La NewsmagazineGenteVolume51,IssueIII
Pies en la Tierra
entscontoftable Editor’s Note Dejado en La TierraGentrification in Santa Ana by Isabela Zavala Primera Generación: Por ellos y para ellos by Haydee Sanchez Resendiz The Latinx Lucha on Campus by Every Torres Con mis pies en la tierra by Karim Hyderali Playlist Curated by Chismeando con La Gente What You Need to Know About the Climate Crisis in Latin America by Isabela Angulo Madre Sun by Jowen Scarlet Escobar Effects of COVID 19 on Idigeneity Community by Juan Angel Marquez Staff Visual provided by Ruth Chincanchan 24221816141184327 2
This issue was originally set to be published during Spring Quarter 2022, however its release was unfortunately postponed until now. Due to this, some current events may not have been considered when articles were initially written. A special thank you to Sofia Rizkkhalil and all other graduated staff, our Editor-in-Chief for the 20212022 school year, who spent a tremendous amount of work on this issue before it’s final version was created and released. To pay respect to our graduated seniors, the staff page reflects our staff from the 2021-2022 school year and not the 2022-2023 school year. 3
La revista, La Gente, es un espacio para la gente más brillante en nuestra universidad. Somos gente sin delirios. Gente que analiza nuestro mundo y los eventos que afectan nuestras experiencias. Gente consciente de nuestras identidades y privilegios y cómo esos se afectan nuestros realidades. Somos gente con los pies en la tierra.
La Gente has been a space where I’ve been free to express myself through my writing and a place that helped facilitate my growth into adulthood through the mentorship of upperclassmen. This publication has acted as a safe space for me to discover and reflect upon myself, create friendships and analyze our communities through a critical lens. I entered this magazine expecting to remain a staff writer for my entire undergraduate career and would have never imagined I’d become the Editor-in-Chief. This magazine surrounded me with peers who actively cared about voicing their concerns and opinions on the social climate and politics surrounding the treatment of marginalized communities. I was introduced to people who were passionate about Latine history and how it shapes our experiences within the diaspora and for those living within our countries of origin. I was surrounded by people who were well grounded; people who not only exemplified self-awareness but situational and cultural awareness as well.
Karim Isaac Editor-in-ChiefHyderali
NoteEditor’s
La Gente continues to foster an environment for bright Latine minds to convene and build each other up through the art of journalism and all associated activities. I hope to continue to shape this environment to provide incoming team members with the same experiences I have had and to be surrounded by the same kind of people I have been blessed to work with.
Disclaimer
By Isabela Zavala at the intense connection many Latinx residents have to the Orange County (OC) city.1 In the 1910s Santa Ana was segregated into an East and West side along Main Street. Mexicans and other Latinos were forced onto the East side while whites occupied the West.2 Additionally, as the white Santanero population began to decline in the 1970’s, more Mexican immigrants began to settle in the city.3 By the 1980s, the “Latino contribution to the place identity of downtown Santa Ana would be valorized by the municipal government”.4 Eventually, La Cuatro became known for its quinceañera dress shops, delicious food and ethnic general stores; símbolos de nuestra comunidad. But over the years, this little piece of home is being torn away from many of the 259 thousand Hispanics living in Santa Ana.5 “Now they ask me…’Where are the Mexican stores that sold typical Mexican products?’ and there is no one that sells that now…evenings here are nothing but drunken debauchery,” said an anonymous street vendor in an article published by the Voice of OC.6 She’s not alone in her thoughts about the urban redevelopment of La Cuatro. Many Santaneros have criticized the city, claiming that they are attempting to gentrify Santa Ana. As the spirit of Calle Cuatro faded away, so did many residents’ faith to keep their culture alive in Santa Ana. Most recently, another push towards gentrification of the historic Fourth Street has left many residents angry: the OC Streetcar. The OC Streetcar, proposed by the Orange County Downtown Santa Ana was once a home away from home for many Santa Ana residents. Driving down to La Cuatro was a weekend routine for many, you’d hear music from your native country, and you’d smell the sweet pineapple sold by street vendors at each corner, y con solo eso, you’re home.
To understand the importance of Calle Cuatro for Santaneros, it’s first important to acknowledge its Foundedbeginnings:in 1869, Santa Ana’s history may hint
2. Ryan Tuong An Koyanagi, “From Marketplace to Promenade: Gentrification and Place Ownership in Santa Ana,” The California Geographer 58. 2019: 21–40, https://scholarworks.csun.edu/bitstream/handle/10211.3/211187/CAGeo58-21-39-Koyan3agi.pdf?sequence=1.RyanTuongAnKoyanagi, “From Marketplace to Promenade: Gentrification and Place Ownership in Santa Ana,” The California Geographer 58. 2019: 21–40, https://scholarworks.csun.edu/bitstream/handle/10211.3/211187/CAGeo58-21-39-Koyan4agi.pdf?sequence=1.RyanTuongAnKoyanagi, “From Marketplace to Promenade: Gentrification and Place Ownership in Santa Ana,” The California Geographer 58. 2019: 21–40, https://scholarworks.csun.edu/bitstream/handle/10211.3/211187/CAGeo58-21-39-Koyan5agi.pdf?sequence=1.DATAUSA.Santa Ana, CA. Data USA. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/santa-ana-ca/ 6. Julie Leopo. “Leopo: The Voices of Fourth Street.” Voice of OC, April 3, 2015. https://voiceofoc.org/2015/04/the-voices-offourth-street/.
