Latest news with #Lucero
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
UCLA med school accused of discriminating against white, Asian applicants
[Source] A federal lawsuit filed against UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine claims that the institution continues to consider race in its admissions process, illegally discriminating against white and Asian applicants and violating the Supreme Court's 2023 ban on affirmative action in higher education. The allegations The class action suit, which was filed on May 8 and first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, was brought by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) — the nonprofit that successfully challenged Harvard's affirmative action program — along with Do No Harm and Kelly Mahoney, a white woman applicant who scored in the 96th percentile on the MCAT but was rejected. The complaint alleges that under Associate Dean for Admissions Jennifer Lucero — who became dean in 2020 — the school uses 'holistic' review processes to determine applicants' race through essays and interviews, then uses that information to make admission decisions. Citing multiple whistleblowers, the suit claims that Lucero 'berates and belittles committee members who raise concerns about admitting minority students because of their race despite low GPAs and MCAT scores.' In one alleged 2021 meeting, Lucero allegedly said that the candidate's scores should not matter 'because we need people like this in the medical school,' referencing high mortality rates among African American women as justification for prioritizing Black applicants. Trending on NextShark: The big picture The suit argues its case with numbers. While white and Asian students typically comprised around 73% of the medical school's applicants between 2020 and 2023, their percentage among matriculants dropped from 65.7% in 2020 to 53.7% in 2023, as per the complaint. Black students made up 14.29% of matriculants in 2023 despite being only 7.86% of applicants, while Asian applicants constituted 40.79% of the pool but only 29.71% of matriculants. The legal challenge represents the latest test of the Supreme Court's 2023 SFFA v. Harvard decision, which ruled race-based admissions unconstitutional. It also comes amid broader scrutiny of UCLA by the Trump administration: the Department of Health and Human Services launched an investigation into its medical school in March for potential race-based discrimination, while the Department of Justice announced that it would examine UCLA and other UC campuses for 'illegal DEI policies.' Additionally, UCLA is one of 60 universities under Department of Education investigation for anti-Semitic harassment following campus protests. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Our Times OTT Release Date: When and where to watch Lucero and Benny Ibarra's Mexican rom-com film online
Our Times OTT Release Date: Fans of Mexican cinema have a date to mark on their calendars: June 11, 2025. That's when Our Times, also known as Nuestros Tiempos, will premiere on Netflix. The film stars renowned actors Lucero and Benny Ibarra, bringing a blend of science fiction and romance to the streaming platform. Here's all that we know about the movie! What is Our Times all about? Our Times tells the story of Nora and Héctor, a married couple and scientists who discover a way to time travel from 1966 to 2025. As they navigate the challenges of a new era, their relationship is tested in unforeseen ways. While Nora adapts quickly to the modern world, Héctor finds himself struggling, raising questions about the cost of their scientific breakthrough. This romantic sci-fi comedy marks Lucero's return to film after a hiatus since 2004's Zapata: El sueño del Héroe. Directed by Chava Cartas, known for films like MexZombies and Mirreyes contra Godínez, Our Times also features a supporting cast that includes Renata Vaca, Ofelia Medina, and Claudia Lobo. The film is rated TV-14, making it suitable for viewers aged 14 and above and features a screenplay by Angélica Gudiño and Juan Carlos Garzón. What's more Mexican on Netflix? Netflix offers a variety of Mexican content, including shows like Snakes and Ladders and I Am Not Mendoza, as well as movies like Bad Influence and Exterritorial. You can also find reality TV series like Made in Mexico on the platform. Additionally, Netflix has invested heavily in producing original Mexican content, with plans to spend $1 billion on production in Mexico this year. Are you excited about Our Times, aka Nuestros Tiempos? Drop your thoughts @indiatimes.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Mexico judiciary names behavioral health administrator to implement new legislation
