Alice Oseman’s Solitaire, the graphic novel that is also part of and takes place in the same universe as the acclaimed “Heartstopper” book series by the same author, and revolves around the character of Charlie Spring.
This Saturday, like every Saturday, Camilasbooks makes us a recommendation of one of its favorite books, and although this novel is one of its classic suggestions, “Solitaire” by the British writer, screenwriter and illustrator Alice Oseman, has become one of its most special publications.
The graphic novel, Camilasbooks says in her space on Península 360 Press, is also part of and takes place in the same universe as the acclaimed “Heartstopper” book series by the same author, and revolves around the character of Charlie Spring.
In the case of “Solitaire”, it tells the story of “Tori” or Victoria Spring, Charlie’s older sister, a character who, in the opinion of Camilasbooks, is a “quite eccentric” teenager, as she is cynical, isolated from the world, and with a solitary and introverted life, aspects with which the reviewer herself identifies.
And the thing is, Tori “doesn’t usually express or externalize much of what goes through her mind, so getting to know her in this novel has been very special, especially when we meet a teenager who is quite isolated and is in a period of self-discovery.”
“For me it has been a very special book, it has been like a shelter, it has been like a hug, especially because there are several aspects in which I understand Tori very well and I have been able to see myself reflected in many of the attitudes that she has,” she stressed.
Camilasbooks also highlights that it is “nice” to come across a character who has this type of behavior, since it is not usually common in literature, especially because, sometimes, these characters or this type of behavior tend not to please or does not help the development of the plots that readers might expect.
To this, he adds that the book becomes interesting by touching on the topic of development and self-discovery in a stage of life that everyone goes through.
“(It's nice) to see and accompany this character in this period of his life. Honestly, this book was a hug for me because I think that in some way it made me feel understood by some being in the world, especially because, sometimes, there are things and attitudes that one can have that do not fit with the rest of the people, one feels very external and isolated or one can also be the author of one's own life.”
The lightness and sensitivity in playing these and other themes are some of the highlights of why Camilasbooks recommends “Solitarie” by Alice Oseman.
To learn more about this book and its other reviews, don't miss the Camilasbooks space on the Península 360 Press social networks.
Medi Cal is transforming. In its first phase, the program reached out to communities to listen to their true needs, regardless of immigration status, religion, language, origin, sex or age, providing a more complete and comprehensive service.
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Medi-Cal has been transformed with the goal of reaching more people, regardless of immigration status, religion, language, origin, sex or age, providing a more complete and comprehensive service. In its first phase of transformation, the program reached out to communities to listen to their real needs.
California reached its lowest uninsured rate in 2022. Access gaps result in health disparities, as people in underserved groups, such as low-income people and people of color, experience higher rates of illness and death.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) continues to transform Medi-Cal (California's comprehensive health coverage program for children and families), making historic investments to achieve equity in health care.
The program seeks to expand to all low-income Californians regardless of immigration status, expand language access so members can receive interpretation services, and create new community supports beyond the doctor's office, including housing assistance, psychological care, and personal care services.
In addition to this commitment to health equity, DHCS leaders toured the state to hear from Medi-Cal members who have experienced health inequity firsthand, said Selene Ozturk. of the Department of Health Services, during a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services.
With support from community organizations, they formed the first phase of DHCS’ Roadmap for Health Equity, a new initiative to create a Medi-Cal that is more focused on members and their true needs.
Once the first phase of the Health Equity Roadmap is complete, a pre-designed phase will be developed that will use member feedback to make Medi-Cal more equitable; these results will be made available on their website once processed.
Dr. Pamela Riley, Chief of Health Equity and Deputy Assistant Director for Quality Management and Population Health at the Department of Health Care Services, said that all people, regardless of color, religion, origin, age or income, have the right to health care, while lamenting that this goal is not always achieved due to the disparities they face.
"Equity goes beyond access, we have to ensure that we provide efficient health services for everyone.", he explained.
Riley said that if we want to achieve real change, we must work directly with the members, listen to them and get to know their needs, especially in indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, which are the most vulnerable.
Last year, an initiative was launched that is transforming the Medi-Cal program. It is a phased implementation where health care is focused on members and is specifically targeted to them, providing dental and comprehensive care, explained the graduate in Anthropology.
"Phase one is a statewide tour to meet and listen. Phase two will involve working with program members using community feedback and initiatives to ensure all voices are heard.", he stressed.
Dr. Riley also said that phase three will be the result of the foundation that has been laid to create a path to health equity in which viable elements will be put in place to achieve mutual objectives and arrive at a more equitable Medi-Cal system.
