cuando la vida es la única razón por mucho y el futuro se vuelva do de aqui
mucho y el futuro se vuelva do de aqui
mucho y el futuro se vuelva do de aqui le pedo or Lexi Cunha respuesta when
le pedo or Lexi Cunha respuesta when
le pedo or Lexi Cunha respuesta when life becomes the only reason to fight
life becomes the only reason to fight
life becomes the only reason to fight for and the future becomes uncertain who
for and the future becomes uncertain who
for and the future becomes uncertain who do I ask for or demand an answer from my
do I ask for or demand an answer from my
do I ask for or demand an answer from my poetry has shaped my identity my goals
poetry has shaped my identity my goals
poetry has shaped my identity my goals and my point of view of life 15 years
and my point of view of life 15 years
and my point of view of life 15 years ago I perform poetry for the first time
ago I perform poetry for the first time
ago I perform poetry for the first time my opening in Spanish was actually the
my opening in Spanish was actually the
my opening in Spanish was actually the first stance I performed when I was only
first stance I performed when I was only
first stance I performed when I was only 9 years old that was a very significant
9 years old that was a very significant
9 years old that was a very significant moment for me and it is not until now
moment for me and it is not until now
moment for me and it is not until now that I can clearly understand why I was
that I can clearly understand why I was
that I can clearly understand why I was so very shy girl I love reading I love
so very shy girl I love reading I love
so very shy girl I love reading I love writing but I had a problem speaking up
writing but I had a problem speaking up
writing but I had a problem speaking up spoken word felt like being a different
spoken word felt like being a different
spoken word felt like being a different me I was at an age when people
me I was at an age when people
me I was at an age when people underestimated me no one thought a 10
underestimated me no one thought a 10
underestimated me no one thought a 10 year old girl would come and stage and
year old girl would come and stage and
year old girl would come and stage and talk about femicides about women being
talk about femicides about women being
talk about femicides about women being killed and disappearing in my city well
killed and disappearing in my city well
killed and disappearing in my city well I did I had to I cannot keep seeing this
I did I had to I cannot keep seeing this
I did I had to I cannot keep seeing this without speaking up as the future of my
without speaking up as the future of my
without speaking up as the future of my society being a child in Juarez Mexico
society being a child in Juarez Mexico
society being a child in Juarez Mexico was not easy I’m from a border city that
was not easy I’m from a border city that
was not easy I’m from a border city that used to be called the most dangerous
used to be called the most dangerous
used to be called the most dangerous city in the world I remember waking up
city in the world I remember waking up
city in the world I remember waking up every day to watch the death count on TV
every day to watch the death count on TV
every day to watch the death count on TV I yet for inventi Cinco yesterday there
I yet for inventi Cinco yesterday there
I yet for inventi Cinco yesterday there were 25 teens say 15 vs 10 o solo fueron
were 25 teens say 15 vs 10 o solo fueron
were 25 teens say 15 vs 10 o solo fueron Cinco there were only 5 we became so
Cinco there were only 5 we became so
Cinco there were only 5 we became so used to the violence and the corruption
used to the violence and the corruption
used to the violence and the corruption that we became desensitized many of my
that we became desensitized many of my
that we became desensitized many of my friends were directly affected by
friends were directly affected by
friends were directly affected by violence
violence
violence I remember getting calls from my friends
I remember getting calls from my friends
I remember getting calls from my friends to tell me that someone had passed away
to tell me that someone had passed away
to tell me that someone had passed away or that a friend had been kidnapped it
or that a friend had been kidnapped it
or that a friend had been kidnapped it was heartbreaking business closed people
was heartbreaking business closed people
was heartbreaking business closed people moved people died and that is where
moved people died and that is where
moved people died and that is where spoken word came in to save me
spoken word came in to save me
spoken word came in to save me I had many emotions I wanted to do
I had many emotions I wanted to do
I had many emotions I wanted to do something for my city and the stage was
something for my city and the stage was
something for my city and the stage was the only place
the only place
the only place where I could channel all of those
where I could channel all of those
where I could channel all of those emotions why am I telling you all of
emotions why am I telling you all of
emotions why am I telling you all of those you may ask because this was my
those you may ask because this was my
those you may ask because this was my main connection to my students our
main connection to my students our
main connection to my students our backgrounds might be different but our
backgrounds might be different but our
backgrounds might be different but our environments were very similar we were
environments were very similar we were
environments were very similar we were in environments where we do not feel
in environments where we do not feel
in environments where we do not feel completely free so now going to my
completely free so now going to my
