WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IN THIS COURSE

This is a screenshot conversation between my partner and I while we working on our group blog posts together.

La Guera, Cherrie Moraga

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NGFhjUfh4W_SWu93ELl_VSGAkKOZk7UI/view?usp=sharing

Kimberle

“Kimberle”, by Achy Obeja

I put together a playlist of these songs that relate to multiple emotions Kimberle feels as she is having suicidal thoughts. Kimberle wants to kill herself and she think no one will even care if she does. The first two songs on my playlist have lyrics to portray exactly how she is feeling.

“Save Me” Nicki Minaj – “I drove for miles just to find you and find myself, all these screams all these voices in my head, You gave me strength gave me hope for a lifetime, I never was satisfied. This time won’t you save me, Baby I can feel myself giving up”

“Suicidal Thoughts” The Notorious B.I.G. – “I swear to God I want to just slit my wrists and end this bullsh*t…Suicide’s on my f*ckin mind, I wanna leave I swear to God I feel like death is f*ckin callin me”

The next songs on the playlist “Stay” and “How to Save a Life” is a message that could have been from her friend when she asked her to help keep her from killing herself.

“Stay” Rihanna- “It’s not much of a life you’re living, It’s not something you take, it’s given

“How to Save a Life” The Fray – “Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend somewhere along in the bitterness, And I would have stayed up with you all night, Had I known how to save a life.”

The last song on the playlist is a motvational song to help Kimberle come out of her dark place.

“Skyscraper” Demi Lovato– “Do you have to make feel like there is nothing left of me, You can take everything I have, You can break everything I am, Like I’m made of glass, Like I’m made of paper, Go on and try to tear me down I will be rising from the ground, Like a skyscraper

Pandora’s Box, by Arturo Arias

In Pandora’s box Juan goes shopping for new clothes because he wants to transition to a female. He states when he was tired after shopping, “I went into a deep, bottomless sleep, dreaming that it was all a dream and I’d wake up as Juan again, plain Juan, the familiar shapes and hairs outlining my body. But no, even after I woke up, I was still Juanita.”

He relates to Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, who struggled with identity since age 8 until finally transitioning from male to female at age 65.

“In a simple way, there was always this woman that lived inside of me. But I lived my life as Bruce. But she was always there, she was always present. I just finally got to the point in life where, it’s time for her to live.”CAITLYN JENNER https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/04/24/caitlyn-jenner

Dulce Pinzón and Graciela Iturbide

The first photo is a diorama of a desert like area. We see a vast plain of sand and few grass and trees. It’s an open pasture, most of the vegetation we see is towards the back. Similar to the second photos Estados Unidos 1999, there are palm trees towards the back of the picture. We see an open seawater. This reminds me of the Lord is my Shepard “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” Green pastures and still waters represent peace and rest.

MEXICAN HEAVEN

Mexican Heaven by José Olivarez

All of the Mexicans Sneak into heaven.

St Peter has their names on the list,

but the Mexicans haven’t trusted a list

since Ronald Reagan was president.

It is important to include this poem in this blog post because our current President is proof that America still sees immigrants as a threat to their society. “Mexicans” are a representation of immigration. U.S. President try to keep them out, ie: Trump wanting to build a wall.

Porcupine Love

Alternative ending…

When I get home I will set up a new e-mail account and an instant
messaging system so that I can fuck Antenita electronically, like she
wants. I will email her a place to meet up where we can sit and catch up and tell each other how our lives have been miserable without each other. We will rekindle our love. We will fuck all we want, love all we want and live all we want.

One day I received an email from my dear Antenita. I opened it and began to read, suddenly realizing it was not meant for me. She is sending an email to another love. She accidentally sent it to me. Does she know that I know?They have arranged to meet. She messages this beautiful woman she calls who is in love with her. How does she know she is in love with you? She felt you already. Emotionally. Physically. She loves her. And loves me too? I am confused. I thought she was my Porcupine love. I don’t know what I am to her anymore. I am lost. I am afraid of how this will end.

PLRS OVERVIEW

Pandora’s box speaks about the experience of a transwoman and her sexual experiences. Similarly, this article by vogue speaks about the experience of transwomen, opening up about insecurities and sex life after surgery. Both readings express the same conclusion about sex life after surgery, in how it’s such an amazing out of body experience and puts transwomen closer to their identity and feeling secure about not only their bodies but themselves

LOS PHOTOS

The first picture above is from photographer Dulce Pinzón, and the second from photographer Graciela Iturbide their dynamics are quite similar in both of these photos. Notice how in both pictures the subject is looking off somewhere. In the first picture, we do not see what the subject is looking at, but the direction he’s looking at is somewhere up to the left. In the second, however, we see the subject looking up either at the birds and sky. Both pictures create some wonder in the subject because of this framing with the subject in deep focus. what is the subject looking at? is the subject of thinking? what can they possibly be thinking about? personally, I believe the photos resemble freedom in confidence and security This dynamic of the picture is what makes these photos so engaging.

La Guera, Cherrie Moraga

Mexican Heaven

Jose Olivarez wrote the poem, Mexican Heaven. I feel it’s important to include this poem because the poem is a big metaphor of Immigrants (which in this case he’s talking about Mexicans) coming to America, in what they believe is a sanctuary land, and the way immigrants view America like Heaven. Below is a movie clip from the film “Instructions Not Included” about a Mexican father with his American daughter navigating life in America as an Immigrant raising his American daughter.

“There are white people in heaven two they build condos across the street and ask the Mexicans to speak English… I’m just kidding there are no white people in heaven” is a line from the poem that relates to the movie clip above. In this scene, the daughter’s American mother is trying to win back custody from the father, after she comes back from abandoning the father and her daughter for years. She tries to persuade the judge by highlighting The fathers weakness being an immigrant not knowing english after being in the country for years. So you can see how these lines in the poem correlate with the video clip.

