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Los Angeles Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
In Trump's new budget bill, Latinos pay a hefty price
Periodically, the Latinx Files will feature guest writers. Filling in this week is De Los reporter Andrea Flores. On Thursday, the GOP-led House approved the Senate's version of the 'Big Beautiful Bill,' the Trump administration's domestic policy measure — and the measures are as drastic as its mammoth title seems to indicate. Nearly 1,000 pages long, the legislation grants tax cuts to the top 1% of U.S. households at the cost of healthcare, food and utilities, while also expanding spending for border security, defense and energy production. A look at the possible repercussions for the 65.2 million Latinos in the United States. What is happening: The bill will provide roughly $150 billion for President Trump's border and national security agenda. This includes $46.5 billion toward the continued construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. The budget will also allocate $45 billion for immigration detention centers — which is 62% more than the budget for the entire federal prison system — and could result in daily detention numbers of at least 116,000 noncitizens, according to the American Immigration Council. About $32 billion will go toward immigration enforcement, including for the staffing of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as $7 billion for hiring Border Patrol agents and other officers. More than $3 billion will be allocated to the Justice Department to hire more judges and support staff, addressing a backlog of nearly 4 million pending cases in immigration court. The passage of the bill was championed by one of the main architects of Trump's immigration policy. 'The BBB will increase by orders of magnitude the scope, scale and speed of removing illegal and criminal aliens from the United States,' White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller boasted on X on Thursday. 'For that reason alone, it's the most essential piece of legislation currently under consideration in the entire Western World, in generations.' How it might affect Latinos: ICE enforcement and mass sweeps are expected to ramp up under this new legislation, which could affect 1 in 3 Latinos who are at risk for deportation or family separation, according to an analysis by The bill also permits detaining families indefinitely, pending a removal decision. To help fund the increased spending, the government will also be collecting greater fees from certain noncitizens. For example, those with temporary protected status — which includes about more than 1 million individuals, a majority of whom are from Venezuela, El Salvador and Honduras — will be required to pay $500 for the application, up from $50. What is happening: To offset some of the tax cuts, the bill will make significant cuts to social services such as Medicaid and Medicare — not to mention defunding Planned Parenthood clinics for up to one year. Roughly 78 million adults and children are enrolled in Medicaid programs across the country, which benefit low-income individuals, while 24 million people rely on the Affordable Care Act for health insurance. As of June 2024, approximately 6.8 million people in California are enrolled in Medicare, which benefits individuals over the age of 65 and younger adults with disabilities. Medicaid: The megabill will take about $1 trillion from the joint federal and state program for the next 10 years, making this the largest cut to Medicaid in history. It will also require childless adults and parents of children older than 13 to work, volunteer or attend school for 80 hours a month as a condition for enrollment of Medicaid (unless they qualify for an exemption). Individuals and families will also be required to prove their eligibility twice a year (instead of once) and some states could charge up to a $35 copay for medical services. Medicare and the ACA: The bill calls for $490 billion in overall cuts to Medicare from 2027 to 2034. It will limit immigrant Medicare coverage for green-card holders and other immigrants, as well as premium tax credits. It applies additional limits for individuals using the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) marketplace, who will be required to update their income, immigration status and other information each year instead of being reenrolled automatically. How it might affect Latinos: The Kaiser Family Foundation indicated that Latinos make up 30% of Medicaid enrollees. These new rules are likely to affect most vulnerable groups, including aging foster care youth, veterans and homeless individuals. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 11.8 million more Americans will become uninsured by 2034, which includes the 1.4 million people without verified citizenship, nationality or satisfactory immigration status. What is happening: Those between ages 18 and 65 must show proof of work to qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, unless they have a child under the age of 14 (with few exceptions). The bill will also limit benefits to citizens or lawful permanent residents (with some exceptions). How it might affect Latinos: Latinos make up 23% of SNAP recipients. The CBO estimates that 3 million people will not qualify for SNAP benefits. What is happening: The Pell Grant, which is awarded only based on exceptional need, will be reduced by nearly 23% — bringing the annual maximum award from $7,395 to $5,710, starting in fall 2026. Access to student loans for grad students will be trickier; the bill establishes a cap of $100,000 in federal loans for prospective master's students, and $200,000 for doctoral students, medical and professional degrees. The bill will also limit income-driven repayment options for borrowers, which will probably mean higher monthly payments for individuals juggling other financial necessities. How it might affect Latinos: According to Excelencia in Education, almost half of all Latino students receive the Pell Grant. Of the Latino students who do take out loans, 18% have defaulted on their student loans, compared with 12% of non-Hispanic white students. Ritchie Valens died too young. His legacy will live on forever Though he died in a plane crash at 17, Ritchie Valens changed rock 'n' roll and Latin music forever. Pixar's 'Elio' reportedly stripped of queer representation after test screenings The version of 'Elio' that hit theaters June 20 is not the same movie that Adrian Molina, the film's original director, intended to put out. John Leguizamo hits the road again for Season 2 of 'Leguizamo Does America' Premiering Sunday, the travel series hosted by award-winning actor John Leguizamo will spotlight Latino communities in cities across the U.S. NPR's Felix Contreras opened minds to Latin alternative music. He's finally getting his due Known as 'Tío Felix' among friends and colleagues, Contreras will be honored at the Hispanic Heritage Awards in September. 'Under the Same Moon' director on immigration crackdown: 'It's called fascism' Filmmaker Patricia Riggen believes a remake of her 2007 film would be far too grim in today's political landscape. Adrian Quesada steps into his star power in new LP 'Boleros Psicodélicos II' 'Boleros II' finds Quesada as aurally slick as ever as he tackles the oft-covered romantic Spanish standard 'Cuatro Vidas,' plus Los Pasteles Verdes' 'Hoy Que Llueve' and brand-new tracks — all while integrating his signature three-over-two rhythms. The Grammy-winning bandleader spoke to De Los ahead of his Grand Performances concert on Aug. 2. In new indie flick 'Ponyboi,' River Gallo sheds light on an intersex experience Out June 27 in theaters nationwide, 'Ponyboi' arrives at a critical time for the queer Latine community. Almost 50% of Latinos voted for Trump in 2024. Experts have theories New data from the Pew Research Center show that 48% of Latinos voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, a 12% jump from 2020. L.A. 'under siege': Brown-skinned people targeted, tackled, taken, and it must stop, federal suit says A lawsuit filed by immigrant rights groups seeks to block the Trump administration's 'ongoing pattern and practice of flouting the Constitution and federal law' during immigration raids in the L.A. area. L.A. activist indicted after handing out face shields to anti-ICE protesters Alejandro Orellana, 29, faces charges of conspiracy and aiding civil disorder after he handed out protective face shields to people protesting against immigration raids in L.A. last month. Kidnappers or ICE agents? LAPD grapples with surge in calls from concerned citizens Some city and Police Commission leaders have called on the LAPD to do more to identify masked individuals who are taking part in immigration sweeps. Video captures ICE agents allegedly urinating on Pico Rivera school grounds in broad daylight The El Rancho Unified School District is calling for a federal investigation after video shows ICE agents apparently urinating on school grounds in public view. ICE seeks to deport Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr., alleges links to Sinaloa cartel U.S. officials have arrested boxer Julio César Chávez, Jr. and are working to deport him, saying he has 'an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives.'
