Lowrey’s body of work encompasses vibrantly colorful paintings and collages that lift the spirits of the viewer. Many incorporate lyrics, poetry, puns and elements of graphic design. They offer a provocative dose of irony or punchy humor, often with a Southern U.S. lilt. Some are abstractions featuring tactile explorations with paint, while others are explosions of geometry and still others are illustrative. At age 91, Lowrey paints for approximately four hours per day.

Building a dream home in Mexico

How did this couple, originally from Alabama and Tennessee, whose careers led them over the decades to various universities and artistic communities in the U.S. South, and who ultimately established themselves in Los Angeles, suddenly decide to move to Mexico?

“Lida had a friend who talked incessantly about a special Mexican town,” explains Lowrey. “We decided we had to see San Miguel de Allende. We came down in 2010 and immediately fell in love with the people, the architecture, the quality of the art scene and the sophistication of the design ethos here that we saw epitomized at YAM Gallery and Skot Foreman Fine Art. Within days, we bought a colonial-era house on Canal Street.”

“We named the house Casa de los Tíos in honor of the inheritance we had each received from beloved uncles, which enabled us to buy it.” The couple worked with Barboza Arquitectos to create a multiple-story, light-filled interior.

Then they set about building their dream home in the countryside on the outskirts of San Miguel. Working with another Mexican architect, Luis Sánchez Renero, they designed a truly spectacular house that would provide each of them with a gorgeous studio. The house consists of three glass pavilions connected by glass corridors. The stunning home has been featured in various international magazines, from Italy to Brazil.

“My parents were ahead of their time in the way they moved between the disciplines of art and design. They both had a profound, intuitive curiosity about the connections, overlap and points of mutual inspiration in the art and design worlds,” noted their daughter, artist Sheridan Lowrey, who has added numerous dramatic, intriguing art installations to the landscape surrounding the home. She uses locally-made tiles and displays Mexican vernacular pottery.

Making artistic connections in San Miguel de Allende

“I love L.A. and miss many things about the South — the waterfalls and mountains, the places I danced in my youth — but I have found fresh inspiration and beauty here in Mexico,” noted Lowrey. 

In San Miguel, the Lowreys discovered a thriving community of art- and design-oriented expats and found that noted L.A. artists such as Lari Pittman and Roy Dowell had homes here. San Miguel’s art scene has certainly evolved over the years. For decades, art students have come to study at the Instituto Allende and Bellas Artes. Now those storied institutions are somewhat less central to the scene, with many established artists working out of Fabrica la Aurora and creating their own studio spaces throughout the city and its environs.

Pilgrimages to San Miguel by Lowrey’s former art and design students

Lowrey received his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Auburn University in graphic design and fine art. He was a career professor of graphic design at the University of Georgia, Indiana State University and last and longest at North Carolina State School of Design.

In each place Austin and Lida lived, they established architecturally interesting live-work spaces for themselves. They did this in the university towns of Raleigh, North Carolina; Athens, Georgia; and Terre Haute, Indiana. In Terre Haute, for example, Lida bought an old church in a blue-collar neighborhood and turned it into a gallery and antiques store named Revival.

Eventually, they moved to San Pedro, the port of Los Angeles, where they became well-established in the local artist community. They had conjoined 3,000-square-foot spaces; Austin’s space was decorated with early American art pottery, flea market objects and outsider art and design, while Lida’s was a white cube gallery.

Lowrey’s students keep in touch with him, and a number have journeyed to San Miguel to visit him, including, most recently, the previous design director at Appalachian State University.

Lowrey even taught his daughter Sheridan at North Carolina State University. “My parents have always been my best friends,” she said, “because we share a love for art and design.”

Lowrey’s other daughter, Elizabeth, is an architect recently named one of Boston Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Bostonians of 2024.

Lida, who passed away in 2020, described herself as “a prolific artist, working in various paint and print media exploring both abstract and representational imagery with conceptual and technical vigor.” Her work, she wrote “is also knowingly referential and witty in subject matter and form.”

Debra Broussard, Lowrey’s current gallerist, noted that “Both the artist and his art are not only deeply sophisticated and moving but also approachable and welcoming.” Lowrey’s work may be viewed at the San Miguel Art Loft.

To learn more, visit sanmiguelartloft.com. To schedule a private viewing of Austin Lowrey’s work, contact Debra Broussard at info@sanmiguelartloft.com. 

