Stories about Americas
Reel: The beauty of the Obatala Festival, an Orisha tradition in Trinidad & Tobago
Each year, Orishas participate in the Obatala Festival, which pays homage to the figure in Yoruba mythology who was charged with the task of creating the earth.
Despite better security, Salvadorans still migrating in 2023
With low wages and inflation due to Russia's war on Ukraine, many Salvadorans are teetering on the edge of extreme poverty.
Vetiver: One of Trinidad & Tobago’s neglected climate solutions
Vetiver is one of the greatest, cheapest, and most eco-friendly solutions to flooding, landslides, slope stabilisation and erosion control.
Trinidad & Tobago's International Soca Monarch competition is cancelled, and Carnival lovers are either shattered or unfazed
Even as organisers cited financial constraints as the reason for the cancellation, the government called it "unconscionable" for a private event to expect the state to underwrite its full cost.
How Surinamese fisheries are being impacted by climate change — and what's being done about it
In Suriname, issues like inadequate reporting, overfishing, and illegality pose challenges to the country’s fishing industry, but when it comes to climate change, the impact is difficult to determine.
In Guatemala, Mayan families ask for wisdom, health, and strength for 2023
"This Mayejak is carried out to ask permission from our Mother Earth, the hills and valleys that surround us and the 20 Nahuales that represent the days of the Mayan month."
“Black Race Trophy” celebrates anti-racism work in Brazil and beyond
In November 2022, a ceremony was held to award the ''Black Race Trophy'' to celebrate personalities active in the fight against racism and for the Black population.
May 14 will determine the future of Turkey
Pundits who have been watching the country's political turmoil brought by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) describe the upcoming May vote as crucial.
‘Joy and wonder’: Morning affirmations in preparation for Trinidad & Tobago Carnival
Breathing in joy and breathing out restriction, writer and cultural worker Attillah Springer puts people in the right head space for the first Trinidad and Tobago Carnival in two years.
Lusophone African countries condemn attacks against democracy in Brazil
After their leaders spoke out, some citizens pointed out parallels to the situation in Brazil and their own countries.
How Belize’s bright biodiversity is inextricably linked to blue carbon
Leveraging blue carbon will require ambitious, conservation-forward policies to maintain and restore coastal and marine ecosystems in order to mitigate the crippling effects of the climate crisis.
Usain Bolt and many other Jamaicans have been the victims of major financial fraud—and now they want answers
The fact that of Usain Bolt is one of its victims has made this fraud scandal personal for many Jamaicans.
Anthony Joseph is the second Trinidadian in three years to win the T.S. Eliot prize for poetry
The judges of the prestigious prize called Joseph's collection "luminous," adding that it "celebrates humanity in all its contradictions and breathes new life into this enduring form."
President Bukele harasses independent journalists on Twitter in El Salvador
Bukele's presidency has attacked and discredited independent journalists who expose corruption in his government, putting them at risk of harassment and violence.
Abuse of children in state care in Jamaica is a problem that won’t go away, but is the system to blame?
A recent report details a questionable relationship between the executive agency and the American founder of a faith-based organisation, who is accused of inappropriate behaviour towards several wards of state.
Liked Shakira's new hit? Listen to these other empowering songs from the same DJ
Bizarrap and these artists are helping shape pop culture for a safer and empowering space for all women and LGBTQ+ people.
How the Black Star Line Festival and hip-hop could further accelerate more dynamic Pan-Africanism
The festival was not just paying homage to Garvey by christening itself to his shipping company, it was embodying his teachings and fulfilling his legacy of unifying African people by beckoning U.S. artists to Africa and sowing the seeds of cultural exchange.
Bolsonaro supporters attempt coup, storming Brazil's three powers headquarters
Jan. 8, 2023, is now a date to remember in Brazil: the day when a bolsonarista mob invaded the nation's top state buildings in an attempted coup, one week after Lula's inauguration.
How political gaslighting undermines public policy; a case study of South Africa, Brazil and the United States
The political landscape of 2022 is inextricably linked to the phenomenon of ‘political gaslighting’, the erosion of the general public’s epistemic autonomy and self-trust for the sake of forwarding a particular political agenda.
Announcing the Mayan Languages Digital Activism Summit (January 11-15)
Rising Voices will host the Mayan Languages Digital Activism Summit 2023 at the Grand Museum of the Mayan World in Mérida, Mexico on January 11–15.
Bolsonaro kept religious element in public appearances, amidst protests and the end of this term
The 2022 Brazilian presidential campaign was marked by the use of churches and religious leaders as political weapons. As Bolsonaro's government reached its end, the outgoing president seemed to hold on to it.