4 1. “The City of Santa Ana | Enjoy OC.” 2022. Enjoy Orange County https://enjoyorangecounty.com/santa-ana/.
Tierra:enDejadoLa
inGentrificationSantaAna
Visual by Melissa Morales
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According to the project plan published by OCTA, the cost of the streetcar is a whopping $509.54 million and funding comes from local, state and federal funds.12 It’s disappointing to see city council members push such an expensive project being built, especially with many issues facing Santa Ana already. For instance, in 2022, Santa Ana has the second largest share of unhoused people in OC (CQ 14).13 OC has also reported the largest number of homeless deaths in its history.14 These statistics beg the question, could these funds not have been put to better use, like helping our unhoused Ifpopulation?OCTAand the city council really wanted to serve downtown Santa Ana as they claimed in their project plan, they’d provide more options to support struggling Latinx-owned businesses downtown. According to a January 2022 survey published by Statista, 22.1% of participating small businesses said the pandemic had negatively impacted them.15 It’s no secret that many people have been struggling to make ends meet within their businesses–including those in Downtown Santa Ana. Now, owners are faced with a new obstacle for their businesses–the OC Streetcar–when they likely haven’t even recovered from the falls in sales caused by the pandemic. But it’s not a surprise that they haven’t made any great efforts to help these businesses. The proposal even states that they want to serve the Downtown Santa Ana “federal, state and local courthouses, government offices, colleges, an artists’ village and 7. OCTA, “OC Streetcar Santa Ana - Garden Grove,” n.d. Orange County Transportation Authority. https://octa.net/pdf/ocstreet8car.pdf?n=2022..OCTA,“OCStreetcar Santa Ana - Garden Grove.” 9. OCTA, “OC Streetcar Santa Ana - Garden Grove.” 10. OCTA, “Frequently Asked Questions,” n.d. Orange County Transportation Authority https://octa.net/pdf/OCS_Seg4_EnglishFAQs.pdf11.OCTA“Crews perform special track work…” Instagram, February 8, 2022,. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZuYkXWrXwb/ 12. OCTA, “OC Streetcar Santa Ana - Garden Grove.” 13.
Transportation Agency (OCTA), broke ground in 2018.7 As the first of its kind in Orange County, the streetcar expands an extremely trivial 4.15 miles to connect the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center and a new “transit hub” in Garden Grove.8 While some view the project as an eco-friendly, revolutionary way to connect the county, many view it as the city’s efforts to erase Santa Ana’s Thisroots.is because the electric-powered rail vehicle is set to run through the historic Fourth Street, replacing the road that once allowed people to easily navigate shops.9 Gates have now blocked off traffic due to the construction from 7am to 7pm, a full 7 days a week. Construction is set to be completed by 2024—an absurd amount of time for a project like this. This construction will deter customers from going to shops and may result in the closure of several businesses.10 Where Fourth Street businesses and customers used to hear the sounds of music playing, they now hear the sounds of construction. Where they would once look outside their window and see people walking alongside the sidewalk, they now see hills of dirt. They’ve been left in the dirt. Many residents have flooded OCTA’s social media comments, mostly condemning the project.
