♪ ♪ HELLO AND WELCOME BACK.

HELLO AND WELCOME BACK.

TO NEWS MAKERS AND TODAY WE TALK TO NEWS MAKERS AND TODAY WE TALK TO ANA CASTILLO SHE IS A WRITER TO ANA CASTILLO SHE IS A WRITER AND AUTHOR OF OVER 20 BOOKS AND AND AUTHOR OF OVER 20 BOOKS AND MULTIPLE GENRES AND ONE OF THE MULTIPLE GENRES AND ONE OF THE MOST ESTABLISHED WRITERS IN THE MOST ESTABLISHED WRITERS IN THE COUNTRY AND WE ARE VERY VERY COUNTRY AND WE ARE VERY VERY HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US TODAY.

TODAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> YOU STARTED WRITING REALLY >> YOU STARTED WRITING REALLY EARLY ON.

EARLY ON.

>> UH-HUH.

>> UH-HUH.

>> AS I HAVE THE STORY YOU WERE >> AS I HAVE THE STORY YOU WERE NINE YEARS OLD AND YOUR NINE YEARS OLD AND YOUR GRANDMOTHER PASSED AND YOU WROTE GRANDMOTHER PASSED AND YOU WROTE YOUR FIRST POEM.

YOUR FIRST POEM.

>> I DID NOT REMEMBER THAT TIME >> I DID NOT REMEMBER THAT TIME AND I GREW UP WITH MY PATERNAL AND I GREW UP WITH MY PATERNAL IN CHICAGO, MY PARENTS WERE IN CHICAGO, MY PARENTS WERE WORKING AND MY OLDER SIBLINGS WORKING AND MY OLDER SIBLINGS WERE OFF TO SCHOOL, WHEN SHE WERE OFF TO SCHOOL, WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY WHICH MUST HAVE BEEN PASSED AWAY WHICH MUST HAVE BEEN VERY TRAUMATIZING FOR ME I THINK VERY TRAUMATIZING FOR ME I THINK BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HER BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HER TIME OR MY FAMILY, THERE WASN'T TIME OR MY FAMILY, THERE WASN'T REALLY ANY COMMUNICATION WITH ME REALLY ANY COMMUNICATION WITH ME AS TO THIS LOSS AND I REMEMBER AS TO THIS LOSS AND I REMEMBER NOW IN RETROSPECT HOW I ENDED UP NOW IN RETROSPECT HOW I ENDED UP EXPRESSING THAT WAS I HAD THIS EXPRESSING THAT WAS I HAD THIS LITTLE NOTE PAD, I COME FROM A LITTLE NOTE PAD, I COME FROM A VERY HUMBLE FAMILY AND MY MOTHER VERY HUMBLE FAMILY AND MY MOTHER WAS WORKING IN A FACTORY AND SHE WAS WORKING IN A FACTORY AND SHE HAD A NOTE PAD ON ROTH PAPER HAD A NOTE PAD ON ROTH PAPER THAT WAS MAYBE WITH GLUED THAT WAS MAYBE WITH GLUED TOGETHER, IT WAS REALLY MEANT TO TOGETHER, IT WAS REALLY MEANT TO KEEP YOUR QUOTAS ON THE ASSEMBLY KEEP YOUR QUOTAS ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE AND KNEW I LOVED TO DRAW LINE AND KNEW I LOVED TO DRAW AND WHAT I LOVED TO DO AND I AND WHAT I LOVED TO DO AND I STARTED TO DRAW AND PAINT THAT STARTED TO DRAW AND PAINT THAT WAS MY FIRST LOVE SO SHE BROUGHT WAS MY FIRST LOVE SO SHE BROUGHT ME THIS LITTLE PAD HOME AND WHAT ME THIS LITTLE PAD HOME AND WHAT I REMEMBER WAS BEING ON THE I REMEMBER WAS BEING ON THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND WRITING THESE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND WRITING THESE SHORT VERSUS, HOW I HAVE SHORT VERSUS, HOW I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS YOU KNOW CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS YOU KNOW BONAFIDE POETRY IS I SHOWED IT BONAFIDE POETRY IS I SHOWED IT TO THE CHILDREN ON THE TO THE CHILDREN ON THE PLAYGROUND AND LIKED IT AND PLAYGROUND AND LIKED IT AND ASKED ME TO WRITE POEMS AND I ASKED ME TO WRITE POEMS AND I FORGOT ABOUT THAT AS TIME WENT FORGOT ABOUT THAT AS TIME WENT ON, I WAS WRITING THROUGHOUT MY ON, I WAS WRITING THROUGHOUT MY LIFE AND CHILDHOOD AND LIFE AND CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE AND EARLY YEARS AND ADOLESCENCE AND EARLY YEARS AND ALWAYS TOOK IT FOR GRANTED AND I ALWAYS TOOK IT FOR GRANTED AND I DECIDED TO BE A POET BETWEEN DECIDED TO BE A POET BETWEEN 19-21 YEARS OLD WHEN I JUST MADE 19-21 YEARS OLD WHEN I JUST MADE THAT SWITCH FROM THE VISUAL ARTS THAT SWITCH FROM THE VISUAL ARTS AND IT WAS MY MOTHER THAT AND IT WAS MY MOTHER THAT REMINDED ME AND EVERYBODY ABOUT REMINDED ME AND EVERYBODY ABOUT THAT EARLY EXPERIENCE.

THAT EARLY EXPERIENCE.

>> YOU WENT FROM VISUAL ART INTO >> YOU WENT FROM VISUAL ART INTO POETRY, DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF POETRY, DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A POET?

