Dear Linda
I love this project! I find salsa dancing so fun and the idea of having a great group of young leaders burn off stress and have fun and feel closer to their culture... excellent. I would encourage you to add Salsacize to every major conference your group is involved in - not just those with the young latinas. I think many of the rest of us who are a touch older could also benefit fro salsacize as a new type of conference must have.
It just so happens that we are planning to do just that. We have some very serious conferences regarding the heavy social issues affecting our communities that we need to end things on a lighter note with music, dancing and exercise which produces those good endorphins which allow to be happy. My mother used to play salsa music when we were growing up while cleaning house and I can tell you that it certainly made you clean the house faster and with a smile : )
I´m interested in how your program understands itself as one that adresses an issue in cultural contact/border regions. Do you think that obesity among young latina women is a problem that comes with U.S. eating habits (healthy home cooked vs. fast food)? I don´t know whether that´s a little beside the point here, but since I´ve done some research on Mexcian/US border culture, I´d be interested to hear your view nevertheless.
Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
Interestingly enough Jasper, my background is in Health Education as my bacalaureate degree, so I must share with you that as the daughter of immigrant parents, my grandparents lived into their 90's and 103 years old. In Mexico, the diet is significantly tied to proteins and vegetables and corn (maiz) tortillas. It is not until they came to the U. S. that more and more fast foods were introduced and less reliance on homemade soups we have come to know as comfort food. Then we get to the introduction of pure flour tortillas as we know them in the U.S. which does not provide the same kind of nutrients. Luckily I grew up on this same kind of diet , but my own children who have enjoyed these meals have also taken on an Americanized view of fast food eating which has driven me to no end in sight. What we have noted in general that as Latinos become more acculturated to the American way of eating, so goes the obesity factor. But they are pretty generally healthy before in their own countries before consuming the variety of treats at any of the fast food establishments. I think that the book FAST FOOD NATION says it all no matter where you are from. It should be require reading for all high school students.
Comments
Dear Linda
I love this project! I find salsa dancing so fun and the idea of having a great group of young leaders burn off stress and have fun and feel closer to their culture... excellent. I would encourage you to add Salsacize to every major conference your group is involved in - not just those with the young latinas. I think many of the rest of us who are a touch older could also benefit fro salsacize as a new type of conference must have.
Heather Cameron
Boxgirls
Free University Berlin
It just so happens that we are planning to do just that. We have some very serious conferences regarding the heavy social issues affecting our communities that we need to end things on a lighter note with music, dancing and exercise which produces those good endorphins which allow to be happy. My mother used to play salsa music when we were growing up while cleaning house and I can tell you that it certainly made you clean the house faster and with a smile : )
Hi Linda,
I´m interested in how your program understands itself as one that adresses an issue in cultural contact/border regions. Do you think that obesity among young latina women is a problem that comes with U.S. eating habits (healthy home cooked vs. fast food)? I don´t know whether that´s a little beside the point here, but since I´ve done some research on Mexcian/US border culture, I´d be interested to hear your view nevertheless.
Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
Interestingly enough Jasper, my background is in Health Education as my bacalaureate degree, so I must share with you that as the daughter of immigrant parents, my grandparents lived into their 90's and 103 years old. In Mexico, the diet is significantly tied to proteins and vegetables and corn (maiz) tortillas. It is not until they came to the U. S. that more and more fast foods were introduced and less reliance on homemade soups we have come to know as comfort food. Then we get to the introduction of pure flour tortillas as we know them in the U.S. which does not provide the same kind of nutrients. Luckily I grew up on this same kind of diet , but my own children who have enjoyed these meals have also taken on an Americanized view of fast food eating which has driven me to no end in sight. What we have noted in general that as Latinos become more acculturated to the American way of eating, so goes the obesity factor. But they are pretty generally healthy before in their own countries before consuming the variety of treats at any of the fast food establishments. I think that the book FAST FOOD NATION says it all no matter where you are from. It should be require reading for all high school students.
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