A letter from me to the families of the Newtown Tragedy

P.O. Box 3700
Newtown, CT 06470

To the families of the tragedy,

        The most important things in are the hardest to say, no parent should have to bury the children they gave life to. I am a firm believer of that no matter what the situation or circumstance is. My name is Andre Christopher Rivera, I am twenty years old and I live and have been raised in the South Bronx for most of my life and basically what I do for a living when im not in school full time is organized against the injustices in my community. Sadly it has appeared that over the last few months violence around the world has been on the rise. One of the  biggest issues I fight in my community is violence, when I heard about what had occurred I was and still am at loss for words. Nothing shocks me anymore but the incident that occurred shocked me, to that point it has been hard to watch on TV and online. I can not imagine the pain and sorrow you all must be experiencing. As an uncle who has a niece that is not so far from the ages of these young beautiful souls, I  had to think how could as a human, person, organizer and movement builder support you all, the families of this tragedy. The best way I could think of was to write this letter.

      I would like to first express my deepest sorrows to the families. I would also  like to express my support of the movement to completely ban guns and any form of assault weapons in our communities I  would also like to express that you are all in my thoughts and prayers each and every single day. Listening to some of the stories of these young angels i had to only think that they all would have all in their own right changed our world and to that point I hope this situation and tragedy can inspire the youth and all people for that matter to understand that violence is not the solution but we must also address the fact that the person responsible had an out of control mental state and as a society we have to find ways to tackling this issue and making sure that they get treated.

       Finally  I would like to conclude by saying that you all have my full support in any movements that come out of this tragedy. I hope that god can continue to support and help you all in this time of need. stay strong !

Respectfully,

Andre Christopher Rivera 

Comite Noviembre at Hostos Community College

Heritage, Culture, Folklore are three things in common. What happens when you have a freshman student show up to a field visit not knowing anything about his background and learns something new ? I will tell you , it is easy to learn but hard to follow. The site visits I have been to so far have to do with my culture and people which shows me that someone is committed to teaching my about something I should have learned before. I guess the main point I am trying to make is that as humans we should know about who we are and where we come from. We should also know about our heritage so that we could pass it down to the future students and children of the world. Some of the best world leaders are in tune with their culture because they say the past repeats itself or or does it ? I also think building a foundation is the start to something good and effective.

Comite Noviembre is an organization that is geared to making sure that puerto Rican students are aware and educated about their culture so they could push other students to understand who they are. Comite Noviembre preserves rich culture through politicians, educators and the alike.  Comite Noviembre educated its youth through development of programs, grants for school leadership development in order for them to continue on to some form of higher education so that they can give back to the community. The Comite Noviembre has given over $201,000 in scholarships since it was created fourteen years ago, through the scholarships at least 90% of recipients go on to graduate from college. the recipients all are clear about their characters as educated intellectual students. The Comite Noviembre scholarship awards its students during the puerto rican heritage celebrations.

The Comite Noviembre event I went to was about culture and community. It was about educating people of the public about the history of Bomba and Plena. It was about showcasing famous art piece and art symbols. It was about showcasing poets of the culture or those who write about the culture.

Bomba is a traditional form of music which is usually performed in many puerto rican families by groups of people. It is  a mix of three main cultures, which are Spanish, African, and Taino. Bomba music is made mostly of drum’s called Barriles which drives from big barrels that are played with lamb skin to make a loud but rhythm filled flow. Other instruments include the Cua which is an open barrel which is hit with drum sticks and a maraca which can be different depending on size and sound. Although those are the main instruments there are various others that can be used. Bomba is more compared to salsa music, which in itself. Salsa is more Cuban and urban. Plena is made up of these little hand drums caled Pleneras. Plena also includes cuatro , maracas and accordions but what truly separates the two are the dances. Plena is like salsa music you play to a rhythm while people dance. Bomba is different because in Bomba the dancer controls the drummer and the rhythm reflects various movies and dancer technique. But if you don't listen to Bomba or Plena on your free time you would not know what they are because for a long time Bomba and Plena have been suppressed and oppressed from mainstream production.

Plena and Bomba when they first were created were used to show a resistance to the government. The people puerto Rico at the time called it the community newspaper because it when played had hidden messages. When protests and demonstrations broke out Plena would be played and the crowd would get behind the group as a form of support and to show a resistance to injustice. Bomba itself is a creation of sugar cane slaves. The sugar cane slaves created Bomba so that they could communicate with each other. A Lot of them came from place like Africa where they were enslaved for money and such purposes. Just like hip hop in our modern society Bomba was an escape , a cure and a voice of the oppressed not a way to dwell on sad times.

In closing I think that committee Noviembre mission fits the work they are doing and the events they are doing. committee Noviembre is accomplishing what they set out to do. I thought the event was great until I realized that  I had my bike stolen from outside the school. No one at Hostos or the police dept would help me until I started to pursue it and pressure them.

Bronx Heritage Musical Center

There are many communities affected by injustice and lack of resources, this is to be blamed on knowledge and opportunity. A Lot of times this has to do with politics, community commitment and community engagement. When organizing for a community you have to know what the community and what the community needs. Organizations have established programs that help tutor students in their needs. Everything from homework's, physical education to activities such as history of their own cultures. Places like Casita Maria have helped educate students on culture and folklore, groups like Bombayo have taught youth through performances. Community organizing lead the majority of these programs and at times help others in opening and creating programs that help to foster success through education and cultural awareness.

