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/
ISM® Enhances Reach with New Initiatives in Mexico and Latin America
“To address the expanding needs of the global supply chain management community, the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) is set to broaden its reach in Mexico and Latin America starting September 2024. This expansion will include a range of offerings such as supply chain skill-building courses, ISM certification prep programs, and executive-level events, available in both English and Spanish. This initiative enhances ISM’s existing presence and community in the region…”
¿Qué necesita?’: Felix Fraga remembered as advocate for Houston’s Mexican-American community
“Early Saturday morning, Jose Sierra walked into the Baker Ripley House on Navigation to ask for information on the funeral services of Felix Fraga, a former city councilman and lifelong community advocate who devoted his career to address the needs of Houston’s Mexican-American residents…”
Alvarez & Marsal Appoints Jose Manuel Ramirez as Latin America Complex Transactions Tax Managing Director
“New York, July 18, 2024 — Alvarez & Marsal Tax, LLC (A&M Tax), an affiliate of leading global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), announced the appointment of Jose Manuel Ramirez as a Managing Director joining the Latin America Complex Transaction Tax team in New York.
Mr. Ramirez brings over 30 years of experience advising multinationals on local, regional and global transactions encompassing domestic and international corporate and personal tax planning. He helps clients navigate centralized offshore treasury, cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) issues along with managing indirect and excise duties, value chain optimization, site location, captive reinsurances, shared services centers, dispute and tax controversy resolution, and tax incentives projects.
Jose Manuel’s experience with strategic tax services to large multinational companies and LATAM family-owned businesses, aligns with the expansion of the US based team of professionals serving the Latin American region and complements the ongoing investment in talent at the local level as well. Mr. Ramirez will work closely with Managing Director Alfonso A-Pallete who joined the firm in 2022…”
U.S. sanctions Mexican drug cartel-linked companies over alleged timeshare fraud
“…And about 6,000 U.S. citizens reported losing nearly $300 million from 2019 to 2023 via Mexican timeshare fraud crimes by targeting American timeshare owners often in various or complex ways in years-long schemes, according to the FBI, adding that totals what they can track legally as unreported crimes keep on.
Treasury points at four companies in Mexico: Constructora Sandgris, Pacific Axis Real Estate, Realty & Maintenance BJ and Bona Fide Consultores, which the department claims were the front companies doing business on behalf of those linked to Mexican drug cartel…”
Experts Warn of Mekotio Banking Trojan Targeting Latin American Countries
“Financial institutions in Latin America are being threatened by a banking trojan called Mekotio (aka Melcoz).
That’s according to findings from Trend Micro, which said it recently observed a surge in cyber attacks distributing the Windows malware.
Mekotio, known to be actively put to use since 2015, is known to target Latin American countries like Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Spain, Peru, and Portugal with an aim to steal banking credentials…”
https://thehackernews.com/2024/07/experts-warn-of-mekotio-banking-trojan.html
The rise of Mexican American culture in the US
“It’s a tale nearly as old as the U.S. itself – immigrants came to the “land of the free” only to face extreme discontent. As a result, the newcomers forced their assimilation into the U.S. the only way they knew how – by turning their backs on their customs and language.
Young families insisted that children speak English in school and at home, even when parents could barely speak the language themselves. These immigrants, especially those who arrived between 1870 and 1930, no longer openly identified as Italian, Chinese, Polish or otherwise…they were American, through and through. They had to be…”
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/culture/chicano-the-rise-of-mexican-american-culture-in-the-u-s/
Expert on Latin American geography wins teaching award
“Honored for two decades of research, teaching and mentorship at UC Santa Barbara, David López-Carr, a professor in the Department of Geography, has won the 2024 CLAG
Teaching Award from the Conference of Latin American Geography.
Among López-Carr’s popular and highly rated courses, the Geography of Latin America is a favorite, he said, because “it’s a hybrid of physical and human geography that includes geology, climate, biogeography and geomorphology, and examines how humans have shaped their environments based on the natural endowments of the region and how they have responded to environmental change.”…”
Funds forNGOs Grants and Resources for Sustainability. Discover the Best Funding Opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean This June!
“…Latin America Professional Award
Deadline: 10 January 2025
Set up to celebrate dynamic and inspiring photographic work currently created in Latin America, the World Photography Organisation and Sony Latin America created the Latin America Professional Award…[more]…”
Capital One Opening Tech Center In Mexico
“Capital One is the latest foreign bank to enter the Mexican financial sector. However, it will not compete directly with BBVA or Banco Santander, given that the initial hirings suggest a focus on generating technology products for the North American market.
Mexico’s banking regulations mean that institutions must wait considerably for oversight checks to be completed. There is currently a backlog of at least five foreign banks—Banco Plata, Banco Masari, Banco ION, Konfío and Nu Mexico—awaiting their banking license. UK unicorn Revolut only recently passed its final test.
Starting with DevOps and human resources, Capital One aims for a 1,500-employee workforce of Mexicans or permanent residents over the next three years. Specifically, the bank is looking for creative professionals in technology, financial regulations and software development. Given the high demand for such workers, the bank is determined to create a startup environment…”
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
East Village Mexican-American cocktail bar Superbueno crowned best in the U.S.
