Graduate in French and Spanish from the University of Southampton, UK. Near-native competency in Spanish after extended periods of time spent in Spain and Mexico. Strong interest in immigration policy, indigenous rights and global diplomacy.
Latest posts by Chellsy Alis Manning
Cuban Filmmakers Take Over Digital Technologies
In Cuba, filmmakers and new directors have started to take over new technologies to keep down the costs of production of audiovisual effects, and to tell stories that would otherwise not have seen the light of day.
2012: A Year of Revolt and Social Change in Francophone Countries: Part 2
This second part of our 2012 review in the Francophone world features civil rebellion and governance problems in Togo, Chad and Madagascar, citizen initiatives in Senegal, fight for more transparency in public affairs in Cameroon and ongoing debates on social issues in France.
France: New Pro-Roma Employment Policy Strikes a Nerve
'The 4,395,000 French "job seekers" will be happy to learn that the Roma job problem has been solved!!! Their access to work will be "helped".'
Mexico: Egg Price Hike Causes Speculation
The increasing price of eggs, a staple in Mexico, has caused speculation and malpractices, as well as discontent and suspicion among consumers. The price of a kilo of eggs has almost reached the Mexican daily minimum wage ($ 4.6 USD or € 3.66).
Graffiti in Times of Crisis
In the current economic crisis, graffiti in several cities is rife with social messages. Here is a sample of some urban artwork.
Puerto Rico: Jaime Espinal's Silver Medal Makes History
Puerto Rico celebrates Jaime Espinal's Olympic silver medal, the first to be won for the country in the freestyle wrestling. This is the second medal won for Puerto Rico in the London 2012 Olympics and only the second silver medal to be won in the country's history.
Togo: Demanding a proper rule of law and a fair share of the country's wealth
Analysing the resignation from government of the PM Houngbo, Mathias Akoulansa wrote on togoforum.com: “In any case, the Togolese political experience of the last 22 years has shown that the...
United States: MundoFox, More of the Same?
On 13 August 2012 a new TV channel MundoFox will officially begin broadcasting, becoming the fifth channel to join others in transmitting Hispanic content in the United States.
Puerto Rico: Javier Culson Wins Historic Bronze Medal
The athlete Javier Culson won Puerto Rico's first ever medal in athletics. This medal takes the count to 7 medals in the country's history: 5 bronze and 1 silver in boxing, and 1 bronze in athletics. This is the first Olympic medal for the country since 1996. Puerto Rican netizens celebrated this historic achievement.
Peru: Court Reduces Sentence for Members of Death Squad
On Friday, July 20, the Peruvian Supreme Court announced its decision to shorten from 25 to 20 years the imprisonment sentence for top members of the Colina Group, a death squad involved in human rights violations. They were also acquitted of having committed crimes against humanity.
Panama: Hoping for a Historic World Cup Qualification
Panama has had a great start in the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2014 Brazil World Cup and now Panamanians are beginning to dream, using Twitter to show their hope and joy. Panama has never qualified for a World Cup in the CONCACAF area group.
Cuba: Symposium Against Homophobia, for Inclusion and Diversity
In Cuba, since 2008, a symposium against homophobia has been held in May with activities against all types of discrimination related to gender identity and sexual orientation. As expected, the Cuban blogosphere was the center of heated debates.
Colombia: A New Home for Campus Party in 2013?
Paco Ragageles, co-founder of Campus Party, in his blog published the decision to consider an alternative venue for Campus Party Colombia following the decision of the mayor of Bogota to not endorse the event as had been done in the past. Netizens immediately reacted and even proposed a new venue for 2013.
Argentina Approves Death with Dignity Law
After a long debate in the Argentine Senate, the Death with Dignity project was converted into law with wide-ranging support. On Twitter the hashtag #Muertedigna (death with dignity) became a local trending topic after news broke out about the new law. There have been many different opinions.
United States: Indig-Nación, the Spanish Newspaper of Occupy Wall Street
Yarisa Colón interviews Sofía Gallisá, a member of the editorial team of “Indig-Nación,” the new newspaper in Spanish of the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Peru: Report on Conga Mining Project Released
After months of conflict, the technical report commissioned by the Peruvian government to survey the Environmental Impact Study of the Conga mining project in Cajamarca was finally delivered. The media and bloggers have been sharing their opinion for and against this controversial project, as well as the mistakes made by the government and those that oppose the mining project.
Venezuela: Singer Onechot Becomes Victim of Violence He Decried
Onechot was wounded by a bullet to the head. The Venezuelan reggae singer sang of the violence in the city of Caracas as being completely crazy. In 2011 there were more than 19 thousand murders. Onechot's case is a symbol of the irony that not even the peacemakers are safe.
Africa: Highs and Lows of the 2012 African Cup of Nations
People unite around their national football teams in Africa more than anywhere else in the world. In the fervour surrounding the 2012 African Cup of Nations, there are two points that attract the attention of bloggers. The first is the absence of the usual great nations of African football and the second is that of the complicated issue surrounding bonuses.
Venezuela: The Essence of African Music in Videos
Venezuela’s African origins can be strongly felt in the music and culture of the country’s coastal regions. Social networking sites play an important role in helping people to become more familiar with the drum festivals. Citizen media sites, particularly YouTube, feature videos of the music and dancing performed during events such as family parties and national celebrations.
