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Cavaña transforms into a Latin winter wonderland to kick off Christmas

Joaquín Cortés, known as The King of Flamenco

by Magdy Zara

If you want to celebrate the Christmas holidays from the month of November, Cavaña invites you to its Latin Winter Paradise, where they have prepared a wonderful decoration, which will be accompanied by a varied menu and nostalgic Christmas cocktails and dishes inspired by several Latin countries, delicately prepared by Cavaña staff in collaboration with executive chef Edwin Bayone III.

In Cavaña, Christmas Eve begins this Nov. 27 and ends at the end of December 2023.

This is a great opportunity to live the Christmas spirit in a cozy, magical and decorative atmosphere, combined with festive and imaginative cocktails.

The Christmas Eve food menu includes comforting Latin dishes such as: pozole rojo, a hearty and flavorful Mexican soup made with pork, ground corn and a rich red broth, quesabirria tacos with beef and a tasty consommé dipping sauce, Mole tamales and chicken tamales bathed in a rich poblano mole sauce, pavilion arepas with breast stew, black beans, peppers, Cotija.

Some special holiday drinks on their cocktail menu include: sweet Baby Jesus, which is made with reposado tequila, banana, toasted pepita, cinnamon, egg and sherry cream; Holy molé rum will also be served, which is chocolate mole, cardamom cream. grated Oaxacan chocolate served hot; chingón bells: mezcal, Oaxacan brandy, bell pepper, habanero, mango, aloe, among others.

Cavaña is located at 100 Channel Street, 17th Floor San Francisco, and the Christmas wonderland will be open to the public starting Monday, Nov. 27 from 7 p.m.

The King of Flamenco Joaquín Cortes arrives on the California stage

Joaquín Cortés, known as The King of Flamenco, returns to the stages of the United States with his show “Esencia”, a tour that will take him to the most important cities in the country, including San Francisco.

Renowned Spanish artist, dancer and choreographer Joaquín Cortés returns to the United States after his successful tour in Europe.

The pioneering fusion dancer has maintained the great commitment he has to his art, and is now ready to take his passion and culture to Houston, Miami, St. Petersburg, Chicago, San Jose and Los Angeles to then continue the tour towards Latin America. His presentation features his own company of more than forty dancers, musicians and technical staff.

In “Esencia”, Joaquín Cortés will take us on an emotional journey through his story, from his beginnings as a 12-year-old boy who dreamed of emulating his uncle and hero, Cristóbal Reyes, to his consecration as one of the most outstanding dancers of Spain and the world.

“Esencia” promises to be a show full of emotion, in which Cortés will display his virtuosity and creativity like never before.

As you may remember, Joaquín Cortés is an outstanding artist, a Spanish dancer born in Córdoba in 1969. His passion for dance and his immense talent have taken him to the top of the dance world, receiving numerous awards and recognitions throughout the years. his career. His show “Essence” is a reflection of his rich career and his desire to continue inspiring new generations with his art.

His career and talent have earned him multiple recognitions, including the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts, the 2001 Culture Award and the Ibero-American Forum of the Arts award, among others.

Cortes will perform on Saturday, December 9 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, starting at 7 p.m.

And on Sunday, Dec. 10, he appears in San José, at the San Jose Civic, located in

San José Civic Center, 135 West San Carlos Street San José. Also at 7 p.m.

For more information about the show through the page http://joaquincortesoficial.com/#eventos.

The Nutcracker is part of North American Christmas traditions

For more than 30 consecutive years, Talmi Entertainment has been sharing its Christmas tradition with families across North America with the popular Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet.

Dec 19 | NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet 2023: Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco | San Francisco, CA Patch

Historically the ballet company has been made up of the best artists from all over the world, such as Ukraine, Tokyo, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Germany and among others.

Christmas Magical Ballet Nutcracker. consistently delivers record-breaking seasons, thrilling audiences with a history of delivering classic ballets such as NUTCRACKER!, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake.

The ballet company features its principal dancers and a corps de ballet of 40 dancers trained by Vaganova who make the Christmas tradition for families across the United States exceptionally special. Averaging 100 performances during the months of November and December, this phenomenon combines ballet of the highest caliber with historic international theater traditions, playful 10-foot-tall puppets, 9 intricately hand-painted backdrops, and hundreds of exquisite costumes.

In the city of San Francisco, the Nutcracker, Magic Christmas Ballet, will open two performances on December 19, one at 3 p.m., and another at 7 p.m., at the Golden Gate Theater, located on Taylor Street, San Francisco. For more information about tickets, contact 415.358.1220.

Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, the Dominican who denounced the cruelty of the Conquest

Bartolomé de las Casas is considered a precursor of human rights for being one of the first defenders of indigenous people

Shared from/by México Desconocido

Fray Bartolomé de las Casas was born in Seville in 1484, into a Spanish family close to Christopher Columbus and the project of conquest.

In 1493 Bartholomew’s uncle, Juan de la Peña, returned from an expedition with Columbus. The entrance of the colonizers consisted of a parade where birds and seven slaves from the New World were exhibited. This image marked the Sevillian.

At the age of 15, Bartolomé received his father, Pedro de las Casas, who was returning from Columbus’s third expedition. On this occasion the loot consisted of 600 indigenous people brought as slaves.