One of these locations is called the Bronx Musical Heritage Center which is located in the Freeman section of the Bronx. The center was created to reconnect today youth with their heritage and culture. The center focuses and emphasizes on its hip hop roots because of the location but regardless of the fact it is geared toward teaching about the roots of hip hop it also focuses on others such as modern and pre-modern Latin culture. One of its events is the Bronx Rising Music, Film and Spoken word of the boro. The event this year ran from November 8TH to November 10TH. The location of the event was  1303 Louis Nine BLVD, which in itself has its own historical roots. The event celebrates El Condado De La Salsa, meaning its creation and birth from its roots of mambo and the boogie down Bronx which gets its nickname from its roots in mambo and salsa. Hip Hop and salsa became an played a pivotal role in the Bronx back in the 1960’s and 1970’s when drugs and gangs ran rampant. One major factor was the great depression and another bring the building of Robert Moses famous Cross Bronx Expressway. When salsa and hip hop hit their peaks in the community it focused on being  the “voice of the oppressed”. Landlords were burning communities, police were brutalizing communities so why not find a constructive way to deal with the struggle? Unfortunately today in the 21st century we have lost that so events like Bronx Rising remind us of our history. Everyone from Johnny Pacheco to Afrika Bambaataa influenced the resilience of the boro. With that idea in mind Bronx Music Heritage Center was created and is committed to preserving and promoting music and families through education and practice. Some future developments that will come out of this plan and idea will be the creation of an expanded institution and the Bronx Commons Apartments, which will house community residents and artists. The development will include affordable apartments, an artist-school partnership with Bard College which when completed will include a green roof and recreational space.

With the mission and idea of education for the community in mind the Bronx Music Heritage Center created Bronx Rising to celebrate Puerto Rican Heritage month. Some of the notable performers were Sandra Maria Esteves, Vanessa Martir and Nancy Mercado. The three women all are poets and written expression performers in their own right. All three performers have all had their influence on the public and larger society as a whole. Sandra Maria Esteves is known to be La Madrina or in English the godmother of Nuyorican Poetry. Nuyorican as a word in its own right has its famous roots as it originated and was fostered by the creation of a similarly named establishment known as the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. The Nuyorican Poets Cafe is a location where many written expression performers go to express what they believe in without being chastised or oppressed. The next performer was Vanessa Martir , could be known as a leader and movement maker. Martir quit her full time job to pursue her hobby and dream as a poet and a written expression performer. She has written a few books but a lot of what she has written has been about her and her upbringing as a Latina who had strict parents who also had very closed minded views. She co-wrote a book that guides youth to social and emotional independence. She has taught at a few educational institutions and speaks regularly at schools and events that usually include panels on reforming the persona of youth. One example of her motivation towards youth is when she writes about not being accepted as a lesbian by her parents. Although the parents had perfect symbols according to her poems she writes about her not being the average girly, girl we are used to. At the end of the day she found love and care through those she helps and or helped.

Nancy Mercado however uses her experience in the community to guide her to what she writes about. In her poems she writes about her many experiences through activism and education. In one of her poems she asks the question is the party over meaning and or possibly implying that our dirty practices could be killing us and or our country. In another poem she speaks about her community experiences and the influence her family has had on her. Mercado has many awards and accomplishments and one which she has shared with us is her many publications. Everything from books to magazines, she has also been profiled as a Latino teacher of her work in the community and at home.

In closing the Bronx Musical Heritage Center has been a staple in the community because of its dedication to preserving historical icons from hip hop to poetry. I was there for the poetry event and learning that a lot of what I do others are doing helps me to connect to the community of others. The event as powerful in the fact that the students including myself were inspired and moved by the many stories told.

Origins of Humans Science VS. Religion and Faith

The debate of life is one that continues to interest us, science, and religious. The debate has alot of people wondering which is more accurate science or faith. The debate also has to do with how do we establish a better government because we live in a live in a capitalist  government so which model of human rule worked is the question people are trying to figure and answer. One man found the answer but that one man has always been questioned, his name was Charles Darwin. The other person who is involved in this debate of human species an the theory of evolution is Thomas Malthus. through his time Darwinism began to develop , basically it was following the writings, teachings and theories that some tried to interpret. Darwin had many theories from many of his studies on humans but just like today Thomas Malthus and religion counter his theories and thoughts on Darwinism. Some would say Darwinian is crazy. Charles Darwin was an English naturalist. He came up with his theory of evolution after he studied and looked at artifacts that had stated that humans had descendants from a common ancestor known as monkeys. He also came up with his idea of natural selection which also involved selective breeding. After the long research he published it in a book called On The Origins Of Species. In and around the 1870s the world and society as a whole had adopted and agreed with his idea and began to back it up with research. After a long and intensive search he finally found his theory to be backed up by fossils and artifacts. At the time many people were thinking and questioning Darwin theory but one person named Alfred Wallace sent him a written piece with a proof that backed up what he Darwin had thought, so they both jointly published it. Darwin because of his work he was established as one of the most influential figures in human history. He was born into a mixed societal family.
Human evolution means the process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. The thought behind evolution is that we evolved from primates, specifically the homo-sapiens. They considered us the great apes, the study comes from studies on how we discipline people from work to writing to type of gestures. During Darwin research he found that the homo-sapiens were the first to grasp the side of weapons and tools. The brains supposedly were the size of primates. With all the work he did on humans it lead him to natural selection. Natural selection is basically how humans reproduce using their genes. The theory involves the idea that the environment you live in changes who you are and how you live. The theory also said that people with one or more of the gene He discovered can produce more than those of their counter parts. The theory of sexual selection was what really  send the theory of Darwinism off and running. He basically states that “depends not on a struggle for existence , but on a struggle between males for possessing the females, the result is not death to the the unsuccessful competitor but few or no offspring,” meaning survival of the fittest.
In closing Darwin theory has had people fighting for what they say is how humans exists.