It is worth noting that phase one has been completed, during which the most vulnerable communities were visited to listen to residents and understand their needs. During these trips, the most important issue to consider was linguistic diversity, as people need to feel understood and heard.
Debbie Toth, President and CEO of Choice in Aging, shared that she has been with the organization for 22 years and has never had a project this important, something that excited and inspired her.
"Historically, there had not been work done so focused on communities, knowing the needs of each person through their own stories.", he stressed.
When Toth arrived at Choice in Aging, he noticed that they did not have a program focused on Spanish speakers. When this space opened, people from Mexico, Argentina, and Spain gathered, where one person commented: “We share the language but not the culture.””, so she understood that they do not have the same needs and it was important to see each person in a unique way.
"We assume things because they share the same characteristic, but a person cannot be identified by just one thing since there are many identities.", he added. Thoth.
Michael Whalen, director of programs at The Bedford Center at Choice in Aging, said there is a need for more senior care centers, spaces where people feel loved and valued regardless of their age.
She said that they provide a social and community place where people feel special and part of a community, as it is very important that everyone has a place to spend their time in the afternoons, a special place that makes them feel unique and that goes beyond a medical check-up, but supports them in a comprehensive way.
Redwood City's budget has a $21 million surplus; but those funds apparently couldn't be touched because the municipality anticipates that the numbers coming in the next few years… will be red.
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Redwood City is now in a more comfortable position than other neighboring cities in the county to face a budget shortfall. It has a $21 million surplus in fiscal year 2023-24; but those funds apparently could not be touched because the city anticipates that the numbers coming in the next few years … will be in the red.
The money will be needed in the next two fiscal years, so there would not be much left to pay for essential services in the coming months, including salaries and the maintenance of the police force.
On Monday, June 10, the City Council discussed in a “study session” some of the measures that could be taken to address the crisis.
As we reported, Redwood City is considering including a tax on new business licenses on the local ballot in the November elections.
Prevention is cure
At the meeting on Monday, June 10, it was reported that a survey of residents resulted in a proposal to invest one million dollars in security cameras to be installed in some areas of the city.
However, this initiative did not go down well with some councillors.
Vice Mayor Lissette-Espinoza Garnica and Councilman Chris Sturkin said they would prefer to see at least some of the camera funding go toward programs that help keep vulnerable youth out of the criminal justice system.
According to Espinoza-Garnica, “the best way to invest that money would be to put emphasis on prevention services” (of crimes) instead of spending it on programs that are useful if the crime has already been committed or if the incident has already occurred.
“Using more police or cameras to combat crime is not going to reduce it,” said the Latina vice mayor. “That only perpetuates the cycle of criminalization,” she said.
The deficit: here and in Sacramento
Among the causes of the fiscal hole that is troubling the city is the possible refusal of the state government to pay Redwood City's share of motor vehicle license fees.
Typically California collects that money and reimburses it to municipalities during the next fiscal year. But as the state faces its own $28 billion deficit — according to Gavin Newsom's budget — Sacramento suggested three counties could Not receive those vital funds. And among them, is our San Mateo County.
Mayor Jeff Gee is optimistic that the refund will eventually be paid to municipalities.
“These funds are very volatile,” Gee said. But he also warned that “services and programs will have to be adjusted to the budget” available.
For fiscal year 2024-25, if the anticipated deficit is covered with that $21 million, there will still be a deficit of $15 million.
What to do and what not to do
According to a report submitted by the city, another cause of the deficit is the slow economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The same report proposes cutting city spending by 5 percent if necessary, which would mean eliminating the downtown police unit, closing the Red Morton Community Center on weekends, and cutting youth and recreation programs.
What will not be suspended for now is the repair of sidewalks, the replacement of traffic lights, the construction of wheelchair ramps and the completion of work in the pedestrian zone on Broadway Street.
The next budget discussion will be on Monday 24th, and public comments are accepted before the date and in person on the same day.
Sixteen people were hospitalized after a shooting at a Juneteenth celebration near Oakland's Lake Merritt on Wednesday night, Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell said.
Sixteen people were hospitalized after violence broke out at a Juneteenth celebration near Oakland's Lake Merritt on Wednesday night, Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell said.
At least 15 people were shot, one suffered an unrelated injury and some officers were assaulted after a show erupted into fights and then gunfire in the 400 block of Grand Avenue, Mitchell said at a news conference Thursday.
Police made one arrest for assaulting an officer, but no arrests have yet been made for any of the shootings or other acts of violence.
