It started in 1994 with alarming levels of lead showing up in some Monterey County kids Lead robs the body of iron and calcium—nutrients crucial to child development The poisoning triggers progressive neurological damage a public health nurse in the coastal town of Seaside noticed that most of the affected kids’ families came from Oaxaca—part of a wave of migration to Monterey County that began in the 1970s Some health officials started thinking that Mexican immigrants were arriving in California already contaminated with lead But Hall and Seaside clinic physician Eric Sanford thought not since many of the poisoned kids were born here They suspected the poison trail was less direct—and considerably more complicated The threat was still a disturbing puzzle when UCSF epidemiologist Margaret Handley joined the hunt in 2000 she investigated state reports of chemical exposure and later zeroed in on lead’s impact upon the reproductive health of battery plant workers Handley launched a full-out epidemiological study Their research soon led the team to remote Oaxacan towns and finally to a face-to-face showdown with a small crunchy grasshopper called a chapulín hiding out in Oaxaca’s hot summer fields The research tossed out long-held biases and pinpointed some ways to protect families leaving solutions tangled in tradition and in the politics of poverty with support from the University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States Handley’s team first analyzed records of lead levels in children and pregnant mothers in three Monterey County cities Three times more Seaside children carried dangerous lead levels than kids living in nearby Salinas or Marina Almost all those with high lead levels were Latino although 70 percent were born in the United States This finding punched holes in the unwelcome suggestion that contaminated immigrants were coming to California The team surveyed the Seaside women to find out what they knew about lead whether their jobs or houses posed a hazard One out of five pregnant women in Seaside showed elevated levels—the vast majority of them And a striking 60 percent of the women who had emigrated from the western Oaxacan region of Zimatlán showed unhealthy lead levels A pattern of spikes in lead levels suggested food or cooking styles as the culprit rather than contamination from soil or peeling house paint which would have shown a more constant level since some Seaside families owned pottery from the Oaxacan artisan community of Santa Maria Atzompa where ceramics crafted for generations are known to contain lead The pottery—first made famous when Frida Kahlo bought a large table service of Atzompa ceramics—is prized for its vibrant green glaze When the Seaside women said they had used Oaxacan ceramics back home But they also said they did not use the same kind of pottery here in California and rarely used pottery of any kind when they cooked Oaxacans face considerable prejudice in Mexico and often from other Mexican immigrants here She worried that the women might just be reluctant to talk about using traditional cooking methods But then came the clincher: The blood lead level in one California-born child The boy’s mother provided Handley’s team with samples of food she had just received from her family in Oaxaca “She told us that her son had eaten quite a few chapulines in the previous few days,” Handley says and the California Department of Public Health issued a statewide alert warning of potential contamination in chapulines How could the occasional Oaxacan package account for widespread contamination and one day in 2004 as Handley was sifting through her mail she came across an article about Mexican mom-and-pop delivery businesses called envíos envíos ship local foods and gifts from Mexicans up to their families in California The article described the envíos traffic from Oaxacan towns that had once been home to many Seaside residents An entrepreneurial envío owner who calls himself Pancho Villa does a brisk business packaging and shipping homemade mole and often hand-delivering them to families in Seaside “Envíos really help keep families and cultures intact,” says Handley “but I started to wonder if they might be bringing a fair amount of lead-contaminated food from Oaxaca.” Handley’s gang headed for the Oaxacan hill towns The team now included Mexican chemists along with anthropologist Jim Grieshop who had first made a study of Oaxacan envíos The team aimed to sort out possible contamination from water “I’m basically a big gringa coming into a small Oaxacan community,” Handley says “Emilio and Celeste made this work.” (Truth be told Handley is a slim woman with long brown hair more likely to be taken more for a grad student than a grand inquisitor.) who performed postdoctoral research in 2002–03 at Berkeley found abnormal lead levels in local mine residue but the emerald green-glazed ceramics were really loaded A type of pot known as a chilmolera is particularly prone to shedding lead from the glaze These pots have serrated cooking surfaces that help grind up ingredients The sharp edges pulverize limes used in preparing chapulines and other foods releasing acids that accelerate leaching of lead from the glaze Grieshop introduced Handley to Ramona Perez a remarkable San Diego State University anthropologist who has worked for 15 years with ceramicists in Atzompa Her research and her friendships with the women potters revealed that the pots have traditionally been fired at very high temperatures large-scale timber operations have stripped native forests of copal heavy-sapped wood traditionally used in kilns Reforestation policies have inflated the price of this wood and most ceramicists now fuel their kilns with cheaper scrap wood which can’t fire up to the scorching temperatures needed to seal in the lead have added still more lead to the glaze to compensate for the low firing temperature The burden is heavier still because the symptoms of lead poisoning mimic the effects of malnutrition Local and state governments aren’t attacking malnutrition in these more