Thursday, July 18, 2024
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Texas southern border ‘like a war zone’

Floating barriers and razor wire now line the Rio Grande along the US-Mex border, one of many obstacles migrants face as they seek to enter the country

by Peter White

The border at Eagle Pass, Texas, has razor wire and a 1000-foot line of big round buoys. The floating barriers are meant to deter migrants looking to cross from the city of Piedras Negras, on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande River.

For journalist Manuel Ortiz, they are part of what he says is a more militarized atmosphere along this stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border.

“This is the first time that it seems to me like a war zone,” says Ortiz, founder of Peninsula 360 Press, who has covered the border off and on for decades. Driving southwest from San Antonio, he describes helicopters overhead and military vehicles along the road.

Last week, state troopers found a body stuck to one of the border buoys.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott began Operation Lone Star in March 2021 in response to rising border crossings. In May of that same year, Abbott issued a disaster declaration, later sending National Guard troops to the border. Two state agencies, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department are in charge of the operation. When 16,000 migrants suddenly arrived in Del Rio in November 2021, Abbott sent 10,000 guardsmen to the border in response. Del Rio is about 55 miles north of Eagle Pass.

“The only winners from Abbott’s actions seem to be the human traffickers,” said Ortiz during an EMS media briefing. Speaking to migrants, he noted human smugglers, called coyotes, used to charge $500/per person to get across the border. The price has gone up to $1500, he says, after the floating barriers were installed.

On the other side of the border, Ortiz noted Mexican authorities appear to be “doing nothing against the smugglers,” adding there are unverified rumors that local officials there may in fact be involved in the trafficking.

The Trump administration essentially stopped processing asylum claims along the US southern border during the pandemic by invoking Title 42, a public health order that allowed for the immediate expulsion of migrants.

That program ended in May. The Biden Administration subsequently announced that would-be asylum seekers would now be required to first schedule an appoint with Customs and Border Protection through a mobile app prior to their arrival at the border.

Gianna Borroto is the head litigator with the American Immigration Council (AIC). It’s an impossible situation,” she says, describing the CBP One app as a “cruel measure” designed to limit who can seek asylum in this country.

AIC and its partners filed a class action lawsuit July 27 in the district court for the Southern District of California over the CBP One app. The lawsuit challenges the Biden administration’s policy of turning away asylum seekers at ports of entry who didn’t make an appointment. The suit names ten plaintiffs who claim they couldn’t.

Besides a smartphone you need internet access to use the app. Many migrants are living in encampments without electricity or water, much less internet service. Borroto says many migrants don’t have money to buy minutes for their phones because they need what they have to buy food.

She also cited a number of problems with the CBP One app.  One man couldn’t get tech support, just lines of code; one woman tried every day for months but couldn’t get an appointment; the app has just three languages but border migrants speak 20 or more, so unless they speak English, Spanish, or Creole, it’s useless; the app doesn’t upgrade easily and freezes a lot.

“Access to asylum simply cannot be restricted to a glitchy smart phone app lottery,” Borroto says. A recent ruling in a similar 2017 case gives her hope. A previous version of a turn back policy that limited access to asylum at the border was declared unlawful and in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Borroto says AIC filed suit to protect the fundamental right to seek asylum which is enshrined both in US and international law.

Professor and author Cal Jillson is a recognized authority on Texas politics and the politics of the US southern border. “The current situation at the border has been replayed many times over the course of American history,” Jillson said.

In the early 20th Century, when the American economy was strong and labor was needed, there was a welcoming of people across the border from Mexico into the United States on the presumption that they would work cheap and go home when the work was completed.”

Beginning in the 1950s, migrant workers started staying year-round.

“I see the current events at the border as part of an American—particularly white American—ambivalence about immigration, specifically of immigration of nonwhite people… and it has ever been thus,” he said.

When it comes to immigration as a political issue, Jillson believes Republicans have the advantage. Their message is simple: we oppose illegal immigration, and we are worried about legal immigration. “That’s a kind of bumper sticker slogan,” he said.

Democrats, meanwhile, are hoping immigration will not become the driving issue in the upcoming presidential race. They have a tougher sell, said Jillson, with a more complex coalition, some of who “recognize that the Republican charge that Democrats stand for open borders is a political killer.”

It’s Republicans who are setting closed border policies, Jillson noted, and it’s likely to remain that way for some time.