Based in San Miguel de Allende, Ann Marie Jackson is a writer and NGO leader who previously worked for the U.S. Department of State. Her award-winning novel “The Broken Hummingbird,” which is set in San Miguel de Allende, came out in October 2023. Ann Marie can be reached through her website, annmariejacksonauthor.com.

The post Austin Lowrey: Still creating provocative art at 91 appeared first on Mexico News Daily

In 2023, Time Out magazine named Colonia Americana the best neighborhood in the world, and just recently, the Ministry of Tourism recognized Colonia Americana as the city’s first Barrio Mágico (Magical Neighborhood). 

I’m very fond of this neighborhood as my mom grew up there in the 1970s when it was exclusively a residential area. Today, many of the 19th century facades house some of the city’s — and even the world’s — best bars, restaurants and a diverse range of nightlife entertainment. 

So as a Tapatía native, here is my guide to the Best Bars in Colonia Americana. 

Bar Américas

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Bar americas (@baramericas)

Bar Américas is a classic spot in Guadalajara for electro-music lovers. My friends and I used to go there in our university years when we wanted an alternative to the trendy nightclubs in the city. Unlike many other nightclubs which have disappeared, Bar Américas continues to thrive as a popular spot. 

Known for exclusively playing electronic music, Bar Américas is one of the few bars in the area that remains open until 5 am. National and international DJs frequently perform there, and it’s widely recognized as the best club in Guadalajara — probably even in Mexico. 

Where? Av. Chapultepec Sur 507.

El Gallo Altanero

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por El Gallo Altanero (@elgalloaltanero)

Coming in at No. 48 in the World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list, El Gallo Altanero is a tribute to the agave culture of Jalisco. The bar’s cocktail menu boasts agave spirits exclusively, combining commercial brands and a large selection of independent producers. 

Adapting to seasonal fruits and focusing on regional pairings, the menu changes every two months. Some of its current seasonal drinks include the Negroni No. 14, Mango Viejo and Chabacano Jaibol. 

Each month, the bar’s owners invite guest bartenders from Europe, the United States or Latin America to go to Guadalajara and take over the bar.

Where? Calle Marsella 126

Matilde Mi Amor

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Barra | Matilde Mi Amor (@matildemiamor)

Despite only having four years under its belt, Matilde Mi Amor has become a favorite spot amongst Tapatíos. Its casual dining menu features Mexican spirits, fine cocktails, tapas and pizzas. 

The bar’s interiors are designed with lively green tones, evoking a tropical ambience. Additionally, its terrace offers panoramic views and is pet friendly. 

Old favorites include the “Amiga Date Cuenta” cocktail and the signature “Matilde Mi Amor.”

Where? Calle Colonias 221. 

Farmacia Rita Pérez

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Farmacia Rita Perez (@farmacia.ritaperez)

Another entry in the World’s 50 Best Bars Discovery list, Farmacia Rita Pérez is a metaphor for overcoming a sickness after buying medicine at a pharmacy. As a nod to the bar’s name, its cocktail menu highlights the region’s agave spirits using various traditional herbs and spices that have been historically used medicinally. 

The 50 Best described it as “the perfect place to drink as a local.” In the afternoon, the bar’s pace is easy and relaxed. At nightfall, the pace quickens at the beat of everything from cumbia to norteño to Queen.    

The food menu includes aguachile in the afternoon and tacos at night.  

Where? Calle Colonias, 79. 

Pare de Sufrir

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Pare De Sufrir … Tome Mezcal (@paredesufrirgdl)

A bar that promises to stop suffering — what more of an invitation do you need to stop by? Its full name is “Pare de Sufrir… Tome Mezcal,” or “Stop Suffering… Drink Mezcal,” which probably needs no further explanation.

Pare de Sufrir has won itself a place in the heart of Guadalajarans due to its wide selection of agave spirits and other traditional Mexican drinks. More than a bar, it describes itself as a “cultural center for music, mezcal and drinks.” 

The bar’s interiors are bright with murals, string lights, and a live DJ catering to every taste. 

Where? Calle Argentina 66 

De La O Cantina

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Delao Genovevo (@delao_gdl)

This is yet another entry on the World’s 50 Best Bars Discovery list. The fact that this keeps happening should probably be an indicator of the quality of nightlife in Colonia Americana.

With a white brick wall decorated with framed images of the Mexican revolution, De la O Cantina draws inspiration from Mexico’s traditional cantinas, serving cocktails made up from traditional drinks like tepache, a fermented pineapple drink, and pulque, fermented sap from the agave plant which was a popular pre-Hispanic alcoholic beverage. 