Central America and Pre-colonial Times (Mexico and Native Americans)

President Roosevelt was once known to be a president that cared about preserving  the history and story of people. One thing that has always been present in our society and history fearlessness of the person in off has been the connections other societies and cultures have had on ours. It is evident when you walk around our city, you can go from USA to Europe to Asia in minutes. Some say it is because of how close things are but one can extrapolate that is due to the affect our societies have had on each other. If you speak to people on the street you will hear lots of tales and stories about what they remember from other societies. President Roosevelt once said “in any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing and the worst thing you can do is nothing,” teaching that culture is an important thing that you should know about.

I went to the natural history museum in Manhattan, New York to learn more about Mexico and Central America. Mexico and Central America make up the vast majority of the Latin countries with customs but what we don't know are the artifacts. Mexico is a country that covers about two millennia. It started out at 13,000 people but has grown dramatically. Mexico is known for its large population of Spanish and Native American speakers. The country refuses to give credit to Europe because of the conquest. Alot of what is spoke about is the westernized culture of Mexico. During the Spanish rule of Mexico most or more than half of the indigenous population were wiped out or killed. Mexico declared its independence from Spain in 1810. Mexico for centuries has fought  against wars, drugs, government and all the politics, it was freedom to the most possible peace filled country but one thing that continues to plague them is the drug cartels.

Precolonial period had alot to do with the Native American population. Alot of what I saw at the museum had to do with art and how the natives communicated. There was alot of Aztec artifacts, one being the emblem they are known for. In the exhibit you also saw the way they cooked and dressed and honestly it was not so far from what we use today. You saw half clothed women with scrubs as the clothing, you also saw the weapons they used such as spears. In their ways of life the people of the Andean region mirror the diversity of landscapes from desert coasts to snow capped mountains. The ancient Andean civilization began and created a system of combining and coordinating their varied resources and cultures to create a civilization of great wealth. The Native Americans created systems of curing illnesses and sicknesses from herbal sources to what some would today consider voodoo. The Natives used raddled so they could perform rituals on the sick. The Natives would take the raddled and place it below the forearms so that if it raddled it would show and indicate the connections to spirits. Alot of what displayed has to do with pottery, figurines, jewelry and monuments.

In closing I learned alot about pre-modernization and colonial peoples. It is extremely interesting how out of everything there are those small successes and failures. In the museum I thought it was interesting to see how things worked out with interaction and learning how these people were able to work with each other and they had no form of technology to help them out so it begs to ask why cant we as a society do the same with everything we have but then again the question has to do with common sense which is not so common anymore.

3rd Annual South Bronx Folk Festival

South Bronx Folk Festival   

Folklore is an concept that has been around for sometime, actually ages. Every culture has some folklore and tradition to it. On Friday December Seventh Two Thousand and Twelve I attended a beautiful event, it included folklore from four ethnic groups. The puerto Rican's, Dominicans, Hondurans, and Japanese. All of these cultures are very similar in the sense of celebration. Though culture is an important thing folklore is the most important of it all because it teaches us what the origins are. Folklore has tradition, customs,clothing and even music.

The event I attended occurred at the Casita Maria Center for Art and Education and it was called the Danza Fiesta ! Baile Y Teatro Puertorriqueno Third Annual South Bronx Folk Dance Festival. The event was presented by Diversity in the Arts and Nations for Cultural Education and was directed by Hilda Rivera Pantojas, who is a facilitator at Boricua College. The South Bronx Folk Festival is a week long festival meant to highlight the cultural diversity. The event had many featured performers and performances by Danza Fiesta, Irka Mateo and the women of fire, kaoru Watanabe and Hamalali Wayunagu.

Danza Fiesta is a group that was created in 1998 by Hilda Rivera Pantojas. It was created to show and exemplify Puerto Rican culture and folkloric traditions with everyone. Danza Fiesta is made up of a band and a group of performers. They play lots of musical instruments from timbales to cow bells. Danza Fiesta  performs international folklore while explaining taino culture. The performances both included entertainment and performance. The show had casoglos, the women had dresses that were very cultural and elegant, they told a story of a couple that had gotten married and had a jealous family member who was portrayed as a skank and whore. The performance included dancing, singing , spoken word and crowd involvement. There were a part where the married guy started dancing in public with other people and the wife created a spectacle when she saw she was not getting attention. This performance gave us historical context just like many other types of folklore performances.

Although very different from the first performance the Honduran folklore performance brought similar music but with a different vibe and historical background. It was back in 1797 that the country of St.Vincent and the grenadines began what would to be be known as the British Exile of St.Vincent. It was only fitting that during a very energetic performance would these great performers come together with the thought of having a conflict, fighting performance. The performance reflected the fight for St. Vincent in which the Caribbeans were exiled to Honduras where today in the Sandy Bay some of their descendants can be found. The performance was put on by a group called the Hamalali Wayunagu which has the mission to “expose, share and teach audiences about Garifuna culture, heritage and history,” this company was established in the Bronx in 1992 about twenty years ago.