Presidential candidate assassinated in Ecuador during campaign rally

Fernando Villavicencio

 

by the El Reportero‘s wire services

The Minister of the Interior, Juan Zapata, confirmed the death on his social networks of Fernando Villavicencio, which takes place less than two weeks before the elections, set for Aug. 20.

Images broadcast on social networks and local television stations allow us to see how the candidate for the leadership of the Executive got into a car when the shots began.

His personal friend and campaign adviser, Carlos Figueroa, testified that he was shot three times in the head and other witnesses indicated that a burst of shots was heard.

The incident occurred around 6:20 p.m. (local time) and left other people injured, although no other details are known at this time.

The National Police mounted an operation to locate those responsible for the event and closed the streets surrounding the site.

In his final speech before he was assassinated, Villavicencio promised a roaring crowd that he would root out corruption and lock up the country’s “thieves.”

Prior to the shooting, Villavicencio said he had received multiple death threats, including from affiliates of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, one of a host of international organized crime groups now operating in Ecuador. He said that his campaign represented a threat to those groups.

“Here I am showing my face. I’m not afraid of them,” Villavicencio said in a statement, naming detained crime boss José Adolfo Macías by his alias “Fito.”

Villavicencio was one of the eight candidates, although not the favorite. The 59-year-old politician was the candidate of the Let’s Build Ecuador Movement.

Supporter Ida Páez said Villavicencio’s campaign had given her hope that the country could defeat the gangs. At the rally, she said: “We were happy. Fernando even danced. His last words were, if someone messes with people, they are messing with my family”.

As drug traffickers have begun using the country’s coastal ports, Ecuadorians have been reeling from violence not seen in decades. The sounds of gunshots ring out in many major cities as rival gangs fight for control and the gangs have recruited children. Last month, the mayor of the port city of Manta was shot dead. On July 26, Lasso declared a state of emergency in two provinces and the country’s prison system in an effort to stop the violence.

Ecuador is suffering an unprecedented wave of insecurity, with acts of political violence that have claimed the lives of dozens of officials and candidates for public office.

The presidential candidate Luisa González, of the Citizen Revolution, spoke on social networks and expressed her indignation with the “terrible news of the attack.”

This mourns us all, my supportive hug to all his family and co-idearies. This vile act will not go unpunished!, said González.

Yaku Pérez, another of the applicants, was also outraged, suspended his electoral campaign and called on the rest of the contenders to a social pact for security.

Villavicencio, 59, was a journalist and assembly member, headed the Oversight Commission of Parliament and, although in recent times he denied it, he was very close to President Guillermo Lasso.

Taking your small business to the next level

Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

After a long period of planning and hard work, you’ve finally turned your dream of starting a small business into reality.

As many business owners soon recognize, however, the launch is just the beginning of their entrepreneurship journey. Once you’re open for business, it’s time to start thinking about how to grow and scale your company for longer-term success.

Many small businesses are very young — over half are less than 10 years old and nearly half of small businesses exit within the first five years. The smallest businesses have relatively diverse ownership, and the smaller the business, the more likely it is to be owned by a woman or minority.

Consider these steps to begin taking your small business to the next level:

  • Secure additional financing. Future financing plans could include applying for more loans, grants or investor funding. It’s helpful to build a strong relationship with a bank you trust, which will play a critical role in supporting your small business’ growth, as well as connect you to other resources. For instance, JPMorgan Chase’s Special Purpose Credit Program helps expand credit access in majority Black, Hispanic and Latino communities for business owners who otherwise might not be approved or receive it on less favorable terms. Through the Global Supplier Diversity Grant Initiative qualified and certified diverse businesses have access to affordable growth capital to cover costs including technology, cyber or networking remediation; operational control enhancements, among other costs.
  • Streamline operations. Investing now in operations processes could pay off in the long run, such as using digital tools to simplify and automate processes like invoicing, approvals and payments. You can move money faster with real-time payments, which can improve your cash flow while minimizing the risk of fraud.
  • Build your team. While many small businesses are solo operations, adding team members to manage the workload can help make your business run more smoothly. If you already have an accountant or bookkeeper, build from there and add other employees who have the industry expertise to help put your business on the path for lasting success.
  • Expand your network. You’ll need advisors, consultants and experts who have seen it all, or who know someone who has. Spend time identifying events, like trade shows and expos, informational sessions, and networking receptions with buyers and potential suppliers, as well as programs you may qualify for that offer additional support. Making these connections can also open your business to new customers. JPMorgan Chase offers a free one-on-one coaching program across 21 U.S. cities, featuring 45 trained Senior Business Consultants to mentor and coach small business owners so they can better run their business. Since 2020, the program has helped more than 2,800 minority owned businesses grow.

