Welcome to what the F is going on in Latin America and the Caribbean, a popular resistance broadcast of hot news out of the region. In partnership with Black Alliance for Peace, Haiti America's team, Code Pink, Common Frontiers, Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Friends of Latin America, Interreligious Task Force on Central America, Massachusetts Peace Action, and Task Force on the Americas, we broadcast Thursdays at 4.30 p.m. Pacific, 7.30 p.m. Eastern, right here on YouTube Live, including channels for the Convo Couch, Popular Resistance, and Code Pink. Post broadcast recordings can be found at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Telegram, RadIndyMedia.com, and now under podcast at popularresistance.org. Today's episode, Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs resigns to run for president, and I'm happy to invite back to this program my good friend and independent journalist, Alina Duarte. She's joining our conversation today from Mexico City, and so we're very happy to have her with us. And before we start our conversation, let me give all of you just a brief background as to what happened Tuesday here in Mexico City. It's kind of shifted the ground a little bit, but it's also kind of exciting as to what's beginning to unfold here in advance of next year's presidential election.  Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations, Margello Ebrard, one of the leading contenders to be the country's next president, said on Tuesday he will resign to focus on winning the presidential nomination of the ruling Morena Party for the 2024 presidential elections. Ebrard, a former mayor of Mexico City, wants to succeed President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador as the standard bearer of the left of center national regeneration movement, which we call Partido Morena, and Morena now dominates national politics here in Mexico. So with that brief background, because I want Alina to share with us all her knowledge, I want all of you to welcome Alina, and I'm so happy to have you back. You're so incredibly busy, and we should talk about your new project also before the end of the program, because it's very exciting, and I know you're like living it. So I'm really thankful for your time. No, thanks for having me.  Thank you, Terry. So let's talk about a barge decision to resign on Tuesday. Boy, it was like, I think for a lot of people outside of Mexico, it was like, wow, big surprise for those of us inside Mexico, kind of knew it was coming. We're suspecting it was a possibility. Actually, this is the beginning of the race for presidency in 2024. We've been talking about this here in Mexico for the last weeks or even months, but no one decided to say like, this is the beginning, three, two, one, we start, and the counselor was the one who started, who decided to resign to the cabinet of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. And we are not really surprised because he said these kind of things for the last at least three or two months. He said that everyone who wanted to be the candidate should resign. And I mean, this was an advice for the governor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, for the senator Ricardo Monreal, and also for the minister of government, Adam Augusto López. Those are the principal persons who could really succeed like being the next president of Mexico. But with the decision of Ebrard, we really are into like the beginning of the race for presidency. And now we're talking about the counselor specifically because this is the real battle for president, for being president next year. It's not a battle between the right and the left. It's a battle inside Morena. All the pool says that next year, people prefers to have another candidate for Morena done from the opposition, from the pan, and to be honest, I think that that's amazing after having almost 100 years of the free. And now we are talking about a progressive government that is going to have like a second episode, a second part of Obradorismo. And that's why it's so important now what they're doing, the counselor, the governor of Mexico City and also at an August of the second one in charge of this country, all of them want to be the next president. And I'm pretty sure that one of them is going to be in 2024 in a year. Actually, in exactly one year today, we will know who's going to be the next president. We are going to have the elections on June in next year. So it starts also like this regressive counting like for Obrador, we're knowing that at this point and we have only a year and a half of his administration. So let's see what happened during the next also weeks, but also this Sunday that Morena, the party officially is going to give the requirements for the candidates, for the persons, the people who wants to be the next president. So this is, maybe we should talk a little bit about Sunday for the US audience specifically because this is internal party politics for Morena, how they're going to define campaign rules. Who runs and under what conditions? Is that correct? That's this coming Sunday, which is what the 11th. Yeah. There's a lot of expectations, Terry. Actually this Sunday we are all just waiting to see what's going to happen. Yeah. It seems like, I don't know if it's true or not, but it seems like all the media, you know, I don't trust that kind of media, but also close people, people close to the party to Morena, they're saying that maybe they, not only the cancer has to resign, but also the rest of the candidates. It was Mario Delgado, the president of Morena. He said that this Sunday, the National Council of Morena will discuss and approve the terms of the call to define the 2024 presidential candidate. He said that he's going to settle the dates and requirements for people, as I said, who wish to participate in this process. So he also said that maybe it's on the table the possibility, right, of resigning, requesting a license to be analyzed on this National Council on this Sunday. You know, we've been saying, I don't know how to translate this, you know, like the top of the, when you have a soda, so... Then we can pop the cap. Exactly. So we are all expecting what they're going to decide because basically you remember that, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, he said during the last year or more that the way that Morena have to decide the candidate for governors, for deputies, for the senators is the surveys, are the pools. So this, it was the only, I don't know also this Sunday, we're going to know what this kind of pools it's going to say at the beginning. We knew that they're going to call you and they're going to say, do you trust Marcelo Rard and Claudia Sheenbaum and Adam Augusto and Monreal and also... I mean, they're going to ask you if you like them, if you trust them, if you consider that they support women, if they support the LGBTQ agenda. I don't know of these kind of questions, but also this National Council that is going to take part this Sunday, they're going to decide if it's going to be just the one question, that who do you want to be your candidate?  So I think it's better in my opinion to be honest, I never been into deciding who's going to be a candidate, but I feel like he, like Morena and also the president are taking a lot of measures, a lot of decisions to take care about the whole process. As I've been talking to you during months, it's not easy just to think what's next. You know, like after having these leaderships like Hugo Chavez, like Evo Morales in the region, and now with Andrés Manuel, that is a leader not only in Mexico, but in the whole continent. I think unity should prevail on these elections, the intern elections, but it's going to depend not only on the decisions on this Sunday, but also about the process, like political formation, the media outlets, like independent media outlets. So it's pretty important for me, for leftist people, I guess, for a lot of militants of the so-called for transformation, what's going to happen this Sunday and maybe next Monday we're going to know if they have to resign, Claudia Sheinbaum and Augusto Lopez and all of these candidates, the ones who will be the candidate or they're going to just keep in their places like in function. So let's see Terry this Sunday. Let's have a coffee. We may need more than caffeine on Sunday. I guess that a lot of people are going to just waiting for the announcements for these decisions next Sunday. This is fascinating for those of us outside of Mexico politics that what is going to be decided on Sunday is, well, I guess all political parties have their various processes for deciding who runs in it. The possibility of having all four major Morena presidential candidates resign their current positions, which leaves vacancies and very, very prominent, you know, a cabinet position in the secretary of foreign relations, exterior relations. The governor mayor, it's one city of Mexico is a state, so Claudia is the governor and mayor of Mexico City. So to vacate that position and Montreal's position, I mean, those are, you know, of course it allows other people to step up and be groomed for the future too, if that, but it also, I mean, I could see it, but also creating an even playing field for all of them to start campaigning. And there's a really good article that you and I were talking about earlier in El País. I'll put the link in the program notes for the audience. It's in Spanish, but you can translate it to English. And I think it was published yesterday, Alina, where it really lays out very clearly what López Ogrador's vision is going forward. It is, and if it plays out, it's brilliant. And I would say the biggest theme that he's looking is to not pass the baton to one anointed person, but to create a team of people who can continue the second phase of Obrador-Izmó or continue the fourth transformation, which we did almost a two-hour long talk a couple of months ago about what the fourth transformation is and why that so this team, he sees it necessary to build a team. I mean, it is, the strategy is really brilliant if it plan, you know, and extraordinarily responsible of him as an outgoing leader, extraordinarily responsible for attempting to preserve, I think in the article, this is the political current that has been created. I mean, nobody's him. It's like we were talking about. Nobody's Chavez, nobody's Rafael Correa, nobody's Evo Morales. So how do you, nobody's Lopez Obrador, but with a team of people, you could compensate for that, have strengths in multiple areas without this choker among, I'm the anointed one and you're not, which... What I'm really surprised is like how careful they're being in the process, you know, and specifically I'm real sure that it's the president, Lopez Obrador was taking, you know, the main role, taking care about this, being very careful of these next elections. And we may have political difference with every candidate with Claudia Sheinbaum, Marcelo Brard, ideologically or with their administrations, whatever. But the president decided to call a meeting days ago during the night. It was in a restaurant in downtown Zocalo. During the night they had dinner. He called the principal candidates and also members of the party and governors. And I think the decisions that they took during the last, during that dinner, that's what we're going to listen to next, during the next Sunday. That's why we are just so excited about listening what's next, what they're going to decide. In this meeting, I think that they talk about what could happen next, you know, like what happened if Sheinbaum, like Wayne, the presidency and Brard, because he has to leave. I don't think so. I think he has been a very, like brilliant chancellor and he has materialized the foreign policy that Ambul has been trying just to say every morning like, where are you going to support? Where are you going to support? And the chancellor has done it really, really good. That's made it amazingly. So this article that you're talking about, it says something like if Sheinbaum remains in the presidency, Brard would be an extraordinary political operator among legislators and if Brard is a successor, Sheinbaum would give him a legitimacy among the workers of the chamber. So they're trying just to figure out in this decision of what's next. If someone wants the presidency, we need the rest of the candidates to be part of this process. And it's something that, for example, after a coup, we don't see now in Bolivia. We see the fight between Nebo Morales and Lucho Arce and David Chukwanka, the vice president. So I think Amlu is pretty smart and he's thinking not in 20, 20, 40, he's thinking almost in 20, 30, you know, like he's just like thinking what's next after López Obrador. And it's a big question in the whole region, what's next after these big leaders that of course, as you said, they're not Nebo Morales. They're not Rafael Correa. They're not, you know, but someone has to take this leadership and go straight ahead. And specifically in this moment when we see and you know, that the U.S. is desperate like, what's going on actually in Latin America.  