”“Point in Time Count (PIT) – Orange County HMIS,” Orange County HMIS, 2022, http://ochmis.org/point-in-time-countpit/#:~:text=The%20Point%2Din%2DTime%20.14.BenBrazil,“OrangeCountyonPaceforMost Homeless Deaths in Its History, Again,” Daily Pilot, October 26, 2021, history-again.www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/entertainment/story/2021-10-26/orange-county-on-pace-for-most-homeless-deaths-in-its-https://15.“ImpactofCOVID-19onSmallBusinessesU.S.2021,”Statista,2021,https://www.statista.com/statistics/1220920/us-covid-19-impact-small-businesses/.6
“Don’t dare claim this is a positive project as you constantly put local businesses at risk [of] displacement and gentrification,” says an Instagram user under a @goocta post about the OC Streetcar project.11
a thriving restaurant scene”.16 What’s missing? The travel agencies, the quinceanera dress shops, the discount stores, the authentic restaurants. They don’t mention these because it doesn’t fit into their idea of what they want Calle Cuatro to look like: a “modern” center full of cafes and bars. As people demand OCTA and Santa Ana to provide monetary support for struggling businesses, OCTA legal counsel James Donich stated in a city council meeting that OCTA’s federal funds can not be used to directly help businesses.17 However, the OCTA board did approve signs and advertising materials as part of their “Eat, Shop, Play” marketing campaign to help these shops.18 But with the presumably immense hit business owners are taking, this “effort” is almost laughable. On the bright side, the Los Angeles Times reported that Santa Ana council members also implemented the Santa Ana Business Interruption Fund.19 The fund will aid some Fourth Street businesses impacted by the OC Streetcar construction. Yet, people are saying that this is not enough, and rightfully so. Alfonso Calderon representing Taqueria Guadalajara told Los Angeles Times, “It’s not enough to withstand so many months of the streets being closed.” He’s right. Businesses have been struggling for months and may continue to struggle for months to come. Additionally, Fourth Street’s surrounding areas also may suffer from this transit-oriented 16. OCTA, “OC Streetcar Santa Ana - Garden Grove.” 17. Mike F. Mitchel,l “OCTA board refuses to bail out Santa Ana merchants hit by streetcar construction,” April 12, 2022, SF Bay Traveler, https://www.sfbaytraveler.com/octa-board-refuses-to-bail-out-santa-ana-merchants-hit-by-streetcar-construction/18.Gabriel San Román, “Downtown Santa Ana businesses push OCTA for funds amid streetcar construction,”
April 12, 2022, Los Angeles Times, Los19es-push-octa-for-funds-amid-streetcar-constructionhttps://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/entertainment/story/2022-04-12/downtown-santa-ana-business-.GabrielSanRomán,“DowntownSantaAnabusinessespushOCTAforfundsamidstreetcarconstruction,”April12,2022,AngelesTimes,https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/entertainment/story/2022-04-12/downtown-santa-ana-business-es-push-octa-for-funds-amid-streetcar-construction20.TracyJeanneRosenthal,“Op-Ed:Transit-orienteddevelopment?Moreliketransitriderdisplacement,”February20,2018,LosAngelesTimes.https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-rosenthal-transit-gentrification-metro-rider-ship-20180220-story.html21.USCensusBureau,“USCensusBureauQuickFacts:SantaAnacity,California,”CensusBureau,https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/santaanacitycaliforniagentrification.Forinstance,LosAngelesfacedasimilarsituationwiththeirpublictransit.AccordingtoanopinionpiecebytheLosAngelesTimes,thetransitthatwasoriginallyaimingtoservetheirlow-incomeresidentseventuallyhadadeclineinthenumberofpeopleridingthetransits.20Theresultinghigherhomevaluescausedlowerincomeindividualstobedisplaced.CouldhistoryrepeatitselfwithinSantaAna?Theanswertothisisn’tknownyet.ButwithSantaAna’scurrentpovertyrateof13.4%–itcouldbethattheStreetcarwilldriveoriginalSantanerosoutoftheirhomesandcommunities.21ThisalonemakesitclearthatSantaAna’seffortstohelpitsresidentsgoesbeyondafundandmarketingmaterials;rather,theyneedtofocusonotherpropositions,suchasrentcontrol.Additionally,iftheytrulywanttopreservetheLatinxcommunity,modernizationeffortsmustbestopped. 7
8
Recent theoretical frameworks have prompted the assessment of children raised in mixed-status households considering that nearly 4 million of children are citizens while their parents face threats of deportation.1 This analysis constitutes a relatively new area of study that focuses on how these individuals are affected mentally and emotionally by the “immeasurable ever-present stress” that a legal status entails.3 Despite having their American citizenship, it has been found that these children are forced to navigate uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing pressure as a result of the weight their citizenship carries. This pressure ultimately stems from growing up in a mixedstatus household and comes with a continual reminder of their parents’ lack of access to the same resources, services, and overall privileges. As a consequence of living in mixed-status households, many documented Latinx youth tend to: have an increased legal awareness, remain silent about undocumented family members' legal status, manage their fear of family separation, and prematurely take on financial and logistical commitments to support relatives. Documented family members in mixedstatus households can attest that many endure internalized guilt and pressure to pursue opportunities that will not only support themselves, but their families. In one case, Dr. Leisy Abrego articulates how the children of undocumented immigrants develop a sense of nonbelonging when they access institutions and systems that their other family members have not had the opportunity to experience.1 Immigration paradigms have also been used to examine the pressures faced by children raised in mixedstatus families. According to interviews conducted with over 100 children, it was found that children as young as eight years old typically prefer that their peers be uninformed of their parents' legal situation. These children understanding the implications of their parents legal status demonstrates that children can become aware of the external and systemic oppression associated with their parents' undocumented status. From this, they develop situational awareness and refrain from putting their families in vulnerable situations.
