Mom of twins, wife and educator

As I sit here in my bed… a bit tired… sick… but feeling better. Low energy while reading a book titled “Uncolonized Latinas by Valeria Aloe” I am reading while thinking and reflecting.       How Latina culture is beautiful, full of different histories, full of different stories, full of different dialects, languages and how many stories have been untold or unheard. Oppression has played a major role in the Latinx community and families. Depending which country and community you are from, some of our families have experienced more oppression than others. Depending on the politics of our parents' countries, some of us have experienced more trauma than others. All of this carries from generation to generation. Trauma plays a big role in the Latinx community, just leaving your family behind to come to the United States for better opportunities is traumatic in itself. People leave their families, their communities, their support system, their language(s), their dialects, ...

           (photo: taken in Punta Cana, DR July 2021) Summertime Time to reflect, think, sit back, breathe. Feel the sun, the vitamin D, the sunlight, the sunshine, that glow. Feel the wind, the breeze, your hair moving, the fresh air, the sound of the wind.  Hear the birds, the birds singing, the birds chirping, see them fly. The butterflies, watching them fly while also thinking of them when they were a beautiful caterpillar.  The flowers, waiting for the sun, waiting for the rain, waiting for them to blossom each and every day. The ocean, the sound of the waves, deep, deep as it can be, dangerous but at the same time beneficial and beautiful.  The leaves, shining bright green, holding on to their branches, holding on to their tree, implemented by their roots, their strong roots, holding on, because as a family they need each other.  We need each other.  We can not survive without one another.  One World We are all connected,...

Here I am. Working out on my bike. Getting my heartbeat going. Thinking and reflecting. On what if... I have felt paused.  On wait. Frozen. If not now then when? Then how? Then ¿ cuándo es el tiempo perfecto o adecuado? I see my camera sitting there taking up dust. My journal is waiting for me to pick up a pen and write. I see my horizons waiting for me to make a next move.  Is it me or has life changed? Well, yes it has especially in 2020 and still 2021 when this pandemic has hit the whole entire world. People have lost loved ones. Some have been extremely sick. Some were sick for a bit. Some of us were in quarantine while taking care of those that were sick. This has been a crazy rollercoaster. One that has affected children, young adults, adults, the elderly and our emotional well being. We all ask why? ¿Porqué?  I have faith. I am trying to stay optimistic.  That light will come. Some of us can regain strength. Some of us can regain hope. Some of us can and will...

Latina(x) My ancestors made me who I am I might speak Spanish I might speak English I might speak Spanglish I might code switch and not even notice I might cook white rice and beans, arroz blanco con habichuelas I might dance Bachata, Merengue and sometimes Salsa.  I might dance some Hip-Hip, R & B and some Reggae I might be quiet and when upset I can get loud When we hear the beat to the drum, we dance it proud. When my mom says mira you really have to look and listen.  When my abuelas cooked you had to sit down and eat all of your food and con mucho gusto.  I have African ancestors, European ancestors and a small percentage of Native American in me. In my family En nuestra familia When I hear the ocean, I hear my ancestors I hear the voices that I’ve never met I hear them in Spanish  I hear them in English I hear them in Spanglish I hear them in their indigenous languages. I hear them talking, I h...

En la vida Hay que reír Hay que llorar Hay que expresar En la vida Hay que soñar Hay que disfrutar Hay que trabajar Para un mundo mejor Para nuestros hijos Para que nuestros niños aprendan a respetar En la vida Hay que caminar Hay que ver Con nuestro ojos Con nuestra mente Con nuestra actitud Con nuestro amor Hay que explicar Como tú voz Como tús labios Como tús palabras Son fuertes En la vida Hay que reír Hay que llorar Hay que expresar Lo que tú sientes Hay que luchar Para un mundo mejor Para tener paz Para ver el sol Para ver la lluvia Para ver lo mejor En la vida Hay que reír Hay que llorar Hay que seguir con amor...

Issues in Latino Education          Some of the books that I have read this year, has made me think and reflect.  As a mother of two  beautiful and bi-cultural children, I am concerned and aware that not all children will receive the same opportunities in life. Our job as parents is to be aware that education is a system and that we all need to be included in conversations that expresses our ideas and perspectives. Resource. Power. Perspective. Diversity. The politics of language : “Schools are political domain and are linked to power and control within the dominant society. They are also agents of socialization in which formal pedagogy as well as the informal hidden curriculum reflect the beliefs of the dominant society” (Giroux, 1983). “A common perception among public educators and the public in general is that minority students drop out of school because of personal deficiencies, language difficulties, poverty, and many other perceived cul...

When introducing myself, I say my name is Deidania. “Hum.. Deidania where does that name come from?” People ask. Well, tell you truth I am not sure.. I know that my Godmother suggested that name to my mom and that is where I got my name. What people are really trying to ask and some do ask, is what race and/or ethnicity am I from? Before I even tell them, some people are already guessing. Are you Puerto Rican? Lebanese? Colombian? Italian? Cuban? Dominican? Yes, I have heard them all and then I say proudly “I am Latina, I am Dominican… well Dominican-American because I was born here in Providence. I was always confused when younger while living in the United States, I was considered Dominicana and when I would travel to D.R, I was considered a “gringa”. So where did I fit? What does this mean? Who am I? Why does your identity matter? Why does the languages that I speak matter? Why is Spanish and Spanglish so important to me and my family? Why is talking about it so important...