Those Mexicanos, what are they doing now?  It's not something one president in one six-year term and in Mexico, the Constitution only allows for the president to serve one six-year term. And so how do you ensure what your administration has begun to create? How do you ensure the continuation of it? And I think, you know, to pull all the major candidates in as a team and it's like, yes, it is important individually to become his president. How could it not be? You know, for a broad, this is a dream for decades for him and you can't blame him for that and he's been a compelling foreign minister and has the skill and the experience and they all do. They all have good resumes, they all have experience, they've all been groomed very well and the greater thing is, or what the president is expressing, the most important thing is to preserve the current political movement, the current political space that's been created and take it forward and it's going to take a team of people to do that and hopefully everybody will come out of Sunday's meeting believing that themselves. I'm sure they do. I mean because they've all been very loyal to creating the fourth transformation but individual politics are tough, you know, for all of us. It gets, you know, that's human nature and it's tough but this is something bigger than any person and so many of us have so much hope of Mexico right now in showing the rest of the hemisphere how to do this. Yeah, I totally agree Terri and listening to you I'm just thinking about what happened the last 20 years in the whole region and not only about the presidential succession, it's about the role of Venezuela during like the beginning of the 20s and now the role of Mexico and we have to remember that Pedro Castillo, former president of Peru, he was detained when he was going to the Mexican embassy a lot of people here in Mexico is now they got asylum after the traitor in Ecuador the treason of Lenin Moreno several people who are persecuted by its government they got asylum here in Mexico also after the coup of Evo Morales, a lot of Bolivian people are also here in Mexico City and now we are saying that this is a kind of oasis in the region about these kind of issues but also I'm thinking about the how important is not only the presidential candidate who's next it's also about people organizing themselves the role that Moreno has for example now Moreno has 3 million of people affiliated that it's a whole world in the region 3 million of people here in Mexico and 60% also the pools of these journals of this like El Universal who is media outlet from the opposition directly even they are saying Amlu has between 60 and 70% of approval now in this moment and also I'm thinking about what happened with the presidents in the region Evo Morales used to have also a lot of approval a lot of the people was supporting his government and the minimum details that you decided not to confront the right wing not to confront the leery they can make a coup so I think one of the challenges here is not only to decide who's next, who's the next candidate but also to see all of these people who support and who's making possible this government it's there are a million of people who every day now in this country are changing because of the president all the morning all the you know with this presidential conference in the morning every single morning at 7am he's on his twitter page with millions of people watching he's like the most popular thing at 7am on all of twitter in the whole twitter sphere it's just incredible two weeks ago or something like that there was this news saying that Amlu was the principal streamer in Spanish so millions of people not only in Mexico but the rest of the continent listen what's saying every morning and that's why not only because of this conference but also all of these social programs a lot of things people are changing you know of course there's a lot of people who says that Amlu is not a Marxist he's not a revolutionary he's not like you know like a real communist whatever but he didn't promise that kind of things and what he said he was a wellness state you know and he's trying to build it every single day I think it's not easy to live like this country we need to remember in 2006 we started a so called war on drugs that like starting in 2006 but nowadays we have more than 300 thousand people disappeared 300 people killed 300 thousand people killed so it's pretty complicated to be the president of this country and after that there's so many people who's trusting what is doing there's so many people who are organizing themselves we've seen the mobilizations during the last months the two I think one of the biggest mobilizations I've ever seen in my whole life supporting the president so things are totally changing and I'm really glad that the president even the next candidates of Morena who wants to be the next president they're being very careful in the process so let's see it's a little bit scary really exciting to describe what's going to happen next Sunday when we're going to know how we're going to decide who's the candidate of Morena for the next presidential elections it's the inevitable for the last six years everyone in Mexico has known has six years and it's almost hard to believe that six years is remaining 11 months the elections are generally it's almost impossible to believe but it is the inevitable so it is going to be really important how it is all initiated for the transition I hear from you and I just want to share with the audience for Alina she's a young female I don't know how old you are I shouldn't say that but you know half my age and so for her to go to mobilizations and various other political events here in Mexico City with her and have her say never in my lifetime did I think we would have a president like Amla never did I think young people would have a vision for their future you know in politics and education and the economy and so many things you know this is brings tears to my eyes sharing this because you are the future of the country and so for you to be feeling this to say never did you think that you were going to be born into a country with this sort of transformation it's really it's very powerful and so so important you know for me as an older person to see the future of this political process solidified and you know there's potentially a team you know a really solid team of four people that's going to come out of this meeting on Sunday that this Partido Morena meeting there could be a really really strong team that comes out of that meeting to take the country into this second phase of Overadorismo what am I saying that correct Obradorismo that's kind of hard lots of R's there yeah that's the challenge for the Overadorismo what to do for the next generations who didn't grow up as in the Chavismo in Venezuela as the revolution, the Cuban Revolution you know like now there are younger people that are growing now with the change they didn't grew up under the pre under the pan and that's the challenge for us as journalists as not so young people now you know when I see these 20 years of the guys just going and protesting and doing everything in support of this government it's just amazing it's like I feel a little bit older now but we're going to see during the next days during the next weeks if the four transformation is a real team for example in the case of the candidates we're going to see if they really have a relay in their own spaces if they have officials, people a team to be up to the moment and one of the challenges is how to deepen this process what to do for the next because I'm amazed by how things have changed for example me like I as a journalist I've been talking about Latin America for the last 10 years and no one listened to me you know in this country we were always just thinking about the north, about the US about Canada, about the like Europe and now people are just asking me for example in my case like what's going on in Peru what's going on in Venezuela is it real but it's dictatorship in this government and for me it's impressive because I've seen during the last 10 years that this big change for example the decisions about of the president of Latin America have changed the mentality of Mexicans you know when Evo was coming to Mexico to exile I remember that people were just shocked because they were asking me things like in the streets they were saying like how Amlo is capable to give asylum to a dictator and you know this kind of things but they were saying at the same time like no no Amlo wouldn't do that so Evo might not be a dictator so you know this kind of conclusions have changed a lot of things yesterday you know there was rally at the Colombian embassy there were I mean which I attended by the way yeah yeah so people now are going to this kind of events we at the national the political formation Institute of Morena where I work at in the international formation a lot of people are just coming to our events it doesn't matter if it's about the Sahara we republic or if it's about Latin America there's like I don't know if it's the beginning or it's just like a renewal of these processes of internationalism of Mexican left and I'm really happy about that I just think about how to deepen this process because it's not obviously it's not perfect we still have a lot of violence we still have a lot of feminicide the aggressions about against the against the the journalists for example you know like there are so many drug cartels still in this country there are so many relationship with these oligarchs the transnational capitals and that's why we I can I could give an explanation about the violence against the journalists and now and not this big narrative that the president is attacking the journalists and the media you know in that way for example in my case I wouldn't have to be under this mechanism of protection of journalists that I am in because I'm a leftist you know like people recognize me like the journalists that it's kind of hard but something is very critical of the poor transformation but I receive threats the threats last year so there is still a lot of these issues every day in Mexico and I think that that's the big challenge how to deepen this process against violence against the feminicide against the for example the role that the transnational has had in this country we have one third of our territory given to these transnational so we need to do that we need to deepen the for transformation some people say that we are ready for the 5th transformation don't let no stop I haven't finished this one yet yeah exactly we need another one we need to deepen this for deepen it and widen it for the audience you know a number of things that you have mentioned the resources given to transnational corporations the drug cartels the violence against journalists and women these are issues that existed long before AMLO became president and I think this to