A POET?

I MEAN HERE IS WHAT I HAVE YOU I MEAN HERE IS WHAT I HAVE YOU HAVE EIGHT NOVELS, EIGHT BOOKS HAVE EIGHT NOVELS, EIGHT BOOKS OF POETRY, TWO BOOKS OF ESSAYS, OF POETRY, TWO BOOKS OF ESSAYS, TWO PLAYS, TWO BOOKS OF TWO PLAYS, TWO BOOKS OF TRANSLATION, A CHILDREN'S BOOK TRANSLATION, A CHILDREN'S BOOK AND A COLLECTION OF SHORT AND A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES SO YOU CAN SAY STORIES SO YOU CAN SAY TRANSLATOR PLAY WRITE ALL OF THE TRANSLATOR PLAY WRITE ALL OF THE TITLES WHICH ONE DO YOU FEEL IS TITLES WHICH ONE DO YOU FEEL IS CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART?

CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART?

>> GOSH, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE >> GOSH, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE SOMEONE ASKED ME RECENTLY WHICH SOMEONE ASKED ME RECENTLY WHICH WAS MY FAVORITE OF MY BOOKS AND WAS MY FAVORITE OF MY BOOKS AND I SAID WELL WHICH IS THE I SAID WELL WHICH IS THE FAVORITE OF YOUR CHILDREN?

FAVORITE OF YOUR CHILDREN?

SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN BE SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN BE PARTIAL TO ANY OF MY WORKS AND I PARTIAL TO ANY OF MY WORKS AND I HAVE GONE BACK TO ART, I LEFT IT HAVE GONE BACK TO ART, I LEFT IT FOR A LONG TIME AND I DON'T PUT FOR A LONG TIME AND I DON'T PUT IT OUT THERE AS IF I'M AN ARTIST IT OUT THERE AS IF I'M AN ARTIST BECAUSE WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO BECAUSE WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DEVOTING PEOPLE WHO ARE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO ART SOMETIMES I THEMSELVES TO ART SOMETIMES I WILL DO ONE PAINTING A YEAR.

WILL DO ONE PAINTING A YEAR.

LATELY I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT LATELY I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT MORE DRAWING AND I JUST FINISHED MORE DRAWING AND I JUST FINISHED A PAINTING AND SO I KIND OF A PAINTING AND SO I KIND OF COUNT THE WORKS PER YEAR SO EVEN COUNT THE WORKS PER YEAR SO EVEN THEN I WOULDN'T SAY THAT I THEN I WOULDN'T SAY THAT I PREFER THE VISUAL ARTS NOW OVER PREFER THE VISUAL ARTS NOW OVER THE WRITING.

THE WRITING.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO EXPRESS MYSELF WHAT I THINK, EXPRESS MYSELF WHAT I THINK, WHAT I FEEL USING DIFFERENT WHAT I FEEL USING DIFFERENT MEDIUMS AND IT DEPENDS ON WHAT I MEDIUMS AND IT DEPENDS ON WHAT I CHOOSE TO DO AT THAT TIME AND I CHOOSE TO DO AT THAT TIME AND I GIVE IT MY ALL.

GIVE IT MY ALL.

EVERY BOOK, EVERY PROJECT, EVEN EVERY BOOK, EVERY PROJECT, EVEN I WOULD SAY EVERY PAINTING HAS A I WOULD SAY EVERY PAINTING HAS A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

LIFE OF ITS OWN.

IF YOU WERE TO HAVE, SAY, FIVE IF YOU WERE TO HAVE, SAY, FIVE CHILDREN YOU HAVE YOUR FIRST CHILDREN YOU HAVE YOUR FIRST CHILD WHEN YOU ARE 20 AND YOUR CHILD WHEN YOU ARE 20 AND YOUR LAST CHILD WHEN YOU ARE 40 YOU LAST CHILD WHEN YOU ARE 40 YOU ARE A DIFFERENT PERSON AND A ARE A DIFFERENT PERSON AND A DIFFERENT PARENT AND THAT IS DIFFERENT PARENT AND THAT IS WHAT I ALSO FEEL THAT I BROUGHT WHAT I ALSO FEEL THAT I BROUGHT TO EACH OF THESE BOOKS WAS A TO EACH OF THESE BOOKS WAS A DIFFERENT ME AT THAT TIME, A DIFFERENT ME AT THAT TIME, A DIFFERENT MATURITY AND THE CRAFT DIFFERENT MATURITY AND THE CRAFT THAT I WAS WORKING ON AND WHAT I THAT I WAS WORKING ON AND WHAT I NEEDED TO DO AT THAT TIME SO I NEEDED TO DO AT THAT TIME SO I REALLY AM VERY HARD PRESSED TO REALLY AM VERY HARD PRESSED TO TELL YOU WHICH WOULD BE MY TELL YOU WHICH WOULD BE MY FAVORITE.

FAVORITE.

POETRY I BELIEVE IS A GIFT FROM POETRY I BELIEVE IS A GIFT FROM THE GODS.

THE GODS.

IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT FORMAT.

IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT FORMAT.