As a gift, Pedro de las Casas placed a slave brought from the Indies at the service of Bartolomé. Bartholomew took advantage of the slave as an object of study, undertaking research into comparative religions and philology.

In 1500 Isabel la Católica penalized the possession of Indian slaves with death, demanding that Columbus stop mistreating the crown’s Indian subjects. As a consequence, young Bartholomew’s slave was freed and returned to his place of origin.

The legislation was not well received by Columbus, who considered that the indigenous people could be enslaved for being pagans. The queen then promoted evangelization for the Indians in her own lands.

Until her death, and even in her will, Elizabeth I requested that the indigenous people be treated with dignity.

First trip of Brother Bartolomé de las Casas to the Indies

After completing his religious studies, Bartholomew embarked on an expedition to the Caribbean in 1502. Some consider that the trip was due to his religious vocation, others attribute it to the desire to protect overseas businesses.

In the Indies, a new conversion system was formed, the encomiendas, which placed the indigenous people under the protection of the Spanish. However, encomiendas began to be forms of simulated enslavement.

Among the lighter tasks of the Indians was hunting, however mining was a priority for the Spanish. As a consequence, many indigenous people began to die, mainly in the gold mines.

Upon his arrival in Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Bartholomew placed himself under the orders of Nicolás Ovando, who was in dispute with Columbus. During his stay he witnessed the murder of indigenous leaders, in addition to participating in the armed struggle against the native population. As payment for his services, Bartolomé de las Casas received his own commission.

In 1506 Bartholomew returned to Seville and was ordained a priest, later being ordained a priest in the city of Rome.

Second trip to the Indies

In 1508, Brother Bartholomew traveled again to Hispaniola. On this occasion the island was under the government of Diego Colón, son of Christopher Columbus, who once again gave it a commission. During his stay he received the first Dominican friars, who began a movement in favor of the rights of the indigenous people.

On Dec. 21, near Christmas, the Dominican order denounced the cruelty of the Spanish in the text known as “Advent Sermon.” The text describes the covert oppression of the encomiendas.

In the same way as Christopher, Diego Columbus made a conservative protest, which caused the radicalization of the Dominicans. After several debates in Spain, the Laws of the Indies emerged, the first human rights work in history. Despite his closeness to the Dominicans, Bartolomé retains his entrustments.

In 1514 Bartholomew went to Cuba. He was appointed chaplain and received a large encomienda, which he exploited in the extraction of gold.

During this stage of the conquest, Bartholomew developed a polarized reputation. By some indigenous people he was considered a peacemaker and pious preacher, by others an ambitious murderer. The feelings towards his person and the contemplation of suffering began to become more and more relevant for Bartholomew.

The situation generated a process of reflection in the clergyman, who that same year resigned from his charge.

Fray Bartolomé de las Casas and the humanist perspective

In 1515 Bartolomé de las Casas wrote a new denunciation against the conquistadors and traveled to Spain to deliver it. During his stay he promoted a plan of peaceful Christianization.

As a result of his activism, Bartolomé received the title of “Protector of Indians” by Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros.

Due to the compassion that Bartholomew felt for the massive deaths of indigenous people in the mines, he proposed the importation of slaves from Africa. Some time later he also reconsidered and declared that black people deserved the same freedoms as indigenous people.

Upon his return to Hispaniola, Bartolomé de las Casas was poorly received by the conquerors. The Spanish were not willing to give rights to the indigenous people. Selfishness and greed opposed Father Bartholomew’s philanthropic vocation.

In that year the crown sent three monks to establish a provisional government on the island, the monks immediately took sides with the colonizers. In addition to the government, the monks were tasked with psychologically analyzing the natives, concluding that the indigenous people possessed animal intelligence. With this, racism and dehumanization for economic reasons continued their path.

Bartolomé de las Casas and the defense of indigenous dignity

To combat the idea of indigenous irrationality, Bartolomé undertook an experiment on the Venezuelan coast. The project consisted of peaceful preaching with the help of religious and peasants. However, a previous war between conquerors and indigenous people made the mission fail.

Disappointed, Bartholomew took the Dominican habit and retired to a convent in 1523. For six years he dedicated himself exclusively to the study of the humanities, also exploiting his anthropological genius.

In 1529 Friar Bartolomé left his retirement and began a second period of preaching. Fray Bartolomé’s success came in 1536, when he managed to peacefully convert a community in Central America.

The complaint against the Spanish

After his triumph as a preacher, Bartolomé made a new trip to Spain, which resulted in the promulgation of the New Laws, legislation that prohibited indigenous slavery.

In 1542 Las Casas finished writing his best-known work, the Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies. The text is a detailed description of the exploitation and abuses exercised by the Spanish.

Soon Brother Bartolomé gained a great reputation, which is why he was offered the bishopric of Peru, which he rejected. In 1544 he was ordained bishop of Chiapas, which allowed him to maintain closeness with the Central American missions.

During his stay in Mexico, De las Casas became an eyewitness of Cortés’ conquest process. During the period from 1546 to 1547 he became involved in disputes with different authorities of the viceroyalty, some in favor of the rights of the indigenous people and others who sought to repeal the New Laws. In addition, he fought human trafficking in Mexico and the old continent.

The last transcendent action of Brother Bartolomé in Mexico was the defense of his thesis on the dignity and capacity of the indigenous people, which triumphed in Mexico City.