me personally looking this is why you know one president serving one constitutional six-year term cannot undo everything that he or she has inherited you know over the last 50 to 100 years not in any country it can't all be undone in one and certainly not in the peaceful manner what do I want to say in a constitutional manner through the legislative and electoral process it's going to take more than six years and again this is why it's going to be so important what comes out of Sunday is there a team prepared to take the fourth transformation forward to deepen it as you say to widen it and move forward because there is still a lot that has to be undone before you can move more forward but it's so exciting for you younger people or your aunt who was in college like when I was that never in a million years as college students would you ever in those days when we were in college seeing that Mexico like yourself would never have a government that you like you have know this is the government that my family fought for they of course are pretty happy and me as not that young person but I think I am still I am still young I think that it's impressive the change that we've seen during the last five years even when I've been so critical for example in terms of the migration policy for example that Mexico has that we're still deporting we're still treating really bad migrants and we are condemning all the time what the US is doing against us and we're like doing exactly the same not exactly but sometimes they have a lot of this kind of policies also I mean generationally talking of course I would love to I think it's pretty funny because during the last years I've been saying of course we need a feminist national movement that fight for women's rights that you know like sometimes I remember Amlo the time saying we are not machistas but we're not feminists you know we are humanists and it was like we're feminists but this year last March 8th for the first time he said I am feminist so of course March 8th was international March 8th was international yeah I said so you know so it's like of course we can change not only Amlo but the militants the left like the leftist people so there is a lot to do it's not I mean the for transformation I think it's the beginning when I say I all the time say like the 2024 elections it's not the way it's not the point that we are in to go it's just another kind of beginning of another kind of fight we're not going to have Amlo every morning in the national policy like the old the relationship with the media outlets and the oligarchy in this country and all of this stuff but of course we need to deepen the relationship with the social movements with the feminist movement with you know it was pretty good to me just to listen that during the week Amlo said something like the priorities for his government during the last year 2024 before the elections and he said of course about the infrastructure about Maya train about the airport you know all of this infrastructure that was kind of a symbol symbol of his administration also he said that he was going to deepen the social programs and like for example the like the like the youth building the future know the social programs a lot of programs for women for young people for the people older you know all of these programs he said that it's going to be a priority for him and also the wages and the working conditions for the workers state workers you know about wages about a lot of like a whole thing about the wellness for workers and I think he's doing really good you know in this thing he's not promising more things he promised he made 100 promises and now he has accomplished I think 98 or 99 something like that wow what president in the world right now can say that what president anywhere in the world right now can say that and you know it's more impressive because he made his promises before he knew that there was going to be a pandemic and a crisis in Ukraine and an international crisis economic crisis so it's impressive I don't know what he would have done if we didn't had a pandemic or something like that but he has done whatever he like what he can do of course I need I agree with some people from the left that says that we need to deepen this and I think the way to do it is just to be with people with political permission with independent media outlets with organizations in the neighborhoods in the schools in the universities also with mobilizations we've seen this week in Colombia people defending his government the government of Gustavo Petro what it seems to be for what it seems like a coup like a loafer it's the impression of loafer and I really believe that we can do that here in Mexico we need to start creating conditions for the post-amlo era in this country mobilizing organizing and just creating these debates with the people for the people you know let's see what's next I have three things I want you to talk about quickly before we let you go I know you've got and where you're going is one of the things I want to talk about but you mentioned earlier about Mexican citizens stopping you on the street and asking why is Abel Morales coming here and that there seems to be this greater awareness from those days to which was what fall of 2019 to today literally today Alina I really feel it's due to work like you and your peers but also that omlo's message of integration regional integration every single day in one form or another it's affecting that philosophy and making it possible and I'll first and foremost by reconvening the Salax Summit here in Mexico City September of 2021 integration integration integration and people can interpret that on many many levels so it spills out across the political spectrum because integration can mean economic and trade integration it can mean social integration it can mean integration in foreign policy foreign affairs on many many level cultural integration so it's something that a broad you know a percentage of society can relate to and I really think that that is so important in his message and I think that I think he really has created that an evolution among the Mexican Mexican citizenship to see you know yourselves as part of greater Latin America and the Caribbean and the need for that it's huge I think yeah I totally agree people now are aware that we are more Latin American that part of the north probably so we are pretty proud of that I remember even when I was in the university 10 years ago I studied international affairs and like my colleagues my students were saying all the time but what about what about the I don't know the relationship with the US with Canada, with Europe all of them wanted to be ambassadors and now I recognize that several people now in the streets are talking and for example even the meetings of the CELAC that people didn't know that existed used to exist people were just streaming the meetings they were watching in real time what I remember was saying to Nicolás Maduro and to Bichuarse and all of these things people didn't do that 10 years ago it's just pretty new to be part of Latin America in this kind of way because there has been a lot of solidarity of course even with the pre with the exile people with the people that were victims of dictatorships during the 60s and 70s in Latin America but this is pretty new because now you listen a president that every week every two weeks every other week he's always asking the US to stop the blockade against Cuba he's condemning the dictatorship and now in Peru and he decided to stop relationships during the coup in Bolivia against Evo Morales you know all of these issues it's just extremely important but also the foreign policy in Mexico has changed dramatically you know Terry we met at Washington DC where I was corresponding for Tel Aviv and we we've been there we were there in 2019 when Juan Guaidó started to you know this issue with the coup in Venezuela all of this and I remember that the ambassador of Mexico to the OAS was all the time putting a lot of pressure against Venezuela just making friends with the government of Colombia with Michael Peo at that time and remember that and the ambassador of Mexico were the ones who all the time were saying we need to go against Venezuela you know all this issue and now we're doing the US's work for them completely integrated with the which is not the case now yeah totally it is not I remember our ambassador was also our counselor Luis de Garay at that moment with Enrique Peña Nieto they were the the one who were leading this process of creating the group of Lima they were now we are totally another episode of our life and our foreign policy and we are just listening to the president as a policy now is Mexico first Mexico and her people first yeah totally not second to the US first and Oma was really really clear about that and I've mentioned this to the audience multiple times and you and I have talked about it you know in detail that discourse that he gave on July 28 July of 2021 for the anniversary of Simón Bolívar's birth when he said we need regional institutions you know where countries sit equally at a table where you're an America for all Americans and a Mexico for all Mexicanos it's you know you're your own sovereign nation and he has really really articulated that probably except for a very small portion of the wealthy business class here in Mexico it's certainly something that everyone can identify with he's really he's really brought that back you know that sense of sovereignty not sense the reality of next week's sovereignty yeah this was this is part of our constitution you know it's not just like an invention of AMLO in our Mexican constitution now AMLO retakes what the constitution is called of sovereignty of people self-determination peaceful resolution of conflict we used to forget around the last years with Enrique Peña Nieto, Vicente Pox, Felipe Calderón they totally forgot that this existed and they started just to lead this whole intervention against Cuba, against Venezuela against Devo Morales against everyone I know what I was saying with our ambassador at the OAS after having this hyper I don't know how to even say it like this kind of people in our representation now our actual ambassador of Mexico to the U.S. now he's telling in his face of Alma Mater's face that he's a hypocritical he's a cynical you know in his face at the heart the OAS just blocks away from the White House and it's amazing, something's changing and it has to be it's totally related to the political AMLO in the region we remember weeks ago he made a poll to organize regionally against the economic crisis and inflation he got COVID and that's why they didn't made it but I guess that next week or something like that I don't know if he's traveling to Bogotá to the meeting in person with Gustavo Petro I know that Gustavo Petro actually is traveling I don't know if today or tomorrow over to Cuba for the peace processes with the dialogues with the ELN but also AMLO is gonna have a meeting with Argentina, with Brazil with Colombia to make something with this economic crisis and we are now I really think that a new integration is possible we had this a lot, we had Iunasur at some point but now we have AMLO we have Lula, we have Petro so let's see for next year what's next and so let's talk about what's next for you because you mentioned how the important role of independent journalism here in Mexico are you throughout Latin America and the Caribbean it's been crucial even in the States but you have a new project that you're heading off to I see somebody trying to call you off let's talk about let's talk really quick about your new independent journalism project I have Alina included links to all of the social media and YouTube accounts for your new project those are all in the program notes for the audience so and they can find you on social media too so well thank you so much we're launching a new media outlet let's see how it goes as the meeting of the next Sunday let's see how it goes also with our new media outlet it is cool from