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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What to know about Mexico’s presidential election
“…Sheinbaum also speaks fluent English, unlike López Obrador. She did postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, and her daughter lives in the U.S., meaning her presidency could lead to a more positive relationship with the U.S. than López Obrador’s at times standoffish tenure…”
A woman could be Mexico’s next leader. Millions of others continue in shadows as domestic workers
“…Still, as two female politicians — former mayor of Mexico City Claudia Sheinbaum and former senator Xóchitl Gálvez — are leading the race to the June 2 presidential election, it’s unclear how much it will shift the realities of working women in the country…”
Borderlands Mexico: Widening technology gap a threat to US-Mexico trade, experts say
“…Commercial transportation is a category that is often stereotyped as a laggard in terms of technology adoption,” said Love, who is based in Laredo. “Most carriers, logistics professionals are just so busy keeping the lights on that they can’t really start to think about innovation in the future.”
Mexico replaced China as the top U.S. trading partner in 2023, with trade between the U.S. and Mexico totaling $798 billion last year. In the first quarter of 2024, trade between Mexico and the U.S. totaled $200.1 billion, a 1.7% year-over-year increase…”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/borderlands-mexico-widening-technology-gap-110000643.html
New student-created musical ‘DayDreamer’ fuses fantasy and Mexican culture
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“…The musical, which will be performed as a stage reading at Macgowan Hall from May 24 through May 26, delivers a Mexican-inspired fantasy that tells the story of a teenage protagonist with fire powers who ventures on a quest to find her missing mother and defeat an ancient evil who has stolen the sun. Mario Vega, a graduate student in fine arts in the Department of Theater, Film and Television, said he developed “DayDreamer” with San Diego State University alumnus Eliza Vedar two years ago, and has since been workshopping it to fulfill their vision of an empowering and engaging musical that utilizes both fantasy and cultural elements…”
Abel Valenzuela Jr. appointed as dean of UCLA College Division of Social Sciences
“His scholarship has shaped research on itinerant workers, worker centers and immigrant work. His studies have engaged local stakeholders and community-based organizations, and influenced policy and legislation on issues related to labor, social stratification, race, poverty and neighborhood change,” Hunt said in the email…”
Latin America Roundup: Mexico, PAHO seek to help Guatemala boost regulatory capacity
“…The agencies agreed to personnel exchanges in their national laboratories of reference and proposed cross-border surveillance initiatives. COFEPRIS invited Guatemalan regulators to take part in its nascent regulatory school and has pledged to provide the Guatemalan agency with a quality management system…”
Professional tips for making great guacamole
“…To check the ripeness of the fruit (we all know avocado is a fruit, yes?), Rodarte suggests looking for two indicators. First, touch. Gently press the skin and “it will tell you right away if it’s soft.” Second, break off the little piece of stem at the top of the avocado and look at the little navel-like circle underneath. If it’s bright green, the avocado should be ripe. White is under-ripe, and brown is past its prime…”
https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/may/08/professional-tips-for-making-great-guacamole/
Mexican Business Leader Eddie Garcia Invited as a special guest to participate in the NASDAQ Bell Ringing Ceremony
“…Garcia, the Founder and CEO of one of the largest and most successful Hispanic-owned real estate companies in America, has established a standard for diversity and success in the corporate world. His journey, a true testament to hard work, perseverance, and the limitless possibilities of the land of opportunity, serves as an inspiration to entrepreneurs worldwide.
Garcia is currently working on his biggest venture to date, set to be revealed this September, which promises to be his greatest achievement…”
Job scams are targeting young professionals: What to look for
“One of the ways job scammers are targeting young professionals right now is by sending them an email from a professor.
The student will get a job offer recommendation from someone in their community, like a professor or an office at their college.
The emails are from fake accounts made to look identical, or, in some cases, scammers have hacked into the professor’s email, Wall Street Journal reports…”
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/job-scam-how-to-tell-if-fake-whatsapp-professor
Mexican-American choreographer reborn in challenging Madrid residency
“Atanta-based choreographer Angelita Itzanami Andrade spent last fall in a three-month scholarship residency with Madrid-based Descalzinha Danza. Though she knew the move would push her beyond her personal and professional comfort zones, Itzanami Andrade said she was nonetheless surprised by how the experience contributed to her evolving identity as a Mexican-American Latina artist.
When ArtsATL caught up with her in the studio recently, she and her company, SOMOS, were rehearsing for their second season performance, veintetrés, which will premiere on May 4 at the Kennesaw State University Dance Theater (Marietta campus)…”
https://www.artsatl.org/mexican-american-choreographer-reborn-in-challenging-madrid-residency/
AMLO Expanded Mexico’s Military. It Built Airports Instead of Reining In Murders
“…Yet Lopez Obrador will leave another legacy as well. His administration has presided over the bloodiest term in the nation’s recent history, with more than 170,000 homicides since he took office in 2018 through February. That is a 26% increase from the 135,345 murders during the term of his predecessor, Enrique Peña Nieto. And it has happened despite the combined budgets of the armed forces — the Ministries of Defense, Navy and the National Guard — being boosted by 150%…”
West Chicago ER doctor named to ‘40 Under 40’ List
“The National Hispanic Medical Association and the National Hispanic Health Foundation awarded Dr. Jessica Muñoz from West Chicago the “40 Under 40” award on Saturday, April 13, for her work in advancing Hispanic health equity.
