1 big thing: Latinos, voting rights and MLK

Exhibition of Martin Luther King Jr "A dream of equality" at the Museo Memoria y Tolerancia in Mexico City. Photo: Miguel Tovar/LatinContent via Getty Images

2. Traffic cams and bias 

A red light camera in Queens, New York. Photo: Lindsey Nicholson/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

3. Latinas more at risk of diabetes from toxins

 Illustration of a person with their head in their hands, sitting against a larger-than-life stethoscope.

4. A dose of justice in Guatemala

Achí women outside the Guatemala City courtroom where a trial over sexual violence between 1981 and 1985 is underway. Photo: Johann Ordóñez/AFP via Getty Images

5. Stories we're watching 

Buenos Aires at a standstill with record-high temperatures and power grid outages. Photo: Anita Pouchard Serra/Bloomberg via Getty Images

6. 🧑‍🎤 1 smile to go: From religion to rap 

Today we talk about how “forever chemicals” hurt Hispanic teens, a long-awaited Central American trial and potentially biased traffic cams.

Send us any feedback (quejas, sugerencias, chismes) by replying to this email. Sign up if you aren’t yet subscribed, and remember you can read the Spanish version here.

This newsletter, edited by Astrid Galván, is 1,298 words, about a 5-minute read.

National

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Keep tabs on the stories that most affect the U.S. Latino community on both sides of the border, a collaboration with Noticias Telemundo. Weekly - Thursdays

Axios Latino

Axios Science

Reproduced from Pew Research Center; Chart: Axios Visuals

Hispanics say the key to improving diversity in science hinges on seeing more Hispanic scientists, science students and science teachers, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.

State of play: The survey of 3,700 Hispanic adults found about 30% of Latinos see scientists as unwelcoming to Latinos, which could hinder efforts to diversify the field. 

The big picture: Latinos make up 17% of the U.S. workforce but only 8% of people working in science, technology, engineering or math, Pew found earlier.  

The percentage of Latino college students earning a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field is up from 8% in 2010 to 12% in 2018, according to the latest available data. 

By the numbers: Only 26% of Latinos feel scientists as a professional group are very welcoming of Hispanics. And only 35% of them say Hispanic people have reached the highest levels of success in science, compared to 59% for medical doctors. 

81% of respondents said young Hispanic people would be more likely to pursue STEM degrees if they saw more examples of high-achievers in the field who are Hispanic. 

What they're saying: Erika Tatiana Camacho, a professor of applied mathematics at Arizona State University, says educating parents about STEM fields and the jobs they offer could help drive more Latino students to the field. 

Camacho is a program director at the National Science Foundation, which is supporting a slate of new programs at Hispanic-serving institutions (colleges that serve an at least 25% Hispanic full-time student population) that add a cultural perspective to how they teach STEM. 

Many times students are asked "to leave [their] identity at the door of the classroom ... as opposed to bring in who they are to the center point," she says.

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Survey: More representation could help Latinos embrace STEM careers

Latinos make up 17% of the U.S. workforce but only 8% of people working in science, technology, engineering or math.

Science

Hispanics say the key to improving diversity in science hinges on seeing more Hispanic scientists, science students and science teachers, according to a Pew Research Center <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2022/06/14/hispanic-americans-trust-in-and-engagement-with-science/?utm_source=AdaptiveMailer&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=22-06-14%20Hispanic%20Americans%27%20Perspectives%20on%20Science%20GEN%20DISTRIBUTION&amp;org=982&amp;lvl=100&amp;ite=10106&amp;lea=2123287&amp;ctr=0&amp;par=1&amp;trk=a0D3j000011HkseEAC" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2022/06/14/hispanic-americans-trust-in-and-engagement-with-science/?utm_source=AdaptiveMailer&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=22-06-14%20Hispanic%20Americans%27%20Perspectives%20on%20Science%20GEN%20DISTRIBUTION&amp;org=982&amp;lvl=100&amp;ite=10106&amp;lea=2123287&amp;ctr=0&amp;par=1&amp;trk=a0D3j000011HkseEAC" target="_blank">report</a> published Tuesday.State of play: The survey of 3,700 Hispanic adults found about 30% of Latinos see scientists as unwelcoming to Latinos, which could hinder efforts to diversify the field.

