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).

"Quiznos Coupon Giveaway"

DSC_0218 a photo by immaculatelbg on Flickr.

Members of the community gathered as a show of support for Florida farm workers, who are asking the Quiznos company to pay an additional penny per pound for Florida round tomatoes supplied to its U.S. restaurants. McAllen, TX

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This weekend I went to the demonstration stated above and took photographs. Lately I have been wanting to take photographs in different settings and people, rather than the subjects: family/parade/randomness. This was a great opportunity and I figured I could help the group as well if they could use the photographs for some publicity. They seem to have enjoyed the pictures I took and I volunteered for any future events they may have. I think there is one on May 4th, so I'm looking forward to that (if I go, which I hope I can).
Besides the event I met with my friend to prepare for the Social Justice conference in April, held at UT Pan American. We need to get together soon since it's just about time tune up our presentation.

Last Night

I was thinking about "pocho" again and how to explain the idea of a modern day pocho. Point is I figured changing the spelling will indicate a change in philosophy/belief as well. If we continue to see it as "pocho" with similar spelling, I don't think the message is illustrated as well. I want to use the spelling of "poxo" but I realize as well that it can be confusing and difficult to pronounce. Yet, as my friend said it, "I do appreciate the idea of it representing the change of attitude toward the word. The x is sacred and purifies all with its symbolism and its uses in the spelling of mexican concepts..." Dude gets it, but he also told me it was likely confusing for others. lol 

But i am the stubborn type and i'm willing to give it a shot to see if it can catch on. But I am also concerned it doesn't reflect the audience I am trying to reach and represent, which are those who are not scholars or in academic setting. I need to think about this. I am willing to fail at my attempt. When it comes to taking risks in academics and poetry, I'm more willing to than in real life. *I just used the words "willing" and "academic" too many times.*

I was online reading some blogs also and they looked like good people to contact. Getting to know others is crucial to getting these words out. I think I might get a new website. Not for blogging, but for the "poxo" idea. I'll keep thinking of different spellings, but I like this one. I looked up some information on search engines and poxo turns up a manufacturing company of sorts as well as a lot of personal pages from persons mostly from Spain (and Chile). I can only assume they are using it with the pronounciation I am using, but I don't know how their meanings differ compared to mine. More research waiting for me.

I am going to contact a friend in Spain to see if she can help out. I hope so. Thinking and thinking to do.

Bored

is the same as being uninspired, when at work. I have plenty of time to do whatever I like, but being here (work) is to depressing. I think this is going to be a short one. It is to pessimistic.
Positive: I submitted to BorderSenses and hopes that goes well. One of the poems I changed up quite a bit because I didn't think the original poem told any type of story. I feel more comfortable with that aspect of the poem, but also felt I had to change much of the tone/sound from the original, which I enjoyed. It probably means that it is not complete yet.

I want change in my life. It's not working out as I hoped. 

Spring Break

cleaning. It's what has become of me at 31. lol But good has come from it today as I was cleaning a "memory" box in storage. I found some pictures my older brother drew about 17 years ago, during his high school years. Back then I wouldn't have identified my brother as a Chicano, mostly because I saw him as a Cholo or Break dancer. Those two weren't related for me. I don't fault myself since at that time I was barely entering my teen years. I didn't think about identity then, as I do now. But his drawings tell me a lot about him and how he saw himself. Even though I am older then when he formed this identity, I also have a sense of pride in being Pocho, although I do not believe most people would accept being marked as such. Enough writing, take a look at his drawings.