#TheLatinaPress: Issue 2

MENTAL HEALTH

May was mental health awareness month and our mujeres aka #TheLatinaPress gave us what we needed! At HipLatina, Shayne Rodriguez Thompson broke down the cultural narratives Latinas face. Whether it’s our famous work ethic, the stigma around seeking therapy, or figuring out how to take better care of yourself, Shayne reminded us to try slowing down. Jeanette Hernandez interviewed the Latina and Black co-founders of I AM HERE TO about their goal to build joy, reconciliation, and healing among activists for BELatina. In San Diego, KPBS reporter Tania Thorne pulled together a panel of local experts on Latinx’s mental health. While Juliana Jiménez J. took the COVID route, noting how the disease can have long-lasting, but not untreatable, mental health effects.

All month, anger has been boiling over in Colombia over the government, the pandemic, and the newly proposed tax plan. For a good overview on what’s happening, check out these two Ph.Ds outlining the history and context of the crisis. For more on the government’s violent overreaction, including their killing and “disappearing” of protestors, read Natalie Gallón’s reporting. And if you want to know how to help, head over to Christina Noriega’s primer in Remezcla.

The second and final installment of Selena: The Series dropped in May and Latinas, well, we had OPINIONS about it. This season covered her death so of course, there were tears as Liz Calvario reported. After the lukewarm (at best) response by Latina critics to season one, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that Rosa Parra for Luz Collective and But Why Tho’s Kate Sánchez give the second half what could charitably be called “mixed” reviews or less charitably, total takedowns. Regardless, music sales of Selena’s work are way up as Toni Gonzalez reports. And we’ve been bopping to “Baila esta cumbia” all month – you?