Japanese folklore is similar to most traditional cultures. The Japanese believe in a lot of mother earths energy. Most of the folklore is celebrated using drums and these drums can be anything from traditional drums to Bangos. Th celebrations occur for festivals, religious, and cultural events. They all come from a sense of connections from the gods drawing from earth energy. the performers used high pitch performances to relate how energy is drawn from earth.

One of the last performance s of the day was Irka Mateo and the Women of Fire. The women of Fire and Irka Mateo set out to perform and teach people about Dominican folklore using music and drums called palos. Palos are used to perform Inonu dance or Baile De Atabales. The performances are barrier breakers because there are not many female percussionists out there today.

In closing I had a good time experiencing the folklore and seeing the different cultures. I think being true to who you are and understanding your culture is a pivotal thing that makes you human.

Videos:

Photos:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4539047728735.267094.1667422128&type=3

My Strengths and Resilience.......

None of this comes easy, writing this never is easy, understanding this is never easy, even in the most emotional and successful times this is difficult but we all have a story to tell and if its not told no one is listening.....Here we go ! 

                      Alot of people have told me growing up you are going to be something, I was nicked named the "Abogado" aka Lawyer in Spanish  nicked named the giant, and even 3000 for the infamous Andre 3,000. Truth be told growing up was never easy and it still to this day isn't easy living with some of the things I live with, do I experience depression ? No not at all, do I experience stress ? Sometimes but one thing I do not experience is Pressure or failure none of those two are in my vocabulary or dictionary  I remember growing up always being the outcast, the kid no one liked, the one everyone wanted to jump, I said a word and it would be taken out of context. But one day that all ended, I opened my eyes, saw where I was going and saw where I wanted to be so here we go....

                     My strength and resilience come from the many experiences I have had with people and the work in the community I live in. I have had a lot of resilience because I have seen people struggle and I understand struggle because of my family. Things growing up were not easy, I had to learn that the ward way early on. Everything from drama and illnesses in my family to physical reactions and interactions (Fights and arguments nothing sexual or crazy like that). I think some of my strengths come from working with people who have been through some of the struggles I have been through. I see people who have everything but are not happy and people who have nothing and who are happy. When you see other people struggle it reminds you of what you are thankful for. 

                      My resilience comes from getting used to what I already have been through. Some examples of struggles that built my resilience have been experiencing homelessness, foster care, the affect of my mothers many illnesses, being told in middle school that if I did not seek something positive I would not be successful and one of the biggest struggles that has made me who I am was finding a way to fit in at times when I could not. I think to have resilience in my time means success. Many people fall to drugs and crimes and gangs but I found my solution in helping others in their problems and issues. I try to support everyone who wants to make a change because those are the ones who have will and power and use it because we all have it but you have to want to see something new in yourself to be happy and loved with in yourself. 

                Finally we all go through struggle but do not let that stop you from being happy always remember there are options but they only work if you choose to use them. I have chosen to help the community and will continue to do so in the future, I want to lead my community, city, state and country in whatever ways that I can. 

A Memorable Thanksgiving........

                   A Memorable Thanksgiving........

     Thanksgiving a holiday full of thankfulness, a time of the year to stop and reflect of what has been, what is and what will be in the future. Thanksgiving a time to sit and communicate with family, although sometimes it is not with family. Everyone has something to be thankful for, but for what exactly is a great question to be asked. Thanksgiving also has its historical background and if you look into it, doesn't always look good, so what are we celebrating ? If its supposed to be a good holiday what does it look like and how should it look like ?

       The question of what does it look like and what should it look like has always been a question I have had to ask myself and everyone in my immediate circle. Year after year my family gathers and sometimes it is good and sometimes it is bad. Good because we only get to see each other once in a blue. Bad because unfortunately not everyone can be in the same room without wanting to kill each other. But what should a traditional Thanksgiving look like for us, a simple question that at times can be hard to answer......

       My most memorable Thanksgiving of all my 19 years of life had to be this year. A week before Thanksgiving 2012 there was a death in my family, my brother in law had lost his grandmother and it was an emotional time for most of us physically and mentally. Although I normally do not have feelings for death I understood how deep in pain he must have been. My sister, my brother in law and niece all went to Florida to bury her and remember her for the person she was, and that had left questions in my mind. Not out of selfishness or self contentedness but out of question because at the end of the day that is all I do, question.

       Thanksgiving day 2012 came and it was a day after my brother in law had buried his mother so it was like how are we going to be doing this, I was not really expecting anything but family maybe at that. I was surprised to say the least when I entered my sisters house. The dining table was set in decoration for Thanksgiving with all the different clothes and napkins and plates with all the different platters, some being pie, cake and even nuts with a nutcracker standing not far. My sister was still cooking so we started to take pictures with my mother and nephews. We were expecting my brother in law family and my family and it went off without a hitch. The food was cooked and place in their rightful spots, rice at the rice holder, the Turkey and pork in their rightful spot, happy with pineapple and cherries and stuffing and the scraps.

       It was memorable not for the food or decorations but rather for the community, family likeness of it. It was the first time everyone was in the same room without arguments and drama. It was the first time we had been together holding hands praying over the food and telling stories of previous Thanksgivings. We then took more photos some with my sister and mother then the nephews with their grandmother and such. When it came time to dig in as we call it in my family, the food was hot and still steaming and was gone instantly. The bird had been picked to shreds leaving only the wings still tied and the wishbone still in tacked.