The bar’s namesake is Mexican revolutionary Genovevo de la O, to whom a section of the cocktail menu is devoted. 

Besides drinks, the place offers a small selection of food too. 

Where? Calle Argentina 70.

El Habanero Negro

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by El Habanero Negro (@elhabaneronegro)

Offering a tropical vibe year-round inspired by Yucatán Península, El Habanero Negro is more than just a bar. With a food menu that includes small plates — of tacos of cochinita pibil, plátano, pepita hummus and pork belly — this place satisfies those craving a light meal paired with good drinks. 

Its drink menu includes original drinks like the chejuino, which combines tejuino – a traditional drink in Jalisco made of fermented corn – and beer (also dubbed chela), gin tonics and carajillos. But the house’s staple is the fruity Bagaloo cocktail. 

Where? Calle Manuel López Cotilla 1228A.

Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.

The post The coolest bars in Guadalajara’s Colonia Americana appeared first on Mexico News Daily

Coupled with the prospect of tariffs being slapped on exports to the U.S. under President-elect Donald Trump, tequila’s glory days in the United States seem to be in peril.

“The tequila industry is set for a very turbulent 2025,” Trevor Stirling, an analyst with the financial management firm Bernstein, told FT.

“Much more new spirit is being distilled than is being sold, and inventories are starting to accumulate,” he added.

Half a billion liters of surplus tequila in storage

According to FT, Mexico was sitting on more 525 million liters of tequila in inventory at the end of 2023.

Also, about one-sixth of the 599 million liters of tequila produced last year remained in inventory — according to figures shared with FT by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) — although some of that is being aged in barrels rather than waiting to be bottled or sold.

U.S. consumers’ thirst for tequila has grown rapidly over the past decade, in part due to a host of celebrity-backed brands such as comedian Kevin Hart’s Gran Coramino, model-influencer Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila and actor George Clooney’s Casamigos.

Another such brand, Santo — founded by celebrity chef Guy Fieri and rocker Sammy Hagar — was reportedly victimized by a heist in the U.S. last month that netted the thieves more than 24,000 bottles of the stuff.

Despite the robbery, demand for tequila in the United States has fallen over the past 18 months, with FT citing two reasons: a decline in the pandemic spirits boom and imbibers cutting back on their drinking due to higher prices.

FT wrote that sales of spirits in the U.S. shrank 3% during the first seven months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, based on data provided by IWSR, a leading analyst of the global alcoholic beverage industry.

IWSR, which originally stood for the International Wine and Spirits Record, noted that U.S. tequila consumption fell 1.1% during that span — well below its 4% rise in 2023 and 17% rise in 2021 at the height of the tequila surge, FT reported.

The volume of tequila exported from Mexico reached an apex of 418.9 million liters in 2022, marking the 13th straight year of growth.

Over that span, tequila exports from Mexico increased by 207% — and since 1995 the increase was a whopping 548%.

However, the export volume dipped to 401.4 liters last year, according to data from Statista.com, a 4.2% dropoff from 2022.

Tariffs threaten to deepen the tequila slump

Adding to the emerging tequila slump is Trump’s threat to hit Mexico, the U.S.’s biggest trading partner, with a 25% tariff on its goods.

“It would be shooting themselves in the foot because their consumers would have to pay much more,” said CRT president Ramón González.

FT noted that Mexico relies on the United States to buy 83% of its exports.

Two-thirds of all tequila produced in Mexico was exported in 2023, FT reported, with 80% of that going to the United States. The next two largest export markets were Germany and Spain, with about 2% each, according to FT.

Tequila is protected by a designation of origin. Like French champagne or Italian parmesan cheese, products using the name tequila can be produced only in regions officially recognized by the Guadalajara-based CRT: most of Jalisco and parts of Nayarit, Michoacán, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas.

In addition, tequila must be made of at least 51% blue Weber agave, with an added requirement for “agave tequila” (such as blanco or silver) that all sugars come from blue agave.

Citing research by Bernstein, FT noted that large tequila brands have been cutting prices for more than a year in response to weaker consumer demand.

Moreover, the price of agave has plummeted from about 30 pesos per kilo to between six and eight pesos (for suppliers with contracts), or as low as two pesos on the spot market, according to producers and farmers, FT wrote.

