We joined in with the protest here in Minneapolis- Yo soy 132!!

New apartment in Minneapolis!!!

 So we have only been living in our new apt for a couple of days now and even though we are miles and miles away from vegas, I feel at home here. Its funny because lately I've felt out of place like I'm just floating around. When I'm in this wondering place I miss my queer and blood familia intensely. It's not that I don't miss everyone now but its just easier to be away. So our new home gets a funky smell sometimes because it is an old building but in a lot of ways it reminds me of the feminist house. Our building in just inches away from another just as old and tall and probably just as stinky apt building but it is disguised in green vines that give us an illusion that we don't really live that close to another building but instead we live in front of a green beautiful field. Because we are so close to this other building we can hear one of our neighbors play music usually during the evening. Which doesn't bother me at all. It's almost like I still live with my lito baby jorina. Sometimes I can here our many neighbors caught up in funny conversation and I can remember hearing my love jasmine and jorina laughing and talking it up in there rooms. It was a blessing in disguise. I miss the feminist house and all my loves so much and it gets hard sometimes because I feel the need to have that person to person contact with all of you. But i am doing alright and hopefully it gets easier to be away. Nolo, Jm, Jaszzy poo, Jorn, Adan, Anita, Claudia, Maria, Karina and all my loves you should know that you will follow me where ever I go! Enjoy the pictures of our beautiful casita there will be more once we unpack! Hope you come and visit!

 

Mural for Vegas Roots Garden

  

We (UCIR) submitted this sketch to the Vegas Roots Garden and got accepted! I am so excited because I have been wanting to work on a mural for a really long time. I feel that everything that I love and wanted to do in life is aligning and I am very grateful for all of these opportunities to work on projects that incorporate my Muxerismo and Joteria identity :)

I will keep the blog updated with the mural process and any additions to the original sketch. Thank you Joanna Nunez for sketching up Jose Manuel's and our ideas!!

Muxerista and Joteria Activism!!

*Mini documentary that Nolo and I did!

Remembering first Queer experience in the flesh:

So, I just got back from my first NAACS conference (March 14th-March 18th 2012, Chicago) and it was both an amazing and heavy weekend with many outcomes. My group presented on our Joteria activism and how we have successfully organized in Las Vegas around intersectional struggles. Joanna Nunez and I have been designated as the LBMT co-chairs, Nolo and I have finally finished our mini documentary and I was able to travel around Chicago with all of my amazing loves!!

We did an awesome job on our workshop!! About 5 people came but our workshop was at 8am and 11 other workshops were also going on at that time. So if you think of the people who slept in and then the people who had to pick from 11 other workshops, 5 is a huge number! It was an amazing feeling to share all the work we have done. Especially to a group that will appreciate it and see your work as valuable.

As for the "heavyness" I wanted to discuss, it came from the microagressions that were constanly being thrown at us throughout the time we stayed in the hotel. Even when we did succeed in creating a space that felt "safe" inside of the presentations, our group was expereicing these microagressions on the way to our room, during breaks and even during the banquet. They were constant rememinders that we did not belong at that hotel and that we could not fit in. I just remembering feeling the negativity from this environment and I am happy to have gone with the group that I did because I know that we were able to understand the complexity of the situation and find ways throughout the event to send love to eachother and to claim a space.  

*Hopefully we will be able to post the mini documentary on here soon!

Listening to Latinoamerica and remembering

I put this song on repeat all the time... I just get lost in the imagery, sometimes I can remember the sounds on the streets, and I can feel the energy from the people. And I can still remember the taste of my favorite soup. I made sure to ...memorize la sopa de mani, incase it was on a menu or I heard the people saying they were serving it. It is like I time travel and I start to feel the burn in my legs from the never ending curves from the road. And I smile thinking of the swaying bus that I spent endless hours on. Even though I felt nauseous I would still stare out the window. I spent half the time thinking, “I can’t believe I am really here” and the other half knowing exactly where I was. It was the most beautiful experience and I can’t help but share this video yet again! :)

Love letter to my friends :)

Happy Birthday my loves :)

My friends birthdays got me thinking about a lot. This is part of the last months that I will be living in Vegas. And I hope that I leave Vegas with many loved ones in my heart. I hope that they all know how speacial they are to me and how they have helped me become the person that I love.
Anita has given me words and theories to articulate my pain, fears and loves. She has supported and motivated me to finish my undergraduate degree even when it felt impossible. She has given me the words from Gloria, Cherrie, and Yosso. So that I don't feel so alone.
 Nolito has shown me how to be me even if my jokes don't make sense to everyone. He has given me the courage to speak when I thought my words might not be valued. I owe my Vegas crew my heart because they have taught me to heal, love and to forgive. They are the reasons why I fell in love with activism.
Thank you Anita, Nolo, Joanna, Claudia, Adan, Jasmine, Jose Manuel, Kenia, Maria G, Maria C, Karina, Hugo, Destiny, Jairo, Fatima, Gracie, Justin, Jorina, Jenni, Danielle, and to the many more people who have helped me in developing my self.

Pocas Pero Locas is an even that UCIR does to raise funds and consciousness :) This is our second annual Pocas Pero Locas event! 

Mal Xochil and Rico (me) performed Bird Flu at the Pocas Pero Locas event! It was all Mal Xochil, she had the dance moves and beautiful outfits! I was very thankful to have been able to perform with her :)