WHEN I DECIDED TO BE A POET I WHEN I DECIDED TO BE A POET I GAVE UP EVERYTHING ELSE GAVE UP EVERYTHING ELSE CREATIVE, THE ART ALSO BECAUSE I CREATIVE, THE ART ALSO BECAUSE I THOUGHT TO BE A GOOD POET THIS THOUGHT TO BE A GOOD POET THIS IS ALL THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO IS ALL THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO IS DEVOTE MYSELF TO THIS DO IS DEVOTE MYSELF TO THIS CRAFT AND I WROTE POETRY FOR CRAFT AND I WROTE POETRY FOR EIGHT YEARS WHEN I REALIZED THAT EIGHT YEARS WHEN I REALIZED THAT NOT EVERYBODY READS POETRY AND I NOT EVERYBODY READS POETRY AND I HAD THIS URGENCY TO SHARE MY HAD THIS URGENCY TO SHARE MY STORIES AND BEGAN TO TEACH STORIES AND BEGAN TO TEACH MYSELF PROS WRITING, I BOUGHT I MYSELF PROS WRITING, I BOUGHT I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY READERS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY READERS AND BY CRITICS AND SCHOLARS THAT BY CRITICS AND SCHOLARS THAT POET TO THE PROS THAT YOU CAN POET TO THE PROS THAT YOU CAN READ IT INTO THE PROS SO IT'S READ IT INTO THE PROS SO IT'S WONDERFUL TRAINING FOR ME EVEN WONDERFUL TRAINING FOR ME EVEN WHEN I LEFT WRITING POETRY FOR WHEN I LEFT WRITING POETRY FOR SOME TIME.

SOME TIME.

SO I WANT TO SAY AND I WOULD SO I WANT TO SAY AND I WOULD FEEL VERY HONORED TO FEEL THAT I FEEL VERY HONORED TO FEEL THAT I WAS RECOGNIZED FIRST AND WAS RECOGNIZED FIRST AND FOREMOST AS A POET AND I AM A FOREMOST AS A POET AND I AM A POET BUT I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF POET BUT I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT FOR THAT ART FORM AND I RESPECT FOR THAT ART FORM AND I CAN'T JUST SIT DOWN AND SAY NOW CAN'T JUST SIT DOWN AND SAY NOW I'M GOING TO WRITE A POET, NOW I'M GOING TO WRITE A POET, NOW I'M GOING TO WRITE A BOOK OF I'M GOING TO WRITE A BOOK OF POEMS AND CAN SAY THAT ABOUT A POEMS AND CAN SAY THAT ABOUT A NOVEL OR A STORY, VERY DIFFERENT NOVEL OR A STORY, VERY DIFFERENT APPROACHES VERY DIFFERENT GENRES APPROACHES VERY DIFFERENT GENRES AND BRING DIFFERENT CHALLENGES AND BRING DIFFERENT CHALLENGES TO A WRITER.

TO A WRITER.

>> AND OVER THE YEARS I MEAN >> AND OVER THE YEARS I MEAN SPEAKING OF HOW ONE CHANGES, YOU SPEAKING OF HOW ONE CHANGES, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE YEARS, THROUGH KNOW, THROUGH THE YEARS, THROUGH THE DECADES, YOU WERE AND I THE DECADES, YOU WERE AND I CAN'T SAY I KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE CAN'T SAY I KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE NOW BUT YOU ARE VERY ACTIVE IN NOW BUT YOU ARE VERY ACTIVE IN ACTIVISM IN THE 70s AND THAT ACTIVISM IN THE 70s AND THAT COMES THROUGH IN YOUR WRITING, COMES THROUGH IN YOUR WRITING, IT COMES THROUGH IN YOUR POETRY.

IT COMES THROUGH IN YOUR POETRY.

ACTUALLY YOU BROUGHT ONE POEM ACTUALLY YOU BROUGHT ONE POEM TODAY THAT HAS A POLITICAL BEND TODAY THAT HAS A POLITICAL BEND TO IT, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT TO IT, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT POEM.

ABOUT THAT POEM.

>> THE POEM THAT I WROTE FOR YOU >> THE POEM THAT I WROTE FOR YOU IS CALLED A POEM FOR THE IS CALLED A POEM FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES CHICAGO POETS AND MARK SISTER I CHICAGO POETS AND MARK SISTER I HAVE KNOWN IN MY TIME WHICH I HAVE KNOWN IN MY TIME WHICH I ACTUALLY WROTE IN THE LATE 80s ACTUALLY WROTE IN THE LATE 80s DURING THE REAGAN ERA AND SEE IT DURING THE REAGAN ERA AND SEE IT RECENTLY SHOW UP IN SOCIAL MEDIA RECENTLY SHOW UP IN SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE IT'S RESONATING WITH BECAUSE IT'S RESONATING WITH PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, WITH THE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, WITH THE POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WE HAVE POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY.

IN THIS COUNTRY.