At about 8:15 p.m., about 20 vehicles, including ATVs and dirt bikes, began an illegal show, Mitchell said. During the show, someone ran over the hood of a vehicle, prompting several people to get out of the car and “violently attack” the person. This then led to multiple fights breaking out along Grand Avenue between Euclid and Bellevue avenues.
“Unfortunately, these fights escalated to multiple individuals firing firearms, and over 50 bullet casings were recovered,” Mitchell said.
When officers arrived and began to render aid to the injured, Mitchell said people in the crowd began attacking officers. Deputy Chief James Beere said officers were punched in the face and upper body.
In all, 15 people went to the hospital with gunshot wounds and one person was treated for an undisclosed injury. The victims are in their 20s and 30s, Mitchell said. Their injuries ranged from minor gunshot wounds or superficial wounds to the loss of fingers. One person was still in critical condition Thursday afternoon.
The Oakland Police Officers Association blamed the violence toward police on understaffing within the department.
“If city leaders truly value public safety, we must seriously consider adequately staffing the Oakland Police Department,” read a statement released by the union on Thursday. “Yesterday alone, our officers were stretched to the limit, dealing with a homicide, multiple shootings and an incident involving an individual armed with a rifle, in addition to the Juneteenth celebration.”
Mitchell and Beere rejected the idea that there were not enough officers to handle the June 16 event, saying there were 100 officers on patrol Wednesday night, 30 of whom were at the lake.
“You have to understand that this is a big city,” Mitchell said. “We had officers there with special detachments to provide high visibility there.”
Mitchell also said officers had been called to reports of someone with a rifle in West Oakland, and also to a homicide before that.
Mitchell said that starting this summer, Oakland police will request assistance from other law enforcement agencies and his department will restrict traffic flow in the area of the melee to reduce the opportunity for sideshows. He also said that an increased police presence will be planned for the Fourth of July.
“The opportunity to celebrate with family and friends should never be marred by gunfire,” Mitchell said, adding that the department will “work tirelessly” to identify and arrest the suspects involved in Wednesday’s shootings.
The PAN, PRI, PRD member, Bertha Xóchitl Gálvez Ruiz, was the weakest opposition candidate in Mexico in recent decades.
The results of the historic electoral process of June 2nd allowed a full house to run for the political coalition Let's Keep Making History, made up of the Morena, Green Ecologist Party of Mexico and Labor Party, and headed by the first future female president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
With figures from the District Computation of the 2023-2024 Electoral Process of National Electoral Institute (INE), the Virtual President, Sheinbaum Pardo, obtained a total of 35 million 924 thousand 519 votes, representing 59.75 percent of the total vote (surpassing by several million votes, the also historic figure obtained by the outgoing president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, in 2018).
In a distant second place was candidate Gálvez Ruiz, who barely reached 16 million 502 thousand 697 votes, which represent 27.45 percent of the total electoral result.
The young candidate of the Citizen Movement Party, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, received a vote of 6 million 204 thousand 710 votes, that is, 10.32 percent of the Mexican vote.
For those of us who closely follow the electoral campaigns and the electoral process itself, it was no surprise that the “Plan C” project was consolidated, as the strategy was called for the Let’s Continue Making History Coalition to obtain the majority in the Executive and Legislative Branches.
It is clear that the size of the vote is the responsibility and obligation of the elected authorities to respond to the people of Mexico. For those who live in that country and the millions of compatriots who live in the United States, although the immigration issue is a separate matter.
One of the reasons, in my opinion, for the so-called Mexican opposition, made up of the former enemy and rival parties, obtaining terrible results, was the combination itself. How could a Mexican citizen imagine the PRI and the PAN together to obtain electoral posts? How could they imagine the PRD teaming up with the PRIAN to nominate candidates?
The Fuerza y Corazón por México Coalition, which nominated Gálvez Ruiz, was unnatural, unthinkable for Mexicans less than 20 years ago. It was like putting water and oil together, putting those three political forces in the same bag and nominating the “weakest rival.”
Since June 12, 2023, the date on which the senator and former head of the defunct National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (a position she held during the Federal Government of Vicente Fox Quesada, between 2000 and 2006), appeared at the doors of the National Palace to try to personally confront President López Obrador, her fate was sealed.
It was López Obrador himself who put her on the national stage, it was López Obrador himself who made many Mexican politicians believe that there really was a dispute between López and Gálvez, and that what there was all along was an intention to position the former head of the Miguel Hidalgo delegation as a candidate so that Sheinbaum Pardo could also appear as a candidate.
