Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Jun 24

Amidst all the chaos, my heart was full when I attended these Latinx Broadway shows — powerful cultural landmarks that still haven’t received the recognition they deserve. latinamedia.co/latinx-broad...

Hollywood Should Learn from Latinx Broadway

In the Broadway musicals "Buena Vista Social Club" and "Real Women Have Curves," there’s a breath of fresh air for our Latinx community.

latinamedia.co

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · May 21

“No matter who, when, where or how you ask, a commanding majority of registered voters in the Golden State support a path to citizenship for those in the state without proper documents.”
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...

Contributor: Californians insist — immigrants deserve a path to citizenship

No matter where, when, to whom and how you ask the question, Golden State voters support giving immigrants without authorization a chance to become citizens.

www.latimes.com

Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · May 15

Enjoying this reality check 101. www.npr.org/2025/05/14/g...

Two Spanish-language albums top the Billboard chart for the first time ever

Bad Bunny's DeBÍ TiRAR Más FOToS and Fuerza Regida's 111XPANTIA hold down the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on this week's Billboard 200, making this the first week in history with Spanish-language albums in ...

www.npr.org

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · May 14

Send us your books to promote and display during our second academic book showcase! www.latinxproject.nyu.edu/20242025/ope...

Open Call: Academic Book Showcase — The Latinx Project at NYU

The Latinx Project will organize and host its second print media fair on Saturday, September 27, 2025. As part of the fair, we are organizing an interdisciplinary showcase of academic books published ...

www.latinxproject.nyu.edu

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · May 13

Powerful statement! Thank you

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Alondra Nelson @alondra.bsky.social · May 13

"For me, the answer now lies in refusal, the withdrawal of participation from systems that require dishonesty as the price of belonging."

Today I am resigning from the National Science Board and the Library of Congress Scholars Council.

I wrote about my decision in TIME.

time.com/7285045/resi...

Why I’m Resigning from the NSF and Library of Congress

I cannot participate in systems that require dishonesty as the price of belonging.

time.com

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Apr 30

Open Call Conference: Aesthetics of Joy and Refuge in Contemporary Culture www.latinxproject.nyu.edu/20242025/ope...

Open Call Conference: Aesthetics of Joy and Refuge in Contemporary Culture — The Latinx Project at NYU

OPEN CALL CONFERENCE - CALL FOR PROPOSALS Aesthetics of Joy and Refuge in Contemporary Culture — An Interdisciplinary Conference by The Latinx Project The Latinx Project invites submissions to an...

www.latinxproject.nyu.edu

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The Latinx Project @latinxprojnyu.bsky.social · Apr 30

TLP invites proposals for “Aesthetics of Joy and Refuge in Contemporary Culture” an interdisciplinary, open call conference to be held on October 10, 2025 at NYU.
We are interested in original contributions that examine contemporary visual and expressive culture across disciplines.

Learn more in 🔗

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Apr 25

“Latin American reformers know that the way to beat today’s new fascists is the same as it was in the 1930s and 1940s… in a voice simple, clear and sure, to improve the material conditions of people’s lives.” www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Want to beat authoritarianism? Look to Latin America | Greg Grandin

The region has grappled with dictatorships, coups and inequality. But its democratic spirit remains vital – and offers a lesson for the US

www.theguardian.com

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Apr 24

Love fest for @candida_alvarez_studio — this overdue retrospective exhibition at @elmuseo squarely demonstrates the incredible range of this genius artist. So, proud! Don’t miss it — you’ll be awed by her use of color, materials, and themes over the years, as well as her humor and immense humanity.

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Apr 16

Announcing the Tomas Ybarra Frausto curatorial fund- help us amplify this grant to uplift Latinx art scholars www.latinxproject.nyu.edu/news/announc...

Announcing the Tomás Ybarra-Frausto Curatorial Fund — The Latinx Project at NYU

We are thrilled to announce that the Rockefeller Brothers Fund has approved a generous $150,000 grant to establish the Tomás Ybarra-Frausto Curatorial Fund at The Latinx Project: Interdisciplinary ...

www.latinxproject.nyu.edu

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Apr 16

Thanks alumni magazine for the opportunity to discuss my work and The Latinx Project at NYU www.nyu.edu/alumni/news-...