With reports from Financial Times and Reuters

The post Mexico is sitting on 500 million liters of unsold tequila appeared first on Mexico News Daily

Some are Mexican, bought from a local street vendor or in Tlalpujahua, a Pueblo Mágico in Michoacán famous for its artisanal Christmas ornament industry. Others are faded and worn, dating back to my childhood. My final stage of tree-trimming is adding the tinsel that I use year after year. I love its look, even if it gets everywhere and I’m still finding it months after we take down the tree.

Christmas in Guanajuato

In Guanajuato, the Christmas season gets off to a rollicking start on Dec. 12, the feast day celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint. At the Santuario de Guadalupe, the day is filled with prayer, music, food vendors and riotous celebration. We go early, before the crowds, to watch the faithful carrying offerings of food and flowers . Some arrive on their knees, crawling across the tiled floor of the church. While I’m not a believer, I am deeply moved by their expression of faith.

Throughout the month of December, Christmas-themed concerts and choirs are held at Guanajuato’s iconic Teatro Juárez and local churches. Many people host private parties, far more than my husband Barry and I ever went to when we spent Christmas in California. The foreign community seems to get caught up in the sense of festivity that accompanies the season here.

Celebrating when you’re not Mexican

Many resident foreigners celebrate Christmas with their adopted Mexican family. Barry and I used to do that, but we are early risers and can’t stay up til 3 a.m., for the post-mass feast. Somehow, over the years we’re learned to sleep through the fireworks that Mexicans light off during holidays — and many other days — and which produce ear-shattering bangs.

On Christmas morning, we always lead a gentle hike for anyone interested, and at least 10 to 12 grateful people show up, happy to have a chance to be active. Some folks turn into future friends and others are simply passing through, but everyone seems to appreciate a group hike. In the afternoon, we stroll around and people-watch. 

In honor of Barry’s British roots, we celebrate Boxing Day on Dec. 26 by hosting a gathering at our home. Our guests always want to know what Boxing Day is, of course. The origins are still debated, but most people agree that it was the day in Britain when servants would collect their yearly bonuses, gifts and leftover foods delivered in boxes.

In my crockpot I prepare homemade wassail, which tastes similar to Mexican ponche.  But the treat that disappears the fastest is my sherry trifle, a recipe I inherited from my Welsh mother-in-law. Neither foreigners nor Mexicans have a clue what a treat they’re in for. I admit yellow cake mix and packaged custard doesn’t sound especially inspiring, but everyone loves it. Trifle is one of those treats that are supposed to taste better the longer they sit around, but mine has never lasted long enough to know.

The right way to do Christmas

After many years of spending the Christmas season in Mexico, I can see my own culture more clearly, and I pick and choose which parts of it I want to include. To a U.S. American, it’s a relief that the heavy lifting of Christmas is over before it even starts in the United States. In fact, Christmas in Mexico has an uncynical innocence that reminds me of my childhood.

Spending Christmas in a culture that is not our own helps Barry and I let go of any latent Christmas scripts still hanging around. We can’t do Christmas ‘right’ in Mexico because the script doesn’t work here. We decorate our tree, walk in the hills, and sing “Oh Little Town in Bethlehem” in Spanish. While we will never be Mexican, we are accepted and welcomed here, and so is our Christmas.

Louisa Rogers and her husband Barry Evans divide their lives between Guanajuato and Eureka, on California’s North Coast. Louisa writes articles and essays about expat life, Mexico, travel, physical and psychological health, retirement and spirituality. Her recent articles can be found on her website, authory.com/LouisaRogers.

The post A blended Christmas makes for holiday happiness appeared first on Mexico News Daily

What stands out most in San Miguel is people’s hospitality and friendliness, even towards children. I love how welcome my kids are in many restaurants and public spaces. A lot of people are happy to see them and show their joy and affection openly. I certainly can’t say the same about my home city of Hamburg in Germany.

In Germany, people are noticeably different in the summertime: we’re more relaxed and take time for the finer things in life. In Mexico, that approach is present all year long. Firstly, because the weather makes it possible, but also because people infect each other with their joie de vivre. There is always something to celebrate and rarely a really good excuse not to take part. You get invited to all the birthdays of even the most distant relatives and the celebrations usually go on for several days. 

Parents are also welcome at children’s birthdays, where beer and wine are served next to soft drinks. You are in the right place in Mexico if you like to celebrate. Even if it’s “just” a meal with friends, there’s tequila as an aperitif, and the bottle rarely makes it through the night. Of course, alcohol is not a must. You can enjoy life late at night with tacos from a stall on the street corner just as much as with a delicious drink at an expensive rooftop bar. Barbecues are held as early as January and garden parties take place all year round. 