       Finally it came time to go home and I was in a great mood because all I have ever wanted was to have a not so drama filled Thanksgiving. I would pray to god that everyone had the same, I also hope those in need had gotten some sort of help in this time of need. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for what you have and one of the biggest things I am thankful for is everything I have, share with others and everything that has not been taken or stolen from me.

What Am I Thankful For ?

........Dedicated to all my family members who have passed away and to those who struggle daily with all types of issues. 

What Am I Thankful For ? 

It is 2012 and I am 19 years old so what am I thankful for ?

I am thankful for my family

the good, the bad, the crazy and even the dumb asses.

I am thankful for my wisdom

when to do right, when to do wrong and even the painful ones in the back of my mouth.

I am thankful for my experiences

Bronx River, Bronx River Community, Soundview Community, Edenwald Houses, Ohio, Detroit, Washington DC, and even New York State, Middle School, High School, College.

I am thankful for the lessons

Family drama, life and personal.

I am thankful for my mother the most

She represents struggle and through her I have learned to be who I am today.

I am also thankful for my sister

Who practically raised me when times were rough.

I am thankful for all that is mine, all that I share, and all that has not been taken or stolen from me !

I am thankful for life ! 

The Presidential Election 2012

Every four years we make some sort of history and that history can come from anywhere, a majority comes from elections but what happens when history is repeated ? 2012 was one of the election years where history needed to be repeated but by who would it be ? Another question was this vote popular or electoral that would remake history and if not what would become of the United States ? Two candidates Barack Obama or Mitt Romney both had some good and some bad but which one was the less of the two evils or was there an evil ?

           Mitt Romney is a candidate who has more history with government in the sense of running a state not so much a country of which Obama had a sense when he first stated and looked to running for office. Mitt Romney was the governor of Massachusetts where he basically created a debacle of the State from his education plans to his state economic plans. He is a politician focused on factory and production jobs and money. He also is a mormon which for those who do not know means that he is part Jewish and Part christian in a sense. To catholics like myself he would be considered a sinner (not trying to judge). Mitt Romney is a person who basically wanted to turn the rich into the richest (as if they already were not) and the poor to the poorest. He said he would cut programs if he say they were unnecessary. Mitt Romney was bent on building up factories and companies that continue to pollute our environment, companies that manufacture products using fossil fuels which are some of the worst on the planet. He also mentioned things about how he had power on his side with binders full of women and how he would do all these great things but we all knew he was only going to cut big bird and let the poor people suffer. 

     It was a close call Obama coming out the winner as to be expected honestly, he always helped out the people regardless of how he has done it. He said he would save the auto industry and he did, he said he would get a health care bill and he did, Obama also said that he would get immigration reform and he got that ball rolling to. Allowing our people to prosper is the start of something new because for decades our people have been oppressed and suppressed and a state that has needed the government spoke. Ohio was the deciding factor in the election, a state that relies on farming subsidies just like New York City residents rely on housing subsidies at times. President Obama had one thing going for him that Romney did not and it was Bill Clinton, had Clinton not been so honest and charismatic Obama would have had a tougher call because if you look at the popular vote Obama really lost to Romney but the electoral college was swayed by the honesty of this administration.

     In Closing I thought it was a very close election, everything from the trash Romney spewed to the honesty Obama spoke about. I remember staying up until almost 2 in the morning watching the results. I also remember Romney taking forever to admit his loss.

What I Carry ?

      Everyone has something they carry that has some type of sentiment. Some people carry the sentiment in their pocket or on their body but others carry their sentiment in their bag.

      In my book bag I carry a lot of different things. I carry my books for school, folders for organization and other non essentials. My books are needed for learning and my folders serve for organization purposes. I carry my keys which unlock my house, my sisters house, my work equipment, and of course my bike which is my transportation. I also carry my whistle for biking and pens and pencils for school work. I  carry my community patrol badge and id so that if someone is in trouble I can help them safely without interfering with the professionals. I also carry a reflective jacket and tape for when I am biking in addition to my rain gear at times. A lot of what I carry in my bag has to do with school but can be metaphoric for my life story and success, everything  I carry is carried on my shoulders. 

       I carry determination because I am not willing to kneel down to failure, it is not even in my vocabulary. I carry success because I am the first to graduate and stay in school out of everyone in my family. I carry understanding and empathy to the struggle of being poor and working class. I carry appreciation for everyone and everything I have because I have had nothing and everything and I have seen people who have it all and are not happy and those who have nothing but enjoy it . I also carry my experiences negative and positive. I grew up in a mental Chaos but I would not deny it. I have seen and been thru bad and I have been part of change and everyday is an opportunity for learning. 

       In closing i carry a lot physically and emotionally but you wouldn't not know unless you asked or been apart of it. everything I experience has a story or a reason and I enjoy and learn from what I do. 

Salem Witch Trials

Salem Witch Trials

     Every moment, every day, every year in our lives we express a belief, sometimes these beliefs or belief is agreed upon and sometimes it is not agreed upon but at the end of the day it is our right to expression. The idea that expression should be limited is an injustice and a civil rights issue. This was the theme and case when it came up to the Salem Witch Trials and Hunts.

     The Salem Witch Trials where a group of events that occurred because of a theory which was proven to be wrong in the end. The Salem Witch Trials began between February 1692 and May 1693. The Trials were created to stop what people thought other people were practicing, which was witchcraft in Colonial Massachusetts. The Trials were named Salem Witch Town but they sometimes took place in different towns across the province such as: Salem Village, Ipswich Village , Andover, and in Salem Town. There are two famous people during this time.