The operations and methods you used to get your business started may not be the same ones you need to scale it. Focusing on your future and investing in your facilities, teams and processes can get your organization oriented toward growth and help minimize business interruptions down the road.

For more tips and resources to help you grow your small business, visit chase.com/business and chase.com/businessconsultant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The biggest survey of homeless Californians in decades shows why so many are on the streets

photo: A man starts a fire while his wife sleeps inside their makeshift tent along a barbed wire fence near Highway 99 in southwest Fresno on Feb. 11, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters/CatchLight Local

The largest survey of homeless Californians in decades aims to dispel myths about what drives that state’s most pressing crisis. It found that addiction and mental health conditions rarely cause homelessness

by Marisa Kendall

Losing income is the No. 1 reason Californians end up homeless – and the vast majority of them say a subsidy of as little as $300 a month could have kept them off the streets.

That’s according to a new study out of UC San Francisco that provides the most comprehensive look yet at California’s homeless crisis.

In the six months prior to becoming homeless, the Californians surveyed were making a median income of just $960 a month. The median rent for a two-bedroom apartment in California is nearly three times that, according to Zillow. And though survey participants listed a myriad of reasons why they lost their homes, more people cited a loss of, or reduction in, income than anything else.

The study’s authors say the findings highlight the idea that money, more than addiction, mental health, poor decisions or other factors, is the main cause of – and potential solution to – homelessness.

“I think it’s really important to note how desperately poor people are, and how much it is their poverty and the high housing costs that are leading to this crisis,” said Margot Kushel, a physician who directs the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, which conducted the study.

Already the study – which the authors say is the most representative homelessness survey conducted in the U.S. since the mid-1990s – has drawn attention from high places.

The initial idea for the survey came from California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly, Kushel said. Ghaly’s office has been involved along the way, though the state didn’t fund the research.

“As we drive toward addressing the health and housing needs of Californian’s experiencing homelessness, this study reinforces the importance of comprehensive and integrated supports,” Ghaly said in a news release. “California is taking bold steps to address unmet needs for physical and behavioral health services, to create a range of housing options that are safe and stable, and to meet people where they are at. We are grateful for the voices of those who participated in this study, as they will help guide our approach.”

The survey comes as local governments press Gov. Gavin Newsom to distribute ongoing funding to fight homelessness, arguing the one-time grants he has doled out so far don’t allow them to make lasting progress. Newsom has resisted that kind of multi-year commitment, although his administration has allocated nearly $21 billion toward homelessness and housing since he took office.

The UCSF team surveyed 3,198 unhoused adults throughout California between October 2021 and November 2022, and conducted in-depth interviews with 365 of those participants.

What drives California’s homeless crisis?

When asked why they left their last home, respondents cited conflict between roommates, not wanting to impose on the person or people they were living with, domestic violence, illness and breakups.

A loss of or reduction in income was the most common response, with 12 percent of people saying that’s what caused their homelessness. Just 4 percent blamed their own substance use or drinking.

All of those varied factors that led people to lose their homes often have underlying roots in economic instability, said Jennifer Wolch, a professor emerita at UC Berkeley specializing in homelessness.

The economics of homelessness

The vast majority of homeless Californians surveyed said a relatively small amount of financial help could have kept them off the streets.

The story told by one survey participant, identified as Carlos, shows how someone can gradually descend into homelessness. He had to stop working after falling off a ladder and injuring his spine, but wasn’t eligible for workers’ compensation because he had been paid in cash. Unable to afford his rent, he moved out of his apartment and rented a room in a new place. He soon left due to conflicts with his roommates. He then briefly lived with his sister’s family, until they faced COVID-related job loss and he moved out to avoid becoming a burden. He lived in his truck until it was towed due to unpaid parking tickets. Now, he lives in an encampment in a park.

Most of the homeless Californians surveyed said a relatively small amount of cash would have saved them from the street. Seventy percent said a monthly rental subsidy of $300-$500 would have kept them from becoming homeless, while 82 percent believed a one-time payment of between $5,000 and $10,000 would have worked.

