Bringing In A New Year Is Celebrated In Culturally Rich Ways Throughout Central And South America

Bringing in the New Year serves as a time period for many to release, reflect and recover from a year of experiences that can bring vast emotions. This time of the year is celebrated and embraced in different ways depending on the part of the world you live in.

Central and South America holds many traditions and customs that locals embrace to bring good fortune and prosperity into the New Year. These traditions include wearing red to bring love into your life and wearing yellow to attract more financial opportunities. Traditions also include taking your luggage for a walk to bring on travel opportunities and eating grapes.

In Mexico, many eat Bacalao (dried salted codfish) and lentils as a way to attract abundance and prosperity. In addition to this, hot fruit punch called ponche, is typically consumed on New Years Eve and Christmas. For Costa Ricans, it is traditional for many to spend New Year's Eve surrounded by family and friends enjoying a late dinner. Some may bring in the New Year on the beach and watch the fireworks as they transcend across the sky. Fireworks are commonly used during this time to mark the start of the new year.

Brazilians like to bring in the new year by wearing all white to honor the god Oxalá which is an orisha believed to be the creator of human bodies. The food you eat on New Year’s Eve determines the way the rest of your year will go so many eat lentils to bring good luck and pomegranates for wealth. Many Brazilians also enjoy bringing in the New Year on the beach, the most popular one being Copacabana.

New Year’s Eve traditions vary in each country. Below is a list of different countries across Central and South who bring in the New Year in a unique way!

• Argentina - Argentinians like to bring in the New Year by having a late dinner with family and friends.

• Belize - Belizeans enjoy bringing in the New Year with fireworks.

• Bolivia - Bolivians enjoy eating twelve grapes as they count down for the new year.

• Chile - Chileans have many New Year Eve traditions including eating lentils for economic success.

• Colombia - In Colombia, a traditional custom for New Year's Eve is to create a human sized doll stuffed with rags and newspaper, that will be burned as a way to symbolically bring in the New Year and cast off the old one.

• Ecuador - Ecuadorians enjoy eating grapes on New Year's Eve to attract prosperity and good luck.

• El Salvador - In El Salvador, many crack an egg one minute before midnight, to dictate how their New Year will turn out.

• Guatemala - Guatemalans bring in the new year by wearing new clothes, listening to lively music and watching firework shows.

• Guyana - In Guyana, many enjoy eating ‘cook up rice’ as a New Years Eve meal to ensure prosperity.

• Honduras - Hondurans bring in the new year with fireworks.

• Nicaragua - In Nicaragua, many enjoy attending a late dinner with family and friends.

• Panama - In Panama, many eat twelve grapes and make a wish with each grape.

• Paraguay - In Paraguay, festivals are used to create a positive ambiance as the New Year approaches.

• Peru - In Peru, many bring in the New Year by wearing yellow for prosperity and good luck.

• Uruguay - In Uruguay, many enjoy eating lentils as a way to bring prosperity into the New Year.

• Venezuela - Venezuelans enjoy attending firework shows while being with family and friends.

Now that you know how others across the globe bring in the New Year, how did you bring in 2022?

Coronavirus and The Variants That Have Followed: The Impact on the Hispanic and LatinX Community

In March of 2020 the Coronavirus caused a global pandemic forcing many throughout the world, including those in the United States, into their homes. During this time, we knew very little about how the virus spread, ways to protect ourselves and how much the world would be impacted. Although the pandemic has affected everyone in a multitude of ways, both physically and mentally, it has disproportionately impacted Black and LatinX communities throughout the United States.

According to the CDC, Latinos account for about 24% of the total Covid-19 cases in the United States. The rise in cases throughout the LatinX community has a direct correlation to pre-existing disparities that only worsened during the global pandemic. As we move into 2022, health officials are advising that many get booster shots for immunity against the Omicron variant.

Although the rise of the pandemic has resulted in mixed emotions, feelings of anxiety, guilt and overall despair. It has also provided an opportunity for many to show up for their community members in ways that embody social distancing and mask usage. A community based organization that has been actively promoting health for the LatinX community through programs, outreach and education is Mixteca.

“Mixteca is a second home for Latinx immigrants and their families to receive social-emotional support, education, and leadership skills necessary to achieve sustainable livelihoods and thrive in New York City.”

Beyond their programs, they also provide Covid-19 resources for Latino families located in New York City that include vaccination sites, ways to protect yourself and education on things like the symptoms of Covid-19. There are multiple organizations throughout the United States and internationally that provide the same kind of support and assistance for Latino community members. Including UnidosUS, the largest Latino focused non-profit organization in the United States. The organization advocates for public policy reforms, provides resources for mental and physical health, and conducts workforce development programs. Although the organization is multifaceted and serves the Latino community in a multitude of ways their principle focus is growth and development within the community.

With this in mind we want to encourage you all to support those around you during this time. Whether it is a phone call, wearing masks, offering childcare, sharing a meal or simply spreading kindness.

Share with us how you are alleviating the impact of Covid-19 in your community via email info@afro-latinabeauty.com and we will feature your story.

AFRO TV, a Polycultural Black Television Network Opens Doors for New Dialogue

AFRO, a Polycultural Black Television Network, is available on Verizon Fios, Frontier, and now Sling TV!

Sling TV, the provider of live and on-demand streaming television services, expanded its programming with the addition of AFRO, a polycultural Black television network, to its “Lifestyle Extra,” which includes, among other networks BET, Cooking Channel, DIY Network, E!, FYI, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, LMN, Oxygen, truTV, VH1 and WE tv.

The launch of AFRO provides Sling TV Lifestyle Extra customers with AFRO's live stream in addition to hundreds of hours of exclusive and original afro-centric movies and series on-demand.

“As we solidify our position as the leader in multicultural Black entertainment in North America, this latest development reaffirms our commitment to listen to and adjust to changing consumer behavior while opening the door to exciting possibilities for our company.” said Yves Bollanga, CEO of the Afrotainment Family of channels.

AFRO is available in Lifestyle Extra, $5 per month with a Sling Orange and/or Sling Blue subscription. Visit www.sling.com for more information on programming and services available through Sling TV.

AFRO is the first independently owned and operated African American television network distributed by Sling TV. Visit www.afros.tv for more information on content and programming.

About Afrotainment Family of channels

The Afrotainment Family of channels is a New York based network of 9 linear television channels targeting the black communities in North America. Afrotainment channels are available on DISH, Sling, Optimum, Verizon, Frontier, Bell (Canada), Videotron (Canada), Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. For more information visit www.afrotainment.us