“…The cocktail menu features distinct creations inspired by Mexican cuisine, like the fan-favorite Green Mango Martini (tequila, mango eau de vie, sauternes, green mango, and honey), the Vodka Y Soda (vodka, guava, pasilla, soda), and the Mushroom Margarita (mezcal, Cointreau, huitlacoche, lime, and lava salt)…”
https://www.6sqft.com/east-village-mexican-american-cocktail-bar-superbueno-crowned-best-in-the-us/
The Remarkable Brain of a Carpet Cleaner Who Speaks 24 Languages
“…Now as they listen to Vaughn discuss the porousness of wool, and the difference between Scotchgard and sanitizer, they can’t help but look at him differently. Once the stool stain is solved, Kelly just has to ask.
“So, how many languages do you speak?”
“Oh, goodness,” Vaughn says. “Eight, fluently.”
“Eight?” Kelly marvels.
“Eight,” Vaughn confirms. English, Spanish, Bulgarian, Czech, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian and Slovak.
“But if you go by like, different grades of how much conversation,” he explains, “I know about 25 more.”…”
Pioneering translation’s artistry
“My book ‘The Subversive Scribe: Translating Latin American Fiction’ (Graywolf Press, 1991, Dalkey Archive, 2009) by tracing the process of translating, explicitly shows readers how translation is a creative act and defines what a translator is, and why a translator needs to be linguist, literary critic and poet or novelist all in one,” said Levine, UC Santa Barbara distinguished professor emerita of Latin American literature. “Basically, our concepts of authorship and originality are inadequate to grasp what a translator does.”
The Americans retiring to Mexico for a more affordable life: ‘We are immigrants’
“Yes, he and his wife, Renee Varnadore, are living abroad. But they left the United States in search of a quality of life that’s no longer in reach for them stateside. Now, the clear blue waters of Rosarito Beach are quickly becoming home.
Their condo is just the right size for two. It’s intimate but not without its luxuries, like a huge bathtub with jacuzzi jets. Then there’s their balcony, overlooking a world of ocean that bleeds into the horizon. It’s a view reserved for millionaires and billionaires in the US, but not here…”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/11/americans-retire-mexico-affordability-peace
Building History: FIAP and AWLATAM Ratify Their Strategic Alliance for 2024
“MIAMI, FL — March 13, 2024 — (NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE) — The Ibero-American Festival of Creativity (FIAP) and Advertising Week LatAm (AWLATAM) will continue working together this year to consolidate the largest gathering of the creative industries in Latin America.
“We’re proud to elevate the creative landscape through the FIAP Awards. This collaboration not only showcases the region’s exceptional talent but also reinforces the power of partnership in fostering innovation and excellence across the industry,” said Douglas Rowell, President of Advertising Week LatAm.
This strategic alliance, facilitated since 2023 by PRODU – a leading information outlet in the Hispanic communication industry – becomes a clear example of the collaborative power of large institutions to strengthen the creative industries in Ibero-America…”
https://www.noticiasnewswire.com/fiap-and-awlatam-ratify-their-alliance/
Who Is Adan Banuelos, Bella Hadid’s Boyfriend and Professional Horseback Rider?
Shortly after Bella Hadid decided to ditch the Paris Fashion Week runway in favor of a Texas equestrian competition, fans started speculating about the model’s rumored new beau. So, who is Bella Hadid’s boyfriend? Turns out, he’s a cowboy.
In February, Hadid seemed to publicly confirm her relationship with Adan Banuelos, a professional horseback rider. On Valentine’s Day, the model posted a photo of the pair lovingly looking into each other’s eyes in a since-vanished Instagram story…”
https://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/bella-hadid-boyfriend-adan-banuelos/
Meet the Jury for PhotoVogue and Vogue Mexico’s 2024 Open Call: Latin American Panorama
“Meet the Jury of Our Regional Open Call: Latin American Panorama. Vogue Mexico and Condé Nast staff, alongside experts from the international visual community with diverse backgrounds, will be reviewing your submissions!
This Open Call is open to everyone who identifies as Latin American, whether you’re based in the region or living abroad. The sole requirement is that applicants must be at least 18 years old…”
https://www.vogue.com/article/photovogue-local-open-call-2024-latinamerican-panorama-the-jury
How many Mexican gray wolves call New Mexico home?
“…“Each year, the free-roaming Mexican wolf population numbers increase and the areas they occupy expands. Genetic management using pups from captivity is also showing results. In total, 99 pups carefully selected for their genetic value have been placed in 40 wild dens since 2016, and some of these fosters have produced litters of their own. While recovery is in the future, examining the last decade of data certainly provides optimism that recovery will be achieved.”…”
Professional training at the centre of museological development: Training Workshop for Museum Professionals from Latin America and the Caribbean
“Training for museum professionals has been a recognised and highlighted necessity for more than a century. Much of the knowledge and expertise that museum professionals have acquired and developed has been based on experience and on an unwavering quest to improve their own practices.
In the Latin American region, museological training has become a first-hand necessity. Although great efforts have been made by universities and learning centres, the academic offer, mainly present in large cities, is still scarce and has not been replicated in the peripheries.
Based on this premise, we welcome the initiative and implementation of the Training Workshop for Museum Professionals from Latin America and the Caribbean, which took place in Mexico City from 16 to 20 October 2023. This was a joint effort of the ICOM Capacity building and Museums and Society department in close collaboration with ICOM Mexico, ICOM LAC and ICOM MPR…”