President López Obrador promoted the candidacy of two women. One from his team and one who, at the time, sought all possible prominence. Only Claudia came to power.
The PRI, PAN and PRD did not learn from their electoral defeat in 2018. Although in that year the political alliances were composed differently, the PAN with the PRD, the PRI with the PVEM and Movimiento Ciudadano, agreements were already seen coming between political entities that in the past were antagonistic and that could not be conceived that they would participate together in an election.
The shadow of the stories of the national leaders of the PRI, Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, questioned former governor of Campeche, as well as the leader of the PAN, Marko Antonio Cortés Mendoza, also made a dent in Gálvez Ruiz's campaign. Given the shady pasts of the party leaders, the famous phrase "don't help me, buddy" could very easily be applied.
Gálvez Ruiz's figure never fit. He made many mistakes. Faults in his speeches, poor image management, lack of proposals. In the three presidential debates he dedicated himself to attacking the one he knew was the most advantageous competitor, that is, Claudia, whom he apparently saw even in the soup, because he did not stop mentioning her name, to disqualify her, at every opportunity.
But why was Gálvez Ruiz the weakest candidate? It must be remembered that, in the internal process of selecting the presidential candidate, in this case, the female candidate, the PRI, PAN and PRD simulated an internal process in which Gálvez Ruiz and an old-school Mexican politician, a die-hard PRI member, Beatriz Paredes Rangel, former governor of Tlaxcala, former national president of the PRI, former federal deputy and current senator, among other positions, participated.
Paredes Rangel's handicap was undoubtedly her long career as a PRI member, at a time when the Mexican electorate has been rejecting the traditional parties, namely the PRI, PAN or PRD. However, that fact does not mean that she is not an outstanding Mexican politician, who could have given the candidate of Morena, PVEM and PT a better fight, although it would not have been enough to win, she could have acted as a better counterweight.
They simulated an internal process, through the famous finger pointing they decided on Xóchitl Gálvez and put her on the ship that would not reach a safe port.
It is enough to make a brief comparison between Xóchitl Gálvez and Claudia Sheinbaum. One comes from a less than outstanding career, in which even her academic preparation was questioned, as a federal legislator no important legislative proposals were made and in her time as head of the delegation, there was talk of mismanagement.
Claudia Sheinbaum is a woman of science. Prepared, even, a former student of the prestigious Stanford University, in California. With a career in academia and in important elected positions, such as having governed one of the largest cities in the world. There have been accusations against her and she has come out to clarify and deny them.
But to this panorama, it must be added that the opposition in Mexico, made up of the previously antagonistic parties; PRI, PAN and PRD, never listened to the electorate. The campaign was so disorganized that there were complaints about the lack of use of resources to promote the image of Xóchitl Gálvez. There are accusations against the party leaders, at least from the PRI and the PAN, that the campaign money was used for other things, that those resources were diverted.
The opposition, as before, dedicated itself to discrediting the López Obrador government, criticizing the social programs that were being promoted, such as: support for the elderly, student scholarships, and the elimination of intermediaries in delivering government support.
The people realized that, unlike what the PRI governments had been saying for more than 80 years and the PAN for 12 years, that there were resources to support the neediest classes, what was happening was that all those resources ended up in the very bulging bank accounts of the politicians in power.
The Mexican people were involved in political life. They were taught that their vote counts and that elections do not work like they used to, when people did not go to vote because “we already know that the same people as always are going to win.”
Even Mexicans living abroad went to consulates and embassies in various countries like never before to try to cast their vote.
Starting on October 1, the day Claudia Sheinbaum takes office, Mexico will have a woman as president of the Republic. This is the first time in 200 years of political life in that country.
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo will govern Mexico from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2030.
The spread of Shigella reaches homeless camps, where the Shigella bacteria cause vomiting and diarrhea, which are often bloody. It is transmitted when people put anything that has been in contact with infected feces into their mouths, such as shaking a contaminated hand and then using it to eat.
A bacterial outbreak has emerged among homeless people living in San Jose encampments at Columbus and Roosevelt parks, but health officials say the risk to the general public is low.
Three confirmed cases of Shigella, a highly contagious intestinal bacteria, were identified between June 3 and June 17. Two people have been hospitalized and four people are being evaluated. There are 19 suspected cases linked to the same outbreak.
Shigella bacteria cause vomiting and diarrhea, which is often bloody. It is spread when people put anything that has been in contact with infected feces into their mouths, such as shaking a contaminated hand and then using it to eat. People can also get the disease by drinking contaminated water.