A current voice

Due to the hostility that De las Casas encountered in New Spain, he decided to continue his work close to the crown. Until his death in 1566, he dedicated himself to denouncing the violence of the Spanish in the conquest. His publications, often misunderstood, are not a manifesto against the Spanish, they are a demand for tolerance and respect towards all individuals. The Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies is for many the embodied voice of the rage, pain and tragedy of the conquest.

Without a doubt, the work of the “Apostle of the Indians” is still valid, in an era where new systems of simulated exploitation threaten human dignity.

“The reason why Christians have died and destroyed so many and such an infinite number of souls has been solely because their ultimate goal was gold and filling themselves with riches in very short days and rising to very high states […] because of insatiable greed and ambition that they have had, which has been greater than in the world could be, because those lands are so happy and so rich, and the people so humble, so patient and so easy to subject them.

Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, Very brief account of the destruction of the Indies.

About his work, José Martí wrote in The Golden Age:

“You cannot see a lily without thinking of Father Las Casas because with kindness the color became lily-colored… He saw them burning, he saw them look with contempt from the bonfire at their executioners; and he never wore anything but the black doublet. But he went to console the Indians in the mountains, with no help other than his tree branch staff.

Signature gathering starts for CA initiative to restrict transgender student rights

by Suzanne Potter

California News Service

Three proposed ballot initiatives affecting transgender students are now in the signature-gathering stage in California. The group Protect Kids California said it is planning to combine them, to try to get one big measure on the ballot next fall.

One proposal would prevent transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams in school.

Jonathan Zachreson, co-founder of Protect Kids California, said it is an issue of competitive fairness.

“It’s not fair, where biological boys are able to enter into girls’ sports, based off of the gender that they identify as,” Zachreson contended. “Girls are losing scholarships; they’re losing opportunities to play. And in some cases, they’re being injured.”

The proposal would also require schools to limit boys’ restrooms to students born male; and girls’ restrooms to students born female. LGBTQ+ groups have argued forcing a transgender child into a different restroom puts the student at risk of harassment or violence.

Another initiative would require schools to notify parents if a student presents as a different gender or requests a new name or pronoun. Earlier this year, the school board in Chino tried to pass a similar policy, but a judge declared it unconstitutional and blocked it.

Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California, is concerned about the bill’s repercussions.

“In an ideal world, all LGBTQ+ students would live in an affirming and supportive home,” Hoang noted. “But unfortunately, we know that not all do, and in some circumstances, forcibly outing students can cause significant harm and potentially, violence.”

A third proposal would ban medical providers from offering gender-affirming care to minors, including puberty-blocking medication, cross-sex hormonal treatment, mastectomies or genital surgery.

Amanda Goad, Audrey Irmas director of the LGBTQ Gender and Reproductive Justice Project at the ACLU of Southern California, noted such therapies are approved by the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“The proponents of these measures sometimes make them out to be efforts to protect kids,” Goad pointed out. “That really offends me, given that care reduces trans youths’ risks of suicide, and benefits their ability to live their lives and figure out who they are.”

Libertarian Javier Milei wins Argentina presidency

by the El Reportero‘s wire services

Javier Milei, a libertarian outsider who promised to shut down the central bank and replace the peso with the US dollar, resoundingly defeated Sergio Massa, the Peronist economy minister who oversaw the country’s lurch toward recession amid spiraling inflation.

With 99 percent of the vote counted, Milei had 55.7 percent support compared to 44.3 percent for Massa, who conceded even before official results were announced.

Some investors expect to see bonds get a lift, thanks to the victory of a vehement free marketeer over a statist incumbent.

But given the depths of Argentina’s economic despair, much will depend on the specifics of Milei’s plans, which have yet to be announced.

In his victory speech, Milei vowed to begin work right away on rebuilding the nation. “Argentina is in critical condition,” he said, adding “there’s no room for gradual measures.”

He singled out former President Mauricio Macri and Patricia Bullrich, the leader of the main pro-market opposition bloc, for their support.

The libertarian’s victory was hailed by former US President Donald Trump and Tesla founder Elon Musk, but it elicited less enthusiastic reactions from regional allies.

In Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva congratulated Argentina on its new government without using Milei’s name, while Colombia’s leftist leader Gustavo Petro called it a “sad” day for Latin America.

All eyes will now turn to both Milei’s announcements and cabinet picks, as well as any moves by the outgoing administration ahead of the Dec. 10 transfer of power.

A currency devaluation, further tinkering with dwindling foreign reserves and even more public spending are possible from the government before Milei takes the reins and begins slimming down the state.

Mexico marks 113 years since the revolution

Today marks the 113th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution, a critical event in Mexico’s history that helped shape the country’s modern political and social structures.

Here are the basics you need to know about the Mexican Revolution.

When was the Mexican Revolution?

The Mexican Revolution was an armed conflict that began in 1910 as a rebellion against General Porfirio Díaz’s prolonged rule. However, it quickly escalated into a civil war with various factions vying for control of the revolution. An estimated 2 million people died in the conflict, which continued until 1920.

Why is Revolution Day on Nov. 20?

When President Porfirio Díaz was elected for another term in 1910, former candidate and liberal leader Francisco I. Madero launched a plan to overthrow him.

The plan had a main motto: “Effective suffrage, no re-election.” It demanded labor rights and land distribution, which were sought after by social groups against Díaz.

