Cultural Experience: Cesar Chavez Film

I am a Mexican American, born in the United States to a Mexican father and Mexican American mother. My maternal grandparents are Mexicans who have legal permission to live in the United States; my paternal grandparents on the other hand do not. Half of my family live in Mexico and the other half live here in the states. Learning about the history of Mexicans in the United States and how it has shaped our country to how it is today, I came upon a strong Civil Rights’ Activist who was Mexican American, Cesar Chavez. Since I was not born yet in his era I couldn’t really describe what was happening nor write about it as a cultural experience. Luckily, there was a film over him and everything he did to shape our country and give Mexican, Mexican Americans, Latinos and Hispanics that voice and rights. His film is my cultural experience I got to experience in a theatre.

Born March 31, 1927 in Yuma, Arizona, Cesar Chavez grew up in the era where he pursued farm workers to register and vote in support of gaining workers’ rights. He was an American farm worker, labor leader, and Civil Rights’ Activist. As the movie began, I saw how Mexicans lived. They lived in small houses more like shacks with no room what so ever. Further into the movie, I noticed how during strikes they would hold up signs and march around in front of farm workers labors to encourage others to join their cause. Also allowing the chance the tell Anglos that they are fighting for their rights and respect. The groups that march are not small at all as well; they are crowds of people protesting. Cesar is surrounded by not only his wife but his friends and many women, men, and children of all ages surrounding him during his protests. They walk miles in farms, towns, from town to town in the heat protesting, yelling, and fighting for their rights. Throughout the film Anglo farmers, policemen and others would harass and instigate problems so that Cesar and his followers would get arrested. At one point of the movie policemen try to prohibit the word “huelga” in English it translates “strike.” That fight is won for a while by the Anglos because of the fact that Chavez did not want anyone to go to jail, but all that changes when Cesar’s wife says it and goes to jail. She said it on purpose to show they weren’t afraid and to push for further action, nonviolent action. Chavez advertised nonviolent protests but when an Anglo runs over one of his followers from his group, another man begins to beat the Anglo. Chavez interferes telling his follower he will not have any violence and anyone who does will be immediately kicked out of his group. Sure enough the man did not listen and Chavez is extremely upset and kicks him out. To promote nonviolence protest, well no violence at all he begins to fasten. He fasts for 25 days straight to point out violence is not the way and will not be practiced in his community.

The purpose of making this film was to show how Cesar Chavez fought for the rights of Mexicans, Latinos, Hispanics, farmers, everyone. To show how he gave Mexicans the voice, rights, respect and most importantly equality the/we well deserved. It/He was a mark in our history that changed everything to become the country it is today, just like Martin Luther King Jr. He fought for what was right, for equality, respect and his memory will forever be remembered for everything did.

What can I say; the film moved me, in good and bad ways. I felt anger and hope all throughout the film. The way Mexicans, farm workers and everyone else who were mistreated by Anglos brought anger to me. They were so cruel. I remember in one part of the film how Chavez was outside of a farm with several workers protesting when the owner of the farm and his friends threat Chavez to leave his land or else he would shoot them. They ignore his threat and continue to protest, as the continue policemen arrive and just stand there and watch what is going on. As the farm owner threatens them once more one of Chavez’s strikers walks closer the man and upsets him that he reaches for his gun and hits the man. The policemen return to their car and just pretend like nothing was happening. That angered me but what angered me even more was when Cesar’s son Fernando was being bullied at school and even in front of their home by teenagers. On the other hand, I loved the movie. It was very inspirational yet heartbreaking in a few sections of it. I thank him for what he did because my grandparents, mom, uncles and aunt would all do farm work when they were younger. They would go up north to different states and work. So this film shows all Cesar Chavez did for Hispanics, Latinos, Mexicans farm workers and their rights.

Spreading my wings

When I was younger I never imagined or even thought about moving out of my house. I was always attached to my parents no matter where we were and how old I was. I guess that is why it was and still is pretty hard for me to take in that I have not only moved out of my parents house but also away from town, exactly 6-8 hours away.
Never imagining me moving away from my parents was hard enough, so imagine after I felt once I graduated high school and was off to college. It was a tough one.