the root in Spanish the raíz it is a new project that it pretends to be radical that's why it is cool from the root that's the meaning like grassroots being radical that's what we need so it started with the idea we had a meeting with Pablo Iglesias from Podemos in Spain and they're launching their own media outlet called canal red so they asked us to have a program on them a podcast about what's going on in Mexico so we started creating that it is called en re it doesn't have like a real meaning it's just like the beginning of phrases like in revolution in re-structuration like this kind of issue so that's the same in Spanish like en re and now we're launching a whole media outlet that it's going to start next Monday so I'm going to send you the links to the new page we're going to have I promise that we're going to have analysis of the situation of Mexico specifically the conclusions of all of this discussion that we just had today Terry that's the role that we pretend that has this media outlet so we're going to have this podcast every week with canal red of Pablo Iglesias but also we're going to have programs we're trying to create a specific section I hope to have it also Monday we have certain analysis in English so people from your audience can just watch what's the most relevant news on the on the week or even on the day so I hope we can success on making these debates possible this another kind of information because even when we have a lot of YouTube channels here in Mexico for example I work at also millions of people just watch these kind of programs we need more more analysis more debate the corporate media in Mexico is just amazing 11 families controls the media here in this country so we are pretending to give a fight a battle just in the last the last year of the first administration of the police more in Mexico but also we are ready to defy the communication fight during the next years excellent I'm so happy for you this is really an exciting project that you've taken on and I'm really really happy and we will be sure to watch you and I'll be sure to share all the links with the WTF audience because it's just one more place to find real news people what's really going on outside the corporate narrative so thank you Alina I'm so happy you had time for us today and it's just so wonderful to see you and talk with you I really I just really value the time that I can spend with you so thank you so much always for your support you've been very supporting for me all the time since we met in Washington during the coup in Venezuela I consider you a real close friend and really I don't know how to thank all the support to give to me all the time so thanks for having me again here in WTF thank you so much so it's a good team it's a good team so for the audience I want to just remind you all you've been watching what the F is going on in Latin America in the Caribbean we're a popular resistance podcast we broadcast on youtube live every Thursday 7 30pm eastern you can find us on the channels for the convo couch code pink and popular resistance post broadcast recordings can be found at Apple podcast Spotify or wherever you find your podcast so thank you everyone and we will see you next week


Meet Don. Don is in his first year of graduate school, and, like many of you, is still somewhat uncertain about the research proposals, papers, and projects he will face in the coming semesters. How can he be expected to add his voice to a conversation that has gone on long before he began studying these topics? Does he know enough? After all, he's just a graduate student. What authority does he have, and he's not really a scholar? Actually, Don is not just a graduate student. He is a graduate student who is starting to ask questions, form ideas, and propose research studies. Don is, in fact, a scholar, and he is joining a group of scholars each time he engages with research. Consider it this way. Each article, book, website, or piece of information you read is just one very small part of a much larger conversation. For example, in this 2014 article, the authors conducted a research study to better understand project management efforts in less traditional organizational structures. However, these authors are certainly not the first to discuss, study, and advance ideas about project management or organizational structures. In just the first few paragraphs, readers can see several other works are cited, and a quick glance at the reference list shows sources extend back to the 60s among more recent sources of information. By incorporating and citing other work, the authors are not only acknowledging prior studies on the topic, but they are having a conversation with these prior authors and adding their own voice to that conversation. And then the conversation continues into the future. New authors will tackle this topic and reference this study in their future work. In this way, many articles and authors are connected and related works can be found simply by starting with one piece of information. When Don sits down to write a term paper, he is putting on his scholar cap as he engages in a review of prior studies. Don will consult research to guide the development of his own research questions. Learning about the research that has already been done on a topic helps him understand what other scholars agree and disagree about and where they think more research needs to be done. He understands not every article he reads will say the same thing or provide the exact same evidence. It's his job to identify the gaps in disagreement. In the end, Don will have to evaluate the various approaches in research presented and develop his own ideas, asking additional questions that will further the conversation. Many graduate students will go on to have their work published or presented at state or even national conferences. Or it may be that your final product never reaches anyone other than your professor. But regardless, you are still conversing with the research, asking questions and pushing ideas forward. And in this way, you are joining the conversation as a scholar.


I'm sorry, there's a screen in the shadows by Mr. Mcdonald Wilson. I invite you to stand for the National University, representative of the South Lewis Community College, invited guests, performers, well-wishers, on behalf of the Monsignor Patrick Hook Academy and the Cultural Development Foundation, and I invite you to the launch of Mr. Dixon's latest creative project, A Screen in the Shadows. To begin our launch, we will start off with a musical rendition, and I invite Ms. Barbara Cadet to join us each. I also want to take this opportunity to know sometimes when you're on a slide, you get to see the audience, and a special thank you of course to Mr. Dixon for being here, as well as to Stigran Nammal. I see Jean-Anne Kendall-Hippelitz as well as June Frederick, also the Yopaswa, quite a number of persons from the artistic community, and it is a pleasure to have you here today, and have you as part of these proceedings. If I didn't mention any other names, I would get to you eventually, I'm very sorry about the names and the names. At this point in time, we are going to have a reading of an excerpt of the novel. Now, I haven't read the novel as yet. I intend to buy my coffee today, but from what I know of Mr. Dixon's work and what I have read in terms of the reviews of the Bordard with a wonderful review, I know that the work is one that is not just exciting, but very reflective of Stenusha and our society. And so, we will have this excerpt being read by Stacey Giddens, George Bordard, David MacLennan, Sarah MacLennan, and Christopher Duncan. There were 10 going on 11 when it happened. I remember brushing my teeth by the sand pipe outside our house. It was early. I was cleaning myself a school, trying to remove bedding smells from my body and dreading the cold water that was about to fall on my skin. I hear my mother shout, Andrew, hurry up and babe, don't forget you got school today. When she called me Andrew, I know things serious. Most times it's Andy, when she want me to take this for her or find that. Yes mama, I shout back, straining my voice. It was not Claire if she heard me or not. She did the same thing every morning from Monday to Friday once I reached under the sand pipe and opened the tap. That day, out of the Claire blue sky, a thunder come rolling in from the sea. I look out to the east over the water and catch sight of a patch of black cloud. On the hill where we live, we had a clear view of the horizon in any season. I could hear mama talking to my little brother Marvin but her voice break in the strong wind that always come just before the rain. Mama dispatch Lauret, my big sister. She was two years older to her seamstress Miss Claire who lived on the high road. She still lives there near our school to lengthen her school skirt. Lauret was growing fast, mama say. Big for 13 and started wearing bra after she rushed past 12. Papa always get mad when fellers by the roll whistle at her, especially in her school clothes. He had put two men in cots for indecent assault but I didn't know what that mean until I asked mama and she confused me with her answer. The boy touched Lauret where they not supposed to touch her. I was none the wiser. Lauret's uniform was riding up above her knee and she tell mama that the boys in her class were always looking under her skirt. She bathed only long before me and take her tea. When I went out in the yard, she was putting on her clothes. I see papa in the kitchen when I just wake up and he was still there when mama order me outside to bathe. Lauret passed close by me while I naked under the stand height.  Not hard, but I pretend to ball. I feel her hand on my shoulder as she peep over and say softly, you're getting big boy. I bar myself with both hand and in the corner of my eye, watch her skip off down the little dirt road and disappear past miss Philomene's house under the bush. Mama sent me by the sink stretcher later to ask if Lauret was still there. I couldn't see any good reason why I was so close to my school but that I must go back home just to tell mama I didn't see Lauret. But if that is what mama wants, there is nothing I can do about it. I know Lauret sometimes stop and talk with papa when they meet in the gap. He was living at his grandmother miss Philomene just below us. I didn't see anything in that but I suspect mama was suspicious and that's why she wanted me to report back. In fact, miss Claire said that Lauret leave a long time ago. If I was drinking coffee, it would get so cold I would have to throw it away. I reached the school just as it starts in time for prayers. Let's say a little after nine o'clock. That I told him, I am shocked no matter what moment he was after Lauret hit me on my backside with the table. The woman of her down the gap towards the high road. She was always in a rush. I recall him wearing khaki short pants but no shirt. To me, he had a white plastic bottle in his hand but I'm not sure. I don't know if it's my imagination's main trick. I did not see him yesterday. I would have been at school but mama claimed he was in the kitchen when I left the house and even now she's 60 days. She was certain I saw papa in a piece of bread and took him to see while he was in bed. From the angle of the bar, it's not possible to see inside the kitchen. If I had seen him, I would remember saying goodbye to him when I leave for school. But mama said, but mama does not want to hear us. In her mind, papa was in the kitchen and never leave the house all morning until he go and help me bring him to the tree on her land and serve our house. Nobody can blame him for what happened outside and I was no witness. For the morning, six months after Lorette's funeral, cops were going loud in the yard. I turned a little on my side to see out of the room to hear like somebody knocking hard on the door. I was tempted to get up and check but something tells me, go back in. Next, I wake up for good to a loud, sang and mentioned open police. Mama get