“What’s concerning about this outbreak is not the absolute number. We see cases of Shigella on a regular basis,” said Dr. Monika Roy, a health assistant with the county Department of Public Health, on Tuesday. “What’s more concerning is the number that are related to each other.”
Mild cases of Shigella usually clear up within a week. Antibiotics may be prescribed if necessary.
Santa Clara County first learned of the Shigella cases after those hospitalized were tested.
Both Columbus and Roosevelt parks are located along waterways, the former on the Guadalupe River and the latter on Coyote Creek.
Roy told San José Spotlight that the county is testing people along the waterways for the disease. Of those with confirmed and suspected cases, most did not live along the river. However, they have not tested the rivers and streams to see if there has been contamination.
“Right now, our strategy is really focused on preventing the spread,” Roy said. “Testing will not provide conclusive or definitive results on either the cause or the control mechanism.
There is a potential for Shigella to spread through waterways and contaminate other people who use the streams, Roy said, so the focus is on providing safe, sanitary water so people don't need to use the streams.
To prevent the spread of Shigella, San Jose is increasing the number of portable toilets and handwashing stations at both locations and cleaning the stations regularly. The city will also provide drinking and washing water. The county public health department has deployed teams to distribute test kits at suspected encampments and to continue testing.
“We will continue to follow any guidance or direction from public health or law enforcement and experts on this, and provide all services and support our unhoused residents need to ensure their safety and that of the community,” San Jose Deputy City Manager Harkness said.
San Jose has 6,340 unhoused residents, 4,411 of whom are living on the streets, along rivers or in tents, according to the county’s 2023 biennial homeless count. This number doesn’t show the full picture of homelessness in the city, as it only measures people who experience homelessness on a single night. The survey is often considered an undercount.
To prevent future outbreaks among homeless people, Harkness said the city is working to build up its housing capacity in the coming years.
“We have a goal of about 1,200 units in terms of shelter and we’re committed to doing that over the next 12 months,” Harkness told San José Spotlight. “And we want to get people out of unhealthy and unsafe conditions. We want to give them a better alternative.”
El plan migratorio de Trump pondría en práctica deportaciones masivas, recorte a presupuestos de planes que apoyan a migrantes, entre otras duras políticas contra las personas indocumentadas, lo que preocupa a expertos analistas.
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Donald Trump es aspirante en las elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos este 2024, el cual plantea un plan migratorio que preocupa a expertos, pues el republicano pondría en práctica deportaciones masivas, recorte a presupuestos de planes que apoyan a migrantes, entre otras duras políticas contra las personas indocumentadas.
El ex mandatario ejerció como presidente de Estados Unidos en el 2017, y durante durante su administración tuvo grandes cambios en el plan migratorio, pues separó familias en la frontera, impuso una “prohibición musulmana” y canceló el Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) para los hondureños, que va dirigido a aquellas personas que no pueden regresar a su país de origen debido a un peligro como un conflicto armado o desastre natural.
A su vez, limitó la Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA, por sus siglas en inglés) una política quepermite solicitar una licencia de conducir, un número de seguro social y un permiso de trabajo a "dreamers”, y lanzó obstáculos sobre la inmigración legal y el sistema de asilo, acciones en su mayoría deshechas por Biden.
En 2025 se espera una serie de reformas en todas las agencias del gobierno federal, por lo que en febrero de este año el Centro Niskanen publicó un informe que habla de los 175 cambios migratorios que el gobierno realizaría de ganar Donald Trump las elecciones presidenciales, informó Cecilia Esterline, analista de investigación sobre investigación de la misma organización en una conferencia informativa realizada por Ethnic Media Services.
"El plan (de Donald Trump) no refleja lo que los estadounidenses quieren ver en un sistema seguro de migración, que sea controlado y eficaz”, señaló.
Esterline puso como ejemplo el tema de las visas H-2A y H-2B, las cuales permiten a los empleadores estadounidenses traer extranjeros a Estados Unidos para ocupar empleos agrícolas y no agrícolas temporales. Cada año el gobierno federal publica una lista de países elegibles que pueden utilizar dichas visas, con base en métricas de riesgo para mantener la seguridad migratoria.
"El proyecto 2025 pretende utilizar la financiación para intimidar a los estados y a las localidades, para que cumplan con las prioridades políticas de la administración, por ejemplo: el tema de ayuda financiera para los estudiantes”, agregó la también licenciada en Estudios Internacionales.