A first-generation Mexican-American emergency medicine physician, Muñoz was nominated by state Sen. Karina Villa.
Villa stated: “Latinas make up less than 2.4% of all doctors in the United States and even less in emergency medicine; this shortage adversely affects patients from Spanish-speaking and minority backgrounds. Our country needs physicians like Dr. Muñoz, who can advocate for underserved populations…”
East Village Mexican-American cocktail bar Superbueno crowned best in the U.S.
“…The cocktail menu features distinct creations inspired by Mexican cuisine, like the fan-favorite Green Mango Martini (tequila, mango eau de vie, sauternes, green mango, and honey), the Vodka Y Soda (vodka, guava, pasilla, soda), and the Mushroom Margarita (mezcal, Cointreau, huitlacoche, lime, and lava salt)…”
https://www.6sqft.com/east-village-mexican-american-cocktail-bar-superbueno-crowned-best-in-the-us/
Borderlands Mexico: Experts push infrastructure to boost cross-border trade
“…U.S. trade with the world totaled $5.1 trillion in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Mexico did almost $800 billion in trade with the United States last year, once again becoming the nation’s top trade partner.
“I think you’re seeing growth all across the U.S.-Mexico border … and Laredo [Texas] is where the rubber meets the road,” said Jordan Dewart, president of Redwood Mexico. “I think that’s where the infrastructure is headed. That’s where the main investment deals on highways to access the border are going. If you go to Laredo right now, the amount of new warehousing construction, new trucking facilities construction, is just staggering. There are miles and miles of construction. If you drive up I-35, you can see the dust clouds from 50 miles away from all construction. So I think everyone will benefit.”…”
Continuing efforts are addressing health disparities among Hispanic Latino people in U.S.
“…Breaking down language barriers in health care is not just about communication; it’s about breaking down walls that hinder access to vital care and ensuring every voice is heard, understood and empowered,” said Alejandro de la Cova, a member of the current 2023-2024 NHLCC Scholars Program class and third-year medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine who is heavily involved in working with the Hispanic Latino community in Columbus, Ohio…”
Education & Exchanges
“Our nations share deep cultural ties exemplified by over 40 million Americans of Mexican descent who cherish their roots and cultural traditions, and millions of Americans who visit Mexico each year for tourism, study, or business. A key part of our commitment to strengthen bilateral ties between our nations is expanding opportunities for interaction in the educational and cultural spheres.
The United States Mission in Mexico oversees and implements several programs sponsored by the American people for Mexican citizens to support young leaders, students, civil society, journalists, teachers, and entrepreneurs. These programs focus on building people-to-people relations to foster mutual understanding, enhance professional partnerships and collaboration, and strengthen a healthy exchange of ideas across all sectors between our two countries…”
https://mx.usembassy.gov/educational/
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Canada seeks Mexican talent
“…The Directorate of Immigration Services of the Québec Government Office in Mexico in partnership with Montreál International announced the search for qualified personnel to work in one of the most important cities of the French-speaking province.
The search for Mexican talent is due to the fact that Mexico has professionals specialized in this sector with high quality training, they are receptive to immigration, they adapt easily, and Québec is geographically close, culturally familiar and Latin American…”
Renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés to deliver inspirational talk for UCSB Arts & Lectures
“…A pioneer of Spanish tapas in the U.S., Andrés is known for his avant-garde cuisine and his nearly three dozen restaurants located throughout the U.S. and beyond. He has received James Beard Awards for outstanding chef and for humanitarian of the year. In 2023, his show “José Andrés and Family in Spain” received an Emmy Award for outstanding culinary series.
As a committed advocate on food and hunger, Andrés has participated in the national debate on food policy. WCK, which he founded in 2010, delivers food relief to communities in the wake of natural and humanitarian disasters…”
The Remarkable Brain of a Carpet Cleaner Who Speaks 24 Languages
“…Now as they listen to Vaughn discuss the porousness of wool, and the difference between Scotchgard and sanitizer, they can’t help but look at him differently. Once the stool stain is solved, Kelly just has to ask.
“So, how many languages do you speak?”
“Oh, goodness,” Vaughn says. “Eight, fluently.”
“Eight?” Kelly marvels.
“Eight,” Vaughn confirms. English, Spanish, Bulgarian, Czech, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian and Slovak.
“But if you go by like, different grades of how much conversation,” he explains, “I know about 25 more.”…”
Pioneering translation’s artistry
“My book ‘The Subversive Scribe: Translating Latin American Fiction’ (Graywolf Press, 1991, Dalkey Archive, 2009) by tracing the process of translating, explicitly shows readers how translation is a creative act and defines what a translator is, and why a translator needs to be linguist, literary critic and poet or novelist all in one,” said Levine, UC Santa Barbara distinguished professor emerita of Latin American literature. “Basically, our concepts of authorship and originality are inadequate to grasp what a translator does.”