up, check in papa, to wake up Lorette, police. Papa yawned but quickly catch himself and put on his pants. I followed them to the door. Marvin was still asleep. Four officers in plain clothes rushed inside as soon as papa turned the keys in the lock. One of them had a sheet of paper in his hand. Are you Loven St. Mark? What? Papa looked stern. He couldn't say much. What happened to Loven St. Mark? Yes, it's his house. Mama was ready to take on all four officers. This is your husband? The officer with the paper art. Yes, it's Loven. Loven St. Mark, I have a warrant for your arrest for the murder of Lorette Stevens. From now on, you, anything you say can be taken down and held in evidence against you. An officer took out a pair of handcuffs and stole Loven St. Mark's hand and his back. Mama went home. I followed papa when the police matched him outside. There were 16 of them. Two armed with rifles stayed outside. Mama tried to hold me back in the doorway but I slipped through her hands. Although still very early, crowds, a crowd gathered by the roadside. Children were there with their parents and later in school, they were happy to tell me how the policeman handled papa and shove him in the back of the jeep. It was not a good day for me. At school, I hung my head in shame over my desk listening to the children speak about my father. They didn't care if I got vets. They were with one voice. The police walk him to the house, push him in the back of the seat and carry him down to the station. Boa! They rejoiced. The news went while swinging on vines around Boanev appeal to Texime and deep into Goa Boa. Papa was arrested and condemned without a hearing or trial and his whole family crucified in the process. In this little place behind God's back, justice is one face you seldom see and if you fall, you might never see it. Sometimes, time sits on your case and after several years, will allow you a hearing. By then, you would be lucky if witnesses remember your face. For my father, it would be many years before his day came. To say I remember Papa ever speaking to me, the morning police came for him, either in sympathy, pity or regret, would be a lie. He kept his face in front and didn't look back. One of our cousins, Miss Eldora's eldest daughter from Texime, came by the school to collect me that afternoon and to take me to her house. She was on her own living with her boyfriend. I stayed with her because mama went with Marvin to Denry police station where they charged Papa without bail. Nobody could explain to me and I did not understand what was going on there. My father's case was called every year, at least once, sometimes twice. But on account of some technicality, it was always adjourned. So back he went to her majesty's prison in castries to an overcrowded jail filled of inmates awaiting trial, mostly young men, on the privilege with no jobs. Papa's lawyers were having a ball, drawing fees from government without having to work. For 11 years, mama went up and down the road hoping for a trial, but there was only adjournment after adjournment, world without end, but no amen. Detectives who started as juniors on the case, he got promoted, some left the force. The chief of police job changed hands umpteen times. Lawyers came and lawyers went. Every time they take my father to court, they started afresh, like it was a new case. Everybody was green, except the accused. One day, when I couldn't take it again, feeling sorry for mama, I asked Sergeant Willis, both face, what you think going to happen with Papa's matter? What you mean, he grinned, taken by surprise. You think he guilty? I pressed him. I'm not a judge, I'm not a jury. Things look too neat, I stammered. It's so easy to plant evidence. However, after remaining silent for a while, he swallowed his spit and spoke. I was a little policeman when the commotion starts.  She was damn good looking when she was young. If we were not family, I could have married her. I find myself on the case when I get to know her husband was involved. My spirit never take to him. But like I tell you, always approach the case with an open mind. Questions came racing through my head. Suddenly, I wanted to know more than there was to know about and beyond this case. The files are there, you can go through them when you want, Sergeant said. You got a lot of reading to catch up. You will help me, I teased. Once Sergeant is in my corner, I will reach where I want to go. I do have a lot of questions. One thing though, don't involve the others. Keep whatever you find between us. You don't have to tell me, Sarge. After many, many visits, and mama get back accustomed to me around the house again, there was a day her tongue slip. She was in the kitchen in a talkative mood. I was sitting by the table, watching her scale some pot fish I bring. We cover several subjects, including how grateful she was for the little help I was giving her, about Marvin and his friends, her neighbors. We speak about almost everything except papa or laurette. Then she started humming one of her favorite church hymns.  I wait until she ran out of high notes. Why you, what you find in that hymn? You humming it nonstop since I was a little boy, I ask, pretending to joke. She did not look at me, but answered with a question. Why you keep troubling me with all those things, eh? I just find myself humming it too when I'm in trouble. I look at her as she pick up a small fish and plunge her kitchen knife into the guts.  Why you don't go and ask Rupert and Curtis?  Those two names again. Miss Claire mentioned them to me. In mama's head, trying was doing. Rape mama. I never heard it tried to rape laurette. I thought was in decent assault. If it was rape, that's serious. All like now they should be in jail. I take time off to learn more about Rupert and Curtis. The names were on police files, but not for rape or attempted rape. You don't live here. How you expect to know what happening up here? Mama was leading to something. Perhaps she was unburdening her mind. I can't know if you don't tell me. What I understand is they try to touch laurette's breast one afternoon after school. I never hear about this rape business. If they try to touch her, what is that? She not their friend. She don't know them. What they want to touch her for? Mama, in decent assault is not rape. I understand attempt depending on how far they go, but they never try to rip her clothes off, which means they never touched her. Papa was the one who made a big fuss, but he had no case. No, Mr. Lee, I saw you were into it and you're wondering why it stopped right now. You as well, I saw you. You seem very into the reading. Thank you so much for being here. They will be back a little later, but at this point in time, we just want to take a moment because you know Mr. Dixon is a man of many talents, and we want to share with you some of his other accomplishments, Mr. Dixon in a different artistic arena. So for this, I ask you to have a look at the screen and enjoy. I sent you in Martinique Metro the unfolding letter of a sail, a letter beyond the lines of blindingly white breakers, of lace-laden surpluses and congregational shales. I did not send any letter, though it flailed on the wind. Your island is always in the haze of my mind with the blown about sea birds and the creole clatter of vowels metra among makers whom the reef recites when the copper sea almonds blaze, beacons to distant docker and the dolphins acres. Some persons are saying, I would love to know some to have that covered. We invite you to watch this video that gives you just an idea of the other accomplishments of this Greek man. MacDonald Ernest Dixon was born in Castry, St. Lucia in 1944. He had taken over the island and he was the first to come to the island and he was the first to come to the island. He attended the Canon Laurie Anglican Primary School and St. Mary's College and from quite early on he manifested the multifacetedness which continues to mark his work as an artist. As a student, while he was filling his exercise books with adolescent poetry, he was also covering pages of his drawing books with sketches. After graduating from the St. Mary's College, he joined the Royal Bank of Canada and later the National Commercial Bank of St. Lucia where he went on over a 30-year period to forge a successful career in banking. During that period, he rose steadily to the highest banking position at the Royal Bank of Canada becoming its first local manager and when the National Commercial Bank of St. Lucia was established he was at the helm there as its first managing director in 1981. Dickson also went on to serve in the capacity of trade and commerce advisor to the government of St. Lucia. Magdala Dickson is an established and well-known poet, novelist, short story writer, actor, photographer and painter who is also actively involved in the world of theatre as a playwright, actor and director. He became interested in the arts at an early age and was just 16 years old when he came across Derek Walcott's 25 poems while exploring the shelves of his school library at the St. Mary's College. In the mid-1960s, Dickson was swept up in the maelstrom of activity by the St. Lucia Arts Guild which was started by Derek Walcott and his brother Roderick becoming involved in performing and directing. He acted in a range of plays from European classics like Odiepus Rex and Julius Caesar to Caribbean comedies such as One for the Road. In directing also, he ran the gamut. The modernistic, the queen and the rebels sits comfortably in his directing portfolio alongside the mock doctor, a Caribbean adaptation of Molière's The Doctor in spite of himself. You saw what I did. You saw what I had to do. You hid him all these years.  You saw what I had to do. Dickson's first publication was a collection of poems entitled Pebbles, 1973. He then set his hand to writing plays and his work began to appear in several magazines and anthologies throughout the region. When the Arts Guild ended, he continued to write plays covering heavily on his knowledge of folk heritage and local history. His play, The Folk Musical Tinde, directed by George Fish Alphos and featuring music by Charles Cadet was St. Lucia's theatrical presentation at Carifesta V in 1992 in Trinidad. In his writings, Dickson seeks to recreate the history of his people's myths and legends to serve as a reference for contemporary and future writers in his country. An accomplished photographer, Dickson's love of country is continuously transcended through his photography of St. Lucia's landscape and rich cultural heritage. Dickson's biography of works includes and are not limited to novels and short stories, Saints of Little Paradise Book 1, Eden Defiled, 2012, Miss Begotten, 2009, Season of Mist, 2007, Poetry, Collected Poems, 2003, The Poet Speaks and Other Poems, 1993, Pebbles, 1973, Plays, The Glass Doll, A Soldier Always, The Chosen, Diablo Terre, Tinde, Calender, The Last Lamp. Dickson continues to guide and bridge the gap to the new generation of writers, directors and artists. He helped develop and stage One for the Road with Kingsley Powlett, 1972, co-directed Melania Daniels, Jesus of Conway with Drenia Frederick, 2003. His exploratory theatrical work and readings with St. Mary's College Students, St. Lucia's Writers Forum and 2019 guidance on Jesse Myers and Monique O'Geese's A Little Folk Tale, St. Lucia's theatrical contribution to Carifesta 14 are all part of the mentoring that has marked his continuing artistic journey. Dickson has steadfastly served his country over the years in many important positions, including that of Acting Governor General of St. Lucia when required. Though Dickson's character and personality continue to reflect that of a modest man focused on work and not accolades, the societal recognition of his work and contribution to the arts is manifested in him being awarded the St. Lucia National Medal of Merit, 1993 for his long-standing contribution to literature and photography and the Cultural Development Foundation's 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award for his invaluable contribution to the arts in St. Lucia. Quite an impressive list of accomplishments. Quite a full life. Now, at this point in time, I know, again, as we said earlier on, you wanted more of the book. So, Ms. Victor, Mr. Montroup, we are ready for our second reading, yes? So, now I'd like to call on the actors for the second reading. We have Ms. Stacy Gillens, we have Ms. Jesse Myers, Kendall Hippolyte, David MacLennan, and Mr. Goddard. You look like Mr. Goddard in the dark there, that's what. That is Mr. Christopher Duncan. To go outside, to pass water in my mouth. I forgot my toothbrush back in castries and borrowed hers. Mama was already in the kitchen. I stand in the open, my back to the house, like when I was small, and peep down the little hill before I pass the wash rod with some soap on my face. You're not forgetting your bad manners there, Anima. I hear Mama's voice. It come from inside the kitchen. She was in good spirits. After I scrubbed my teeth, I went to the kitchen, sit in the old chair that's been around from before I was born. Mama hand me a cup of coffee, hot like she know I like it, black and very sweet. I see Angel almost ready, Mama said, trying to make small talk.  