According to the Chronology of the Revolution by the National Institute of Historical Studies on the Revolutions of Mexico (Inehrm), the plan called for an armed struggle on Nov. 20, from 6 p.m. onwards, in which all citizens of the Republic were called to take up arms to overthrow Díaz.

Nationwide, however, 13 armed struggles had already begun before 6 p.m. on that day, marking Nov. 20 as the start of the Mexican Revolution.

 

 

More working Californians slipped into poverty as pandemic aid expired  

by Alejandra Reyes-Velarde

Commentary

California’s poverty rate climbed and its working poor grew this spring, says the Public Policy Institute of California. Safety net programs played a major role in poverty rate changes

California’s poverty rate climbed in the first quarter of 2023, the latest quarter measured by the Public Policy Institute of California. Poverty increased from 11.7 percent in 2021 to 13.2 percent, the institute said, with 5 million people living in poverty.

Safety net programs played a major role in recent shifts in the state’s poverty rate.

During the pandemic, the federal government expanded such social safety net programs as tax credits for families with children and emergency food assistance, which lowered poverty rates nationwide. Poverty rates jumped when those expansions expired late last year and earlier this year, said Caroline Danielson, a researcher at the institute.

“We’re seeing an uptick in poverty. That’s not because the economy is worse– it’s actually improving— but it’s because we temporarily, using federal funds mainly, had expansions of safety net programs,” she said.

About 3.2 million more Californians would be in poverty without any safety net programs, Danielson said. Expanded CalFresh food assistance alone kept 1.1 million people out of poverty in the first quarter of 2023, when that expansion expired, the report said.

Latinos make up about half of Californians living in poverty, despite being 39.7 percent of the population. By comparison, about 10 percent of white Californians live in poverty.

Child poverty leaped from 9 percent in 2021 to about 14 percent in early 2023, largely due to the expiration of social safety net expansions. In 2019, the child poverty rate was about 18 percent.

Senior Californians also experienced a higher poverty rate at 15 percent, compared to about 13 percent for adults ages 18 to 64.

Poverty and high living costs

Poverty rates also varied significantly by region, with San Diego and Los Angeles counties experiencing the highest poverty rates, about 15 percent, while the Central Valley and Sierra counties experienced the lowest, about 11 percent.

A big reason for that, Danielson said, is the high cost of living in Southern California counties and demographic differences among the regions. Los Angeles and San Diego counties have high populations of Latino and immigrant communities that experience higher rates of poverty.

The Public Policy Institute’s California Poverty Measure includes such things as the value of government assistance and a region’s cost of living, which the federal poverty rate does not consider.

Social safety net programs make less of a dent on poverty in counties with higher costs of living. That’s because poor Californians in these counties may earn incomes too high for federal poverty thresholds and so don’t qualify for as much aid.

For example, researchers found that social safety net programs reduced poverty the most in inland areas, where poverty rates are lower. Without the programs, poverty would be 14.4 points higher in the Central Valley and Sierra region, but only 4.3 points higher in the Bay Area, the report shows.

The Public Policy Institute looked closer at working Californians and found that most Californians in poverty are working and even full-time employment didn’t keep some residents from poverty.

More than 8 in 10 of California’s 1.3 million working poor were employed year-round; nearly half worked full time and 37 percent part time. Part-time workers had higher poverty rates than full-time workers.

Workers in service industries — janitors, landscapers, cosmetologists, housekeepers and other service jobs — and workers in agriculture tended to experience poverty at higher rates than other labor sectors. People in building and grounds maintenance, for example, have a 20 percent poverty rate, followed by workers in food preparation and service who endure a 16 percent poverty rate.

The report also highlights how the working poor spend their money. They cohabit with family members to make ends meet; 82 percent of Californians in poverty live with other adult family members.

People use most of their earnings for everyday expenses and bills. On average, working poor adults make $28,000 annually.

Danielson said this underscores the need for policies that increase wages and improve training and educational opportunities for the working poor.

Alejandra is a California Divide reporter writing about inequality in Los Angeles. She previously covered breaking news, the pandemic and Latino communities for the Los Angeles Times. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UCLA and is pursuing a master’s degree in legal studies at the university’s law school.

Cultural appropriation in Mexican fashion: The ‘Original’ revolution

La ministra de Cultura, Alejandra Frausto Guerrero, marcha por una calle del centro histórico de la Ciudad de México con los artesanos que participan en el congreso Original de este año. Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto Guerrero marches along a street in the historic center of Mexico City with artisans participating in this year’s Original congress. (credit Ministry of Culture)

by Leigh Thelmadatter

Several years ago, internationally renowned singer Susana Harp called out French designer Isabel Marant for selling a blouse that was essentially a copy of that worn in the village of Santa María Tlahuitoltepec in Oaxaca. The resulting controversy shone a spotlight on a practice that while legal, has significant cultural, political, and diplomatic repercussions.

The use of Mexican designs and motifs is a practice that long precedes the Marant incident, and there have been denouncements of both Mexican and foreign fashion houses such as Ralph Lauren, Shein, Zara, Mango and Louis Vuitton since. These denouncements are more political and social, rather than legal in nature because almost all Indigenous and traditional designs are in the public domain – at least for now.