Kimberly

Kimberly is a story of the volatility of a codependent friendship. Kimberly is someone of many moods, a lot of downs, and a couple of ups. the songs in this playlist coincide with the characteristics of Kimberly, someone who is somber and bipolar in her lifestyle, songs like 1-800, Fall Apart, and Numb contribute to the attitude Kimberly portrays in the begging of the text, a real downer. “I was, I really was. She was asking me to keep her from killing herself. There was no method chosen yet — it could have been slashing her wrists, or lying down on the train tracks outside of town”. The later songs like Reborn resemble a switch and almost more confident Kimberly. the last song ”Lay Me Down” very much correlates with the end of the story as it tragically comes to an end “But it was too late: there, above her shoulder, was this year’s seasonal kill, waxy and white but for the purple areolas and the meat of her sex. She was ordinary, familiar, and the glass of her eyes captured a portrait of Kimberle and me”.

What I have Learned From The Course

Patriotism: I have learned from the course to love my native country even when I live far away from it for a long time. I learned to keep a place in my heart for the country where I was born and raised into. The course has made sure that it wouldn’t be a matter to love my home country even if I was born here in US, especially in New York.

For this, I want to mention some lines from the poem of my course material “El Party Continues”:

                                 “Their house is still your house

                                   Their eyes are still your eyes

                                   Their hands are still your hands”

Teamwork: This is the first very full semester of mine. I have never done any kind of teamwork before this semester. So this was an excellent platform for me to start doing group-work. Me and my team member enjoyed a lot doing works together. We could discuss any topic, help each- other out if we need anything.

Here is a screenshot of us discussing about a topic regarding our PRLS course :

• 

“Porcupine Love” by Tatiana de la Tierra

The story is about a lady who cheated with her woman and further realized her fault. One day, somehow she came to know that the woman she cheated with, works in the website she is currently visiting. She, however, struggling with her thoughts, decided to contact with the woman again. She was surprised a lot when she found that the woman still loves her unconditionally.

                                                 Alternative Ending

I didn’t really love someone as much as I loved Antenna. Despite all these, I cheated with her. After that, I was hanging with girls and pretending to love them. How could I love any other girl when I had cheated with the girl I loved the most! The more I was thinking about it, the more it was killing me inside. ………

We are talking for last 1 hour over the phone. She is crying and crying and saying, “I still love you and I don’t have any bad thought about you, please come back in my life because I know deep inside your heart, you also love me”. Her words melted my heart as I thought, “of course I do”.Only I was afraid thinking, “what if I cheated her again? What if I break her heart one more time!”, I sighed, “No, I won’t, never!”. She lives in New Zealand now. So, I decided to live with her there and make a family together. I know this would be the best surprise she could imagine. “Let’s pack my belongings”, I thought myself. Sitting inside the Plane, I was thinking about our past memories, also about our future. I wonder how she would react when I stand in front of her at her door. I guarantee this time I am not going anywhere leaving my sweetheart until my death enforces me to do so!

Playlist That Matches “Kimberle” And It’s connection to the Reading

1. Trapped in My Mind: 

 Song Lyric: I cannot breathe through toxic skies

 And I’m not alright feel trapped in my mind

Quote: “Well, okay, maybe not have to—I’d say should—”

The lyrics and the quote match well. Kimberle was trying to kill herself as she was very disappointed and sad. That’s why she told she maybe not have to but she should kill herself. The song’s lyrics also says it all. Kimberly was not alright, she felt trapped in her mind.

2. Girls Like Girls,  

3. It’s You:

Song Lyric: Girls Like Girls

Like boys do, Nothing new/

–Met a lot of people but nobody feels like you.

Quote : Me, I’d just broken up with my boyfriend—

The narrator thought she was straight and just broke up with her boyfriend. She never really thought that she would find Kimberle attractive. In fact, the friendship between her and Kimberle was something more than friendship. That’s why narrator was surprised at herself. These song lyrics say it all, liking someone by a girl is as same as a boy. 

Even though she had relationship with a boy but that’s totally okay if she likes Kimberle.

4. You Belong With Me : 

Song Lyric : And she will never know your story like I do/

                    I’m the one who understands you.

Quote : It seemed she

had always been there, from the very day we arrived from Cuba.

Narrator found she likes Kimberle which seemed awkward to her. Still that’s the truth. The narrator somehow knew that she knows Kimberle better than Kimberles girlfriend whom she had broke up with. Kimberle’s suicide effort, her life, her thought  were more familiar to the narrator. And the narrator  thought Kimberele didn’t exist in her(narrator’s) life that much, later she figured out that as wrong saying “ seemed like she had always been there”.

5. Give Me Some Sunshine:

Song Lyric : Give me some sunshine, give me some rain

                     Give me another chance I wanna grow up once again.

Quote :  I was, I really was. She was asking me to keep her from                  

              killing herself.

Although Kimberle was trying to attempt suicide, she also wanted someone to resist her. She wanted someone to stop her from attempting suicide. Life has ups and downs, sometime we want someone to hold us during our bad times. It’s something like, we trying to die still deep inside heart, it says “someone help, someone support me, someone give me another chance”.

La Guera, Cherrie Moraga

Choosing And Comparison

So, I chose these two pictures to make a comparison. In the first picture , I see a babysitter mother working for her livelihood. Taking care of the baby’s and feeding them food brings food for her and her family in return. She decorates her at any gesture she needed for her work/job. Her face and hard work says it all that she has a family to be taken care of and responsibilities to be paid off. She has to struggle hard to make money which I want to compare with a stone that grows plant/flower in it. Generally, trees/plant don’t grow in a place where there’s no soil for them to grow. But in case of survival, even a plant need survive on the surface of a stone. Similarly, these mothers sometimes have no choice whether the work is super hard or not, they need to continue because they have a family to feed.