De igual manera, mencionó que solo personas que tienen Green Card y ciudadanos estadounidenses pueden optar por la ayuda financiera estudiantil, sin embargo, los criterios para la matrícula se determinan por estado, los cuales tienen distintas necesidades.
26 estados más Washington D. C. han optado por permitir a los beneficiarios que califiquen para la Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes; en tanto, 23 estados han optado por permitir que los migrantes indocumentados realicen la solicitud de apoyos federales, pero en un intento para obligarlos a cambiar este tipo de políticas, el proyecto 2025 le ordena al Departamento de Educación denegar el acceso a préstamos a los estudiantes incluyendo a ciudadanos estadounidenses.
De llevarse a cabo, 67 por ciento de los universitarios podrían perder el acceso a la ayuda federal, lo que representaría un golpe devastador a la educación, finalizó Cecilia Esterline.
David J. Bier, director de Estudios sobre Inmigración del Instituto Cato, explicó que muchas de las propuestas que tenía Trump en su mandato van a regresar en caso de ser elegido como presidente, por lo que todos podrían tener un panorama general de lo que ocurriría.
Bier comentó que un ejemplo muy claro de lo que va a cambiar es el plan de refugiados, el cual se vio afectado 90 por ciento, y se espera que el presupuesto llegue solo a 100 mil dólares.
Para implementar el plan de Trump, también se deben considerar varios factores. En 2019 eran detenidas alrededor de 20 mil personas diariamente, por lo que deportar a millones, bajo las condiciones actuales, sería un trabajo muy complejo, comentó el director de Estudios sobre Inmigración del Instituto Cato.
"Sus planes de traer al ejército, de tener campamentos de detención y todas esas cosas, son inconstitucionales, es decir, ilegales. En la administración pasada de Trump trataron de detener a las personas en la frontera en condiciones totalmente ilegales”, agregó el también asesor político.
Bier mostró su preocupación por el plan de Trump, ya que no se tienen los recursos ni los espacios para detener a tantas personas como quieren hacerlo; se necesita movilizar, cuidar y vincular a todos los que lleguen para regresarlos, y en ese lapso se les debe proporcionar una cama, alimentos y servicios de salud, entre otros.
Zachary Mueller, director de investigación de America’s Voice Education Fund, explicó que la agenda migratoria de Trump presenta 3 principales amenazas interrelacionadas en forma de deportación masiva, violencia política y a la democracia estadounidense.
Entre lo más preocupante, dijo, es que se considera llevar a cabo campañas activas para reunir y detener de 15 a 30 millones de personas, dirigidas por tropas de la Guardia Nacional; además de que se afectarán a 80 por ciento de las personas que han llamado a Estados Unidos su hogar, ya que Trump ha dicho que no solo volteará a ver a los recién llegados, por lo que todos están en peligro, llegando a la deportación masiva.
Most people in the United States support affordable housing, however, attitudes often change when local developments are proposed. Stanford researchers found that negative emotional associations like racism impact affordable housing.
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Most people in the United States support affordable housing, however, attitudes often shift when local developments are proposed. Stanford researchers have found that negative emotional associations with the idea of affordable housing, as well as racist beliefs, contribute significantly to neighborhood opposition to these spaces.
It’s well known that the United States has a severe shortage of affordable housing, and while polls have shown that most people support building more affordable housing, “the reality is that local opposition from the public at town meetings remains a huge barrier,” said Sarah Billington, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford.
In a recent study, Billington and his fellow researchers explored the factors that predict support for affordable housing at the local level.
Their work, published in the Journal of Planning Education and Research, shows that people's emotional responses to affordable housing can play a significant role in shifting hypothetical support for affordable housing to specific opposition to local construction.
Researchers say these reactions may be rooted in unconscious biases, such as racism or classism, and that addressing them could help build support for affordable housing developments.
“We really wanted to see how this emotional response, which may be driven in part by unconscious racism or classism, combines with more conscious racism,” explained Isabella Douglas, who led the research as part of her doctoral work in Billington’s lab. “There has been a call in urban planning to grapple with people’s emotional responses to the built environment and to recognize that these emotional responses, while they can be difficult to understand and manage, have a big impact.”
According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there are only 34 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income households nationwide. The United States would need an additional 7.3 million affordable homes to fill this gap.
“This is a national crisis,” said Deland Chan, a Stanford researcher with expertise in urban planning and co-author of the paper. “The issue of affordable housing affects everyone, not just those in big cities, and we need more interdisciplinary perspectives and collaborations to make progress on these complex societal issues.”
Researchers distributed an online survey to 534 participants across the United States and found that while most participants supported affordable housing at the state, city, and neighborhood levels, the amount of opposition doubled at the neighborhood level.
