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Unexpected Latin Humanities Course Results

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General Idea of Latin American Studies                   Honest Course Opinion    Beginning the first week of Humanities, I was stressed out with falling behind on the assignments given on the first day, which I was out on a hike and had no idea I would be given homework on a Saturday. Taking American Humanities last semester, I gained some insight into the idea of what humanities are and why the topic is important. I expected this class to be as fun as my last humanities class in which I wanted to learn about how Latin Americans are able to live such enriched lives that were created in unique ways, both by the influence of colonizers and by those that created civilizations along the way that have grown and fallen. Nearing the end of the semester, I believe that the definition of humanities is studying the way humans live in specific areas and the culture they live by that can grow to influence outsiders. This definition intrigues me to consider looking into studying the concept of hum
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Incorporating American Culture Into Oaxacan Life

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Smile Now, Cry Later (2017) Artists: Dario Canul and Cosijoesa Cernas       Artwork Introduction     Wtth many pieces of artwork to look at on the website of MOLAA , or Museum of Latin American Art, I was able to get a glimpse into specific pieces of artwork that caught my attention the most. Viewing artwork from the exhibition of OaxaCalifornia: Through the Experience of the Duo Tlacolulokos , I found some artwork that caught my attention for the longest time possible. I selected this exhibition because our course had discussed about the Oaxaca in a past module, and I thought it would be a nice refresher of what I knew or new insight into information unknown to me. Created by artists Dario Canul and Cosijoesa Cernas in 2017, they portray Oaxacans incorporating American culture into their lives. For example, one piece of artwork from the exhibition, which is pictured on the right, shows a Oaxacan woman sitting in a chair taking a selfie while wearing a pair of Adidas shoes. Pictured in
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Spread of Inaccurate Information Across the U.S.-Mexico Border

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A Migrant Group Waiting On a Bridge Location: Mexican side of the Paso del Norte International Bridge (Between El Paso, Texas and  Ciudad Juarez, Mexico) Date: March 10, 2021            Misinformation Regarding the U.S.-Mexico Border       There is a lot of information online in which what is being stated may be skewered from the truth. Considering the fact that the United States is gradually becoming modernized through technology, the assumption can be made about the amount of misinformation increasing over the course of the years. Such misinformation connects to immigration as there are assumptions of Mexican immigrants possibly causing trouble in the United States. There were many programs to choose from on Latino USA , which is a media website that talks about topics that are important for the Latino community to recognize. The host of the program titled Cross-Border Misinformation  is Maria Hinojosa and Jean Guerrero is the guest speaker. Jean talks with Maria about what she belie
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The Struggles of Migrant Farmworkers in the United States (Book Review)

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A Migrant Farmworker Picking Strawberries Location: Santa Maria, California                        Book Summary     There is a lot of information unknown to the general public about how the products they buy reach store shelves. In Seth M. Holmes' book titled Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States , he delves into the details of how migrant farmworkers survive, from taking the risk to cross the Mexico-U.S. border to sleeping in poorly-build shelters to earning the bare minimum to somewhat support their financial needs. Migrant farmworkers are stereotyped in a way that, "In much of the mainstream media, [they] are seen as deserving their fates, even untimely deaths, because they are understood to have chosen voluntarily to cross the border for their own economic gain" (Holmes 25). From taking the initiative to crossing the Mexico-U.S. border to experiencing life working on the fields, Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies  informs readers about false ste
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Importance of Birth Control

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                  Latino USA Perspective Birth Control Options for Women (Injection, Pill, etc.)      Birth control is important for many women who do not want to have too many children. Nowadays, opportunities are limited to receive birth control products in the United States, especially for lower-class women. Latino USA is a media website that covers important topics through podcasts and articles, which their coverage revolves around the Latino community. The host of the program titled Birth Control In Times Of Crisis   is Maria Hinojosa, which the role of the host is then passed to Marta Martinez. Marta is experiencing what life is like for Ecsibel Henriquez, a woman that is pregnant with her second unplanned child. The date of the podcast is April 9, 2021, and was listened to on April 15, 2021.  I learned that birth control services have had many limitations and are impacting many women such as Ecsibel. I like how Maria was able to go into detail about the effects of getting rid o
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Valuable Stories of the Maya

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    The Popol Vuh , which was interpreted by Allen J. Christenson, goes into detail about significant events that shaped the Maya. It is an important recollection of Maya events, which has a variety of interpretations. Some of the key characters include Hunahpu and Xbalanque. A notable passage titled "The Miraculous Maize of Hunahpu and Xbalanque" explains what happened after the Hero Twins dethroned the Xibalba. In the passage, the Hero Twins say, "'...We are they whose names are Hunahpu and Xbalanque. Our fathers are they who you killed, One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu by name. We are the avengers of the misfortune and affliction of our fathers....'...Now at the same time, the Grandmother was weeping, crying out before the ears of unripe maize that had been left planted. They had sprouted, but then they dried up when they were burned in the pit oven. Then the ears of maize had sprouted once again, and the Grandmother had burned copal incense before them as a memo
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The Forgotten Olmecs

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    The Olmecs were once a thriving civilization for a long time in Mesoamerica. Nowadays, there are a limited number of artifacts preserved that were left behind. It is unclear what happened that caused the downfall disappearance of the Olmecs. In the YouTube video Lost Kings of Central America , James Cooper goes on an adventure to discover the rich history of the Olmecs and what is left from them that has been preserved. Through many hours of driving and walking, he uncovers a lot of landmarks and objects that not a lot of people have the opportunity to see in real life. After uncovering a volcanic basalt rock, James goes on to explain how "important stone working was to the Olmec" and "the effort involved in immortalizing members of the elite tells us how strongly the Olmec must have believed in their leader's ability to influence nature and provide for the people" ( Lost 20:48-20:50, 21:20-21:30). The volcanic basalt rock was one of the boulders that the Ol
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