Los Angeles Times
06-06-2025
- Los Angeles Times
As ICE ramps up activities targeting undocumented immigrants, communities are fighting back
Periodically, the Latinx Files will feature guest writers. Filling in this week are De Los reporters Carlos De Loera and Andrea Flores. Last week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers tried to execute two raids in San Diego. San Diego fought back. It all started on May 30 when heavily armed ICE agents showed up at the Italian eateries Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta in the South Park neighborhood of the SoCal border city, as The Times' Ruben Vives reported. A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations, a branch within ICE, said the agents were executing search warrants related to alleged 'violations of hiring and harboring illegal aliens and false statements.' But as ICE members were making arrests, San Diego community members came out to defend those targeted and push back the agents. 'Shame! Shame! Shame!' hordes of San Diegans yelled at the gun-wielding, protective vest-wearing agents while forcing them to move away from the restaurants, social media video showed. Other videos revealed that ICE used flash-bang grenades against the protesters who interfered with the raids. Ultimately, four people living in the country illegally were taken into custody, HSI claimed. A federal search warrant, obtained by several San Diego news outlets, claimed that the restaurant owners were 'knowingly employing both illegal immigrants and individuals not authorized to work in the United States.' Additionally, it stated that HSI initially received tips about the restaurants' alleged activities in 2020 and a follow-up tip on Jan. 31 of this year. Reports on exactly how many restaurant workers were initially apprehended vary from a handful to the entirety of the staff. Claire Cody, who works at Buona Forchetta, spoke with KPBS San Diego about the situation. 'You always see this anywhere else, but then you experience it,' Cody said. 'I'm just thinking about my co-workers and I'm thinking about their families. This is just really unfortunate and very sad. I'm just praying that they're OK.' Officials from San Diego and across California commented on the situation, often scolding the ICE agents for their brute display of power. San Diego Rep. Scott Peters, whose district includes South Park, said, 'People must have thought: 'Wow, there must be an MS-13 [gang member] here or some drug kingpin like El Chapo at the bar.' No. They took four people away — dishwashers, busboys, maybe a cook.' North San Diego County/south Orange County Rep. Mike Levin also criticized the move. 'If there is any evidence, even a shred of evidence, that any of the individuals at that restaurant on Friday were guilty of any other crimes, they were violent in any way, if they were gang members, if they were drug dealers — that evidence needs to be put forward right now,' Levin said. 'In the absence of that evidence, what happened on Friday was fundamentally wrong, fundamentally un-American and could happen presumably to 1 in 5 San Diegans working in the service sector.' California State Sen. Steve Padilla called the events a 'disproportionate and dangerous display of force' in an official statement and applauded the San Diego community's response to ICE agents. 'Over-the-top tactics to carry out the policy stunts of this small president will not deter us in our fight to protect all Californians, nor succeed in intimidating hard working immigrant families. Immigrants have always and continue to enrich our society and their earnest belief they can make a better life in America is what makes this country great already,' he wrote. 'As our neighbors so bravely demonstrated in protest of these attacks, we stand together against this weaponized hate.' Last week's raid was the latest in a series of similar ICE activities carried out throughout Southern California. In late May, officials announced a raid at an L.A.-area underground nightclub that ended with the arrest of 36 Chinese and Taiwanese citizens suspected of being in the country illegally. Roughly two dozen day laborers were detained in a border patrol action outside a Home Depot in Pomona in April. But the protests from San Diegans spotlighted a growing contingent of people who are ready and willing to combat ICE agents to protect their communities. Last weekend, 18-year-old Massachusetts resident Marcelo Gomes da Silva was detained by ICE while on his way to his high school for volleyball practice. The Brazilian native was eventually granted bond on Thursday. On Monday, students at Gomes da Silva's school in Milford, Mass., staged a walkout in protest of his detention. Students were seen holding 'Free Marcelo' signs and Brazilian flags. Other members of his community protested the arrest outside Milford Town Hall on Sunday, where they called for the teen's release. On Wednesday, protesters, politicians and community organizers gathered in downtown Chicago to decry the detention of several immigrants at the hands of ICE, the Chicago Tribune reported. The protest was led by Organized Communities Against Deportations, a group that describes itself as 'undocumented, unapologetic, and unafraid organizers building a resistance movement against deportations and the criminalization of immigrants and people of color in Chicago and surrounding areas.' To combat against ICE activity in Southern California, groups such as Unión del Barrio — an independent political organization advocating for immigrant rights and social justice — have helped train community members on how to spot federal immigration officers and alert local residents to their presence using social media. 