Mexico and its artisans consider their unregulated use as a threat to their culture, identity and yes, their economy. One federal response has been the founding of “Original” by the Ministry of Culture in 2021. Original calls itself a “…cultural movement that strives to protect and preserve traditional designs and symbols of artisan communities in the nation’s territory.” It is a collaboration among the federal government, experts and an advisory committee of artisans from all over the country.

Its events in 2021 and 2022 caught the attention of the international press both because the controversy was still fresh and the program’s novel use of fashion marketing strategies.

These strategies include various presentations on catwalks at the former presidential residential complex of Los Pinos in Mexico City. Both artisans and professional models demonstrate traditional and innovative designs, with celebrities as hosts. Press conferences in places like the Palace of Fine Arts and photoshoots among various iconic locations in Mexico City augment these shows. The message is clear – the works of the artisans themselves are the source of value and prestige – not who puts a label on the garment.

But Los Pinos hosts more than just catwalk struts. There are conferences and talks, which can be emotionally charged as speakers discuss the problems artisans and Indigenous communities face over the appropriation of their symbols and dress. Last year, they provided examples not only of blatant copying but very poor adaptations (like Carolina Herrera’s hideous sarape ball gown) and even worse, traditionally meaningful symbols plastered over inappropriate parts of the body.

Although these issues are serious enough, there are economic concerns as well. Culture minister Alejandra Fraust states. “Taking [Indigenous designs] as if they were an object to be copied, that can be robbed and replicated simply by putting a label as if I created it corresponds to a totally individualistic vision superseding [that of the] community, respect and a recognition of those who have conserved this cultural wealth.”

Public domain laws do require attribution (which is almost never done) but also stipulate that they can be used without permission or payment of royalties. The government and artisan communities want to change this, especially considering the huge difference between what the fashion houses can charge and what artisans earn.

Last, but certainly not least, Original is one of the best sales venues for Mexican handcrafts – and textiles in particular. All of the major textile traditions are represented alongside more than a few of the less-known. Even if you manage to leave without buying something (nearly impossible), the myriad of garments for sale is an education on the richness of traditional Mexican traditional clothing.

This year’s event is scheduled for Nov. 16-19, at Los Pinos. Now a cultural center open to the public, the site will host representatives from 349 communities from all 32 states, with new additions from Campeche, Chihuahua, Guanajuato and Hidalgo.

Original is more than an annual event in the capital. Over the past years, its advisory committees have visited over 1,000 craftspeople to hear their concerns, many of which relate to competing in the global market. It has sponsored marketing workshops reaching over 125,000 artisans so far. This year, it announced a partnership with Google to train artisans in using tools like Google, Google Maps and YouTube, as well as provide free formal websites.

Advisory committee member Amanda Beatriz Tah Arana of Felipe Carrillo Puerto states that “Original for me has been inspiring and beautiful, but most of all family because we continue to get to know each other, sharing experiences and knowledge with our associates and most importantly, we value the work that we do…”

But the program faces challenges. Changing laws related to the public domain is not easy – and likely not possible in many countries. Changes in Mexico have had some unforeseen consequences. At one conference last year, a Tlaxcalan potter complained that efforts to restrict “Talavera” to only that made in Puebla threatened his family’s business even though their work has been accepted as Talavara for more than 30 years. Lastly, an anonymous source told me some conservative communities are unhappy with male models in women’s traditional huipiles.

It is clear that certain uses of Mexican designs and motifs are disrespectful at the very least. Even if laws cannot be changed dramatically, efforts like Original are still as important as consumer education. No one realized that Marant had copied the Oaxacan blouses because the world was not aware of the original. Such knowledge, paired with efforts to raise the prestige of owning something made by the “original” hands (rather than a machine copy) is likely to do whatever (international) law cannot. Many of these garments were (and are) luxury items historically. Raising them back to that status may be the best bet for artisans in the long run.

Frausto acknowledges this when she says “You want to buy Mexican art? Buy [Original], which is alive.”

Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico over 20 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture in particular its handcrafts and art. She is the author of Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta (Schiffer 2019). Her culture column appears regularly on Mexico News Daily.

We are at another celebration of Thanksgiving

We all, regardless of our cultural and religion tradition, living in the United States, Thanksgiving Day has become part of the great American family holiday.

It is an empty moment of everyday life when most activities stop: most businesses close wjti the exception of those food outlets like supermarkets, that open half day.

Most people get ready to be with loved ones and those who are not vegetarians, will probably eat the famous turkey dinner. Airline travel at the airports get saturated for those traveling long distances to meet with families.

However, many recently-arrived immigrants sometime they think it is a religious holiday, but it is not.

Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and the Philippines. It is also observed in the Dutch town of Leiden and the Australian territory of Norfolk Island.

Thanksgiving is commonly known as a way to commemorate the colonial Pilgrims’ harvest meal that they shared with Wampanoag Indians (who “were key to the survival of the colonists during the first year they arrived in 1620”) in 1621 (although there is controversy about whether or not the meal was originally intended to be shared).

Besides the original meal shared in 1621, Pilgrims held their second Thanksgiving in 1623 to celebrate the end of a long drought. Additional feasts of giving thanks for various reasons were also given in subsequent years. However, technically, the first official, designated Thanksgiving was celebrated much later—in 1789. According to the National Archives, Congress asked President George Washington for a national day of thanksgiving. Thursday, November 26, 1789 was, therefore, declared the “Day of Publick Thanksgivin.”

