What have I learned from this course?

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How do I relate to the short story La Guera by Cherrie Moraga?

What is the connection between my Spotify playlist and the short story Kimberle?

The short story Kimberle is about a friend who allows her suicidal friend Kimberle to stay at her house until she gets back on her feet. though Kimberle is extremely complicated person she deeply affects the narrator. The narrator is convinced Kimberle stole her books as they go missing throughout the story. However, Kimberly further complicates the relationship the tow haven by bringing woman for them to have a threesome with. The first song ” I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry deeply relates to the short story KImberle. The narrator mentions how she has recently broke up with her boyfriend due to her own problems. Later on in the book Kimberle allows for the narrator to be with a girl to which the narrator enjoys. The narrator states “I don’t know how or why but my mouth opened to the stranger’s breast, tasting her and the vague tobacco of Kimberle’s spit” ( Kimberle, page 20). This relates to the song I kissed a girl since Katy Perry states ” I kissed a girl and I liked it”. In both scenarios a girl is confused about her sexuality. The song What About us also relates to Kimberle. Upon the end of the story the narrator admits she has feelings towards Kimberle to which Kimberle turns her down. In the story it states “‘“Kimberle, don’t you ever think about what we’re doing—about us?’ Us, there is no us”‘ ( Kimberle, page 25-26). This relates to Whatabout us due to the fact P!NK sings about a relationship that deserved more to which she says ” what about all the broken happily ever afters”. Lastly, another song that relates to Kimberle is the song put your head on my shoulder. The narrator is Kimberle’s rock since she’s suppose to make sure Kimberle doesn’t commit suicide. the narrator states “She was asking me to keep her from killing herself” ( Kimberle, page 14). This relates to this song since the song is about the love and trust a man and a woman obtain for each other. Kimberle can simply put her head on the narrator’s shoulder due to the bond and trust they have for one another.

What is the connection between this newspaper article and the short story ” Pandora Box”?

The short story ” Pandora Box” is about a man who one days wakes up a female, transforming from Juan to Juanita. Upon this story Juanita learns what is like to be a woman. One of the main ideas in this story is how woman are objectify. Juanita admits when she was a man she was attracted to Pandora solely on her body that she forgot there was more to pandora than her looks, she had a mind. Even pandora admits that its hard for her to relate to someone when no ones sees her as a person. In the story she states ““’Men treat me as if I have no life of my own,’she said at one point of the long conversation, ‘but I do.”’This creates to this article because the article is about men viewing women has sex objects. This article admits then men view women as sex objects and its basically an instinct. Both readings show that men never see women as what they really are :people, but rather see women as just a body or an object.

How does Dulce Pinzón photo and Graciela Iturbide photography relate?

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How does José Olivarez:​ “Mexican Heaven”​ relate to an episode of “Big Mouth”?

Mexican Heaven
The Day My Little Brother Gets Accepted Into Grad School
I Tried to Be a Good Mexican Son
I Walk into Every Room & Yell Where the Mexicans At
Mexican American Obituary
White Folks Is Crazy
Mexican Heaven
I ask Jesus How I Got So White
Poem in Which I become Wolverine
When the Bill Collector Calls
& I Do Not Have the Heart to Answer
Mexican American Disambiguation

In Season 4 Episode 2 of ” Big Mouth”, Missy ( a tee who s half-white and half African-American), upon visiting her family in Atlanta finds ut that she has been white washed. When her cousins try to help her get in contact with her black side, she is oblivious to all the things that make her black , such as slang, hair, and ” Pumpkin vs. Sweet potato pie” . In the scene when she gets into an argument with her family she says ” You guys haven’t taught me anything about being Black”. this relates to José Olivarez:​ “Mexican Heaven”​. In Olivarez poem he talks about how he is being white-wash and slowly forgetting about his Mexican background. He states in the poem ” Mexican American Disambiguation”. In this line he is trying to say he doesn’t know what makes him Mexican America anymore. Throughout the poem he tries so hard to stay in contact with his Mexican side to which he asks Jesus why has he been white-washed. Both this scene and the poem relate due to the fact the characters are trying to reattach themselves to their ethnicity. Missy gets her hair done with braids in order to get in contact with her ” Black” side and Olivarez tries to assert himself with any Mexica he get in contact with. All in all both characters become white-wash and try to reverse the affects.