I ALSO READ FOR YOU A POEM I ALSO READ FOR YOU A POEM CALLED I ASK THE IMPOSSIBLE FOR CALLED I ASK THE IMPOSSIBLE FOR MY COLLECTION, I ASK THE MY COLLECTION, I ASK THE IMPOSSIBLE IT'S MY OFFICIAL LOVE IMPOSSIBLE IT'S MY OFFICIAL LOVE POEM BECAUSE IT REALLY IS POEM BECAUSE IT REALLY IS EXCEPTIONAL IN TERMS OF THEME, EXCEPTIONAL IN TERMS OF THEME, MOST OF MY WORK DOES HAVE A VERY MOST OF MY WORK DOES HAVE A VERY POLITICAL VIEW, NOT ALWAYS A POLITICAL VIEW, NOT ALWAYS A WORD MY LAST NOVEL GIVEN TO ME WORD MY LAST NOVEL GIVEN TO ME IT'S AN LATINA CONTEMPORARY IT'S AN LATINA CONTEMPORARY TIMES WHO PRETTY MUCH DOES WHAT TIMES WHO PRETTY MUCH DOES WHAT SHE WANTS, SHE DOESN'T SHE WANTS, SHE DOESN'T NECESSARILY LABEL HERSELF IN ANY NECESSARILY LABEL HERSELF IN ANY WAY AND SHE IS VERY FREE WAY AND SHE IS VERY FREE SEXUALLY AS FAR AS DOESN'T LABEL SEXUALLY AS FAR AS DOESN'T LABEL HERSELF OR COMMIT TO ANY HERSELF OR COMMIT TO ANY PARTICULAR LABELING OR PARTICULAR LABELING OR RELATIONSHIP AND DOESN'T LABOR RELATIONSHIP AND DOESN'T LABOR OVER IDENTITIES AND SO THAT IN OVER IDENTITIES AND SO THAT IN ITSELF IS A POLITICAL STATEMENT ITSELF IS A POLITICAL STATEMENT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO BE THAT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO BE THAT KIND OF A WOMAN AND IN THE KIND OF A WOMAN AND IN THE SOCIETY WHERE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SOCIETY WHERE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT SO I DID KEEP ACTIVE TO DO THAT SO I DID KEEP ACTIVE AND I AM ACTIVE MOSTLY AS A AND I AM ACTIVE MOSTLY AS A SPEAKER AND A POLITICAL THINKER SPEAKER AND A POLITICAL THINKER AND WRITER IS HOW I CONTINUE TO AND WRITER IS HOW I CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT THREAD GOING AROUND KEEP THAT THREAD GOING AROUND THE ISSUES OF LATINOS IN THE THE ISSUES OF LATINOS IN THE U.S., BEING A VISIONIST, BEING A U.S., BEING A VISIONIST, BEING A BROWN WOMAN AND BY THE 80s I WAS BROWN WOMAN AND BY THE 80s I WAS IDENTIFIED ALSO AS A FEMINIST IDENTIFIED ALSO AS A FEMINIST BECAUSE I'M VERY PARTIAL TO BECAUSE I'M VERY PARTIAL TO WOMEN'S ISSUES AND I'M STILL WOMEN'S ISSUES AND I'M STILL VERY OUT SPOKEN ON THOSE THEMES.

VERY OUT SPOKEN ON THOSE THEMES.

>> YOU HAD TO DEAL EVEN IN THE >> YOU HAD TO DEAL EVEN IN THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT MAKEUP YOUR IDENTITY PIECES, MAKEUP YOUR IDENTITY PIECES, YOU'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF YOU'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF LABELINGS AND TO PUSH BACK SO LABELINGS AND TO PUSH BACK SO YOU CAN COME UP WITH TERMS AND YOU CAN COME UP WITH TERMS AND CONVERSATION STARTERS I GUESS, CONVERSATION STARTERS I GUESS, ONE OF THE TERMS THAT IS ONE OF THE TERMS THAT IS ENTIRELY OWED TO YOU AND YOU ENTIRELY OWED TO YOU AND YOU CLAIMED IN THE 90s, 94.

CLAIMED IN THE 90s, 94.

>> CLAIM OUT WITH THE DREAMERS >> CLAIM OUT WITH THE DREAMERS IN 1994, IT'S THE BOOK OF THE IN 1994, IT'S THE BOOK OF THE DREAMERS AND IT'S XICANISMA WITH DREAMERS AND IT'S XICANISMA WITH AN X AND IN THE 70s AND 80s AN X AND IN THE 70s AND 80s PREVIOUS GENERATION TO MY OWN PREVIOUS GENERATION TO MY OWN AND THE TIMINGS ARE VERY HEAVILY AND THE TIMINGS ARE VERY HEAVILY CHICANA BENT AND THEY DID NOT CHICANA BENT AND THEY DID NOT LABEL THEMSELVES CHICANA AS LABEL THEMSELVES CHICANA AS FEMINISTS BUT THEY DID DO FEMINISTS BUT THEY DID DO FEMINIST WORK AND BY THE TIME WE FEMINIST WORK AND BY THE TIME WE REACHED THE 80s THERE WAS A REACHED THE 80s THERE WAS A WHITE WOMAN FEMINIST DIALOG WITH WHITE WOMAN FEMINIST DIALOG WITH BLACK FEMINIST BUT WE WERE BLACK FEMINIST BUT WE WERE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE AND SO I SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE AND SO I FELT THERE WAS A REAL NEED TO FELT THERE WAS A REAL NEED TO IDENTIFY IT AS SUCH IN MY IDENTIFY IT AS SUCH IN MY GENERATION, I'M NOT THE ONLY GENERATION, I'M NOT THE ONLY CHICANA FEMINIST BY ANY STRETCH CHICANA FEMINIST BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION OUT OF THAT OF THE IMAGINATION OUT OF THAT PERIOD OF TIME BUT WHEN I WILL PERIOD OF TIME BUT WHEN I WILL TALK ABOUT CHICANA FEMINIST TALK ABOUT CHICANA FEMINIST CHICANA DID NOT WANT TO BE CHICANA DID NOT WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BECAUSE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT SEE IT ASSOCIATED THEY DID NOT SEE IT ASSOCIATED WITH US AND THAT IS HOW THE WORD WITH US AND THAT IS HOW THE WORD CAME TOGETHER IS JUST CAME TOGETHER IS JUST HAPHAZARDLY I SAID IN AN HAPHAZARDLY I SAID IN AN INTERVIEW XICANISMA AND I INTERVIEW XICANISMA AND I SPELLED IT WITH AN X AND IT'S SPELLED IT WITH AN X AND IT'S CHICANA IN FEMINISM.