U.S. citizens in mixed-status families also live with the constant fear and dread of family separation. As Joanna Dreby denoted, there is a hyper-awareness of legality that creates a burden for many immigrant households. According to one survey, 40% of parents said they had reviewed their plans with their children in case they were detained.2 All things considered, children raised in mixed-status households are prematurely exposed to the realities of immigrant-targeting structures, forcing them to interpret policies differently than their peers. Documented youth raised in mixed-status households are also more inclined to assume some sort of financial and logistical responsibilities to support their family members at a younger age.1 One example is translating legal and complex paperwork, which is prevalent among first-
9
3 Suárez-Orozco, Carola, and Hirokazu Yoshikawa. “Undocumented Status: Implications for Child Development, Policy, and Ethical Research.” New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development 2013, no. 141 (2013): 61–78. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20043. 10
1 Abrego, Leisy J. “Relational Legal Consciousness of U.S. Citizenship: Privilege, Responsibility, Guilt, and Love in Latino Mixed‐Status Families.” Law & Society Review 53, no. 3 (2019): 641–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/lasr.12414.
generation citizens who feel responsible to care for and advocate for their families. These students feel pressured to use their bilingualism to aid their families, due to their exposure to academic English and the ability to aid their non-English speaking parents. Personally, living in a mixed status household is a defining layer of my own identity that has made me more aware of issues the undocumented and Latinx community face. It is the reason I am adamant that the soil I stand on is a privilege that is a product of my parents' sacrifices and courage. However, that gratitude is accompanied by increased anxiety, privilege, guilt, and responsibility as a result of the weight and privilege my citizenship holds.
2 Dreby, Joanna. “The Burden of Deportation on Children in Mexican Immigrant Families.” Journal of Marriage and Family 74, no. 4 (2012): 829–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.00989.x.
A History of Latinx Struggles at UCLA
The first time I came to UCLA as a student, I thought this place was no home for a person like me: a first-generation student and daughter of immigrants with Mexican roots. In believing I had no place at UCLA, I was dismissing the efforts of the Latinx students, faculty, and community members who fought for me to have a place on this campus. From the forgotten Mexican founding father of UCLA to the Chicanx movement of the 1960s and the construction workers who built this campus from the ground up, those who came before me gave me a place at this school.
The Latinx Lucha on Campus:
UCLA acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (Los Angeles basin and So. Channel Islands). As a land grant institution, we pay our respects to Honuukvetam (ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom, (elders) and ‘eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and Franciscoemerging.1Reginaldo del Valle was a Latino state senator from California (1882-1886) of Mexican origin who is known as UCLA’s Latino forefather. For nearly a decade, del Valle pushed for the establishment and funding of the State Normal 11
Visual by Lexia Luna-Nazari
By Evely Torres
The Chicano Movement, or El Movimieto in Spanish, catalyzed the creation of educational and political outlets for the Latinx communities on campus, including MEChA (1969) and La Gente Newsmagazine (1971). In spring of 1968, the Chicanx student walkouts brought attention to the inaccessibility to education faced by Chicanx students in high school and college campuses. This was accomplished in an era where word of mouth was the only means for organizing and yet School at Los Angeles, and in doing so made higher education more obtainable in the area. In 1919, the State Normal School was absorbed by the Regents of the University committee and was demolished to build the University of California, Los Angeles.2 In 2019, the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture (CESLAC) commemorated Del Valle and his contribution to the foundation of UCLA for the school’s 100th founding anniversary. That same year, CESLAC began a commission to have a portrait of Del Valle displayed notably on campus, but only 2% of the project’s monetary goal was achieved.4 Francisco Reginaldo del Valle is a symbol of all the Latinx people who played a role in the establishment of UCLA and will remain embedded in the roots of this school. Del Valle is not the only Latino branded in the history of UCLA’s establishment. Through the People of Color Tour, it was said that “Every red brick at UCLA was created at the Dixon brickyard by Mexican laborers.”5 The building blocks of campus were constructed by the hard-working hands of Latinx people, and today we still see hardworking members of Latinx communities working as faculty and staff on campus. It is important to recognize the people behind the scenes who keep the campus in working condition; they have a place here as much as you and I. Latinx community organizations at UCLA began in the 1940s and were catered to serve Mexicans. Chicanos/as had the greatest number of members and they used this advantage to fight for space and recognition on our college campus. Today, there are Latinx clubs and organizations that cater to other Latinx communities, such as the Afro
Latinx Connection and UNICA de UCLA (Union TheCentroamericana).firstrecordofa Latinx college organization in the U.S. can be traced back to UCLA with the establishment of the Mexican American Movement (MAM). Founded in 1942, MAM was the equivalent of the YMCA club for a college campus. This was preceded by the founding of the first Latino student newspaper at UCLA, “The Mexican Voice,” in 1938 by Felix Gutierrez (Class of 1947). Both were designed to promote higher education for Latinx individuals and claim a space on campus.
1. UCLA American Indian Studies Center, “50 Years of Providing Native Peoples a Voice,”UCLA College, accessed April 20, 2022 No.tive-peoples-a-voice/https://www.college.ucla.edu/2019/10/17/uclas-american-indian-studies-center-50-years-of-providing-na2.Hayes-Bautista,DavidE.,MarcoAntonioFirebaugh,CynthiaL.ChamberlinandChristinaGamboa.“ReginaldoFranciscodelValle:UCLA'SForgottenForefather.”SouthernCaliforniaQuarterly,Spring2006,Vol.88,1,pp.1-35
3. UCLA Newsroom, “May 24: Remembering UCLA’s Latino forefather, Reginaldo Francisco del Valle,” UCLA Newsroom, accessed May 07,2022 https://newsroom.ucla.edu/dept/faculty/may-24-remembering-uclas-latino-forefa ther-reginaldo-francisco-del-valle24: Remembering UCLA’s Latino forefather, Reginaldo Francisco del Valle | UCLA 12
Today’s Latinx magazine, La Gente, has a mission to report events and publish articles relevant to all Latinx communities, and the MAM was succeeded by the mother organization Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán (MEChA). About MEChA de UCLA’s role on campus, their Internal Chairperson, Justin Rodriguez, says: “MEChA blends that line between cultural and political. [It] organizes for the access and retention of Latinx students [at] UCLA, but also for achieving their goals and dreams [...] a sense of community is vital to surviving and thriving [at] UCLA.”