'We're not violent, we're not trying to break any laws, but we're doing everything within our legal means to protect the community,' Ron Gochez, a member of Unión del Barrio, told The Times in February. The organization has been working with communities for decades, including heavy involvement during crackdowns in the '90s and during the Obama administration. Participants volunteer in patrolling various locations for potential raids and proudly tout that they have helped in stopping and/or disrupting several ICE operations. Adalberto Ríos, a member of Unión del Barrio, summed up the group's mission concisely, telling The Times, 'We're just trying to help the community protect itself.' — Carlos De Loera At only 19 years young, J Noa has been defined by two things; her intrinsic spitfire flow and a refreshing air of humility, elements that resound clearly throughout her latest EP, 'Los 5 Golpe,' her most Dominican project to date. The Caribbean powerhouse and 2023 Latin Grammy nominee gained popularity for her freestyle rap sessions and showstopping Tiny Desk performance. But the music industry has never been easy for humble acts like J Noa, who vents those frustrations in the trumpet-laced hip hop track 'Sudor y Tinta' alongside urban singer Vakero. The earworm melody, and new EP, are a testament to the island's homegrown hustlers. It's creepy, a bit kooky, mysterious and spooky, that is, Los Aptos' newly released song 'Adams Family.' The enchanting Sierreño melody is the leading track from their latest bedroom pop album, 'Temporadas,' which came out on May 29. The genre-blending band embraces a more macabre sound in 'Adams Family,' with ghastly wolf howls and screeching doors; a not so shocking approach for a band originally from the emo Rust Belt of Fort Wayne, Ind. With so many promising música Mexicana groups on the up and up, Los Aptos is surely an act to follow. — Andrea Flores L.A.'s answer to Tiny Desk is hiding inside Mercado La Paloma The Rehearsal, which opened its sixth season last month at Mercado La Paloma, is a live showcase for young musical talent hoping to be seen and for seasoned musicians who want to try out new material in front of an audience. It's also streamed live on Twitch and YouTube each Friday night. Grupo Firme cancels appearance at La Onda festival, becoming latest international act to face visa issues Grupo Firme's news came only a week after Mexican singer Julión Álvarez postponed his May 24 show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after he claimed his work visa had been revoked. Also in May, Chicago's Michelada Fest, a Spanish-language music festival that had programmed several Latin American acts was canceled due to concerns over artists' visas. How 'Will Trent' star Ramón Rodriguez became an industry game-changer De Los spoke with the Puerto Rican actor, director and executive producer of ABC's quirky police procedural — which just was renewed for a fourth season. Belinda cannot be tamed. Her latest album, 'Indómita,' proves it The Mexican singer-actor dishes on how she transmuted her love for Thirty Seconds to Mars, anime and Mexican corridos into her most authentic work to date. Pablo Cruz Guerrero didn't grow up with 'El Chavo,' but Chespirito became his purpose Pablo Cruz Guerrero, the star of Max's bioseries 'Chespirito: Not Really on Purpose,' wasn't exposed to Roberto Gómez Bolaños and his work growing up, but he feels that gave him an advantage. How do you get kicked off 'Love Island' before the love begins? Yulissa Escobar shows us 'Love Island USA' contestant Yulissa Escobar leaves the show less than 20 minutes into the second episode. Her use of a racial slur on podcasts may be to blame.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
José Griñán, longtime Houston Fox 26 news anchor, dies at 72
José Griñán, the longtime Houston news anchor for Fox 26, has died. He was 72. The Houston affiliate, where Griñán worked for 30 years, announced his death in a news report Monday. No cause of death was revealed. "Beloved former FOX 26 Houston anchor José Griñán has died," Fox 26 wrote Monday on social media. "Though José may no longer be with us, his legacy will continue to shine brightly in the stories he told, the lives he touched, and the city he loved." In 1993, when Griñán began working with the station, he became the first male anchor of the channel's morning show. He anchored his final broadcast for Fox 26 in June 2023. Read more: KABC's Ellen Leyva signs off after 30 years in moving final broadcast: 'I'm really lucky' The news anchor took an extended break from the station in 2022 after getting diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica — an inflammatory condition mostly affecting people over 65 that causes stiffness and pain in the joints and muscles, according to the Mayo Clinic. Reflecting on his time at Fox 26 at the end of his broadcast career, Griñán told Houston's in 2023 that he deeply valued how his job helped him help others. "Working at the station has allowed me to, in a sense, provide life saving information for someone who was searching, and comfort someone who may have thought that the world was coming to an end, but letting them know that things are under control," he said. Read more: Aaron Brown, news anchor who helped CNN viewers through Sept. 11 attacks, dies at 76 Griñán was born on July 24, 1952, in Tampa, Fla., to a Cuban father and a first-generation Cuban American mother. Before appearing on-screen as an anchor, he worked as a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker for the U.S. Army. His first anchor role came in 1975 at a news station in El Paso, Texas. From there, Griñán held jobs in his hometown of Tampa, Miami, New York City and Dallas before landing in Houston in 1993. He held decades-long memberships to both the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Griñán is survived by his wife, Kathy Griffin Townsend Griñán, his two daughters and three stepdaughters. Get our Latinx Files newsletter for stories that capture the complexity of our communities. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Contributor: Under the Trump administration making art can feel futile. How do we keep doing it? (Comic)
Does art even matter anymore as this administration continues to push a fearmongering agenda against our communities? Here's what some artists across the country had to say. Julio Salgado (@juliosalgado83) is a digital illustrator based in Long Beach. Get our Latinx Files newsletter for stories that capture the complexity of our communities. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Fans, drag queens remember Paquita la del Barrio
Periodically, the Latinx Files will feature a guest writer. This week, we've asked De Los contributing columnist Alex Zaragoza to fill in. If you have not subscribed to our weekly newsletter, you can do so here. The world has lost its greatest soldier against machistas, malagradecidos and inútiles. Música Mexicana legend Paquita la del Barrio died in her home in Veracruz, Mexico, announced in a heartfelt statement released via her official Instagram page on Feb. 17. She was 77. 'A unique and inimitable artist who leaves an indelible mark in the hearts of all those who knew her and enjoyed her music … Rest in peace,' the statement reads. 'Your music and legacy will live on forever in our hearts.' Born Francisca Viveros Barradas in 1947 in Alto Lucero, Veracruz, Paquita became an icon across Latin America — particularly in her native Mexico — with anthemic rancheras and boleros delivered with an impassioned venom that became her trademark, along with her electric blond coif and darkened chin mole. She became a beacon to women who have been wronged, telling it like it was with ferocity. With 'Rata de Dos Patas,' she gifted scorned women the ultimate spite jam to be sung loudly, lately and with breath thickened by tequila. On 'Tres Veces te Engañe,' she confronts a useless partner with a guttural '¿Me estás oyendo, inútil? ' and lets him know he's deserving to be cheated on. It's no wonder why her music was a constant in the kitchens of generations of women tired of cleaning up after ungrateful men. But it's not just señoras who felt a kinship with Paquita. Drag queens and Latinx celebrity impersonators have long brought their version of the late singer to the stage, mimicking her slow, creaky walk, elegant posture and rage-filled vocal delivery with affection. 'If you do somebody like Paquita, you have to understand her mannerisms and her way of standing there commanding a stage,' explained drag queen Torta Jugosa, who performs as Paquita at the Long Beach location of the famed drag restaurant Hamburger Mary's. She hosts a drag show called Mujeres Chingonas, where she and other queens honor Latinx divas like Paquita, Jenni Rivera and Selena. 'And the mole is a staple. When you think of Paquita, you think of the mole.' 'For me, impersonating Paquita, you have to get yourself in that position mentally, like 'I'm heartbroken. I just want to unleash on someone,'' added Carlos Friel, who performs as Carla and has been doing Paquita drag in L.A. for the last year. 'It's kind of limited because she didn't dance. There was not a lot of choreo. You have to perform with your face, with your hands, and you have to really feel the song. You have to believe it. 'I hate you right now, you are the one who hurt me.'' Despite Paquita's death, the impersonators and drag queens I spoke to doubled down on their commitment to honor her moves, music and, of course, the mole, keeping her alive for fans and introducing her for generations to come. 'I received a lot of calls the day that she died, sending me condolences as if she were my family,' said Rubén Cerros, a professional imitator of 14 years who is widely considered one of the best Paquita la del Barrio impersonators in the industry, having shown off his talent on the Colombian reality competition series 'Yo Me Llamo,' winning the grand prize in 2012. 