CHICANA IN FEMINISM.

>> AND IT'S FUNNY IT'S WITH AN X >> AND IT'S FUNNY IT'S WITH AN X BECAUSE IT'S ADDRESSING BECAUSE IT'S ADDRESSING SOMETHING THAT NOW WE ALL KNOW A SOMETHING THAT NOW WE ALL KNOW A LOT OF US TALK ABOUT WHICH IS LOT OF US TALK ABOUT WHICH IS INTER SECTIONALITY AND WHEN WE INTER SECTIONALITY AND WHEN WE TALKED BEFORE THE SHOW I TALKED BEFORE THE SHOW I MENTIONED THIS IS A TERM THAT MENTIONED THIS IS A TERM THAT YOU COINED AND YOU SAID WELL YOU YOU COINED AND YOU SAID WELL YOU KNOW IT'S EVOLVED AND NOW I KNOW IT'S EVOLVED AND NOW I DON'T KNOW AND I WOULD CLAIM YOU DON'T KNOW AND I WOULD CLAIM YOU DO BUT LANGUAGE DOES CHANGE AND DO BUT LANGUAGE DOES CHANGE AND PEOPLE THAT SPEAK IT CHANGES, SO PEOPLE THAT SPEAK IT CHANGES, SO HOW DO YOU THINK XICANISMA HAS HOW DO YOU THINK XICANISMA HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS?

CHANGED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS?

>> WELL, I THINK THERE IS NOW >> WELL, I THINK THERE IS NOW FOR SURE A GENERATION OF BROWN FOR SURE A GENERATION OF BROWN WOMEN IN THIS COUNTRY WHO WOMEN IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ALTHOUGH THERE IS A LOT THAT WE ALTHOUGH THERE IS A LOT THAT WE HAVE TO GO STILL, A LOT OF WORK HAVE TO GO STILL, A LOT OF WORK WE STILL HAVE TO DO, GROW UP, WE STILL HAVE TO DO, GROW UP, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS SUCH A THING AS A CHICANA SUCH A THING AS A CHICANA IDENTITY THAT THEIR MOTHERS HAD IDENTITY THAT THEIR MOTHERS HAD GONE TO SCHOOL, TO COLLEGE, GONE TO SCHOOL, TO COLLEGE, WORKED OUTSIDE THE HOME, YOU WORKED OUTSIDE THE HOME, YOU KNOW FROM THE RANGE OF KNOW FROM THE RANGE OF EXPERIENCES THEY CAN GO TO A EXPERIENCES THEY CAN GO TO A BOOK STORE OR GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA BOOK STORE OR GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEY SEE U.S.

LATINO WRITERS AND THEY SEE U.S.

LATINO WRITERS CHICANA WRITERS WHO ARE CHICANA WRITERS WHO ARE ESTABLISHED AND A PROFESSOR AND ESTABLISHED AND A PROFESSOR AND THEY HAVE ROLE MODELS AND THEY THEY HAVE ROLE MODELS AND THEY HAVE MENTORS, THEY HAVE HAVE MENTORS, THEY HAVE PREDECESSORS THAT SPEAK ON THESE PREDECESSORS THAT SPEAK ON THESE ISSUES AND SO THAT IS GROUND ISSUES AND SO THAT IS GROUND ALREADY, THOSE ARE SHOULDERS TO ALREADY, THOSE ARE SHOULDERS TO STAND ON.

STAND ON.

THEY CAN MAKE IT THEIR OWN TO THEY CAN MAKE IT THEIR OWN TO SUIT THE NEEDS AND DEMANDS THAT SUIT THE NEEDS AND DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE NOW BUT I THINK RIGHT WE HAVE NOW BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK WE ARE GOING NOW AS WE SPEAK WE ARE GOING THROUGH A POLITICAL CLIMATE THROUGH A POLITICAL CLIMATE ESPECIALLY AGAINST IMMIGRANTS, ESPECIALLY AGAINST IMMIGRANTS, THE DREAMERS AND SO FORTH AND THE DREAMERS AND SO FORTH AND NOT NEW FOR US AND IT'S A RETURN NOT NEW FOR US AND IT'S A RETURN IT IS ALMOST WITH A VENGANCE OF IT IS ALMOST WITH A VENGANCE OF MEXICANS AND LATINOS AND BROWN MEXICANS AND LATINOS AND BROWN PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY, SO SOME PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY, SO SOME THINGS EVOLVED IN TERMS OF THINGS EVOLVED IN TERMS OF XICANISMA AND THE 20TH XICANISMA AND THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION I PUT OUT ANNIVERSARY EDITION I PUT OUT TWO YEARS AGO THE UNFORTUNATE TWO YEARS AGO THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS I DID NOT HAVE ALL THAT THING IS I DID NOT HAVE ALL THAT MUCH TO UPDATE.

MUCH TO UPDATE.

I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE ENORMOUS AMOUNT, WE HAD A BLACK ENORMOUS AMOUNT, WE HAD A BLACK PRESIDENT FINALLY, WE HAD AT PRESIDENT FINALLY, WE HAD AT LEAST A WOMAN CANDIDATE RUNNING LEAST A WOMAN CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENCY AND THE FOR PRESIDENCY AND THE STATISTICS HAD NOT CHANGED THAT STATISTICS HAD NOT CHANGED THAT MUCH FOR MEXICANS AND LATINAS.

MUCH FOR MEXICANS AND LATINAS.

