immaculatelbg's photostream

immaculatelbg's photostream on Flickr.

Testing out this post. Barrio Decay photos just uploaded.

It's Official

i will be taking part in the Social Justice and Peace Conference/Exhibition 2011 (3rd Annual) being held at the University of Texas - Pan American. The schedule has not been posted up yet for the public, but it should be soon. The following is the panel I will be a part of, along w/ my amigo Gabriel H. Sanchez.


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De Pocho a Chicano, y Back: Poetry y Platica



Isaac Chavarria & Gabriel H. Sanchez, The Raving Press


During the Mexican Revolution, the mass of immigrants to the United States were disdainfully labeled “pocho” by Mexicanos in la patria. To a Mexicano, the pocho’s immersion into American culture meant rejection of Mexico itself. Decades later the Chican@ arose from a generation demanding an empowering identity. In particular, life among the south Texas border area and regions with high populations of Mexican Americans has fostered a new generation unfamiliar with the alienation and lack of rights encountered by their Chicano@ predecessors. Yet, the nuevo pocho generation has recontextualized what it is to immerse in the American culture. While doing so, they have also infused society with a new awareness of the Mexican American identity.


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I am excited but still need to complete some of the work of finalizing the project. I'm sure all will go well, but right now i'm just tired from work & teaching at night. Along with that, I have committed myself to helping at least 2 groups with their chapbooks. And somewhere along those tasks, I'm trying to improve my photography as well as use it towards social awareness(not parties)related events.
 
But do i say no? lol of course not because keeping busy and doing as much as possible is my joy. Oh, but let's not go on this route of pensamiento.
 
What I wanted to say/ask was 1. I am trying to create a short video presentation as a promo for the conference. 2. As part of the video, I want people to respond to the question "What is a Pocho?"


I'm looking forward to the video, although it shouldn't be my first priority. I will post it on here and facebook.


If you have a response to the questions, please comment/email.

Party

@ my house went well. It was a poetry party of sorts, although the poetry only lasted but a few minutes. Still good. I had fun although I feel a bit guilty for not being the best host. I didn't do any of the cooking and realized until the next day that I didn't put out extra drinks. I think i was just happy to have company over, and many people who I didn't know. Quite a bit of kids as well from the guest as well, but I had no problem with that. Wish it could happen again, but I doubt it will. I was happy then. I feel like I am not active enough, but hosting an event/party is good. Besides that life is good. I am on a beer-fast, which means no beer until May 21st, the significance of the day being a relay marathon I was planning to participate in. With the race no longer in my plans, I still plan on keeping my fast, and perhaps minimizing my beer drinking. Sometimes I think I use beer as a nightcap when I really don't need one, or in an attempt to relax, when all it does is sedates me. I feel  happy with not having drunk a beer in the past 2/3 weeks. I can't remember when I decided to stop. I still have a drink of wine or sake, but even then, it's not much.
I need to do more for me as well. Sometimes much of my time is spent helping others or worrying about their happiness that I don't make myself happy. that's the motto for this week: make yourself happy (or make myself happy).