The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday provided support to local small food businesses facing economic hardship as part of a $2.8 million COVID-19 aid package.
The package includes new emergency support for small food businesses such as food truck operators and other businesses affected by the pandemic.
The Board also launched a pilot program for home-based chefs to prepare food in their own kitchens to sell directly to consumers.
It should be noted that this is the first time the county has specifically targeted assistance to "micro food business" operators.
"What we are doing today provides new economic opportunities for those who need them most, including women, immigrants, and people of color," said Board Chairman David J. Canepa.
He also assured that "this modest investment will make a difference for the hard-working families who happen to be excellent cooks and at the same time stimulate the local economy".
The food service industry was hard hit by the pandemic's confinement, which meant a death sentence for many small business owners.
"Supporting San Mateo businesses like food trucks and carts, and incubator kitchens are a means for entrepreneurs to create lasting businesses," Supervisor Dave Pine said. "Helping these small businesses will benefit our local economy now and in the future."
Thus, the supervisors approved three grant programs, one open to any eligible small business and two targeted to the food service industry.
First, the Board launched the Micro Food Enterprise Grant Program, which will distribute a total of $500,000 in grants to cottage food operators, caterers, food truck and food cart operators, commissary or incubator kitchens.
Applicants must have a small food service business legally operating in San Mateo County by January 1, 2021 and meet the requirements. Businesses that received assistance from previous programs are not eligible.
In addition, the Board approved the establishment of the Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operator Ordinance, the Pilot Program and the Grant Program with $238,000 in seed money.
Within the framework of the pilot programmeIn California, home chefs may legally prepare and sell limited amounts of food directly to consumers. The county is one of the few jurisdictions in California that allows home kitchens for microbusinesses.
Meanwhile, chefs who receive operating permits from the county's Environmental Health Services division will be able to apply for grants of up to $2,500 each.
Finally, the Board appropriated $2 million for the 2021 SMC Strong Small Business Assistance Program, which provides a new round of funding for local small businesses impacted by the pandemic that did not receive previous county, state or federal assistance.
In that regard, applicants must meet certain requirements for grants of up to $10,000 that can be used for past-due rent, operating expenses, and other needs.
Funding for all three programs will come from the federal American Rescue Plan or other state or federal aid programs.
They alert aggressions by the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad -Esmad- towards the civilian population during the peaceful day.
Update: According to the first reports, clashes are reported in Usme, locality number 5 of Bogota.
In Puerto Resistencia and Loma de la Dignidad and in a large part of Cali, the Esmad has responded with violent attacks against the civilian population with gunfire and tear gas that have left one person dead and one injured.
Likewise, in Bogota, the number of injured people is reported to rise to more than 10.
The organization Global Exchange published an open letter addressed to the President of the Government of Colombia, Ivan Duque, and the commanders of the National Police of Colombia before the celebration of the 211 years of the Independence of Colombia. The national strike Committee urged sectors of the population s mobilize in the streets to continue the protests arising from the national strike that began on April 28. Since the early hours of Tuesday, demonstrations have been held at strategic points of the country.
In this sense, the letter signed by the executive board of Global Exchange, refers that "social organizations, free citizens and young people" promised to protest peacefully on an important date in the history of Colombia as a nation. Therefore, Global Exchange urged "the Colombian government and local authorities to respect the constitutional rights" of freedom of expression, freedom of movement, the full right to demonstrate, "but above all the right to life, integrity and dignity".
However, local media reported riots in Puerto Resistencia and Loma de la Dignidad by the Esmad -Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios- in Cali with the use of tear gas at 16:40 local time. The Colombian Government Secretariat justified the acts by alleged attacks on the facilities of Portal Américas, which resulted in a confrontation between Esmad and members of Primera Línea.
It is unfortunate that the same old people are sabotaging a day that has passed peacefully in all localities.
The intervention of the police is necessary to protect the Portal of the Americas. pic.twitter.com/n6HyRSHWRrr
- Luis Ernesto Gómez👟 (@LuisErnestoGL) July 20, 2021
In addition, users on social networks report as a balance, a person killed by shooting and one injured by the police forces of Colombia in the neighborhood of Los Alcazares in Cali.
At the same time, Ivan Duque said on his Twitter account: "We pay tribute to the families of our heroes and those of all Colombians who have lost loved ones to the pandemic and violence".