Jennifer Loving, CEO of Santa Clara County nonprofit Destination: Home, hopes the study’s findings will help debunk what she says is a common myth that people are homeless because of their individual failings, rather than because rents are outpacing wages. She’d like to see California’s leaders take notice.

“Hopefully it will inform a statewide strategy,” she said, “because we need a statewide strategy to be able to manage how we are addressing homelessness.”

Another California homeless myth

Another myth the study attempts to dispel is that most homeless people flock to California cities because of warm weather, liberal policies and generous services. In reality, 90 percent of the people surveyed said they were last housed in California, and 75 percent live in the same county as where they lost their housing.

That’s important to remember, Wolch said, because it’s easy to disregard unhoused people who we think “aren’t from here” and haven’t paid taxes here.

“People who are homeless are your neighbors,” she said. “People who are homeless live in the same city that you do and they possibly have lived there longer than you have.”

The survey painted a bleak picture of the traumas and tragedies that made survey participants more vulnerable to ending up on the street. People reported growing up in depressed communities with few job opportunities, where they experienced exploitation and discrimination. Nearly three-quarters said they had experienced physical violence during their lives, and one-quarter had experienced sexual violence.

One in three people surveyed attempted suicide at some point.

Mental health and addiction also were a common undercurrent in the lives of many of the unhoused people surveyed, which is to be expected in a population that has suffered so much trauma, according to the researchers. Two-thirds of people reported experiencing mental health symptoms – including depression, anxiety or hallucinations – in the past 30 days. Homelessness and all it entails, including lack of sleep, violence and difficulty accessing medication, exacerbated their symptoms, many people said.

About one-third of people reported using drugs three or more times a week – mostly methamphetamines. And 1 in 5 people who reported regular drug or heavy alcohol use said they wanted addiction treatment but couldn’t get it.

Jail to homelessness pipeline

The study also emphasizes the relationship between incarceration and homelessness, said Alex Visotzky, senior California Policy Fellow for the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

More than three-quarters of people surveyed had been incarcerated at some point during their life. And in the six months before becoming homeless, 43 percent were in jail or prison, or were on probation or parole. The vast majority of those who had been incarcerated received no help signing up for housing, healthcare or benefits upon release.

“That drove home for me this point: Incarceration, homelessness and then subsequent criminalization are fueling a really vicious cycle for marginalized people, especially Black and Latino Californians, that’s both causing and prolonging homelessness,” Visotzky said.

‘We don’t have enough housing for poor folks’

To solve the homelessness crisis, the main problem California needs to address is the lack of housing that’s affordable for extremely low-income residents, according to the researchers. The state has just 24 affordable and available homes for every 100 extremely low-income households, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Among the solutions the researchers proposed: expanding vouchers that use federal, state and local dollars to subsidize people’s rent. They also suggested piloting shared housing programs where multiple households live together and split costs, while also providing funds to help people remain with or move in with family or friends.

Kushel hopes the study helps drive public support for these ideas, which in turn will spur politicians to act.

“I hope that it really focuses our efforts on housing, which is the only way out of homelessness,” Kushel said. “It’s almost so obvious it’s hard to speak about. We don’t have enough housing for poor folks.”

Marisa Kendall reports on California’s homelessness crisis for CalMatters.

California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce hold their Annual State Convention

by Magdy Zara

Everything is ready for the 44th Annual State Convention of California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, which aims to establish contacts between Hispanic businesses in the western region, as well as promote, empower and educate Hispanic businesses in California.

The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce is the nation’s leading regional organization of Hispanic and ethnic businesses. The CHCC and its network of more than 100 chambers and associations represent the interests of California’s 815,000 Hispanic-owned businesses. Through its advocacy, education, and empowerment programs, CHCC brings the issues and needs of California’s small business community to the forefront of California’s and national economic agendas.

Each year the Annual State Convention brings together Hispanic entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and members of more than 120 local and regional Hispanic chambers of commerce and various trade associations throughout the state, as well as across the country. It offers its attendees the opportunity to build long-lasting, strategic partnerships through direct personal engagement, best practice sharing, dialogue, networking, workshops and more. As our organization grows and prospers, we seek inspiration from people who are willing to take risks, achieve, and inspire others.