I blushed. You all have a name for the baby yet? If it's a girl, we will call her Lorette. We don't think it will be a boy. If it's a boy, call him Lovence. I couldn't believe she was serious. We'll see about that when the time comes. I forced myself to smile, but a smile just couldn't come to my face. Mama was ready to jump all over me to defend her husband. Lovence didn't do nothing wrong. You have all people know that. Something in her voice told me she was not herself.  Why is he still in jail then, Mama? I was uncertain how this would sound in her ears. I don't know. She started to cry, hiding her face as usual in a dark corner. Mama, how many times I will say it? I'm not little again. There's no need to hide things from me. I'm not hiding things from you. She could have blown my head off with a gun if she had one and would be none the wiser in my coffin. That's how angry she got all of a sudden. I hear things every day that make me afraid. I don't go by the road again unless I have to go. Mama, stop listening to people. They will send you mad. Which people? Sometimes I just can't take it. It's too much. Tell me what you hear, Mama. What making you feel afraid? Tell me. I watched tears roll down her cheeks faster than the little ravine we call river below the house. Mama, wipe her eyes with her skirt and stare at me. Her lips move spitting outwards. Your father is not Lorette father. It had been like a cancer inside her. It took a lot to spit it out. I know, I said. Always say I was the luckiest man in the world. The day I lose my way in the ministry building and ask her for directions on the elevator. She looked at me sideways as if afraid, saying in her mind, what that man looking like looking at me so far? You don't have to be scared, I tell her. I'm a police officer, although I was still a recruiter training school. She looked at me without smiling. That's when I should be afraid. What happened?  I asked, putting on my best sexy tone. The elevator reached third floor. This is when going, she said, as the door opened. What about you? What happened? When I finish, can I come to see you? The door closed without getting a reply. No chance to putting a comma edgewise. Something strange was happening to me. I could not control myself from wanting to see her again. A tractor, a little plain face, no lipstick, no earrings. She looked new to the job like me, fresh from school. I wondered if she had a boyfriend or was having a crush on somebody. Two weeks after our first encounter, on my way to the ATM to get some weekend money, who should I see going in the same direction? Hello, I shout, jockeying to get a breast. She did not answer. I skip forward faster and catch up with her. Not you again, she glared. You tracking me or what? Oh, no, I will never do that. You men, I don't know what to believe when you speak. You sound defensive. I brave the choppy waters. I'm not afraid of you. She looked at me under her eyelids like somebody wearing glasses. Her eyes were brown. What's your name? She asked. Too stunned to speak. I paused before opening my mouth. Andrew, friends call me Andy. I don't know why I'm talking to you. My mother warned me about policemen. I'm not a full policeman yet. I hear you, she nipped and increased her speed. I'd like very much to be your friend, I stutter, afraid of what she might reply. I don't have boyfriends. That means I'll be the first.   A little voice tells me I'm doing much better than I believe, but don't get overconfident. If I must ask your mother to be your friend, I will. You want me to ask her? You are strange. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled at me. Why you say so? You don't ask me my name. You don't ask me for my phone number and you want to meet my mother? We laughed. I am Angel. I'm a receptionist on the fourth floor. She pointed at the building behind us where we met on the elevator. About two to three weeks after Papa came from jail, Angel gave both to a baby girl. She weighed seven pounds, eight ounces. Angel came from hospital with the baby three days after confinement and went straight by her mother. She had me until she learned how to feed and bathe the baby properly. According to Miss Beatrice, Angel didn't know anything about man or child. She herself didn't give her no bouquet and never looked for more children after Angel was born. Miss Beatrice was superstitious. Every Monday morning, she took a trip to the Garde to learn about her future and come back repeating some of the strangest things you could ever hear. The one miracle in her life, the Garde, for C to warn her was Angel having a baby girl. There was prediction from Angel's first child who was going to be a boy and Miss Beatrice beautifully drowned herself in blue. I remained alone for a month in our little two-room house and visited Angel and our baby after work. At nights, my mind wandered. There was always the moment I went back to the day Papa found Lauret under the bush. I start seeing Lauret every night alive and fresh in my mind but looking very restless. I speak to a young priest after Mass one morning and he tells me maybe she's unhappy. He recommends I give a Mass for the reports of her soul. I give him ten dollars but I don't know if he said the Mass because Lauret keeps appearing more often than before just like she was in the coffin.  One night I was lying on the bed watching television tired, listless sleep not come in. On top of that the electric company them tick the current and they leave me in the dark. It's difficult for me to believe of what happened is just coincidence. Dreams are so alive they put reality to shame. Imagine I by myself pitch black casting my hands yet I hear a fine clear voice calling my name Andrew Andrew I could hear the breeze on the roof and the dog howling in the neighbor's yard I put my head back down on the pillow I can hear vehicles racing up and down the street then I hear a fine clear voice again he kill me and nothing for that I jump out of bed and bolt to the door If you tell us sorry in the bedroom stranger things does happen there I don't need evidence to show his lack of sympathy he did not disguise it I cannot choose my father that's my mother's job but I can disown him once he gives me cause the more I thought about it the less reason I find for mama to continue to remain papa not because you marry him and carry his children you got to remain it was my duty to remove teethwear and mama but where to begin what can I say to convince her to leave I have to go down by polynes to buy some groceries for the house mama insisted no your father will bring food when he come papa did not come back until after dark drunk both hands swinging like police on parade papa march into the kitchen like a big boss instead of starting with the usual good night he went harassing mama a strong smell of white rum on his breath filled up the tiny space he demanded his food and went and wanted to warm right away seems to me stop what you are doing and attend to me I wanted to ask mama about the groceries he was supposed to buy but that would invite trouble shame can cause you to do things and say things you don't mean and for sure she would feel embarrassed she dish out his food yam and sardines in a large bowl and placed it on the kitchen table with a spoon get up and eat and let your brother sit down sorry let your father sit down mama's way of ordering me out of the kitchen she see on my face I was not pleased your father must be tired that was a lame excuse but I got up without looking at him maving bring out the old mattress he just slipped onto the front I was tired and before I put my head down I fell asleep and no nothing again until four o'clock start chanting in the tall trees behind the kitchen between the drizzles on the roof to tell me it going to be morning soon the next morning I jump on the first minivan I meet going to Denry and I get off by the police station Corporal Jean Pierre was off duty I went to his house to remind him that no officer had come up to interview mama and I was getting worried on the agenda I know we have a reputation for treating matters involving domestic violence cool like the private affairs between two people and not police business I see a number of cases for assault assault on battery call with neither complainant nor the accused present on the day of the case perhaps this disgusts officers and in the end they don't want to waste precious time on matters that will die a natural death Corporal Jean Pierre tried to reassure me this was not the case with our matter but he said your mother has not given a statement or make a complaint my hands are tied don't worry I will not tie them I will bring her down to the station when you on duty I was suspicious about Corporal Jean Pierre I hear rumors that he himself got a history of beating his girlfriends he should have been made sergeant long ago but he had blemishes on his file none of the complaints he was involved in ever reached a stage to be investigated the women withdrew before the suspect was questioned the top brass keep him in exile in denry away from the bright lights I get back to 1F earlier than expected my mama was in the kitchen sitting in a corner gazing into space both hands under her chin I placed the groceries on the kitchen table still in plastic bags I turned to find her eyes red she was crying something happened I hope it's not another beating she shake her head when I asked her pointless quarreling all I could do is order her to the bed don't put on her clothes we go into the station this nonsense got to stop I was gasping for breath more facts than I really should what nonsense I got her to open her mouth at last I go to open the window and the wind swing it back and hit my face which window mama she pointed to the kitchen window a wind the table is between you and the window you either have to move the table aside or climb on it and stick your neck out and hit you in the face mama no window give you a black eye don't forget my work I solve cases worse than a black eye I see them every day one of these days you will end up dead you think you know everything just because she woke herself up to a frenzy using curse words I never hear coming from her mouth before forgetting what she learned from papa since he came from prison I sooth my nerves trying to convince myself not to blame her he put her through hell I sit down at the kitchen table and remain quiet until she simmer down enough to listen let me see your eyes mama and I hold her hand she recoiled believe what you want she shifted to her favorite corner stooped down and she clasped her hands between her thighs come straight mama I know what happened but you still have to say I spoke gently you come from where you come from listen to what people by the road say and you decide to make my life miserable they tell you love it's as big