completely free so now going to my teaching year one I started teaching
teaching year one I started teaching
teaching year one I started teaching three and a half years ago I moved to
three and a half years ago I moved to
three and a half years ago I moved to Dallas to become part of their
Dallas to become part of their
Dallas to become part of their organization Teach for America and I
organization Teach for America and I
organization Teach for America and I became a pre-k teacher my first year was
became a pre-k teacher my first year was
became a pre-k teacher my first year was relatively easy my students were very
relatively easy my students were very
relatively easy my students were very sweet four year olds strong classroom
sweet four year olds strong classroom
sweet four year olds strong classroom culture I had no problem at all during
culture I had no problem at all during
culture I had no problem at all during that time I was really not performing
that time I was really not performing
that time I was really not performing poetry because I really did not feel the
poetry because I really did not feel the
poetry because I really did not feel the impact of moving to into a different
impact of moving to into a different
impact of moving to into a different country let me tell you a little bit
country let me tell you a little bit
country let me tell you a little bit about border life border life is very
about border life border life is very
about border life border life is very different you’re from here by you’re
different you’re from here by you’re
different you’re from here by you’re also from there I remember growing up in
also from there I remember growing up in
also from there I remember growing up in Cuates and crossing tole Paso Texas a
Cuates and crossing tole Paso Texas a
Cuates and crossing tole Paso Texas a couple times a week and then when I
couple times a week and then when I
couple times a week and then when I moved for college to a paso crossing
moved for college to a paso crossing
moved for college to a paso crossing back to Cuates every weekend just to
back to Cuates every weekend just to
back to Cuates every weekend just to spend time with my friends
spend time with my friends
spend time with my friends we’re sister cities it was not until my
we’re sister cities it was not until my
we’re sister cities it was not until my second year teaching that I started
second year teaching that I started
second year teaching that I started truly missing my culture the border my
truly missing my culture the border my
truly missing my culture the border my family my friends my art and my second
family my friends my art and my second
family my friends my art and my second year teaching changed my life completely
year teaching changed my life completely
year teaching changed my life completely I got moved up to become a fourth grade
I got moved up to become a fourth grade
I got moved up to become a fourth grade general education writing and social
general education writing and social
general education writing and social studies teacher and a reading
studies teacher and a reading
studies teacher and a reading interventionist so the first day of
interventionist so the first day of
interventionist so the first day of class with my students I had picture
class with my students I had picture
class with my students I had picture there’s wonderful meditation exercise we
there’s wonderful meditation exercise we
there’s wonderful meditation exercise we would come in they were just this
would come in they were just this
would come in they were just this wonderful team-building activity well it
wonderful team-building activity well it
wonderful team-building activity well it went up completely different my students
went up completely different my students
went up completely different my students came into the classroom two of my
came into the classroom two of my
came into the classroom two of my students were fighting physically other
students were fighting physically other
students were fighting physically other students was yelling at me and another
students was yelling at me and another
students was yelling at me and another girl was being just too fired I asked
girl was being just too fired I asked
girl was being just too fired I asked her to please take her seat and she said
her to please take her seat and she said
her to please take her seat and she said no I’m not gonna do it what are you
no I’m not gonna do it what are you
no I’m not gonna do it what are you gonna do about it
gonna do about it
gonna do about it I said not what I did not know what to
I said not what I did not know what to
I said not what I did not know what to do let me be honest with you I went home
do let me be honest with you I went home
do let me be honest with you I went home that night and I couldn’t start crying
that night and I couldn’t start crying
that night and I couldn’t start crying then there are these moments as a
then there are these moments as a
then there are these moments as a teacher when you must make decisions
teacher when you must make decisions
teacher when you must make decisions that you
that you
that you my may upset someone in your building
my may upset someone in your building
my may upset someone in your building but you know what if it benefits my
but you know what if it benefits my
but you know what if it benefits my students I have to do it
students I have to do it
students I have to do it first what did I know about my students
first what did I know about my students
first what did I know about my students one I knew they were yelling fighting at
one I knew they were yelling fighting at
one I knew they were yelling fighting at each other and two I knew that they did
each other and two I knew that they did