This year it will take place between Aug. 16 and 18, at the Hilton Orange County, 1510 J Street, Suite 210, Sacramento. For more information, contact info@cahcc.com.

Pay tribute to Michael Jackson

Continuing with @music on the Square Latin Fridays, organized by Redwood City to celebrate its seventeenth anniversary, for this weekend they have planned a tribute to Michael Jackson that will be liked by the whole family.

For 14 consecutive Fridays, top quality local and national musical artists have been featured, from rock and reggae to American music and much more. This program began on June 2 and will end on September 1.

For this Friday, August 18, Foreverland will present a different type of tribute band, which aims to honor and do justice to the music and spirit of the King of Pop Michael Jackson, throughout his performance fans will relive their favorite moments while the youngest will rediscover incredible music that remains timeless.

This tribute will be held this Friday, Aug. 18, at Courthouse Square, starting at 5 p.m. admission will be free.

Omar Sosa will perform in California

Omar Sosa and the American Quartet will have two masterful performances in the City of California.

Soca is a renowned Cuban musician, who has captivated audiences around the world with his unique blend of jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and global influences, and who today has a widespread presence in the San Francisco Bay Area Latin jazz scene. Francisco.

Sosa began her musical journey at an early age, studying percussion and marimba before transitioning to the piano and attending the prestigious Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana; He has more than 30 recorded albums and has collaborated with renowned artists from various countries.

This quartet is made up of Omar Sosa, on piano; Sheldon Brown, on saxophone; Josh Jones, on drums and Ernesto Mazar Kindelán, double bass.

Omar Sosa’s presentations will be on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, Aug. 27, starting at 7 p.m., at The 222, at 222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, California. Ticket prices range from $45 to $85.

August Child Support Awareness Month

San Mateo County Supervisors proclaimed August as Child Support Awareness Month.

“Child Support Awareness Month is a crucial step to elevate the fundamental role that child support plays in ensuring a better future for all children,” said supervisor Noelia Corzo, who added that “by guaranteeing support Consistent financial support, children are given the resources they need to thrive and reach their full potential.”

She further advised that for the entire month of August the County Department of Child Support Services will be extending reception hours from 9 am to 7 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the month of August. No appointments needed.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR YERBA BUENA ISLAND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS (RFP 23/24-01)

Notice is hereby given that the San Francisco County
Transportation Authority is requesting proposals from qualified respondents to provide construction management services for the Yerba Buena Island Hillcrest Road Improvement, Torpedo Building Preservation, and Pier E2 Phase 2 Project. The full RFP is posted on the Transportation Authority’s website, www.sfcta.org/contracting. Proposals are due to the Transportation
Authority electronically to info@sfcta.org by August 21, 2023, 2:00 p.m. — El Reportero

Chicana Artist Amelia Mesa Bains presents Archeology of Memory

by Magdy Zara

Amalia Mesa-Bains, Chicana artist, exhibits her work Archeology of Memory, after a long time in the Bay Area.

Presenting work from her entire career for the first time, this exhibition features nearly 60 works in a variety of media, including fourteen major installations, celebrates Mesa-Bains’ significant contributions to the field of contemporary art locally and globally. .

For more than forty-five years, Mesa-Bains has worked to bring Chicano art to the broader American field of contemporary art through innovations of sacred forms such as altares (home altars), ofrendas (offerings to the dead), rests (resting places on the side of the road), and chapels (shrines in the backyard).

Photographs, beads, costume jewelry, rosaries, postcards, fabrics, tools and instruments all appear on the Mesa-Bain premises. These individual objects are disassembled and reassembled to form new pieces, ephemeral and ever-evolving versions of her work. At any given time, Mesa-Baines has several suitcases of items for this purpose on hand. In the past, she has joked that she could never hold a retrospective of her work because she reuses so much of her material. And yet, and after 50 years of activity, right here is a retrospective of this type.

Born in Santa Clara, Mesa-Baines is the daughter of parents who crossed the US-Mexico border as children in the 1910s, worked as maids and farm laborers, and remained undocumented workers until the end of their lives. .

The Archeology of Memory exhibition opened its doors on July 23 and runs until August 16, at the Berkeley Museum of Art and Pacific Film Archive, from Wednesday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. until 6 pm. Tickets are $14 per person.

The museum is located on Center St, Berkeley, CA.

