Hispanic Heritage Month 2023
Young Mexican women performing in Hispanic culture celebration. Unsplash.com

In the top news of the week, we reported on the beginning of 2023's Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S., why New York lawmakers want the state gives job permits to asylum seekers, and what happened in a Mexican Congress hearing on alleged extraterrestrial life.

Although the term Hispanic Heritage Month is something that almost every resident in the US has heard more than once, explaining what this annual celebration means is much more complex than naming it, precisely because culturally it means a much deeper event than a few bunch of piñatas, tamales or folk dances in the streets.

From September 15 to October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is a time dedicated to celebrating the contributions of the Hispanic communities living in the US.

Palomitas, refresco and familia could all collide across the U.S. to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 at local theatres across major U.S. cities.

With one source citing that 29% of movie tickets sold are to Latinos, despite their underrepresentation in film, another study citing that Latinos go to the movies more often than other groups, and with the recent movie "Blue Beetle" starring a Mexican family, it's apparent that Latinos like movies.

MTV and TelevisaUnivision brought together the Video Music Awards 2023 this week on UniMás network with Alejandra Espinoza as host, who shone on the #VMAs red carpet according to critics.

With this partnership, the most global "VMAs" in the show's history further expanded its reach with UniMás and Univision Networks as the exclusive U.S. destination for the show's Spanish-language broadcast.

Local and state legislators are proposing a bill that would allow New York State to issue work permits for asylum seekers within 45 days after submitting their application.

The bill, submitted by Assemblymember Catalina Cruz and state Sen. Luis Sepúlveda, is called the New York Emergency Expedited Temporary Work Permit Act, or NEXT-WP Act but its passing is uncertain as it is sidestepping federal law. Still, Assemblymember Cruz says "That's a fight we should welcome."

Mexico received the green light from U.S. authorities to return to the highest level of aviation safety after more than two years of relegation that took a toll on the Mexican international air travel industry.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Mexico is now back to Category 1 in its safety ranking, allowing the country's companies to add new services and routes to the U.S.

The alleged bodies of two "non-human beings" were presented during a congressional hearing in Mexico, generating a mixture of surprise, disbelief and ridicule on social media on Wednesday.

The purported mummified remains were exhibited in two small display cases on Tuesday -- the first time the Mexican Congress has officially addressed the issue of possible extraterrestrial life.

115,497 Mexican individuals in family units and accompanied minors crossed the southern border in 2023's fiscal year to date, marking unprecedented crossings.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, last updated August 18, 2023, shows the number of Mexican individuals in family units and accompanied minors who crossed the border this year at an all-time high, increasing about 73% compared to the same period last year.

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