latinxcreative

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Reflection #13

This chapter’s reading had to do with irregular immigrants and the use of coyotes. THe reading opens up first about the deaths of 17 migrants trying to enter the country and died of asphyxiation. One of the main things that was pointed out was the way these stories and tragedies were immediately turned into something consumable for the country. There was a documentary that depicts the horrors of the situation. Something disturbing about situations is the public's reaction to these tragedies. This concept of this is also known as trauma porn and actively desensitizes violence against brown bodies. This has not been the first time it happens either. I recall back a few years ago when I saw an image of a child refugee whose body was face down. This image went viral and brought forth a lot of global attention. ˇThe problem with things such as trauma porn is that it removes the audience from the situation. Viewers and the general public spend more time sensationalizing the graphic content rather than discussing the issues that caused it. I think when discussing these issues the public should focus on passing policy to help those in need. In many cases, trauma porn can gather up a lot of attention which is different from action. I feel like a lot of times people speak out without adding anything new to the conversation. When we are online we should be cautious of the media we are consuming and paying attention to.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #12

For this week’s reading I learned a lot about SAnta Muerte. I have heard and seen a lot about La Santa Muerte. I never really understood her significance until recently. I was with the joyeria lady when she showed us the new pendants she had just received. I instantly gravitate towards the skeletal figure with her own and globe next to her. I immediately bought the pendant and upon showing it to my mom she was really furious. My mother explained to me that La Santa Muerte was a sort of gang sign. Many in my family strongly discouraged me from keeping the necklace and I had to return it. After reading the article it opened my eyes to what La Santa Muerte is. Creating a relationship with La Santa Muerte has nothing to do with gang affiliation and is instead about a mutually beneficial relationship. The SAnta Muerte enters you as much as you enter La Santa Muerte. The people who practice this do this as a means avoiding sacred retribution from La Santa Muerte.

Something else really interesting we learned this chapter was Latinos participation in sports. I thought it was interesting that Latinos were considered to be predisposed to laziness, mentally inferior, and considered to be “foul” and “dirty.” All of these were used as ways to keep Latinos from entering the sports industry. Something that immediately came to mind as I was reading this is Latinx people filling gaps in the workforce. Many Latinos work in the fields and have to do physically demanding work. Many US citizens do not want to do this work yet rely and depend on Latinos to do it.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #11

This week’s readings have taught me a lot about fashion and style and it’s connection to LAtinx women. I think I was able to reflect a lot on the styles and habits of my family. When people think of Latina fashion it's often thought of as extra gaudy and full of embellishment. Though these are mostly powered through stereotypes, Latinx fashion is about being resourceful to present what you want. In doing the reading, parts of the Latinx fashion really reminded me of my mother. My mother likes to look expensive and wear designer brands. My mom’s style is dictated by a desire to be classy and expensive. While the reading explains a little about Latinas are able to accomplish this look through means of self alterations to clothes or DIY, my mother when she is able to spend a lot of money on buying more high end clothes. I think my mother does this as a way to overcompensate for the fact that she is not wealthy. And while my mother does embody a lot of elements of Rasquache, she would actively deny it. My mother wants to put up an image that she is in control. By others she wants to be perceived as more classy and more wealthy even though that is not the case. I think my mother pushes back on the concept of Rasquache because of the associations people make with it. Latinx fashion is very expansive and diverse tho key elements such as Rasquachismo is evident throughout all of it.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #10 (Extra)

Dia de Los Muertos is something that is very important to me and something that I hold very dear to my heart. Dia de Los Muertos is a holiday that has allowed me to further connect with my community and connect to my ancestors. I am very grateful for the ability to have gone to a school where holidays like this are acknowledged and celebrated. I celebrated with my family at home but I was also able to celebrate with friends as well. Giving students a space in which they can celebrate cultural holidays like this shows them that they are welcomed and belong in the space. For example, during my freshman year here at CSU I had decided to visit El Centro for el dia de los Muertos. I remember arriving and being met with disappointment. There was a collection of coloring pages and free conchas, however, I did not see an altar anywhere and I did not feel like the meaning of the holiday was being  celebrated. In comparison to how I celebrated at home, the space here at CSU did not have the same capabilities. I feel like I had really missed out on celebrating this holiday and while I was able to celebrate in my personal way at my dorm it was not the same. I think there was a lack of community and family. However, in comparison to my freshmen year, El Centro did a fantastic job of creating a space for Dia de Los Muertos. There was an alter, sugar cookies, movies showings, and more. And while Dia de los Muertos is not about these material objects, this celebration had genuine intent to properly celebrate the holiday.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #9

