We Are the Face of Oaxaca


Book Description

A massive uprising against the Mexican state of Oaxaca began with the emergence of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) in June 2006. A coalition of more than 300 organizations, APPO disrupted the functions of Oaxaca's government for six months. It began to develop an inclusive and participatory political vision for the state. Testimonials were broadcast on radio and television stations appropriated by APPO, shared at public demonstrations, debated in homes and in the streets, and disseminated around the world via the Internet. The movement was met with violent repression. Participants were imprisoned, tortured, and even killed. Lynn Stephen emphasizes the crucial role of testimony in human rights work, indigenous cultural history, community and indigenous radio, and women's articulation of their rights to speak and be heard. She also explores transborder support for APPO, particularly among Oaxacan immigrants in Los Angeles. The book is supplemented by a website featuring video testimonials, pictures, documents, and a timeline of key events.




Made in Mexico


Book Description

The story behind the international trade in Oaxacan textiles




Sons of the Sierra


Book Description

The period following Mexico's war with the United States in 1847 was characterized by violent conflicts, as liberal and conservative factions battled for control of the national government. The civil strife was particularly bloody in south central Mexico, including the southern state of Oaxaca. In Sons of the Sierra, Patrick McNamara explores events in the Oaxaca district of Ixtlan, where Zapotec Indians supported the liberal cause and sought to exercise influence over statewide and national politics. Two Mexican presidents had direct ties to Ixtlan district: Benito Juarez, who served as Mexico's liberal president from 1858 to 1872, was born in the district, and Porfirio Diaz, president from 1876 to 1911, had led a National Guard battalion made up of Zapotec soldiers throughout the years of civil war. Paying close attention to the Zapotec people as they achieved greater influence, McNamara examines the political culture of Diaz's presidency and explores how Diaz, who became increasingly dictatorial over the course of his time in office, managed to stay in power for thirty-five years. McNamara reveals the weight of memory and storytelling as Ixtlan veterans and their families reminded government officials of their ties to both Juarez and Diaz. While Juarez remained a hero in their minds, Diaz came to represent the arrogance of Mexico City and the illegitimacy of the "Porfiriato" that ended with the 1910 revolution.




The Reconquest of Paradise?


Book Description

The book analyzes the phenomenon of how indigenous migrants, who escaped social discrimination and economic exclusion in Mexico, are building a well institutionalized, transnational migrant community in the United States. During this process of self-empowerment, indigenous migrant leaders use transnational networks on different levels to negotiate indigenous membership, identity, and opportunities of political participation. Over the last few decades, they were able to improve living conditions of members in the migrant community as well as indigenous home communities in Mexico. Dissertation. (Series: Studies in Migration and Minorities / Studien zu Migration und Minderheiten, Vol. 32) [Subject: Migrant Studies, Politics, Sociology]




Finding Rhythm


Book Description

One woman embarked on a dance journey around the world, finding out how each dance tells a story of its country and learning how beautiful life can be when you take the lead. If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be? Aliénor Salmon was working as a happiness researcher in Bangkok when a friend asked her the question that turned life as she knew it on its heels. A novice dancer but experienced social researcher, the Franco-British Aliénor headed west from Bangkok to dance her way through Latin America. As she learns eighteen dances, each native to the countries she visits, she engages with esoteric customs, traditions, and cultures. Through conversations and arduous studio hours, she learns that every step, pivot, and shake thrums with an undeniable spirit of place. And that in a world where we are over-connected but increasingly disconnected from one another, dance offers an authentically human experience. One that allows her to develop tolerance, kindness, truth, and love by holding the hands of a stranger and gazing into their eyes for the time of a song. With her fearless and candid approach, Aliénor will inspire you to take the reins of your own life—and have some fun along the way. In this dance-travelogue, you’ll learn the history and steps of dances like salsa, samba, and tango, enjoy a resplendent meditation on happiness and wanderlust, and receive a life-affirming answer to the question: How do I take the first step?




Our Fathers


Book Description

An examination of the pedophile scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church assesses the implications of the crisis, explaining why the Church knowingly covered up decades of abuse and discussing how it has responded.