We pay tribute to the families of our heroes and those of all Colombians who have lost loved ones to the pandemic and violence. Today we must be more Colombian than ever, to find solutions that will make us greater as a society. #LibertadQueUnepic.twitter.com/GN3awcBfHf
In which he also showed his support for the Colombian Armed Forces and the National Police: "Colombia must reject violence, wherever it comes from. And we reiterate that our #FuerzaPública is subject to the highest human rights standards. Therefore, we support it, we strengthen it, and we also demand it. #ColombiaNoSeDetiene," he said.
Colombia must reject violence, wherever it comes from. And we reiterate that our #PublicForce is subject to the highest human rights standards. That is why we support it, strengthen it and also demand it. #ColombiaNoSeDeStienepic.twitter.com/uvQQJrJALbf
The protests originated when the president of Colombia, Ivan Duque, announced a new tax reform that would strongly impact the economy of the disadvantaged classes of the nation, which led young people, peasants, indigenous, and Afro-descendants to demonstrate in different parts of the country to demand better living conditions for the economically vulnerable sectors of Colombia who demand equal access to education, quality health services, and decent jobs.
These demonstrations turned violent when the government of Iván Duque ordered the Colombian police force to repress the protests by using weapons against the civilian population; according to the organization Temblores.Since April 28th, there have been 228 situations in which the Colombian National Police have used their weapons against the demonstrating population, so now, in the protests, the Duque government is also demanding justice for the victims whose human rights have been violated by the state in which many people have lost their lives or have been left with life-long injuries.
In the face of violence by Colombian police forces, Global Exchange reports, protesters have had to rely on "the use of protective gear such as helmets, gloves, goggles and shields" to protect themselves; however, the National Police prohibits the wearing of these items during protests.
Finally, Global Exchange recognizes that the police forces under Duque's command have generated "multiple victims and complaints" brought to local, national and international authorities about excessive use of force and alleged accusations "that attempt to criminalize social protest".
Police arrested a 38-year-old man for probable auto theft early Saturday morning in Redwood City.
Around midnight officers responded to a call at 1405 Marshall Street. The suspect named Gerardo Santana approached the passenger and with a gun forced the driver out of the vehicle and then drove away southbound on Chestnut, the Police Department said.
The vehicle was located at 2:46 a.m. behind a building at 3698 Haven Avenue, where the suspect fled on foot. Officers from the Redwood City and Menlo Park police departments searched the area and a nearby homeless encampment to find Santana hiding under a trailer.
Police arrested him on suspicion of grand theft auto and drug possession.
Authorities advised anyone who may have additional information about this incident to contact Detective Sergeant Nick Perna at (650) 780-7672, or the Redwood City Police Department tip line at (650) 780-7110.
As wildfires rage and drought grips Northern California, San Mateo County officials are promoting a "know your zone" campaign so residents can learn a short code to help save lives in an emergency.
Emergency responders will use the code to direct evacuations or issue shelter-in-place orders for specific areas of the Peninsula. And with lessons learned from last year's CZU Lightning Complex fire, local officials are looking to avoid tragedy.
"Know your zone", that's how it works:
Emergency managers have divided the peninsula into more than 300 zones on a map available online, supported by Zonehaven, a California-based company. Each zone is assigned a short code and any resident can access to know their area.
For example: "SMC-E001" is the San Mateo Highlands, "MP-E008" is approximately Belle Haven of Menlo Park, and "DC-E004" is an area of Daly City near San Francisco.
Why approximately? Because the zones may not follow traditional neighborhood or even city boundaries. Instead, the zones are optimized for the best evacuation routes to avoid confusion over arbitrary boundaries.
In the event of an emergency, first responders will issue evacuation or other orders and warnings based on zones. This information will be sent through the media, social media such as Twitter, emergency alert notifications and other platforms.
"When it comes to emergency response every minute counts," said San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley, whose District 3 includes the coast from Pacifica to the Santa Cruz County border.
"Zonehaven gives emergency services the ability to develop perfectly localized evacuation plans quickly and collaboratively, and that can be shared with the public immediately," he added.
The Zonehaven platform can also be quickly updated with emergency shelter locations and other vital information if needed.