“There’s a proximity effect, where as you get closer and closer to the person, their support levels go down,” Douglas said.
Many of their results were similar to what had been found in an earlier study conducted a decade ago: People who made more money, lived in suburban neighborhoods, or were more conservative tended to be less supportive of affordable housing in their neighborhoods, while people who trusted the federal government more tended to be more supportive of it.
The researchers also found several trends and correlations that had not been previously reported: People with higher levels of education or who lived in single-family homes were less supportive of affordable housing, and people who had lived in their neighborhood for more than 10 years or who had personally interacted with affordable housing were more supportive.
However, the most important predictors of opposition to affordable housing were racism and negative emotional connotations associated with the idea of affordable housing.
While the effects of symbolic racism have been documented, the finding that people's initial emotional response, potentially stemming from unconscious racism or other biases, can affect their views on affordable housing is new.
The researchers also found statistical evidence that these factors interacted with some neighborhood-level demographic characteristics, which could help explain the shift in support to the opposition once actual development proposals are on the table.
For example, people living in suburban neighborhoods had more negative emotional connotations with affordable housing, so they tended to be more opposed to neighborhood developments. This finding was not related to symbolic racism, highlighting the important role of emotional responses and the potential unconscious biases behind them.
“A lot of times, arguing about buildings is used as a more socially acceptable way to protest affordable housing projects,” Douglas said. “We’re going to be dealing with the effects of racism on our projects and we need to be able to talk about that and address it.”
The researchers intend for this initial work to be a starting point for understanding how engineers can help increase support for affordable housing developments.
Less than 5 months before the presidential elections in the United States, President Joseph Biden will announce new actions on immigration matters, such as legal status for undocumented spouses of US citizens and work visas for beneficiaries of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA.
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Less than 5 months before the presidential elections in the United States take place, the president Joseph Biden will announce new actions on immigration matters, such as legal status for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens and work visas for beneficiaries of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA.
On Monday, President Biden announced that the Department of Homeland Security will take steps to ensure that U.S. citizens with noncitizen spouses and children can keep their families together.
This new process, he said, will help certain noncitizen spouses and children apply for lawful permanent residency - a status to which they are already entitled - without leaving the country. This, he said, is intended to promote family unity and strengthen the economy, providing a significant benefit to the country and helping U.S. citizens and their noncitizen family members stay together.
To be eligible, non-citizens must have resided in the United States for 10 years or more as of June 17, 2024, and be legally married to a U.S. citizen, meeting all applicable legal requirements. On average, those eligible for this process have resided in the U.S. for 23 years.
Those who are approved, after a case-by-case evaluation of their application by DHS, will have a period of three years to apply for permanent residence. They will be allowed to remain with their families in the United States and will be eligible for a work authorization for up to three years. This will apply to all married couples who meet the requirements.
This measure, Biden said, will protect approximately half a million spouses of US citizens and some 50,000 non-citizen children under the age of 21 whose parent is married to a US citizen.
In addition, the president announced that he would facilitate the visa process for American university graduates, including Dreamers.
The announcement will allow individuals, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers, who have earned a degree from an accredited U.S. higher education institution in the United States, and who have received a job offer from a U.S. employer in a field related to their degree, to more quickly receive work visas.
This, he stressed, was acknowledged by the national interest to ensure that people who are educated in the US can use their skills and education to benefit the country.
In that regard, Biden explained, “the Administration is taking steps to facilitate the employment visa process for those who have graduated from college and have a highly qualified job offer, including DACA beneficiaries and other Dreamers.”
Los desafíos del Alzheimer aumentan a medida que la población envejece y crece en California, pues se prevé que el número de personas que viven con esta enfermedad y otras relacionadas a demencias se duplique en los próximos 20 años mientras que las disparidades en el acceso a las comunidades rurales desatendidas de California están más presentes.
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Los desafíos del Alzheimer aumentan a medida que la población envejece y crece en California, pues se prevé que el número de personas que viven con esta enfermedad y otras relacionadas a demencias se duplique en los próximos 20 años mientras que las disparidades en el acceso a las comunidades rurales desatendidas de California están más presentes.
Los californianos que viven en regiones rurales y remotas se enfrentan a retos adicionales a la hora de acceder a servicios preventivos, de detección, diagnóstico y cuidados, en comparación con los aquellos que viven en comunidades urbanas, pues la falta de transporte público implica tiempos de desplazamiento más largos para acceder a estos servicios y recursos sanitarios críticos.