as me and you believe them nobody has to tell me that's why you're asking all these questions in this script I don't want to tell you love it's punch me in my eye I just believe that is he that kill laurette one of these days some I just hope it's not you mama I could not resist the remark pounds off my tongue like a sponge cake love it's never put his hand on me from the day I know him he loves me he loves laurette he loves all his children he loves me and my husband and so we continue the story of Dixon about Dixon and I would like to welcome Mr. Robert Lee a few remarks about Dixon and to introduce the writer thank you Emberth and thank you to the readers of Magdi's work and I read that novel I saw that opening chapter it's one of the best I've read for a long time opening chapters and I think Magdi captured the solution English vernacular so very well you heard it come out in the readings they put at risk of the general emeritus DPS is with us she's Solange Belizeer Charles Belizeer Ramona of CDF all the crew of FRC today Emberth Milcho and others now as soon as I walked in so many of us haven't seen each other for the past two for most of the past last two years I certainly haven't been here for a long time myself so it's a pleasure to be with all of you again so members of the independence committee if somebody said Daryl is around welcome Daryl if you're here somewhere members of the independence standing committee let me on your behalf let me on your behalf welcome those joining us on live stream both here at home in San Lucia regionally and internationally and Magdi I'm sure you want me to welcome Pauli Patulo publisher who's probably being with us online I've known McDonald Dixon for most of my life the earliest memories of him go back to primary school days at the Anglican school and he's walking home with his mother on the Church Road one of the memories I have recorded in a poem is of Magdi running down Church Road his long hair flying and my cousin commenting with laughter on his flight my other school remembrances are from St. Mary's College where Dixon showing early signs of financial entrepreneurship and marketing skills used to sell bread and butter at the back of SMC to school boys he also recites books, his war stories of diving spitfires for the younger people who have spitfires where this war plays the English people used I must confess I was one of his enthralled customers in 1967 after completing St. Mary's College and going to work at the Royal Bank of Canada I met Magdi for the first time since the other glimpses of him were from a distance he quickly became a mentor and has remained a friend ever since in those years he already had a reputation as St. Lucia's best known local home-based poet Derek Walcott then already a long resident in Trinidad and Tobago Magdi was a friend of Roderick Walcott he was a member of the influential St. Lucia Ask Guild he was already acting and directing as well as writing plays through him I joined the Guild and was soon on stage for the first time being directed by Mr. Dixon my love for and involvement with theatre were rooted in this introduction to drama as a writer Magdi also catalyzed my nascent interest in and gift for literature is reading and writing I guess he found me an admiring disciple and we spent much time at the voice bookshop which is then at the head of Bridge Street the library Ask Guild rehearsals I wish not many here would remember Magdi you know even if Pablo would know where that was Mary Ann Street the bank bachelor's quarters and other related activities of young men of our time in our circle in those years in the late 60s Roderick Walcott and his wife Stella who worked with us at the bank I remember spending about two weeks with Roderick Stella and Magdi and others on Rat Island Ask Guild actors like the late Arthur Jacobs who later became an internationally recognized Walcott scholar Pat Charles Stanley Reed a Barbadian living here at the time very good friend of Magdi but that's another story Stanley Reed Stanley Reed with Augustus Justin whose picture you saw earlier on myself, Magdi Augustus just standing at the launch of Magdi's book at the library Stanley Reed with Augustus Justin and Kenny Anthony as the Kenny Anthony started a literary magazine titled Link in which most of us published our first poems and stories I went off to Kville, Uwe in 1969 and alongside literature and other studies continued my involvement in theatre as acting director and began to write even more seriously poems, stories, reviews in 1963 Magdi paid me a huge compliment by asking me to write the forward to his first poetry collection, Pebbles which had been edited by another criminal of those days edited by Papa Anthony another enduring friendship from those days who's still with us in my forward I wrote I'm convinced that since Walcott Derek you are the only solution poet writing truly about San Lucia yet in not so parochial a way that nobody else knows what you're talking about Kendall Hipplick another long friend of ours has frequently referenced the literary and our traditions of San Lucia my early comment then in the forward to Magdi's first book placed Dixon in that clear line of our literary tradition after Derek Walcott at 18 had published his 25 poems in 1948 which was printed in Trinidad in later on in Barbados Derek went on to publish two other early works before he's important in a green night in 1962 with the UK publisher Jonathan K brought him international attention in the meantime at home only Hunter François first and last poems 1949 and Howick Elcock with his book Alpha 1950 had produced single poetry collections when in 1973 Dixon as the voice of a new generation of San Lucia poets and dramatists brought out Pebbles and then followed it with several other collections they acknowledged successes to Walcott and the earlier home-based writers here in San Lucia Magdi's example and work opened the door to new writers to quickly appear Lee Hipplick Sinclair King Auger Marcial Mitchell and others they brought up collections rapidly influenced by Walcott and Dixon who had shown that local writing and publishing were valid and important artistic activities my bibliography solution writers and writing and author index which Papier Press published in 2019 provides a listing of our writers and their works across poetry pros and genres all these writers are mentioned you can find them listed in their works in that index of solution writers Kendall Hipplick has spoken of his admiration for Dixon's industry not only is Magdi a prolific writer of poetry but as you heard earlier has authored several plays, novels and short stories the novels and short stories have been published while many of the plays have been produced and with publication have been encouraging him put out a collection of the plays even as we launch his latest novel A Scream in the Shadows published by the important Papier Press based in London and Dominica he's already working on another novel keep sharing new poems with friends writes the occasional review and plans are being made for filming one of his historical dramas Kessno did I mention he has been a painter I think at the end of the program Papier will be introducing an exhibition of Magdi's photographs which are going up Magdi has recently revived his photography producing some fascinating surrealistic work using computer editing techniques he is one of those multi gifted Caribbean artists who work successfully in several genres this veteran writer has made a parallel Korean banking is an expert in corporate and trade issues you did hear he once was deputy to the governor general he never invited people like Kendall myself to share the base sellers of the government house you know your excellency but that's another story he can be counted on in social gatherings to be a raconteer of local politics the art and culture and wherever the old talk leads in published articles and interviews I have always named Magdi as a mentor it was an article I published very recently and I named him again close friends probably know us aspiring partners teasing each other constantly I've often cited my gratitude that the creative artists of my generation especially us writers have kept respectful relationships without sharing quarrels or destructive disputes even as we recognize each other's viewpoints guard personal spaces support each other without modelling flattery in the work we do out of our common ground this simply seeing that is home and inspiration to us if we sit to the feet and saddle the feet of Derek Wolcott Roddy and Stanley French and Garth and Dunstan and so on Magdi has been one of our major cornerstones and reference points and we and I speak for myself I know I speak for all of us here and friends listening Magdi we are grateful for your faithfulness and long dedicated contribution to the art and culture of our island thank you my friend thank you very much God bless you I think I need to make a small correction Robert Magdi has acting governor general when required to do so deputy to when required so he is still available and perhaps if he is required to do so you may be invited to the government house not yet well thank you Robert let me now invite Magdi to share a few words with us as the author of this new publication that is thank you well don't ask me how much I paid Robert please it might be embarrassing then pull it permanent secretary deputy permanent secretary and ministry and so long I don't want to make a mistake and get it out of order cigarette Mrs. Wynne please let your hair I am very grateful for the sponsorship of CDF and the folk research making this evening possible I am sure that my publisher will join me in thanking you for this kind gesture I am not famous for my speeches because I tend to misplace words and say certain things I ought not to say so I will be very brief and just thank all of you who took time off to come out at three o'clock in the afternoon to attend this and I will do what I can do best read my own work so here is a little excerpt from I forget the name and all I will scream in the shadows and I hope you like it my mind was thick against my skin the place quiet I could almost touch the silence Sarge creep ahead to the edge of the kitchen and creamed his neck into the yard he turned in slow motion then raised both hands stop don't come any further do you have your peace what I need a gun for I said to myself my mind get knotted in vines why take a gun to come and talk to my father Sarge hadn't taken his gun either however from where I was I could see like something hitting hard across the face I paralyzed too my feet, my hands uncony where I am standing I can't shift left, I can't move right I see the turtle of his shirt Jack head towards the kitchen steps moving very slowly on tiptoe like he didn't want to mash the ground hard in case it disappear under his foot somehow I inch forward ignoring his orders I could see the open back door the bedroom but not the whole yard my head start to spin I didn't notice my spinky shoe pass and begin boiling down the place as if her mother finally decide to die I tell you to stay where you are I hear Sarge's voice but couldn't see him Miss Pinky was in the middle of a fit screaming and pulling out the little hair left on her head messing up a crime scene woman Sarge was speaking to Miss Pinky I could now see Miss Pinky holding mama by the shoulders and shaking her heart mama was sitting on the kitchen steps holding a body across her lap from the feet, shoes and pants it was a man but things take a while to register as if I'm in the cinema watching in slow motion I could see blood lots of blood I go from feeling giddy to feeling numb Sarge tried to stop me I was too strong for him I pulled Miss Pinky away from mama and she grabbed me by the neck I was taller than her and could see over her shoulder mama's eyes were wide open gazing past us staring like a statue into space face blank, eyes dry she was not crying not even vex I self was two days to absorb what I was seeing too numb to