Some books I've been reading lately….

Celebrating my 100th post..

   I just realized I've written 100 posts and wanted to celebrate this small accomplishment in my life when it comes to writing.  I am truly grateful for this space to express myself and share a part of me with others.  May God continue to guide me and encourage me to continue writing for His glory.  I want to thank all my special friends and family for being supportive and encouraging.  Celebrating in gratitude...

Un homenaje humilde

     En este dia de recordar las personas 
queridas que han fallecido, queria recordar a una persona que siempre admire en la communidad Puertoriqueña de Chicago.  Esa persona es Irma Romero, una mujer que fue revolucionaria, educatora, luchadora, y superadora de varios obstaculos en su vida.  Siendo Mexicana, Irma fue la mayor representante de la solidaridad entre boricua y mexicano en Humboldt Park.  Yo pienso que no soy la persona indicada para hablar sobre ella porque solo tuve encuentros limitados con ella, pero por la gracia de Dios he sido inspirada a escribir este homenaje.  De esos pocos encuentros se que Irma siempre estuvo involucrada en los esfuerzos comunitarios, sea en Humboldt Park, en el ambiente estudiantil de NEIU, o dondequiera que tenia la oportunidad de inspirar y motivar el espíritu revolucionario de una activista comunitaria con mucha pasión para ayudar y apoyar al próximo.  

   No es coincidencia que hace unos días encontré un documento que contenía unas palabras dichas por Irma.  En Diciembre del 2003, durante uno de nuestros encuentros, yo tuve el privilegio de entrevistarla para un proyecto estudiantil en Chicago.  Cuando encontré este documento y lo leí tuve una fuerte sensación de tener que compartirlo.  Mi proyecto estudiantil era sobre el apoyo de los Mexicanos en la comunidad Puertorriqueña de Chicago.  Escogí ese tema porque era lo mas que me impresionaba sobre la lucha comunitaria en Humboldt Park, Paseo Boricua.  Era y sigue siendo una lucha en solidaridad con varios grupos de otros países que han sido oprimidos por el gobierno de los Estados Unidos.  Por ejemplo los Mexicanos con su lucha de amnistía, por la reforma migratoria, y derechos humanos.  También los Palestinos en su lucha contra la ocupación en Israel que también tiene que ver con los derechos humanos.  Irma siempre estuvo presente en cada marcha sobre los derechos humanos de la gente oprimida y siempre tomaba la oportunidad de empoderar a los trabajadores obreros y las personas oprimidas por el gobierno.  Otra causa que fue muy importante para ella era la de los presos políticos y la injusticia de su encarcelamiento.  Aunque me da mucha pena que no pudo ver el día en que será libre Oscar Lopez Rivera, se que ella sentía en su corazón que ese día si llegara.

  Bueno, aquí comparto con ustedes estas palabras dichas por Irma cuando le pedí que reflexionara sobre como organizar a la gente o a los estudiantes…

"Cuando uno trata de organizar a la gente llega el momento en que uno se desespera porque ve que la gente no reaccionan inmediatamente.  Pero la vida me ha enseñado una cosa y es que no importa que la gente no reaccionen inmediatamente esa gente van a reaccionar un día cuando ha ellos les toque hacer una decisión entones ellos van a tener que reaccionar y entonces ellos van a recordar de todo lo que tu dijiste por eso es que en el proceso de organizar nosotros tenemos que ser auténticos, que ser genuinos, tenemos que creer lo que decimos porque cuando uno no habla con convicción de nuestra posición política es lo que va convencer a cualquiera si no tenemos convicción como vamos a convencer a alguien si yo misma no estoy convencida, eso es parte de este proceso que nosotros debemos hablar con el corazón, con pasión, con resolución de decir mira esto es así por tal razón...

Yo quiero que tu supieras que cuando nosotros tuvimos que hablarle a este pueblo que esta allá afuera de que teníamos presos puertorriqueños prisionera de guerra, mira eso era un issue que teníamos que nosotros debatirlo con pasión porque nos decían -ustedes están locos de que están hablando- y había que convencer a ese pueblo y lo convencimos tan bien que todo el mundo acepto que si eso son los presos, los prisioneros de guerra puertorriqueños.  Porque de la noche a la mañana uno no hace las cosas pero uno le habla, y le habla, y le habla, y le habla y uno nunca se cansa ni de hablarle ni de invitarlos y un día ellos vienen…

pues hay que tener fe.  Yo tengo dos clases de fe, tengo una fe revolucionaria pero también tengo una fe cristiana que yo siempre he tenido y yo creo en lo que digo y cuando digo las cosas las digo con pasión y convicción porque yo estoy convencida de que nuestros presos políticos deben de salir ni deben de estar presos porque?  Porque ellos no son criminales, ellos son unos luchadores porque el crimen es el colonialismo y es lo que los tiene allí presos.  Pues hay que ver eso y si nosotros no estamos convencidos de lo que hablamos, como vamos a convencer a los demás."

