By Trey Speegle For years, Ric Best never really needed a physical art studio, as he did work strictly in the digital realm. With space at a premium, Best says, “It was easier than painting while I was in New York City.” Four years ago, one of the main attractions in moving to Mérida was…
Born in Chicago to a Colombian mother and a Mexican father, a transitory lifestyle marked Samantha Michell’s early years, spending time between the United States and Mexico. However, her heart has always been firmly rooted in Mérida. “I spent 18 years living here, going back and forth,” she recalls. “I’ve technically been here more than…
Editor’s note: Robert Kimsey was in his late 80s when we interviewed him for Issue 6 in 2022. After learning that he recently passed away, we searched our archive for the article so we could post it today. The story of his life with his loving wife, Tonia, is worth repeating. In their 80s, this…
Well beyond Mérida’s Periférico, Dzununcán is one of the poorest communities in Mérida, where residents, including single mothers and children, live in extreme poverty. A family’s next meal, even if limited to stale tortillas, can never be given for granted. Dzununcán is home to an unknown number of migrants who unofficially settled in the area…
One of Yucatán’s more personable public figures, Rommel Pacheco, has caught the eye of Mexico’s president-elect. Claudia Sheinbaum has picked the 38-year-old former Olympic diver and federal deputy as the next head of the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports (Conade). On his popular social media accounts, Pacheco describes himself as an athlete, public…
Mérida Innkeeper Dave O. Dodge is embarking on a New England book tour to celebrate his two biographical novels set in that region. Dodge, originally from New Hampshire, has lived in Mérida for the past decade. He and his husband run the Ochenta y Dos bed and breakfast. As they celebrate the start of their…
Jair Avalos López, a student at Arizona State University, received the National Health Journalism Award, highlighting the importance of improving the health system and strengthening HIV care in Yucatán and throughout the country. Yucatán has had one of Mexico’s highest HIV rates. Since 1983, 12,000 cases have been reported. The true number is generally believed to…
The time has come for Consul General Dorothy Ngutter to move on to her next assignment. It’s been a quick but productive three years since the well-loved diplomat arrived during the pandemic crisis. “This has been a unique assignment,” Ngutter told La Jornada Maya. “The opportunity to lead this team and represent my country here…
Carol Kolozs Fischer, whose second act in life was to cement Mérida’s reputation for luxury, died on June 17 after a private battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 77. News of his passing started circulating more than a week after his death in Miami. Carol’s business dealings were broad, but he was best known for…
As a young artist, Lorraine Toohey embarked on an unconventional journey that eventually led her to Mérida, a stark contrast to her hometown of Edmonton. After graduating with a BFA and an art education degree, she was drawn to Vancouver’s artistic energy. “At the time, the Conservative government was cutting back on arts education. There…
A certified personal trainer, vegan activist, and professional dancer/choreographer, JJ is a definite “it girl” of hip-hop dance cardio workouts.
In the heart of the Yucatán Peninsula, a captivating artistic collaboration challenges conventional narratives and redefines the essence of a Maya legend. Muralist Juana Alicia and writer Tirso González Araiza have joined forces to present “La X’Tabay. El libro de los libros” (“The X’Tabay. The Book of Books”), an exhibition on view at the Palacio…
Little did Susan Posnick know that her battle with skin cancer would lead her to develop her own line of sunscreen products and natural cosmetics and also to save lives in the process.
Merida, Yucatan, is a city of around a million people, with expats living mainly in the 3.5-square-mile Centro Histórico, a series of neighborhoods near the Plaza Grande, or main square where the government and cathedral preside. Just how many? There is no official count, but certainly, expats here number in the thousands. More recently, younger…
A bona fide fixture of New York City’s vibrant downtown performance scene for 30-plus years, Joey Arias is bringing his cabaret show to Mérida. His one-night-only performance is at El Remate, which has a new chef and menu. Growing up outside of New York, I remember Arias as a major provocateur and trailblazer for drag…
Mérida-born surrealist painter Samuel Barrera Ceballos, who gave up a career in law to follow his passion for dreamscapes and fantastical portraits, has died. The self-taught artist, 56, is remembered for his kindness and eagerness to collaborate with other artists. Barrera left behind law school after he developed a passion for painting while designing and…
Tina Marie Wood and I spent a year traveling around Mexico with the intention of finding the right place to build Casa Cascabel.
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