States by Mexican avocado exporters showed that only 22% of Americans know the true history of Cinco de Mayo. For Mexican Americans, it is a day to celebrate their Mexican heritage. For those who aren’t Mexican — and who often mistakenly think it is Mexico’s Independence Day — it’s a day to imbibe tequila and indulge in guacamole and chips.
But May 5, 1862, had a profound impact on the history of both Mexico and the United States. Cinco de Mayo is a commemoration of the Mexican victory over the French in the 1862 Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War…”
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/culture/cinco-de-mayo-changed-mexican-and-us-history/
Student Mariah Hernandez spotlights strong Latina characters in directorial debut
“Mariah Hernandez is embracing unconventional forms of self-love in her upcoming film, “Self-Love, Mija!”
The fourth-year English student and member of UCLA’s Latine Film and Theatre Association made her film directorial debut exploring young womanhood and the significance of friendship in one’s healing journey, Hernandez said. Entering UCLA without prior film experience, Hernandez said LFTA presented her with the opportunity to delve into an art form she had been interested in but never explored. Beginning primarily as a writer, she said LFTA provided her with the encouragement she needed to challenge herself in a larger, directorial role…”
Biden administration sending 1,500 more soldiers to Mexico border
“…The troops could arrive by May 10, a Pentagon spokesman told reporters.
The soldiers will perform “non-law enforcement duties” such as data entry and warehouse support, DHS said in an earlier statement, attributing the new deployment to an “anticipated increase in migration” at the southwest US border…”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/2/us-plans-to-send-1500-soldiers-to-mexico-border
UCLA releases part 1 of 2023 Hollywood Diversity Report
“Conducted by UCLA faculty and students, the 2023 Hollywood Diversity Report, Part One: Film is the 10th report in an annual series analyzing the degree to which underrepresented groups were involved in front of and behind the camera in 2022. Researchers primarily tracked the following identities of individuals working in Hollywood’s top films: race and ethnicity, gender, and disability status. Overall, both on- and off-screen diversity has improved in some ways and remained the same in others, said Michael Tran, a doctoral candidate in sociology and co-author of the report…”
https://socialsciences.ucla.edu/hollywood-diversity-report-2023/
Prospanica Philadelphia elects Maria Cristina Rios as its new board president
Maria Cristina Rios is the new Board President of Prospanica Philadelphia.
Prospanica Philadelphia is a professional development organization whose mission is to empower and enable Hispanic professionals to achieve their full educational, economic, and social potential. Th
roughout her professional career, Rios has consistently demonstrated ways of reaching her own potential, as she has established herself as a recognized marketing leader. Her specialization includes retail and both multicultural and event marketing.
https://aldianews.com/en/leadership/advocacy/prospanica-phls-new-prez
