Dia-ar-te - DiA

Fernando Olivera

Speaker Marcos Salazar explaining the power of story sharing in personal branding. I just learned hellalot about the impact of personal branding and our personal brand as individuals and social-change makers. #BeSocialChange #wixlounge

Much love and respect for Diane Guerrero and all our immigrant brothers&sisters who have been separated from their families due to the broken and unjust immigration system in the U.S. 

On “Orange is the New Black,” Diane Guerrero’s character Maritza is a tough Latina who is separated from her young daughter while she does time. It’s a pretty moving storyline on its own, but Guerrero’s real life is just as captivating, if not more.

When she was 14 years old, she came home to an empty house. Dinner had been started, but there was no one home to finish it. Neighbors told her that immigration officers had taken her parents and older brother away.

Hear her tell the story in her emotional New Day interview.

One day soon! 

we’re all interconnected by the beauty and surreal power of our Mother Earth. 

Moon

Style Icon: This Peruvian Lady 

Yes, we have power!

I've been reading this book on the establishment, maintenance and refinement of White Supremacy in the known universe. Yes, it is The United Independent Compensatory Code/System/Concept: a textbook/workbook for thought, speech and/or action of racism (white supremacy) by Neely Fuller, Jr. The book has me hooked with a pencil in hand always star-ing important statements but I really do not buy the author's point on absolute powerlessness among non-white people. I hear his argument about the lack of success victims of racism have had in overthrowing and replacing white supremacy with justice and correctness in the known universe, but at the same time I disagree with his point of our incapability to do so. I disagree that we are mentally inferior than whites, esp. white supremacists (racists). I see why he repeats this argument over and over again -- to highlight the ability and responsibility white supremacists (racists) have to bring justice and correctness in the known world.  But every time I join a march in support of peoples' suffering from many injustices I can't stop being amazed by the strength, passion and willingness people have to come together and stand/march/chant & stand in uncomfortable weather conditions in order to create solidarity and try to raise awareness about a given topic. A topic that touches home and the soul. Every time I see and feel that energy for hope and change I just cannot believe that we are incapable to tackle the bigger picture. The mere fact of acknowledging (and not ignoring) what is going on that's creating injustice in our existence is powerful and that's why I can't share Fuller's point. 

Today, when I joined the march in response to the decision on Eric Garner's case at Foley Park in Manhattan I stepped in and found some organizer friends that had brought the youth to the march. I couldn't stop being amazed by their energy and most important by all the questions they had about the circumstances in which we currently live. Most of the youth were recently arrived immigrants from different countries, but the young men I kept nearby (so they wouldn't get separated from the larger group) came from various countries in Asia. One of them asked me in various occasions what the people were chanting because they were singing so speedy that he couldn't understand and he didn't want to support something he didn't understand. I smiled and explained with my heart humbled and with admiration every time.   His smart assessment proves how sophisticated and aware our youth of color are. Tonight was a blessing and I am happy to be around powerful people who are passionated to stand and march for justice. 

I am visible— see this Indian face— yet I am invisible. I both blind them with my beak nose and am their blind spot. But I exist, we exist. They’d like to think I have melted in the pot. But I haven’t, we haven’t.

Gloria Anzaldua (via nestbuilding)

So much love and respect for the Dream Team from Sunset Park High School. So fierce and wise. #sphsdreamteam #youthpower #Repost @sphsdreamteam ・・・ Join Dream Team! Wednesday at room 302! #youthpower #undocumentedunafraid #dreamteam