Los Aztecas

I am not a Mexican... I am too American to be considered such.

I am not American... I am too Mexican to considered such.

I am not a Mexican-American... I have too many complexities to be described as such. There is no way I can put my Mexican side in front of American and I cant put my American in front of my Mexican side.

You know what I am? I am a Chicano. A Chicano! Gives me chills just writing it. The best way to describe a Chicano is by looking at me. What do I mean? Well, as many of you know and can tell by some of my post, I am very political. I like to talk about issues that affect everyone in this country and I especially like to write and think about the political atmosphere for the Hispanic/Latino/Chicano person. Well to many a Chicano is someone who is politicized Mexican-American. According to the handbook of Texas: They used Chicano to denote their rediscovered heritage, their youthful assertiveness, and their militant agenda.

I have rediscovered my heritage. I have found who I am as a person, what it means to be a foreigner in a land and what it means to live a life where you are not treated as others. I have found my youthful assertiveness, because I feel free to express my feelings, thoughts, and desires; I know my rights and I have control over my anger.

The last point is tricky. I have a militant agenda, yes I do. By I am also assertive and know my place. I know when a militant agenda should be used. Most of the time, I am able to compromise and use logic to push for something without confronting a militant agenda.

Way too much on why I am a Chicano...

So I am a Chicano.

The last two weekends I have made my way to doing a hunger strike. I fasted for 6 days (on water) and slept at the encampment at the Placita Olvera, dowtown LA. Being part of this fight for an end in the ICE raids, I began to notice something about my surroundings. APU does not give me an opportunity to express my Chicano views. And it is not like there is a gun to my head or rules that say I can't, there are just not enough people to start a moviemiento, a revolucion.

As I sat there contemplating about different things, I had the opportunity to watch a group of dancers perform. These people began by expressing reverence and prayer to the supernatural gods of the sun, earth and water. Then they created lively music with the howling of the sea conch, and with rhythms produced by drums and by dried seeds which were tied to the feet of the dancers. They expressed their anger on the ICE raids and focus on the inhumane treatment of the immigrants here in the US.

The Aztec Dance is special for many reasons. It empowers. You do
not have to believe
in the religious values of it to know that it empowers us. It
revives our people.
It is a deep expression of social, political, and cultural issues,
and it has a deep impact on a Mexican-American or Chicano's life.

After watching these dancers, It crossed my mind that at
Azusa Pacific, we needed
to stand and be revived. Yes, I know God is the ultimate
revival mechanism but
for some, there is more to that. Wouldnt it be nice to have
a group of Aztec dancers
Dancing at APU. It will honestly empower my raza to be the
awaking Giant it has been
called to be.

It is time to be empowered and rise!

Si Se Puede!... Si Se Puede!...

Que viva la revolucion!