Thanksgiving is all about reflecting on blessings and acknowledging gratitude. After all, in President George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation, he stated its purpose: “Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.’”

Even after that first established Thanksgiving in 1789, the dates and months of subsequent Thanksgivings varied. It took almost another century for one clear date to be established. Sarah Josepha Hale wrote a letter to President Abraham Lincoln on September 28, 1863, requesting the last Thursday in November to be a day of Thanksgiving announced to the whole country. In response, President Lincoln declared on October 3 that this would, in fact, be the case. He explained that “in the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, the American people should take some time for gratitude.”

These yearly celebrations continued on in this tradition until 1939. That August, President Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) announced that Thanksgiving was going to be celebrated a week earlier, saying that “merchants would benefit from another excuse for shopping between Labor Day and Christmas.” This caused some controversy throughout the next few years, splitting almost half the nation between the two dates. FDR ultimately reversed his decision in December of 1941, signing the resolution from Congress that declared Thanksgiving would go back to being celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November from then on.

These yearly celebrations continued on in this tradition until 1939. That August, President Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) announced that Thanksgiving was going to be celebrated a week earlier, saying that “merchants would benefit from another excuse for shopping between Labor Day and Christmas.” This caused some controversy throughout the next few years, splitting almost half the nation between the two dates. FDR ultimately reversed his decision in December of 1941, signing the resolution from Congress that declared Thanksgiving would go back to being celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November from then on.

However, there an obscure version of Thanksgiving

According to a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation, born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, his early memories of Thanksgiving are akin to those of most Americans—meat-and-potatoes dishes inspired by Eurocentric 1960s-era cookbooks.

The statue of Chief Massasoit, leader of the Wampanoag tribe, towers above people marching during the National Day of Mourning, on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021, in Plymouth, Mass.
(Bryan R. Smith / AFP via Getty Images)

For many Americans, the image of Thanksgiving is one of supposed unity: the gathering of “Pilgrims and Indians” in a harmonious feast. But this version obscures the harsh truth, one steeped in colonialism, violence, and misrepresentation. By exploring the Indigenous perspective on Thanksgiving, we can not only discern some of the nuances of decolonization but gain a deeper understanding of American history.

The sanitized version of Thanksgiving neglects to mention the violence, land theft, and subsequent decimation of Indigenous populations. Needless to say, this causes tremendous distress to those of us who are still reeling from the trauma of these events to our communities.

For now, El Reportero staff wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving Day full of love and peace in harmony with your loved ones.

Nicaraguan beauty is crowned Miss Universe, rocks Nicaragua and Nicaraguans abroad

by Margine Quintanilla

The 23-year-old Nicaraguan Sheynnis Palacios was awarded as the most beautiful woman when she was crowned Miss Universe 2023, thus becoming the first Nicaraguan to receive this recognition, and the second Central American to carry the scepter to these lands. She had previously won it Panama.

The event took place at the Adolfo Pineda stadium, located in the smallest country in Central America, El Salvador,” on Saturday, Nov. 18.

When she received her award for the beautiful Nicaraguan graduate in social communication, she thanked God for the opportunity.

During the event she wore a white dress as a gala dress, with a light blue shawl in honor of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, patron saint of all Nicaraguans, as the mother of Jesus Christ is popularly known, whom she placed in her hands. all your effort and participation.

During the event, the excitement of the public was immense every time Miss Palacios appeared on stage, filling the stadium with elegance, sweetness and dominance.

Attendees from many countries around the world shouted with immense joy at not being able to contain so many emotions inspired by Palacios’ perfect performance on the catwalks.

Palacios also showed off her intelligence during the question and answer period, asking her what the greatest quality in people is. She said the greatest quality is humility.

“Humility and seeing the little things with gratitude is where the essence of people lies,” she said. She also spoke about the rights of women around the world which should be defended and protected.

In this event there were no disputes or disagreements, the 84 young contestants behaved happily and fraternally, and upon hearing the name of the winner, they happily surrounded the new queen of universal beauty, chanting: Nicaragua!, Nicaragua!, Nicaragua! Meanwhile, the young Palacios cried with emotion, pointing to the sky with her index finger as a sign of gratitude and with her other hand she greeted the world, as a sign that a new period begins.

This news pleased all Nicaraguans who are living the moment in all corners of the world. Palacios wrote with honor, dedication, effort, faith and humility, her name in the history of Nicaragua by winning such a long-awaited award for her long-suffering country.

Palacios, born in Diriamba, municipality of Carazo, Nicaragua, stood out for her elegance and impeccable command of the catwalk, both in evening dress, swimsuit, cocktail dress and her excellent representation of the Nicaraguan fantasy costume, the “Zanate”, created by designer Jorge Salazar.

The costume was inspired by a bird found only in Nicaragua and the northern tip of Costa Rica. Some of the commentators explained that “the grackle is an intelligent bird that adopts the position with its wings raised to imply that the place where it is its territory.”

During her presentation, Palacios adopted the grackle position, marking the stage with grace, elegance and confidence as part of her territory, thus surpassing the rest of the competitors.

Without a doubt, this catwalk was one of the definitive reasons that secured Palacios a place in the top 20, where the girls from Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Chile, and El Salvador were among the other 84 most beautiful young women in the world who participated in such a distinguished event.

The contest was very close because the young women came very well prepared.