Controversy opinion

According to director Ian Cheney, “There are controversy over whether more light leads to less crime, but there is agreement that light seems to make people feel safer, almost like it’s built into our genes to move closer to the campfire or to the brightest city” (City Dark). After watching this documentary and listening to all the different affects lights/light pollution does to our environment and society, I can agree and disagree with Cheney’s statement.

On the matter of more light leading to less crime, well..I don’t quite agree with that statement. Crime does not really have a best time of the day to do it. Yes, it mostly takes place during the night or dark situations but it also takes place during the day when there is light or even at night when there are also lights surrounding the house neighborhood and everywhere else. I honestly don't believe light leads to less crime. Regardless of what time of the day or night it is, crime will happen with or without light.
On the other hand, I do agree that light makes one feel safer. It gives one that warmth and safe feeling. It makes me feel safer because I hate the dark and I don't know what to expect. It frightens me not to know what is surrounding me.

Sea Turtles and Light Pollution

Cheney says, “Every summer tens of thousands of [Florida sea] turtles, already a threatened species, are lost to disorientation” (City Dark). Why and how is this happening? All I have to say is light pollution. Light pollution for many who do not know is the leading fact of having, being surrounded my tons of unpleasant light making it impossible to see the stars in the night sky but also degrades natural light levels making it harder to see things, not only for humans but for animals as well.

Light pollution is the cause of this poor and sad truth about sea turtles. Because of the fact that many, well mostly all of Florida’s biggest and most populated cities are near beaches that means more light surrounding and illuminating near these beaches. When these sea turtles are born they use the moons light/reflection to guide them into the water and go on and live their life but with all these big light towers and cities made up of bright lights, they misguide them. The lights from the city trick these poor small creatures to think it is the moon and guides them away from the beach instead of into the water causing/leading them into their own death. Thousands of new born sea turtles die because of this.

Sea turtles are not the only animals affected/mislead by the light, but also birds. Birds living in big cities are blinded from the light surrounding them making it harder for them to see, even during the day causing them to run into building causing them to fall from the sky and injure themselves. Thousands of birds from many different species are killed because of this. All this light pollution is extremely crucial to animals, that is why we should try to find some solutions to solving this.

We, as in the whole entire world should not use as much light as we do. Most of the light that we use up is so unnecessary. Especially buildings and towers with extremely bright and colorful lights, for example Los Vegas. Los Vegas has way TOO much light, light that they don’t really need but just use it as fashion and attraction. We could also turn off all our lights at night, well mostly. If we use less light during the night, the more likely we will be able to see the stars in the sky. Buildings that leave their lights on during the night for no reason should definitely turn them off. That is unnecessary light they are consuming, it is pointless. With these solutions and many more, one can eventually help our environment and these poor animals.

Graduation Night



My high school graduation ceremony

at Boggus Stadium, Harlingen,Tx.



It was one o'clock in the morning, May 26, 2012, the night of my high school graduation. The night was still young, my friends; Armold, Larissa, Vida, Alfred, Sarah, David and I we were on our way to our condo at the beach in South Padre Island after leaving our graduation lock-in party. Everyone was headed that way, it was our mini paradise where we could escape to and just relax and have fun with our friends, it was out second home. It was a forty-five minute drive from Harlingen to the island, so we practically arrived at the condo/beach house around 1:45-ish or a bit later because of all the traffic headed that way. Everything surrounding our condo was pitch black, the fact that it was just outside of the city, it was the border line to exit the city and then go off to the beach accesses. It was so peaceful and relaxing to be out there, the summer night, fresh graduates. We hopped out of the car and did not even bother going into the house. We all walked straight to the backyard, where we could hear the waves clashing against each other and the ground in front of us. We would usually just build a bonfire but that night was different. There was a different vibe in the air, a bittersweet vibe and the moon wasn't helping at all. It felt like we were in a movie because of how beautiful the moon illuminated the sky and water in front of us. The glare of the moon reflected on the water, it was crying beautiful.



Beach at South Padre Island, Tx during the day.



