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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Mexican Firms Face Severe AI Talent Shortage
“…The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed industries across the globe, and Mexico is no exception. However, the country’s ability to capitalize on this technological revolution is being hampered by a severe shortage of skilled professionals. During the AWS Summit 2024, Rubén Mugártegui, General Director of AWS Mexico, painted a stark picture of the challenges faced by Mexican businesses in this area. He revealed that a staggering 80% of companies in Mexico are experiencing “absolute difficulty” in hiring personnel with the necessary AI skills. This shortage is not just a local issue; it is part of a broader trend affecting the entire Latin American region, where vacancies in AI and related fields exceed 2.5 million…”
https://latinamericanpost.com/business-and-finance/mexican-firms-face-severe-ai-talent-shortage/
Lawsuits Reveal Labor Abuses Faced by Some Migrant Workers on TN Visas
“…In June 2024, Mexican TN workers filed a class action lawsuit in federal district court in Atlanta, Georgia, against logistics companies within the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group. The lawsuit alleges fraud, discrimination, breach of contract, racketeering, and wage violations. The suit claims that the plaintiffs “were exploited as part of an illegal scheme for cheap labor” in warehouses across the Southeast…”
Job scams are targeting young professionals: What to look for
“One of the ways job scammers are targeting young professionals right now is by sending them an email from a professor.
The student will get a job offer recommendation from someone in their community, like a professor or an office at their college.
The emails are from fake accounts made to look identical, or, in some cases, scammers have hacked into the professor’s email, Wall Street Journal reports…”
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/job-scam-how-to-tell-if-fake-whatsapp-professor
Borderlands Mexico: Experts push infrastructure to boost cross-border trade
“…U.S. trade with the world totaled $5.1 trillion in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Mexico did almost $800 billion in trade with the United States last year, once again becoming the nation’s top trade partner.
“I think you’re seeing growth all across the U.S.-Mexico border … and Laredo [Texas] is where the rubber meets the road,” said Jordan Dewart, president of Redwood Mexico. “I think that’s where the infrastructure is headed. That’s where the main investment deals on highways to access the border are going. If you go to Laredo right now, the amount of new warehousing construction, new trucking facilities construction, is just staggering. There are miles and miles of construction. If you drive up I-35, you can see the dust clouds from 50 miles away from all construction. So I think everyone will benefit.”…”
Education & Exchanges
“Our nations share deep cultural ties exemplified by over 40 million Americans of Mexican descent who cherish their roots and cultural traditions, and millions of Americans who visit Mexico each year for tourism, study, or business. A key part of our commitment to strengthen bilateral ties between our nations is expanding opportunities for interaction in the educational and cultural spheres.
The United States Mission in Mexico oversees and implements several programs sponsored by the American people for Mexican citizens to support young leaders, students, civil society, journalists, teachers, and entrepreneurs. These programs focus on building people-to-people relations to foster mutual understanding, enhance professional partnerships and collaboration, and strengthen a healthy exchange of ideas across all sectors between our two countries…”
https://mx.usembassy.gov/educational/
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Hispanic and Latino professionals feel overlooked and underrepresented in corporate America, new study finds
“…The study notes that while Hispanics and Latinos make up 19% of the US population they only represent about 8% of the professional labor force. And within corporate America, only 10% of managers and 5% of executives identify as Hispanic or Latino/a…”
https://www.aol.com/hispanic-latino-professionals-feel-overlooked-213312572.html
Latin America Roundup: Brazil, Mexico lay out regulatory priorities
“…Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Protection Against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) also recently made public its priorities and work agenda for 2024, some of which parallel those laid out by ANVISA.
In a document released on 30 January, COFEPRIS described efforts to promote regulatory certainty, improve confidence in its processes, and expand digitalization as a strategy to speed approvals.
COFEPRIS said 2024 would see the launch of its biosimilars unit and pharmaceutical development committee, both of which share the goal of expanding Mexican manufacturing. The agency also promised to refine rules for conducting clinical research “with the aim of achieving competitive service times.”…”
Hispanic unemployment dips to 4.6% in September
“Cid Wilson, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility CEO, joins ‘Closing Bell Overtime’ to talk Hispanic employment rates in the U.S. jobs report.”
Facts on Latinos in the U.S.