The New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts has hired Esperanza Lucero, a longtime state social services leader, as its behavioral health integration and reform administrator, a new position set to play a major role in carrying out newly enacted legislation. Lucero will implement the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act, also known as Senate Bill 3, the agency said in a news release. Signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in February, SB 3 tasks the Administrative Office of the Courts with coordinating the development of regional behavioral health plans, with a goal of expanding access to services throughout the state. 'Esperanza is a great fit for this inaugural position,' Administrative Office of the Courts Director Karl Reifsteck said in a statement. 'Her experience working extensively with state and local agencies to implement policy, strategies and initiatives will help in laying the groundwork for behavioral health system improvements required by state law.' Under SB 3, the Administrative Office of the Courts is responsible for convening behavioral health stakeholders — including providers, advocates, law enforcement, state agencies and local, regional and tribal governments — and identifying behavioral health resources and gaps through a patient mapping process known as the Sequential Intercept Model. That work is already underway, with mapping completed in Taos, Union, Colfax and Rio Arriba counties in 2024, and Santa Fe County earlier this year. Workshops are scheduled in June to complete the task in Los Alamos, San Miguel, Mora and Guadalupe counties. Before starting her new position, Lucero served as director of the New Mexico Department of Health's Center for Health Protection and led the state Aging and Long-Term Services Department's Adult Protective Services Division. She holds master's degrees in social work and business administration from New Mexico Highlands University and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from New Mexico State University. 'I am passionate about strengthening behavioral health services delivery in New Mexico," Lucero said in a statement. "It's an honor to serve in this capacity.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Social worker Liz Barrett declares bid for Santa Fe City Council District 2 seat
School social worker Liz Barrett has announced her campaign for the Santa Fe City Council District 2 seat with a platform focused on making the city more livable for working families. "I just see an opportunity for problem solvers, social workers, teachers to jump into politics," Barrett said in an interview Tuesday. "If not now, when?" A political newcomer, Barrett, 46, has some insight into what the campaign will entail: Her husband, former city Planning Commissioner Phil Lucero, ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2023. Though Lucero didn't win, Barrett described the campaign as a learning experience for the family. Liz Barrett headshot 2 Liz Barrett "I kind of got a firsthand view of what it takes, which is funny, because everyone's like, 'After you watched him do that, you want to do that?' ' she said with a laugh. Lucero lost to Councilor Michael Garcia, who was elected to a second term with 54% of the vote. Despite raising over $45,000, significantly more than publicly financed Garcia, Lucero said at the time the incumbency advantage had been difficult to surmount. That won't be a factor this time around — District 2 Councilor Carol Romero-Wirth announced in April she will not seek a third term in office, paving the way for a new face on the dais. Air Force veteran and former government contractor Paul Bustamante also is running for the District 2 seat. Garcia, meanwhile, is running for mayor, which could create an additional vacancy in the district if he wins. The city charter calls for the mayor to appoint a district resident to fill a council vacancy within 30 days. The appointee, who must be approved by the council, serves until the next municipal election, when someone must be elected to the seat for the remainder of the term. At a glance, Barrett and Bustamante have many similarities: Both said they were inspired in part to enter politics because of their dismay at actions being taken by the Trump administration, and they want to try to help create a better city for their children. Bustamante is a stay-at-home father to his youngest daughter; Barrett has two children and adopted the campaign slogan, "Moms get it done!" 110723_GC_ElectionCoverage01rgb.jpg (copy) Phil Lucero, a former City Council District 2 candidate, and his daughter Zoe Lucero, wave to voters at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds on Election Day in November 2023. Lucero's wife, Liz Barrett, is now running for the District 2 seat following his unsuccessful bid. A native of Michigan, Barrett moved to New Mexico in 2003 for an AmeriCorps post in Albuquerque and has lived in Santa Fe for the past decade in the same neighborhood near Ragle Park where Lucero grew up. She has a Master of Social Work from New Mexico Highlands University and is employed as a social worker at the state-chartered THRIVE Community School in Santa Fe. Previously, she was a social worker at Santa Fe Public Schools from 2010 to 2023, primarily at Aspen Community School. She is a volunteer coach with the Northern Soccer Club and was a Girls on the Run coach at her previous school. She has coordinated a Special Olympics program for students with disabilities at schools. Barrett described herself as a natural