La doctora Rita Nguyen, subdirectora de Salud del Estado de California y directora de Salud de la Población del Departamento de Salud Pública de California dijo que el Alzheimer es la causa de muerte de muchos residentes.
Y es que, se debe trabajar en las necesidades del futuro creando conciencia de la enfermedad: desde cómo se presenta, qué pueden hacer las personas para prevenirla y los tratamientos disponibles, afirmó Nguyen durante una sesión informativa realizada por Ethnic Media Services.
“Practico medicina interna, la mayoría de mis pacientes son adultos mayores y es maravilloso ver cuando las familias se involucran, cuando los propios pacientes hacen preguntas y es también la oportunidad de una mayor justicia y una mayor equidad en los resultados de salud pública”, comentó la funcionaria.
Ngutyen manifestó su preocupación por las disparidades que existen entre las comunidades rurales, donde las familias y pacientes en muchas ocasiones no tienen la información necesaria a su alcance.
Para prevenir el Alzheimer, dijo, se debe trabajar en la dieta, ejercicio, sueño y convivencia social, siendo los puntos claves a considerar durante el desarrollo de la enfermedad.
Carmen Estrada, directora ejecutiva de Inland Caregiver Resource Center (San Bernardino), compartió lo que están trabajando para satisfacer las necesidades de las comunidades rurales desatendidas de California.
"Somos parte de una red de 11 centros de recursos para cuidadores en todo el estado de California, nuestra misión es ayudar a las familias y comunidades a enfrentar y gestionar los desafíos del envejecimiento”, comentó.
Estrada explicó que no se trata solo de dejar folletos en un centro comunitario o en una iglesia, sino que es ese alcance continuo para construir relaciones y colaborar en la lucha contra el Alzheimer y apoyar el cuidado, no solo en persona sino también por teléfono, de ser necesario.
Sumado a eso, explicó que trabajan con la comunidad y para la comunidad, formando lazos de cariño, tomando la traducción de textos e información como una herramienta necesaria.
"Pensé que los latinos no quieren hablar sobre cuidados paliativos, pero realmente depende de cómo abordas el tema y así es como logras que la gente hable sobre ello. Así es como aprendes cómo quieren que te acerques a ellos cuando se trata de cosas como la traducción, por lo que es realmente importante”, finalizó.
Maria Cortez, cuidadora de un familiar con Alzheimer, residente en el condado de Glenn y cliente de The Peg Taylor Center for Adult Day Health Care en el condado de Butte, compartió sus experiencias con su hermano, que era una persona muy fuerte, gentil y trabajadora.
Maria contó que su hermano fue despedido y él mismo se alejo de sus familiares, donde nadie sabia que pasaba con su salud; comenzó a comportarse raro y diferente, la desinformación no les permitía conocer más de lo que veían y cuando supieron que le ocurría realmente, todo cambió.
Así como este caso, muchas veces las creencias y la desinformación se vuelven el peor enemigo del paciente y de los familiares, por lo que es necesario informar y que todos se involucren, subrayó.
Hagar Dickman, abogado senior de Justice in Aging, comentó que es muy importante la labor que ejercen los cuidadores familiares, que con su amor y paciencia se dedican a guiar y proteger a sus seres queridos durante su enfermedad.
Su proyecto se centró en identificar barreras a los servicios de cuidado personal para individuos, específicamente cuidadores, siendo autodirigido, lo que significa que los consumidores tienen que encontrar, contratar, supervisar y, si es necesario, despedir a sus cuidadores.
Realizaron más de 80 entrevistas de grupos focales y entrevistaron a más de 100 personas en una amplia y diversa gama de individuos en todo el estado sobre estas barreras, donde descubrieron que las personas de bajos ingresos con Alzheimer y demencia de nivel medio a avanzado, realmente no tienen opciones de atención comunitaria.
"Lo que vimos en las entrevistas es que las personas con Alzheimer o demencia que no tienen cuidadores familiares tienen dificultades para navegar a través de los programas de ejercicio con deterioro cognitivo. Entonces, incluso aquellos que encuentran cuidadores en un momento determinado no pueden obtener las horas suficientes para mantenerlos en casa", he stressed.
Dickmanque agregó que el Programa de Vida Asistida tienen una lista de espera tan larga, de alrededor de 3 mil personas, que es realmente imposible acceder a ese programa para las comunidades rurales, además de estar disponible solo en 22 condados, por lo que es una buena opción, pero no esta disponible para todos; de este modo, tener programas alternativos y mantenerse informados es la mejor opción.
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