If you are looking for good reading over the holiday break consider
supporting the work of these amazing authors, educators and culture keepers! They
range from poetry, fiction, history, women's solidarity, youth
empowerment and even an Indigenous coloring book.
by Israel Lopez
(Black & White VERSION) This is an experimental Chicano poetry
codex. This work explores border politics and linguistic borders
through the use of a multitude of poetic forms, images and bilingual antics.
The poems move from english, spanish, nahuatl and Chicano imagery to
convey the rupture, the mending, the re-constructing, re-membering of chicano
poetics and a visual landscape that reconsiders the codices left behind by olmeca,
tolteca, azteca and mayan ancestors.
Blooming Flower, Shooting Star is semi-fiction, there is some
non-fictional history of Indigenous icons, traditions, and rituals
incorporated. The book involves two characters, Citlali and Flor. Citlali is an
undergraduate at New York University and was a former ward of the court
in California. Flor is a senior in high school in Oakland, California and is
still in the foster care system. After not being in contact for three
years, they begin to e-mail each other and discuss many of the issues that
young adults/teens are dealing with today. They write to each other about
issues ranging from love, history, traditions, boyfriends, pregnancy,
feminism, gangs, military, and share their daily lives with each other the
way best friends or sisters do.
Mexican poet Cesar A. Cruz takes on the Empire with a powerful
collection of poems, short stories and political bullets. Author Luis
Rodriguez (Always Running) describes Cesar's writings as filled with
"fierce insight and righteous rage." The book has received praise
from Godfather of Chicano Studies, Rudy Acuna, political activist Yuri
Kochiyama, former Black Panther Shaka At-thinnin, rapper Paris,
and many others. Mr. Cruz dispels the myth of the so-called "Illegal
Alien" in North America and stands up for all human beings seeking to
change the world. Library of Congress Control Number: 2008901057, ISBN
#978-0-6151-5299-8
Youth from East Oakland undergo a cultural, political journey to
Puerto Rico to learn about the countries' freedom fighters and their
struggle for independence. Book includes poems, short stories and powerful
biographies from freedom fighters desde Boriken. An OaklandLEAF.org, Ramas
Crew, production. Proceeds of sales will go to Oakland LEAF.
"Youth Wisdom" is a Homies Empowerment production, created
by teens, ages 14-19, from Oakland, CA. based out of Arise High School. In
this book, they express life lessons bringing forth hope and a vision for a
new way to live. Proceeds of sales will go to Homies Empowerment.
This Chicano Codex Coloring book is for both children and adults.
This codex reflex on the deer and the medicine of the deer. The codex
coloring book series are recalling, exploring and expanding the codices left
behind by our ancestors. The imagery found in these texts are inspired by azteca,
maya, toltecs, yaqui images but inspire the individual to continue to
create not simply copy ancestral work. If we are to continue to thrive,
identify and redefine the imagery and meaning left behind by our predecessors
we have to re-evision, adapt and create new codices.
7. Norteños/Sureños:Time to 'Bang' For Freedom, Brief History
of Mexican Mafia & NuestraFamilia by Cesar A. Cruz
This powerful book details the history of Norteno & Sureno
gangs and how their split came about. It serves as an empowering historical
tool for young people caught up in gangs. Includes sections on the Brown
Berets, Young Lords and many freedom fighters.
This chicano art coloring book is 52 pages and examines
neo-mayan,neo-aztec,neo-chicano glyphs. It is for both children and adults
alike. This meditative work allows the viewer to explore visual metaphors that
draw from what sometimes gets deemed as "lost cultures" and
become inspired to create new visions for the next seven generations.
Centered around the reality that these images and cultures are here and now and
continue to thrive.
Works suggested by:
cesar a. cruz
Doctoral Candidate & Founder of Homies Empowerment Program
Harvard University-Secondary School Program
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