“There were 62.5 million Latinos in the United States in 2021, accounting for approximately 19% of the total U.S. population. In 1980, with a population of 14.8 million, Hispanics made up just 7% of the total U.S. population…”
https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/fact-sheet/latinos-in-the-us-fact-sheet/
American Imports of Mexico-Manufactured Goods on the Rise: Study
“U.S. supply chains responded to the global volatility from the past two years by transforming supply chain networks to improve resilience against future disruption, according to a new report released by Penske Logistics, Kearney and Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP)…”
Black American entrepreneurs develop their dreams in Mexico
“…Tiara Darnell’s Blaxicocina restaurant in Mexico City is a “classic” immigrant business, deeply tied to being both Black and physically in Mexico. Her previous entrepreneurial experience included goat milk products and wine, but Blaxicocina’s inspiration is the home-cooked soul food of her Washington, D.C.-based family. The business began last year with cooking events at Darnell’s apartment, but once she was cramming 70 people at a time, she decided to take it to the next level…”
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/community/black-american-entrepreneurs-develop-dreams-in-mexico/
Mexico , Brazil and Argentina News US firm Avaya ramps up nearshoring in Mexico, Argentina
“US customer experience and contact center company Avaya plans to expand its specialized workforce in Mexico and Argentina this year to strengthen its nearshoring capabilities, Galib Karim, senior global VP for Latin America, told BNamericas.
In the past two months, Avaya opened around 150 positions in these countries. It could surpass the mark of 1,000 professionals providing services to other geographies from the region within 18 months, according to Karim.
Avaya has around 9,000 customers using its products in Latin America, mostly small and mid-sized enterprises, and around 800 direct employees. The go-to-market, including sales and installation, is mainly handled by distributors, channels and resellers…”
https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/us-firm-avaya-ramps-up-nearshoring-in-mexico-argentina
US-Visa-Online Offers E-Visa For All People.
“Us-Visa-Online is pleased to announce that we are now offering an online visa service for those traveling to the United States.This new service provides a convenient and hassle-free way to apply for a visa, and we are committed to providing our customers with the best possible experience.We have a team of experienced professionals who are available 24/7 to assist with any questions or concerns you may have.We believe that this new service will be a valuable resource for those planning to travel to the United States, and we are excited to offer it to our customers…”
https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/news/us-visa-online-offers-e-visa-for-all-people-
U.S., Mexico agree deal to fix labor dispute at VU Manufacturing plant
“WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY, March 31 (Reuters) – The U.S. and Mexico on Friday announced a deal to resolve a U.S. labor complaint at VU Manufacturing in northern Mexico that requires the auto parts plant to let workers freely choose their union in line with a trade pact aimed at improving labor rights.,,”
Accounting Firms Have Begun to See Mexico As a Goldmine for Accounting and Finance Talent, Says Guy
“…The U.S. isn’t the only country in the world with talent. For example, our neighbor to the south is rife with bright, bilingual individuals often with the same (if not better) qualifications as their U.S. counterparts. As of the second quarter of 2022, there were more than 466,000 accountants and auditors in Mexico while the U.S., despite having more than double the population, has just over 665,000 actively licensed CPAs. With a shared border, strong cultural familiarity and other benefits, I’ve noticed many multinational accounting firms have begun to see Mexico as a goldmine for accounting and finance talent…”
To advance ‘North American Idea,’ fortify bond between Canada, Mexico, experts say
“…Canada could also be taking a more active role in working with Mexico to protect against some of the threats to democracy that exist in Latin American countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba, Boehm added.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s last day in Mexico City was dedicated entirely to reinforcing ties with Mexico, beginning with a speech to business leaders that portrayed Canada as a free-trade champion and a wise place to invest.
Already, foreign direct investment in Canada in the last year has fuelled the growth of electric vehicle manufacturing and critical minerals development that has created some 17,000 jobs, Trudeau told his audience…”
What’s behind the Mexican wave of optimism?
“Mexico’s economy was relatively robust in 2022, while its equity market comfortably outperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
In many ways the backdrop for 2023 looks considerably less favourable, yet there is optimism regarding Mexico’s outlook. Amid increased geopolitical concerns and a fundamental shift in global supply chains, Mexico stands to be a potential winner…”
As ‘Three Amigos’ meet in Mexico, experts call on leaders for North American vision
“With Canadian and Mexican manufacturers added in the 11th hour to Biden’s plan to encourage the sale of climate-friendly electric vehicles, there will be room to talk about more familiar irritants like trade disputes and U.S. protectionism…
…As a country that’s not immune to the influences of irregular migration and the flow of fentanyl at the U.S.-Mexico border, Canada will need to be part of that conversation as well, one that’s widely expected to dominate the agenda…”
Lawsuit says Kia benefited from labor of misled Mexican migrants
“…In the class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta and amended late last month, lawyers representing the Mexican workers accused the Korean car maker of benefiting from “exploited” workers. The plaintiffs say they were lured to Georgia through a visa program meant for white-collar immigrants, but then ordered to work low-paid assembly line jobs…”
Could Mexico replace China as top global manufacturing exporter?
“While the world economy continues to face multiple headwinds, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, lingering pandemic effects and inflationary pressures, many trade professionals remain bullish about the prospect of more companies nearshoring operations to Mexico over the next decade.
A growing number of global shippers view Mexico as an alternative sourcing location to China and other Asian nations by either relocating manufacturing operations just south of the border or choosing to expand existing production in Mexico, experts said….”
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/could-mexico-replace-china-as-top-global-manufacturing-exporter