Sacred Fire Band pays tribute to Carlos Santana

A Bay Area favorite, Sacred Fire Band is a dynamic tribute band that brings the sound of Carlos Santana to life.

With riveting guitar and organ solos, a thumping horn section, and a thumping percussion section, his electrifying performances are a true reflection of Santana’s music. From “Black Magic Woman” to “Smooth,” Sacred Fire Band captures the soulful rhythms and fiery energy of Santana’s music.

The facilities of the San Bruno park, located at 567 Camino Real will be the place where this tribute to Santana will be offered, next August 4 starting at 5 p.m., the activity will be completely free.

Ella Hill Hutch Community Center holds photography exhibit

Mo’ Magic High School students mentored by local black photographers and community-minded students from the University of San Francisco hold a photography exhibit.

Original photography, poetry, and student design, this exhibit explores the urban garden at the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center and the nature sanctuary they have created.

The goal is to shoot for satisfaction, clicking non-stop, until you get the perfect shot.

This exhibit is being sponsored by the Trust for Public Land, Prop 64 Youth Community Access, Citizen Film, Mo’ Magic, and the San Francisco Arts Commission and will be open to the public from August 15-31, at 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco.

Sunday afternoons return to Presidio Park

As part of ParquePresidio’s monthly Sunday Afternoons series, artists and activists Favianna Rodríguez and Felicia Gabaldon perform Unleashed Harmony: Music and Art for Mother Earth.

The organizers of the event explained that their goal with this activity is to celebrate the vital role that art plays in shaping our relationship with the land. “Art and culture are the most powerful tools to inspire the social change that these times demand.”

-Our current relationship with the land is based on destructive myths that have shaped our cultural imagination since colonization. We need artists to help us imagine a future where together we thrive with nature, they said.

Come meet Felicia and Favianna and celebrate their colorful floor murals with musical entertainment.

The invitation is for this Sunday, August 13, at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, 210 Lincoln Boulevard, San Francisco, starting at 1 p.m.

Reinventing surrealism, according to artist Jorge Domínguez Cruz

Domínguez hard at work in his studio. (Jorge Domínguez Cruz)

by the El Reportero‘s news services

Vía MND

When we think of surrealist art, we think of names like Salvador Dalí, René Magritte and Max Ernst. Mexico welcomed Surrealist artists like Leonora Carrington, Alice Rahon, Wolfgang Paalen who were escaping war in Europe.

Surrealism waned in Mexico, but it never disappeared because something about it appeals to the country’s psyche. Although not “avant garde,” there are still artists here taking its precepts reworking them for their own purposes.

One such maestro is Huastec (Tenek) artist Jorge Domínguez Cruz, who combines his people’s cosmovisión, his agricultural upbringing and his own philosophical reflection to create what he calls “Indigenous surrealism.”

“I make what my heart tells me,” Domínguez says.

Through his art, Domínguez has made himself an ambassador for his people and by extension, the Huasteca in general, an ethnic/geographical region that stretches over the states of Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Puebla, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí and Querétaro.

Such a destiny would have seemed impossible when he was a child.

Born as the second to last of eight children to peasant farmers, Domínguez comes from a long line of people who farm the land around Mata de Otate. Approximately 70 percent of the town’s 450 people live in poverty. Eighty percent are Indigenous, but it is the other 20 percent that control the politics and economy.

Most of his childhood was spent doing chores related to growing corn, beans and chili peppers, but “…painting came from deep within when I was a small child,” he says. “It was a force that I could not control, and it obliged me to draw and paint with what I could.”

Poverty alone might have been enough to hold him back, but another aspect was equally limiting.

According to Domínguez, children simply did not spend time drawing and painting in Mata de Otate. With no support at home, he hid his passion, teaching himself everything, including making his own paints from flowers and brushes with animal hair. Referring to himself as a “stubborn” child, Domínguez was determined to make art however he could, no matter what anyone else thought.

But school encouraged him, providing him with textbooks with images of western and Mexican art. Some teachers even gave him paints. By middle school, he began to enter his work in state and national competitions. Soon afterward, he dropped to join older siblings in Mexico City.

“[Here], I discovered everything I wanted: museums, galleries, libraries. It opened a new world for me, and I discovered artists such as Salvador Dalí and … I identified very much with his way of making art.”

That way of making art includes bright colors on landscapes and scenes with multiple dreamlike elements, often with recognizable elements of northern Veracruz and Huastec culture. Figures interact not as they would in the real world but in ways that reflect Domínguez’s inner world.