NewsPaper Article That Relates to “Pandora’s box” by Arturo Arias

Newspaper Article :  https://www.glamour.com/story/male-to-female-transgender-teen-arin-andrews

I have chosen the article titled “I transitioned from Female to Male as a Teen”. She was born as female but figured out that she wanted to be a boy. Her mother was supportive enough to support her child. So, he was able to transform him from a girl to boy. He likes being a boy. The line that has dragged my eyes was, “Gender is who you want to sleep as, and sexuality is who you want to sleep with”.

Similarly, “Pandora’s Box” by Arturo Arias, the boy discovered that he was a girl from inside. He didn’t really feel confident until transformed himself from a boy to a girl. He enjoyed being a girl as he was fully a girl by heart. His name was Juan and has changed his name himself after transitioning his gender. To him, it was fun being a girl. But the society showed him some negative aspect of being a girl. People show narrower thinking towards a girl. 

However, both of the character (newspaper article and the story) was successful on their wish and thoughts and they are happier than before and that’s all matter the most.

The Poem “Mexican heaven” And The Movie

The little video clip is here

And here is the poem “Mexiacan Heaven” by Jose Olivarez:

I have given an heavenly example of Mexican people by including the video clips of the singer Selena Quintanila singing “Como la Flor”, I am familiar with the singer and her culture (a bit) with the help of my PRLS course. The way other people talk about them is not true and it is not good to treat people less then they deserve. In fact, our first identity is we are human being. Both the poet and the singers love for their country made me realize that it’s possible to create your place among people only by loving one’s own culture and country and everything about it.

___________________________

➜La Guera Cherrie Moraga

While reading this story I think that what caught my attention the most because it was so relatable to me was that the narrator talks about how her mom had to leave school at a very young age because she had to work in order to help her family. This relates to my life because the same thing happened to my mom. Growing up in the Dominican Republic my mom was not able to finish school because she had a very big family which consisted of her mom, dad, and her 10 siblings. Instead of focusing on school, my mom had to focus on working to help out her family. Another point that the narrator makes that I can relate to was that she said that she would have to help her mom write checks and fill out job applications. In my case, I had to help my mom with similar things but not because my mom was illiterate but because she didn’t speak English so I would have to be the one to help her translate important documents.

↳(Website was not allowing me to upload my audio file)

♫ Kimberle Spotify Playlist ♫

➊ The first song that I chose is the song “Shallow”. The reason why I relate this song to “Kimberle” is that this song is about someone who is fighting and dealing with a lot of different emotions and not knowing how to handle them and having a feeling like you’re stuck and are not going anywhere. In “Kimberle” life is throwing so many things at Kimberle and the narrator. The narrator is going through a breakup and Kimberle had just gotten kicked out of her apartment because she had been late on rent on multiple occasions.

“I’d just broken up with my boyfriend—it was my doing, it just
felt like we were going nowhere—but I was past the point of righteousness
and heavily into doubt.”

➋ The second song that I picked was the song “Falling”. This song also related to the story because this song is about when you feel yourself falling back into a place that you know is low for you. The song talks about feeling sad about what you have lost.

“This complicated my life a bit more than usual, and I found myself drained after dealing with the temporarily house-bound Alfredo, whose pent-up frustrations tended to result in toppled chairs, broken picture frames, and a scattering of magazines and knickknacks. It felt like I had to piece my mother’s place back together every single night she was gone.”(Obejas 7)

➌ The last song in my playlist that relates to “Kimberle” is the song “Lose you to love me”. This song gives a sense of hope that no matter how hard things get you will come out the other side stronger and better than ever. Although it’s not an easy journey it is something that will teach you many precious and valuable things along the way. This song ties back to the story because towards the end of the story we see a shift in Kimberle. She now leaves her room and she has multiple people over her house unlike her at the beginning of the story.

“To my amazement, Kimberle had brought somebody home.”

☉Pandora’s Box

Through Her Eyes and in Her Words: Jazz Jennings Writes Her Own (Transgender) Story

➥ The article above related to “Pandora’s Box” because they both discuss what it is like growing up as transgender in American society and the constant judgement. The article that I chose is about Jazz Jennings who I grew up watching from a very young age because her story always caught my attention. Jazz describes what its like growing up as transgender teenager and all the struggles that she had to overcome.

✩ Photo Comparison ✩

➤ Although these two pictures may not look like they’re visually connected I decided that there was something about both of them that makes them relate in one way or another. When I first saw these two pictures I got a sense of loneliness from both of them. The first picture shows empty and maybe abandoned train tracks. In the first picture, we get that feeling of loneliness because there is no one there and there is nothing there either, just some old train tracks. The second picture shows a little girl in the woods. This picture shows loneliness because the little girl has no one by her side. The only things that are there with her are the animals around her but that doesn’t really change anything.

José Olivarez Mexican Heaven

This poem and this movie relate because both of them talk about immigrant parents coming to America for a better future for them and for their child. In the movie, a single mother leaves her young son with his grandmother to illegally cross the border into the U.S. In the hopes of providing a better life for her son, she starts working as a cleaning lady in Los Angeles. When they attempt to reunite many obstacles get in their way but the mom never loses hope that they will eventually one day be together again. This relates to the poem because the poem talks about how the parents had hope that the man in green won’t open the trunk.

Porcupine Love

I couldn’t get Antenna out of my mind. Everything I did I thought of her. I am going crazy and all I cant think about is how I have to have her in my arms right now. I decide I know what I am going to do. I don’t care about anything anymore. I will never get this chance again. I need to go see her. 2 continents, 3 oceans, 8,643 miles, and 31 airplane hours between us. All of that will soon be 0 and all of my worries will be gone when I see her.

