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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Front Page Items

‘It’s just too much’: Why students are abandoning community colleges in droves With first-time enrollment down 21 percent, two-year colleges face an existential question: Will students return?

“…Community colleges have traditionally been a refuge where recent high school graduates — and adults of all ages — could pick up credits and develop new skills during a poor job market. Enrollment at two-year schools swelled during the downturn a decade ago. Many expected a similar rush during the pandemic.

That didn’t happen. Fall enrollment at community colleges was down 10 percent from a year earlier, according to National Student Clearinghouse data from mid-December. That was a much steeper decline than the roughly 1 percent drop-off in undergraduates at public and private nonprofit four-year institutions, despite predictions that more students might opt for colleges closer to home before transferring to four-year schools. The decline in first-time enrollment at community colleges was a staggering 21 percent.   Black, Hispanic and Native American first-year students showed even steeper drops in a November report, between 28 and 29 percent…”

https://hechingerreport.org/its-just-too-much-why-students-are-abandoning-community-colleges-in-droves/

 

German CureVac Vaccine Protocol, Success of Public and Private Collaboration | Tec Review

“…Clinical trials of the German Curevac vaccine carried out jointly by private institutions such as TecSalud and the Mexican government have set the pattern to follow: synergy between public and private is necessary.

Guillermo Torre, rector of TecSalud and vice president of Research at Tecnológico de Monterrey, agrees.

During the Research Rounds virtual forum, where advances in the Herald protocol for the Curevac vaccine were discussed, Torre explained that the way in which the current pandemic has been dealt with has put the importance of the health sector in Latin American countries under the scrutiny of public opinion…”

https://www.explica.co/german-curevac-vaccine-protocol-success-of-public-and-private-collaboration-tec-review.html

Harris avoids optics of vaccine-for-immigration quid pro quo with Mexico

“Vice President Kamala Harris headed back to the U.S. after two days of high-level meetings in Guatemala and Mexico about corruption, human trafficking and migration, but one subject was only briefly touched upon: coronavirus vaccines…”

https://news.yahoo.com/harris-avoids-optics-vaccine-immigration-005249667.html

UCSB Young Artists String Quartet (YASQ): Spring 2021 Recital

“…Anthony Navarro, Violin

Anthony Navarro is a first year master’s student studying violin performance with Professor Ertan Torgul. Making music is his passion and he loves the collaborative aspects of classical music one finds in chamber music, orchestral music, opera and ballet…”

https://campuscalendar.ucsb.edu/event/ucsb_young_artists_string_quartet_yasq_spring_2021_recital?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=UCSB%20Young%20Artists%20String%20Quartet%20%28YASQ%29%3A%20Spring%202021%20Recital&utm_campaign=June%208%2C%202021

 

El laberinto del fauno

“…Firmly set in the harsh reality of Franco’s iron-clad dictatorship in Spain, El laberinto del fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) uses fantasy to take flight from the horrors of the real world and into the mystery of the fantastical one. Kickass Mexican director Guillermo del Toro uses the classic fairy tale format with a fresh spin to tell the story of a Spanish girl and the three wishes granted her when she meets the mythical Pan. Del Toro is a big believer in and master of the fantasy format, something hard to do well and believably, but his incredible visual style, uncanny CGI world, and gift for a particular style of …”

https://remezcla.com/lists/film/streaming-sci-fi-fantasy-films/

 

I left my home in Mexico to work as a farm veterinarian in America. But it was a trick.

“…But not all uncertainty is exciting or acceptable. While working at a dairy farm in Texas in 2019, I got a glimpse of how employers are profiting from the hopes and aspirations of Mexican veterinarians like me. U.S. farmers are luring Mexican animal scientists into exploitative jobs with the promise of professional development…”

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/opinion/voices/2021/06/02/immigration-tn-work-visa-exploitation-abuse-workers-mexico-nafta/7489342002/

Over 150 Omaha business leaders vow to address inequities stemming from systemic racism

‘…Specific programs aim to address that. Those include management training and mentoring for minority employees; professional networks for Black, Latino and other people of color; tools to help companies buy more products and services from minority-owned enterprises; assessments of workplace culture and training to improve it; even help for corporate leaders to look beyond their social and business networks to find and connect with people of color for their boards..”