>> ACTUALLY WHEN I STARTED HERE >> ACTUALLY WHEN I STARTED HERE I ASSUME EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M I ASSUME EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M FROM MEXICO CITY, I'M MEXICAN, FROM MEXICO CITY, I'M MEXICAN, STRAIGHT UP MEXICAN AND YOU ARE STRAIGHT UP MEXICAN AND YOU ARE CHICANA.

CHICANA.

BY THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PUT BY THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PUT LABELS ON US WE WOULD BOTH BE LABELS ON US WE WOULD BOTH BE MEXICANS BUT THERE ARE MEXICANS BUT THERE ARE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN US CAN YOU DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN US CAN YOU TELL US WHAT CHICANA MEANS?

TELL US WHAT CHICANA MEANS?

>> WELL FOR MY GENERATION WE >> WELL FOR MY GENERATION WE BEGAN TO OWN THAT TERM THE WAY BEGAN TO OWN THAT TERM THE WAY YOU OWN THE WAY BLACKS OWN THE YOU OWN THE WAY BLACKS OWN THE BLACK, WHEN IT WAS FIRST BLACK, WHEN IT WAS FIRST DEROGATORY AND LATER THEY DEROGATORY AND LATER THEY EMPOWERED IT WE OWNED CHICANA AS EMPOWERED IT WE OWNED CHICANA AS A POLITIC AND IT WAS ABOUT A POLITIC AND IT WAS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN AND RAISED PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE OR AT LEAST RAISED HERE AND HERE OR AT LEAST RAISED HERE AND PEOPLE COME HERE AS CHILDREN AND PEOPLE COME HERE AS CHILDREN AND MIGRATED HERE AND WE MIGRATED MIGRATED HERE AND WE MIGRATED ALL OVER AND WE ARE MIGRANTS TO ALL OVER AND WE ARE MIGRANTS TO BEGIN WITH AND HOW DO YOU GET TO BEGIN WITH AND HOW DO YOU GET TO CHICAGO AND OREGON AND STATE OF CHICAGO AND OREGON AND STATE OF WASHINGTON AND MICHIGAN YOU WASHINGTON AND MICHIGAN YOU MIGRATE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND MIGRATE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND WORKING IN THE FIELDS OR WORKING WORKING IN THE FIELDS OR WORKING IN FACTORIES, MY MOTHER CAME IN FACTORIES, MY MOTHER CAME FROM MEXICO CITY AND SHE ENDED FROM MEXICO CITY AND SHE ENDED UP IN CHICAGO WORKING THERE AND UP IN CHICAGO WORKING THERE AND MET MY FATHER AND THAT IS WHERE MET MY FATHER AND THAT IS WHERE I WAS BORN SO THERE WAS A NEED I WAS BORN SO THERE WAS A NEED TO ESTABLISH THAT IDENTITY THAT TO ESTABLISH THAT IDENTITY THAT WE WERE NOT WHITE AMERICANS, WE WE WERE NOT WHITE AMERICANS, WE WERE NOT AFRICAN/AMERICANS BLACK WERE NOT AFRICAN/AMERICANS BLACK AMERICANS BUT WE WERE AMERICANS AMERICANS BUT WE WERE AMERICANS NONETHELESS AND SEXIST ALONG THE NONETHELESS AND SEXIST ALONG THE BORDER PEOPLE GO TRACE BACK THE BORDER PEOPLE GO TRACE BACK THE FAMILIES NINE GENERATIONS BEFORE FAMILIES NINE GENERATIONS BEFORE THIS WAS THE UNITED STATES.

THIS WAS THE UNITED STATES.

I HAVE A HOME IN NEW MEXICO, NEW I HAVE A HOME IN NEW MEXICO, NEW MEXICO IS BARELY OVER 100 YEARS MEXICO IS BARELY OVER 100 YEARS OLD AS A STATE AND THESE BATTLES OLD AS A STATE AND THESE BATTLES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE THE MIXED THAT HAVE BEEN THERE THE MIXED RACE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR RACE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR MUCH LONGER OBVIOUSLY AND THE MUCH LONGER OBVIOUSLY AND THE ENVISION OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ENVISION OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE FOREVER SO THAT POLITIC OF THERE FOREVER SO THAT POLITIC OF ESTABLISHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN HERE, THAT WE ARE NOT HERE, THAT WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST RECENT NECESSARILY THE MOST RECENT IMMIGRANT WAS PART OF BEING IMMIGRANT WAS PART OF BEING CHICANA.

CHICANA.

YOU ARE A MEXICAN BUT YOU ARE YOU ARE A MEXICAN BUT YOU ARE LIVING HERE RAISING YOUR FAMILY LIVING HERE RAISING YOUR FAMILY HERE YOUR CHILDREN WILL NOW GROW HERE YOUR CHILDREN WILL NOW GROW UP HERE, THEY ARE NOT MEXICAN UP HERE, THEY ARE NOT MEXICAN PER SE, EVEN IF THEY HAVE A PER SE, EVEN IF THEY HAVE A NATIONAL PASSPORT BECAUSE OF NATIONAL PASSPORT BECAUSE OF THEIR FATHER THEY WILL STILL BE THEIR FATHER THEY WILL STILL BE IDENTIFYING WITH MICHIGAN AS A IDENTIFYING WITH MICHIGAN AS A STATE AND HOME AND THE CULTURE STATE AND HOME AND THE CULTURE AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY GROW UP AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY GROW UP WITH SO WE ARE IN THIS OTHER WITH SO WE ARE IN THIS OTHER PLACE AND THAT OTHER PLACE WAS PLACE AND THAT OTHER PLACE WAS BEING CHICANA OR BEING LATINO BEING CHICANA OR BEING LATINO AND WE EMBRACE BOTH CULTURES.