Among the finalists, the representative of Thailand and Australia stood out. The young representative of India, Shweta Sharda, wore the most beautiful jewelry; Miss El Salvador made a splash of technology in her fantasy costume representing the power of volcanoes; Miss Chile showed a tender and beautiful face; Ukraine also sent a beautiful representative.

Miss Canada’s Fantasy costume was beautiful and made by a humble designer from the department of Chontales, Nicaragua. The event itself was characterized by the excess of beauty, luxury, delicacy, perfection and quality.

Miss Universe thanked the Salvadoran people for the incredible welcome they gave to all the candidates and expressed her gratitude for having received many pampering from those people, of whom she declared that she felt “loved.”

First words

The new Miss Universe said in her first words that: “This story is just beginning, I want to make big changes in the lives of women who are the fundamental axis in the construction of society.” She also said that she loved the pupusas of El Salvador, and that she fell in love with the landscapes of that sister republic.

She also expressed her gratitude to God, “I am very happy and grateful to my God, for life and for this opportunity that has changed my life.” She also dedicated her victory to girls around the world, her family and the more than six million Nicaraguans who supported her. I want to tell all Nicaraguans who are watching me right now that we did it,” she noted.

She expressed that this is a story that is just beginning and that not only changed her life, but will also change the lives of many girls because through her voice she intends to open many doors for them and leave a legacy with the story of her life, demonstrating that if things can be changed.

“When they tell you that dreams don’t come true, believe that they can become possible. When they tell you that you can’t, do the opposite, believe in the voice in your heart,” she expressed.

Palacios explained that one of her goals as the new ambassador of beauty in the world is to make her social mental health project a reality, which will be dedicated to all Nicaraguan girls and women.

During her adolescence, she experienced a deep anxiety problem that led her to hurt her arms and that she was only able to overcome with medical help.

She explained that the solution is not “to try to stop being human, but to find the problem within yourself, know it, know that it exists and flourish,” she added.

Palacios was born in a home made up of her single mother and her grandmother, who had to live a difficult life and for this reason she became accustomed to fighting to get ahead in life. Her mother was an entrepreneurial woman who founded, together with her grandmother, a typical Nicaraguan food company, such as sweets, buñuelos and nacatamales, among others, which allowed her to enter university and graduate with a degree in Social Communication.

For their part, the people of Nicaragua reacted to this triumph by taking to the streets, caravans of vehicles traveled through the streets of Managua with their horns turned on as a sign of joy, there were also people who set off rockets, firecrackers and fireworks as a sign of celebration. The people of her town, Diriamba, fired rockets in front of her house.

“Que increíble”, dijo la arquitecta y bailarina de flamenco Tesalia Cáceres Vega desde Diriamba a El Reportero, felicitando al entrevistador quien es de Nicaragua, diciendo que a pesar de ser ella de la misma ciudad de la ganadora, y agregó, “no la conozco, pues ella se mantiene en Managua, (la capital).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=931XRgKCGxY

Don’t Be Fooled: PG&E warns customers not to fall for scams

Scammers have fleeced tens of thousands of PG&E customers for millions of dollars in just the past few years, officials say

by Mark Hedin

Nov 10, 2023 – If you get an email or phone call from PG&E, the power company says, the best thing to do is to quickly hang up or delete it, because it’s most likely just another scam.

Since PG&E began tracking complaint  from swindled customers, it’s tracking more than 60,000 cases, with losses exceeding $2 million in just the past couple of years.

At a Nov. 8 roundtable discussion with ethnic media, PG&E’s Fiona Chan and Matt Foley, along with Pleasant Hill Police Department Detective Stephen Vuong asked for help in getting the word out to everyone, but particularly friends or family who may be less aware of how sophisticated scammers are becoming. “Education is key,” Chan said.

“The most-used scam,” Foley said, “is the threat of a power cutoff due to past-due bills – the truck is on the way!”

Besides emphasizing that the company does not make bill-collection phone calls, or ever take payments in bitcoin, gift cards, or over Zelle, Venmo or PayPal, the speakers described some of the latest scams they’re hearing about.

One is to call a real estate company about a house someone’s trying to sell, to say that the power bill is overdue and the house will be plunged into darkness unless someone makes a payment.

The trick here is that when the owner gets a follow-up call from the Realtor relaying that message, he or she is more likely to think there really is a problem that needs to be solved, because the person telling them about it isn’t a stranger.

“We’re not going to call the Realtor,” Foley said. “We don’t have the number and we don’t give it out.”

People tricked into believing they need to make an immediate payment are unlikely to ever see that money again, because part of the thievery involves quickly transferring those funds overseas, out of the reach of law enforcement.

“I’ve worked with very few people who’ve gotten their money back,” Vuong said. “They move the money so fast.”

He said that for 95% of the cases he’s seen, the ill-gotten money quickly left the country. Many of the scams originate in phone banks located overseas.

Crooks have figured out that while pretending to be friendly and helpful, they can sometimes stay on the phone with their victim, directing him or her all the way to a nearby convenience store or “payment kiosk,” and providing step-by-step instructions on buying gift cards and other payment systems – some involving ‘crypto currency’ – while all they’re really doing is helping victims throw their money away.

Don’t be fooled by your phone’s “caller ID” feature, either. Crooks have figured out how to make it look as though their calls are coming from PG&E itself. They’re not.