An Alternate Ending of ” Porcupine Love”:

I made up my mind. Upon sitting on the straw-mat I realized I couldn’t wait to see Antenita. I can’t believe it took me 14 years to realize. All those years she was there and I refused to acknowledge it, not anymore. I will welcome her love, her body, her laughter, her mind.But That small voice in my head is trying to convince me love is simply not for me. I allow the voice to have one last word to try to convince me otherwise.Because what if that voice is right and my toxic love doesn’t have room for her. I lay on my bed and dream; I dream about being with Antenita again in Bogotá, her lips pressing against my neck. I jolt up from my sleep, my mind is decided and the voice has disintegrated. Suddenly it is as if I only have a few days left to live, I must go to New Zealand. Before that voice can creep back into my mind I scream “Fuck the job, fuck porcupine love, I want and need Antenita”. I rush to my laptop and book a ticket to New Zealand. I don’t care if its $1,000, I just care about her. I pack in a breeze, and I lay awake counting the hours, the minutes, the seconds until I see her again. The excitement I bear just thinking about us, all the memories and all the future memories I will bear with her, the hours pass quickly.

Its 8 in the morning and I’m already halfway to the airport. My boss calls me asking me why I’m not at work yet and I simply said one word: Love. New Zealand, 2 continents, 3 oceans, 8,643 miles, and 31 airplane
hours away, a trip I’m willing to take to just breathe her air. I dreamt of you today, I’m so glad our connection Is still strong. I suddenly forgot how to breathe, just seeing her text affects my whole state. As the plane leaves I take those 31 hour happily just to dream of a life I will be having with her again. I finally get to New Zealand and the feelings im feeling is unbearable: Nervousness, anxiety, excitement, nausea, hot flashes,everything in one. It’s time, and with that I send a simple email to her: Pick me up at the airport. No response. The nervousness and anxiety overpower all my feelings. What if she doesn’t want to see me after all and it was all just a way to get back at me for all I put her through. I take it all back when I see her running towards me. I am stuck to the ground and the world stops as she is now in front of me. All I can say is ” Antenna I need to stop traveling Because all those trips were just detours. you are my final destination.” before I know it her lips are against mine and my world is now complete. New Zealand, 0 continents, 0 oceans, 0 miles, and 0 airplane hours away. All at once everything is different, now that I see her, now that I am with her, now that I’m breathing her air.” I love you” is all she says and the rest is history.

group #1: By Diamond Renderos, Michelle Solano Diaz, Marisela Zempoalteca, and Mariel Hernandez.

What we have learned presented by Michelle S.

We learned about the suffering and drastic conditions slaves have undertaken in history. Though for Africans in the 17th century, they used their pain and anger and transformed them into a music style that would remain a historic tradition in Puerto Rico. Bomba was introduced when slaves were brought to Puerto Rico. Because they came from different tribes and spoke differently, through music, they were able to communicate and express themselves. The use of Bomba was made primarily to express their suffering and use it as rebellions. This music also moved them to dance by the sound of the drum soon creating a community of people with the love for music. Plena was extended off of Bomba during the 20th century where stories were conveyed in songs. Lyrics have been composed out of political movements, events and history. Plena was considered as a “newspaper of the people,” showing how people would form a crowd to listen to the hand drums and use creativity through dancing.FUN FACT: The “bomba” dance and the songs are improvised and influenced by both African and French cultures. Historians states women used to dance, like “lero”, ( the French interpretation of a rose) forming a circle somewhat shaped of a rose.

Further understanding of La Bomba Y Plena *Presented by Marisela Z.

This image shows the kids in the back playing the Bomba drums and making rhythms. They all seem to be very happy since this is a musical tradition that they have been doing for a long time.The Bomba and Plena has been going on since the 17th century which was during the early colonial period.The woman in the right is all dressed up and ready to dance along to the music. The style in which they dress is also very traditional as it shows their identities and culture.

