Periferico sur (northbound): In Mexico City, Every Newspaper Has Its Own Reality

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

In Mexico City, Every Newspaper Has Its Own Reality

El Universal didn't seem to notice Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's massive Sunday rally. As you can see on La Jornada's front cover, thousands of followers gathered around the left-wing charismatic leader, former presidential candidate and self-proclaimed Mexico's Legitimate President in Mexico City's Zocalo, or Main Plaza, to demand government actions against the domestic economic crisis. You can tell the significance of the rally just by looking at the picture, right?

Well, unfortunately it seems El Universal didn't assign any reporter or photographer to cover the event, or did it? What do El Universal readers make of it? What's your take on it?

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El interrogatorio PSN

Uno de los objetivos de este blog es hacer una investigación formal sobre la migración de mexicanos preparados de clase media y media alta. Es un tema que se ha explorado poco. Por tanto, el primer paso es reunir tantos testimonios como sea posible. Si deseas compartir tu experiencia, el primer paso es responder a este cuestionario o escribir un texto o grabar un mensaje de voz o un video a partir de las preguntas que lo integran y enviármelo a antonioruiz.camacho@gmail.com.
Los testimonios recibidos irán publicándose en el blog y apareciendo en una sección fija y organizada.
Gracias a quienes se animen a echarse el cuestionario, sin albur.
Antonio Ruiz-Camacho

1. Identifícate (nombre, edad, lugar de origen, profesión o actividad principal, estado civil y cualquier otro dato que consideres te identifique)

2. ¿Dónde vives, desde hace cuánto?

3. ¿Has vivido en otro lugar, además de México? ¿Dónde, por cuánto tiempo?

4. ¿Qué razón te llevó a vivir en tu lugar actual?

5. ¿Te mudaste por voluntad propia o a tu pesar?

6. ¿Qué es lo que más te gusta del lugar donde vives?

7. ¿Qué es lo que más te disgusta?

8. ¿Qué es a lo que más te costó trabajo acostumbrarte?

9. ¿Qué consideras haber ganado y haber perdido al mudarte ahí?

10. ¿Te gustaría regresar a México? Si la respuesta es sí, ¿pronto, algún día o aún no sabes cuándo? Si la respuesta es no, ¿por qué?

11. ¿Qué es lo que extrañas más de México?

12. ¿Qué es lo que menos extrañas?

13. ¿Tienes muchos amigos o familiares en una situación parecida a la tuya (viviendo fuera de México)? ¿Crees que eso puede tener alguna consecuencia para México?

14. Cuando vuelves de regreso a México por vacaciones, ¿cómo te sientes?, ¿qué sensaciones o pensamientos te genera estar de vuelta?

15. Cuando oyes hablar en la prensa o la televisión de inmigrantes, inmigrantes mexicanos o inmigrantes latinoamericanos, ¿sientes que están hablando de ti?

16. ¿Algo más que quieras decir sobre tu experiencia viviendo fuera de México que no se te haya preguntado aquí?

Periférico who?

Welcome to this toll-free adventure. While its name evokes one of Mexico City's most important yet troubling highways in the city's south side, Perfiérico sur (Northbound) is actually inspired by fellow Mexicans like many of you or me, or friends of ours, who have migrated out or still remain in Timbiriche's land but feel would be much better off elsewhere.

For the last two decades, Mexico's been running into a new and unexpected phenomenon: the migration of an increasing number of middle & upper class young professionals. Since the 50s, studying or working abroad has been a traditional initiation for a growing number of Mexico's elite young & restless kids. However, many of these educated fine young men and women are now opting out from going back home. They are staying overseas, as inmigrantes de lujo, braceros chic--place your own tag here--, or so it seems. Sometimes they go round-trip though, but the number of those who look forward to settling down in the US or European countries seems to be spiking. According to Mexico's National Population Council (CONAPO), every year 225,000 young professionals--either BA or technical training holders--flee Mexican soil to pursue better opportunities.

Mexican Establishment used to be based on a system of social & economic privileges that, among other side effects, shielded the elite from the having to share common ground with the rest of Mexico's not-so-affluent, less European-like-looking population. It was a posh treatment that felt inherent to the upper classes but somehow--and finding the answers is part of this blog's raison d'être-- it seems to have lost its lust for these guys--or should I say 'us'?

Why do we all prefer to remain abroad than going back to our mother country, where we could so easily take advantage of the strong safety net that being part of la gente bien is? Is this standoff some sort of downside of Mexico's transition to real Democracy, or is it rather a painful yet positive expression of it? Is Deluxe Mexican Migration an emergency exit out of the ruthless gap between the poor and the rich (now that the sense of statu quo that we used to enjoy during the days of PRI's supremacy is fading out), or just the ultimate expression of malinchismo?

What does this diaspora represent to Mexico's future? What does it bring to the latinization of the US? How are Mexican fellows doing their way in an increasingly xenophobic European Union? Is it a real exodus or just the hipster's call for a fancier zip code? Why is now Mexico exporting 'fresas'? Because, o sea, that's what we are, aren't we? (Well, sorry to equal you down guys, but according to CONAPO, the main reason to emigrate for 47% of those young professionals is to shoo poverty. Details like this one might also tell us something, a lot I think, about what Mexican society really is made of and about how its troubling democratic transition is rolling down the road).