AND WE EMBRACE BOTH CULTURES.

>> YOU RECENTLY HAD AND I DON'T >> YOU RECENTLY HAD AND I DON'T KNOW IF IF YOU HEARD AND SHE IS KNOW IF IF YOU HEARD AND SHE IS BRANDING THE SECOND GENERATION BRANDING THE SECOND GENERATION AMERICAN BORN SO IT WOULD BE AMERICAN BORN SO IT WOULD BE FIRST GENERATION OF AMERICAN FIRST GENERATION OF AMERICAN BORN IMMIGRANTS TO LATIN BORN IMMIGRANTS TO LATIN AMERICANS AND CALLED THEM AMERICANS AND CALLED THEM GENERATION AMY THIS IS THE GENERATION AMY THIS IS THE PHENOMENON OF FIRST GENERATION PHENOMENON OF FIRST GENERATION BORN IN THE UNITED STATES AND BORN IN THE UNITED STATES AND BORN TO IMMIGRANT PARENTS AND I BORN TO IMMIGRANT PARENTS AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING, THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING, THERE IS A LOT OF THIS OWNING OF THERE IS A LOT OF THIS OWNING OF OUR OWN IDENTITY PIECE OUR OWN IDENTITY PIECE ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE CONSIDERED OTHER BY MAINSTREAM CONSIDERED OTHER BY MAINSTREAM CULTURE.

CULTURE.

ONE OF THE I GUESS CORE PIECES ONE OF THE I GUESS CORE PIECES OF YOUR WRITING IN TERMS OF OF YOUR WRITING IN TERMS OF IDENTITY WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT IDENTITY WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT IS FEMINISM, MY IT A LITTLE BIT IS FEMINISM, MY BIAS IS THAT I THINK MEXICO HAD BIAS IS THAT I THINK MEXICO HAD THE FIRST CONTINENTAL FEMINIST THE FIRST CONTINENTAL FEMINIST BUT YOU HAVE DONE PROBABLY A BUT YOU HAVE DONE PROBABLY A HECK OF A LOT MORE RESEARCH THAN HECK OF A LOT MORE RESEARCH THAN I HAVE, EARLIER DIDN'T YOU HAVE I HAVE, EARLIER DIDN'T YOU HAVE A CHAIR THAT YOU SAT?

A CHAIR THAT YOU SAT?

>> UH-HUH.

>> UH-HUH.

I ACTUALLY GAVE MYSELF THAT I ACTUALLY GAVE MYSELF THAT NAME.

NAME.

THE BACK STORY I HAD SO IT'S NOW THE BACK STORY I HAD SO IT'S NOW THE CHAIR AT DE-PAUL UNIVERSITY THE CHAIR AT DE-PAUL UNIVERSITY AND THEY CREATED THAT POSITION AND THEY CREATED THAT POSITION FOR ME AND I FELT THAT WE FOR ME AND I FELT THAT WE COULDN'T JUST PUT OUT IN THE COULDN'T JUST PUT OUT IN THE WORLD THAT IS LIKE POSITION IS WORLD THAT IS LIKE POSITION IS CREATED FOR ME BUT GIVE IT SOME CREATED FOR ME BUT GIVE IT SOME PRESTIGE AS THEY DID FOR THE PRESTIGE AS THEY DID FOR THE AFRICAN/AMERICAN, THEY HAD AFRICAN/AMERICAN, THEY HAD STUDENTS AND THERE WASN'T ANY STUDENTS AND THERE WASN'T ANY EXTRA MONEY FOR IDA OR LEFT AN EXTRA MONEY FOR IDA OR LEFT AN ENDOWMENT SO WE CALLED IT THAT ENDOWMENT SO WE CALLED IT THAT AND NOW I WORKED IT SO IF I WERE AND NOW I WORKED IT SO IF I WERE TO LEAVE OR WHEN I LEFT IT WOULD TO LEAVE OR WHEN I LEFT IT WOULD BE IN POSITION FOR THE NEXT BE IN POSITION FOR THE NEXT SCHOLAR THAT WOULD COME IN SO I SCHOLAR THAT WOULD COME IN SO I WAS BROUGHT IN AS A SCHOLAR AND WAS BROUGHT IN AS A SCHOLAR AND AS A WRITER.

AS A WRITER.

I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT THERE WAS I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT THERE WAS ANYBODY IN MEXICO WITH THE KIND ANYBODY IN MEXICO WITH THE KIND OF BACKGROUND AND PRESTIGE THAT OF BACKGROUND AND PRESTIGE THAT SWETHWANA AS A SCHOLAR AND SHE SWETHWANA AS A SCHOLAR AND SHE DRESSED UP AS A LITTLE BOY DRESSED UP AS A LITTLE BOY BEFORE GIRLS WERE ALLOWED TO BEFORE GIRLS WERE ALLOWED TO READ SO DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT IF READ SO DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY BEFORE THE THERE WAS SOMEBODY BEFORE THE COLONIALIZATION OF MEXICO.

COLONIALIZATION OF MEXICO.

I'M SURE THERE HAD TO BE SOME I'M SURE THERE HAD TO BE SOME SCRIBE THAT WAS THERE WHEN THE SCRIBE THAT WAS THERE WHEN THE BOYS WERE LEARNING HOW TO WRITE BOYS WERE LEARNING HOW TO WRITE ON PAPER AND SO ON, I'M SURE ON PAPER AND SO ON, I'M SURE THERE HAD TO BE BUT THERE HAD TO BE BUT UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE CONQUISTA THEY GOT RID OF OUR CONQUISTA THEY GOT RID OF OUR CODES AND HISTORY.