'In reality, I did see her as family because I got to meet her personally,' he added. 'Without Paquita, without having imitated her, I wouldn't have been known to so many people. I've always done my imitation with respect to the lady and, because of that, her death has already changed life for me with more work and more blessings.' In body and scowl, Paquita radiated like the Disney villain Ursula — a character also inspired by a drag queen, famed actor and performer Divine — but in spirit and heart was far from the sea-dwelling witch who stole an innocent mermaid's voice. Quite the opposite, actually. For many women, particularly those who have been mistreated and disrespected by the men in their lives, Paquita gave them a voice to dress down a man who deserved their righteous ire. That's something important impersonators and drag queens have always wanted to channel. 'She wasn't afraid at all,' Jugosa said. 'With Paquita, she represented a lot of women and gave courage to them. Like, you can be who you want to be without having to have a man by your side. You can, as they say, wear the pants in the relationship. She was an advocate to women who didn't have a voice and gave courage to them to speak up and live their own lives the way they want to.' It's that fearlessness and unshakable sense of self that is inspirational to so many and now in death, bringing Paquita la del Barrio to life carries more weight. 'Now you have to honor her legacy,' said Friel. 'If you are performing Paquita now, you have to bring the best memories of her to people.' Years back, I went to a queer bar in Tijuana with my mom and her friend, Richi, a gay santero who after a reading in my mom's kitchen insisted we take in a drag show. Amid a thick cloud of cigarette smoke, we knocked back a cold Pacifico and watched the stage light up as a Paquita la del Barrio drag queen stepped onto the stage. She moved in her same slow, measured manner, as if weighed down by the aches of dealing with a-holes for too damn long. But behind the arthritic movements was the same fierceness emblematic of Paquita. If there were any rats in that room — four-legged or two — they didn't stand a chance. Venezuelans sue Trump administration for ending temporary legal protections A group of seven Venezuelans, along with advocacy group National TPS Alliance, are suing the Trump administration, accusing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of illegally revoking an 18-month extension of the protections for Venezuelans that was granted by President Biden before he left office. Puerto Rican artist iLe: 'I feel motivated to rescue our cultural history' In between recording her fourth solo studio album, Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar — better known by her artistic name iLe — has scheduled a handful of international tour dates, including Friday's show at the Wallis in Beverly Hills. 'The concerts help me to escape whenever the seclusion of working on an album becomes too much,' she tells contributor Ernesto Lechner. 'I'm working on the new record in small increments, trying to decipher a couple of things that I can't quite verbalize at this point. It's a process that requires a lot of energy, time and dedication. The challenge remains to continue learning and exploring, to get to know myself a little better through my own songs.' Column: Republican Latinos are rising in California. Now there's a caucus for them For his latest column, Gustavo Arellano spoke to State Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares and Assemblymember Kate Sanchez, founding co-chairs of the California Hispanic Legislative Caucus, a group created for Latino GOP legislators. TikTok's top artist Yeri Mua gets real on immigration, Bellakath beef De Los contributor Lucas Villa spoke to Yeri Mua, the fiery, red-haired reggaeton mexa star who recently became the No. 1 global artist on TikTok, about being a woman in a male-dominated space, collaborating with Rich the Kid, ending her feud with fellow musician Bellakath and her personal experience of being deported from the U.S. with her family at age 13. Comedy star Keyla Monterroso Mejia is only shining brighter Inland Empire native Keyla Monterroso Mejia has come a long way from living in her aunt's back house with her family. Her big break came after she was cast in the final two seasons of HBO's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' in 2021. She has since appeared on 'Abbott Elementary,' comedy films 'One of Them Days' and 'You're Cordially Invited,' and will be featured in Mindy Kaling's Netflix comedy series 'Running Point' (out Feb. 27), Seth Rogen's upcoming Apple TV show 'The Studio' (March 26) and the Season 4 cast of 'Acapulco,' a bilingual comedy series led by Mexican star Eugenio Derbez. ' Life surprises me every time with things that I didn't even think were possible for myself,' Monterroso Mejia told De Los staff writer Andrea Flores. 'So I feel like in that sense, I'm going to keep going. I'm ready to receive whatever you want to throw my way.'