As a two-way road, flawed with speed bumps and traffic jams, yet plentiful of fun and wit, Periférico sur (Northbound) aims to become a space for debate and conversation on this very spicy and provocative trend in our That-is-so-21st-century lives. And, desde luego, on its impact on the countries--Mexico, cómo no, and elsewhere--that we now call home.

Bienvenidos. Antonio Ruiz-Camacho

About PSN's Creator & Curator

August 2008-June 2009. John S. Knight Fellowship program, Stanford University. One of 12 U.S. fellows and first journalist from a U.S. Spanish-language publication ever selected for the program.

April 2006-present Managing Editor, Rumbo Newspapers (Houston, San Antonio, Rio Grande Valley, TX)

Coordinate three Spanish weeklies with a certified combined circulation of 195,000 copies. Oversee journalistic standards in all Meximerica Media (RUMBO’s publisher) products. Coordinate special projects and content for Syndicated products such as biweeklies El Popular (Miami, FL) & Más (Atlanta, GA), and bimonthly ¡Viva Oklahoma! (Oklahoma City, OK).

May 2004-March 2006 Managing Editor, RUMBO Daily Newspaper, Austin, TX

Perform bureau-chief duties. Manage 5 reporters, 3 photographers. Coordinate local coverage, design and news edition for a daily Monday-to-Friday Spanish publication. Manage local budget, freelancers and interns included. Perform Spokesperson duties for RUMBO in Austin.

2000-2002 Columnist, Milenio Diario & Milenio Semanal, Mexico

Wrote El canto del replicante, weekly Op-ed on Internet & Information Society in Latin America.

2000 Editor-in-Chief, To2.com, Mexico City, Mexico

To2.com was the first online Latin American newspaper with original content published both in English and Spanish, with newsrooms in Mexico City and Houston, TX. I coordinated a staff of 40, among reporters, editors, photographers and investigative journalists.

1998-2000 Special Affairs Reporter, El Financiero Newspaper, Mexico City, Mexico

Reported and wrote In-depth features on a wide variety of topics, such as Immigration, Poverty, Genetics, Natural Disasters and Technology, both throughout Mexico and from UK, Spain, California, New York City, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

1998 Madrid Correspondent, Mexican Newspaper El Financiero

Reported and wrote weekly features and breaking news on a wide variety of topics related to Spanish society such as Immigration, Terrorism, Tourism, Politics, European Monetary Union, Publishing Industry, Soccer and Arts.

1997 - 1998 Reporter, Arts & Culture, Reforma Newspaper, Mexico City, Mexico

Reported and wrote In-depth features, interviews and profiles on Literature, Education, Technology and Religion; covered breaking news and special assignments.

1996 – 1997 Deputy Editor, Reforma Newspaper, Mexico City, Mexico

Edited news wires to be published in Syndicated products. Edited copy and designed pages for Syndication clients.

Freelance Writer

El Universal [2007]

Bebé Mundo [2006-2007], El Siglo de Torreón [2006], Travesías [2002-2003], Expansión [2001], Letras Libres, Latin Trade [2000]

Teaching Experience

2001-2002 Guest Professor, Mexico

July 2001: Master’s Degree in Journalism, Universidad Autónoma de Durango. Course title: Internet as research tool for Investigative Journalists.

August 2002: Mural Newspaper, Guadalajara, Mexico. Workshop title: Features for reporters and editors.

Additional Professional Experience

2005-2006 Discussion panel moderator, Presenter, Austin, TX

2005 Texas Book Festival: discussion panel on the Juárez murders, by writers and journalists. Austin Mayor’s Book Club 2006: Finale Event, conversation with Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The Devil’s Highway, 2006’s selected book. 2006 Texas Book Festival: Presenter & Moderator: María Elena Salinas (I am my father’s daughter) and Sonia Nazario (Enrique’s Journey).

2001-2002 Press and PR Associate, Turner Publicaciones, Madrid, Spain

Launch of Noema essay collection, which included Five Days in London, by John Lucaks and Conversations with Picasso, by Brassaï, among other titles. Coordinated content for both revistadelibros.com & turnerlibros.com.

2002 Co-author, Explorando el ciberperiodismo iberoamericano, Mexico

Collection of essays on Cyber Journalism in Latin America, coordinated by Gerardo Albarrán de Alba, Salvador Camarena and Rossana Fuentes Berain, published by Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) and CECSA. Author of chapter Internet and its impact on Mexican Journalism.

Awards

· April 2006. RUMBO de Austin. Outstanding Daily category, Bronze Award; José Martí Awards by the National Association of Hispanic Publications.

Education

· Knight Fellowship at Stanford University.

· BA, Communications. Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico. Major in Journalism.

· Certificate Program in Politics, Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico.

Periferico sur (northbound)