react I remember sitting down by Miss Pinky and looking across at mama in the kitchen steps what happened mama what happened is all I remember seeing and looking at all the blood splattered everywhere just shaking my head over and over and over thank you thank you very much for a wonderful evening thank you Mark Donald the evening has just started actually I think now we have some remarks from the publisher Polly Patulou can I get a cue when it's on please we want to invite Polly who has assisted many solution writers take the work overseas to contribute to this really great program to celebrate the publication it was so good to see copies of the printed word in everyone's hand thanks to the really lovely introduction by Robert Lee who's indeed always done so much to support the press you have all done the book proud and also I was most interested to learn more about Max Rich created life I really just want to say what a great publisher it has been for me to publish this remarkable book and so to add to the distinguished literature of St Lucia and the wider Caribbean I looking back in the last few days I checked the email correspondence that I've had with Mac about the book and I noticed that it started a long time ago as in October 2018 when Mac wrote to me to say that he had this manuscript and would I be interested in publishing it well it's been a long time I think it was three years later when it actually went to the publisher and he had to deal with endless suggestions from me and demands and queries and I'm very grateful that he actually never complained at least not to me when he responded to endless lists of things I would like I wanted him to do he would reply in this sort of way he would say I'm not afraid of tackling this or I must be a masochist for enduring this pain and liking every minute of it so it really was a tremendous process and enriching process and learning process for me as well so now it's published it's a great moment I think this book is remarkable from the moment I read that first page I love the tone and the language and I absolutely echo what Robert Lee said about that it's a traditional who done it it also explores very powerful and important themes of Caribbean life in a disturbing way it's certainly a death far from paradise rather than in paradise so please do buy it, read it enjoy massive congratulations to Mac again I wish I was here with you and thank you for writing such a wonderful book I send you all good wishes and I so and also just congratulations to William St. Lucia on your 43rd independent celebrations so thank you very much and do continue to enjoy your afternoon thank you another round of applause please at this point in our program we invite the author McDonald Dixon to make presentation of a few copies of the book you'll get them, the autographed and I will make a special appeal for those of you who are here to purchase your copy it doesn't cost much I have purchased mine I have read it and I have enabled the seal of many copies for Dixon he called me his traveling salesman Robert will talk about commission that's what FRC so first person we would like to call on is Your Excellency Dim Pulitz Luigi, Governor General Emerita to receive a copy on behalf of the well, before the Folk Research Center Marseille Patrick Antony to receive his copy and let me invite Mr Melcher Henry to receive on behalf of the Folk Research Center Library don't take it home Miss Ramona Wynne on behalf of the Cultural Development Foundation and Mr Darrell Montrop Darrell Montrop or someone Ministry of Culture Ministry of Culture, sorry Mr Deputy Permanent Secretary Solange Charles Belize and the Standing Committee for Independence Mr Montrop Darrell Darrell is somewhere in cyberspace, he'll get it sometime No appearance Thank you, so one more for sale Thank you very much Mark and let me now invite Miss Solange Charles Belize Deputy Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism Investments Creative Industries Culture and Information to deliver a few remarks I think I need to get there Excellency Dim Pulitz Luigi Mr Robert Lee Mr Kendall Hippolet Mrs Ramona Wynne Distinguished guest Mr Donald Dixon Other invited guests Special invited guests A wonderful good afternoon to you The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expressions storytelling and cultural participation They encompass multiple diverse and plural thinking doing and being in an extremely broad range of media It is seen as the vehicle through which human beings cultivate distinct social cultural and individual identities while transmitting values impressions judgments visions spiritual meanings patterns of life and experiences across time and space Mr. McDonald Dixon Your work over the years have truly embodied what it means to be an artist Today is indeed an auspicious occasion and on behalf of the ministry of tourism, investments creative industries culture and information and on behalf of the minister I extend congratulations to you on your relentless dedicated in pursuing your passion which has led to yet another masterpiece A Scream in the Shadows The first crime novel to be published by a St. Lucian writer This relentless dedication is what we at the ministry aim to nurture as it has the power to transcend lives and be the driver for economic growth and foster sustainable development The ministry therefore has channeled its efforts in developing a holistic framework for the culture and creative industry Essential to achieving this mandate is the review of the national cultural policy which will be a focused activity in the upcoming financial year The ministry has conducted several rounds of consultations with stakeholders and is working towards enhancing the data collection efforts to initiate the development of the cultural and creative industries satellite account The exercise will provide empirical data to assist with policy decisions create substantive programs for assistance and value and measure the contribution or contributions of the creative industries to grow domestic product employment and job creation As an accomplished poet play writer writer and also an avid photographer and painter we look forward to your work being used in the educational sector in the educational system and throughout our creatives Once again Mr. McDonnell Dixon congratulations on this achievement. Thank you Thank you very much Madam Deputy Permanent Secretary It means if there is a commitment to use your book in the education sector you will sell I know you've been there with us for a while We come into the end of our ceremony and let me invite Ms. Ashlyn St. Martin from the folk research center to remove the vote of thanks and thereafter we'll invite Parba to do what he does best Protocol has been established Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen It's my privilege to have been asked to propose a vote of thanks on this occasion I wish to say a big thank you to master and mistress of ceremonies Ms. Cantilia-Louis and Mr. Ember Charles for guiding us this lunch to smoothly and expertly This went a long way towards ensuring that this event was a success I must point to a deep sense of appreciation for Barbara's cadet's beautiful musical rendition It said that music is food of love Play on Barbara We will fed well We are grateful to Stacey Gidson George Goddard, David MacNallan Sarah MacLennan, Kendall Hippolyt Jesse Mayers and Christopher Duncan for reading to us except from Scream in the Shadows These were savory testers We are now anxious to delve into the main course Let me express sincere thanks to Mr. Robert Lee for introducing the writer and to the producers of the audio-visual biography of Mr. MacDonald Dixon We wish to thank Paulie Partula of Partula at Press the publisher of Scream in the Shadows for her remarks Though she could have been here with us in person her remarks were well received We are fangful for the confidence that Papilla at Press has shown in the work of this talented son of St. Lucia and hope that other St. Lucia writers to follow in Mr. Dixon's footsteps especially our up and growing writers Thank you to the co-chair independent standing committee Mr. Darrell Montirop and also without this funding support this event would not have been possible especially at this time Mr. MacDonald Dixon you have given us this amazing crime story based on a social issue and that we are also familiar with You have molded this story into a backdrop of cultural legends and provide us with marvelous entertainment. Thank you very much Thanks as well to the folk research center the cultural development foundation and the independent standing committee for collaborating on this important event very well done an event like this requires planning and a bird's eye for details Thank you for those who were involved in the actual organization of the event especially Ms. Drenia Fedrick who gave up some of her vacation time and Mr. Tyrone Harris to assist in the planning and execution of this event Ladies and gentlemen we thank you for being with us this evening it has been a great pleasure Thank you very much Thank you very much Ashley and St. Martin and something I must tell you when we decided and it was Robert Lee's idea that we do something about Fordixon on this book we immediately sent the idea around FRRC board members who I guess in a jiffy said let's go ahead and of course the next step was where we place it how we get money for it but what was most important is the people who read who jumped at the idea of sharing the talent for MacDonald Dixon and I think I want to give them a resounding applause because it is testament to the respect that we have for MacBee Papa now is supposed to bless the exhibition so Papa let me invite you to officially bless and open the exhibition of Dixon's talents I don't know what kind of blessing you want MacD just I would just like to say that in MacD we have a connection with Harry and Derek and Apilo and the person who MacD makes the link to this Leo's past talent you see those are the guys who really opened up through Harry the landscape of St. Lucia so Harry showed them what it was like and Leo spawned his motorcycle would go around and Leo would capture scenes of St. Lucia in fact MacD was saying to me that he was trying to capture in photography the mourn and some parts of St. Lucia over the years so for example every five years you would take pictures so you can get an idea of the development of the country through photography and some of the beautiful prints that the family still has and we hope it will become part of the National Archives is the work of Leo's past talent so MacD's photography links that makes that connection to and of course of course his paintings with Apilo and Derek's own work so it gives me great pleasure this afternoon to say a prayer and to bless this country bless all our St. Lucia spirit bless our artists especially the young people who need so much positive direction for their creativity so that it can really become something that makes this nation proud so let's bow our heads in the moment of prayer we thank you for guiding us and your action we thank you in prison blessing glorify you and we ask you Lord God to continue to use us use us as co-creators of you so that the genius of our people may manifest itself in all forms of productivity music poetry drama novels paintings we thank you Lord God for that creative spirit of our people and we pray that the positive spirits may take over the heart of our nation that your spirit may guide this country guide our political leaders guide our young people guide our children so that whatever we dance to your great and own glory may really manifest in this land and this land of light that is Lucia may truly be a testament in our Caribbean and in the world we ask you to bless Mark Day and bless all of our creative artists bless our nation and the 42nd version of your influence we make this prayer to you Father through your son Jesus union Holy Spirit one God forever and ever one only prayer a defeat a dissent as we assist what