I book my flight. I am still in shock that I did that. I have unpaid bills. My boss is going to fire me. I didn’t seem to care one bit. All I wanted was Antenna next to me. I know everything that I am leaving behind can easily be replaced but the one thing in life you can’t replace is a person who you love and loves back just as much. The day was getting closer and I could not be more excited for this new chapter in my life.

Andrea Morales 

PRLS3105 Blog 

From taking this course I learned so much about how a trends or parts of history form cultures. One historical thing I learned was about Christopher Columbus. He did not just take away the indigenous peoples land, but he enslaved them and forced them into becoming Christians. 

La Guera, Cherrie Moraga 

After reading this story I can relate with Cherrie in the sense that I also grew up in a poor family. My parents valued e education because it is something they did not finish, and they would like my siblings and I to become someone in life. However, it was interesting to connect with Cherrie when she stated, “when I finally lifted the lid to my lesbianism, a profound connection with my mother reawakened in me. It wasn’t until I acknowledged and confronted my own lesbianism in the flesh that heartfelt identification with and empathy for my mother’s oppression – due to being poor, uneducated, and Chicana – was realized my lesbianism is the Avenue through which I have learned the most about silence and oppression. For me growing up I attended a school for the blind, and adaptations were always made for everyone, so no one would feel excluded in any activity. At school we barely spoke about racism or the discrimination toward people with disabilities. In college I had to learn how to advocate for myself and learn to speak up for myself when I felt discriminated. Once I graduated and came to college, I learned the silence and oppression that both people with disabilities face and brown skin people face. 

Kimberly, by Achy Obejas 

After reading this short story, I found a connection between two songs that can relate to this  

Story. The first song is “Nobody’s perfect” by Hanna Montana. I would connect this to the reading because the author states, “I was still catching my breath when I turned around and saw Kimberly. The santoku had left to right and, imbedding its blade up right on the knuckles of her left blood seeped sparingly from between her fingers but collected quickly around the octopus pile, which now looked wounded and alive” (Obejas 18). Kimberly is a girl who suffers from suicidal thoughts, and she is trying to realize that she is not alone. In the song says nobody’s perfect you have to work it. This shows Kimberly that everyone makes mistakes, and it is up to her to make her own choices. Learning from mistakes is a process which is something Kimberly was doing. The second song is “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry. The story stated, “I don’t know how or why but my mouth opened to the stranger’s breast, tasting her and the vague tobacco of Kimberly’s spit” (Obejas 20) This song best connects with this passage because in the song Katy says she once kissed a girl, and she didn’t know why but she liked it. Similar to the story, when Kimberly kissed the girl, she discovered she liked it, and that when she learned she was lesbian. 

Pandora’s Box 

I could best relate this story with an article called Ellie and Now: From She to He- and Back to she Again by Linda Pressly and Lucy Proctor. Ellie once transformed herself in to a man. He realized he liked men, he wanted to transform himself back to a lady again. This might have been because of the discrimination he faced. In Pandora’s Box Juanita was beaten for asking for sugar as a lesbian. Although he was accepting of his new gender, she most likely did not want to be discriminated. Ellie from the other article probably couldn’t stand being discriminated and wanted to feel comfortable with her body. 

Porcupine Love 

In the ending of Porcupine Love, I find she feels disconnected to the world that she tries to imagine herself in many situations. This is almost her escape of escaping her sadness of not being with Antenna. This is how I would have ended the story. 

Tomorrow I will be starting my first day working at the Private Mystic Sessions. I better prepare myself. I’m thinking I should wear my black leather skirt with my white top with ruffles around it. This could match my white sparkling stilettos with my blue and white sure and my blue printed purse. Now I better get a good night sleep; wouldn’t want to miss my alarm to catch the bus. 

The next morning, I got up, dressed and quickly ran to the bus. I almost tripped as I was running. When I arrived, I met my boss Juan. I started translating for the Spanish speakers. When Juan stepped out, I remembered I wanted to email Antenna, so instead of continue translating to the Spanish speakers, I taught them how to use google translate. I created my entire session because best believe I wasn’t trying to sit here all day translating, only to have me keep repeating myself. It can get annoying at times! When these people felt comfortable using google translate, I immediately went on to the computer, created a new email account and starting emailing Antenna for hours. Now I was literally getting paid for showing up. I didn’t get caught until one month later. I was fired, but some office lady gave me a job in New Zealand which was perfect for me. I moved in with Antenna and we worked to settle in and get married. 

What I have learned in this course was that when we studied Christopher Columbus, I actually learned what his true intentions were when he discovered America. When I was in elementary school, they would always teach us and portray Christopher Columbus as a saint and that he was a good person because he was a great explorer. What they didn’t teach us in elementary school about him was that him and his people forced the Indians who were the actual ones to discover America, they forced them to adopt to their religion. According to the article “Open Veins” BY Eduardo Galeano, he states that “f you do not, or if you maliciously delay in so doing, I certify that with God’s help I will advance powerfully against you and make war on you wherever and however I am able, and will subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church and of their majesties and take your women and children to be slaves, and as such I will sell and dispose of them as their majesties may order, and I will take your possessions and do you all the harm and damage that I can” (Galeano, 13). This shows the true colors of Columbus and his men and how they were cruel and obnoxious to the Indians who stood no chance against them. After reading this essay, I was able to realize the type of man Columbus was and how as children, they brainwashed us to believe he was a great man that discovered America. 