Although it’s not been easy, Domínguez has been fortunate to have people discover his work and support what he does. An employer helped him get works in antique shops. This did not bring in much, but a customer encouraged him to enter a work in a competition and get himself online.

This brought more invitations to exhibit, most importantly one in 2016 by a cultural promoter in Los Angeles, where Domínguez’s work was sponsored by the Mexican consulate.

“After this, so many people began to invite me to exhibit in other countries, and … my works have reached places I would have never imagined,” says Domínguez.

Those places include Canada, the U.S., Europe and Cuba. Currently, Domínguez is negotiating for a commission to paint a mural at the Texas State Fairgrounds and an exhibition at the fair.

However, national newspaper La Jornada accuses Mexico of ignoring the artist while he “triumphs” abroad, as he has been all but ignored in his own country. Domínguez wonders if it is because he is Indigenous, but I’d venture to say that the art market in Mexico City is not particularly friendly to older art styles.

But things might just be changing. One example: he received support from noted television personality Jacaranda Domínguez on her show “Debate 22,” normally reserved for political topics.

Also, the Pedro and Ana Hernández Foundation (which manages the surreal Edward James Gardens) has also taken a keen interest in the artist’s career. Spokesperson Joe Ricaud says the art is one way to raise awareness of ecological and cultural issues in northern Veracruz, a region they have strong interest in.

Although he uses imagery from his native land, Domínguez believes that his art transcends that.

“In my works, there are landscapes, scenes from everyday life in the communities, but there are universal themes [too]. My intention is to communicate, share sentiment, thought, passion and creativity.”

It certainly provides an accessible window to the Huastec world for those of us on the outside.

After 18 years of living in Mexico, in 2016, Domínguez decided to move back to Mata de Otate, not only to paint but to try and make life better there. He has become both a cultural promoter and political activist, trying to change a power structure that has been in place for many generations.

It is not easy, not only because the 20% do not want to give up their privileges but also because the Indigenous residents are fractured and infighting is not uncommon, he says.

This does not deter Domínguez.

“I have a responsibility to my community to help it develop keeping the essence of who we are,” he says.

He has made one positive impact: his success has made his town and his family see art in a new light, and children are freer to draw and paint outside of school.

Domínguez remains optimistic, not only that “Indigenous surrealism” will make waves in Mexico but also that “[with] art you can make a change, you can transform, you can make prosperity.”

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.

California community colleges expand bachelor’s degree programs

by Suzanne Potter

California News Service

July 27, 2023 – California is rapidly expanding a program which allows students to pursue certain bachelor’s degrees at their local community college.

Right now, 27 schools offer or will soon offer a baccalaureate degree in career-oriented fields in high demand in the Golden State. A bill passed two years ago allows the state to approve up to 30 new degree programs per year.

Constance Carroll, president and CEO of the California Community College Baccalaureate Association, explained part of the rationale for offering more degrees in more locations.

“Most of the students who attend community colleges are what we call place-bound,” Carroll pointed out. “They oftentimes head families they’re working. They cannot move from their local communities in search of studies elsewhere.”

The programs are very cost-effective. Four years of tuition for the Baccalaureate study cost about $10,500, and many students save money by living at home. You can find a list of schools and programs on the California Community Colleges website.

Hayden Lampe earned an associate’s degree from Feather River College in rural Quincy, and plans to return to get her bachelor’s degree in ecosystem restoration and applied fire management.

“The approval of this program allows me to stay in this community that I love,” Lampe emphasized. “Not to mention the degree itself is going to be so much more affordable than one from a traditional university. So if it wasn’t for the availability of this degree, I likely would not have pursued higher education any further.”

Aisha Lowe, executive vice chancellor of the California Community Colleges, said accessibility is key.

“Our students are predominantly low-income students, students of color, first-generation students,” Lowe outlined. “Having those opportunities for an affordable pathway and a local pathway to a baccalaureate degree that leads directly into a workforce outcome is so essential.”

Current state law prohibits community college baccalaureate degrees from competing with degree programs offered at the University of California or Cal State schools. However, advocates would like to see exceptions made for fields facing a big labor shortage, like nursing or teaching.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

CA announces more health plan subsidies as 2024 rates rise

New health care subsidies for low-income families are expected to soften the impact of rising premiums.