https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/over-150-omaha-business-leaders-vow-to-address-inequities-stemming-from-systemic-racism/article_310a9700-f9be-5ae7-a715-8256b9ba3176.html

The Pros and Cons of Applying For TN Status

  • “…There is a broad range of professions that are covered by the TN visa. These include economists, foresters, hotel managers, and dietitians to name a few. You’ll need to show proof of education, qualification, or membership of a professional group to qualify.
  • You can choose your U.S. employer ahead of arriving in the United States, including where they are located. The only stipulation is that the full or part-time work must align with a NAFTA profession.
  • You can sponsor your spouse and children to come with you to the United States, and they can stay with you for the duration of your visa. However, there are conditions to this, which are listed in the following section…”
  • https://www.boundless.com/blog/tn-status-pros-and-cons/

‘Unethical liars:’ AMLO replies to hard-hitting editorial in British newspaper

“…Published under the headline “Voters should curb Mexico’s power-hungry president” in its May 29-June 4 edition, on which López Obrador appears on the cover beneath the headline “Mexico’s false messiah,” the editorial compares AMLO, as the president is commonly known, to “authoritarian populists” Viktor Orbán of Hungary, Narendra Modi of India and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil…”

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/amlo-replies-to-editorial/

Feedback Loops in Marine Protection

“…Research co-led by Anastasia (Tasha) Quintana(link is external) at UC Santa Barbara and Alfredo Giron-Nava at Stanford University investigated feedback loops for community-based conservation in northwest Mexico. Their results suggest that adaptation, learning and trust within fishing communities contribute to a greater and growing impact — positive feedback loops — for conservation and fisheries management. The paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science(link is external), is part of a special issue focusing on the work of early career researchers…”

https://www.news.ucsb.edu/2021/020300/feedback-loops-marine-protection?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Feedback%20Loops%20in%20Marine%20Protection&utm_campaign=May%2027%2C%202021

The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Highlights Latin American Art This Summer

HOUSTON—April 29, 2015—This summer, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, highlights works from its renowned collection of Latin American art that focus on visual explorations of light and the cosmos. Cosmic Dialogues: Selections from the Latin American Collection features nearly 50 significant sculptures and drawings created over the past 70 years, including immersive light installations, rarely seen works on paper, and masterpieces of Kinetic art. The exhibition is on view from May 14 to August 23, 2015.

“The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, has become a leader in collecting and presenting Latin American and Latino art,” said Gary Tinterow, Museum director. “Cosmic Dialogues presents a thematic examination of artworks from the Museum’s collection that will allow our visitors to engage with Latin American artistic innovators in new and exciting ways.”,,,”

https://www.mfah.org/press/museum-fine-arts-houston-highlights-latin-american-art-summer

National Poetry Month 2021: 5 Latinx Poets Who Build Community Through Art

“…Latinx identity is an incredible blend of movements, cultures, and language. It is also an identity that continues to face considerable challenges, including inhumane migration policies, and inaction by Congress, which continually threatens to defer the American Dream for the undocumented Latinx community.

But despite these inequalities, still they rise. One poet on our list arrived in the US in her mother’s belly, while another challenged the notion that one must provide “proof of citizenship” to create art. And thus, we celebrate the lives and experiences of these five Latinx poets, who use their poetry as artful protest, and bridge their multitudinous identities with mastery and courageous truth-telling…”

https://www.colorlines.com/articles/national-poetry-month-2021-5-latinx-poets-who-build-community-through-art

Why is progress so slow for Latinos in Hollywood?

“…Despite making up nearly 17% of the U.S. populace, Latinos are underrepresented in nearly every critical job category tracked by the report, the latest of which was published today.

Chon Noriega, director of the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, said decades of attempts at media reform and market-based arguments haven’t yielded significant gains for Latinos in film and TV.

“The approach to media reform over the last 50-some years has always been either the carrot or the stick,” said Noriega, a media scholar who teaches in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. “Initially, it was the stick — the laws and regulations around equal employment opportunity. And because Latinos go to more movies than any group and watch more TV than any group, the carrot was, ‘Here are things you can do and these things will enhance your ability to make money.’”…

https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/slow-progress-for-latinos-hollywood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexico’s Andrea Meza crowned Miss Universe from Chihuahua City, Mexico

“…Meza, who is from Chihuahua City, is a model and make-up artist and has a degree in software engineering, according to Miss Universe Organization’s news release.