A look at the scientific breakthroughs changing the world, explorations in space and in worlds beyond our own and the threats posed to us by our own planet, both out of our control and of our own making.

A group of Democratic members of Congress wants the Biden administration to review a U.S.-funded program meant to protect Mexican journalists amid a wave of unpunished killings. The lawmakers say the U.S. needs to do more to promote journalists' safety. 

Driving the news: The letter, led by U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL), was signed by 11 other members of Congress and sent Monday evening to the State Department and USAID, Castro's spokesperson said.

It asks Secretary of State Antony Blinken and USAID administrator Samantha Power to provide a plan to work with the Mexican government on reducing the  number of journalist who are killed and to take other actions. 

The big picture: A record 11 journalists have been murdered in Mexico this year alone; 145 have been killed since 2000. 

Journalists are often killed — with impunity — for their reporting on crime or corruption. Mexico is the most dangerous non-war zone country for journalists in the world. 

Details: The Democratic lawmakers want the State Department to provide information on how it plans to promote the protection of journalists and human rights defenders.

They also want an analysis of U.S.-funded programs, including what's known as Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, which provides body guards and other safety measures to journalists who face threats. 

It's unclear how much funding the program currently receives, but documents show USAID allocated about $25 million to it and justice reform trainings between 2014 to 2018. 

Over 1,400 people are currently under the protection of the mechanism.

The State Department and USAID didn't immediately issue comment. 

Between the lines: Mexico’s Congress in 2020 eliminated independent funding for the protection mechanism in a move supported by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador under the guise of austerity.

Since then, it’s been consistently underfunded and mismanaged, according to several government and independent reports. 

López Obrador is highly critical of the press and often attacks reporters during his morning briefings. 

He criticized Blinken after he expressed concern over the killings of journalists in February, saying he was "misinformed."  

What they’re saying: “The state of civil rights and security in Mexico have profound consequences for communities on both sides of the border,” Castro said in a statement.

“As the Summit of the Americas continues throughout the week, I urge the Biden administration to work with our Mexican partners to bring justice to the families of the disappeared and ensure that the Mexican press can operate freely and without fear.”

Exclusive: Dems urge Biden to protect Mexican journalists amid killings

A record 11 journalists have been murdered in Mexico this year alone.

Protesters carrying signs and banners march for journalists' safety in Mexico City 

Protesters in Mexico City demand justice for journalists' murders. Photo: Luis Barron / Eyepix Group/Future Publishing via Getty Images.

Mexico

Latin America and Latinos

A group of Democratic members of Congress wants the Biden administration to review a U.S.-funded program meant to protect Mexican journalists amid a wave of unpunished killings. The lawmakers say the U.S. needs to do more to promote journalists&#x27; safety. Driving the news: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="letter" data-vars-click-url="https://castro.house.gov/imo/media/doc/6.6.22%20Violence%20against%20Mexican%20Journalists%20Letter.pdf" data-vars-content-id="4903b370-f5da-4fac-9e92-9719b3b62c1e" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Dems urge Biden to protect Mexican journalists amid killings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://castro.house.gov/imo/media/doc/6.6.22%20Violence%20against%20Mexican%20Journalists%20Letter.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a>, led by U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL), was signed by 11 other members of Congress and sent Monday evening to the State Department and USAID, Castro&#x27;s spokesperson said.

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

Painful memories of the 2019 mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, that killed 23 and wounded dozens are flooding back for city residents and leaders, who say Uvalde will have a lot of work to do to heal from Tuesday's massacre. 

Flashback: A gunman who authorities say was motivated by hate for Hispanics killed 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso on Aug. 3, 2019.  The alleged shooter, a young white supremacist who drove to El Paso from the Dallas area, has yet to face trial. 

What they're saying: El Paso County Judge Ricardo A. Samaniego, one of the leaders who helped lead the city after the 2019 shooting, said it took him a couple hours to regain his composure after he learned about Uvalde. 

"You have a healing garden, you have a vigil, and (you think) something great will happen and then all of a sudden, you feel like you didn't do anything because it just happens again," Samaniego said. 