An article that relates to Pandora’s Box by Arturo Arias is the article, “California Today: Transgender Surgery Comes to Major Southern California Hospital” by Jennifer Medina and it explains that many people in the west coast have people running into many obstacles to try to accomplish their wish of having the surgery they wanted. The way this relates to the story is that this man Juan isn’t too sure about becoming a woman and eventually he goes through with the surgery, he wakes up and realizes that he has fully been transformed into a woman and honestly it was one of the best decisions he has ever done, and it was a dream come true because he was always doubtful about being a man. After the surgery he explored his body, and he was just full of excitement and joy because everything just felt so right to him. The newspaper article relates to the story because the article supports these surgeries and are fighting for these surgeries to become legal. There is a doctor who accepts public insurance to undergo these surgeries and it honestly has made it easier for people in the State of California to do these surgeries because before a lot of people would reject them and will not do these surgeries because they felt like it was not right. Dr. Cedars was able to make all these peoples wishes would come true and has performed over 100 surgeries which relates to Juan because he was one the people whose wish came true. Not only are these surgeries for men looking to fulfill their wish of becoming a woman, but also for people like Pandora who wish to become a man. 

After cleansing myself with Don Juan he opened up my mind and helped me decide what I really wanted. I left Don Juan knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I got home packed everything I held value to and didn’t look back. The only thing that I was worried about is reuniting with the person I loved the most, Antenna. I’m tired of being afraid to love and be loved, it is time I faced my fear and just do things impulsively instead of overthinking all my decisions. I bought my ticket not caring about how much it was and I got on the first flight leaving to New Zealand.

Thirty hours later I finally arrived at New Zealand, and the first thing I did was email Antenna that I was here and needed to see her. She replied with disbelief and provided directions to her job because she didn’t want to leave work and see that it was a lie of me being here. Once I got to her job, I saw her gorgeous face and just dropped everything and gave her the tightest hug possible. Once I let go, she looked at me with a shocked face. I asked her what’s wrong, that why is she not excited to see me. She sat me down at the nearest table and told me that she didn’t think that there was ever going to be a relationship between them because she was not planning to leave New Zealand because she finally decided to settle down with someone and she thought that there were only going to have an email type of relationship. Hearing these devastating news I ran up and left back to the airport crying, wishing that I would have never came looking for love that was never there. 

The way these two images are related is because they both illustrate a sense of being trapped. In the first image, you see that there is a rope around the tree to symbolize that the tree is captured and has no escape and the same is illustrated in the second image because there are three animals that were captured and put into the same cage with no escape. The only difference between these two images is that even though the animals in the second image are trapped in a cage, they still have a sense of hope in being able to escape because they are living creatures that are able to move, meanwhile the tree is forced to suffer in place because unlike the animals, the tree is not able to move. Another similarity is that both pictures illustrate how humans are aware that they are stopping the growth of nature. At first it started by taking down trees, to help us produce more trees, which effects our oxygen. After they started capturing animals for our amusement and use their skin and fur to produce materials which helps us understand that humans are destroying nature and killing the homes of these animals. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LMYWMYZTVcm1qRKZUcI_3f9sUkJlQ1cW/view?usp=sharing

The way the poem, “Mexican Heaven” by José Olivarez is related to the clip from Party of five is that in the poem it states, “Mexican woman (illegal) and Mexican man (illegal) have a Mexican (illegal)-American (citizen). is the baby more Mexican or American? Place the baby in the arms of the mother (illegal). If the mother holds the baby (citizen) too long, does the baby become illegal? The baby is a boy (citizen). He goes to school (citizen). His classmates are American (citizen). He is outcast (illegal)” (Olivarez, 3). The way this quote relates to the clip, is because the parents are illegal and they own a restaurant, meanwhile their oldest son and their daughter are in school. This relates to the part in the poem where it mentions how the boy is in school and has classmates that are American meanwhile, he is an outcast and illegal because his parents were born in Mexico and migrated to the United States meanwhile him and his sister were born in America which makes them legal. Additionally, in the clip you see how the mother is holding her baby who is just a couple months old before she gets handcuffed by ICE and this relates to the poem and how it mentions that if the mother holds the baby for too long, does the baby become illegal even though the baby is a full citizen of the United States. It is unfair to how even an innocent baby can be judged to whether they are illegal or legal just because the parents are not born in United States. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gZ26NfLp_fgE_yVkV8STqskmE_e56x45/view?usp=drivesdk

1. In this class I learned how to work as a group and collaborate together.

2.

3.

4. I found a newspaper article call “The Off season” by Amy Hoffman. This article connect to Pandora’s Box talk about the story between the author and another women named Pandora. She talks about the life of Lesbian people and Latin culture. The newspaper article is similar to Pandora’s Box. It also talk about story of Lesbian people.

5.

One image I chose from “selected photography of Dulce Pinzón” is “Graciela Iturbide” by Lugo. In this picture, the bone buds of a lotus flower in the picture are much higher than the lotus leaves next to it. Another picture I chose from “selected photograph of Graciela Iturbide” is “The real story of super hero”. In this picture it depicts a person wearing spider-man costume washing the building. By comparing these two images I found that they express the similar meaning of the story of these two images. The person does not have a very advanced job, but he disregarded the eyes of others and wore fancy clothes on the upper part of the building. Although he is not a real superhero, he can serve the world with his own extraordinary talents like a superhero. Like Spider-Man, he uses his “superpowers” to silently serve his community. The image with the bone buds of a lotus flower is very similar to this one. Although it is not very large and strong, it has been relying on its own efforts to grow and surpass other lotus leaves to become the most eye-catching one.

6. I chose the poem “Mexican Heaven”. I want to include this poem on my blog because the poem is part of the Latinx culture. The poem depicts a lot Latinx history and people’s hope. This poem relates to the Newyorican poetry cafe topic. They write poems to express themself. I chose this quote: “All of the Mexicans sneak into heaven.” The meaning of this quote is Mexican people want a better opportunity in their life, so they probably crossed the border to another country.

