Fireworks, Future Leaders, and Fierce Competitions!

This week’s edition covers stories
from July 25th to July 31st, 2024.
Today’s issue is 870 words, an 7-minute read.

Good morning gentle readers, Isabella writing.

This past week has been energizing, with a lot happening all around. Last Saturday, I enjoyed a wonderful carne asada with friends and family during the 2024 Aquatennial. Minneapolis lit up with a spectacular 20-minute show filled with various shapes, colors, and sounds. Along the Mississippi Riverfront on West River Parkway, there were numerous vendors, food trucks, and performances by local artists. My favorite fireworks are the Brocades and Waterfalls—what are yours?

*2024 Aquatennial by the Mississippi River 📸 NewPrensa*

Culturica: Amplifying Latine Youth Voices

I also have some wonderful news to share with our readers. In November 2023, we began a journey with a group of extraordinary Latine high school students, launching a High School Leadership Program that has been transformative. Over several months, these young leaders explored their identities, sharpened their leadership skills, and found their voices, culminating in a powerful magazine reflecting their unique perspectives on community, immigration, race, family, and identity. The pride we feel is immense—not only from witnessing the students’ growth but also from seeing the joy and pride of their parents as they celebrated their children’s achievements.

This program was made possible through the incredible support of the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub at the University of Minnesota, the Department of Chicano and Latino Studies at UMN, El Colegio High School, White Bear Lake Schools’ Latino Unidos Program, and our dedicated partners Lisa Sass Zaragoza, Briana Santoscoy, and Katie Avina. A heartfelt thank you to our talented graphic designer and NewPrensa writer, Ebelin, for visually bringing the students’ stories to life, and to NewPublica for supporting NewPrensa’s mission to contribute to culturally relevant media.

We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub, we will extend this program for a full year, expanding to include 20 students! This continued commitment ensures we can keep providing a platform for young Latine voices to be heard. Stay tuned and follow us on social media for the digital release of the magazine. I am so excited for you to read their stories! Let’s continue to celebrate these young leaders and inspire the next generation!

The Road to the 2024 Elections and Olympic Triumphs

Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Jade Carey and Sunisa Lee of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team celebrate winning gold at the 2024 Olympics. 📸 JAMIE SQUIRE | GETTY IMAGES

In other close-to-home news, President Biden stepped down, and Vice President Kamala Harris is running for president. But who will be her VP? Rumor has it she’ll pick a governor as her running mate early next week, and Gov. Tim Walz is among the top contenders! If Walz assumes the vice presidency, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan would become the first Native American woman to lead a U.S. state. How cool is that!? It’s definitely a year for women in politics.

If you’re not following the elections, perhaps you’ve been tearing up at the 2024 Olympics videos online. While I’m not a huge sports fan like our fellow team writer, Mateo, I felt immense pride and joy watching our athletes compete. It’s a big deal! We saw spectacular performances from top-notch artists, too. Celine Dion made a comeback at the Eiffel Tower after announcing her Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis—watch the documentary here. Lady Gaga opened the festivities on the Seine River, singing “Mon Truc en Plumes” by Zizi Jeanmaire entirely in French. Thee Beyoncé introduced Team USA on the Seine River with a patriotic rendition of “YA YA” from her recently released album Cowboy Carter.

As of Tuesday, the U.S., Japan, and China were leading the medal count, with Team USA in the lead with a total of 29 Olympic medals (4 gold, 13 silver, and 12 bronze). Simone Biles became the most decorated Olympic gymnast at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Tuesday! On the flip side, there’s been some drama online between Biles and former teammate MyKayla Skinner, who threw shade at the current women’s gymnastics team—watch the full video here.