problem solver and said the ever-changing nature of her job has primed her for working in politics. "You could have an agenda and it could all change at a moment's notice," she said. Barrett's campaign website describes her as a Democrat and says one of her priorities is standing up to the Trump administration's "weaponization" of the federal government. Though the council race is nonpartisan, Barrett said she chose to publicly list her political party because it feels like an encapsulation of many of her priorities. "A lot of the things that I stand for, like affordable housing, mental health support, getting more money into rehabilitation services for addiction and substance abuse — I think those are historically Democratic issues," Barrett said, adding she is "very open" to working across the aisle. Like many other council and mayoral candidates, she said the high cost of housing is one of her major concerns, noting many of her colleagues in education cannot afford to live in Santa Fe. "That's just outrageous to me. ... If you work here, you should be able to live here," Barrett said. Making the city more welcoming for the families who already live here is also a top priority for Barrett, who said creating more incentives to draw kid-focused businesses to Santa Fe would be a boon, keeping tax revenues here. When it comes to public safety, Barrett said more investments are needed in support services to help get people back on their feet and in the Santa Fe Police Department. She cited the importance of close relationships between police officers and others in the city as key. "We need police to know our communities and where we need more support," she said. Like Lucero, Barrett has hired Sandra Wechsler as her campaign manager. Wechsler was Mayor Alan Webber's campaign manager in his successful bid for a second term in 2021, but neither of the candidates she worked for in 2023, Lucero and District 1 candidate Geno Zamora, won their races. Wechsler is not currently working with any other municipal candidates. Barrett is opting for private financing, while Bustamante has said he will pursue public financing. As a first-time political candidate, she said she plans to hit the ground running so District 2 can get to know her. "I'm going to go that route and give it my all," she said.
Economic Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Is Pokémon running out of ideas? Ground-type Charmander leak sparks fan backlash in Gen 10 rumour mill
TIL Creatives AI generated image When longtime Pokémon fan Aaron Lucero saw a Ground-type Charmander trending online this weekend, his reaction summed up what much of the fandom was feeling: 'Again? They're doing this again?' Lucero, like thousands of others, stumbled across the latest Generation 10 'leak' making the rounds online. The alleged info drop, which originated from 4chan and gained traction through a repost by the Hidden Power Podcast , outlines ambitious plans for the next mainline game, possibly titled Pokémon Gales & Tides , rumoured for the Nintendo Switch 2. Also read: 'Pokémon Go' maker nears $3.5 billion deal to sell games unitThe leak describes a tropical archipelago setting featuring 16 major islands, 150+ smaller ones, a new battle mechanic called 'Gigaxis,' and three new starter Pokémon: a Fire Goat, Water Octopus, and Grass Snail. But one bizarre detail is dominating conversation more than any of that: a new ground-type regional variant of Pokémon community has always had strong feelings about its mascots, but the idea of giving Charmander yet another region-specific twist, this time as a Ground-type has left fans baffled and, in many cases, frustrated. 'I don't care about the rest of it, just please for the love of god stop making a new Charmander every other region,' one fan wrote. Another chimed in: 'Only believing this because a regional variant for the Charizard line sounds exactly in line of what Pokémon would do lmao.' This isn't the first time Charmander and its evolutionary line have stolen the spotlight. Mega Charizard X , Y , and Gigantamax Charizard have all had their day. But for a growing segment of the fanbase, the overexposure is wearing thin, especially when there are over 1,000 other creatures in the Pokémon roster. Despite the frenzy, there's a high chance this entire leak is a fabrication. While 4chan has occasionally been a source of accurate leaks, its track record is sketchy at best. The anonymity of the platform makes it a breeding ground for unverified information, especially when it comes to major game franchises like Pokémon . Also read: Pokémon GO acquisition: Scopely buys Niantic's gaming division for $3.5 Billion – What it means for players and the future of the game 'If any of this ends up being true, I will livestream myself eating a Pikachu plushie,' one skeptical fan joked, echoing the mood of many. Still, it's fun to imagine. With Pokémon Legends: Z-A already confirmed as the next official release, anything beyond that is pure speculation. But the growing backlash to Charmander's repeated reinvention is a clear sign: the fanbase wants fresh ideas, not another familiar flame in a new coat of mud.
