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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‘A Sense of Belonging’ Campus partners on grant project to expand representation, achievement in STEM among graduate students of color
“…“Research has found that students of color feel isolated within STEM classrooms,” said Dolores Inés Casillas, an associate professor of Chicana and Chicano studies at UCSB and director of the Chicano Studies Institute. “The collective goal for all HSIs is to foster a sense of belonging for STEM students of color, in hopes of seeing that translate into academic achievement and degree attainment. This grant proves that it will take a village to make a substantial gain in STEM graduate degree attainment. Together with fellow HSIs as well as two-year institutions, we hope to make a substantial impact on our current rates of Latinx students and students of color within STEM.”..”
Mexico projects to be a technological superpower in the next 10 years
“…The Digital Transformation index , prepared by Dell Technologie , revealed that during 2020 Mexico experienced an important advance with respect to digital transformation , since 52% of the companies surveyed in the Mexican Republic consider themselves part of the category “digital adopters ” , that is, companies that are already investing in innovation.
The transformation and adaptation process has not been an easy task, however, the capacity and talent of Mexican programmers generated innovation and gave rise to a new economy, largely driven by the employment relationship started with technology companies in the United States. …”
Nepantla Familias: An Anthology of Mexican American Literature on Families in between Worlds
” A deeply meaningful collection that navigates important nuances of identity.”—Kirkus
Reviews, starred review Nepantla Familias brings together Mexican American narratives
that explore and negotiate the many permutations of living in between different worlds—how …”
Latinos Left Out of California Boardroom Diversity Progress; Most Underrepresented With 39.4% of Population and Only 2.3% of CA Board Seats
“WASHINGTON, April 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Latino Corporate Directors Association and Latino Voices for Boardroom Equity, today released the Q1 2021 California Boardroom Equity Scorecard revealing no progress for Latinos from the previous quarter. Latinos remain the most underrepresented in California boardrooms with only 2.3% of directorships despite making up 39% of the state’s population. The Q1 2021 Scorecard further reports a decrease of board seats for White directors from 82.7% to 81.2%, an increase for Asian directors 10% to 10.9% and Black directors 3.5% to 4%. The Scorecard cumulatively monitors California public company board composition, starting July 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021 and calculates the percentage of directorships and new board appointments held by gender, race, and ethnicity…”
Students reflect on grieving, remembering loved ones amid pandemic restrictions
“Ortega said the loss of her grandfather was traumatic because her family believed he was not receiving proper care and attention from the hospital doctors and nurses.
Ortega said her mother, who is a nurse, consistently called for updates on her grandfather, but the hospital was often reluctant to provide her answers.
To show their support for her grandfather, Ortega said she and her family would spend every day outside of his hospital room and even stayed in the hospital parking lot overnight on one occasion. Ortega and her family were unable to enter her grandfather’s room until the day he passed away…”
From Colman Domingo to Rita Moreno, Here’s How the 2021 Oscars Went For Latinos By Carlos Aguilar
“..Mexican Sound Artists Integral to the Success of Sound of Metal
Oscar only went home with three Latinos last night, the Mexican re-recording mixers behind the Best Picture contender Sound of Metal. Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, and Carlos Cortés Navarrete were among the five people recognized for their work in the uniquely sensorial drama about a drummer losing his hearing. The use of sound as an integral tool to get the audience to experience the world from the point of view of the protagonist impressed the industry…”
https://remezcla.com/film/colman-domingo-rita-moreno-2021-oscars-latino-actors/
Yes, the Oscar nominations are more ‘diverse.’ But they largely leave out Latinos
“…“Latinx people make up at least 60 million of Americans,” tweeted Jose Antonio Vargas, founder of media advocacy organization Define American. “They’re the largest minority group in the USA. Why are Latina and Latino talent consistently left out of #OscarsNoms, especially in the acting categories?”…
Graduating students of various backgrounds react to UCLA’s plans for commencement
“…As the first in her family to attend college, the fourth-year human biology and society student faced many challenges to make it to UCLA. Coming from a low-income, single-parent household, Hinojosa did not have college counselors at her high school and could only afford to apply to colleges that offered her an admission fee waiver.
After hours of studying for the SAT, receiving application help from USC student volunteers and helping her friends who didn’t have outside help with their essays, Hinojosa got into UCLA…”
Membership of the 117thCongress: A Profile Updated April 14, 2021
“…Hispanic/Latino American Members There are 54Hispanic or Latino Members in the 117thCongress, 10.0%of the total membership and a record number.29Forty–sevenserve in the House, including two Delegates and the Resident Commissioner,and 7in the Senate. These numbers include two House Members who are also of Asian descent, and two House Members also of African ancestry; these Members are counted in both ethnic categories in this report. Of the Members of the House, 34are Democrats (including 2 Delegates) and 13are Republicans(including the Resident Commissioner). Fourteen are women, including the Resident Commissioner. Of the seven Hispanic Senators (three Republicans, four Democrats), one is a woman. By comparison, approximately 35 years ago in the 99thCongress (1985–1986), 14 Hispanic or Latino Members served in Congress. All 14 were male Members of the House…”
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46705
Machine finds tantalising hints of new physics
…”Dr Paula Alvarez Cartelle, of the University of Cambridge, was one of the scientific leaders behind the finding. She commented: “This new result offers tantalising hints of the presence of a new fundamental particle or force that interacts differently with these… particles…”
My Child’s Egg Donor Is Latin American. Does That Make Him Latino?