7.

Alternative ending:

I got the key and grabbed it tightly, and used it to open a door that contained the church. I look forward to my soul being purified. A sacred man came over after I entered the church. He nodded my forehead with his finger, and I instantly entered a mysterious and illusory space. Before my eyes is a very wonderful world, flowers and plants, green leafy trees, mountains and rivers, birds and beasts come into view. I have no strong desires in this world. I feel very comfortable. I lie down and enjoy all the beautiful and quiet pictures around me. When I opened my eyes, the saint told me that your heart had been purified. Finally left a kiss on my forehead and disappeared.

Finally, I had someone who Enlightened me and gave me the strength to break my routine. I felt so tired when I got home and fell on the bed. I don’t know when I woke up, I decided to set up a new email account and an instant messenger so that I could love her electronically and antenna as she thought. I can do whatever I want, love whoever I want, no one can bother me. I won’t feel the pain anymore. I now have more confidence to love someone I want to love boldly. You don’t need to pay attention to the eyes of others, because this is a love that ordinary people can’t understand.

Princess Nokia

It is really fascinating to see how artists break social norms. Before Puerto Rican and Latin Cultural Formations class, I did not know many songs that talked about breaking social norms. Now I know that Princess Nokia, a Puerto Rican rapper uses her songs to bring light to topics such as feminism, class, race, and overall cultural formations. From her song “Tomboy” she talks about the idea that females are supposed to act girly and gain attention from men using their body parts. However, her chorus goes, “that girl is a tomboy” signifying that she along with other females are not following that stereotype and will stand against it. She wears baggy clothes and sings, ‘where my little titties and my fat belly” to show not all females fit the beauty standard that society created.

Dulce Pinzón and Graciela Iturbide Photography

No one gives credit to their parents for their hard work until one becomes the parent. Parenting is difficult due to the worry and overthinking of one’s child being in danger. As a child, one does not have to worry about making money and being fed but as our age progresses, so does our understanding of responsibility. Both of these pictures show the amount of willingness and patience a mother has with their children. The picture to the left, called CAT WOMAN, is a great example of a real “superhero”. Behind the disguise of CAT WOMAN, Minerva Valencia a nanny from New York. While working as a nanny in New York, she sends 400 dollars a week to Puebla where her family lives. Minerva shows her dedication to work in order to send money to her family. The picture to the right shows a woman carrying a baby in her arms. A ring of thorns in her head symbolizes how much she has suffered in her life along with her look of sadness. However, with the baby in her arms, the mother has a lot of responsibility and love for her child. Despite the painful situations she has experienced, she has someone to be able to give her happiness and care for. And these are just a few examples of true superheroes.

“Kimberle” by Achy Obejas

 I’m so perplexed With just one breath, I’m locked in

These lyrics show how Nick feels mesmerized by someone so much that even her breath leaves an impact on him. Throughout the story of “Kimberle”, the main character goes through a series of situations because of Kimberle. The amount of time they have spent together makes the main characters realize, “I realized I wanted to kiss Kimberle—not for anyone else’s pleasure but for my own” (Obejas 25). This song relates to the main character who reveals her lust towards Kimberle within the story. Similar to Jonas, she is infatuated with Kimberle that the problems she causes do not disrupt her feelings for Kimberle.

It beats me black and blue but it fucks me so good And I can get enough Must be love on the brain

Rihanna talks about a one-sided love as well as a toxic relationship one is in. Even though it hurts the person emotionally, she can’t help but feel “so good” despite how broken she feels. She does not want to leave him even though she is emotionally exhausted but stays because she thinks it is love. This connects to the story of “Kimberle” because, despite the problems Kimberle brings to the main character, the main character still wants to stick by Kimberle. There was one moment where Kimberle almost drove the main character to her death to experience the thrill. Instead of leaving yelling at Kimberle, she says,  “‘That was amazing,’ I said, my heart still racing” (Obejas 22). Not to mention how this moment would make her realize, “Kimberle had made me feel so fucking alive” (Obejas 24).

I never had a home, ain’t nobody callin’ my phone Where you been? Where you at? What’s on your mind?                                        

Logic focuses on a sensitive topic which he translates onto a song. Through his song, he shows that there is always help available; the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is the title of the song. Logic writes this song from the perspective of someone who wants to commit suicide and the lyrics show how the person has not had anything to live for considering they have no home or anyone to care for them. Similarly, in   “Kimberle”, Kimberle also has experienced the loss of a home when the landlord, “had stacked all her belongings on the sidewalk”(Obejas 16). Kimberle also has suicidal thoughts that show throughout the story, “embedding its blade upright on the knuckles of her left” (Obejas 19). 

“La Guera” by Cherrie Moraga

“La Guera” by Cherrie is about her personal experiences of passing as white due to her skin color in the United States. She explains a series of events that made her realize the truth of being privileged compared to her sister with a darker skin tone. Not only does she talk about privilege but learns about oppression due to her social class and identity. I can relate to her because my parents came to the United States from Mexico and had to undergo many challenges. Both our parents were not able to have the same opportunities as we have due to our citizenship. Just like other immigrant families, we feel grateful for the opportunities but we realize the injustice and discrimination that comes with it. Through these stereotypes and discrimination, one should not feel ashamed of their roots but should embrace them because it is a piece of who they are.

Citizen Illegal (2018) (Mexican Heaven)

“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.
they dream of another heaven,
one they might be allowed in
if they work hard enough”   PAGE 28

José Olivarez is the son of Mexican immigrants who wrote Citizen Illegal based on the experience Latinos face in America. This poem is called Mexican Heaven is descriptive enough to show how Mexicans are treated. The poem is about Mexicans and how they thought to only work in “kitchens” or difficult jobs where one does not get paid enough. Only they can imagine another “heaven”, one where they receive equal opportunities.