I walked inside the house to grab a blanket to lay on the ground. I laid it down on the ground, sat there for a second or two just taking in that salt water air and laid down. I did not notice that there were so many stars out that night. Each one had their own type of brightness, others not as bright all the rest but still quite beautiful. They were just so mesmerizing to take my eyes off, but just gazing up into the sky triggered so many thoughts and questions in my head. Questions about the universe, Earth, other countries and people, and also my future.

The thought of Earth just being one out of the billions of other planets, galaxies, and universes just blew my mind. I felt like a ant in a HUGE and never ending hole, a world, universe, galaxy full of darkness and mystery. I wondered if people from other countries where doing the same as I was or at one point have just laid under the stars and wondered off. I even wondered if human beings from the prehistoric era did this, maybe think about other things but at least laid under the stars and get lost into thought. I never understood constellations, so all I ever found in the night sky were triangles or three stars always next to each other, but then again maybe I just kept looking at the same stars over and over again. Hmm, but I still don't see how others can point out figures like animals and objects. Even when I try to connect the dots/stars weird figures come out or nothing at all come out. Questions about my future and about the future came about. Where would I be in a couple of years? School? Have my career? How would society have changed? What new technology, studies, discoveries? The sky and stars just mesmerize me each time I look up. I get lost in its beauty.

Compared to the sky here in Baytown to Harlingen and South Padre Island is extremely different. I can see the stars here in Baytown but not as many as one can see in Harlingen and South Padre island. Because of the fact that over there is in the country and there are not big cities surrounding, well not as close to each other, the light pollution isn't as bad and makes the sky and stars more visible. Since Houston and all these other cities surrounding Baytown the light pollution is pretty bad. My graduation night is when I noticed how beautiful and gorgeous the stars were over there. There were so many and so bright, never experienced something as beautiful as that night.




The night sky in South Padre Island, Tx. (better in person)





Depression vs.Humor

So many poems, so many different authors, stories, feelings, meanings but yet they are all similar to one another in various ways. Each poem/author tells their own stories; some having similar themes, morals, using same type of rhetorical devices and emotions. Yet there are others that can be compared by what is occurring, different tone, point of view, and or anything stating the opposite of the other poem. Out of the many poems in this book, two poems that caught my attention and thought about a lot were, “Ever After” by Joyce Sutphen and “What I Want” by George Bilgere.

These two very interesting poems may have very distinctive titles but they both express their feelings over heartache, a recent break up and how they express it. My first impressions to both poems, from just reading their title were totally different to what I thought. Reading the title “Ever After,” I thought of happiness, fairy tales, love and romance, basically someone being extremely happy to be with the one they love for the rest of their lives but it is exactly the opposite of what I thought. Joyce Sutphen’s poem was not a fairy tale princess romance, it was nothing at all like it.  Now my first impression for “What I Want,” well honestly I did not have a first impression about it. I did not have a clue of what it was about, I was clueless.

In the poem, “Ever After,” the narrator is a female going through a divorce with her husband. She uses rhetorical questions questioning, asking him, “What am I to you now that you are no / longer what you used to be to me,” (Sutphen 1-2) showing that an event had to happen, giving the reader a sense that there is a break up involved. She continues to ask questions as of who they are to each other now (3), making it official that they separated. She uses the words, “Now,” “divided,” “me and you,” “two separate,” “ex-,” “once,” “yours and mine,” giving huge clues showing that there is a divorce occurring. She uses these words to express to her audience that they were once one, and now they are two different and separate individuals. Also using imagery to express a flashback of the day of their wedding, “..with our hands (yours,mine) clasped on the knife / that was sinking into the tall white cake” (12-13), giving a clear image to her audience/readers of them cutting their cake. Her tone from that quote gave me a impression of her going back to when they were happy and now she is devastated and heartbroken. She does not hate him, but she is broken.

