When A Boycott is Not Enough

By Sylvia “Silver” Trujillo

[Note from Aurelia:  If you haven’t yet heard about the Arizona law signed by the Governor last week, Google “Arizona immigration law sb1070” to find out about this new law that legitimizes racial profiling of Latinos.]

I am pretty confident all of you are angry, incredulous, and indignant about what is happening in Arizona.  I know I am.  I think this is where we must, we must, draw a line in the sand and say “you have gone too far, you will go no further, and by the way, you forfeit the privilege of representing us–you are done.”

I do not believe it is enough to go to immigration marches (which I did) or to boycott Arizona (I will).  There are progressives out there, like I, who I believe that we cannot stand idly by and allow this to go any further.  I for one refuse to take this lying down.

I will not be content with them simply repealing this bill and calling it even.  The damage has been done.  I left Arizona last week and my family and a friend discussed what was happening en route to the airport.  Our friend Blanca who helps us with our mom and who is a third generation Mexican American said, “I feel like a second class citizen.”  So do I.

This is not about a repealing a state holiday to celebrate the achievements of a civil rights icon–offensive and outrageous to be certain.  This is about whether you and I will have the same rights and privileges when we travel in Arizona or any other place to not be harassed or molested by the police and others.

Marches are not enough.  Boycotts are not enough.  We have a realistic shot at replacing John McCain in the next five months — with none other than a young, progressive, Democratic leader who is Mexican American.  I don’t simply want the law repealed, I want the leadership responsible for this unconstitutional, racist, anti-democratic bill repealed.

My grandfather, 93 years old, who came from Jaroso, Colorado died on Monday.  He was a true blue Democrat and someone who believed in democracy and standing up for our rights.

When he was born women did not have the right to vote and he had the privilege at 90 years of age to vote for then Senator Hillary Clinton for President in the primary election and Barack Obama for President.  It is people like him, our families, and us who can change the world.

My question for you:  Will you be satisfied if they repeal the bill?  Will that be enough?  Will it be enough to secure comprehensive immigration reform and still have John McCain and Jon Kyl in the U.S. Senate?  Will that be enough?

No.  I want more.  I want to send a message that is strong and powerful that Latinos in Arizona do not stand alone, but that when Arizona electeds passed that law they thought they were picking on poor, defenseless Latinos.  They were, in a word, wrong.

They forgot that civil rights leaders from the fifties, sixties, and seventies, gave birth and made possible a group of well-educated, talented, and civically engaged professionals and we need to wake up and roar.

I think it is time that we send them a message that it will be hard for them to forget and send a Mexican American to the U.S. Senate from Arizona.  That is what I want and I am asking you to help me do it.

This is how LULAC helped finance the landmark Hernandez case featured in the documentary, A Class Apart.  They asked people for $5 and $10.  I am asking you for more because you have more than those abuelos and abuelas who cobbled together enough money to strike at the heart of segregation and racist policies in Texas.

I am asking you to support Randy Parraz not simply because he has all the right progressive bona fides, he does.  But because we need a message delivered and Randy Parraz can carry that message for the majority of people who believe in the Constitution in Arizona and dispel for every young Mexican American walking down the street or in a classroom that they are second class citizens.

Randy Parraz graduated from Berkeley undergrad where he also earned his law degree.  He also recieved a masters in public administration from Harvard.  He went on to become a community and labor organizer.

***www.parrazforchange.com***

He organized community members in Maricopa County to challenge the practices of Sheriff Arapaio.  He has the support of the largest private sector union in the state, the United Food and Commerical Workers Union, and it is estimated he will need about 110,000 votes to win the primary.

(There are 400,000 registered Mexican Americans voters in Arizona and 200,000 more are eligible to register to vote.)

His fundraising target is $1.5 million.  This will be a grass roots effort.   I would ask you to go to his webpage and donate.  If it is $50 a month, he will take it — less than what you would pay for your morning breakfast/coffee in a month.

We can send a message to those reactionaries and we can show our children and our grandchildren that we are willing to act to protect our precious civil and human rights.

[Note from Aurelia:  If you are located in San Diego and would like to help me organizer a fundraiser to support Randy Parraz (and all Latinos in Arizona and across the nation – other states are considering a similar law!), please email me and let me know.  See below.]

Find Your Passion!

This month we’re exploring what YOUR passion is.  Are you following your passions?  Do you know what they are?  Are you focused on what moves you, motivates you, and uses your talents to their greatest advantage?

And is this true for ALL areas of your life?

I’m in the middle of reading The Passion Test by Janet Bray Atwood and Chris Atwood, and I would highly recommend it.  They suggest writing a list of the most important things you can think of that would give you a life of joy, passion and fulfillment.  This is *not* a list of goals.

Rather, the list is of things you would do, be and have in your life and are VERBS — action words — that describe your ideal life.  Of course, this is a list they recommend re-creating every 6 months, as our lives evolve and change over time.

They suggest then ranking the list and keeping the top five items on your list present and with you all the time.

How many people in your life are around you constantly supporting you, urging you, and assisting you toward living the most passion-filled life ever?  What can you do to make sure that you are living each day energized and excited about what you are doing, creating and offering into the world?

If you live your passion, I’d love to hear your story.  If you’re looking for your passion, what tools do you use to help you on this journey?

