Abuelita’s Advice About Life In Your 20s
Abuelita’s Advice About Life In Your 20s
Buenas tardes Amigxs!
We’re back with a brand spankin’ new issue of Pero Make It Newsy! This week, we have a really sweet interview between Maria Elena and her Abuelita Gladys about the best advice for those in their 20s. Our news curation takes a look at all the amazing things Black women are doing around the country, from running for Massachusetts governor to launching a foundation to support families with trans children. We’re also changing things up this week, with Maria Elena taking over the book recommendation and Nikki introducing everyone to her many plant children!
Vamos, let’s jump right in!
Speaking With My Abuelita About The ‘Beautiful Years’ Of Her 20s 👵
By Maria Elena Perez
My Abuelita Gladys, who lives in Florida, is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. Looking back on my teenage years, I didn’t appreciate the summers I spent with her as much as I should have. Now that I’m older, I try to visit her as much as I can. I love hearing her stories about her childhood in Puerto Rico, how much she loved to needlepoint massive portraits in her spare time and her adventures with my grandpa.
I interviewed my Abuelita Gladys to find out more about what she was like in her 20s and what she hopes I accomplish while I’m still in mine.
Read Maria Elena’s new personal essay here.
Women In The News 📰
Harvard Professor Becomes First Black Woman to Launch Gubernatorial Bid in MA: Danielle Allen, a Harvard University professor and political theorist, announced her bid to become the next governor of Massachusetts. Allen, who launched her bid on June 15, joins what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary. She first declared her intention to run in December and has been on a “listening tour” ever since. Allen hasn’t revealed her campaign’s policy proposals just yet, but told The Boston Globe that she plans to expand the state’s “social infrastructure.”
Learn more about Danielle Allen’s historic gubernatorial bid at The Boston Globe.
Black Trans Women Are Under Attack, So This Mom Is Turning Her Grief Into Action: Stephanie Houston, the mother of Muhlaysia Booker, is using the grief of her daughter’s killing to provide a safe community for other Black trans women, who are disproportionately affected by fatal violence. Booker was tragically killed in Dallas in 2019 just weeks after being the victim of a transphobic attack. Houston spoke to CNN about the Muhlaysia Booker Foundation, which she launched to provide guidance and support for families with trans children.
Read about Stephanie Houston’s fight to honor her daughter at CNN.
Stylist Alicia Lombardini Opens Up About Doing IVF As a Single Woman: In a new opinion piece for The New York Times, stylist and fashion consultant Alicia Lombardini reveals how difficult it was to get in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in order to conceive. IVF is not only a difficult process to go through –– and even more so as a single woman –– but it is also extremely costly. Lombardini reveals she considered going through IVF abroad but she hit several roadblocks and ultimately did it in NYC. She welcomed a baby boy in 2019 after two rounds of IVF.
Learn about Alicia Lombardini and other women’s struggles with IVF at The New York Times.
Juvenile Justice Initiatives Director Melissa Threadgill Discusses the HandHold Initiative: In a new MALN Opinion+ piece, Melissa Threadgill of the Office of the Child Advocate in Boston opened up about the office’s pandemic initiative. The HandHold Initiative aims to help families and children who may be facing mental and behavioral health issues at home.
Watch Melissa Threadgill’s interview at MA Latino News.
Curator’s Note: Pero Make It Newsy and the Latino News Network are partners in best serving the Latinx community.
Causes That Matter 🤝
For The Gworls began as a 4th of July fundraiser party in 2019 on a rooftop in Brooklyn after the founder, Assani Armon, found out two of her friends were facing eviction. Assani and co-founder Maahd have been curating parties to fundraise money to help Black transgender people pay for gender-affirming surgeries, medical copays and rent. Although the Black trans-led collective has stopped hosting parties for now due to COVID-19, the organization is still asking for donations.
Donate directly to For The Gworls.
You Should Read This 📚
Find Laurie Frankel on Goodreads | Pick up “This Is How It Always Is” at Third Place Books Ravenna
Plantita Talk 🌱
I recently saw a Tik Tok where a girl said that plants are the new pets, pets are the new children and children are the new “exotic animals.” As a millennial with no children (YET, I will have kids dad, don’t worry!), this really hit home. Unlike Maria Elena, I don’t have a cute pupper but I’ve become quite the plant mom over the last year or so of the pandemic. I love watching my plants thrive and knowing that I’ve been able to keep them alive has given me something to be proud of.
My Abuelita Laura had a big green thumb (seriously, the woman could make tires grow if she planted rubber) and having my own little plants makes me feel incredibly close to her. That being said, I am a complete newbie to the plant-parent life and would thoroughly appreciate any and all plant tips!
*Princess Party Time will be back next week for her regularly scheduled Paw-nderings post!*
Thank you so much for reading! If you’d like to send us questions, suggestions or just say hello, you can email us at peromakeitnewsy@gmail.com.
- Maria Elena and Nikki
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