However, that doesn’t mean that people are lazy. On the contrary, I have met so many highly motivated, hard-working people who are dedicated precisely because they enjoy their time off. Working hours are productive and efficient. They usually start after a morning workout and are interrupted by a meal with the family. I like this central role that the family plays and am convinced that a large part of the quality of life depends on it. My life as a mother of three is also greatly enhanced by the fact that we can afford a housekeeper here in Mexico. She gives me the freedom to take my children to the playground in the afternoon after work instead of having to do the household chores. I am grateful for the valuable time I get with them. 

Of course, not everything is great. As a German, the poor condition of the roads and the chaotic traffic bother me. The main thing I miss about San Miguel de Allende is the freedom of being able to reach everything on foot. I never needed a car in Hamburg. I could reach all my destinations either on foot or by bike. If necessary, by bus and train. 

Here in San Miguel, I am totally dependent on my car. Especially with children, I would welcome the opportunity to simply walk out the front door and go to a park or a playground. However, apart from the fact that most things are too far away, there are no decent footpaths. I can walk on the streets on my own, although of course that’s not entirely safe, but with a baby carriage it’s an odyssey. If you want to ride a bike or go for a walk, you first have to drive to a suitable place, just like in the United States. It’s very different in Germany. Once you’re there, however, it’s beautiful.

Something that has changed in the last couple of years, is the very welcome presence of good coffee shops. Though it might be intuitive to think that Mexico, a coffee producing country, should be full of amazing cafes serving delicious brews, that’s not often the case; it’s true that Mexican coffee beans are exceptional, but they’re mostly grown for export. Luckily, the global trend of meeting and working in coffee shops has arrived in San Miguel too. Nowadays you can find aromatic lattes and intense flat whites in many corners of the city.

Wherever I’ve lived, I’ve always missed German bread. True to form, I was quite disappointed by the bread in San Miguel, and turned to local tortillas instead. I am absolutely in love with the exceptional quality of panaderías popping up everywhere in town. Sourdough helped make people eat bread again, even though real Mexicans still leave out the migajas. 

Last but not least, Germans are huge fans of sitting outside, and San Miguel’s spectacular rooftop terraces, paired with the ideal climate of this stunning city in the heart of Mexico, are probably the biggest reason to settle down here — with or without kids.

Sarah Pankow was born in Hamburg, Germany and settled down in San Miguel de Allende with her family after having lived in 7 different countries all over the globe. She writes, translates and teaches German and literary translation.

The post A German in San Miguel de Allende appeared first on Mexico News Daily

Mesnac has one other facility in North America, an industrial engineering company in Akron, Ohio. 

Though Mesnac, a world leader in the production of rubber processing machinery, did not yet reveal any additional details, Chinese financial news publication Yicai Global reported that the plant will be developed and operated by a subsidiary based in Hong Kong.

Industry news site Cluster Industrial speculated that Mesnac views Mexico — with its strategic nearshoring location and thriving automotive industry — as an ideal platform from which to establish a tire factory.

Mesnac has been deeply involved in the tire mold industry for many years and supplies global tire customers with tire mold products with reliable quality and excellent performance, according to Rubber World magazine. On its website, Mesnac claims it is among the top three companies in its field, thanks to advanced processing equipment and high-standard management systems. 

The factory will be built in the city of León in the central state of Guanajuato, a premier automotive production location. Auto factories in Guanajuato boast an annual production in excess of 800,000 vehicles, according to online industry magazine Mexico Business News.

The company also has an affiliate, Sailun Tire Company, located in México state. In March, Sailun announced a joint US $427 million investment to build a factory in Irapuato, Guanajuato, according to Cluster Industrial. Tire Direct, a Mexican tire marketing company based in León, is putting up 49% of the investment.

The new tire company — to be called Aztema Rubber & Tire Manufacturing — is expected to be operational in March 2025.

With reports from Cluster Industrial, Tyre Trends, Forbes México and Rubber World

The post Mesnac to invest US $20M in Guanajuato tire manufacturing plant appeared first on Mexico News Daily

Chalacatepec is being developed using state funding and is expected to commence operations by the end of the year. It is hoped that it will boost the region’s economic development.

The state government aims to establish “a public-private partnership scheme for operation… [and] Airports and Auxiliary Services (ASA) is at that stage of launching that tender to find out who might be interested,” Lemus was reported saying on news site El Economista. Meanwhile, “Lagos de Moreno is an airport with private investment that requires the respective authorizations,” the governor said.