     The first person had to do with Elizabeth Betty Parris. Betty was nine years old when the Witch Hunt and Trials began in Salem, she was someone who always had a role in it when the hunts first bean. She was known for being kind hearted but she grew up in a time like today where money was not stable and she had her fathers drama to add to it all.

     The second person had to do with Abigail Williams which at the time was eleven years old. She lived with her uncle Samuel Parris also in Salem. she too had suffered through the harsh economic times and also had to deal with family drama. Abigail Williams would later be known to be on of the first people to lay blame on others.

     At this point you are probably wondering how the two people are related or how they have to do with each other and it is simple Abigail and Betty were cousins but it was not that simple they both were the reason the trials happened in the first place. The cousins began having issues with self control. Upon realizing this their uncle seeked medical help for them. It turned out they had no issues so the questions began. Dr. William Griggs thought it had to do with witchcraft. At the time witchcraft had been taboo or banned and because of this accusation twenty people had been killed due to the cousins. Tiuba a slave to Parris was asked to help out figure if the cousins had witchcraft effects, they tested a dog to see if it would reflect the cousins actions, turned out to be false. In an effort to redirect attention the cousins accused Tituba of witchcraft along with two others, only Tituba would admit to it and would be released upon being found guilty.The other two died slow and boring deaths. At the end of the day the two cousins knew that they would have the same fate so they redirected attention time after time thus spreading the Trials anywhere and everywhere.

     In closing this act that the cousins pulled off was wrong and should not have occurred. Tituba was spared sadly others were not due to these two liars. This can be reflected in our society because those that do wrong get away with everything and the good have to suffer.

Bomplenazo En El Bronx

      On a cold and rainy Sunday I went out to a very fun event called Bomplenazo. At the time I knew it would be fun because a group called Bombayo was to perform and they did ! When they perform it reminds me of the culture I never knew. As a Puerto Rican it is important to me to understand my background. I have only been taught so much. Another group which name I never got performed Plena which is separate but often gets confused with Bomba and they too were inspirational, it had been my first official time listening in full to a plenero perform, I had only seen snippets of the Plena performances around my community. Overall I enjoyed the day and the performances. It was a huge sell as the crowd grew and grew around me to listen in and watch as I was for performance after performance.

PLENA

BOMBA BY BOMBAYO

Historical Content 

      Bomba and plena are percussion-driven musical traditions from Puerto Rico that move people to dance. Often mentioned together as though they were a single musical style, both reflect the African heritage of Puerto Rico, but there are basic distinctions between them in rhythm, instrumentation, and lyrics. You can hear the difference in these songs. In "Baila, Julia Loíza" the drums or barriles are lower pitched and form a different rhythmic accompaniment than the pandereta drums in the plena example, "Báilala hasta las dos."

      Bomba dates back to the early European colonial period in Puerto Rico. It comes out of the musical traditions brought by enslaved Africans in the 17th century. To them, bomba music was a source of political and spiritual expression. The lyrics conveyed a sense of anger and sadness about their condition, and songs served as a catalyst for rebellions and uprisings. But bomba also moved them to dance and celebrate, helping them create community and identity. The music evolved through contact between slave populations from different Caribbean colonies and regions, including the Dutch colonies, Cuba, Santo Domingo, and Haití. As a result,bomba now has sixteen different rhythms. The rhythms mark the pace of the singing and dance. Bomba instruments include the subidor or primo (bomba barrel or drum), maracas, and the cuá or fuá, two sticks played against the wood of the barrels or another piece of wood. Viento de Agua exemplifies gracimá and hoyoemularhythms in "Mayela" and "Siré-Siré," and Raul and Freddy Ayala perform the yubá or "Juba" rhythm.

      Plena developed from bomba music around the beginning of the 20th century in southern Puerto Rico. Plena lyrics are narrative. They convey a story about events, address topical themes, often comment on political protest movements, and offer satirical commentaries. Tito Matos, leader of the Puerto Rican group Viento de Agua, describes plena as "the newspaper of the people." Plena has only one basic rhythm, in contrast to bomba´s sixteen rhythms. Plena instrumentation has changed greatly over the years, but the one indispensable and defining element is the pandereta, a round hand drum that comes in different sizes. The smallest of them is there quinto, which improvises over the rhythm of the other drums. The tracks below are classic examples of plena, and for more information on the drums used in plena click on the video demonstration on the right.

      Bomba and plena are defining musical sounds of the Afro-Puerto Rican population. Matos says, "In Puerto Rico you go to Black and humble communities and you´re going to find bomba and plena without a doubt." These Afro-Puerto Rican musical traditions have also enjoyed an active life in New York City and other communities in which Puerto Ricans have settled. Pioneer performers such as Los Pleneros de la 21 and Marcial Reyes have succeeded in keeping the styles alive through performing groups and participating in community events. They embrace modern sounds, yet adhere to traditional styles that maintain a sense of pride in their cultural heritage.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO SEE THE FULL STORY/HISTORICAL CONTENT 

>>>>>>http://www.folkways.si.edu/explore_folkways/bomba_plena.aspx<<<<<<<<

LINKS TO FOLLOW !

https://www.facebook.com/bombayo?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/LosRoblesdeCasabe?fref=ts

 En Espanol 

      En un frío y lluvioso domingo fui a un muy divertido evento llamado bomplenazo. en el momento iknew que sería divertido porque un grupo llamado bombayo fue a realizar y que no ! Cuando se realice me recuerda de la cultura que nunca supe. como puertorriqueño, para mí es importante para entender mi tan curiosos como

What is Climate Change ? What is Global Warming ?

