The Roof Gardens in Kensington are one of London’s most amazing and incredible landmarks. Set 100ft above London, the Roof Gardens include three gardens totaling one and a half acres along with a private members club and restaurant. The Gardens were the creation of businessman Trevor Bowen who employed landscape architect Ralph Hancock. After two years and £25,000, the Gardens opened to the public in May 1938 for the entry price of a shilling. The Gardens have featured over 500 species of plants and shrubs and even imported rock from Pennsylvania and are now open to the public free of charge. Despite the chilly temperatures, these brave flamingos were out and about and let me snap their photo. Thank you, flamingos, we pay tribute to your bravery.
Flamingos at the Roof Gardens
Georgina Leanse Escobar: The DLG-Proust-Actors Studio Questionnaire
Born in Ciudad Juárez, Georgina was supposed to be a veterinarian at the family’s cattle ranch, “Los Peñascos,” in Mexico. At least that’s what her grandfather wanted. She even went to the University of Texas at El Paso to study science and biology. It was acting in a production of The Hobbit as Galadriel, the wood elf queen, that “derailed” her plan. She realized: “This is a lot more fun than physics, chemistry, and biology; and a lot easier.”
Read moreDHS Ends TPS for Nicaraguans and Hatians
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that they would be automatically extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 86,000 Hondurans for an additional six months (less than the normal extension period) while at the same time announcing an end to TPS for thousands of Nicaraguans, providing them with a one-year wind down period that will end in January of 2019. While both countries were granted TPS in 1999 after a devastating hurricane killed thousands of Central Americans, the department concluded that the conditions in Nicaragua are now better than they were before the hurricane hit.
Read moreAlways an American
#TeamImmigrant
#TEAMIMMIGRANT just before hanging in reception.
We are super excited to welcome new artwork to our reception area. This limited edition print, appropriately titled #TEAMIMMIGRANT, is by the talented artist Donald Robertson and features models holding flags from most, if not all, of the countries around the world. We thought it was entirely appropriate for our office and adds some lovely color. Known as the "fashion world's favorite artist," Robertson hit gold when he started posting his drawings on Instagram under the handle of @drawbertson. His illustrations of such figures as Anna Wintour and Kanye West have won him more than 190,000 followers along with the approval of Beyoncé, who is a fan. The secret to his success? “The whole sleeping thing—I’ve decided to write it off,” he tells Vanity Fair. “There are so many things I want to do. Picasso said he spent his whole life trying to paint like a child. To have these big-kid ideas and not think too much—that’s the best.”
How a “Status Update” Could Cause You to Lose Your Immigration Status
In this day and age social media is a part of most people’s daily lives. Updating your status on Facebook, posting pictures on Instagram, making witty commentary on Twitter, and checking up on colleagues on LinkedIn have all become part of our day-to-day activities. But it’s not just family and friends who may be viewing your updates. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that it intends to monitor the social media of immigrants—even permanent residents and naturalized US citizens. Additionally, in May this year, the Trump administration approved a new questionnaire that asks for social media handles going back five years for visa applicants worldwide. Historically, consular officers and USCIS adjudicators have, on occasion, also used Google searches and checked social media to research visa applicants and verify information on the submitted paperwork. For all these reasons, it couldn’t be a better time to discuss how various government agencies might be using the information on foreign national’s social media sites, specifically in regards to adjudicating visa applications and determining admissibility to the United States.
Read moreNew York Times: “Diversity Visa Lottery: Inside the Program That Admitted a Terror Suspect”
Following the terror attack in New York City last week when a man drove a rented truck down a bike path killing eight, President Trump is calling for the elimination of the Diversity Visa (DV) Program, which allowed the suspected terrorist, Sayfullo Saipov, to gain legal permanent resident status. Claiming he wants “merit based” immigration, President Trump says he is asking Congress to “immediately initiate work to get rid of this program.” Throughout the years, lawmakers have made multiple attempts to end the diversity visa program, citing reasons of fraud, increased numbers of low-skilled (and thus supposedly less desirable) immigrant workers, and claims that diversity recipients are not properly vetted and threats to national security.
Read moreSomeplace Else
Soulful Creatures
An ibis coffin at Brooklyn Museum.
In honor of Halloween this week, I checked out Brooklyn Museum's new exhibit Soulful Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt. This exhibit, the first major one to focus on the mummification of animals in ancient Egyptian culture, draws on the museum’s renowned collection and displays thirty mummies alongside related Egyptian art. The reasons for mummification are not entirely known but there are theories: owners mummified beloved pets to perhaps join them in the afterlife; others mummified animals to provide a food source for the deceased in the next life; and still others paid for the mummification to receive the favor of the god associated with that animal. The exhibit also shares the scientific tests used to discover how the Egyptians performed animal mummification. The animal mummies on display were fascinating, and I especially admired the craftsmanship in the elaborate ancient gilded ibis coffin (pictured above) that contains a simple ibis mummy. Check the exhibit out, but be careful: at night all the mummies come to life and wander the museum. Don't get locked in!