     Irma tu espíritu sigue muy activo en las personas que tuvieron el privilegio de conocerte..y se que aunque no pudiste ver los frutos de tus luchas, tu pasión y fuerte convicción indicaban que ya estabas en tu tierra prometida…que descanses en paz y en la gloria de Cristo Jesus.

A dose of inspiration

 Two of my favorite Nuyorican artists have been inspiring me lately with their words...

"You 

are 

more

powerful

 than

 you

 think."

  by James De LaVega

   

"You have to trust that you

 can formulate your own identity,"

 said by Manny Vega

Groovin….

    I love the music of Ziggy Marley…he is a true extension of his father…picked up right where he left off...

Oh St. Francis!

The last few days have been interesting.  On Monday my co-worker randomly shares with me the Prayer of St. Francis.  She had shared with me that she had never heard it before until she went to a friend's funeral and it was on his funeral card.  I couldn't believe she had never heard that prayer.  It's such a common and beautiful prayer. It is actually one of my favorites that I remember reading since I was very young.

That same co-worker inspired me to google the prayer and print out a few copies of it to share with others.  I shared it with various people that day.  So, today being the crazy day that it was...I left my personal phone at my desk.  I was scheduled for my first adult faith formation workshop today for the lay ministry program and I had the address on my phone which I had left behind.  I did remember that the church was called St. Francis of Assisi.  It was a bit of a journey to get there but I made it thanks to God!  I blended right into the workshop which I found to be very interesting.  I was really excited that we received a book for the class and have already started reading it and writing notes.  Anyhow...right before I walk out of the classroom at the completion of the workshop I look to the side and there it was in a frame..."Lord make me an instrument of your peace."  I did a double take when I saw it and that is when I realized that St. Francis has been trying to get my attention all week! How significant!

 As I sat in that classroom which seemed a bit old and dusty, I felt a strong urge to take photos.  Maybe next Tuesday I will take my camera and shoot some photos.  I'm not sure what lies ahead but I am excited and want to embrace it.

    On another note regarding my thoughts on the class,  as I was contemplating on my way home, I realized that whenever I feel that something limits me I begin to resist it.  I feel like someone is pushing me back and telling me I can't do it, which makes me want to push forward harder.  These thoughts came from the first few pages I read in our new book for the workshop called "Adult Faith Formation."  It talked about how important it is to evangelize.  Yet women are not allowed to evangelize in the church.  They can run groups, ministries, and teach CCD classes but more than often these things have a curriculum to follow.  I'm still having a really hard time with this and feel resistant towards the patriarchy in the church, however I continue to endure and attempt to break through those barriers...in the meantime as the professor giving the workshop stated, "we have to do the best we can within what we are allowed to do."

tygwamh

Fun and Blessed Weekend : )

   This past weekend I had the opportunity to connect with some new and old friends.  On Friday after work, me and my new friend (and co-worker) Lili went for a drink at a small bar near the job.  This was the second time we went to this place and again we were pressed for time because we had plans afterwards.  However, even if it was for just about 45 minutes, we sat to unwind from work with good spirits and a really good looking bartender.  I am really grateful to have met someone like Lili and I truly appreciate our talks at work and our seamless laughter at the little things to appreciate about life.

