Community Gardening Part 2

Community Gardening Part 1

A poem about power and struggle....

"This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress."

~ Frederick Douglass, 1857

They are not aliens, they are PEOPLE!!!

When the issue of immigration comes up, the term "illegal alien" is frequently used. I feel my heart ache every time I hear this term. In part, I feel this way because of my immediate and extended family's history of immigrating to this country. However, I also see and hear other people's struggle toward seeking a better life. Whether they came here legally or illegally, we are always judged. I can't understand why we are called "aliens" and are always deemed unworthy. These so called "aliens" are my family members! They are people!!! They see, hear, taste, smell, and feel like anybody else in this country. They also breath, eat, sleep, love, cry, and so much more like people all over the world. Sure they may eat different foods, speak different languages, practice different customs but does that really make them "aliens"?

Even when these so-called "illegal aliens" do succeed, there is always someone who is trying to bring them down. Sometimes this is out of spite, racism, jealousy, ignorance, or misunderstandings but some even say it's out of patriotism. Even within the immigrant community, we are conditioned to separate ourselves, in order to oppress each other, just like the dominant society. It's incredible to see that there are so many misunderstandings that fuel such terms as "illegal aliens" and the hatred expressed towards this community. Some of this is shown in the following videos:

Tribal Nations Conference

Let's hope this time it's not just false promises....again.

Even Start Childcare and Eureka Adult School will re-open!

Even Start Childcare and Eureka Adult School will re-open October 19th!

New location at 2500 Cypress Avenue, Cutten, CA

Even Start Childcare is free.

Registration for English classes begins Monday, October 12th.

A registration fee of $20 will be charged for English classes.

Childcare and English classes are available Monday through Friday 9:00am to 12:00pm.

Please call 441-2448 for more information.

I have heard and talked to many, who say that American Indians should “get over the past.” I wonder how they can say this with such ease. How can someone get over the genocide, oppression, and dreadful aftermath? Furthermore, how can they “get over” something that is relived every day? It may be relieved through living in poverty and on the land where the genocide occurred, viewing how Native Americans are negatively portrayed by mainstream media, or simply using U.S. currency that depict characters who represent the genocide that almost wiped out their existence.

On the other hand, if I told a so-called patriotic American to “get over” Sept. 11th, I’m sure that it would not be taken so lightly. Because our country’s ethnocentric views are so dominant and mainstream, anything that differs is viewed as a threat, deemed inferior, offensive and/or shameful. As a sports enthusiast, I really enjoy going to sporting events so I decided to check out a local baseball game. I sat in the bleachers, which were full of baseball enthusiasts. Like at any sporting event, they began by singing the national anthem. Due to what some may call a lack of patriotism, I usually do not stand up and sing along. When I practice my right to stay seated, I am looked at with disgust and sometimes called disrespectful, ignorant and even a wetback. I discussed this with my boyfriend (Iraqi war veteran), who also feels that I am being disrespectful when I don’t stand up during the national anthem. After lengthy discussion, we agreed to disagree. Although we agreed that we both support the troops but not the war, he feels that the flag and national anthem represent freedom and the troops that died, even if it was to fight an unjust war. While for me they represents a bigger picture of our country, with some being good but so much more tainted by genocide, oppression, and prejudice. No matter what, I will continue to express my views to challenge those that dominate.

C.A.S.A.

You can make a significant impact on a child's life. Volunteering with C.A.S.A has been one of my most rewarding experiences.

Mid-America Prayer by Simon Joseph Ortiz

Standing again within and among all things,
Standing with each other as sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers,
daughters and sons, grandmothers and grandfathers --
the past and present generations of our people,
Standing again with and among all items of life,
the land, rivers, the mountains, plants, animals,
all life that is around us that we are included with,
Standing within the circle of the horizon,
the day sky and the night sky,
the sun, moon, the cycle of seasons the earth mother which sustains us,
Standing again with all things that have been in the past,
that are in the present,
and that will be in the future acknowledge ourselves
to be in a relationship that is responsible and proper, that is loving and compassionate,
for the sake of the land and all people;
we ask humbly of the creative forces of life that we be given a portion with which to help
ourselves so that our struggle and work will also be creative for the continuance of life,
Standing again, within, among all things we ask in all sincerity, for hope, courage, peace,
strength, vision, unity and continuance.

