For the Love of Harvey…Unspeakable Joy!
Ghandi/October 2
Martin Luther King Jr./January 15
Cesar Chavez/March 31
Harvey Milk/May 22
These are special days. They are dedicated first to honor these individuals, their lives and their contribution to our world and our lives. Second, these days represent a call to learn and align ourselves with the spirit and intent of their work. We are each challenged to come forward and live it in our own way.
Ever since I was a child and well into adulthood, through stories my father told about Cesar, through the unforgettable words of Martin, and films about Ghandi and Harvey, I learned that while we may be disenfranchised within the dominant paradigm, we can be a peaceful, powerful and an undeniable presence for change. We are here. We belong. And yes! We, absolutely all of us, are powerful, beautiful, wise and worthy.
I have come to know this for myself in part because of the mere existence of these four people and the impact of their thought and work in the world. But how do I know about them? It is because of the specific attention given to them, the honor, the respect. I have learned their words and come to recognize their images in schools and libraries, public spaces and media. Through example they have taught me some of my most valuable lessons for being committed to my own true nature while living on this planet. They have honored me first. They have valued and reflected me in my worth. In my own much simpler way, I try to thank them and continue the flow of their beautiful intentions through my work, my life, my thoughts and words. They stand as my models.
This weekend, Matthew and I attended some of the events in our neighborhood for the first ever Harvey Milk Day. I say all the time how much Continue reading »
Filed under LGBTQI Families, Power of Reflection | Tags: celebration, courage, family, festive, fun, lgbt, reflection | Comment (0)Dancing in Half Moon Bay – Celebrating Día de los Niños
Oh the traveling about…we have been everywhere! And truly it has felt like a party everywhere we go. But everywhere there is a treat, a special prize to be had…and the Half Moon Library on April 29th, was no exception.
Beforehand, Matthew shared with me that he thought Armando Ramirez, the Librarian who invited me to the event, and I were old friends because of the way he worded his email to us. I laughed. “Nah, we’re just Mexican.” I joked, “I don’t think we’ve ever met, he just needed a favor.” I was joking, but the truth is that at times, cultural differences are clear and do bond us. It’s not that Mexicans are friends right off the bat. Of course not, life is not that simple. But there is a sentiment, a cultural aura that has been handed down to us through???eating tamales only our grandmother could have made, the bond of menudo, nature, sangre?, genes, or just culture??? Truly, it is impossible to pinpoint the heart of a Mexican. But as each race knows, there is something that is inherent to each of us. It may be tagged as a stereotype or a profile by outsiders, but there is a heart within us that remains uniquely our own, a shared navigational tool to face the reality of “westernization” through centuries of familial colonization… or possibly just this moment.
As I suspected, when I met Armando, he felt like family, a familiar fellow.
We set up for the event. We played with fantastically awesome kids who looked just like me or the kids in my books. It was good. Together, we read I Know the River Loves Me (see video below) and later Continue reading »
Celebrating Día in Vallejo
Saturday, April 24th, we drove up to Vallejo. I didn’t know it was so very water-y around there. I’ve only lived here for 16 years and driven over the Carquinas bridge countless times! I now understand that the San Pablo Bay is enormous and stunning on a sunny day. Water, water everywhere!
When we arrived, we walked into the full swing of Día events at JFK Library. The big room was packed with families watching the tail end of a puppet show. Then we watched as the rows of chairs were strategically moved about to include tables and a great feast began. After we were all full of tamales and salsa (they even had a salsa that had a bit of a bite to it!) I asked the children to join me on the floor. I had decided Continue reading »
Let the Festivities Begin – Celebrating Día in West Sacramento
We headed to Sacramento for a gorgeous drive from San Francisco last Saturday, April 17, to our first Día de los Niños event this year at the Arthur F. Turner Community Library. I’m always happy to go to Sacramento. It reminds me of being a kid and going to see the State Capitol. My father would stop at each and every Historical Landmark and noteworthy piece of local information on the way there. I love the shape of the town, the streets and parks. Matthew and I have had cause to go there a lot in the last couple of years and it feels familiar in parts. Sacramento has that Continue reading »
El Día de Los Libros/El Día de Los Niños
April is a busy and exciting month this year! Maya will be participating in many events for El Día de los Libros/El Día de los Niños! 
All events are FREE and open to the public and most will have lots of festivities, refreshments, free books, art activities and more. So come celebrate the importance of reading at an event near you. Look forward to seeing you there!
Saturday, April 17th, 2010:
2:00-5:00pm
Arthur F. Turner Community Library, West Sacramento, CA
Dance performances by Folklórico Latino de Woodland, bilingual stories, crafts for kids, pinata raffle and presentations by Maya Gonzalez and Francisco Alarcón. Plus free books for kids! This FREE event is Continue reading »
