Family,
I am excitied to continue to build with each of you and also to join you on the journey as we transform as individuals and as a group this semester!
My only critique for last week would be for everybody to be on time, if not early. Other than that, I thought last week was a really a great experience. Introductions are never easy (and sometimes boring), so thank you all for bearing with us!
Below is a piece I wrote for the final kultural production for Manang Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales' AAS 363 Filipina/o American Literature course in the spring of 06. As I began to "lift the veil" of oppression from over my eyes during that spring, I began to see clearly, for the first time in my life, the world in a refreshing, intricate, and dynamic new way. I began to look deeper first, into my history, then into how my life is connected to not only the people/family back home in the Motherland, but to the people right outside of my doorstep and everyone around the world.
Here is an excerpt I wanted to share with you all from my Letter of Intent for my application for the Teaching Credential Program at SFSU, touching on why I choose to "teach": "I have learned that history and the social sciences have the power to construct and deconstruct, challenge and discover, and shed light on our past to move forward for a better tomorrow. It is my profound hope and faith in the youth, the people, and our shared future, that keeps me alive each day. I strongly believe that students, youth, and the people, need to be given the opportunity to think and question for themselves in order to survive in our complex society."
Peace,
Jr
---
7, 107
We laugh. We cry. We broke. We speak.
A country bustling with human trafficking,
Sweatshops thriving. Globalizing. Corrupting.
We fight. We rise. We fall. We speak.
Brown brothers and sisters unite,
Recognize our third world, colonized voices,
Instead of taking flight.
We pray. We educate. We identify. We speak
Revolution and freedom first starts within,
Pinays, pinoys stay dreamin.
We rhyme. We sing. We dance. We speak.
As a reclamation of our stolen past,
As a way of healing our wounds that burn so deep.
Gabriela
Emilio
Andres
Melchora
Lapu-Lapu
Jose, once said:
Farewell, beloved Motherland, region beloved by the sun,
Pearl of the Orient Seas, our lost Eden.
Gladly will I give you my sad and withered life;
And were it more radiant, more fresh, more flourishing,
Still, I would give it to you, give it up for your greater good.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
PEOPLE
"We are all people. We are what makes the world go round."
These two phrases are what stood out to me most on our first day. I can already tell everything going on in our space during the hours we meet is gonna be exciting and its gonna really be a special thing. Cuz we all people. We are all people that come together to learn, share, communicate, and above all have fun doing it with chill ass folks. I think what i learned the first day in workshop is just the launch for us and we still got a million miles to soar...
what the fuck? sorry im just writing my thoughts right now so pardon me if its a little weird...hahaha
But as i was sayin we are all people in this together that get to share knowledge through the most ancient form learning we have. We are doin it with our voice, passin on words, and passin on ideas that can result in a good product. Cuz we people. And people need to communicate and respect. Jufran should be a great experience, so lets get the shit crackin.
I feel a quick rhyme comin on:
Lets get this thing goin, Jufran, time to own it.
We comin at ya'll with the motion of the moment
To leave it off, here's a song that i think has a significant relevance to what we are about to experience. "Motion Movement" - Blue scholars.
We need to have motion to have a movement, and for us Jufran is what we need to get the tires rollin.
-Ben Paz
can you feel it? Can You Feel It!? CAN YOU FEEL IT!?!?
Hello My fellow Jufranians,
I felt that week one was very successful due to the smooth flow of the workshop. Nothing big was meant to be done, except to simply get to know everyone a little. I felt that it was great that everyone was very open and not too shy about participating in the activities. Although some people were late like myself, it was only the first day and the first days are usually meant to test out the water to see how it will be. A thing that JR brought up in a recent conversation was that every single person in our internship is very sharp. Meaning that when it came to details the attention of those listening was very in tuned to those who were speaking.
A thing I wanted to point out is the use and future use of Hip Hop in our workshops. In the beginning we used a hip hop beat and made rhymes to it as an icebreaker. Hip Hop has its very own culture and community that some people may not be knowledgeable or comfortable with. So a person trying to rhyme no matter how simple, has the possibility of feeling alienated. Everyone seemed very comfortable with the exercise, but just a matter of consideration that not member in the future will be comfortable with Hip Hop as a main outlet for our workshops.
Looking over the syllabus, I have high hopes for these up coming weeks. At week 2, I'd really like to break down what the meanings of these words we constantly hear. For example, Where does the line lay for Social Justice between a person who is highly conservative and highly Liberal. Or why western powers feel that they are responsible for 'Modernizing' indigenous cultures. I am very familiar with majority of these topics, however I rarely have the opportunity to have an open dialogue in a safe formal environment.
For my creative touch to each blog. I will share quotes that I have learned to truly understand and appreciate.
"You too must be of good hope as regards death, gentlemen of the jury, and keep this one truth in mind, that a good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death, and that his affairs are not neglected by the gods." - The Trial and Death of Socrates [41d]
Love & Faith,
Paul Simon Jaro Silverio
I felt that week one was very successful due to the smooth flow of the workshop. Nothing big was meant to be done, except to simply get to know everyone a little. I felt that it was great that everyone was very open and not too shy about participating in the activities. Although some people were late like myself, it was only the first day and the first days are usually meant to test out the water to see how it will be. A thing that JR brought up in a recent conversation was that every single person in our internship is very sharp. Meaning that when it came to details the attention of those listening was very in tuned to those who were speaking.