4. UCLA Health. “Help CESLAC Honor Reginaldo Francisco del Valle,” UCLA Health, accessed May 07, 2022 UCLA Health Personal Fundraising | Help CESLhttps://spark.ucla.edu/project/15808AC Honor Reginaldo Francisco Del Valle!
it became “the first mass demonstration of Chicanx people in a major urban center.”6 Carlos Manuel Haro, Assistant Director Emeritus at UCLA, was a third-year student at UCLA when the walkouts occurred. He mentions that, “the major change driven by the 1968 walkouts was an awareness of self-worth [and] a motivation to educate ourselves and the community.”7 The year after the walkouts, sprouting from the trajectory of political and social activism, the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center was founded. Decades later, in May 1993, five students, one professor, and three community members went on a 14-day hunger strike outside of Murphy Hall to protest the decision of Chancellor Young to deny funds for upgrading the interdisciplinary Chicano program to departmental status. The César E. Chávez Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at UCLA was finally established in 2007, an achievement that occurred during the lifetime of current UCLA students. It took members of the Latinx community and its supporters depriving themselves of a basic human need in order to have a space on this campus. Ultimately, this shows just how much those before us fought for us to have a place at UCLA today. Other Latinx groups have made space for the Latinx community in other ways. Grupo Folklórico de UCLA (GFU), the longest running collegiate folklórico group in Southern California, was founded in 1966 by Professor Emilio Pulido-Huizar.8 Its purpose has been to allow expression through traditional Mexican dance to anyone willing to learn. About its purpose and her experience dancing folklórico, Mayra Carrasco the Artistic Director for GFU, says: “It’s empowering because I am able to share my culture, and share a little part of who I am and I’m proud of it. [It is a way] to reclaim my Latinidad.” Grupo Folklórico de UCLA has made space for Latinx culture on campus by performing traditional dances from a variety of Mexican regions in Wilson Plaza for their Día de los Muertos event in the fall and their Fiesta Mexicana spring performance in Royce OrganizationsHall. on campus are built to provide a space for Latinx students to express themselves culturally and politically. Knowing the struggles and the battles fought by Latinx people in the past is enough to make one know they have a place at this campus. In believing we do not belong at this institution, we are belittling the efforts of those who fought for the spaces we have today. Next time you feel like you are out of place, remember the lucha that brought you here, including your own.
5. “People of Color Tour: A Story Map,” ArcGIS, accessed April 20, 2022. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?ap pid=0e769dd83e94420d9d0885fa546c77dcople of Color Tour (arcgis.com)
6. UCLA History. “A Hunger Strike Ends, a Center is Born.” UCLA Alumni. Last modified June 7, 1993. https://alumni.ucla.edu/uc 7la-history-26/lumni.Wolf,Jessica.“East L.A. Chicano student walkouts: 50 years later.” UCLA Newsroom. Last modified March 09, 2018. https://news room.ucla.edu/stories/east-l-a-chicano-student-walkouts:-50-years-laterno student walkouts: 50 years later | UCLA 8. La Gente. “Letter from Grupo Folklórico de UCLA.” La Gente. Last modified April 25, 2012. https://lagente.org/letter-from-gru po-folklorico-de-ucla/Los Angeles 13
14 Bailando
Por más de quinientos años Quinientos años y muchos han caído Gracias a ellos puedo respirar y puedo zapatear Mis ancestros bailan conmigo Y cuando bailan conmigo llenan mi alma con su orgullo y su amor No hay dolor, no hay en mis pies, ni en mi corazón
15
family to where we are now For each and everyone of you has a spirit deserving of a crown Cuando me doy vueltas tengo visiones de tu Lahistoriahistoria de mi sangre La historia de mi piel de oro Una historia de la belleza indigena Cuando veo a mi mama y mis abuelos es como mirar a un espejo Y cuando veo a mis bisabuelos es como un portal La magia de ser mortal
We are only free to dance because you fought You fought day and night making sure our culture would stay alive Making sure that we wouldn’t spill tears to the point we had no more left to cry Fighting for autonomy Fighting for land Fighting those who sought to bring our way of life to an Desdeendhace tiempo
by Karim Hyderali
curated by chismeando con la gente Playlist
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The tone is very smooth, with an emphasis on the human connection to environment and self (via emotional strength). The general idea is that the feeling from this playlist connects you to your roots/background while inspiring you to stand your ground against Givechallenges.alisten by scanning the code below.
