Health and Society

Changes in Colombian Drug Cultivation and Culture: A Potential Shift from Cocaine to Medical Marijuana

By Rachel Bierly
November 12, 2018

Between the 1980s and early 2000s, Colombia was notorious for drug trafficking and the cultivation of illegal drugs, primarily Cocaine. The Colombian drug traffickers were the primary suppliers of cocaine in many Unites States cities during the later half of the century and were the lead suppliers for the Miami “crack cocaine epidemic” that killed hundreds of Americans due to overdoses and thousands of Colombians and Americans alike in drug violence.

'Robin Hood' Criminal Groups: Providing for the Community when the Government Cannot

By Kristen Martinez-Gugerli
November 7, 2018
Jesus Malverde, the proclaimed patron saint of narcos, is praised in Mexico as a Robin Hood figure. His legacy of committing crimes to provide for the poor has inspired many criminal groups to follow suit, earning them a similar reputation among the people.

Conventional perceptions of Latin America’s organized criminal groups tend to emphasize the greed and violence produced by these groups when, in reality, their existence is much more nuanced than this. Although most associate the presence of criminal groups with heightened levels of violence or drug use, these groups usually do much more than this, often providing certain services and resources to local communities.

Coffee rust disease posed to destroy Latin American market (and your daily coffee fix)

By Rachel Rozak
October 29, 2018

Since the introduction of coffee as a staple in morning routines worldwide, it has become one of the most traded commodities on the planet; in fact, it was second only to oil this year (teleSUR 2018).  The sudden demand for coffee helped to launch Latin America into the industrial age, with countries like Brazil and Costa Rica (which now leads world coffee production at around 45 million 60 kilogram bags per year) setting prices and international standards for the industry.

Spanish Speaking in Schools

By Rachel Bierly
October 23, 2018

Although the United States has no official language, English is by far the most spoken language in the U.S. That being said, approximately 40 million people speak Spanish at home in the United States (United States Census Bureau, 2017). There is little legislation regarding the use of Spanish instruction outside of language classes, and with such a large percentage of the U.S. population speaking English, most schools instruct their students in English. Some schools, however, have made attempts to enforce “English-only” policies, which is where the problem lies.

Meet the ‘Potato Guardians’ working in Peru’s highlands to promote crop diversity in the face of climate change

By Kristen Martinez-Gugerli
October 22, 2018

For time immemorial, the indigenous peoples of the Andes have relied on their extensive understanding of the ecosystem to exist in harmony with the environment.

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