She is also an activist, and “works closely with the Municipal Institute for Women, which aims to end gender-based violence,” the release said.Meza also serves as the official Tourism Brand Ambassador for her hometown of Chihuahua, according to Miss Universe Organization…”

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/17/entertainment/miss-universe-winner-mexico-andrea-meza-trnd/index.html

 

‘American Girl’ turns 35 and re-releases its first Latina doll: Josefina Montoya

“…The doll was developed with the guidance of an advisory board made up of historians, educators, curators and other professionals with academic knowledge of the American Southwest, according to the American Doll brand. She lives on a ranch near Santa Fe with her father and three older sisters, wears a braid with a flower, faux leather loafers, a white shirt with short puffed sleeves trimmed with lace and a necklace of crosses that the brand says came from Mexico City.

Josefina aspires to be a curandera, like her godmother Magdalena. She is an idealistic, loving and hopeful character and faithfully believes that “kindness really is the best medicine.”..”

https://aldianews.com/articles/cultura/social/american-girl-turns-35-and-re-releases-its-first-latina-doll-josefina

District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, first Latina to serve as district judge for Northern California

“…Rogers is currently the presiding judge in the case of Epic Games v. Apple. On August 24, 2020, Rogers issued an order granting a temporary restraining order for Epic’s Unreal Engine, finding that the termination of Epic’s developer account could result in the inability to “save all the projects by third-party developers relying on the engine that were shelved while support was unavailable.” However, Rogers refused to grant a temporary restraining order with respect to Epic’s apps, including Fortnite, citing that Epic’s current predicament “appears of its own making.” [11]…”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_Gonzalez_Rogers

 

Do you want to work at Google? The tech giant is looking for talent in Mexico for its new hub in CDMX

“…If one of your dreams is to work at Google , this interests you. The technology giant announced that it will create a Google Cloud technical support center in Mexico City (CDMX) for clients globally. For this reason, they began the search for Mexican talent to join the ‘hub’ . Engineers in systems, cybernetics, application development, telecommunications and specialists in big data, among others, can already apply in Google Careers …”

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/371632

 

Alumna-owned Stunner Jewelry brings together style and ethical manufacturing

“…Collaborating with small silversmiths, Chloe Moreno designs stunning jewelry.

In 2018, the UCLA alumna began designing jewelry pieces for her mom and has since developed her line into a small business, Stunner Jewelry. Along with building a website to launch later this year, Moreno said she is trying to get her jewelry into boutique stores and pop-up shops across the United States. Working with her mom who owns a small silver jewelry store based in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Moreno said she hopes to continue expanding Stunner Jewelry by making her products more accessible to her consumers…”

https://dailybruin.com/2021/05/11/alumna-owned-stunner-jewelry-brings-together-style-and-ethical-manufacturing

Complaint accuses Mexican factories of labor abuses, testing trade pact

“…The complaint focuses on the Tridonex auto parts factories in the city of Matamoros, just across the border from Brownsville, Texas. The AFL-CIO said workers there have been harassed and fired over their efforts to organize with an independent union, SNITIS, in place of a company-controlled union. Susana Prieto Terrazas, a Mexican labor lawyer and SNITIS leader, was arrested and jailed last year…”

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2021-05-10/complaint-accuses-mexican-factories-of-labor-abuses-testing-trade-pact?fbclid=IwAR1-1a_7MrViR4KUM48TsUnTIm9qQ9qPlHELxeHFcxyNE4O08osg12j94TE

The Politics of Patronage”: Mexican American Legal Defense Fund

“…It assisted professional associations such as the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher
Education, National Council on Higher Education, Association of Mexican American
Educators, and Intercultural Development Research Association …”

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=lang_en&id=vYcHEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=%22mexican+american%22++professionals&ots=J6T_5GuPrv&sig=1HdNs00RIgO-vxmHe7qX3ScAD4g#v=onepage&q=%22mexican%20american%22%20%20professionals&f=false

 


  

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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