Photo by
17 Featuring songs such as... Playlist
Esiselda Inares tu rumba iLe STAND BY ME 100% Latina Rude Girl jajaja Plastilina Mosh i am mainthebitch Casbah 73 pollen Andria Rose Prince Royce
Background
18 What You Need to Know About the ByAmericainCrisisClimateLatinIsabelaAngulo
1. Shaftel, Holly. “The Effects of Climate Change.” National Aeronautics and Space Administration. April 14, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2022.
6. Elizabeth Warn and Susana B. Adamo. “The Impact of Climate Change: Migration and Cities in South America.” World Meteorological Organization. 2014. Accessed April 15, 2022.
Water Acidification Within the water in and surrounding South America, climate change manifests through the acidification of the water itself. The acidification of water is caused by the rising temperatures of the ocean. Acidification alters the chemistry of the water, thus disrupting ocean life. Just one example of this could be seen with the bleaching of coral reefs. If acidity levels become too high, corals begin to undergo a process called “bleaching” which more often than not kills the corals. These very same coral reefs are usually the foundation of most of the ocean life that surrounds it. Disrupting ocean life not only presents danger for these animals but for the humans who depend on them economically as well. The human-made pollution of the waters of Latin America, usually in the form of sewage waste, oil spills, or industrial waste, further disrupts aquatic ecosystems as well as poses health risks for those who consume the water.
2. Shaftel, Holly. “The Effects of Climate Change.”
8. “Climate Change Impacts in Latin America.” World Wildlife Fund Inc. 2021. Accessed April 15, 2022. 19
7. Elizabeth Warn and Susana B. Adamo. “The Impact of Climate Change: Migration and Cities in South America.”
5. Elizabeth Warn and Susana B. Adamo. “The Impact of Climate Change: Migration and Cities in South America.” World Meteorological Organization. 2014. Accessed April 15, 2022.
3. “Climate change and biodiversity loss should be tackled together.” European Commission. Oct. 29, 2021. Accessed April 15, 4.2022.Shaftel, Holly. “The Effects of Climate Change.”
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on Climate Change 2021 “temperatures in the region have increased more than the global average and are likely to continue to do so.” Additionally, scientists estimate that the effects of climate change will ultimately cause large amounts of people to migrate in search of safety. These migrants, especially those who are low-income, “likely to lack local knowledge, networks and assets, and are, therefore, less prepared to cope with, and avoid, the impacts of these hazards.”. Additional migration and the creation of megacities will place stress on the already limited resources of these cities. Although the precise effects of climate change are difficult to predict, below is a breakdown of some of the most prevalent and pressing issues that climate change is bound to bring.
Dry-Spells Along with these issues, the water supply is dwindling due to changes in precipitation, extreme droughts, and the melting of glaciers. The turnaround in the patterns of precipitation affects not just the sources of water, but sources of food aswell, for they can impact agriculture in the area.
According to statistics given by NASA, the global climate is changing rapidly and will continue to do so if no action is taken. Although climate change has been a part of Earth’s history since the beginning of time, this type of change is different. This change has beyond a doubt been exacerbated by human activity and the rate at which it is occurring is frightening. Certain human activities, for example the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, contribute to the infamous Greenhouse Effect. These activities supply the concentration of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere, which in turn warms the planet. At the global scale, the changes include the warming and rising oceans, acidification of water, loss of biodiversity, shrinking of ice sheets, an increase of occurrence and intensity of “high-temperature events”, and much more,. If action is not taken soon, the effects will be devastating. In fact, the dramatic impacts of climate change have already started to take their hold, and much of this can be seen within South America. Of course, the same can be said for many other places around the world, however, because of the unique environmental and socio-economic position of South America, the effects may hit the Latinx community disproportionately.
Extreme Weather Unfortunately, problems with water do not stop here. Extreme hydro-weather events are becoming much more frequent in Latin America, and scientists point their finger towards humans. Cyclones and powerful storms are increasing in size and regularity, threatening the livelihoods of those they hit. An example of this was witnessed in 2014, when Brazil suffered through Hurricane Caterina, their first observed hurricane-force storm. Research has found correlations between the increase in this extreme weather and human-induced climate change and pollution. Flooding has been a recent issue as well, especially in places like Paraguay and Uruguay, where the rainfall total has increased. “In 2011, Bogota saw three times its typical rainfall, triggering dangerous floods that forced the evacuations of hundreds of buildings.” These floods are dangerous for both the agriculture and the people in those areas. They place pressure on resources and pose a physical threat to the populations exposed.
Sea-Levels Rising sea levels caused by the melting of ice glaciers are also a threat to those who reside on the coasts of Latin America. As sea levels rise, many of those living on the outer coastal edges of the continent will be forced to leave their homes. “In Latin America and the Caribbean more than 27% of the population live in coastal areas, with an estimated 6–8% living in areas that are at high or very high risk of being affected by coastal hazards.” This not only creates a population of climate change refugees but it also places additional pressure on inland populations and their resources, who will have to accommodate for this new surge of people.