remote areas and the added toll of lead contamination can easily go unrecognized A tragic picture emerges of a popular local craft raising local incomes and improving access to health services while the people’s health gets worse lead gets exported in food sent to families across Mexico and the United States stems from traditions caught in a time of change But there is hope on both sides of the border Though many Atzompa potters understandably deny the links between lead in their pots and disease in their communities Perez is working with a cooperative of 27 families to develop Atzompa’s trademark emerald glassy-green glaze without lead barro sin plomo—ceramics without lead—is not a pipedream Handley’s team began collaborating with a group of Mexican agricultural economists known as Centeotl The group focuses on improving nutritional health in the most rural Oaxacan communities Centeotl encourages local farmers to grow crops rich in the nutrients that lead strips away grows wild in Oaxaca and is still a popular food in parts of Mexico Chaya is a richer source of iron than even spinach UC Cooperative Extension service experts highlight lead risks in Spanish-speaking communities through fotonovellas colorful comic-book-like publications still popular in the towns depict school friends discussing the dangers of lead in food and pottery as well as from environmental sources The fotonovellas are now distributed to schools Handley also works with scholars at San Francisco State University who have developed lead-education lesson plans for ESL (English as a Second Language) literacy classes tailored particularly for Spanish-speaking mothers of young children Getting the word out is a good way to get the lead out “We’ve come so far in understanding how to prevent lead poisoning,” Handley says “It’s really sad that the momentum is not yet there to make lasting progress The solution should come from actions like banning lead in all glazes or paint is declining in most places—because of policy “But we can’t turn our backs on the problem too—in California and in Mexico—working with the community.” A new tool Handley calls “the zapper” can provide near-instant readings of lead levels and she is urging public health systems to start using the device and making it available to communities envío owner Pancho Villa has taken eagerly to the idea of allowing lead-level tests of goods from Oaxaca so he can ship lead-free ceramics whenever they are available “Our research started locally and then became bi-national,” Handley says we found our efforts merged with colleagues who come at these problems with different sets of expertise I hope we can help people protect their families—and their food traditions on both sides of the border.”  Spikes in sex hormones drive teenage development and desire They fire up the physiology of reproduction and push teens toward adulthood These dramatic physical changes can make for emotionally—and biologically—vulnerable times Research shows that a class of chemicals found in many household and personal care products mimic or block the normal effects of hormones such […] Karen Shinberg Czapanskiy recently published a law review article about denying paternal rights to rapists and others who coerce conception and Coerced Intercourse: No Protection Required,” Vol Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers became a Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland Carey School […] Two factors that contributed to the poisoning of tens of thousands of Washington residents through their drinking water in the early 2000s—lead pipes and a disinfectant called chloramine—continue to coexist in countless water systems nationwide says UC Berkeley water expert and engineering professor David Sedlak; […] CAA is a self-funded nonprofit organization that relies on donations to provide programs and services that support students Art Museum of Southeast Texas and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" HAA Cultural Events Calendar 20177:54 PM UTCDay of the DeadCelebrating Dia de los Muertos the dead return to Earth to visit their loved ones [1/21]People visit tombs of relatives and friends at 'Nueva Esperanza' (New Hope) cemetery in Villa Maria del Triunfo on the outskirts of Lima [2/21]A woman sits near the grave of her relative in Santa Maria Atzompa cemetery in Oaxaca REUTERS/Jorge Luis PlataSANTA MARIA ATZOMPA [3/21]A devotee shows his tattoo of Santa Muerte on his neck during celebrations in Mexico City [5/21]A woman dressed up as "Catrina" a Mexican character also known as "The Elegant Death" takes part in a Catrinas parade in Mexico City [6/21]Riders participate in the annual horse race for drunk riders in the village of Todos Los Santos Cuchumatan REUTERS/Jose CabezasTodos Santos Cuchumatan [8/21]A devotee blows marijuana smoke on small statues of Santa Muerte during the main celebration of La Santa Muerte or The Saint of Death a day before Day of the Dead in Mexico City [9/21]An activist with her face painted to look like the popular Mexican figure "Catrina" performs as she takes part in a march against femicide in Mexico City [10/21]Women dressed up as "Catrinas" participate in a procession to commemorate Day of the Dead in Mexico City [11/21]Women dressed up as "Catrina" [12/21]A girl with her face painted as the popular Mexican figure "Catrina" is pictured near the graves at the Metepec cemetery near Mexico City [13/21]Children visit tombs of relatives and friends at 'Nueva Esperanza' (New Hope) cemetery in Villa Maria del Triunfo on the outskirts of Lima [14/21]People meet in front of a floral offering for the victims who died in the September 19 earthquake at Mexico park in Mexico City [15/21]A man with a guitar walks next to a paint of skulls called "Natitas" at the general cemetery in La Paz [16/21]A puppet depicting the skeleton of a dog participates in a procession to commemorate Day of the Dead in Mexico City [17/21]Traditional dancers participate during the annual horse race for drunk riders in the village of Todos Los Santos Cuchumatan [18/21]Aymara's