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,”
Read More…
Mexico’s coronavirus-skeptical president is setting up his country for a health crisis
“…As Mexico fast approaches what’s highly likely to be a large coronavirus outbreak, the country’s leadership — mainly its president — mostly insists that everything is fineIn speech after speech, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known by his nickname AMLO, tells Mexicans they shouldn’t fear Covid-19, even as hundreds of thousands of people have confirmed infections worldwide. Despite warnings from global health officials, he continues to hold political rallies, kiss supporters, and request that Mexicans go out shopping to prop up the country’s sputtering economy during a global slowdown.“Live life as usual,” he said in a video posted to Facebook on March 22, showing him outside at a restaurant. “If you’re able and have the means to do so, continue taking your family out to eat … because that strengthens the economy.”…”
https://www.vox.com/2020/3/26/21193823/coronavirus-mexico-andres-manuel-lopez-obrador-health-care
Coronavirus layoffs disproportionately hurt black and Latino workers: ‘It’s almost like doomsday is coming’
“People at an economic disadvantage are “already not doing so great in a good day, let alone in a rainy day,’’ he said.Jose Ricardo is already bracing to dip into his savings to pay next month’s bills for his mobile home in Chula Vista, California. Ricardo, a waiter at a Japanese restaurant in San Diego, is working only 16 hours a week, down from the usual 32 hours two weeks ago.“I’m really nervous,’’ said Ricardo, 61. “We are used to working hard.”With new restrictions on restaurants to serve takeout only, Richardo no longer has the extra income from tips. He makes $12 an hour.“People pay tips because they get a service. We’re taking care of them,’’ he said. “Now, with takeout, they pick it up and bye-bye.”
Ricardo, who lives with his wife, mother-in-law and two children, said he’s anxiously waiting to see how lawmakers will help him and other workers.
He’s holding out hope. “We will recover for sure,” he said…”
Everyone benefits from an inclusive work culture
:..Maria J. Martinez is president/CEO of Border FCU, Del Rio, Texas. She’s a founding member of the Network of Latino Credit Unions and Professionals, the 2012 Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year, a 2015 Woman of Distinction of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, Cornerstone Credit Union League’s 2016 Professional of the Year, and a 2017 Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement winner. She has been in the credit union industry for almost 32 years…”
https://news.cuna.org/articles/117431-everyone-benefits-from-an-inclusive-work-culture
Escuelitas, Literacy, and Imaginary Dual Citizenship
“… Reading, Writing, and Revolution escuelitas and the emergence
of a mexican american identity in texas PHILIS M. BARRAGÁN GOETZ
University of Texas Press austin … | Mexican American…”
Coronavirus research: Menlo Park lab using robots, AI to find COVID-19 medication, Peter Madrid, PhD, senior director of applied biosciences
“MENLO PARK, Calif. (KGO) — As the number of cases of COVID-19 increases, so does the pressure to develop an anti-viral to treat its symptoms. A lab on the Peninsula appears to have developed the right process at the right time to speed up that process.”We’re hoping to be able to take the full discovery of a candidate drug from roughly two years down to six months,” said Peter Madrid, senior director of applied biosciences at SRI Biosciences in Menlo Park…”
NALEO: Nearly 4 Million Latino Voters in California Expected to Cast Ballots in 2020 Election
“WASHINGTON, D.C. — One week before Latinos will make a decisive impact on the outcome of the California Democratic primary on Super Tuesday (March 3, 2020), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund released its profile of the California Latino electorate and key Congressional races to watch in the state in 2020.According to NALEO Educational Fund analysis, more than 4 million Latino voters will make their voices heard at the ballot box in 2020. Latino voter turnout in California more than doubled from 1,597,000 in 2000, to 3,345,000 in 2016, an increase of 109 percent…”
Jaime Jaquez Jr. hopes to make familia proud, aims to inspire future Latino players
Freshman guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. has Mexican heritage on his father’s side and spent time competing with Team Mexico at the Pan American Games in the summer of 2019. The Camarillo, California, native said he strives every day to inspire the Hispanic community of Southern California with his work on the court..”
Singing Our Way To Freedom
“…Cup of Culture presents Singing Our Way to Freedom, a multilayered look at the life of San Diego Chicano musician, composer and community activist, Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez. Borrowing from musical traditions on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, Chunky uses music and humor as powerful weapons in the fight for social justice. This character-driven film reminds us that the battle for freedom has to be fought anew by every generation…”
Latino voters favor raising minimum wage, government involvement in health care, stricter gun laws
Most Latino registered voters say they want government to be more involved in solving the nation’s problems, a view that is reflected in their broad support for raising the minimum wage, government involvement in health care and stricter gun laws, according to a national Pew Research Center survey of Latino adults conducted in December.