Another way people get tricked is by “sponsored” websites made to look like PG&E’s, that show up at the top of computer searches for the company’s customer service contact information.

A web site that a search engine indicates is “sponsored” may very well not be PG&E’s but instead be from someone with bad intentions who paid to have that site prominently displayed at the top of search results.

Look to see that the site is actually pge.com.

One way to do so is to scroll over the address on display, which will sometimes reveal another, different address, masquerading as pge.com. Some of us might want to check with younger members of the family who often are more tech-savvy.

There’s a way to report suspected scams, at scamreporting@pge.com. But it’s better not to fall for a ruse in the first place.

“Prevention is best,” Vuong said.

“I tell my 89-year-old Mom, who’s pretty sharp,” Foley said, “‘Don’t ever engage in this kind of thing. Everything financial, run through me!’”

People can be scared into making payments when they’re worried their power is at risk of being cut off, particularly if they’re struggling to pay their bills or know they’re late. But PG&E doesn’t call people about their past due bills, and has many ways to help people who’ve fallen behind.

“If you have difficulty paying the bills,” Chan said. “Please contact us. We have so many good assistance programs. We’re happy to work with you.”

The number for customer service is (800) 743-5000.

One of the roundtable guests asked about whether to trust third-party contractors who may claim to be PG&E partners, for instance, doing solar panel installations.

Don’t be cowed, “Call us if you feel uncomfortable. If they’re legit, they will understand.”

“There’s not a lot of uniqueness to these scams,” Foley said.

He told a story of how a convenience store employee saved someone from a $2,000 loss by overhearing the customer taking instructions over the phone about how to buy a gift card to send. “So the message is getting out,” he said.

 

Stay ahead of the scammers and keep your accounts safe  

Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co

Your phone pings. It looks like a text message from your bank, and it’s urgent.

  It says you need to send money to your account using a wire transfer or digital payment like Zelle® to reverse a fraudulent transaction. Or, it tells you there’s suspicious activity on your account, and you need to call a certain number right away to address it.

If the message is from your bank, it must be legitimate, right?

Impersonating a financial institution, a government agency or a utility company is a common scam tactic to get access to your accounts or personal information. Even the most cautious consumers can fall victim, as scammers become increasingly sophisticated in their efforts to commit digital fraud.

Knowing about scammers’ tricks can help you stay one step ahead of them. Here are some common schemes you might see.

Spoofing

Scammers can “spoof” phone numbers. Your caller ID can say the call or text is from your bank even though it’s not. The scammer will eventually ask for personal or financial information, or ask you to send money.

Phishing

“Phishing” is when you get an email that looks reputable but asks you to call a fraudulent number, respond to the email or go to a website and enter personal information. You may be asked to look at an attachment, which then gives bad actors access to your computer if you open it.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) or “deep fakes”

Smart technology allows scammers to duplicate familiar voices and trick consumers out of money and personal information. Scammers gain the trust of victims by pretending to be a close family member or friend in need.

Check fraud

Scammers can steal written checks from unattended mailboxes, or if you deposit them but don’t dispose of them properly. They’ll use chemicals to erase and rewrite the checks to themselves, sell your personal info or use it to create counterfeit checks.

“Malvertising”

Scammers place fake phone numbers in search engines and online ads under the names of legitimate companies like banks or airlines. People call those numbers and are tricked into sharing account or other personal information.

How to stay safe

Be proactive and avoid becoming a victim by following these tips.

– Delete, block and ignore calls or messages from sources you don’t recognize.

Protect your personal account information, ATM pins, passwords and one-time passcodes. If someone contacts you and asks for this information, especially if it’s someone claiming to be from your bank, do not share it with them.

– Banks or government agencies will never ask for personal information when they contact you. Government agencies also will not contact you via phone; you’ll likely receive a notice by mail. Refuse to give your personal information if someone contacts you by email, text or phone.

– Don’t let anyone pressure or threaten you into giving them personal information or money. Hang up or don’t respond.

– If anyone says you must act right now, stop and ask yourself, “Is this how a legitimate company would act?” If something seems “off,” it probably is.

– Remember that financial institutions will never ask you to send money to yourself or anyone else.

– Don’t send money to someone you don’t know or for reasons you are not clear: you may not get it back.

– Even if your caller ID says a call or text is from your bank, it could be a scam. – When in doubt hang up or stop texting, and call your bank directly (use the number on the back of your debit card).

– Don’t click on links or attachments in an email or text if you’re not sure who it’s from, and be on the lookout for messages that ask for immediate action from you.

– Instead of entering a company name in your internet browser’s search bar, type the full URL in the address bar (for example, www.chase.com) so you’ll go directly to your bank’s secure, verified website.

– To avoid check fraud, consider sending money electronically or using your card.

– If you’re writing a check, use a permanent pen so the information is hard to erase.

– Fill out the payee and dollar amount space completely or draw a line to the end of the space. Sign checks the same way every time and mail checks from inside the post office.

If you become a victim of online fraud, don’t be embarrassed, and report it to your bank. Also, tell family and friends about your experience so they too can be on high alert.

Scammers may try hard, but consumers who are alert and informed can stop them in their tracks.

For more fraud and scam prevention tips, visit Chase.com/SecurityTips, www.ftc.gov, and on social media follow the tag“#banksneveraskthat” for more information.

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