Explorer's Guide Oaxaca


Book Description

A complete guide to the Mexican city offers thorough coverage of the region, from the Pacific Beaches to the Northern Sierras and the Oaxaca Valley, and Including detailed road-trip itineraries. Let Oaxaca’s wonders welcome you to this sophisticated Spanish colonial capital. Oaxaca is a kaleidoscope of colors and cultures, a place of pale green cantera stone churches, sweeping plazas with brightly clad dancers, and markets redolent with the scent of freshly ground chocolate. Enjoy impressive museums, fine restaurants, and fantastic galleries, then head up into the pine-forested mountains, cloud forests, and colorful deserts, studded with ancient ruins, indigenous villages, and incredible ecotourism opportunities. There’s so much to see and do, but be sure to save some time to soak up the sun on Oaxaca’s 300 km/186 miles of Pacific beaches and bays. More than 100 photographs and detailed maps round out the package, making this guidebook an indispensable resource. Ándale!




Constructing the Image of the Mexican Revolution


Book Description

With a cast ranging from Pancho Villa to Dolores del Río and Tina Modotti, Constructing the Image of the Mexican Revolution demonstrates the crucial role played by Mexican and foreign visual artists in revolutionizing Mexico's twentieth-century national iconography. Investigating the convergence of cinema, photography, painting, and other graphic arts in this process, Zuzana Pick illuminates how the Mexican Revolution's timeline (1910-1917) corresponds with the emergence of media culture and modernity. Drawing on twelve foundational films from Que Viva Mexico! (1931-1932) to And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003), Pick proposes that cinematic images reflect the image repertoire produced during the revolution, often playing on existing nationalist themes or on folkloric motifs designed for export. Ultimately illustrating the ways in which modernism reinvented existing signifiers of national identity, Constructing the Image of the Mexican Revolution unites historicity, aesthetics, and narrative to enrich our understanding of Mexicanidad.




A Revolution Unfinished


Book Description

In October 1911 the governor of Oaxaca, Mexico, ordered a detachment of approximately 250 soldiers to take control of the town of Juchitán from Jose F. “Che” Gomez and a movement defending the principle of popular sovereignty. The standoff between federal soldiers and the Chegomistas continued until federal reinforcements arrived and violently repressed the movement in the name of democracy. In A Revolution Unfinished Colby Ristow provides the first book-length study of what has come to be known as the Chegomista Rebellion, shedding new light on a conflict previously lost in the shadows of the concurrent Zapatista uprising. The study examines the limits of democracy under Mexico’s first revolutionary regime through a detailed analysis of the confrontation between Mexico’s nineteenth-century tradition of moderate liberalism and locally constructed popular liberalism in the politics of Juchitán, Oaxaca. Couched in the context of local, state, and national politics at the beginning of the revolution, the study draws on an array of local, national, and international archival and newspaper sources to provide a dramatic day-by-day description of the Chegomista Rebellion and the events preceding it. Ristow links the events in Juchitán with historical themes such as popular politics, ethnicity, and revolutionary state formation and strips away the romanticism of previous studies of Juchitán, offering a window into the mechanics of late Porfirian state-society relations and early revolutionary governance.




Which Way Is North


Book Description

Where does creativity come from? The answer is unique for each of us—our True North—and this book will help you find yours. As artificial intelligence gains an increasing foothold in our work and our lives, the need to find and maintain our uniquely human creativity is growing more urgent. This guide will ensure that you stay on course as you navigate through the complexity of modern times. It will help you open new pathways to creativity and equip you with tools for your personal and professional journey to becoming a conscious participant in creation. Through a combination of essays, meditations, and memoir, Which Way Is North offers an illuminating journey into the interior of the human heart and mind, revealing how your inner experience informs who you can be and what you express out in the world. In the course of learning more about your creative potential, you’ll learn how to: Reliably calm your nerves in order to come up with ideas Decode the stories the media tells and their effects on viewers Pursue experiences that feed your creative process with purpose Reddit’s Global Brand Ambassador and former head of its Creative Strategy agency, KarmaLab, Will Cady counsels top marketers, executives, engineers, and other creatives using the popular modern meditation system he developed to unlock and embrace the powerful ingenuity and intuition needed to navigate today’s challenges in art, business, and life. With Which Way Is North as your compass, you’ll locate your inner authentic truths and gain an approachable system to transform anxiety into creativity so you can flourish in all your pursuits.