What is Climate Change ? What is Global Warming ? Well to sum it up it is a crisis, one that will not go away for a very long time, if  at all. Climate Change is basically an environmental issue that has grown to global proportions. Climate Change is the Global Warming affect on the planet and its reactions. The big question is how are these two issues related and it is a question many people are trying to answer. So much has been affected because of these two issues everything from the everyday person to the economy and even government.  Before Climate Change became an issue or Global Warming became a concern a lot of governments were just going about their regular lives as if everything was ok. It was not until Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami in Japan that we began to look at the real issue.

     Plenty of organizations have been arguing that this has to come about due to our national dirty practices. Dirty practices such as the burning of coal and fossil fuels. The brunt of these two issues have been more or less localized. A lot of people attribute Climate Change and Global Warming as issues that have overgrown their time. When I say local issues I speak of the polluted rivers, overflowing trash into our oceans, land fills and even worse the unknown variable which is mass production of food and abuse of child labor. All of the local issues all have to do with extreme socioeconomic disparities that have over stood its time. Climate Change and Global Warming are two issues that can not be joked about. I remember my old supervisor telling me that if we did not do something on the local level that we would be screwed. To be exact he said that “our summers are going to be rare but powerful storms.” I believed him and over the last two summers we have experienced some unlikely storms and global events. Everything from Tornados in Brooklyn  and Queens to catastrophic Earthquakes in Haiti and even one here in New York City.

     The question is no longer what we have to do but rather what are we going and are  doing today to change the impact we are having on our planet ? Most of the answers have been small solutions that have huge impacts. China and Japan cutting down on fossil fuel use and building state of the art sports venues. We in New York City instituted a 30 year plan called PlaNYC 2030. For those who do not know PlaNYC it is a plan by 2030 that is made up of huge and bold agendas by the city of New York.

     Climate Change and Global Warming was the topic last weekend Saturday, September 22nd, 2012 at the Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Public Library. An event called Eco-poetry: Poetry of Ecological Study. At this event lots of poets came and performed poems that had something to do or related with Climate Change and Global Warming. The poets that were on stage had elements of shock factor and elements of truth and originality. The poets that performed all had some connection to the Global Warming and Climate Change movement or what us organizers on the local level call Environmental Justice

     I think that it is great that people are beginning to address real issues in real ways. One of the principles of Environmental Justice speaks about relevancy and how we must educate the masses. That principal is the sixth or twelve principles that were developed as standards of doing environmental work. The best ways to solve Climate Change and Global Warming issues are to educate the public and the people who are destroying our planet. Another way the government can stop Climate Change and Global Warming is to sanction and tax the heck out of these bad companies that are polluting our environment. People in the public could also boycott companies like BP aka British Petroleum, the same people responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and other places in the region.

     Education was the idea behind the poets who performed on Saturday. Poets like Daniela Gioseff. Gioseff spoke and performed poems that had to do with the melting Glaciers. She also mentioned labor law violations that companies like Nokia and Samsung who use children to mess with dirty, toxic materials in the Congo to make cell phone batteries in the fossil barrons. Alfred Corn, performed poetry that had to do with the extinction of birds and how it continues to hurt our planet. The same sentiment was shown when George Guida spoke about disappearing bees that help our plants thrive through the harsh conditions we continue to endor. The issue of mass food production arose when poet Eliot Katz spoke about the Occupy Wall Street movement and Romneys 45% idea. Katz went on to talk about how mass food production was making us sick and how it all has to do with money. He stated “sleep tight don't let the bacteria bite” to close out his poem, showing the effectiveness and impact climate change is having on us all. Is the world angry and is the party over ? asked poet Nancy Mercado, which is a great question if you think about everything that we are affected by Nuclear Power Plants from Indian Point to Georgia and as far as Massachusetts and the loss of beans and food crops also animal life. If we do not change our practices we will be screwed as soon as 2030.

      Bill McKibben founder of 350.org and world renoun Climatologist united with Al Gor’s organization to fight against climate crisis, gave an interview to PBS “The Reckoning: The New Math of Climate Catastrophe” and in this interview he sheads some light on the issues of climate change and Global Warming. He says “If the pictures of those towering wildfires in Colorado or the size of your AC bill this summer does not convince you here are some hard numbers about Climate Change.” The numbers were large and indeed are historic, in June we broke or tied 3,215 high temperature records across the united states. North Hampshire had the warmest May on record. Meteorologists reported that this spring was “Largest temperature departure from average of any season on record.” The question remains could it get anymore serious ? Well...... it can so much so that politicians can not even get their heads straight, three conferences in the last twelve years and still no solid commitment just compromises.

     In closing it was a great experience to see such a concern for a real issue. You knew once you stepped into the room that the event was going to be a real serious hot topic even because the atmosphere was filled with environmental thinkers. There were banners for two different organizations one being 350.org and the other for poetsusa.org. The poets who performed were fairly elderly to middle aged males and females who could be considered activists in our modern society, they also got really serious when they performed. Just like our friend Bill Mckibben I to stress the importance of monitoring what activities we do and what our planet is doing event if 2 degrees celsius is not cool enough for you !