This reading was super insightful for me and informative. Learning about queer folks in Latinx spaces is super interesting and is important to be educated on. The first topic discussed is the idea of Juan Gabriel’s statements on coming out. Juan Gabriel says that people should not ask if they know.Ellie talks about the cultural differences in coming out in America and in the US. People in Mexico are not more private about their sexuality and do not always feel the need to come out. I think this is an observation, I’ve noticed more subconsciously. Hernandez further elaborates on this concept noting that sexaulity is more of a personal matter and not something that has to be explicitly named. In the US your sexuality is something to be proud of and to own. I think there are two reasons why this is. I think part of this is connected in recent years to capitalism. Here in the US companies profit off being an “ally.” Performative activism has impacted the way people identify and even created a sort of brand for an identity. Another reason, I think the people in the US are more prideful in their sexuality, specifically white folks, is because of their proximity to whiteness. Too many white people holding a marginalized identity absolves them of any privilege. And many times they are not willing to discuss how they contribute to the oppression if queer BIPOC. I don’t think having more pride is better or worse than folks who choose to keep their sexuality a more private manner. I think it’s interesting to look at factors that influences these decisions.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #8

This chapter was a very interesting read and covered a variety of topics. This chapter’s specific topic was the impact of food on culture and community. Food is something so universal yet also unique and distinct at the same time. This chapter first addresses the most popular Mexican food chain in the US examples such a Taco Bell, Del Taco and, Chipotle. These are brought up to highlight the upcoming interest of Mexican cuisine into mainstream society. Despite having its own perceptions in the public eye many people would associate the food with stomach issues and diarrhea. Over time the public has had a shift to more mild Mexican restaurants however, there is still a lot of room to improve on the incorporation of authentic food places in the US. Although real Mexican food is not found in those restaurants there is a conversation of what modern Mexican food is becoming. Currently modern Mexican food is a mixture of traditional indigenous food with Spanish plates. Not really prioritizing one over another these two unique plates have created the distinctive Mexican taste. Alongside this another important aspect of Mexican cuisine is the use of corn. Corn has multiple uses and is known as one of the sister squads. The use of corn in food is a very detailed and laborious process. In which corn has to be grinded, made into a maza, and cooked. I believe this process is a type of performance art. The intimate handling of the maiz is made with love and then handed off to family members.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #7

This chapter was extremely informative and I a lot of the things happening were things I felt like I could relate to. One of the very first things talked about is the exclusion of Chicanos in “high art.” This definitely resonates with me especially growing up where my low-income Latinx school had a horrendously underfunded art program. Our teachers barely had supplies to teach us and other subjects had higher priority over art. I think this is one of the reasons why Chicanos look to street art for means of creative expression. Street art is more accessible and one of the easiest ways to have your voice heard. Meanwhile, “high art” does not see street art as legitimate. Street art is often seen as vandalism and often demonized. This exclusion in the art scene led Chicanos to react. Chicanos absolutely did make art, it was that galleries and high art institutions did not want to recognize their art. Chicano pop art is rooted in resilience and directly opposes notions of high art. Chicanos do not want to be a part of the mainstream and look to create forms of art for themselves and their community. Specifically, they wanted to create forms that did not further push them into boxes or continue to stereotype them. Chicanos seeked to make art to connect them to their pre-colonial identities. Chicanos have always been in pop art and have made extremely relevant pieces to their identities and communities. Latino pop art is  characterized by their resilience and decision to distance themselves from “high art.”

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #6

This chapter had some really interesting information dealing with maiz. Maiz, which is also corn, is super significant and important to Mexican culture. Since corn is super multi-functional, it has been easily able to spread to others. McFarland talks about how corn has transcended across generations. It has almost even become a symbol for Mexicans of indigenous descent. McFarland cites a rap and hip hop group called Kinto Sol. Kinto Sol is a great demonstration of how maiz can be used as a symbol of pride and reclaiming indigenous roots. Kinto Sol's use of corn but also mixed in with hip hop also speaks to the theme we talked about in class. The quote we discussed is “making art is much easier when you don't have to worry about the viewer’s acceptance.” Kinto Sol also perfectly embodies this through their use of rap and hip hop. Rap and hip hop, which has been historically demonized, acts as a way of expression to those who hold marginalized identities. Kinto Sol does not worry about appealing to a Western audience and instead reclaim their indigenous roots. I think it is evident how corn has power within our communities and even gives us empowerment. Groups like Kinto Sol demonstrate the Chicano community the importance of honoring our ancestors and our ancestors' land. Even in the video we can see a child tending to the land. Once again passing on intergenerational values. Overall, corn has a vital role in Chicano culture and reconnection to indigenous ancestry.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #5