“…I am the parent of a child who was conceived via in vitro fertilization and surrogacy using the sperm of a Caucasian man and a donor egg from someone who is half Colombian and half Central American. My spouse and I are professionals and both Caucasian, so (knock on wood) our son will most likely not encounter financial hardships. May we in good conscience check “Latino/Hispanic” on his college application?…”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/06/magazine/egg-donor-latin-american.html
Examining the Demographic Compositions of U.S. Circuit and District Courts
“…For instance, across all Article III U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Courts of Appeals, people of color make up just 20 percent of all sitting judges and 27 percent of active judges. In all, African Americans comprise 10 percent of sitting judges and 13 percent of active judges, while Hispanic judges make up about 7 percent and 9 percent of sitting and active judges, respectively. Asian Americans comprise an even smaller proportion of the lower federal courts: Only 2.5 percent of active judges and 4 percent of sitting judges are Asian American. American Indian judges and those belonging to more than one race or ethnicity each make up about 1 percent or less of the lower federal judiciary…”
Meet Daniela
“…Daniela Santiago Martinez (guitar), 18, hails from Del Valle, Texas and is a senior at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. She studies guitar with Matthew Cochran at Interlochen Arts Academy and has also studied music through the organization Austin Soundwaves. Daniela is part of the Draylen Mason Fellows Program which is a full scholarship initiative of Austin Soundwaves designed to help further the musical and personal development of high school musicians. In addition to playing classical music, Daniela loves playing Regional Mexicano music, especially Mariachi and Corridos…”
https://fromthetop.org/musician/daniela-santiago-martinez/
The five ‘Status Pending’ immigration attorneys honored by MABA.
“…MABA, the Mexican American Bar Association, is an organization and network of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals committed to the advancement of Latinos in the legal profession and the empowerment of the Latino community through service and advocacy. At the event, the organization recognized these attorneys for their ongoing work on behalf of migrants and their families…”
Gabriela Garcia’s ‘Of Women And Salt’ Connects Two Mother-Daughter Stories
“We are force. This sentence threads through the winding stories of generations in the new book “Of Women And Salt.” It’s Gabriela Garcia’s debut novel examining the history of two families, one Cuban, one Salvadoran, who come to the U.S. at different times and under different circumstances. Gabriela Garcia joins me now to talk about her book. Hi there…”
Knowing When It’s Time To Leave Your Job, According To A Google Alum
“Once a year, America acknowledges the egregious pay gap in which Latinas earn just 67 cents for every dollar a non-Latinx white man makes. It’s time we interrogate this fact year-round. The L-Suite examines the diverse ways in which Latinx professionals have built their careers, how they’ve navigated notoriously disruptive roadblocks, and how they’re attempting to dismantle these obstacles for the rest of their communities. This month, we’re talking with Google alum and founder of Eliment and Company, Eliana Murillo, about overcoming cultural pressures to stay in job, when it’s time to leave your full-time gig, and setting yourself up for success.,,”
Mexico’s real COVID-19 death toll now stands at over 321,000
“MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s government acknowledged Saturday that the country’s true death toll from the coronavirus pandemic now stands above 321,000, almost 60% more than the official test-confirmed number of 201,429.
Mexico does little testing, and because hospitals were overwhelmed, many Mexicans died at home without getting a test. The only way to get a clear picture is to review “excess deaths” and review death certificates…”
El Museo Looks to Define ‘Latinx Art’ With a Major Survey
“…The show is El Museo’s first national survey of what it calls Latinx art, using the much-debated gender-neutral and (the museum argues) culturally embracing alternative to Latino or Latina, to describe artists of Latin American descent working primarily in the United States or the Caribbean. The museum’s original plan was to have the show coincide with, and reflect, two defining 2020 political events, the United States census and the presidential election. It missed both, but still looks plenty newsy. Immigration, racial justice and assertions of identity, ethnic and otherwise, are undying features of the national story. And the show is very much about them…”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/25/arts/design/triennial-el-museo.html
UC Berkeley shutting down rare pipeline for doctorates of color. Its supporters are fighting back
“Victor Rios spent much of his childhood in an Oakland neighborhood so violent it was labeled the “killing zone” because many people never made it out alive.He never met his dad. His mom, who washed dishes and sewed for a living, entered the U.S. from Mexico in 1987, bringing Victor, 10, and his brother Juan, 13, across the desert and up to Oakland. There, he said, adults drank openly and bullies beat him up. He joined a gang. He knew the inside of juvenile hall like his own bedroom. And he assumed he’d be “locked up or dead” by 18….”
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/UC-Berkeley-shutting-down-rare-pipeline-for-15828740.php
Ricardo Lara: Insurance Commissioner for the State of California
“…Throughout Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s career, he’s always stood up for working families and against injustice, even when doing so was difficult or unpopular. Grounded in his East Los Angeles upbringing and raised by a factory worker and a seamstress, Ricardo has built a record on bringing people together around tough challenges and delivering results that improve people’s lives. As a graduate of LAUSD schools and a lifelong resident of Southeast Los Angeles, he knows first-hand the challenges facing the immigrant and working class communities…”
http://www.ricardolara.com/index.php/about-ricardo/biography