each other and two I knew that they did not know how to channel all of those
not know how to channel all of those
not know how to channel all of those emotions that they were holding inside
emotions that they were holding inside
emotions that they were holding inside so we went back into the classroom and
so we went back into the classroom and
so we went back into the classroom and we changed the whole dynamic we started
we changed the whole dynamic we started
we changed the whole dynamic we started having sharing circles every day we
having sharing circles every day we
having sharing circles every day we would come in we would meditate and then
would come in we would meditate and then
would come in we would meditate and then we would share a word that describe how
we would share a word that describe how
we would share a word that describe how we felt on that day so initially you
we felt on that day so initially you
we felt on that day so initially you would get the most basic words right
would get the most basic words right
would get the most basic words right happy sad mad angry but as time
happy sad mad angry but as time
happy sad mad angry but as time progressed I remember the day one of
progressed I remember the day one of
progressed I remember the day one of them said ignored Wow
them said ignored Wow
them said ignored Wow such a powerful word coming from a
such a powerful word coming from a
such a powerful word coming from a nine-year-old I’m not gonna tell you
nine-year-old I’m not gonna tell you
nine-year-old I’m not gonna tell you what see see because it was not my
what see see because it was not my
what see see because it was not my students can continue to fight continue
students can continue to fight continue
students can continue to fight continue to yell at me continue to yell at each
to yell at me continue to yell at each
to yell at me continue to yell at each other and it was not until I went back
other and it was not until I went back
other and it was not until I went back to performing poetry that I thought
to performing poetry that I thought
to performing poetry that I thought about bringing it into the classroom I
about bringing it into the classroom I
about bringing it into the classroom I was struggling with assimilating into
was struggling with assimilating into
was struggling with assimilating into the new country and I found a spoken
the new country and I found a spoken
the new country and I found a spoken word group that allowed me to be Who I
word group that allowed me to be Who I
word group that allowed me to be Who I am so we went back into the classroom I
am so we went back into the classroom I
am so we went back into the classroom I asked them to keep writing and I wanted
asked them to keep writing and I wanted
asked them to keep writing and I wanted to share with you the masks activity
to share with you the masks activity
to share with you the masks activity that we did it was very important to us
that we did it was very important to us
that we did it was very important to us on this masks activity I asked the
on this masks activity I asked the
on this masks activity I asked the students to create their own masks so on
students to create their own masks so on
students to create their own masks so on the front that would write words or
the front that would write words or
the front that would write words or sentences that describe what they show
sentences that describe what they show
sentences that describe what they show to others and on the back of the mask
to others and on the back of the mask
to others and on the back of the mask they will read words or sentences of
they will read words or sentences of
they will read words or sentences of emotions that they would hide from
emotions that they would hide from
emotions that they would hide from others I had this very sweet student
others I had this very sweet student
others I had this very sweet student that I’m never going to forget her mask
that I’m never going to forget her mask
that I’m never going to forget her mask she is very sweet very nice and on the
she is very sweet very nice and on the
she is very sweet very nice and on the front of the mask she wrote nice sweet
front of the mask she wrote nice sweet
front of the mask she wrote nice sweet calm and on the back of the master II
calm and on the back of the master II
calm and on the back of the master II wrote every time my mom tells me
wrote every time my mom tells me
wrote every time my mom tells me something happened that she can’t find a
something happened that she can’t find a
something happened that she can’t find a home I think sometime where are we going
home I think sometime where are we going
home I think sometime where are we going to live my student didn’t know where she
to live my student didn’t know where she
to live my student didn’t know where she was going to live I had other students
was going to live I had other students
was going to live I had other students who were afraid of their parents being
who were afraid of their parents being
who were afraid of their parents being deported when they went back home many
deported when they went back home many
deported when they went back home many of my students were forced to become
of my students were forced to become
of my students were forced to become adults at a very young age
based on my experience with the poetry
based on my experience with the poetry in the classroom I can tell you that it
in the classroom I can tell you that it
in the classroom I can tell you that it helped us on three main aspects of our
helped us on three main aspects of our
helped us on three main aspects of our lives
lives
lives one self-esteem it provided them with an
one self-esteem it provided them with an
one self-esteem it provided them with an outlet to express everything that they
