As this year comes to an end I am left wondering where the time has gone. It seems as I get older, time just seems to blend together. I never quite figured out why everyone always said enjoy your time while you still remember the days, but now it is crystal clear. As I sit… [Continue Reading]
When children pay parents’ consequences
12/31/2009 By 2 Comments
Today I read an article on NPR about a young man who finished high school, had an interest in music, played saxophone, and was looking to pursue a college education. This student was trapped in a dead end situation because he and his parents were undocumented; they came from Mexico to the United States on… [Continue Reading]
What would you do?
12/31/2009 By Leave a Comment
You’re in a plane at 35,000 feet above sea level traveling at over 500 miles per hour to some far away destination for some rest and relaxation. You’re listening to your MP3 with your eyes closed, swaying your head back and forth, up and down. You stare at your watch every five minutes, and wondering… [Continue Reading]
My "Poets of 2009"
12/31/2009 By 6 Comments
Poetry: speaks, moves & inspires. To be a poet, is to leave your mark on this world one letter at a time. It is the ability to freeze frame life and capture the moments with words. It is the ability to express an emotion with the flow of your syntax. To be a poet is to possess a… [Continue Reading]
Such distinguished company
12/30/2009 By 1 Comment
When asked to list their most important public figures, people of any culture will usually rattle off historical figures or some names in pop culture. Latinos are no different and we’ll mention our celebrities, our athletes, our fashion designers, and notable figures in politics. My personal list would likely include Awards-winning actor and humanitarian, Raul… [Continue Reading]
A different kind of "ism" that Latinos face
12/30/2009 By 4 Comments
Latinos love to speak their minds — and with so many of us taking the initiative to further educate ourselves, the topics of conversations seem to grow more sophisticated everyday. When discussing topics affecting our community, we often hear about “isms” such as racism, sexism, nationalism. But there is one “ism” that I can never recall… [Continue Reading]
The truth is revealed by many tales
12/29/2009 By Leave a Comment
I read an article on CNN.com today about an acclaimed African writer by the name of Chimamanda Adichie. In the article, she warns of the danger of hearing only a single story. It says she “believes in the power of stories, and warns that hearing only one about a people or nation leads to ignorance.… [Continue Reading]
What makes us Latino?
12/28/2009 By 4 Comments
My husband grew up in California. He has a deep appreciation for Mexican food, lives for a good boxing match, and has an abiding reverence for family. He is protective of our children and me. My husband’s Spanish, while not fluent, is stronger than mine. He speaks to my grandmother in Spanish when I cannot.
La sangre llama
12/27/2009 By 11 Comments
This rivalry that various nationalities of Latinos have is based solely on ignorance. It is a reflection and reaction to the nationalistic categorization the United States has brain washed us with. For example growing up in New York City there is a pretty large population of Latinos from the Caribbean (Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban)… [Continue Reading]
If that’s right, I’m proud to be wrong
12/27/2009 By 1 Comment
Why is it that the economic tragedies I’ve seen in my lifetime have been on GOP (it stands for “Grand Old Party” aka Republicans) watch? Why is it they do business with and borrow money from the largest Communist country in the world but call themselves patriotic? I must be missing something. In the 1970s,… [Continue Reading]