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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t News to Share? Send 2 FREE Releases ↓ NATIVE AMERICAN/HISPANIC STUDENTS & PROFESSIONALS SHINE-SACNAS 2023 NATIONAL DIVERSITY IN STEM CONFERENCE #2023NDiSTEM

“Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science holds nation’s first, all-Native American/Indigenous session focused on mathematics.

We’re investing in the current and future workforce. We want to help lead change at the highest level.”

— Juan Amador, FASAE, CAE, SACNAS Executive Director

PORTLAND, OR, USA, October 28, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science) will continue its National Diversity in STEM (NDiSTEM) Conference at Oregon’s Portland Convention Center on Saturday. Friday’s highlights included the nation’s first-ever all-Native American/Indigenous session focused on mathematics, Indigenous Perspectives in…”

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/664710024/native-american-hispanic-students-professionals-shine-sacnas-2023-national-diversity-in-stem-conference-2023ndistem

San Antonio event discusses the barriers preventing Latinos from buying homes

“SAN ANTONIO — City of San Antonio leaders are working with federal partners to address housing barriers, particularly as it pertains to the Latino community.

According to research by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, only half of Hispanic households are homeowners in the U.S. On Thursday, Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) hosted the housing forum to discuss the factors why…”

https://www.kens5.com/article/news/community/latino-housing-obstacles-san-antonio-texas/273-ca99e69f-f468-445f-81ab-059bf8d62d83

How Can Family Affect Diabetes Management in Mexican American Adults?

“Interviews with Mexican American adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) revealed that most feel supported by their family regarding their diabetes management in general, but many still desired more familial social support and support around dietary changes, feeling that their family members don’t understand what it means to live with diabetes.

Additionally, focus groups that included both Mexican American adults with T2D and their relatives showed that most family members want to learn more about how to help their relatives manage their diabetes, while also acknowledging how cultural norms can affect their relatives’ well-being…”

https://www.ajmc.com/view/how-can-family-affect-diabetes-management-mexican-american-adults

From the archives: UCSB Library showcases community art collection

“An exhibit of groundbreaking prints dating back to the inception of California’s Chicano Civil Rights Movement opens on Oct. 25 at UC Santa Barbara Library.

The event, “Cultura Cura: 50 Years of Self Help Graphics in East LA,” highlights the library’s Special Research Collections extensive archive of art, records and related ephemera from Self Help Graphics & Art (SHG), an intergenerational Los Angeles-based nonprofit that has been facilitating and promoting printmaking and other art media by Chicano/a, Latinx and other BIPOC artists since 1970. SHG was founded by artists Carlos Bueno, Antonio Ibañez, Frank Hernandez and Sister Karen Boccalero…”

https://news.ucsb.edu/2023/021242/archives-ucsb-library-showcases-community-art-collection?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Self%20Help%20Graphics%20and%20Chicano%20civil%20rights%20art%20on%20view%20at%20the%20library&utm_campaign=October%2024%2C%202023

 

Jessica Gonzalez Discusses Recent Hispanic Representation in Mainstream Media and Its Impact on Culture

“Holland & Knight’s Diversity Council and Hispanic Affinity Group are proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and pay tribute to the generations of Hispanics who have enriched America’s history and continue to play a role in its future success. Since last year, we have taken time to speak to some of our Hispanic attorneys, who have shared their stories with us. We now present the 2023 video series showcasing some of these conversations. We hope that the stories conveyed in these videos inspire those struggling with recognizing their roots and shine light on the contributions that Hispanics have provided to the United States…”

https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/media-entities/2023/10/jessica-gonzalez-discusses-recent-hispanic

Warrior spotlight celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month: Meet M.D.-Ph.D. student Rafael Ramos