musicians perform during the Day of the Dead commemoration in Bolivia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in La Paz [19/21]A woman prays on her mother's grave at the cemetery in Nejapa [20/21]People sit near the grave of their relative at a cemetery in Arocutin [21/21]An activist with her face painted to look like the popular Mexican figure "Catrina" holds a cross as she takes part in a march against femicide during the Day of the Dead in Mexico City The word on the cross read: "No one more" , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Whether they are in their country of origin or in the United States many Hispanic families gather every year during the “Day of the Dead” (Día de los Muertos Día de los Fieles Difuntos) or All Souls Day to remember their loved ones who have died and pray for the repose of their souls Masses are celebrated in cemeteries for parishioners who visit and decorate the tombs of their departed loved ones families build altars adorned with Christian symbols.  Many Anglo-American parishioners feel skeptical of the celebration when they see skulls and altars Catholic Hispanics tend to feel skeptical about Halloween because its direct translation in Spanish is “witches’ night,” whereas in English it is a contraction of All Hallows’ Eve – the vigil of All Saints Day Although a secular aspect can be found in both celebrations both have Christian roots that not only celebrate culture but also the Catholic faith When the Spaniards arrived in Mexico and Central America they found polytheistic pre-Hispanic civilizations that believed life ended in death teaching them that there is only one God; every person has an immortal soul; and their departed loved ones need prayers for their salvation (Catechism of the Catholic Church who are souls in the purgatory,” said Father Roger Brito The priest has celebrated All Souls Mass for six years in different cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Baltimore He noted that the traditional celebration of Día de los Muertos is a colonial ­Latin-American tradition that emerged from pre-Hispanic traditions evangelized by the Spaniards and adapted to the Catholic faith A traditional altar of Día de los Muertos in a Catholic household contains three levels symbolizing the “church ­militant,” “church penitential” and “church triumphant”; pictures of family members who have died; and a cross made with marigold (cempasúchil) flowers in which the cross symbolizes Christ’s death and resurrection Skulls on the altars during Día de los Muertos symbolize death not to associate respect for death with worship of death some have confused death with a deity and have called it “Santa Muerte” or “St Death/Holy Death.” Vatican officials have repeatedly denounced devotion to “Santa Muerte,” a folk “saint” depicted as a skeletal figure holding a scythe that emerged in pagan blending of figures from indigenous and Christian cultures.  “Death is a bridge of this life with the other one,” Father Brito said “It connects the earthly with the divine.” Email Priscila González de Doran at pdoran@CatholicReview.org Copyright © 2021 Catholic Review Media  Print Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media Catholic Media Assocation Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association The Associated Church Press MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexicans started casting votes in six state elections on Sunday that are likely to boost President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s party in one of the last major tests of his electoral clout before the political focus shifts to the race to succeed him Lopez Obrador’s leftist National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) and its allies are tipped to win most of the governorships up for grabs tightening the party’s grip on the political landscape against a fractured opposition Jointly accounting for about one-tenth of Mexico’s 126 million population and Oaxaca and Quintana Roo in the south and east elect new governors All are currently governed by the opposition Opinion polls suggest that only Aguascalientes and Durango are likely to remain in the hands of opposition parties which are not running on a completely united ticket against MORENA in any state “If we’re all with the president we’ll fare better,” he said while on the way to cast his vote in the center of Oaxaca City a 56-year-old who washes dishes for a living walked past a polling station in Santa Maria Atzompa and stopped to beseech the Immaculate Virgin of Juquila to help MORENA win a political scientist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) said if MORENA wins a majority of the states it should help consolidate the president’s influence over the party “It would give Lopez Obrador a good deal of power to decide who will be the candidate in 2024,” Oliva said Polls have consistently shown Lopez Obrador is more popular than MORENA the party that was a vehicle for his presidential campaign in 2018 he has fallen short of campaign pledges to ramp up economic growth and significantly reduce gang-fueled violence but his rollout of social welfare programs has buttressed his popularity the elections come as a daily tracking poll published by pollster Consulta Mitofsky showed support for Lopez Obrador had slipped from over 62% at the end of April to 54% on Friday “I can’t help noticing mistakes made at federal level being passed on to the states,” said Guadalupe Mejia Mejia said security and education were her main concerns presidents can serve only a single six-year term Lopez Obrador’s successor is scheduled to be elected in June 2024 Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard are among the favorites for the job Political analysts tend to view Sheinbaum as more ideologically aligned with Lopez Obrador’s base with greater appeal to middle-class voters Victory in four of the six states would give MORENA control of 20 of Mexico’s 32 regional governments Administrations allied with MORENA also govern two other states Powered by PageSuite