outlet to express everything that they
outlet to express everything that they were feeling to academics they wanted to
were feeling to academics they wanted to
were feeling to academics they wanted to learn they wanted to write they wanted
learn they wanted to write they wanted
learn they wanted to write they wanted to perform they were engaged and three
to perform they were engaged and three
to perform they were engaged and three identity it held them built a sense of
identity it held them built a sense of
identity it held them built a sense of identity most of my students were
identity most of my students were
identity most of my students were African American and they did not know a
African American and they did not know a
African American and they did not know a lot about my culture as Mexican so I
lot about my culture as Mexican so I
lot about my culture as Mexican so I opened up to them I told them about what
opened up to them I told them about what
opened up to them I told them about what my traditions are I told them about how
my traditions are I told them about how
my traditions are I told them about how the way I dress represents Who I am and
the way I dress represents Who I am and
the way I dress represents Who I am and where I come from and how my bilingual
where I come from and how my bilingual
where I come from and how my bilingual poetry is a way for me to respect my own
poetry is a way for me to respect my own
poetry is a way for me to respect my own creative process so now what comes next
creative process so now what comes next
creative process so now what comes next I have students that are engaged I want
I have students that are engaged I want
I have students that are engaged I want to participate I want to perform what
to participate I want to perform what
to participate I want to perform what comes next
comes next
comes next teachers use your connections I started
teachers use your connections I started
teachers use your connections I started talking to local NGOs local poets local
talking to local NGOs local poets local
talking to local NGOs local poets local bookstores and I started having people
bookstores and I started having people
bookstores and I started having people come into the classroom they will share
come into the classroom they will share
come into the classroom they will share their poems they were FaceTime with us
their poems they were FaceTime with us
their poems they were FaceTime with us Skype with us I just wanted to get more
Skype with us I just wanted to get more
Skype with us I just wanted to get more exposure so on the year three I went
exposure so on the year three I went
exposure so on the year three I went back into the pre-k classroom and in
back into the pre-k classroom and in
back into the pre-k classroom and in order to continue our work we created
order to continue our work we created
order to continue our work we created the bilingual Poetry Club we would meet
the bilingual Poetry Club we would meet
the bilingual Poetry Club we would meet on Wednesdays on Fridays and then we
on Wednesdays on Fridays and then we
on Wednesdays on Fridays and then we would work on from there so after a
would work on from there so after a
would work on from there so after a whole year of working hard of writing
whole year of working hard of writing
whole year of working hard of writing our poems or practicing our performance
our poems or practicing our performance
our poems or practicing our performance skills I was able to partner up with two
skills I was able to partner up with two
skills I was able to partner up with two local NGOs and we organized an open mic
local NGOs and we organized an open mic
local NGOs and we organized an open mic event they were beyond excited they
event they were beyond excited they
event they were beyond excited they cannot wait to be heard we invited local
cannot wait to be heard we invited local
cannot wait to be heard we invited local poets community members families they
poets community members families they
poets community members families they were just so so excited and the results
were just so so excited and the results
were just so so excited and the results we’re unbelievable their stories talked
we’re unbelievable their stories talked
we’re unbelievable their stories talked about struggle about pain about real
about struggle about pain about real
about struggle about pain about real life but their poems also talked about
life but their poems also talked about
life but their poems also talked about hope and strength today I would like to
hope and strength today I would like to
hope and strength today I would like to invite all of you to express who you are
invite all of you to express who you are
invite all of you to express who you are find a place that allows you to channel
find a place that allows you to channel
find a place that allows you to channel all those emotions that cannot time stop
all those emotions that cannot time stop
all those emotions that cannot time stop you from achieving what you truly want
you from achieving what you truly want
you from achieving what you truly want to achieve
to achieve
to achieve and if you’re a teacher listen to your
and if you’re a teacher listen to your
and if you’re a teacher listen to your students do not underestimate them
students do not underestimate them
students do not underestimate them support them guide them you might end up
support them guide them you might end up
support them guide them you might end up learning more from them than they do
learning more from them than they do
learning more from them than they do from you muchisimas gracias thank you so
from you muchisimas gracias thank you so
from you muchisimas gracias thank you so much
much
much [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment