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…

Front Page Items

Discover the Story of Ynés Mexía, the First Mexican-American Botanist and Environmentalist

“Although climate change has been a heated topic in recent years, the environmental movement has been a long-standing fight. One of the first people involved in the preservation of the Redwood trees in California was Ynés Mexía, a botanist who found her love for environmentalism in her 50s and is one of the most highly-renowned collectors of plant specimens in the U.S.

Ynés Mexía was born in Washington D.C in 1870 and, because of her father’s job as a diplomat, she moved quite a bit in her life, having lived in Philadelphia and Ciudad de México before moving to San Francisco in 1908. She struggled with many mental health challenges and experienced many hardships like her father’s death, the death of her first husband, and a brutal divorce from her second husband.,,”

https://belatina.com/ynes-mexia-first-mexican-american-botanist/

/us/veterans-community-activists-protest-roundabout-fear-changes-to-mexican-american-monument-

“…Community members, veterans and politicians gathered Monday for a 75th anniversary celebration near the 30-foot-high marble monolith , which was dedicated on May 30, 1947. But the relocation plan isn’t the only controversy around the monument. Even its name has long been in dispute . Vietnam War veteran Eddie Morin, 79, says the monument, inscribed with a dedication to veterans of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, is known as the Americans of Mexican Descent Memorial. Morin’s father Raul Morin, a World War II veteran and author , is honored with a plaque, which is located on a separate small triangular plaza, directly south of the monument, across East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, named “Morin Memorial Square.” “It’s always been about venerating the efforts of…”

https://headtopics.com/us/veterans-community-activists-protest-roundabout-fear-changes-to-mexican-american-monument-26892275

With Lack of Opportunities for Mexican Doctors, Should They Join the Export Revolution?

“The outlook is pretty dim for doctors working in Mexico. The job market offers limited opportunities for health professionals in the country, who believe that only through policy support from the federal government, things will then turn positive.

Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador got grilled in early May after announcing the hiring of 500 Cuban health professionals to be enrolled into the ranks of the country’s public health system. López Obrador claimed it as a necessary measure to combat Mexico’s deficit of health specialists, but doctors and universities argued otherwise, pointing to the long lines of unemployed nationals who wait for a shot at working in one of the country’s several public health institutions..”

https://nearshoreamericas.com/with-lack-of-opportunities-for-mexican-doctors-should-they-join-the-export-revolution/.

WWC Americas: Nearly 300 passionate Wi-Fi professionals converge on Cancún, Mexico

“…The event above all reflected the huge amount of innovation and not least business opportunities being developed across the industry right now. We’re particularly delighted that so many Mexican and other Latin American delegates decided to join the event as well as for the support of many of our new Latin American sponsors such as SamaWiFi, Datawifi, Arara, SitWiFi, i-Free, and not least our Brazilian partners Mambo. Broad participation from Latin America is a testament to the importance of Wi-Fi across the region including a thriving ecosystem of vendors and service providers…”

https://wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/wwc-americas-nearly-300-passionate-wi-fi-professionals-converge-on-cancun-mexico/

 

The journey continues Being treated with special respect when I reentered college as an older adult shaped the way I worked with students in my career as an educator and nonprofit leader.

“…However, my educational journey was far from over. As a husband and father, I knew my choice of higher education needed to be a local university so I wouldn’t be far from home. Cal Lutheran was my choice.

I clearly remember my first visit, and the respect I felt for the university when I walked on to campus and saw my name posted on a small sign, welcoming me. For someone who didn’t believe that higher education was in my future, this was of immense importance, and I will never forget the remainder of my time at Cal Lutheran. I went on to earn my BA, teaching credential, and master’s degree in counseling and guidance at Cal Lutheran…”

https://www.callutheran.edu/news/story.html?id=14573

Study associates affirmative action bans with decreases in medical school diversity

“…The authors analyzed the diversity of 21 public schools in eight states with affirmative action bans and compared them to 32 public universities in 24 states that have no bans, Ly said. UCLA, UC San Francisco and the University of Michigan were some of the institutions examined in the study, he added.

Although he had hypothesized that state bans would reduce the diversity of medical schools, Ly said he was surprised to find that enrollment of underrepresented students had decreased by more than one-third of its pre-ban amount within five years…”

https://dailybruin.com/2022/05/16/study-associates-affirmative-action-bans-with-decrease-in-medical-school-diversity

 

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo

“Early life

García-Rulfo was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He grew up on a ranch in Jalisco, where he learned to ride horses.[3] At one point, he went to Vermont to study English.[4] He attended Universidad del Valle de Atemajac where he majored in communications before he realized his interest in filmmaking. He studied at the New York Film Academy, but decided to return to Mexico to continue his acting career.[5]

Career

Garcia-Rulfo made his first major American film with Bless Me, Ultima, as Uncle Pedro.[6] In 2016, he played the outlaw Vasquez, one of the title characters, in The Magnificent Seven remake. The role required him to take up gun training, which he thought was difficult, though he stated, “I got blisters, but it was hilarious.”[7] In 2017, he co-starred in Kenneth Branagh‘s adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, playing Biniamino Marquez, a character who originated in the novel as Antonio Foscarelli and was adapted specifically for him.[8]

In early 2021, García-Rulfo was cast as Mickey Haller in a television adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer for Netflix, replacing Logan Marshall-Green.[9]…”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Garcia-Rulfo

Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions, ADEC Offers Free US-Mexico Trade Webinar May 12

“Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions and the Arkansas District Export Council will sponsor a free webinar focusing on trade opportunities available to U.S. companies with Mexico on Thursday May 12, 2022. Attendees can gain a broader understanding of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) provisions and the opportunities they create for trade with Mexico in this webinar, featuring presentations from industry experts.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) entered into force on July 1, 2020. The USMCA, which substituted the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), aims to be mutually beneficial for North American workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses by creating more balanced, reciprocal trade supporting high-paying jobs for Americans and grow the North American economy…”

https://www.armoneyandpolitics.com/free-us-mexico-trade-webinar/

 

Federal budget proposal would increase Pell Grant maximum, cut federal deficit

“Biden promised an increase in the Pell Grant during his State of the Union address, and the budget proposes a $2,175 increase in the Pell Grant maximum for the 2023-2024 award year, which would bring the maximum to $8,670. The Biden administration also plans to double the size of the Pell Grant by 2029, according to the budget proposal.

Emily Penner, an assistant professor of education at UC Irvine, said many students in California and other states are currently working multiple jobs to afford an education while supporting family members at the same time. This places high expectations on students to manage the financial pressure and academic rigor of their education, she said….”

https://dailybruin.com/2022/05/10/federal-budget-proposal-would-increase-pell-grant-maximum-cut-federal-deficit

Mexican border town sees an increase in sales of abortion drugs to women from the US

‘Since Texas passed a strict anti-abortion law in September, more and more women along the southern border have been going to unregulated pharmacies in Mexico to get abortion pills. Border health professionals fear the Mexican pharmacies have become a last resort for some women. Observers say it’s a sign of what’s to come if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

The main street of Nuevo Progreso, Mexico — just across the sluggish Rio Grande from Weslaco, Texas — is a chaotic border bazaar that caters to American day-trippers looking for bargains and exotica. The street is packed with businesses that sell prescription eyeglasses, dental care, switchblades, tequila shots, statues of ghoulish drug saints and over-the-counter medicine.

You can buy many medications in Mexican pharmacies without a prescription, including the pills that have transformed the way women are ending pregnancies. Today, more than half of all abortions in the United States are achieved by what’s called a medication abortion, as opposed to a traditional surgical abortion…”

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/09/1097210654/mexican-border-town-sees-an-increase-in-sales-of-abortion-drugs-to-women-from-th

 

Diversity in Journalism and at The Bruin

‘…The Daily Bruin Outreach section, established two years ago, has refreshed its efforts to recruit a more diverse group of students at UCLA, gather community input and understand accessibility needs internally. Over the past year, the office expanded on its operations to:

  • Release an intern packet to streamline integration into Daily Bruin
  • Continue surveying staff needs and concerns through internal retention surveys
  • Solicit feedback from members of the Mother Organizations coalition and Student Media newsmagazines that focus their coverage on marginalized communities
  • Regularly conduct community surveys to receive community input
  • Engage with clubs and organizations representing underrepresented groups as well as academic departments to recruit interns from diverse backgrounds
  • Revamp alumni engagement efforts through social media and host alumni networking events with staffers…”
  • https://features.dailybruin.com/2022/diversity-report/

Hard Work Pays Off Early Academic Outreach Program UC Success Night honors seniors from partner high schools who were admitted to UC campuses

“…The program includes a presentation of awards and of State Proclamations from local Senate and Assembly members in recognition of students’ academic achievement, and student keynote speeches will be delivered in both English and Spanish. Attendees also will have the opportunity to meet UC Santa Barbara faculty and staff members, administrators, alumni and undergraduate students, as well as network with other students and families from their hometown who may be attending the same universities in the fall…”

https://www.news.ucsb.edu/2022/020618/hard-work-pays?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Fillmore%20High%20School%20students%20admitted%20to%20the%20UC%20system%20were%20honored%20at%20EAOP%20UC%20Success%20Night&utm_campaign=April%2028%2C%202022

Best Eugenio Derbez Movies That Feature Every Aspect of the Mexican Actor’s Professional Persona

“Eugenio Derbez is certainly one of the most famous Mexican actors in the U.S., thanks to his wide catalog of movies that showcased his skills and talent in acting.