Glaciers Along with these pattern changes, there are also concerns about the disappearances of glaciers. Glaciers, and their runoff, may supply up to 4 million people with access to water. However, with the melting of these glaciers aggravated by global warming, this source of water lessens every year. CRP also reported that “the Andes have lost more of their glaciers (relative to their size) to the climate crisis than any other mountain range on Earth”. The kind of damage done by all of these factors may leave millions of people scrambling for clean water.
According to WWF, these changes affect mostly those inland of South America. Droughts can have the same effects as well, and there is evidence that both can be attributed to human activity and global warming. The Climate Reality Project stated that “in 2014, the key water reservoirs for São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil, dipped below 10% thanks in part to drought”. The increase in frequency of droughts and dry spells can put the food and water supply of many Latinx people at risk.
Wildfires and Air Pollution
The Amazon rainforest is considered one of the jewels of nature by many. Known for itsrich and diverse wildlife as well as the heavy lifting work it completes in the carbon cycle, onservation of this 9. “The Importance of Coral Reefs.” National Ocean Service. Accessed April 19, 2022.
10. Prashad, Jennifer. “Latin America’s Water Pollution Crisis and its Effects on Children’s Health.” Humanium. July 28, 2020. Accessed April 16, 2022. 11. “How is the Climate Crisis Impacting South America?” The Climate Reality Project. April 28, 2021. Accessed April 15, 12.2022.“Climate Change Impacts in Latin America.” 13. Krajick, Kevin. “Tree Rings Show Unprecedented Rise in Extreme Weather in South America.” Columbia Climate School. July 7, 2020. Accessed April 17, 2022. 14. “How is the Climate Crisis Impacting South America?” 15. “How is the Climate Crisis Impacting South America?” 16. Krajick, Kevin. “Tree Rings Show Unprecedented Rise in Extreme Weather in South America.” 17. “How is the Climate Crisis Impacting South America?” 20
beautiful ecosystem is vital when it comes to halting climate change. Unfortunately, these forests are in danger. One of the hazards that this rainforest endures is that of wildfires. In 2019, the Amazon rainforest was devastated by wildfires. These fires not only release tons of carbon pollution into the atmosphere, which accelerates global warming, but it also destroys the very trees and plant life that can remove the carbon. The Amazon rainforest is known as an essential “carbon sink”, meaning that it takes much of the world’s carbon and recycles it into oxygen. These fires do double the damage by burning down this rainforest, and “accelerates climate change”. On top of this, these fires displace the indigenous peoples who reside there and kill much of its diverse wildlife. These wildfires, however, are not solely affecting the Amazon. Extreme fire events are seemingly occurring at a higher rate than before all over Latin America. Research posits that this is the result of climate change, and that the rate of these fires will continue to increase over the next years. These fires impact the agriculture, vegetation, and air quality of those nearby. In 2019, “Mexico suffered terrible air pollution when wildfires raged throughout much of the country, burning almost 849,000 acres in 32 different jurisdictions from January to May.” This air pollution poses a major threat to all who are exposed, not only in terms 21
of climate change but in terms of physical health and wellbeing as well. These issues include several respiratory and lung problems. According to the NRDC, millions of Chilleans live in “saturated” areas, meaning that the air has extremely high levels of pollutants in it. “An estimated 64,000 people died prematurely in the region from exposure to fine particulate matter and ground level ozone” as stated by the UN. Deforestation The clearing of large amounts of trees, or deforestation, is a major contributor to climate change. The colonization of new lands and the work of certain industries, such as the meat, cacao, and leather industries, call for more space, and thus often lead to the clearing of much of the plant life and trees within South America. The mass cutting down of trees leads to less carbon dioxide being sucked out of our air and it disrupts the homes of the wildlife and indigenous peoples already settled climate change and environmental protection at the forefront of their policy making. We need to regulate the industries taking advantage of the environment. We, as consumers, also should try our best to turn our money and spending towards businesses that are more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable, to be more sustainable ourselves. One final way to contribute would be to educate ourselves more about this topic, as well as educate others. In this way, more may be inclined to lend a helping hand to our Earth, and we need all the help we can get.
A“LifeBiggerThan byJowenScarlet
Visuals by Esiselda Linares
I say thank you to the one above Time and time again And the same endless love Deep breath in, deep breath out With you, I may never meet doubt For when things don’t go my way I am infinitely reminded that for as long as the sun sets And rises over and over and over, So will I IThen,close my eyes, and it is so vivid Suddenly I’m there, And I don’t even mind The consistency of the warmth Where else would we be at such a time of day? How there was absolutely nothing to worry about for that split second How we became kids again How no one knew about our big, small lives And so we floated, and we felt fine Baked, under the sunshine And one day, love left I remember on that day
The sun shone Brighter than ever It was the kind of warm determined by your mood
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The one you could frolic in Or hide from I think it was trying to call my name It might’ve attempted so before, But today I did not understand why my world was so Wassmallit that I could not see or feel the sun? Had I lost all right to it? If so, when?
Mine”
WhatSad? is there to be sad about? WhatMad? is there to be mad about?