On Tuesday CoveredCA announced premiums will go up by an average of 9.6 percent in 2024. However, state and federal assistance will counteract the increase for most of the 1.6 million people enrolled in plans from the state marketplace.

Jessica Altman, executive director of CoveredCA, said a new state cost-sharing program is targeted to people who make about $34,000 a year for a single person and $70,000 for a family of four.

“We will be completely eliminating deductibles for 650,000 enrollees, and some of those people will also see lower cost of generic drugs, of seeing your primary care doctor,” Altman outlined. “That will have a real impact.”

People who are currently enrolled will be notified of premium changes and whether a different plan might help them qualify for more assistance. The higher rates this year are blamed on inflation, a labor shortage, an increase in health care usage after the pandemic, plus the rising cost of care and of prescription drugs.

Altman noted it pays to shop around on the marketplace at CoveredCA.com.

“Comparing plans can really result in significant savings for consumers willing to consider making a switch,” Altman advised. “All enrollees should at least consider seeing what’s out there, and if there’s a better option for them and their family.”

The open enrollment period for people to enroll in a new plan for 2024 runs from Nov. 1 to the end of January.

Cleaning the cleaners: Herbs that help maintain healthy kidneys

Shared from/by Olivia Cook

The kidneys play a key role in helping the body get rid of toxic wastes. However, these organs also need to be healthy so they can function properly. Thankfully, there are herbs that can help your kidneys perform their crucial duty of filtering out waste products and removing excess fluid from the blood.

Bearberry

Both the leaves and fruits of the bearberry plant are known for their benefits for the kidneys. The leaves of the bearberry plant contain several natural antibacterial agents, including arbutin, methylarbutin and tannins. These substances have been found to be effective in treating inflammation of the urinary tract, urinary bladder and renal pelvis, as well as kidney stones.

Bearberry fruits contain substantial amounts of beneficial compounds, including antioxidants that protect against acute kidney disease. They are also used to alleviate the symptoms of urinary tract infections and promote the overall health of the urinary system. However, bearberry should not be taken long-term or in high doses as it can cause liver damage and other side effects.

Nasturtium

While nasturtium is known for its ornamental value, it has properties that help the kidney maintain its functions. Its seeds, flowers and leaves can help treat several ailments, and its juice also provide medicinal benefits to those who drink it. Clinical trials have reported on nasturtium’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Nasturtium contains natural antibiotics that can kill bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Salmonella. These potent antibiotic compounds are released from the body via urination, passing through and disinfecting the urethra in the process. This makes nasturtium useful for treating both acute and chronic inflammation of the urinary tract.

Stinging nettle

While stinging nettle is known for its unpleasant reputation, it has also been known as a healing plant. It is rich in vitamin B and a variety of different beneficial compounds containing iron, calcium, or potassium. Moreover, stinging nettle contains acetylcholine – the nervous system’s chief neurotransmitter.

Both the leaves and stems of stinging nettle have diuretic effects, which increase the production of urine and promote urination. It can also help treat inflammation of the urinary tract and kidneys. Moreover, the plant’s young leaves have been found to lower blood sugar levels and cleanse the blood.

Celery

Celery is often used in the kitchen as a culinary herb. However, traditional Ayurveda medicine uses it alongside radish and others to help break up and expel toxins and debris in the kidneys. It also contains antioxidants and acts as a mild diuretic, helping the kidneys and urinary system function optimally.

A study published in the Journal of BioAllied Sciences back in December 2019 found that celery can help break down calcium crystals and organic matrix components in kidney stones. The study authors pointed to the flavonoid apigenin, which is abundant in celery, as the main plant compound responsible. “Kidney stones decay activity of apigenin is believed to be related to its ability as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial,” they wrote.

Stonebreaker

The stonebreaker herb gained its name due to its alkaline nature that prevents the formation of kidney stones and its effects on existing ones. Because of this, it has been used to support other herbs that dissolve kidney stones naturally. Stonebreaker is also known as an antiviral herb, making it a good choice for infections.

A June 2016 study published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology noted that stonebreaker is abundant in flavonoids, such as gallocatechin, rutin, quercetin and kaempferol. These plant compounds are known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can increase urine flow and relieve inflammation. The researchers also referenced stonebreaker’s use in the traditional medicines of Brazil and Malaysia for renal issues in their study. Food.news.

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