St.Louis, Mo.
May 1980

ACORN

ACORN. Their website states that “ACORN is the nation’s largest grassroots community organization of low- and moderate-income people with over 400,000 member families organized into more than 1,200 neighborhood chapters in about 75 cities across the country. Since 1970, ACORN has been building community organizations that are committed to social and economic justice, and won victories on thousands of issues of concern to our members, through direct action, negotiation, legislative advocacy and voter participation. ACORN helps those who have historically been locked out become powerful players in our democratic system” (http://www.acorn.org/).

However, ACORN has been in the FOX news for another type of action. FOX news reported that ACORN was involved in corruption related to voter fraud and prostitution. You can watch some of their supporting evidence at http://biggovernment.com/category/exclusives. Is this an attempt to discover the truth or an attack on an organization fighting for social justice? While the incidents captured on video can be viewed as an individual’s acts, others may see it as representative of the entire organization. The IRS certainly seems to side with the latter, which they demonstrated by severing ties with ACORN. Others may not agree (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#33013202). You be the judge…..

Inner Peace

This Poem Wants to Be a Revolutionary

This Poem Wants to Be a Revolutionary by Mari Ann Roberts, from Emory University

This poem wants to make a change . . .
To be a strong yet silent raised fist in Mexico, 1968.
To stand at a window w/a shotgun writing the words“By any means necessary”
To sit in at a lunch counter in Birmingham, Alabama
Until it is read
To start a breakfast program in Compton, California
In order to feed hungry minds
To stand up for its rights in Akron, Ohio and shout,
“Aint I A poem?”
To integrate an all white book store under protection of the National Guard
And if George Wallace says to it,
“You will not enter unless it's over my cold, dead, body...”
This poem will gladly take him up on his offer.
But now this poem feels that perhaps it is too militant,
Maybe it and Spike should just “Do the Right Thing”...
Take the hand of other poems deep in the South Georgia woods and lead them to freedom
Under cover of night-light.
Take its brothers and sisters out of “the man's” world and
Into Aaron's “Boondocks,”
Play it's own music, live in Jamaica and
Grow Nappy Locs,
Start a union with A. Phillip down at the docks,
Be read by Martin while being pelted with rocks.
Find out what would happen “If Beale Street Could Talk”
This poem will get accused of “Ego Trippin”
but will not take it personally while saying
“And Still I Rise”
It will invite other poems to a free concert headlined by
Marvin, Stevie, Chuck D, and Black Thought
This poem will do what it should, not what others think it ought...
This poem will be munificent...
Will give because so much has been given to it...
Will do because so much has been done for it...
Will be able to sit down because so many others have
Stood up . . .
But this poem can not sit still for long...
Because this poem has been disenfranchised...
This poem was told that there is no longer a need
For affirmative action and has had it replaced with definite inaction
This poem cast a vote in Florida, only to be told that it did not count...
This poem watched its country expand our “melting pot” to include all kinds of ingredients,
Then scrape the black off the bottom of the pan...and send it back to Haiti on a raft
This poem has been pulled over for being DWI(drafted with intelligence)
This poem was profiled at Hartsfield Airport,
And made to take off it's...blues.
This poem never cast its vote for any species of Bush,
It's not concerned with whom you marry,
Nor does it desire to trade the blood of young soldiers for oil, but look what it got...
No wonder,
This poem wants 2 b a revolutionary...