For my days have been brighter than ever The sun allowed me to feel its warmth
After so long of only seeing it
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So I remained on the line… For life is a creative duality
But I can see right through you Remember, the truth is loud when it belongs to you And as hard as I tried to go around it, The sun never lost sight of me
One we love And one we fear No sadness ; No happiness. No hurt ; No joy. No tears ; No smile. No cry ; No laugh. No end ; No beginning. How the sun that kisses you is the same sun that locks you Howinsidethemoon that bathes you is the same moon accompanied by the dark
1. “Travel Restrictions,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 28, 2022), https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/travel-restrictions.html.
Protecting Indigenous Peoples Amidst a Global Crisis
2. Edson Serván-Mori et al., “Hospitalisation and Mortality from Covid-19 in Mexican Indigenous People: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study,” Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health (BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, January 1, 2022), https:// 3jech.bmj.com/content/76/1/16.info..“UNWTOInclusiveRecoveryGuide: Sociocultural Impacts of COVID-19,” Unwto Inclusive Recovery Guide – sociocultural impacts of covid-19, issue 4: Indigenous communities, 2021, https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/epdf/10.18111/9789284422852.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken a myriad of Indigenous communities throughout the world, especially those whose livelihoods are interdependent in the tourism industry. Travel restrictions were imposed at the peak of the pandemic in hopes of reducing the spread and contact of the virus which in turn caused Indigenous peoples to incur economic loss due to these imposed limitations.1 In efforts to unveil the quantifiable data detailing the unstudied sector of the pandemic, Edson Serván-Mori, research professor at the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), launched a cross-sectional observational study to analyze the nature of the rates of mortality and hospitalization within Indigenous communities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, he concluded that Indigenous patients with COVID-19 in Mexico are twice as likely to be at risk of hospitalization. Additionally, he further exposes that Indigenous people are 20% more likely to fall victim to early mortality from COVID-19 than their counterparts.2 In response to these growing reports of disproportionate hospitalizations rates, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) advises tourists to remain responsible and mindful when traveling to vulnerable communities:3
by Juan Angel Marques 24
“The existence of a growing trend in responsible travel is undeniable, with millions wishing to experience Indigenous cultures and interact with local communities in unique natural settings. This trend requires defining and adopting a responsible behaviour of visitors, inclusive management systems and fair benefit-sharing, as standard approaches in the sector’s recovery” [sic].”
This call to action not only brings the focus to governmental authorities to strengthen the nation’s response to bring adequate measures to protect Indigenous communities, but also to advise tourists to remain aware of their own health risk that may spillover and destroy the communities’ ultimate efforts to rebuild their own economical advances. By and large, the paradox of traveling thus emerges as we analyze the scope of tourism within Indigenous communities–this is to say that many of these communities’ economies rely on travel (a projected benefit of traveling), however with these high rates of mortality and vulnerability tourists actively endanger these communities. This in turn renders a problematic issue of interdependence in which the net expected gains of traveling are highly questionable.
A case study of Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, demonstrates a recurring neglecting of efforts to undermine large historic inequalities incurred by Indigenous people. The article “Protect Indigenous peoples from COVID-19” written by Lucas Ferrante and Phillip M. Fearside, environmentalist and ecology scholars, exposes the current detrimental effects incurred by Indigenous elders in Brazil, unveiling: [apart from] their [known] history of susceptibility to epidemics, many of these isolated communities lack medical posts, doctors, and basic medications, to say nothing of the ventilators that would be needed to treat a COVID-19 outbreak.4 More narrowly, in the vein of tourism within Indigenous communities, Bronwyn Hutchison urges public authorities for the need to reshift structural policies, claiming: “The rapid growth of tourism globally in the past few decades was driven by a neoliberal focus on 4. “Protect Indigenous Peoples from Covid-19 ... - Science.org,” Science, April 17, 2020, doi/epdf/10.1126/science.abc0073?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D19148936805826027422644108383074082153%7CMhttps://www.science.org/25
Furthemore, it is important to recognize how the health crisis affects major Indigenous communities unveils the systematic disparities at all levels of livelihood affecting the welfare of Indigenous communities. It hyper-exemplifies perpetuated disadvantages of governmental efforts to bring accessibility within health policies to Indigenous communities.
Visual by Nancy Romo
Through and through, when visiting Indigenous communities, visitors should be mindful and respectful of their health especially as tourist at tractions. Additionally, we must be conscious of the limitations imposed on tourism and mobility, especially as they re-open in order to enforce and rebuild robust health strategies to avoid risking the health of Indigenous peoples.
economic growth without due consideration to the local context or cultural, social, and environmental factors.” Hutchison further uncovers the leeway found within the jarring predicament, revealing an opportunity to consider tourism with the ramifications of the pandemic—reconfiguring policies that seek to consider and centralize the “wellbeing and resilience of people and the environment”.5
5. Bronwyn Hutchison, “Resetting Tourism Post-Covid-19: Why Indigenous Peoples Must Be Central to the Conversation,” Taylor & Francis, April 12, 2021, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02508281.2021.1905343. 26
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