Samaniego said it's crucial to talk about those feelings that resurface when there are other shootings. "We can't keep it in our chest."

Former El Paso Mayor Dee Margo, who was at the city’s helm during the shooting, struggled to hold back tears while talking to Axios.

“I just get emotional every time time I think about or talk about our August 3, and somebody said, ‘Maybe you got PTSD,’ and maybe I do,” Margo said. 

Margo said Uvalde would need to work together to move forward. 

The big picture: Although much smaller, the city of Uvalde in many ways is like El Paso. It’s over 80% Hispanic, full of tight-knit families, devout Catholics and hardworking people.

As more information about the Uvalde shooting emerges, El Paso City Council member Cassandra Hernandez said it's hard not to think about the grief experienced in 2019. 

“I think El Pasoens, when we hear about shootings, it takes us to that time. Even though a lot of us were not directly impacted, we still mourn and we still try to take every day day by day,” said Hernandez, who represents the district where the tragedy took place. 

Tuesday's shooting also prompted Hernandez to talk to her children about how to protect themselves, something many parents are grappling with. 

 Subscribe to Axios Latino and get more news that matters about Latinos and Latin America, delivered right to your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Uvalde shooting stirs up painful memories for El Paso residents

“When we hear about shootings, it takes us to that time," one El Paso leader said.

A girl is seen holding hands with another person while they are in a circle prayer group in Uvalde, Texas

Mourners pray in Uvalde, Texas. Photo: Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images

Mass shootings

A young girl holds hands with others during an outdoors prayer circle in Uvalde, Texas

Painful memories of the 2019 mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, that killed 23 and wounded dozens are flooding back for city residents and leaders, who say Uvalde will have a lot of work to do to heal from Tuesday&#x27;s massacre. Flashback: A gunman who authorities say was <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="motivated" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2019/08/05/america-reaction-mass-shootings-el-paso-dayton-guns-hate" data-vars-content-id="60680051-bf98-4f08-aeae-8f45ad553d3e" data-vars-headline="Uvalde shooting stirs up painful memories for El Paso residents" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2019/08/05/america-reaction-mass-shootings-el-paso-dayton-guns-hate" target="_self">motivated</a> by hate for Hispanics <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="killed " data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2019/08/03/el-paso-shooting-what-know-far" data-vars-content-id="60680051-bf98-4f08-aeae-8f45ad553d3e" data-vars-headline="Uvalde shooting stirs up painful memories for El Paso residents" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2019/08/03/el-paso-shooting-what-know-far" target="_self">killed </a>23 people at a Walmart in El Paso on Aug. 3, 2019. The alleged shooter, a young white supremacist who drove to El Paso from the Dallas area, has yet to face trial.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Texas authorities dealing with the Uvalde school shooting’s aftermath have so far provided public updates only in English, prompting criticism that the many Spanish speakers in the largely Latino community are being excluded.

The big picture: Over 81% of residents in Uvalde, where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at a school last week, are Latino, and many speak Spanish at home. 

Providing information in their preferred language is critical during such a trying time, experts say. 

What they're saying:  "I think it's about time and an era where Spanish resources are as important as having those resources in English," said Jennifer Marcial Ocasio, the Spanish at-large board member for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. 

Marcial Ocasio said some bilingual journalists covering the shooting have had to interpret for Uvalde residents.

She suggests all governments make providing information in Spanish a top priority in crisis management guidance. 

DPS South Texas regional director Victor Escalon ignored shouted requests from reporters to provide a statement in Spanish at the end of a press conference on Thursday. 

Police at one point promised to provide Spanish-language updates but didn't follow through, journalists on the scene say. 

The Uvalde Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety, which has conducted many of the press conferences, did not respond to requests for comment.

DPS says officials are offering language services at a resource center set up for victims' families. 

Between the lines: Authorities have struggled to provide information in Spanish to Latino communities during critical times in the past. 

Many governments failed to give updates or have information in Spanish on their websites during the early days of the pandemic. Latinos were among the hardest hit by the coronavirus. 

Authorities in northern California now provide bilingual updates after wildfires left farmworkers and immigrant communities scrambling for information several years ago. 