A record 32 million Latinos are…”
USC makes tuition free to students of families making $80,000 or less
“Feb. 20 (UPI) — The University of Southern California said Thursday tuition will be free to students whose families make $80,000 or less.The announcement was part of a financial aid expansion to benefit low- and middle-income families, a university statement said. Along with offering tuition free to students whose families have an annual income of $80,000 or less, owning a home will not be counted in determination of a student’s financial need…”
Netflix’s ‘Gentefied’: How young Latinx professionals are gentrifying Boyle Heights
“The Netflix series “Gentefied” (pronounced HEN-teh-fied) is set in Boyle Heights and follows a family — three cousins and their immigrant grandfather — who try to save the family’s taqueria as gentrification creeps in…”
Young Latino Professionals of Kansas City
“Young Latino Professionals (YLP) is a network of more than 350 passionate individuals from all backgrounds and various industries who come together to shape their communities while developing as leaders. YLP provides opportunities for young leaders to engage with like-minded peers through social and professional networking, philanthropic outreach and professional development. Our organization recognizes that Greater Kansas City’s professional community is constantly growing and so are we!…
Oscars Nominations Lack Diversity as Jennifer Lopez, Lupita Nyong’o and Awkwafina Are Snubbed
“After a promising kickoff to awards season, there was a notable lack of diversity in the 2020 Oscar nominations.The nominees were announced early Monday morning by Issa Rae and John Cho, and the first major snubbed came right away.After garnering several nominations, including at Golden Globe and SAG Awards nods, Jennifer Lopez was shockingly left out of the Best Supporting Actress category for Hustlers. She would’ve been only the eighth Latin-American ever nominated in the category, with Rita Moreno in 1961 and Lupita Nyong’o in 2013 picking up the only wins.Nyong’o, a Kenyan-Mexican actress born in Mexico, also missed out on a nomination for Best Actress for Us…
UCLA introduces online module for equity, diversity and inclusion
UCLA requested undergraduate students to complete an optional online training module about equity, diversity and inclusion Thursday.UCLA assigned all incoming undergraduate students an online training module covering topics centered around equity, diversity and inclusion in September. The module, which is now open to continuing students as well, was created by EVERFI, an online educational resource company.The equity, diversity and inclusion module offers a basic education of its covered topics, including definitions, terms and personal stories, said UCLA Dean of Students Maria Blandizzi. She added that the module is intended to invite students to continue their learning of equity, diversity and inclusion after completing it…”
2020 Fall enrollment at a glance, University of California
“The UC fall enrollment at a glance outlines the ethnic and geographical makeup of the fall enrolled students as of the third week of the fall term. The information is provided by location, broad discipline and enrollment status…”
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/fall-enrollment-glance
Dispatches from the Border
Dispatches from the BorderLatino author and literary scholar Francisco Cantú to receive the 16th annual Luis Leal literature Award
Thursday, January 30, 2020 – 08:00
Santa Barbara, CA
Francisco Cantú, an award-winning author and translator, will receive UC Santa Barbara’s 16th annual Luis Leal Award for Distinction in Chicano/Latino Literature.
Survey finds 36% of college admissions officers look at students’ social media
More college admissions officers are viewing applicants’ social media profiles this year than last year, according to a Kaplan Test Prep survey.The survey, which was released Jan. 13, found that 36% of admissions officers view applicants’ social media profiles, an 11% jump from the 25% reported last year.The statistic reached its peak in 2015 with 40% of officers reporting they viewed social media profiles, but the percentage declined in the…”
https://dailybruin.com/2020/02/02/survey-finds-36-of-college-admissions-officers-look-at-students-social-media/
MEXICAN AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS ANNUAL REPORT
The American Community Survey has reported the following results for the 2018 survey year:
It reports that the Educational Attainment for Mexican Americans was 3.6% in the United States, while for the total population of the United States was 12.6%. The good news is that it is .3% higher than it was in 2017. The bad news is that it is still way below the national figure of 12.6%.
For college graduates, specifically students graduating with their B.A. degree, it was 9% for Mexican Americans and for the total population it was 20%, which is far better than the graduate enrollment as compared above. In 2017, the figures were 8.5% for Mexican Americans and 19.3% for the total population. Still far apart, but much better than the ratio of graduate enrollment.
For the area of occupations in management, business, science, and arts the percentage was 19.6% for Mexican Americans and 38.6% for the total population.
Lastly, for industry in professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management it was 10.3% for Mexican Americans and 11.7% for the total population.
Compared to last year, Mexican Americans represented 10.1% in this industry verus 11.5% for the total population.
Mónica Villamizar
“Monica Villamizar is a freelance conflict reporter, recently awarded the EMMY Award for Best Investigative Documentary in Spanish and the Gerald Loeb Award for the investigation “The Source”, about child labor in Mexico’s Nestle coffee farms. In 2016 she was nominated for the prestigious One World Media “Journalist of the Year 2015” Award, which honors the best journalists in the world in all forms of media. Her current clients include PBS Newshour, Al Jazeera English, Vice News, Univision, Telemundo and The Weather Channel. Previously she was the London correspondent for CBS News affiliates. She has traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Mali, Mexico, El Salvador and Haiti, at times filming directly on the front lines. She has covered the drug of wars in Colombia and Mexico, gaining exclusive access to cocaine cartels in Medellin and Michoacan. In the Middle East she covered the Arab spring and the advance of ISIS into the Iraqi Kurdistan. More recently she has been dedicated to covering the advance of jihadism in West Africa. In her attempts to tell truthful, hard-hitting stories, she has been targeted by the Egyptian military which raided her office in Cairo and arrested her colleagues, and more recently by the Venezuelan Government who targeted her, labeling her a spy, and issuing an arrest warrant..”
Link to article
Ayala: A new generation rises at San Antonio’s Hispanic chamber
“…The scene unfolded in the beautifully restored Monte Vista home that Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez once shared with his wife, Bertha, and their eight children.
A political fundraiser was under way, and Rep. Beto O’Rourke, then running for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Ted Cruz, had the floor.
The host, Dr. Erika Gonzalez (who’s unrelated to the Henry B. clan) had gathered together successful, young Mexican American professionals interested in politics — people much like herself.
Unlike previous generations of Mexican Americans, who worked at the grass-roots level, those gathered in her home flexed political power by opening their wallets…”
Link to article