Chalacatepec is being constructed on Jalisco’s Costalegre coast. It will be Jalisco’s third international airport after Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, both of which are managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), which operates 12 airports across Mexico’s Pacific coast.

The pre-existing runway has been renovated with 102 million pesos (US $5 million) of funding from the Infrastructure and Public Works Ministry. The project consists of a platform, taxiways, a 3,000-square-foot terminal building and a 500-foot connection road to the parking lot.

The Costalegre region was voted as one of the best destinations in the world to visit in 2025 by the travel magazine Travel and Leisure.

“This recognition proves that it was worth fighting these six years to make the beaches of Costalegre a gateway to world tourism through the Puerto Vallarta International Airport or what will soon be the third airport in Jalisco, Chalacatepec,” Jalisco’s former governor Enrique Alfaro wrote in a post on social media site X on Nov. 26.

Meanwhile, the Lagos de Moreno Airport, located on the border of Jalisco, Aguascalientes and Guanajuato, will enhance connectivity with Mexico’s central Bajío region. It consists of a 7,200-foot runway that can accommodate large aircraft such as the Boeing 737.

The airport will increase the region’s cargo capacity, helping to position Jalisco as a major logistics hub. It is also expected to support nearshoring activities, enhancing access to U.S., Canadian and European markets.

The development will attract investments and generate jobs, benefiting local industries such as poultry, agro-industry and technology, the governor said, according to the news site Kiosco Informativo.

With reports from El Economista, Players of Life, Kiosco Informativo and N+

The post Jalisco prepares to inaugurate a new international airport and reactivate an old one appeared first on Mexico News Daily

This remarkable initiative is led by an American expat who recently returned from San Miguel de Allende to New York City. For six years, from 2016 to 2022, New Yorker and anti-trust lawyer Tracey Kitzman lived with her young son and daughter in San Miguel de Allende, where the kids became bilingual and the whole family regularly volunteered in the community. Kitzman was the president of women’s microlending organization Mano Amiga and the volunteer coordinator for Casita Linda, which builds homes for families living in extreme poverty. Kitzman and her family continue to work with Casita Linda by leading service trips for groups of students and volunteers who have raised money to fund a Casita Linda home.  

In 2018, migrant caravans traveled through central Mexico, and Kitzman joined volunteers who donated food and other critical supplies. She was particularly inspired by a friend, fellow San Miguel expat and attorney Rebecca Eichler, who traveled to join the caravan to provide pro bono legal assistance, an effort chronicled in the award-winning documentary film Las Abogadas.

The family returned to New York City in fall 2022 for Kitzman’s son to attend high school. At that time, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas had started sending busloads of migrants to New York, so Kitzman and her children immediately volunteered with a nonprofit organization called Team TLC NYC. Their role was to greet and assist people coming off the buses at the Port Authority terminal, putting their Spanish skills to good use. At that point, the Port Authority allowed Team TLC to work out of an old American Greetings card store in the terminal. “It was chaotic but wonderful,” said Kitzman. “I was proud to see New Yorkers stepping up to help people in need.”

Kitzman quickly offered to organize volunteer lawyers to assist the asylum seekers. She teamed up with Jethro Eisenstein and Michael Barkow, retired attorneys with pro bono experience in immigration law. They started running a triage table at the Port Authority and soon realized that what people needed most was assistance in filing for asylum applications and work authorization. Given the huge influx of migrants, particularly from Central and South America and West Africa, the capacity of other pro bono providers was maxed out.  

So they offered their first legal clinic in June 2023 at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn Heights, where Kitzman is a member of the congregation, and they have been running them weekly since September 2023.

“The people we work with are anxious about the future, eager to comply with the rules of a system that they don’t understand, and grateful for our assistance. It is a pleasure to work with them,” said attorney Jethro Eisenstein.

“It’s rewarding to give people hope when they are facing an intimidating, somewhat arbitrary system,” Kitzman continued. “I have to say it’s challenging for anyone to navigate a bureaucracy in a new country while learning a new language. I am a lawyer myself, but when I lived in Mexico I found myself needing to hire a local advocate to assist me in applying for residency visas for my family. Even basic biographical information is difficult to provide when you have to do it in another language.”

The legal clinics offer only pro se (self-representation) assistance because of the volume of applicants. The advocates focus on the critical step of getting the asylum seekers’ applications correctly submitted, but they unfortunately do not have the resources to then support each applicant throughout what is often a multi-year adjudication process.