Alumni Profile: Arlene Dávila (GSAS ’90)

NYU Professor Arlene Dávila, a scholar of Latinx identity and representation, founded The Latinx Project at NYU to foster an interdisciplinary hub for Latinx arts and scholarship, addressing systemic ...

www.nyu.edu

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Mar 20

Joy as resistance. Join us!: all profits support our arts programs. www.latinxproject.nyu.edu/20242025/spr...

Spring Celebration & Fundraiser + Online Auction — The Latinx Project at NYU

We invite you to attend The Latinx Project’s Spring Celebration & Fundraiser to celebrate and advance our work uplifting Latinx art, culture, and creativity on  April 2, 2025 from 7:00-10:...

www.latinxproject.nyu.edu

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Feb 27

Great idea- check out this guide of what companies to support or avoid: peopleofcolorintech.com/articles/naa...

NAACP Responds To DEI Cuts With New Spending Guide For Black Shoppers

NAACP have announced its Black Consumer Advisory, a spending guide for Black consumers as more companies rollback on DEI efforts.

peopleofcolorintech.com

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Feb 27

Here here! Eager to participate in the National Economic Blackout/Boycott tomorrow February 28th. Ours is a consumer economy - consumer activism can send a powerful message millionaires don’t get rich on their own #EconomicBlackout

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The Latinx Project @latinxprojnyu.bsky.social · Feb 26

The Latinx Project and @cinematropical.bsky.social present the second edition of the Latinx Film Showcase, a one-day series celebrating the remarkable work of U.S. Latinx filmmakers. Please follow the link in bio for more details.

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Feb 25

Friends in Puerto Rico : join me next week at Museo de Arte Contemporáneo! www.museomac.org/eventos/_Pre...

PRESENTACIÓN DEL LIBRO "NUYORICAN & DIASPORICAN VISUAL ART: A CRITICAL ANTHOLOGY"| MUSEO MAC

MUSEO DE ARTE CONTEMPORÁNEO DE PUERTO RICO

www.museomac.org

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dan sinker @dansinker.com · Feb 24

In light of everything happening, I wrote about how the KKK in the 1920s felt unstoppable, about the people that fought against them anyway, and about how fascism always fails. dansinker.com/posts/202…

an archival black and white photograph of the KKK marching in Washington DC with the capitol behind them

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Feb 22

“the executive orders are unconstitutional and a blatant overreach of presidential authority. They also a have a chilling effect on free speech” apnews.com/article/dei-...

Judge largely blocks Trump’s executive orders ending federal support for DEI programs

A federal judge has largely blocked sweeping executive orders from President Donald Trump that sought to end government support for programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

apnews.com

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Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · Feb 21

How many federal workers would DOGE need to fire to make up for Musk not paying his fair share of taxes?

Answer: 677,000. That's 44% of the entire non-DoD federal workforce.

Again, this power grab is not about the budget. It’s about politics.

Title: What Costs More: Billionaire Tax Avoidance or Federal Workers?
Subtitle: Musk’s tax avoidance could fund 677K federal jobs
• Current Tax Rate: 3.27%
• Top Federal Tax Rate: 37%

Cost Comparison (Bar Chart):
• Cost of Musk’s Tax Avoidance (smallest bar, purple)
• Cost of Top 100 Billionaires’ Tax Avoidance (largest bar, red)
• Total Federal Workforce Salaries (mid-sized bar, green)
X-axis ranges from $0B to $380B, showing that billionaire tax avoidance covers a significant portion of federal workforce salaries.

Impact on Federal Workforce:
• Average Federal Salary: $106,000
• Jobs Musk’s Avoidance Could Fund: 677,782 (29.5% of all federal employees)

Federal Workforce Breakdown (Pie Chart):
• A segment representing 29.5% of the workforce highlights the share Musk’s avoided taxes could fund, labeled “Share Equal to Musk’s Avoided Taxes: 29.5%”.