Similar to Mexican Heaven, Entre Nos is about an immigrant mother coming to America for a better life. Everyone, including the mother and the “Mexicans” come to America to achieve the American Dream despite the hardships in order to achieve it.  Just as the Mexicans from the poem will have to work hard enough, the single mother had to work to help her two children in hopes of giving them a better life. In the movie, the mother had to leave her children in the one room apartment so she would go to work. Through those hardships, she allowed her children to go to school. Paola Mendoza, an actor and filmmaker, used her mother’s story as an inspiration to the film Entre Nos.

Porcupine Love by  Tatiana de la Tierra

Porcupine Love is about a woman who had a romantic relationship with a woman but instead of loving her, she drove her away. Despite the tragic love ending she caused, one day, she came upon a website where her past love was working in. This time, she decided to converse with her over the internet where their love for one another blossoms again. Her past love wants her to come live in New Zealand and now the main character must decide what she should do. 

Ending:

As I enter the airport with all my belongings, all I can think is about Antenna and how much I want to kiss her. Feeling her in my arms would make me forget my stupid actions for leaving this place and entering her world. Her world. We live thousands of miles away but the universe decides to give me one more chance after destroying my relationship with Antenna. But now I have the chance to make things right. I rush towards the doors with the only thought in my head. Antenna. 

Standing foot outside of Antenna’s apartment, I start to realize what a foolish person I was. How can she still love me when I was a bitch to her. I will end up breaking her heart because of my fucked up self. It was a different feeling when we were in two different places but now, I think I made a mistake. I close my eyes and sigh deeply. Only now do I realize my mistake of ever trusting my intuition. I cautiously step back and turn around before I hear the doorknob turn and the squeak of the door opening. “You actually came.” I turn around to see her intense eyes and beautiful face I have yearned to touch. I nodded and walked into her room.

Pandora’s Box by Arturo Arias

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/dec/11/mara-gomez-argentina-trans-football

The article that I have chosen is titled, “Mara Gómez on becoming Argentina’s first trans footballer.” Through this reading we see how Mara Gomez talks about the obstacles she went through as a transgender to be part of Argentina’s women football league. Similarly, “Pandora” by Arturo Arias, Juan talks about the struggles of being a woman after his transition.The story starts off with a guy, Juan, who is mesmerized by Pandora but does not know why. He does not feel confident until he turns his transition to a woman. He names himself Juanita and explores the activities any woman would do. However, she begins to understand the struggles as a woman is in this society. People are judgmental, abusive, and treat women as objects. However, both Mara Gomez and Juanita both transition to feel confident and happier.

Bullet Point #1:

The lesson where we talked about Selena was a very special class for me because it showed how many people show a mutual love for one person. Discussing Selenareally allowed me to experience a bond that ive never really had in a class. Typically in classes we sit and focus on the lesson in order to absorb as much information as possible but for this lesson we came together for this common topic of something we loved in order to create a different type of classroom experience. This course has allowed me to take in so much information, whether it be political groups or silent messages hidden within lyrics and music videos; the knowledge that I have gained form the readings and music of this class showed me how a common interest will always bring groups together in the best possible way. 

Bullet point #3:

Spotify playlist: 

• Train Wreck By James Arthur } this song makes me think back to the scene where they get into an accident, theyre talking about their relationship yet there is no relationship to be discussed. They get into an accident and are greeted by the kill the neighborhood was waiting for unknowing of what dangers are around them. 
• In this shirt by The Irrepressibles } This song reminds me of Kimberle because of her struggle with depression yet she copes with with it in a way with sexual encounters, this song  gives off very camping and glooming vibes while talking about a relationship they crave for. 
• Experience – Starkey Remix by Ludovico Einaudi, Starki } While this song containing no words it gives off very intense and emotional vibes that one can relate to the scene where theyre driving fast paced in the tunnel with no lights on. When reading of that scene I immediately thought of this song because of how minimal yet intense it is as the driving scene was in that part for the main character. 
• Ending by Isak Danielson } This song reminds me of the relationship kimberle and the main character shared because of the way Kimberle is in such a deep hole of desperation and sadness and the main person there for her is the main character and no matter what kimberle does shes not pushed away if anything she is cared for even more.  

Bullet Point  #4:

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/elliot-page-transgender-ellen-page-juno-umbrella-academy-1234843023/

When reading the story Pandoras box i was a little confused until the end of the events occurring, pieces were coming and going but i didnt get the full picture until the last line. The story reminds me of the actor Elliot Page who recently came out as trans, his story is fairly new and has a lot of people talking. While we dont get a lot of an inside look into his struggles coming to terms with it or experiences he has had it is understandable to think that he has had some unpleasant ones as the ones in pandoras box as trans people face a lot of backlash and torment for absolutely no reason. Usually when the news relates to trans people they discuss hate crimes so i chose this one in order to make it a little less gloomy and more joyful about someone coming to terms with who they truly are. 

Bullet Point #5: 

Bullet point #6: 

I chose the poem My therapist says make friends with your monsters. I chose this scene from Emperors new Groove because when talking about inner demons my first thought was the angel and the devil people have on their shoulders representing their consciousness and intrusive thoughts. This relates because you can never really get rid of these thoughts you just learn to either ignore them or work with them which I think is a great connection to the angel and devil representation because the scenario can go so wrong causing inner turmoil in a person as we can see in the movie clip where he is debating what to do.  

Bullet Point #7: 

Its been two months since Ive been on this journey to keep up the online conversation between me and Antenna. I want to see her. The online conversations between us can only provide with only so much satisfaction. Talking with no touch only craving for someone I  cannot ever truly have. 

Youre more than welcome to come and visit anytime, I miss you and what we had. 