Resources for undocumented students

AB 540 – Access to College for ALL!
AB 540 allows qualified undocumented students to be exempt from paying significantly higher out-of-state tuition at public colleges and universities in California. By making college more affordable, AB 540 has had a significant impact on the lives of many undocumented students who have dreams of attending college.
Students are eligible for the AB 540 exemption if they meet ALL of the following requirements:
· Attend a California high school for 3 or more years;
· Graduate from a California high school or receive the equivalent, such as a GED;
· Submit an affidavit (a written promise) to the California public college or university where they are attending or plan to attend. In this statement students declare that they meet all AB 540 requirements and if they are undocumented, that they have filed an application to adjust their immigration status or will do so as soon as they are eligible to do so. A sample affidavit can be found here.
If you are an undocumented student, you are not alone. MALDEF encourages you to pursue your educational aspirations. You CAN go to college! It is more important than ever for undocumented students to take advantage of this valuable educational opportunity. Below are resources for you to have a better understanding of AB 540 and to assist you in pursuing your dreams of going to college.
MALDEF continues to provide community education about AB 540 as well as works to protect AB 540 in the legislature and the courts. It is important that as many AB 540-qualifying students as possible know about this law. You can become an advocate and empower other students by using the resources listed below.If you have any questions or would like to know how you can get involved, call us at (213) 629-2512 or send us a message.

Challenging our thoughts

I was very impressed by the articles we read this week, which can be found at:

http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/wicazo_sa_review/v019/19.2bird.pdf

http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/wicazo_sa_review/v022/22.1yellow_bird.pdf

Whether people agree with Professor Michael Yellow Bird’s views or not, the articles sure fire people up. Although I agreed with many of the points made in the articles, I shared them with other’s whom did not agree with many of the arguments made. While we disagreed about many of the issues discussed, the articles were powerful because they challenged us, made us think, and brought out the passion in us.

I feel very strongly about Professor Ward Churchill’s statement about American’s deserving the attacks on the World Trade Center. Even though I don’t feel that anyone deserves to die, I do believe that we as a country, bring things on ourselves. Many Americans think that we can impose our ideas and way of life on everyone because we our the most powerful, intelligent, and successful country. This kind of thinking leads people to believe that we are untouchable, that we can do whatever we want to others but nobody can do anything to us. Even more so, we still oppress those within our country that do not fit into the mainstream society.

As I planned a trip overseas, I went to pick up an application for a passport. While I was completing the application, I came across the section that asked for my nationality. Without thinking twice about it, I wrote in Mexican. Only after a family member pointed it out, did I realize that I had made a mistake. Although I was born and raised in America, I was so used to identifying myself as Mexican, that I wrote in Mexican rather than American. However, every time I travel abroad I tend to identify myself as Mexican. In spite of the fact that I appreciate the rights we have in America, even thought they are not always upheld (like with Professor Churchill), I know that our Americanized patriotic ways have made us nearly everyone’s foe.

During past trips outside this country, when I occasionally identified myself as an American, I was looked at in a negative way, criticized for my country’s acts and some people even stopped talking to me. Yet, when I stated I was Mexican living in the United States, people were more accepting and friendly towards me. It’s not that I’m ashamed of being from America but I am ashamed about continuous ethnocentric attitudes and atrocious actions taken in the name of our country. An example of the current ethnocentric views were illustrated in the comments made by people opposing Professor Churchill, such as “I’m glad the Indians were wiped out” (Yellow Bird, 2007). Why should people making these statements be afforded the right to Freedom of Speech, while someone as educated as Professor Churchill can be stripped of his rights. Not only can these people make these appalling statements, which illustrate their ignorance and racism, but they get away with it. We need to stop teaching the ethnocentric version of history and begin to teach the truth.

Salt of the Earth

This week we watched the movie Salt of the Earth:

http://www.archive.org/details/salt_of_the_earth

I thought it was a great movie that illustrated social issues, like inequality, and how community organizing can make immense strides by uniting towards common goals. In the film, Esperanza and the women in the community are fighting for equality by requesting improvements in sanitation, like running water. On the other hand, the men are fighting for equality of working conditions. The film begins by focusing on the women because while the men emphasize the “solidarity of the working men” towards their struggle for equality, they fail to see that they are doing to the women, exactly what the mining company is doing to them. They are treating the women unequally by seeing their demands as less important and refusing their joining in the struggles because women are expected to fulfill certain gender roles. These roles usually consist of women keeping silent and remaining at home to take care of the house and kids.