I have been blessed to interview women who have found their passion and live their passion, and it shows!  Sometimes these women found their passion early in life; for others, it took more time.  But whatever the timeline, these women keep striving forward, looking to make every moment count.

There is so much out there and so many gifts that are unique to YOU.  What is your message, your dreams, your reason to be?  Talk about these ideas with your family and friends and get the people around you to work with you towards living the best life that you can.

Your message, your works, your joy and your PASSION is urgently needed by the world.  Go get ‘em, mujer!

What Leads to the Wisdom of La Anciana/La Vieja?

Wisdom comes from a variety of sources. It can come from experience, but it doesn’t have to. Someone has said that an expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field. However, as we all know, the smart thing is to learn from OTHERS’ mistakes so we don’t have to make those mistakes personally.

Or, if you’re like me, you get to make mistakes is LOTS of fields, so you neither get to claim the title expert, nor learn things the easy way. Ah, the joy (and stubbornness) of youth! Whether or not you’ve made a lot of mistakes in your youth, with time, you get the luxury of reflecting on not only your own mistakes, but those you’ve seen made by those around you.

And instead of sitting in judgment, one can simply ask oneself if the outcome of the actions someone took led them to their intended conclusion. Sometimes the actions do and sometimes they do not. I have noted I learn a lot from people who show me how I DON’T want to be!

Wisdom is a thing of true value - we cannot put a price on it, and yet it is highly coveted.

As we age, I believe that we become more reflective of who we are, and, interestingly, even as we become more aware of our own shortcomings, we also become more gentle with ourselves, more forgiving and more accepting. And hopefully, as we learn to accept ourselves, we likewise learn to accept others.

So, be proud of your age, your wisdom, the lessons you’ve learned (either personally or through watching others), and share the gifts you’ve been given with others! But only if your wisdom is requested and received willingly. I don’t know about you, but I have found that I cannot “force” someone to learn from my mistakes, even if I’m trying to prevent them pain and heartache.

Who around you has imparted to you her wisdom, and which lessons have you had to learn yourself? Have you become more self-aware, more gentle and tender with yourself as you age, or are you more impatient and frustrated with your place in the world? How are you proud of how far you’ve come (regardless of age)?

I’ll admit I like to be guessed at a younger age than I am (vanity, I guess!), but I sure wouldn’t give up the lessons I’ve learned. For those, I am SO grateful. Would love to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Latina Leadership Lessons: When We Wear Masks

As a conclusion to October’s theme of La Bruja, and this past weekend’s celebration of both Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, I wanted to comment a bit on how and when we as Latinas wear masks.

Although playful and fun when at a costume party (and who doesn’t enjoy dressing up and playing make-believe from time to time?), we often wear masks in our daily lives to keep others from getting too close, from seeing each of us for who we truly are.

Many days we rush around so busy, working to get all the tasks done that must be accomplished in our lives, and fail to stay aligned with our true purpose, and our calling of why we’re here, and instead of doing what really matters, we get caught up in the pequeñesas (little stuff).

Over the past month, I’ve been encouraging you to step into your power, to recognize and honor the magic that is in you, and to celebrate the sparks you give to and receive from others in your world.

What are the masks we wear and why?

You probably know the mask of the “queen” — the mask that tells everyone that you have it all under control and no one can knock you off your game. While this can be a mask of power, it can also be a mask of fear — especially when it keeps us from asking for help or from sharing our burdens with others.

Another typical Latina “mask” is the mask of the martyr. Ay ay ay, I do everything for everyone else and am not appreciated! This mask is usually paired with manipulation that is wielded through the tool of guilt. It again can be a mask of pain, when we lack the ability to communicate our deep needs without demanding that others capitulate to our demands, and also the characteristic of irresponsibility when we fail to take care of ourselves and our own needs (claiming that someone else must do something for us).

Yet another mask is the mask of the victim — the wounded one, when we use our pain once again as an excuse to fail to take action. If we don’t work on healing ourselves, how can we expect anyone else to do it for us?

Quitate la máscara, mujer, and be the Powerful Latina that you are!

Part of my calling is to help us, as Latinas, to share courage, strength and wisdom through our stories. Our interviewees have been candid, and shown their own vulnerability, by opening up and telling us about the masks they’ve worn in their own lives and what they do (or have done) to take them off and be more authentic. Have you reflected lately on your own story? I know you have a unique and special one, too.

I know that I have my own masks that I put on to keep myself “safe” and sometimes even to deceive myself! It is a daily practice to figure out where I’m sending my energy and to make sure that I’ve got my priorities straight so that I can do what I really need and want to do… (and I’m constantly challenged, I’ll tell you that!)

Over the next couple of months, I’ll be unveiling a program to help we Latinas stay *grounded* in our power by reminding us of the truths we know deep inside us, and have been shared with us by our interviewees. I’ll be re-framing some of these stories we’ve heard, crystalizing the lessons for each of us to help them stay at the forefront of our minds and hearts, even as we each live the busy lives that we have.

What are your masks? Why do you wear them, and how do they keep you from being who you really want to be? How do they keep you OUT of your personal power? If I’m any indication, the masks can be subtle and tricky, and change as we heal one area of our lives and shift to work on another. It’s important to have the self knowledge of where we come from, where we’ve been, and where we are now, to be able to better direct where we’re going.

Let’s work on it together!