The Evolution of Puerto Rican Culture

By: jalyn betances

La Guera by Cherrie Moraga: Personal Connection

Pandora’s Box by Arturo Arias

Pandora’s Box by Arturo Arias discusses the struggles woman face both emotionally, physically and socially. When the main character, Juan, transforms from a man to a woman, he realizes how difficult it truly is to be a woman. Throughout the story as he becomes closer to Pandora, the girl he has long fantasized over, he realizes that a woman has more to her than just her body. In one portion of the reading Pandora 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.” 

Similar to Arturo’s reading, linked down below is an article entitled, The Man Who Spent A Week Living Like A Woman, discusses . He describes his experience as a woman as being difficult, despite not fully experiencing all of “the real pressures and tribulations that a woman faces every day.” He goes on to explain that “it’s always hard to be a woman. Especially if you’re a man.”

Pandora’s Box

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-482767/The-man-spent-week-living-like-woman.html

Spotify Playlist: Based on the reading “Kimberle” by Achy Obejas

1. Breathe Me -Sia
2. Unsteady – X Ambassadors
3. Lonely- Jorja Smith
4. Save Me from Myself- Christina Aguilera
5. Blue Ocean Floor- Justin Timberlake
6. CPR- Summer Walker
7. Free Me -Sia
8. Giving Up- Donny Hathaway
9.  My Song -HER

My Spotify playlist is composed of 9 songs that focus on topics of loneliness, seeking for help, and finding someone in life that understands you like no one else. Kimberle tells a story of a young queer woman who has experienced many highs and lows in her life. She suffers from depression and needs the company of her friend to keep her sane. Breathe me is the first song on the playlist and tells a story of someone who struggles with depression and contemplates suicide often, similar to Kimberle in the reading. Similar to how Kimberle would often seek for her friend in times of despair, the second song entitled Unsteady, which tells a story of someone who feels alone and wants someone to hold on to them. In the reading we learn that “Kimberle had been homeless, living out of her car,” therefore, the third song entitled Lonely, closely related to her life. 

The fourth song entitled Save Me From Myself, relates to the reading as it tells a story of someone who constantly has to be saved because they are a danger to themselves. In the reading, the narrator of the story explains how Kimberle “was asking her to keep her from killing herself.”  Her friend constantly watched over her to make sure she was safe. Similar to the songs Blue Ocean Floor and CPR, anytime Kimberle is losing herself, her friend finds her and saves her from harming herself.  The reading recalls several accounts where Kimberle would experience “restless nights of weeping and pillow punching.” The next two songs, Free Me and Giving Up, relate to the two main characters’ experiences in the story. One constantly dealing with emotional struggles, and the other refusing to give up in trying to help. The last song on the playlist is entitled My Song, which tells a story of how one special thing/person can make your life feel complete. The song is a great representation of the middle portion of the text when Kimberle and her friend go on a car ride together. The narrator describes her time with Kimberle as “just amazing.” 

Photography by Graciela Iturbide and Dulce Pinzón 

The selected photography from Graciela Iturbide and Dulce Pinzón both create a visual portrayal of a flock of birds gathered together.  Although one image was taken in black and white and the other in color, both works display diversity in bird species.  Despite both photographers reflecting different moods through their photos, much of Iturbide’s and Pinzón’s photography seem to portray an admiration for birds.  Both of these images represent diversity and togetherness, which often can be related to the history of Latin America.  Perhaps both photographers capture images like these to artistically express their experiences growing up in Latin culture.

Mexican Heaven

By: josé olivarez

all of the Mexicans sneak into heaven. St. Peter has
their name on the list, but none of the Mexicans have
trusted a list since Ronald Reagan was President.

*

St. Peter is a Mexican named Pedro, but he’s not
a saint. Pedro waits at the gate with a shot of tequila
to welcome all the Mexicans to heaven, but he gets drunk
& forgets about the list. all the Mexicans walk
into heaven, even our no good cousins who only
go to church for baptisms & funerals.

*

it turns out God is one of those religious Mexicans
who doesn’t drink or smoke weed, so all the Mexicans
in heaven party in the basement while God reads
the bible & thumbs a rosary. God threatens to kick
all the Mexicans out of heaven if they don’t stop
con las pendejadas, so the Mexicans drink more
discreetly. they smoke outside where God won’t
smell the weed. God pretends the Mexicans are reformed.
hallelujah. this cycle repeats once a month. amen.

*

Jesus has a tattoo of La Virgen De Guadalupe
covering his back. turns out he’s your cousin
Jesus from the block. turns out he gets reincarnated
every day & no one on Earth cares all that much.

*

all the Mexican women refuse to cook or clean

or raise the kids or pay bills or make the bed or
drive your bum ass to work or do anything except
watch their novelas, so heaven is gross. the rats
are fat as roosters & the men die of starvation.

*
there are white people in heaven, too. they build
condos across the street & ask the Mexicans to
speak English. i’m just kidding. there are no
white people in heaven.

*
tamales. tacos. tostadas. tortas.
pozole. sopes. huaraches. menudo.
horchata. jamaica. limonada. agua.

*

St. Peter lets Mexicans into heaven
but only to work in the kitchens.
A Mexican dishwasher polishes the crystal,
smells the meals, & hears the music
through the swinging doors. they dream
of another heaven, one they might be allowed in
if only they work hard enough.

In José Olivarez’s Mexican Heaven, he explains how Mexicans have been admitted. They’ve been admitted by a man named Pedro who controls the entrance. Olivarez’s imagines this fantasy heaven where the tables are set with tamales, tacos, tortas, and aguas frescas. In Mexican heaven there are no saints, but only families of Mexican descent who are all accepted.