This chapter was incredibly insightful and confirms a lot for my own knowledge and understanding of race. In today’s society topics and debates of race are constantly had and have increasingly become more hot button issues. I am glad that we are starting to open up more and beginning to unpack how much race systemically affects our nations and it’s institutions. I think Rodriguez talks about it in a very passive manner and he makes a great point about race as a construct. In reading about this I recall back to my Anthropology class where we learned about how race has no scientific backing. Even though I knew this, it's always such a hard concept to grasp. I of course know that while race is a social construct the effects and consequences of it are not. White supremacy has caused devastation and tragedy to many marginalized groups simply on the basis of skin tone. Identifying race as made up is not to diminish the experience of marginalized identities rather than to remind people to not bound themselves to these made up labels. For me this was a chance to reflect on me as a person and as Rodriguez states, we are not parts of people, we are not part of this race or part of another race, we as human beings are whole. We are not mixed, we simply are. And playing into the ideas of categorization only enables white supremacist idealogy even more. While we should continue to have conversations that marginalized communities face, we should always remember the humanity in every single human being.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #4

The content we learned for this week was super powerful and devastating at the same time. I learned a lot about the women working at the Maquilas and the condition of people in these communities and the environment as well. I think issues with the community definitely intertwine and absolutely overlap with issues in the environment and mental health. Rodrigues speaks about the effect of mining, manufacturing, fossil fuel extraction, etc. Not to mention that the US is a major contributor to these issues yet these issues affect BIPOC the most. Seeing the women in the Maquila have their communities torn apart is so disheartening to see. As a viewer you feel complacent in the issue. Because I participate in consumerism, I wear those clothes, yet my ability to help is limited. The people who have the opportunity for the most change are also the people who benefit the most from these issues and rake in massive profit. Rodriguez also mentions how Indigenous peoples cared for the land and took care of it and how we are so disconnected from it. And we have become disconnected due to the US enforcing their values of capitalism and consumerism onto our communities. Large portions of our communities are not aware of indigenous practices with land either. Children are not being taught their ancestral values furthering the gap between our present and our ancestral past. While we could choose not to participate most times it’s not a choice. Many of us contribute as a means of survival.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #3

The content we learned for this week was super powerful and devastating at the same time. I learned a lot about the women working at the Maquilas and the condition of people in these communities and the environment as well. I think issues with the community definitely intertwine and absolutely overlap with issues in the environment and mental health. Rodrigues speaks about the effect of mining, manufacturing, fossil fuel extraction, etc. Not to mention that the US is a major contributor to these issues yet these issues affect BIPOC the most. Seeing the women in the Maquila have their communities torn apart is so disheartening to see. As a viewer you feel complacent in the issue. Because I participate in consumerism, I wear those clothes, yet my ability to help is limited. The people who have the opportunity for the most change are also the people who benefit the most from these issues and rake in massive profit. Rodriguez also mentions how Indigenous peoples cared for the land and took care of it and how we are so disconnected from it. And we have become disconnected due to the US enforcing their values of capitalism and consumerism onto our communities. Large portions of our communities are not aware of indigenous practices with land either. Children are not being taught their ancestral values furthering the gap between our present and our ancestral past. While we could choose not to participate most times it’s not a choice. Many of us contribute as a means of survival.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #2

The content we learned for this week was super powerful and devastating at the same time. I learned a lot about the women working at the Maquilas and the condition of people in these communities and the environment as well. I think issues with the community definitely intertwine and absolutely overlap with issues in the environment and mental health. Rodrigues speaks about the effect of mining, manufacturing, fossil fuel extraction, etc. Not to mention that the US is a major contributor to these issues yet these issues affect BIPOC the most. Seeing the women in the Maquila have their communities torn apart is so disheartening to see. As a viewer you feel complacent in the issue. Because I participate in consumerism, I wear those clothes, yet my ability to help is limited. The people who have the opportunity for the most change are also the people who benefit the most from these issues and rake in massive profit. Rodriguez also mentions how Indigenous peoples cared for the land and took care of it and how we are so disconnected from it. And we have become disconnected due to the US enforcing their values of capitalism and consumerism onto our communities. Large portions of our communities are not aware of indigenous practices with land either. Children are not being taught their ancestral values furthering the gap between our present and our ancestral past. While we could choose not to participate most times it’s not a choice. Many of us contribute as a means of survival.

[latinxcreative]

Reflection #1

The content we learned about this week is super interesting to me. Luis J. Rodrigues touches on a lot of different subjects however what most stood out to me was conversation about our presence in American culture and our claims to this land. As we talked about representation of Latin people in the media. A majority of the people mentioned in the discussion did have some type of negative stereotype or a type of “othering.” It always feels like Latinx characters are used as a sort of prop. That their Latinidad is the only sustenance their character can have and it paints all Latinos to be the same despite the rich diversity in race, ethnicity, and nationality. Rodriguez also brings up the idea of how Latinos make onl make up 3% of speaking rolls in media and film deposit the fact that we make up 13% of the population. I think this further adds to the point as to how Latinx stories are not met with the same respect as American stories. Latinx people are often excluded despite our major presence and contribution to this country. Rodrigues goes on to talk about the contribution of Latinos in the Vietnam war. America depends on Latinos but wants to make them feel “othered”. To me this makes me reflect on what more representation could look like for our communities. And should remind us that we should be in charge of writing our stories in order to prevent more narratives that appeal to the Western gaze of foreigners.