Dallas

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Dallas. Written by Michael Mooney and Tasha Tsiperas.

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Austin

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Authorities ignore Spanish speakers at Uvalde press conferences

Many residents in Uvalde, where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at a school last week, speak Spanish at home.

A Texas Department of Public Safety office waves his hand at reporters at a news conference in Uvalde. Another officer stands in front of a podium with many microphones on it. 

A news conference on May 26 in Uvalde, Texas. Photo: Eric Thayer/Getty Images.

A Texas Department of Public Safety officer waves his hand at a throng of reporters while another one stands at a podium in front of several microphones

Texas authorities dealing with the Uvalde school shooting’s aftermath have so far provided public updates only in English, prompting criticism that the many Spanish speakers in the largely Latino community are being excluded.The big picture: Over 81% of residents in Uvalde, where a gunman <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="killed " data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/25/texas-school-shooting-one-classroom" data-vars-content-id="633eff11-0d2b-482a-bc83-a099213ca2a4" data-vars-headline="Authorities ignore Spanish speakers at Uvalde press conferences" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/25/texas-school-shooting-one-classroom" target="_self">killed </a>19 students and two teachers at a school last week, are Latino, and many speak Spanish at home.

Several Latino members of Congress have asked Texas authorities to provide Spanish-language updates about the Uvalde mass shooting to the largely Latino community. 

Driving the news: In a letter dated June 10, the lawmakers implored the Department of Public Safety to add Spanish-language updates about the shooting that that left 19 children and two teachers dead. 

“It is unconscionable that public safety officials are neglecting to provide critical information in Spanish to a predominantly Spanish-speaking community,” wrote U.S. Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL) and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas). 

“The people of Uvalde cannot be ignored, and they deserve answers in their preferred languages.”

Driving the news: The letter cites an Axios report showing authorities refused to provide Spanish-language updates during news conferences in the aftermath of the shooting. 

Police at one point promised to provide Spanish-language updates but didn't follow through, journalists on the scene say.

DPS didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Uvalde is over 80% Latino, and many residents speak Spanish at home. Even those who are English proficient may not be as comfortable speaking and receiving updates in English as they are in Spanish. 

Go deeper: Authorities ignore Spanish speakers at Uvalde press conferences

Lawmakers push for Spanish-language Uvalde updates

A law enforcement officer stands in front of a car looking down at his phone

A law enforcement officer looks at his phone near the entrance of Robb Elementary School on June  1. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images.

Uvalde, Texas school shooting

Several Latino members of Congress have asked Texas authorities to provide Spanish-language updates about the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Uvalde mass shooting" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/27/texas-school-shooting-uvalde-gunman-timeline" data-vars-content-id="f9e7db88-dfd2-44a8-b2d4-bb063760d93e" data-vars-headline="Lawmakers push for Spanish-language Uvalde updates" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/27/texas-school-shooting-uvalde-gunman-timeline" target="_self">Uvalde mass shooting</a> to the largely Latino community. Driving the news: In <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a letter" data-vars-click-url="https://grijalva.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Member-of-Congress-Letter-to-Texas-DPS.pdf" data-vars-content-id="f9e7db88-dfd2-44a8-b2d4-bb063760d93e" data-vars-headline="Lawmakers push for Spanish-language Uvalde updates" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://grijalva.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Member-of-Congress-Letter-to-Texas-DPS.pdf" target="_blank">a letter</a> dated June 10, the lawmakers implored the Department of Public Safety to add Spanish-language updates about the shooting that that left <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="19 children and two teachers dead." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/27/texas-school-shooting-uvalde-gunman-timeline" data-vars-content-id="f9e7db88-dfd2-44a8-b2d4-bb063760d93e" data-vars-headline="Lawmakers push for Spanish-language Uvalde updates" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/27/texas-school-shooting-uvalde-gunman-timeline" target="_self">19 children and two teachers dead.</a>

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Stories

Survey: More representation could help Latinos embrace STEM careers

Lawmakers push for Spanish-language Uvalde updates

Exclusive: Dems urge Biden to protect Mexican journalists amid killings

Authorities ignore Spanish speakers at Uvalde press conferences

Uvalde shooting stirs up painful memories for El Paso residents

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