    That same night I was scheduled to meet up with some old friends.  My roommate Hil and I took the 1 train out to Washington Heights to meet up with my friend Christian and Christine for some dinner and dancing.  We were running late, however, Christian and Christine arrived on time.  They actually did not know each other but they found one another and by the time we arrived they seemed like old friends catching up.  Before we were done with dinner, my friend Cesar showed up to join us for a little dancing.  I know Christian and Cesar from Chicago, we all went to University of Illinois at Chicago for undergrad.  What a blessing it has been that moving to NY has allowed me to still reconnect with my old friends.  Here we all are doing big things and taking the time to celebrate with one another.  Speaking of celebration, we were celebrating my friend Christine's new job she landed last week.  I met Christine at my last job at a law firm in Manhattan.  We became close at work sending each other motivational and spiritual messages to help each other get through our days in the corporate world.  She shared with me that she recently found a spiritual message about employment I had sent to her a few years ago and that reading it again inspired her.  I am grateful we continue to remain close and be supportive of one another in our journey through life.  Boy, did we have a great time dancing and celebrating! I'm so happy for Christine...Praise God!

    On Saturday morning I met up with Julissa who used to be my supervisor at a hospital in Queens.  She is no longer my supervisor, she is my friend and like a big sister to me.  She has a beautiful daughter Julianna who is so smart and sweet.  She has the cutest curly hair and smile ever! There is nothing like being around children with their innocence and curiosity about everything.  I had such an amazing time with them.  We had brunch and then shared dessert at Martha's Bakery..YUM! I'm so grateful that God placed Julissa in my path, I have learned so much from her in the work but also about being a mom in the short time that I've known her.  I know that much of who I will become as a social worker will be because of my rich experience at the hospital under her supervision.

     Mid-Saturday afternoon I spent some quality time with my aunt (Titi Monin).  We did one of the things that we both LOVE to do.  I took her to this little thrift shop in Astoria where they have a huge collection of books for sale at a very cheap rate.  We spent at least an hour scanning all the books.  We were both able to find some that we really liked (see pic below for my books).  Afterwards we drove over to Best Buy to pick up the movie Star Trek she wanted to get for my uncle.  While there I saw that "The Bible"  DVD series was on sale for $30.  I had to get it!  It's a 4 disc movie series about the stories of the bible from Genesis to Revelation.  I decided that if I would purchase it then I would also share it with others.  I think it is a great way to have conversations about the bible and about Christ. I am looking forward to watching it and sharing it with others.  After Best Buy I took my aunt back home, watched some Star Trek and had dinner with her and my uncle and rushed home.  I truly cherish the quality time I spend with my family in New York.  

       When I got home I chatted with my roommate for a while and then my new friend and co-worker Samantha came to pick me up with her husband.  She invited me to see the Mayweather boxing fight with her husband's family at the Rosedale projects (n/k/a Sonia Sotomayor projects) in the Bronx.  I had a really great time with everyone.  I felt like I was back at home watching the fight surrounded by my brother and cousins.  Samantha and I also got a chance to share some psalms and proverbs.  I am truly grateful for my new found friend of which we can talk about Christ all day and never get tired or bored!  

       On Sunday I went to mass and had to announce an event to kick off my ministry at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  I am blessed to have the support of Monsignor Ogle and the rest of the young adult leaders at the parish.  We will be doing a "meet and greet" with coffee and donuts to see if we can build a solid foundation for a consistent group.  I pray that God can make it all work out for the good.  I was a bit nervous making the announcement and didn't quite say everything I wanted to say but nevertheless I got through it.  I sure hope it reached some folks and they show up next week.  I have to say that lately I haven't been too motivated about the ministry.  I had been contemplating if I went through the process of choosing too fast but perhaps that is not coming from a good place.  So I claim in the name of Jesus that this ministry will flourish and become a community of young adults that Jesus will be pleased with! I have this part of me that always wants to plan things ahead of time and the uncertainty of the structure of the ministry can consume me at times.  But I know that God will make it all work out for the good..like He always does.

     Sunday evening I watched the movie "Life of Pi" with my roommate Hil and our friend David.  It was interesting for me to watch the movie since I had read the book a few years ago.  It's amazing what movie makers can do.  The animation and graphics were amazing, I imagine it had to be a difficult movie to make.  Besides the animals and the beautiful scenery in the movie, I loved the storyline about how Pi, the Hindu boy, also became Muslim and Christian.  His innocent curiosity as a boy and his family's ability to allow him to decide for himself was really inspiring.  As he explored all three religions, he ultimately sought to just love God and his faith was reflected throughout the movie.

     And that, my friends, was my fun and blessed weekend.  Here are some pics:

Dinner in Washington Heights!

Mini UIC undergrad reunion!

She only ate the M&M's! So Sweet!

My curly sweety...I love her!

My weekend treasures...religion, social justice, and magical realism!

tygijn