This Video just briefly explains what Puerto Rico’s Bomba is. It also talks about its history, culture and dance moves which help the reader get a better understanding of what to expect about the Bomba.

This video also further explains the different rhythms that you could make with the drums and it also talks a bit about the dance.

Inspiration from La Bomba Y la Plena Presented by Diamond R.

This video comprises of many interviews with Bomba and Plena specialist. One interview is with Luis Colón, a “Bomba Brava”. When talking about La Bomba, Colón talks about how la Bomba runs in the blood of Puerto Ricans and is something they need in order to be alive. Because of this Colón writes Bomba music in order to pass/carry on the feeling the Bomba gives to the society, the strong resilience Puerto Ricans have from their African ancestors. Just like Puerto Ricans carry the pain/what their ancestors endured with the playing of the drum/dancing of the Bomba, they use it to carry their present pain/problems as well. In Colón’s song “revolution” one of the lyrics is “revolution of the heart, the Bomba inspires my singing, and claims revolution”.

A Poem About la Bomba Y Plena by Diamond Renderos

The percussion sounds 

Gives rhythm and soul to dance

The swaying of skirts

The pain in the voice

The lyrics tell a story

The Africanos

The bomba moved them

To dance and to celebrate

A community

The strong ancestors

Who sang and dance to rebel

We now dance for you

Colonization VS. La Bomba y Plena presented by Mariel H.

Colonization has impacted the Latin American cultures, such as by bringing a new religion or affecting our identities. One way it came to show an impact was through music. When European colonies in Puerto Rico brought in enslaved African, the Europeans also brought their culture in too. African musical traditions influenced Puerto Rico and Bomba emerged. However, Music isn’t just sound being formed to please one of your senses. Bomba “was a source of political and spiritual expression,” which conveyed their emotions based on the situation they were in, and it was used as a “catalyst for rebellions and uprisings” (Smithsonian Institution). This shows that Puerto Ricans used the Music to unite their communities and fight together for their freedom. Now Bomba is danced to and celebrated, creating an identity. Plena Emerged from Bomba. Plena used different instrumentation and the lyrics tell narratives based on events or topics.This is very similar to a style of music called Corridos in Mexico. Unlike Bomba, Corridosaren’t danced to, however, many of the songs tell stories about topics important or controversial too. Bomba and Plena is proof of their strength because both styles of music are now a part of their culture and identity. Overall, Latin countries are very resilient as they use music as a way to help cope with their situations and unite together to fight for their prosperity.The picture with an entirely almost white dress shows a traditional dress used when dancing la Bamba. As we can see the dresses in each picture are very similar and they are also held in a similar fashion. However, the colors on the dress are each different. The picture with a blue, white, and yellow dress is a traditional Ecuadorian dress and the one that is almost entirely red is a traditional Mexican dress. This demonstrates how the styles diffused across Latin countries. All these dresses are also used during traditional dances.

Group #1 blog: Mariel Hernandez, Diamond Renderos, Marisela Zempoalteca, and Michelle Solano Diaz

Background Information *Who was Miguel Algarin?* Presented by Marisela Z

• Algarin was born in Puerto Rico and became a poet
• He moved to the Lower Eastside of Manhattan and even opened up the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. He wanted a place which provided space for poetry and performances
• He  also taught at New York University and also Brooklyn College and shortly became chair of the Puerto Rican Studies Department at Rutgers.

Commentary * What was Miguel Algarin’s poem about?* Presented by Mariel H. and Diamond R.