A thing I wanted to point out is the use and future use of Hip Hop in our workshops. In the beginning we used a hip hop beat and made rhymes to it as an icebreaker. Hip Hop has its very own culture and community that some people may not be knowledgeable or comfortable with. So a person trying to rhyme no matter how simple, has the possibility of feeling alienated. Everyone seemed very comfortable with the exercise, but just a matter of consideration that not member in the future will be comfortable with Hip Hop as a main outlet for our workshops.
Looking over the syllabus, I have high hopes for these up coming weeks. At week 2, I'd really like to break down what the meanings of these words we constantly hear. For example, Where does the line lay for Social Justice between a person who is highly conservative and highly Liberal. Or why western powers feel that they are responsible for 'Modernizing' indigenous cultures. I am very familiar with majority of these topics, however I rarely have the opportunity to have an open dialogue in a safe formal environment.
For my creative touch to each blog. I will share quotes that I have learned to truly understand and appreciate.
"You too must be of good hope as regards death, gentlemen of the jury, and keep this one truth in mind, that a good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death, and that his affairs are not neglected by the gods." - The Trial and Death of Socrates [41d]
Love & Faith,
Paul Simon Jaro Silverio
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Community Building
Whattup my Kasamas!
I'm excited about the energy of this group, and I'm still basking in the glow from our first session. I want to take the flow from last week, and continue it on to this week and the following weeks to come. Thanks to everybody for contributing to a great experience last Friday. I felt comfortably open with everyone in this space. This is a solid group. When we are working together in an intimate space like this, I feel that it is important to be accountable for each other, and to be open to giving/receiving constructive criticism while always maintaining the R.O.P.E.S.
I'm excited about the energy of this group, and I'm still basking in the glow from our first session. I want to take the flow from last week, and continue it on to this week and the following weeks to come. Thanks to everybody for contributing to a great experience last Friday. I felt comfortably open with everyone in this space. This is a solid group. When we are working together in an intimate space like this, I feel that it is important to be accountable for each other, and to be open to giving/receiving constructive criticism while always maintaining the R.O.P.E.S.
Community Building
Take a deep breath in
and blow away this cloud of judgment
in a sustained exhale
To shatter this illusion of competition
between our people and
truly connect with one another
on an essential level.
We have forgotten ages
of oral traditions
twisted into superstitions,
disconnected from the truth,
by conquerors to divide
and systematically control us.
Instead of saying,
"Fuck the cops,"
Know your rights.
Before shouting,
"Power to the People,"
Know your community.
Before saying,
"I don't do politics,"
Learn your history.
in a sustained exhale
To shatter this illusion of competition
between our people and
truly connect with one another
on an essential level.
We have forgotten ages
of oral traditions
twisted into superstitions,
disconnected from the truth,
by conquerors to divide
and systematically control us.
Instead of saying,
"Fuck the cops,"
Know your rights.
Before shouting,
"Power to the People,"
Know your community.
Before saying,
"I don't do politics,"
Learn your history.
Give and Take.
Push and Pull.
Speak out about
things left unsaid.
Analyze.
Mobilize.
Organize.
Integrate.
Educate.
It's all connected:
Roots, Culture, Identity,
Education, History, Politics,
Like many branches
of the same tree.
It's our Community,
and together we move forward.
Peace,
Pete with the Beat
~02.04.2009
Hey what's up everyone,
Here's my blog for the week.
Lately I've been slacking off in academics and keeping track of my grades up and homework done. I tend to do my homework last minute and don't give myself enough time to revise any last mistakes I may have, and I could potentially get a better grade if I did that, and I also might not even turn it in. I've checked myself on this personal issue and I think I helped myself a lot by using a planner. What wonders a planner can do for me (I prefer NOT to use iCal, because I don't use my Mac a lot.) I continually check up on my planner to see what's coming up for the next couple days so I can be ahead of myself and plan when I have free time to do so. But even though I have this planner, I should not rely on it heavily. It's more of a guide, I guess.
Here's a video of a song that SFSU Chamber Singers did last semester in Fall 08..
It's called Somewhere from West Side Story, performed by the Yale Spizzwinks.
My aspirations for the next week? To get through it once again. It seems like these days just keep getting longer with each coming week, and especially when I'm broke. I'm constantly running out of money because I'm using it on necessities.. Gas, food, parking ($5/day? Dang.) I'm just waiting to get paid next Friday. But I'll do my best to manage.
No pending ending,
KC "KæC up in this place" Cruz.
Here's my blog for the week.
Lately I've been slacking off in academics and keeping track of my grades up and homework done. I tend to do my homework last minute and don't give myself enough time to revise any last mistakes I may have, and I could potentially get a better grade if I did that, and I also might not even turn it in. I've checked myself on this personal issue and I think I helped myself a lot by using a planner. What wonders a planner can do for me (I prefer NOT to use iCal, because I don't use my Mac a lot.) I continually check up on my planner to see what's coming up for the next couple days so I can be ahead of myself and plan when I have free time to do so. But even though I have this planner, I should not rely on it heavily. It's more of a guide, I guess.
Here's a video of a song that SFSU Chamber Singers did last semester in Fall 08..
It's called Somewhere from West Side Story, performed by the Yale Spizzwinks.
My aspirations for the next week? To get through it once again. It seems like these days just keep getting longer with each coming week, and especially when I'm broke. I'm constantly running out of money because I'm using it on necessities.. Gas, food, parking ($5/day? Dang.) I'm just waiting to get paid next Friday. But I'll do my best to manage.
No pending ending,
KC "KæC up in this place" Cruz.
Monday, February 2, 2009
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