One key form of assistance that Team TLC NYC volunteers provide is helping individuals apply for work authorization. Being able to work legally in the United States is a primary goal of many of the migrants that attend the clinics, according to Kitzman. “I receive so many wonderful photos from people when they get their work authorization cards. There is such joy in the photos.”

Team TLC NYC volunteers also assist migrants with filing for changes of venue and updating their address with the court and immigration service.  Because many migrants are initially housed in city shelters that require people to reapply for spaces every 30-60 days, address updates are all too frequently needed. The group also provides monthly training sessions on the asylum process and work authorization for their own volunteer advocates and for volunteers from other organizations.

“The triage operation spearheaded by Tracey Kitzman has helped scores of people to navigate the immigration system,” noted Eisenstein.

Team TLC NYC, founded in 2019 by Ilze Thielmann, also runs the Little Shop of Kindness, a boutique where migrants can shop for free. The store offers clothing, toys, toiletries, and other necessities. 

Based in San Miguel de Allende, Ann Marie Jackson is a writer and NGO leader who previously worked for the U.S. Department of State. Her award-winning novel “The Broken Hummingbird,” which is set in San Miguel de Allende, came out in October 2023. Ann Marie can be reached through her website, annmariejacksonauthor.com.

The post Former San Miguel expat starts migrant legal aid clinic in New York City appeared first on Mexico News Daily

San Miguel de Allende’s water crisis

The region of San Miguel de Allende has always relied on its short rainy season for most of its water. However, climate change is putting everyone at risk, while rural farming communities feel the highest impact.

It’s hard to imagine, but the arid landscape around San Miguel de Allende was once flourishing with forests that attracted rain and cooled the land. These forests were a vital part of the Laja River watershed, playing a key role in replenishing aquifers and maintaining steady rainfall. 

Over time, however, overdevelopment, drought and erosion have destroyed much of this tree cover. Without the cooling effect of the forests, the exposed land absorbs heat, disrupts rainfall patterns and becomes even drier, a destructive cycle known as the “watershed death spiral.”

Abandoned reservoirs and overexploited wells

Another key factor contributing to the region’s current water crisis is the shift in how water is sourced. Rural farming communities once depended on rainwater reservoirs to endure the long dry season. However, with the arrival of electricity in the late 20th century, communities began drilling deep wells, which quickly became their main water source. As a result, rainwater reservoirs were abandoned and left to deteriorate.

Large-scale agribusiness has severely overexploited deep wells, depleting aquifers faster than they can replenish. As a result, many wells have already run dry, and the remaining water is often polluted with toxic levels of arsenic and fluoride. This contamination poses serious health risks and further exacerbates the region’s water crisis.

Tikkun Eco Center and Agua Para la Vida

Non-profit Tikkun Eco Center is stepping in to tackle this crisis. Through its Agua Para la Vida project, the Tikkun team focuses on restoring and reforesting water reservoirs to improve environmental and community health.

In 2022, Tikkun set out to restore the historic reservoir in the San Miguel neighborhood of San José de Gracia, a resource that had served four villages for over 200 years. Once a vital water source, the reservoir had deteriorated into little more than a mud flat after years of neglect. When the local aquifer could no longer meet the community’s needs, villagers were forced to ration water, receiving only two hours of well water per week per family, barely enough for personal use, let alone farming or livestock.

Breathing life back into the land

In just one month, Agua Para la Vida removed over 1,400 truckloads of silt and soil from the San José reservoir. Later, they raised the reservoir’s edges, reinforced the dam and installed water management systems. Thanks to these efforts, the San Jose de Gracia reservoir is now capable of holding 45 million liters of water.

The excavated soil didn’t go to waste: it became the foundation for reforestation. Tikkun donated over 100 native tree saplings and hundreds of magueys, while the San Miguel Municipal Ecology Department (DMAS) contributed an additional 1,000 native trees and cacti that were all planted by volunteers. When the rains came, the reservoir filled and Tikkun stocked it with tilapia from their own ponds.

A global movement for ecological restoration

Tikkun Eco Center’s work is part of a global movement to heal degraded ecosystems. Restoring local forests and promoting sustainable agricultural systems is essential for reversing the damage caused by deforestation and desertification. Around the world, communities facing similar challenges have achieved remarkable success.

In Asia, Africa and Australia, reforestation efforts and sustainable water practices have turned barren landscapes into thriving ecosystems. These projects bring back green spaces and improve food security, water availability and local economies, offering hope and inspiration for regions like San Miguel de Allende.

