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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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.”..”
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…”
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…”
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 …”
‘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…”
