For the Ninas/os.

What a sad thing that I'm not able to keep up with my blog like I use to before. But "smile now, cry later," because there's too many great things clogging the air around me. I'm working 2 jobs, both involve working with youth in two drastically different settings. My perspective on youth education is changing by the day, the wheels in my head turn and strain to understand this system that's suppose to benefit. There is no doubt in my mind that I am impacting these kids, but something bigger must happen. Our inner city schools are a facade of regulation, when you peel back the layers, it seems as if the root just buries itself deeper. It's not up to the school to fix, or heal your children, in fact, it may just add to the problem in some cases. What we need is a radical makeover, but will that happen in this life time? So in the mean time, I have carved out a small part for myself. I know I can't save them all, and I have no illusions that I can, but I can help them to understand that there is hope, and at the same time they need not compromise.

"Every institution of our day, the family, the state, our moral codes, sees in every strong, beautiful, uncompromising personality a deadly enemy; therefore every effort is being made to cramp human emotion and originality of thought of the individual into a strait-jacket from its earliest infancy; not into a well-rounded individuality, but into a patient work-slave, professional automation, tax-paying citizen, or righteous moralist."

-Emma Goldman on Youth Liberation

The Chicana Colective is currently working on community outreach, and our focus, the ninas/os. Stay tuned for details...