The recipe for healthy ecosystems

Tikkun Eco Center specializes in restoring reservoirs and laying the foundation for regenerative agriculture. Their approach includes keeping fields green year-round with cover crops and intercropping trees. Permaculture methods guide their work, transforming fields into food forests that blend trees with deep-rooted grasses to create a cooler, more biodiverse ecosystem. This approach captures carbon, provides habitats for bees and beneficial insects, restores eroded soils and improves rainwater absorption.

Scaling up the impact

Tikkun Eco Center continues to expand its impact by partnering with experts and securing funding for vital projects. With support from the Rio Arronte Fund for Natural Resources and the San Miguel Community Foundation, Tikkun has teamed up with local water-focused NGO Caminos de Agua and Querétaro-based Inana to restore the community reservoir of Los Torres, another San Miguel neighborhood.

This work is just the beginning. The region has hundreds of abandoned reservoirs. Scaling up these efforts could transform the area. Tikkun’s holistic model of ecological repair has shown what’s possible. Still, more action and support are needed to expand the scope and reach of these efforts.

Visit TikkunSanMiguel.mx to learn more about how you can help.

Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: sandragancz@gmail.com

The post Restoring water to San Miguel de Allende, one reservoir at a time appeared first on Mexico News Daily

A whopping 907,300 attendees came through the Guadalajara Expo’s doors between Nov. 30 and Dec. 8, just shy of 50,000 more than last year’s figure of 857,315. The number also breaks the FIL’s previous attendance record from the 2019 event, which occurred not long before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down public events across Mexico.

“This year’s fair exceeded our expectations in every way,” Marisol Schulz Manaut, general director of the FIL, told the U.S. publishing industry trade newspaper Publishers Weekly.

Organizers said that the fair also exceeded other expectations: The number of publishing companies with stands at the FIL this year was 2,769, an increase of 294 from last year. Also, 18,100 industry professionals attended as guests this year, up by 700 from 2023.

University of Guadalajara Rector Ricardo Villanueva Lormelí told the newspaper El Economista that FIL’s numbers this year “broke all the records that the fair has,” making it likely that next year, organizers would expand the FIL outside its traditional home at the Guadalajara Expo and add satellite locations around the city.

The event, founded in 1987 by former University of Guadalajara rector Raúl Padilla López, attracts publishers and industry executives from Spain, Mexico and Latin America, as well as from non-Spanish-speaking countries around the world, such as Norway, Taiwan and Italy. Increasingly, that list of countries includes the U.S., where demand for Spanish-language content from Latin America is increasing.

Publishers Weekly noted that 150 U.S. librarians this year attended the fair through FIL’s Free Pass Program with the American Library Association. The program helps U.S. librarians acquire Spanish-language materials.

The event is also increasingly becoming a must-visit for publishers and movie companies looking to make translation, licensing or film-rights deals.

“Audiences aren’t just seeking stories set in Latin America,” said Carla Cumming Rivero, an attendee who is the development manager for Mexico and Latin America with the television and film agency Scenic Rights. “They want stories told by Latin Americans, with cultural nuances and perspectives that only local creators can provide,” she told Publishers Weekly.

The FIL is also a required stop for aspiring children’s book illustrators in Latin America, who network with publishers and professionals and can have their portfolio assessed affordably by a professional. Many also attend the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, an event within an event held at FIL that this year launched the Bologna Portfolio Prize, a new award recognizing illustrators early in their careers. Aspiring writers also take advantage of the affordable writing and marketing workshops led by authors and industry professionals.

But the Guadalajara weeklong event, whose entrance fee is a highly affordable 25 pesos (US $1.24), also attracts a large number of book lovers each year, drawn in by the chance to see their favorite authors in person, buy books directly from publishers and mingle with other aficionados.

“The FIL is unique in that it is a significant trade show, yes, but it is also a major book festival,” Ethan Nosowsky, an editorial director at the Minneapolis publisher Graywolf Press told Publishers Weekly. “I love that the fair opens up to an enthusiastic public who are buying books directly from publisher stands, where they are generously displayed, and where young and old pack halls for author events.”

According to Schulz, publishers participating this year reported an estimated 35% increase in their sales. Overall, the event took in about 124 million pesos (US $6.1 million), organizers told the newspaper La Jornada.

With reports from El Economista, La Jornada and Publishers Weekly

The post 2024 Guadalajara International Book Fair breaks attendance record appeared first on Mexico News Daily