I chose this movie clip from Disney Pixar’s Coco. This scene in particular captures this idea of having a Mexican Heaven composed only of individuals of Mexican descent. Confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music, Miguel is transported to the “Land of the Dead” and reunites with some of his late family members. “The Land of the Dead” captures certain aspects of Mexican/Latin culture such as the music, cultural attire, and the inclusion of family, similar to Olivarez’s poem.

I chose this poem by José Olivarez in relation to his poem Mexican Heaven. This poem basically conveys how many Americans fail to acknowledge the existence and important contributions made by Mexicans in the United States. Although many are aware of Mexican culture, it’s not something that is often appreciated in America. This poem somehow relates to Mexican Heaven, as it gives us a different perspective on Mexicans. In that poem all Mexicans are finally being acknowledged and accepted for their culture.

Porcupine Love by Tatiana de la Tierra- Alternate Ending

That night I stood in bed contemplating about many things. Mainly about Antenna, of course. I wanted nothing more than to love Antenna with no limitations. But what if I was still incapable of loving her consistently? What if she was going to become another one of my wasted loves? The thing is, Antenna was just so different from any of the other girls I had ever been with. She loved me unconditionally. Even after our 14 years apart she seems so willing to work things out and spend an eternity with me. But an eternity just seemed too long for me. An eternity would be mean forever. Nonetheless, I knew what my heart really wanted…and that was to see Antenna again.

The next morning I booked a flight to New Zealand. That entire morning, my heart felt a if it was going to burst out of my chest. I felt my palms sweaty and knees much weaker than usual. I hadn’t even told Antenna I’d be arriving in New Zealand today. What if she didn’t mean what she had said over our email convos and phone calls? Maybe she was confused with her feelings and wasn’t really in love with me? Before drowning in my thoughts, I looked out the airplane window and simply hoped I wasn’t making a decision I would soon regret.

Hours later, I arrived in New Zealand. Although it took hours of transportation and mental contemplation, I was finally in front of Antennas door. I placed all of luggages down and rang her doorbell. My heart was racing. A few moments later, the front door opened up. There stood Antenna, looking as beautiful as ever. At that moment I knew I had made the right decision in coming to see her. An eternity with her didn’t sound too bad after all.

Group#7: Jalyn Betances, Stephanie Palacio, Davis Moreno

Llevame Pa Tras

(Poem inspired by Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena )
Jalyn betances

Take me back to my roots

To the colonial times 

Where my ancestors had pursuits

Of creating a narrative of their own 

That no white oppressor could dethrone

Take me back to the sugar cane plantations 

Where my ancestors used old barrels 

To spark a new nation

Giving them a musical voice 

That allowed them only to rejoice

Take me back to the end of the 17th century

When Bomba music became 

One of our biggest treasuries

Allowing my people to develop their own expression 

And for also permitting our cultural progression

Take me back to the Afro-Puerto Rican communities

Where Plena y Bomba sparked opportunities

To convey a sense of anger and sadness

That also allowed for rebellions and madness

Thank you for providing me

With great culture and tradition, 

For giving me a dance and song to listen

You show me rhythm, which is something I love

Now I have something to be proud of

Bomba and Plena woman (Art portion):

Stephanie Palacios

This image was inspired by the woman who went on stage to dance along to the music playing. I have never heard that type of music before but it was so fun that it inspired me to draw this woman holding a similar skirt!

Tal Vez Un Dia

(Poem to shed light to impact of bomba and plenas had on slavery)
Davis Moreno

Bomba and Plenas

The instruments that kept us sane

Through the fields, through the hard times

We will hear it play 

Bomba and Plenas 

The beat we so dearly love

Plays like a warm blanket on a cold night

The sound so soothing, it was a gift from the man above

Bomba and Plenas 

Every beat of the Bomba represents the pain and sorrow 

We come together and dance  

Because we don’t know if we will see each other tomorrow 

Bomba and Plenas 

The lyrics we made was a punch to slavery

We stood up for our ourselves 

The songs we wrote for people who showed bravery 

Bomba and Plenas 

The beats will never die 

As we see, that pain inflicted by slavery 

We play our songs in hope in someone hearing us cry 

Blog #2: Imitation of Selena

Stephanie Palacios- Video Portion

I chose this meme and the video because it shows how people really like Selena and actually want to create her looks, be her, etc. Her songs, fun spirit, and nice smile inspired many young girls and guys to appreciate their culture. Of course there could be some negative side to these fans. The video I linked could probably have some people trying to put down someone for trying to be like their favorite singer. Sadly it is something that happens to a lot of people. 

Jalyn Betances- Art Portion

Selena’s death on March 1995, lead to several other deaths in the queer community.  This illustration is a depiction of the portion in the reading when Bianca decided to dress up as Selena for one of her shows.  Pesticida who was the head of the drag house, the Gold Rush, held absolute ownership over Selena’s stardom.  Bianca was later found dead after her performance, just like the other niño reinas who had dared to perform any Selena song.

March 31

poem by Davis Moreno

Through New York to California

The world suddenly stopped as they saw the news

Selena had been shot 

Fans were all in the blues 

The smiles she brought to the world will always be within us

Her spirit still roams around 

Her unique persona and her singing brought us joy 

What she brought to this world is still found

She was an inspirational and very warm-hearted person

Taken away from us way to early 

By her trusted friend Yoldanda Saldivar 

Shot and killed, the end of selena’s journey 

However, her remarks still live on

The music she wrote inspired young latin singers

March 31, her music being played in the streets

We were at lost when heard the news of Yoldanda pulling the trigger 

The once thought unstoppable singer was stopped 

Over money and self greed, her life was taken 

Thank you for setting an example and for the great music

March 31, her fans are still shaken