His fame and glamour in the limelight are a product of years of hard work in the entertainment industry. Derbez is more than an actor as he is also a writer, director, and producer.,,”

https://www.latinpost.com/articles/155021/20220427/eugenio-derbez-movies-mexican-actor.htm

Latinx Newswire Rebrands as Noticias Newswire, Announces Major Expansion of Hispanic Press Release Guaranteed Media Placements Network

“— Communications professionals targeting U.S. Hispanics – the country’s largest minority group with a $2 Trillion Buying Power – can now reach over 12,000 Latino journalists and influencers and receive guaranteed placement on over 180 Hispanic media and influencer websites — — Press wire rebrands with new icon symbolizing Hispanic unity, growth and success —..”

https://belatina.com/noticias-newswire/?l=latinx-newswire-is-now-noticias-newswire

Student-run business Jewels by Jocy brings beaded accessories to buyers

“Through Instagram and Depop, the first-year architectural studies student sells assorted jewelry for her business, Jewels by Jocy. Having created her own jewelry for two years and drawing inspiration from beading materials such as pearls, Gonzalez said social media provided her with a community and platform to showcase her products such as earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings. As a painter and sewer as well, she said she enjoys crafting her own accessories because the process blends the problem-solving skills of her major with creativity and self-expression…”

https://dailybruin.com/2022/04/20/student-run-business-jewels-by-jocy-brings-beaded-accessories-to-buyers

CO2 GRO Inc. and Mexico Partner Rancho Nexo to Exhibit at GreenTech Americas in Mexico April 27-29, 2022 Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/co2-gro-inc-and-mexico-partner-rancho-nexo-to-exhibit-at-greentech-americas-in-mexico-april-27-29-2022

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Toronto-based CO2 GRO Inc. (“GROW” or the “Company“) (TSX.V:GROW)(OTCQB:BLONF)(Frankfurt:4021) is pleased to announce CO2 GRO and their Mexico marketing and sales partner, Rancho Nexo will be exhibiting CO2 Delivery Solutions™technology at the GreenTech Americas Conference hosted in Queretaro Centro de Congresos QRO, Mexico from April 27-29, 2022. This is the second edition of the GreenTech Americas Conference designed for all professionals involved in horticultural technology in Mexico and the Latin America region. The exhibition focuses on the front-end of the horticultural production chain.

Men’s basketball’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. to return to UCLA for senior season

“The Bruins’ postseason leading scorer is coming back for some “unfinished business.”

UCLA men’s basketball junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is returning for his senior season with the program, he announced in a video posted to social media Monday afternoon. A projected 2022 NBA Draft selection entering the offseason, Jaquez will return to Westwood with two years of eligibility remaining…”

https://dailybruin.com/2022/04/18/mens-basketball-jaime-jaquez-jr-to-return-to-ucla-for-senior-season

Kaiser Permanente behavioral health professionals mentor students at Antioch’s Dozier-Libbey Medical High School

“As a first-generation Mexican American and first in my family to graduate college, I’m incredibly passionate about supporting these young people and creating awareness around the complex experiences of being a first-generation student,” said Irais Castro, PhD, a psychology postdoctoral resident at Kaiser Permanente Antioch…”

https://contracostaherald.com/kaiser-permanente-behavioral-health-professionals-mentor-students-at-antiochs-dozier-libbey-medical-high-school/

‘Calculating Brilliance’ Book reveals new insights into astronomy and politics of the Maya Terminal Classic period

New mural integrates Native perspectives in representation of UCLA’s land history

“UCLA professor emeritus and artist Judith Baca’s original mural was unveiled in Ackerman Union on Friday.

Located at the Wescom Student Terrace on level one of Ackerman Union, the mural is titled “La Memoria de la Tierra: UCLA” and consists of three 26-foot-long panels. The first panel depicts the original Los Angeles River and its original peoples, the second panel highlights influential members of the UCLA community, and the third panel displays a future in which the university recognizes and coexists peacefully with the Native land.

The UCLA Centennial Committee first commissioned the mural in 2019, and it was created in partnership with ASUCLA…”

https://dailybruin.com/2022/04/06/new-mural-integrates-native-perspectives-in-representation-of-uclas-land-history


  

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.

Read More…