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Axios Latino is published every Tuesday and Thursday.
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1 topic to highlight:
Failure to treat kidney failure
A new
study found that Latino and black young adults are significantly less likely to receive adequate treatment for kidney failure compared to their non-Hispanic white counterparts.
Although some programs are beginning to remedy the problem.
Why It Matters
: Chronic kidney disease has been on the rise among Latinos since 2004, even though it was stable among other demographic groups.
Latinos also face high risks of kidney failure.
Details
: The recent study found that 10.9% of non-Hispanic white patients ages 22 to 44 received kidney transplants.
In contrast, only 1.8% of non-Hispanic black patients and 4.4% of Latino patients in that age group had access to transplants.
Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios
There are also disparities for treatments such as peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis, largely due to lack of health insurance and problems accessing primary care before kidney failure, researcher Adam S. Wilk, from the Emory School of Public Health.
"If Medicare were to expand eligibility to people with kidney disease that hasn't yet progressed to kidney failure, that could build bridges to better treatment for those populations and make earlier disease control possible," Wilk said.
But, but, but:
A USC Transplant Institute pilot program is helping reduce disparities.
Potential living donors can access dieticians and support to improve their health, to compensate for the fact that almost 30% of those who want to donate are rejected due to obesity or type 2 diabetes.
Many of the people served by the University of Southern California program are of Latino origin.
2. In support of Ketanji Brown Jackson
Latino activism groups are promoting the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominated for the US Supreme Court.
And they are doing it despite the fact that on other occasions they have criticized the Joe Biden Administration for its judicial appointments, since they consider that it has not nominated enough Latinos.
"She is more than qualified": Senator Alex Padilla highlights the work of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
March 21, 202204:45
Big Picture
: Advocates see Jackson, who would be the first black woman on the high court if confirmed, as someone who will be an ally on critical civil rights advocacy issues.
News push
: Senator Alex Padilla, a California Democrat and member of the House Judiciary Committee, praised Jackson Monday as he began hearings for the judge's possible confirmation.
"Studying her record makes it clear to me that she is more than qualified," Padilla said, not only "because of her ten years of professional experience but as a person."
The intrigue
: In December, the group Latinos for a Fair Judiciary said it was alarmed that Biden had not appointed more Latinos or Latinas to the court as long as there was a representation more faithful to the population power of the community.
Biden did appoint several Latina judges last year;
Almost all of them have already been confirmed.
Latinos for a Fair Judiciary still celebrated Jackson's nomination and the judge's commitment to "advance racial and social equity, including in many matters being litigated in federal court that affect the ability of Latino communities to prosper." , according to Andrea Nill Sanchez, executive director of the group.
Voto Latino, LatinoJustice, Mi Familia Vota and LULAC also issued statements of support.
3. Educational setback
A higher percentage of black and Latino students in the United States considered canceling their college plans because of the pandemic than the number of white students who did, according to a new study.
Why It Matters
: Latinos already lag behind in educational attainment: they tend to have less post-secondary education and are often forced to drop out of college or not graduate in greater numbers.
By the numbers
: The new study found that more than 10% of Latinos canceled their plans to take college classes by fall 2021, compared to 5.4% of white students.
The analysis was done by the Latino Policy Initiative of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA LPPI) using data from the Census.
Black students were about as likely as Latino students to drop out that semester.
Nearly half of Latino
and Black students who considered canceling their college plans or reducing the number of classes considered it because they could no longer afford tuition after losing income due to the pandemic.
About 38% of white students said the same.
A report done early in the pandemic found that fear of debt keeps many Latinos from attending college.
Community colleges and universities have had lower enrollment rates in the past two years, especially those serving large Latino populations.
Yes, but
: Some students returned to school between July and September 2021, after the vaccines became available, according to the UCLA analysis.
After getting vaccinated, the number of Latinos who said they did not plan to attend college dropped from nearly 11% to 4%.