“Rafael Ramos is a first-generation Mexican-American enrolled in the Wayne State University School of Medicine’s M.D.-Ph.D. program. He was born in the United States and grew up in Mexico. He moved back to his birth country for higher education, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree before moving to Detroit in the late 2010s. Ramos has completed his first two years of medical school, and is in his third year of the doctoral portion of his degrees. He is a candidate in Biomedical Engineering, funded by the Detroit Cardiovascular Training Program T32 grant hosted by the Department of Physiology. He also received a Michigan Space Grant Consortium Graduate…”

https://today.wayne.edu/medicine/news/2023/10/11/warrior-spotlight-celebrates-hispanic-heritage-month-meet-md-phd-student-rafael-ramos-58828

Some GOP candidates want to use force against Mexico to stop fentanyl. Experts say that won’t work

“MIAMI — Ron DeSantis wants suspected drug smugglers at the U.S.-Mexico border to be shot dead. Nikki Haley promises to send American special forces into Mexico. Vivek Ramaswamy has accused Mexico’s leader of treating drug cartels as his “sugar daddy” and says that if he is elected president, “there will be a new daddy in town.”

Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner for the 2024 nomination and long the person who has shaped his party’s rhetoric on the border, has often blamed Mexico for problems in the United States and promises new uses of military force and covert action if he returns to the White House…”

https://www.wlrn.org/americas/2023-10-10/latin-america-mexico-fentanyl-opioid-gop

Review: Who are Mexican Americans? ‘American Homeboy’ at Portland Film Festival offers perspective

“Making use of 50 hours of illuminating restored archival footage, the film elicits an array of perspectives from Mexican American historians, scholars, artists, activists, a retired law enforcement officer, and cholos — members of a subculture associated with street gangs — to help viewers understand the origins and import of pachuco and cholo culture and Xicano experience…”

https://www.portlandtribune.com/lifestyle/review-who-are-mexican-americans-american-homeboy-at-portland-film-festival-offers-perspective/article_df6c0ba6-67b9-11ee-ae47-135efcc668e1.html

Gene Block and administrators discuss equity and diversity, campus expansion and more

“…The university has also increased diversity throughout Block’s tenure, but there is still a long way to go, he said. In 2008 – the first incoming class Block oversaw as chancellor – Black students made up 5% of the incoming class of freshmen, with Chicano/Latino students making up 16% and Native American students less than 1%. The fall 2022 incoming class was made up of 8% Black students, 22% Hispanic students and 1% Native students…”

https://dailybruin.com/2023/10/05/gene-block-and-administrators-discuss-equity-and-diversity-campus-expansion-and-more

 

Hernan Diaz (writer)

“…Diaz was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When he was two, his family moved to Sweden.[4] His family returned to Argentina after democracy was restored. After obtaining a BA in Literature (Licenciatura en Letras) in the University of Buenos Aires, he moved to London to study for an MA degree at King’s College.[5]

Diaz moved to New York in 1999. He received his PhD from New York University advised by Avital Ronell and Sylvia Molloy, and filed a dissertation on a topic that straddles comparative literature, Latin American literature, and philosophy.[6][7][8]…”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernan_Diaz_(writer)

Marissa Pérez discusses artistic background, evolution of styling

“Through her eclectic background in the arts, Marissa Pérez is tailoring her own trends.

Previously an event producer and managing director of the Student Committee for the Arts at UCLA, the alumnus currently works as a wardrobe stylist in the fashion industry. Pérez has assisted in dressing a number of different celebrities, including actresses Laverne Cox, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Zendaya.

Pérez spoke with the Daily Bruin’s Sanjana Chadive about the evolution of her interest in styling and how her background in other artistic mediums has informed her career…”

https://dailybruin.com/2023/10/01/qrez-discusses-artistic-background-evolution-of-styling

First-generation students discuss experiences, resources at UCLA

“There’s just a lot of fear of reaching out or asking a ‘dumb question,’” said Williams, who studies at the UCLA School of Education & Information Studies and taught a university studies class geared toward first-generation students. “It’s just that lack of confidence because you haven’t had these experiences or know anyone that’s had these experiences.”

First-generation students can also feel a lack of belonging compared to other students depending on their socioeconomic background.