Sources:
• Musk’s Tax Rate: ProPublica
• Billionaire Gains: Bloomberg Billionaires Index (Dec. 31, 2024)
• Federal Employee Data: USAFacts

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Feb 19

Same in Latin America- people would be stopping traffic in the streets and sounding off their cacerolas.

Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · Feb 19

I follow French politics a lot, as many of you know. Any effort for mass layoffs of public sector employees there would create such huge strikes and marches, the level of disruption and paralysis would be biblical.

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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · Feb 19

I follow French politics a lot, as many of you know. Any effort for mass layoffs of public sector employees there would create such huge strikes and marches, the level of disruption and paralysis would be biblical.

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Robin Cembalest @rcembalest.bsky.social · Feb 17

Yasmin Ramirez & @arlenedavila.bsky.social, editors of “Nuyorican & Diasporican Visual Art”, at their book launch with Lee Quinones, an artist featured in the volume, with work by Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz on screen @latinxprojnyu.bsky.social. Groundbreaking survey published by @dukepress.bsky.social

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Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · Feb 16

Stars burn hottest right before they die. Which seems to be what's happening with the Department of Education and DEI.

This brazenly overreaching statement makes it illegal for schools to consider race in admissions, scholarships, and programming, and to cut standardized test score requirements.

Although SFFA addressed admissions decisions, the Supreme Court’s holding applies
more broadly. At its core, the test is simple: If an educational institution treats a person
of one race differently than it treats another person because of that person’s race, the
educational institution violates the law. Federal law thus prohibits covered entities from
using race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation,
financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing,
graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life. Put
simply, educational institutions may neither separate or segregate students based on
race, nor distribute benefits or burdens based on race.

Relying on non-racial information as a proxy for race, and making decisions based on
that information, violates the law. That is true whether the proxies are used to grant
preferences on an individual basis or a systematic one. It would, for instance, be unlawful
for an educational institution to eliminate standardized testing to achieve a desired
racial balance or to increase racial diversity.

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Feb 15

The spirit, the talent, the team work, and the love ❤️ . Thanks to all the writers, contributors and artists who joined us today to think about Nuyorican/Diasporican art.

As @acruzmalave
Would say: nos lucimos @dukepress.bsky.social

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Feb 13

Grey art museum at NYU is looking for a new director -Apply! www.imsearch.com/open-searche...

Director | Isaacson, Miller

www.imsearch.com

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Arlene Dávila @arlenedavila.bsky.social · Feb 6

The first ever? I just cant. hyperallergic.com/988260/carme...

Carmen Herrera Becomes First Latine Artist to Enter White House Collection

Acquired under former First Lady Jill Biden, the painting “Dia Feriado (Holiday)” (2011) is now hanging in the East Wing.

hyperallergic.com

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Olivia A.F. @oblivia-n.bsky.social · Feb 6

tan agradecida por este increíble libro ❤️
@arlenedavila.bsky.social

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Alondra Nelson @alondra.bsky.social · Feb 5

I was honored to receive the 2025 MLK Humanitarian Award from New York University last night. In my remarks, I noted that to receive an award bearing Dr. King's name is both humbling and challenging for, in this critical moment, his legacy demands of us not mere words, but action and courage. 🧵

Alondra Nelson pictured with NYU Dean Allen MacFarlane standing in front of a stage and a white screen that reads: Dr. Martin Luther Kin, Jr. Awards Ceremony, 20th Annual MLK Week 2025, NYU

A white poster with color pictures of Martin Luther King Jr and Alondra Nelson that reads: Humanitarian Award Recipet, Alondra Nelson, Harold F. Linder Professor, Institute for Advanced Study, 20th Annual MLK Week, 2025

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Duke University Press @dukepress.bsky.social · Jan 28

On the blog today, @arlenedavila.bsky.social and Yasmin Ramirez, editors of "Nuyorican and Diasporican Visual Art," share 5 exhibitions, archives, and texts that have influenced their research.
https://buff.ly/3Wwh1oy

Cover of Nuyorican and Diasporican Visual Art: A Critical Anthology edited by Arlene Dávila and Yasmin Ramirez. A painting of a thick green jungle plant with many pairs of eyes peeking out from behind the leaves encompasses the entire cover. The text is on top of the image in white.

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