We’ve gotten past craving eachothers touch and taste, every once and a while we tease and taunt of what we could be doing if I traveled to where she was, leaving everything behind just to taste her and feel her again. Antenna would be so welcoming so open to my love and like I said before I would let her love me. This so called porcupine love would not do me in like before, I wont let it. I want to love her to keep her forever. 

Don’t you ever wonder what it would be like if you just left without thinking about the bad of what could happen. 

I still had to put the pieces together but I was going to see her, I needed to see her to hold her and treat her how I couldnt before. 

I bought the tickets. Antenna is calling for me as an antenna would call for radio waves. She doesnt know that im going there one hundred percent yet. We have talked about it but there is still so much thought of doubt on my end. I dont want to fall back into my porcupine lover or else it wouldnt be worth it. 

I already told you I only remember you as loving there is no need to worry I only want to see you.

Shes so sure of what will be but I have so many expectations and if I mess them up it will all have been for nothing. Finding her wouldve been for nothing, I would have ended up sinking these needles deeper into myself hoping for it to fix itself. I packed my bags and left in the morning. I told her I would be arriving in the morning and meet her at the airport. I was nervous to see her again in person. The chemistry online of what we did and what we would do to eachother when finally meeting could completely vanish. 

Im so excited! I have so many plans of what we can do to pass time when youre visiting!

She was so excited and I was so full of doubt, debating whether or not this would be worth it for both of us. The plane took off and I only thought of her touch. As I felt the plane start descend to its final destination i realized there would be no going back. As I got my bags I looked around riddled with fear and excitement, tingling from thoughts of what could be and then we locked eyes. My porcupine needles left as we embraced inhaling each others scent and that’s when I knew it would be alright.   

Sienna Bolano

La Guera

Playlist for “Kimberle”

Lyric: ” And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life”

Quote: ” “Are you listening to me?” I was, I really was. She was asking me to keep her from killing herself. There was no method chosen yet”

The author is Kimberle’s listening ear and trying to help her not kill herself while Kimberle feels nothing in her life is going right.

2.

Lyrics: “I’m in my bed
And you’re not here
And there’s no one to blame
But the drink in my wandering hands”

“What if I’m down?
What if I’m out?
What if I’m someone you won’t talk about?
I’m falling again, I’m falling again, I’m falling”

Quote: “Her girlfriend had caught her in flagrante delicto and walked out; depression had swallowed her in the aftermath. She couldn’t concentrate at her restaurant job, mixing up simple orders,
barking at the customers, so that it wasn’t long before she found herself at
the unemployment office”

Kimberle’s ex leaves her, ultimately making her life spiral out of her control, just like the song talks about.

3.

Lyric: ” Give another guy everything that belongs to you
I’ma call up Brian, I’ma FaceTime Ryan
I’ma text Lorenzo and I’ma leave you cryin’
Don’t get it twisted I can play this game too.”

Quote: “Not even a week had gone by when Kimberle brought another girl
home, this time an Eastern European professor who’d been implicated
with a Cuban during a semester abroad in Bucharest.”

This song can relate to Kimberle because in a way she’s getting revenge with all of these hookups after her breakup with her ex.

These last three songs don’t have specific links, but they remind me of the relationship that the author and Kimberle have. Its complicated, like friends, but more than friends. I also feel the last song is in a way how the author looks at Kimberle. It talks about smoking and being from hell, and since we find out Kimberle is the killer, it is also very similar to how I also see Kimberle.

Pandora’s Box

https://vocal.media/viva/the-struggles-of-being-a-woman

I chose this article because it really highlights the struggles of being a woman. The reading which shows the journey of Juan becoming Juanita. She learns how different being a woman is, and how its something you have to experience, not only see from the outside. Some quotes showing what she learns are:

“The first noticeable disadvantage, beyond the constant ogling of
disgusting men with IQ’s the size of peas,”

“I have learned to put up with PMS, a feeling of powerlessness, fear of men, not being listened to, having to help everyone all the time without being helped myself, impotent and all powerful at the same time”

“Men treat me as if I have no life of my own”

Comparison

Both of these pictures to me feel like they represent latinx culture and the community. In the bottom picture, they are immersed within their own culture. These two woman are beautifully dressed and obviously celebrating a holiday of some sort of it could be an important day. The top picture is of a Mexican and Native man. We don’t get much representation of our community so I love pictures like these. They could share the same culture and we could also have no idea whats occurring which is fascinating.

Mexican Heaven

“all the Mexican women refuse to cook or clean

or raise the kids or pay the 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 and the men I’ll die of starvation.”

I believe this relates to this part of the poem because Coco really shows how much Mexican mothers truly do for their families. Without the mothers, all of the men would not know what to do with themselves. Without them, they make rash decisions and simply cannot live with out their advice and nurture.

Porcupine Love Alternate Ending

I need some sort of advice. I haven’t seen my therapist since Antenna. I love her. I let her get away. But there’s a chance to fix it this time. Travel freely until we can’t even walk anymore. Do absolutely everything I never got to do with her or let myself do. But would it be different this time? There’s always the Porcupine Love that could get in the way. But i’ve always been about risks. What’s really keeping me here? I’m not even really happy. Content yes but not truly happy. My spirit guides tell me to be free. And that’s the only thing i needed to hear.

I’m booking the next flight to you. i’ll see you in two days.

I send the email and after packing, I get to the airport as fast as I can and prepare myself for this long journey. I need her. But my anxiety is at an all time high. Is this really the right decision? Yes. Seeing her will make this all worth while. 31 hours on a plane is exhausting but for Antenna, I’d do this forever. She’s meeting me here. I look around until we lock eyes. She’s even more perfect than I remember. I made the right choice. I love her.

What Have I Learned Conversation