According to the Brookings Institution, about 51% of students from low-income families go to college compared to about 89% of students from well-off families…”

https://dailybruin.com/2023/09/21/first-generation-students-discuss-experiences-resources-at-ucla

Consul General of Mexico in Raleigh addresses crowded Phyfer Auditorium

“It was standing room only when Claudia Velasco, Consul General of Mexico in Raleigh, N.C., addressed students, faculty, staff and visitors on Thursday, September 21 in Phyfer Auditorium. Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, Velasco was sponsored by the Association of Latino Professionals for America – Clemson University Student Chapter, the Department of Management at the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business and the Consulate General of Mexico in Raleigh, N.C…”

https://news.clemson.edu/consul-general-of-mexico-in-raleigh-addresses-crowded-phyfer-auditorium/

The Multifaceted Latine Community and What Managers Can Learn

“I grew up in a Spanish-speaking household in Chicago raised by Mexican-born parents who worked to afford an annual trip to Mexico to visit family. I recognize that the act of traveling to Mexico was a privilege for my family because so many immigrants left their homes without the option to travel back until they were able to obtain legal status. I also recognize that Chicago is home to a diverse Latine community that makes up 33% of the city’s population….

In contrast to how I self-identify, there are Latine professionals who prefer not to be labeled as part of a group and instead lead with other professional experiences or personal interests…”

https://www.adweek.com/agencies/retain-bipoc-talent-latine-managers/

What book inventories reveal about shifting cultural identities in New Spain

“Colonizers were known to carry books in their luggage. In the early 1500s, books began to arrive in America by the thousands, destined for the capital of New Spain, Mexico City, and other urban hubs in Spain’s territories. A century later, Catholic monarchs in Spain learned of crypto-Jewish books across the Atlantic Ocean. They ordered all bookstores to submit detailed inventories to the Mexican Inquisition — an extension of the Spanish Inquisition — freezing in time a record of the reading materials that circulated among New Spain’s intellectual class…”

https://news.ucsb.edu/2023/021206/what-book-inventories-reveal-about-shifting-cultural-identities-new-spain?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=What%20book%20inventories%20reveal%20about%20shifting%20cultural%20identities%20in%20New%20Spain&utm_campaign=September%2028%2C%202023

Latinos’ Views of and Experiences With the Spanish Language

“Most U.S. Latinos speak Spanish: 75% say they are able to carry on a conversation in Spanish pretty well or very well. And most Latinos (85%) say it is at least somewhat important for future generations of Latinos in the United States to speak Spanish….”

https://www.pewresearch.org/race-ethnicity/2023/09/20/latinos-views-of-and-experiences-with-the-spanish-language/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=b03626f760-Weekly_9-23-23&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b03626f760-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

Eddie Jauregui Shares How His Hispanic Heritage Has Been A Strength in His Legal Career

“…In this video, Hispanic National Bar Association member Eddie Jauregui, a partner in our Los Angeles office, shares how drawing from his Mexican heritage has been a strength in his legal career. He also discusses the importance of never losing sight of your Hispanic culture…”

https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/media-entities/2023/09/eddie-jauregui-shares-how-his-hispanic-heritage

Mexican president defends inclusion of Russian military contingent in Independence parade

“MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president on Monday defended the participation of a contingent of Russian soldiers in a military parade over the weekend.

The presence of the Russian contingent in the Independence parade Saturday drew criticism because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mexico has condemned the invasion but has adopted a policy of neutrality and has refused to participate in sanctions as it continues to buy 2020-vintage COVID vaccines from Russia…”

https://apnews.com/article/mexico-russia-soldiers-military-parade-6eb8345ba6827282ec40bf33891d6f22

 

UTRGV Mexican-American professor guides next generation of STEM professionals

“EDINBURG — Cristina Villalobos’ life is a mathematical statement: to get an answer you have to follow necessary steps, but her equation is far from over and she does it all while guiding Hispanic students in their own equations of life.

Villalobos is a Myles and Slyvia Aaronson endowed professor in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the founding director of the Center of Excellence in STEM…”

https://myrgv.com/local-news/2023/09/15/utrgv-mexican-american-professor-guides-next-generation-of-stem-professionals/

 

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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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