Although many deem housework, such as cooking, cleaning, and child rearing, as unworthy because it does not provide an income, this work can require more effort than an official job that provides income. Only through firsthand experience, did Ramon realize how difficult it was to stay home and take care of the household chores, as well as the children. Women have to do a lot to prove their value, such as when violence broke out at the picket line. While some men, like Ramon, were fearful and ready to jump in when the women picketing were encountered by the police, they soon realized that the women were more than capable of defending themselves.

Women continue to face these challenges today. Women are still undervalued, whether they stay at home to take care of the children and housekeeping duties or go out into the workforce. Even though we know that the cost of child care is high, parents who stay at home to take care of the children tend to be undervalued because they do not bring in an income, even when they save the child care costs. On top of that, women who do enter the workforce are continued to be treated unequally, which is shown through wage gaps. The U.S. Department of Labor compared women's earnings to men's earnings from 1979 to 2008, which showed that women earned about 62% as much as men in 1979 and 80% as much as men in 2008 (http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpswom2008.pdf).

We just have to keep fighting for justice....

Volunteers are needed. You don’t have to speak Spanish to help!!! For further information, please contact Michelle Postman at 441-5567 or at mpostman@co.humboldt.ca.us or Emma Gomez at 707-718-5193 or at emmaegomez@gmail.com.

So I finally gave in to starting my blog. I don't know why I was so resistant but maybe I hesitated because I am exposing my thoughts for everyone to read, which makes me feel very vulnerable. However, I am excited to share the interesting topics that will be discussing in class, as well as the readings, local events, resources and more related to Social Work.

I will start with a short intro… I am currently a social work graduate student at Humboldt State University. I am originally from Salinas, California but had previously lived in Humboldt County while working towards my B.S.W., two years ago. Although I always knew I wanted a career where I could help people, my journey towards social work began when I made a volunteer trip to Lima, Peru. I had an amazing experience, volunteering with disadvantaged kids in a school-setting. This experience made me realize how rewarding a career in social work could be, so I began to work towards my B.S.W. One of my greatest passions is working with children and youth because they represent our future. I will be interning at Eureka High School and would like to pursue a Pupil Personnel Services Credential. Other things I live for are spending time with my family and traveling. I LOVE to travel all over the world because I learn about other cultures, see incredible and beautiful sites, and find new appreciation for what I have in life, like family, friends, love, faith, good health, education, and so much more.

During class, our professor Michael Yellow Bird, surprised me by starting the semester with discussions about neuroplasticity and Emotional Freedom Technique (E.F.T.). It’s refreshing to have a professor with a unique approach to social work education. “EFT is an emotional, needle free version of acupuncture that is based on new discoveries regarding the connection between your body's subtle energies, your emotions, and your health. EFT has been reported successful in thousands of cases covering a huge range of emotional, health and performance issues” (http://www.emofree.com/). Our readings were also related to neuroplasticity or our brain’s ability to continuously adapt and change throughout our lifetime, unlike previously understood. It is incredible to think about the progress that can be made by those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, head trauma, genetic conditions or other circumstances, by rebuilding or rerouting pathways that had been damaged. Having a grandmother who suffered and ultimately died from Alzheimer's disease, I am very hopeful that more development is made regarding the treatment of the disease.

I continued thinking about the constant changes in our brain. It made me think about my language skills. Although my native language is Spanish, English is the language that dominates my everyday life, except when I am at home with my family. As I grew up, I had the tendency to speak more and more English because of the increased time spent in school and outside my home. Due to this experience, I do not practice my Spanish as often, so I find myself losing a part of my culture and a valuable tool. I realize that my brain has adapted to the environment that requires me to speak English. Since I value the Spanish language as a key part of my culture, I am determined to use it more often and continue developing my skill until I master it, even if it takes thousands of hours.

See the following website for more details on neuroplasticity:
www.memoryzine.com/neuroplasticity.htm

Change is essential in today’s society, as we fight to achieve social justice. We can start by making changes in our self and then expand throughout the world. As social workers, many of us want to save the world. At times I find myself feeling powerless and overwhelmed, but then I say a little prayer…..

Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.