We were given two poems by Miguel Algarin. One poem is called Survival and the other is A Mongo Affair. The first, Algarin repeats the words “ I was” to prove that he was born and taught everything he knows. He the switches his words last seconds and repeats the phrase  “I will not” to demonstrate that he has strength and is able to do what he wants for himself without no one teaching him. This is powerful because he is stating that we don’t need anyone to learn what we want to learn. The next poem begins with a “boricua”asking if some men are stable because they have government help. However, Algarin quickly informs the man he is being mislead because government help hurts the Puerto Rican pride. They’re weak due to the fact the man can support his family by himself. Algarin then continues to explain it is that same men who “cleans, h in weeps, [and] crawls.” These are the same men that work hard for everything they have. Algarin then finishes by explain that we shouldn’t believe the ideas about the cities are the places where we can make dreams come true because most of the time we will be there to “face bullets, bombs, [and] missiles.” The message Miguel Algarin is conveying through this poem is Puerto Rican’s sense of pride and hard work is being taken away from government assistance. Though this life is better than living in Puerto Rico at the time, He is showing  Puerto Rican’s have no sense of purpose anymore in America.

Video * How do Puerto Rican’s under government assistance live in New York?* presented by Diamond R.

In Miguel Algarin poem “ Mongo affair” the first few lines talks about Puerto Ricans in New York living nice “they tell me they get money

and medical aid,that their rent is paid,that their clothes get bought

that their teeth get fixed”to which the narrator shows it is in fact a lie. The narrator explains how not only does government assistance make the Puerto Ricans weak, but it diminishes them and doesn’t actually help them. In this documentary which is 6 parts, called “ A Nuyorican Dream” it tells the story of a Nuyorican family living in poverty. The mother fled from Puerto Rico to New York along with others in the Puerto Rican Migration in hopes to find a better living for her and her child. Fast forward the eldest son, Robert who made his way to college, shows how his family who grew up with government assistance such as welfare turned out. He explains how he grew up in a 2 bedroom apartment with his mom, stepdad, 3 sisters Betty, tati, and Milly, as well as his little brother Danny.He shows the struggle his family had with drugs, poverty, bad decisions and prison. To support her family the mother has to sell Pasteles, a Puerto Rican delicacy. He shows how the American dream is actually hard especially for minorities like Puerto Ricans. He shows how his sister Betty struggled with drug abuse to which she doesn’t have custody of her kids, Tati who also struggles with drug abuse but is making process. Danny h has been in out of prison due to assault and drug possessions and lastly Milly who is trying to not follow her sibling’s steps. Robert shows the struggle his family is going through, however, with that he also shows the love each member has for each oher, especially the mother. My favorite part of this film is when he flies to Florida to se his sister Tati, and Tati is opening up the presents from her mother to which Robert says “ I don’t know how mami does it, I was tinking and I was like ‘mami is so poor, but somehow she comes through with everyone’s gifts’”. This is my favorite part due to the fcat it shows Puerto Ricans are resilient and can still live their life through any circumstances. This was also my favorite part due to the fact i relate so much. Growing up in a Latino home and Puerto Rican, my family wasn’t wealthy, we had government assistance. However whenever I or my brother needed something my family made sure we got it. Though we had money problems my family made sure it never affected me or my sibling.

Poem * How does Miguel Algarin inspire us?* presented by Mariel H.

“on the corner by the entrance to González-Padín

I have to admit that he has been

lied to, misled,

that I know that all the goodies

he named humiliate the receiver,

that a man is demoralized

when his woman and children

beg for weekly checks”

This quote is from A Mongo Affair by Miguel Algarin and before this quote is stated he talks about the way a Puertarican man relies on the government. This quote proceeds to explain that all the “goodies,” meaning all the help he receives embarresses him and this is because he his wife and children “beg for weekly checks.” This demonstrates that men who ask for help constantly are not seen as men.  

He and them by Mariel Hernandez

He questions why he can’t cry,

Later told that he’ll be a fly,

Small and weak,

He looks at them, 

The other men,

“I have to be like them,”

Yet he feels that he can’t.

He looks at them,

The other men,

And sees strength, resilience.

In him he sees nothing.

“Is this what I am? Weak?” 

“No I am NOT”

He is a Man just like Them.

Drawing Presented by Michelle S.

I used the poem called Mongo Affair, a person confesses about his annoyance for Puerto Rican women. Algarin belittles women who use welfare for their needs which is false. I drew a male who is talking on the phone and talking about “Boricuas” aka Puerto Rican women wand also including welfare in their thoughts.