George Bilgere poem, “What I Want,” was a bit more out there. The narrator, a man makes it obvious he just went through a break up/divorce, compared to “Ever After.” He is not devastated about it at all, he is more happy and makes his poem quite humorous. “I would like for my ex-wife to get leprosy,” (Bilgere 14), “I want to wake up in London on a spring morning / And read in the paper that my ex-wife / Has received a lethal injection, courtesy of the state / Of Ohio.. “ (59-62), his way to portray his humor in this poem is quite mean and hurtful but yet it is extremely funny to his audience because he just throws it out there. He repeats himself throughout the poem stating,” I want...” showing he wants many things. He wants bad things to happen to his ex-wife, he wants to travel, “Rocky Mountains” (6), “Denver” (10),  “London” (59), “Madrid” (71), naming various places he wants to go and explore, but not alone. Each place the narrator wants to travel to naming various women he wants to go with, stating different ones every place he names, showing how he does not plan going by himself. He talks about “sex,” (39) and how he wants other women, maybe naming those from his past, expects to meet many more in his present and his future. His tone throughout his poem is humorous, secretly heartbroken, angry and depressing. He is heartbroken and depressed but tries to hide it through his thoughts and humor, angry at his wife about their separation but still loved her, but still wishing those things to happen to her.

“What I Want,” was much more extreme and wicked compared to “Ever After.” “Ever After,” was much more sentimental because of the fact that the narrator, being a woman, does not hide what she feels. She writes away her feelings through paper and gives the reader that kind of emotion she is feeling. From that being said, that is why these two poems were perfect to compare to one another.

“Slowly”

“…the rabbit stiff, nose in, bits of litter stuck to its fur / its head clenched in the side / jaws of the snake, the snake / sucking it down its long throat” (Masini 3-6). After reading this quote from Donna Masini’s poem “Slowly” it brought chills to my entire body. This poem was so disturbing, confusing and completely bothering to me because of all the details that she gives. Maybe also because my BIGGEST phobia is snakes and this poem is about a snake eating a rabbit.

This poem was quite confusing to me; I couldn’t really fill in the puzzle pieces and understand it too well. What I did understand and get from the first read of this poem was that the author is talking about how she remembers going on a field trip to the zoo with her class and watching a rabbit being devoured by a snake. She gives every detail to how the rabbit is being eaten by the snake, “I didn’t know why / the snake didn’t choke, the rabbit never / moved, how the jaws kept opening / wider, sucking it down...” (19-22).

The fact that in the poem she states how her teacher told her and the rest of the girls to move along, to view another animal but couldn’t because they were mesmerized from what they were seeing. “(all the girls, groaning, shrieking / but weren’t we amazed, fascinated, / saying we couldn’t look, but looking weren’t we / imagining – what were we imagining?). / Mrs. Peterson urged us to move on girls, but we couldn’t move” (11-17). This is where questions started boiling in my head. Why was the author thinking they were imagining it? Why was she asking what they were imagining if they were not imagining it. The girls were there in person, watching the snake eat the rabbit. Did the author maybe ask this because they were so fascinated at the most disturbing and gross action ever that they could have been imaging something else to keep them interested in watching? As if they had set their minds to imagine something other than that to stay and look and watch it continue swallowing it. Also, what caught my attention was how the author italicized “move on girls”. Was she mimicking her teacher, Mrs. Peterson? Reading that line again, maybe the author was mimicking her. But what really threw me over board with confusion and I did not understand was the last couple of lines in her poem, “..just so / I am taking this in, slowly, / taking it into my body: / this grief. How slow / the body is to realize. / You are never coming back” (22-27). Why is she saying “I,” referring to her? Why did she say taking it in her body when it is the snake that is. How she goes from the snake to her, then to her being the snake? So many questions to what I didn’t understand the first time I read this poem.

Now looking back at this poem and analyzing it better, the author is realizing how slow it is to know one day one is never coming back. From rereading it several times, I took and I think someone close to the author, a family member or even a friend of hers may have passed away and she is saying it is hard to take it in, to take in that that person is never coming back. One slowly takes it in, taking the pain and grief into their mind, heart and body that they are gone. By grief I mean to know that person is in a better place but yet not wanting to believe, slowly taking it in that it is a bye. Using the snake eating the rabbit as a perfect example but yet very disturbing of how slow it is to take in a situation like that.