Emergency officials noted that last year's CZU Lightning Complex fire, the largest and most damaging in the county's recorded history, and the early start of the 2021 fire season make clear the need for all residents to "know their zone."
What should be done?
First, all San Mateo County residents should know their home, work and school zones, and then write those codes down in an easily accessible place.
In the event of an emergency, the Zonehaven platform is updated with real-time evacuation routes. Fire departments and other first responder agencies throughout the county will update the platform so that evacuation routes and other information is timely and localized.
As part of the "know your area" campaign, officials have urged residents to follow local emergency services on social media platforms in real time and sign up for SMC Alert, a free service that sends emergency text, voice and other messages to email accounts; cell and smart phones, tablets, landlines, home and work phones.
With additional information from Sunita Sohrabji. Video and photographs by Manuel Ortiz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
YREKA, California - More than 600 Hmong Americans from across California and as far away as Milwaukee and Minneapolis rallied Saturday at the Siskiyou County Courthouse in Yreka to demand a federal investigation into the June 28 fatal shooting of a Hmong father of three by law enforcement.
According to Mai Vang, a Sacramento councilmember who spoke at the July 17 rally, the protest has made this sparsely populated county in the foothills of Mount Shasta the new focus of Asian-American resistance to the rise of anti-Asian violence in the state.
In this case, the targets are Asian-Americans of Hmong, Cambodian, Laotian and Chinese descent who have settled in growing numbers in the county, many of them to grow small plots of cannabis in much the same way as their families did in Laos and Cambodia. The shooting intensified growing racial tensions between county authorities and cannabis growers. Although cannabis is legal in California, outdoor cultivation is prohibited in Siskiyou County. Growers are allowed to grow up to 12 plants indoors.
The shooting victim, identified as Soobleej Kaub Hawj, 35, allegedly turned the wrong way at a checkpoint on the A 12 near Weed during a mandatory evacuation order of the region in the early hours of the Lava fire. His wife and three children were in a second car behind him.
Law enforcement says he was turning back toward the evacuation zone when he was stopped, and that he was pointing a semi-automatic handgun.
Community activists differ, saying it was too dark to see inside the truck. A photo taken by an eyewitness shows the sides of the truck riddled with 21 bullet impacts and both side windows blown out. Activists also say an eyewitness video records the sound of at least 40 to 60 bullets being fired.
The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department did not issue a formal statement, but posted a response on its Facebook page: "Officer-involved shootings are complex investigations that take time to thoroughly investigate. There are certain details surrounding this incident that have not been made public as the investigation is ongoing; however, a comprehensive incident report will be made public in the future once the investigation is complete."
Zurg Xiong - a 33-year-old local activist who began a hunger strike on July 9 to demand justice for Hawj - was at the center of the July 17 rally. In a letter to Siskiyou Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue and the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors, which was circulated among the protesters, Zurg reiterated his demands: the release of all video camera footage, an official investigation into the shooting, and an end to racial discrimination against the Hmong community, including restrictive water regulations that activists say target Hmong farmers.
Surrounded by family members keeping a constant vigil, Zurg told the protesters that he was prepared to die if justice was not served.
Many elderly protesters, including Vietnam War veterans dressed in military fatigues, expressed a sense of betrayal at the county authorities' characterization of Hmong farmers as the "Hmong Cartel."
"Why do they hate the Hmong?" asked Dr. Lee Yao Pang of Sacramento, who was referring, like many at the protest, to the volley of bullets fired at Hawj's car.
"We served US forces in the secret war in Laos, rescued US pilots, lost over 35,000 lives supporting the U.S. Now we are accused of running a secret war on drugs here."
"What would a cartel be doing calling for dialogue and peacefully protesting like this?" asked Ed Szendrey, former chief investigator for the Butte County prosecutor's office, who has helped secret war veterans since the 1990s and came to the protest from Chico. He said the county's water regulations were so restrictive that they were driving Hmong farmers out of the county.
"It's as if they assume that every drop of water goes to cannabis cultivation, but people need water for cooking, for bathing, for living. Old couples now have to go to the stream for water.
Six Asian Americans filed a lawsuit on June 4, 24 days before Hawj was killed, seeking a temporary restraining order barring the Sheriff's Office from monitoring water delivery trucks in the Mount Shasta Vista area, where Hmongs make up the majority of residents. The plaintiffs claimed their water rights were violated in an ill-conceived plan to curtail marijuana cultivation. Read the lawsuit here: https://ecf.caed.uscourts.gov/doc1/033112450266
In their answer to the complaint, the defendants noted that thousands of pounds of illegally grown marijuana, with a street value of between $59 million and $179 million, had been seized in the area: https://ecf.caed.uscourts.gov/doc1/033112458714
The county regulation also prohibits pipes carrying more than 100 gallons of water, which activists say leads to racial discrimination against any Hmong who drive a truck with water. "People don't just lose their water, they lose their trucks," Szendrey said, "Alfalfa and wheat farmers use infinitely more water, and they're not stopped or questioned about their water use."
The water restrictions are on certain roads that cover much of the Hmong community, he said. "Even if it's not explicitly stated, this makes it a racist issue. There is a strong social group that wants to drive the Hmong out."
Szendery and other supporters of the Hmong community are calling for a Justice Department investigation into the Hawj shooting.
Mary Ly, a 20-year-old wife and mother of two, moved to Siskiyou from Denver last year to care for her mother. Since the water ordinances were passed, she said, she has experienced increasing animosity directed at herself and anyone who looks Hmong.
"After the regulations were passed, cars followed me home. People would take my picture and bother me. I'm a young Asian American girl, what if this happened to my mother? I'm scared of my mother going to the grocery store." Ly works in retail and says she sees how clerks disrespect Hmong elders. "I've never experienced racism like this before," she says.
Amid chants of "Shi lou, Shi pa" - love one another, help one another - speakers and protesters stressed that, in addition to seeking justice for an unexplained death, their goal was to seek dialogue with the authorities.
"We want to show the sheriff that we are strong and we have a voice," said Peter Thao, one of the organizers of the event. "We want to make sure the investigation moves forward and that they release the images of the body. But here's an opportunity to get to know each other and open a dialogue, and if law enforcement needs to be taught our culture, we're open to that."
John Thoa and his wife run a nonprofit for seniors in Fresno and have made the trip to Yreka because "this is a dialogue we need to have - among all our Asian groups - to express our concerns about what's going on here."
Nhoua Xiong, a Chico State student who grew up in Milwaukee, was inspired to join the protest by Martin Luther King, Jr.'s call that "injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere."
We have put aside tribal issues - we have 18 clans - and we are learning, after only 50 years of being in America, what it means to be an American: "to have the right to disagree.
But the optimism and call for dialogue is tempered by despair at the daily cruelty the Hmong say they experience. Among the demands in Zurg Xiong's letter to the sheriff and the Board of Supervisors is that Hawj's dog, Silk, who was also shot, be immediately released to the family. Silk was picked up by law enforcement officers the night of the shooting and will reportedly be "adopted."
Casa Círculo Cultural (CCC) took a big leap forward and is now even closer to the community it has served for over 12 years in San Mateo County.
On Wednesday, July 14, amidst applause, Mariachi music and cheers, CCC opened its new facility in the heart of North Fair Oaks at 3090 Middlefield Rd. in Redwood City, CA. 94063.
Casa Círculo Cultural is a community organization that, through art and culture, painstakingly provides tools for a better life to families in San Mateo County's most disadvantaged communities, including Redwood City, North Fair Oaks, Belle Haven and East Palo Alto.
San Mateo County Sheriff Carlos G. Bolaños cut the ribbon during the inauguration of the new headquarters.
"We are proud to serve the community that lives and works in these areas by offering cultural programs and working closely with volunteers, community leaders and experts," said Sheriff Bolaños.
For her part, the Consul of Mexico in San Francisco, Remedios Gomez Arnau, one of the great guests at the ceremony, noted that CCC has become the center of the Mexican community in San Mateo County.
"It is not only a house where you can find educational, cultural and artistic programs; it is very important because the community can be educated and feel comfortable learning new things, but above all, where Mexican culture is preserved," said Gomez Arnau.
"It is important as Mexicans living abroad, not to forget our roots and our origins, and the way not to do that is to continue learning about our culture, whether through cooking, dancing, music or art. That is going to enrich us, and it is very important that we can pass it on to our children so that they feel very sure of themselves and the identity they have," she said.
Carlos Bolaños (left) and Verónica Escámez (right) director and founder of Casa Círculo Cultural.
East Palo Alto Mayor Carlos Romero said that venues like CCC are very important because they complement formal education, which often does not delve deeply into cultural issues.
"This venue, to me, is almost sacred, in the sense that there are few places where people can come to see artwork, to see art, to work in the arts and dance. To have this community resource in Redwood City is fabulous, I wish someday we could have some of the CCC events in East Palo Alto to try to spread Latino culture and culture in general," she said.
CCC offers multiple bilingual programs, including technology, martial arts, cultural arts, youth and women's empowerment.
Importantly, CCC will expand its service to the community by sharing its programs with community organizations such as CARON Community Partnership and Sheriff's Activities League.
Diane Howard, Mayor of Redwood City, applauded the new facility's location in the heart of the community and close proximity to public transportation, and said she was happy for the community CCC will serve, as the accessibility will allow it to reach more children and youth.
Redwood City Vice Mayor Giselle Hale highlighted the importance of the location of CCC's new headquarters, noting that the new facility is very accessible to the public, which helps people get involved in the project and new cultural endeavors.
In addition to those mentioned, happy Bay Area personalities such as businesswoman Florence Fang; Parks and Recreation Department Director Chris Beth; as well as Redwood City Councilmembers Alicia Aguirre, Michael Smith and Jeff Gee, a member of the CCC Board of Directors along with Christina Corpus, Connie Guerrero, Adam Alberti, Chris Blom; as well as the CCC Executive Board attended the event.
New facilities, Casa Círculo Cultural.
Some highlights of activities at Casa Círculo Cultural include:
● Technology Lab. With school modules and extracurricular technology and communication activities that provide educational support to low-income and underserved families to help them achieve academic success, especially during distance learning due to COVID-19.
● Economics and Business Program, which organizes an annual children's fair, where students learn the principles of a business plan, including marketing, product development and sales.
● Social and cultural initiative, which promotes personal and community enrichment through art, theater, music, poetry and the organization of the Day of the Dead celebration in downtown Redwood City.
● The award-winning martial arts program, which seeks to teach discipline and personal strength to disadvantaged youth while preparing them to compete in tournaments that will give them skills to meet school and work challenges in their future lives.
● Women 's Social Lab. A collaborative and supportive workspace that benefits local girls and women by sharing collective experiences.
In addition, the CCC publishes books in Spanish and English, organizes a scholarship program each year, and presents a variety of family and community activities to reinforce the concept of "family" in the community.
To check the new class schedules for children from 5 years old to 100 years old, please go to the Casa Círculo Cultural website: www.casacirculocultural.org
On the other hand, also in California, the adverse dry weather and high temperatures give way to new fire seasons. Local authorities called to be prepared for possible fire emergencies in areas of the Bay Area, such as San Mateo County, in the coming days. We invite you to read the recommendations in the note.
And with the increase in active cases of COVID-19 infection in San Mateo County and other parts of the state of California, the use of face masks has been re-imposed in closed places.The new alert, which was released through Peninsula 360 Press, also includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sonoma and Berkeley counties, is being issued in response to a spike in cases caused by what is believed to be the aggressive Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, which is affecting both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Details of the alert, which was released through Peninsula 360 Press, also include Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sonoma and Berkeley counties.
Gun crimes on the rise in San Francisco: Mid-year crime statistics showed that for the first six months of 2021, gun violence and homicides have increased in San Francisco, rising from 22 in the same period in 2020 to 26 in this first six months, San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Police Chief Bill Scott announced. In that report, the numbers for robbery with violence and assaults are up. And although rape is a crime that deserves all the attention to its victims, it has shown a slight decrease from previous years.
Unfortunately, on 16 July we presented the independent research works of Philip KreycikThis time, accompanied by Gustavo Bernal, who shared with Peninsula 360 Press the search strategy and possible theory of what might have happened to Kreycik the morning of July 10 when he left his home for the Pleasanton Hills on his mountaineering routine. "A group of us folks found ourselves today searching the areas where there is speculation that Philip may have been," Bernal stated. "His parents, his children and his friends want to see him back home."
At Colombia 360a Peninsula 360 Press space dedicated to following the victims of aggressions by armed forces in Colombia during the National Strike, Yor PL said that in the marches there are different lines ready to fight repression. Yor assures that Colombia is living a stage of social repression where the police are hated by many in the community. We invite you, of course, to read the article, or if you prefer, watch the video that is available on our YouTube channel.
In addition, sociologist Manuel Ortiz talks to us in this week's podcast about his trip to Colombia to meet, first hand, the victims of forced disappearances, repression against demonstrators -resulting in facial injuries- and above all, to meet the parents who have suffered the loss of their children by execution at the hands of the public forces -National Police and the Esmad-. In the same sense, the lawyer and coordinator of Primera Línea Jurídica, Rubén Darío, pointed out that the constant state of war in which the Colombian government is involved, gives way to the justification of arbitrary acts against its society. We invite you to listen to the program through Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Local authorities called to be prepared for possible fire emergencies in the Bay Area, such as San Mateo County, this Sunday and Monday.
The San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, better known as CalFire in its San Mateo-Santa Cruz division, and the Sheriff's Office, warned of this after monitoring the weather and drought conditions in the area, a situation that has raised alarms for the authorities themselves.
And that's because the possibility of lightning sparking new wildfires has put the National Weather Service on fire alarm for parts of the Bay Area.
The weather watch covers the North Bay Mountains, East Bay Hills, Diablo Range and Santa Cruz Mountains.
It should be noted that a weather watch is different from a red flag warning. The weather watch comes first and, if conditions become more severe, a red flag warning is issued.
The weather agency said there is a slight, or "minimal" chance of thunderstorms occurring, and "it's not a shock by any means, but the impacts could be large if lightning occurs."
CalFire Deputy Chief Jonathan Cox noted via his Twitter account that the warm, dry weather means a higher risk of wildfires this weekend.
In that regard, he called for assembling an emergency supply kit that remains accessible.
But what should you have in an emergency kit?
CalFire suggests at least one gallon of water per person per day, enough for at least three days.
If you have pets, bring extra food and water; a first aid kit; sanitation items such as garbage bags and wet wipes; a radio to keep you alert and aware of what is happening in the area; canned and long shelf life or non-perishable food; and can openers and basic eating utensils.
In addition, always allocate a supply of medication if someone has a prescription; and last but not least, essential documents and copies either digital or paper and cash. These should be kept in a small bag within easy reach of those responsible for making sure everyone is safe.
Taking the necessary protections and precautions can save lives.
In the 1990s my parents set up a grocery store in a semi-urban neighborhood in what was then Mexico City, now Mexico City. I had to help in various ways in the family business: accompanying my father to the Central de Abastos to stock up, taking inventory or attending to the business in my spare time.
In honor of my grandmother, the store was called "Abarrotes Carmelita". It wasn't a big business, in fact it barely helped to get through the week. I remember that many people came to borrow money, the paycheck wasn't enough and the family had to be fed.
Always supportive, my parents adopted the notebook, a little notebook where several people wrote down the products they asked for: loose diapers, a liter of milk, a kilo of rice, eggs, beans or sugar, oil and even a cigarette "to calm the nerves" were adding to the list of customers who, almost always, came to pay as soon as the fortnight arrived. It is unthinkable that this type of solidarity practices are given today in the Oxxo, Seven Eleven or other companies.
Solidarity practices in the neighborhoods of Mexico City are many. There is the batchfor example, which allows savings and helps those who choose the first numbers to get out of trouble. There is also that of pass the passThe "Transit fare," which allows passengers who have boarded full public transport to make their payment and also to receive their change. Not long ago I learned that it is still alive too. to help pour the castingThe list is long, it would be worthwhile to make an inventory. The list is long, it would be worthwhile to make an inventory.
The social response to the 1985 and 2017 earthquakes in Mexico City hold an important place in the collective memory of Chilean solidarity. The first one I knew more through family stories and literature. The second, I saw and lived it directly: that Tuesday, September 19, 2017, thousands of people of all ages and trades overflowed with solidarity in the City and its surroundings. Many stories of that day are being told and will continue to be told.
The fact is that, far from this selfish individualism that seeks to impose itself as the norm of life, there is in many neighbourhoods of the city a principle of solidarity, of community, of mutual help. I am sure that it will be this being in common that will pull us out of the abyss.
Raúl Romero is a sociologist, Latin Americanist and academic technician at the Institute for Social Research at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. UNAM.