In his own words
:
I think the data shows that Black and Latino students were more likely than other groups to say, 'Okay, I'm going to cancel and postpone education because I just don't have enough money to pay for it.'”
RODRIGO DOMINGUEZ-VILLEGAS, DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATION OF THE LPPI
“That reveals how important access to financial resources is” for non-whites to continue their education, added DomĂnguez-Villegas.
4. Uruguayan dilemma
Uruguay will decide this Sunday whether to maintain or discard part of an important social reform and criminal justice law expressly decreed in 2020.
General panorama
: The law is surrounded by controversy, especially due to public security measures that, according to unions, Amnesty International and the leftist Broad Front, violate civil rights.
For example, with legislation to allow police to break up protests if they deem them dangerous.
Resisting arrest now also carries up to three years in prison, and police can detain a suspect indefinitely without charging or notify the prosecution of the arrest if the crime they may have committed is determined to be serious enough.
The Urgent Consideration Law (LUC) also includes measures such as regulating strikes outside work sites, as well as provisions to accelerate housing evictions.
The collection of signatures from Uruguayan voters to call the plebiscite on March 27, 2022 took place in the middle of last year.Pablo Porciuncula/AFP / via Getty Images
Recount:
The law aroused protests in 2020 when it was voted on, and in the face of fury, the groups in disagreement gathered signatures to hold a plebiscite last year.
The LUC is the cornerstone of the government of the center-right president, Luis Lacalle Pou, who campaigned on the reforms.
The plebiscite, the fourth at the national level in Uruguay, is being seen as a measure of support for Lacalle Pou.
What's Next
: Polls show 41% favor keeping the law as it is and 36% oppose it, with 19% still undecided.
All invalid votes will count towards the "no", against repeal.
The results are expected to be available on Sunday night.
5. Summary of key news in Latin America and the Caribbean
A Guatemalan judge praised by the United States
said Monday that she will have to resign and flee her country due to "pressure, threats and harassment."
Judge Erika Aifán in her offices of High Risk Court D in Guatemala City, in February 2022. Luis EcheverrĂa / Reuters
Erika Aifán Dávila had been in the sights of businessmen and officials for years, whom she tried for corruption.
They asked to eliminate her judicial immunity so that the judge could be criminally prosecuted for what her detractors consider her "excess of her work".
Aifán says that she was also threatened with death.
The US State Department expressed concern about the attacks on Aifan in January.
Some 15 independent judges and prosecutors in Guatemala have gone into exile in the past year, facing threats or plans to bring criminal charges against them because of their work.
Paraguayan truck drivers in mid-March. Norberto Duarte/AFP / via Getty Images
đźš›
AsunciĂłn, Paraguay, is preparing for several protests these days.
This Monday truckers arrived in the capital to demand lower gasoline prices.
On Thursday there is also a planned march against the attorney general, Sandra Quiñónez.
Those protests are over a law that activists and peasants say has led to the arrest of indigenous people trying to reclaim their land.
6. 🏍️Parting Smile: A Furry Biker
A Colombian dog that travels on a special motorcycle to deliver pet food has become an
influencer
.
A dog helps his master bring food to street animals in Colombia
March 14, 202202:05
Details
: Max's human, Daviel Guzmantra, adapted his motorcycle so that the Golden Retriever dog can ride alongside him with a custom helmet, biker jacket, and seat belt.
They go through Bogotá in search of stray dogs or cats to feed them.
Max also makes appearances in adoption campaigns and promotes them to his over 10,000 Instagram followers.
Thank you for reading!
We return with a Pachanga Thursday, where we highlight the achievements of our readers.
If you want us to include you, or have any comments or suggestions, send us an email.
Do you want to see some of the most recent previous editions?
Using satellites to protect endangered species
LGBTQ pride on the rise among younger Latinos
Hispanics promoting white nationalism
Pilotas, pioneers and pianists: Latinas who have made history
The Netflix of education and the technological incursion of Latinos
The song that helped popularize tamales in the US