Picture of a flooded area under the Bronx River Parkway due to the heavy rains and back up of the Bronx River (Burke Bridge) 

The Immigrant Experience ( written for class using the convos I have had with people I know)

     There are a lot of people who suffer in today's society because of what we call the immigrant experience. The immigrant experience usually had to do with a person who leaves their homeland to get away from something or to make something else better. The person usually gets backed into a wall or stumbles on red tape (passports, id e.g.) so they usually get around it and end up here in the United States. They are then raised or live life with very little because they are afraid or to scared to talk about their experience. The immigrant then becomes chastised because people tend to think of them as criminals or people here trying to steal a job or some type of benefit. The person the comes across someone who tells them they are here to help them and then gets ripped off. They end up with a child or more and a dead beat parent with no benefits or support system.

     Usually our society calls these people illegals or aliens. They then come into a realization that they choice they made can hurt or help them. Somewhere along the line someone starts asking questions and then next thing you know you are going to your door and you have federal police looking for you.

     Usually at this time the immigrant has already suffered through poor labor laws and stereotypes. What ends up occurring next is you have police questioning you and placing you in a lock up and you find yourself being locked up in some of the most degrading situations. Your abused probably starved and malnourished and have not seen family or a lawyer. 

*** SOON TO BE DOING A PAPER ON A SPECIFIC PERSON MORE INFORMATION TO COME STAY TUNED IF YOU ARE INTERESTED LET ME KNOW WITH A MESSAGE OR INBOX******

The New Haven Line "13 stations of history"

Cass Gilbert 

Should we save the train station ?

History of Cass Gilbert 

- Cass Gilbert was born in Zanesville, Ohio on November 24, 1859. His parents were Samuel Gilbert and Elizabeth Wheeler Gilbert. He was named for a very prominent uncle, U.S. Senator Lewis Cass.

-In 1868, when Cass was nine years old the family left Ohio to join his father, who was working as a surveyor in St. Paul, Minnesota. Samuel Gilbert died soon after the family’s arrival in Minnesota.

-Elizabeth Gilbert made sure Cass and his two brothers would complete the schooling they had begun in Ohio. In 1876, Cass entered an apprenticeship as draftsman in the office of Abraham Radcliffe, a St. Paul architect. This is where he began his long friendship with fellow architect Clarence Johnston, Sr.

-In 1878, Cass entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study architecture under William Robert Ware. He completed one year of the two-year program. In the summer of 1879, he worked as a surveyor to earn money for his “Grand Tour” of Europe.

-On January 3, 1880, Cass Gilbert left New York City for Liverpool, England, with $420.00. For almost a year he made his way through the countrysides and cities of picturesque England, France, and Italy. He sketched architectural features that he would later use in many of his designs.

-Disappointed that he could not secure employment in London, Cass Gilbert returned to New York in September 1880 and went to work for the prestigious architecture firm of McKim, Mead and White, serving as Stanford White’s assistant.

-In 1882, he returned to St. Paul, Minnesota. He represented the interests of McKim, Mead and White in the West and began his Minnesota architecture career. He kept offices in the Gilfillan Block, the same building as his boyhood friends Clarence Johnston and James Knox Taylor who had also returned to St. Paul from New York City.

-In 1883, Gilbert completed his first residential work in St. Paul- his mother’s house at 471 Ashland Avenue.

-In 1885, he formed a partnership with James Knox Taylor. Together their office would build residences, churches, office buildings, railroad stations and commercial buildings in Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and Montana.

-In 1891, Gilbert and Knox dissolved their partnership. Gilbert went out on his own and continued his St. Paul work.

-In 1895, Cass Gilbert was selected to design the new state capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota. Gilbert knew this would be the job to bring him national attention and would make his architectural career.

-In 1899, Gilbert won the commission for the U.S. Custom House in New York. He opened his New York office and moved there the same year. His St. Paul office would remain open until 1910.

-Gilbert would go on to build many buildings in New York including the West Street Building, the New York Life Insurance Company Building, the New York County Lawyers Association Building, the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and the U.S. Courthouse.

-In 1913, Gilbert completed the Woolworth Building in New York City. It would stand as the world’s tallest building for over a decade. His career continued all over America. He worked on the capitol in Arkansas, and he designed the West Virginia Capitol. His last building was the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington D.C.

New Haven Rail Road Station built by Cass Gilbert Started building in1909-1918 Finished the building 

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Photos/75001941.pdf

   Cass Gilbert was a great architect, unique projects and many of which were famous, but no one is questioning his greatness. We are questioning the people who named a train station after him, these folks called Amtrak are trying to demolish a train station that was named after him. Amtrak is also trying to retake a train station turned store along with Metro North, are the biggest issues with our community seeing how they are the biggest issue when trying to work on a green way for the community. Cass Gilbert train station currently stands ten feet above ground and has been non functional for about two decades (1988) and it is one of only four train stations that exist in the many network of trainstations on the New Haven line.

From Concrete Plant Park Bronx, NY

    What sets this apart from anything is the fact that it was name after a famous man who did wonders for building for NYC and other states, a guy so famous that the city wold disregard the fact that he had a building made for the US government. I believe that the Station should reopen as a museum and should also be turned into a operation train station for Amtrak and Metro North it would provide access to the park and visibility for those who do not know about the area.

  

Useful links:

http://www.cassgilbertsociety.org/works/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/realestate/29scapes.html

http://www.nylandmarks.org/programs_services/endangered_buildings_initiative//westchester_avenue_cass_gilbert_station/

http://huntspointexpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jag9889/2382055578/in/photostream/

From Witlock Ave Bronx, NY