CODES AND HISTORY.

I KNOW THAT THE TOLL TEXT THERE I KNOW THAT THE TOLL TEXT THERE IS SOME ON MY RESEARCH FOR MY IS SOME ON MY RESEARCH FOR MY BOOK MASSACRE OF THE DREAMERS BOOK MASSACRE OF THE DREAMERS AND MY OTHER ENDEAVORS THAT AND MY OTHER ENDEAVORS THAT THERE WAS THE LAST QUEEN AND I THERE WAS THE LAST QUEEN AND I THINK IT WAS HER NAME WAS QUEEN THINK IT WAS HER NAME WAS QUEEN CHITLE OF THE STATE OF CHULA WHO CHITLE OF THE STATE OF CHULA WHO WAS ALSO A WARRIOR.

WAS ALSO A WARRIOR.

SERVED THE END OF THAT KIND OF SERVED THE END OF THAT KIND OF TIME AND OUR PRECONQUEST HISTORY TIME AND OUR PRECONQUEST HISTORY WHICH WOMEN WERE REALLY AT THAT WHICH WOMEN WERE REALLY AT THAT PLACE WHERE THEY WERE WARRIORS, PLACE WHERE THEY WERE WARRIORS, THEY WERE ALSO PROBABLY POETS THEY WERE ALSO PROBABLY POETS AND YOU KNOW TO BE AT THAT PLACE AND YOU KNOW TO BE AT THAT PLACE YOU WOULD HAVE HAD A WELL YOU WOULD HAVE HAD A WELL ROUNDED EDUCATION BUT WHAT ROUNDED EDUCATION BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE CONQUERED HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE CONQUERED AS YOUR HISTORY IS DESTROYED SO AS YOUR HISTORY IS DESTROYED SO SWANA COMES VERY SHORTLY AFTER SWANA COMES VERY SHORTLY AFTER OUR CONQUEST.

OUR CONQUEST.

>> I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME >> I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME RIGHT NOW SANTOS THE SOCIOLOGIST RIGHT NOW SANTOS THE SOCIOLOGIST WHO TALKS ABOUT ALL OF THE WHO TALKS ABOUT ALL OF THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS DESTROYED AS KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS DESTROYED AS THE COLONIZERS CAME AND THE COLONIZERS CAME AND OBLITERATED THE NATION.

OBLITERATED THE NATION.

OUT OF BLACK FEMINIST THEORY OUT OF BLACK FEMINIST THEORY COMES THIS CONCEPT OF HOME COMES THIS CONCEPT OF HOME PLACE, THE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN PLACE, THE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN YOU OPEN I GUESS AND CHALLENGE YOU OPEN I GUESS AND CHALLENGE IDENTITY, YOUR OWN BUT ALSO A IDENTITY, YOUR OWN BUT ALSO A PLACE OUT OF WHICH YOU CAN PLACE OUT OF WHICH YOU CAN RESIST SO I GUESS IT'S A VERY RESIST SO I GUESS IT'S A VERY COMFORTABLE PLACE SO LITERALLY COMFORTABLE PLACE SO LITERALLY AND LITERARILY WHERE DO YOU FIND AND LITERARILY WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR HOME PLACE?

YOUR HOME PLACE?

>> CHICAGO IS THE GOOD AND THE >> CHICAGO IS THE GOOD AND THE BAD AND THE UGLY AND A BEAUTIFUL BAD AND THE UGLY AND A BEAUTIFUL WORLD CLASS CITY MY FATHER WAS WORLD CLASS CITY MY FATHER WAS ALSO BORN THERE AND TAUGHT ME ALSO BORN THERE AND TAUGHT ME ABOUT THE DIVERSITY IN THE WORLD ABOUT THE DIVERSITY IN THE WORLD AND I CONNECTED WITH THAT.

AND I CONNECTED WITH THAT.

ALSO INFORMED ME IN THOSE YEARS ALSO INFORMED ME IN THOSE YEARS WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER WHERE WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER WHERE POLITICALLY IT FORMED ME AND WAS POLITICALLY IT FORMED ME AND WAS A VERY ETHNICALLY DIVIDED CITY, A VERY ETHNICALLY DIVIDED CITY, MARTIN LUTHER KING CAME THROUGH MARTIN LUTHER KING CAME THROUGH THERE WHEN I WAS A GIRL, THERE THERE WHEN I WAS A GIRL, THERE WAS A LOT OF RACISM THAT WE WAS A LOT OF RACISM THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WAS THE UNDERSTAND THAT WAS THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION RIOTS AND DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION RIOTS AND WE HAD THE FAMOUS MAYOR DAILY WE HAD THE FAMOUS MAYOR DAILY AND MARSHAL LAW SO ALL OF THAT AND MARSHAL LAW SO ALL OF THAT FORMULATED THIS YOUNG BROWN GIRL FORMULATED THIS YOUNG BROWN GIRL FEMINIST WRITER.

FEMINIST WRITER.

I ALSO EMBRACED MY MOTHER IN I ALSO EMBRACED MY MOTHER IN MEXICO CITY AND SPENT A LOT OF MEXICO CITY AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN MEXICO AND BECAUSE OF TIME IN MEXICO AND BECAUSE OF HER I WAS ALWAYS SPOKE SPANISH HER I WAS ALWAYS SPOKE SPANISH AND LEARNED HOW TO WRITE SPANISH AND LEARNED HOW TO WRITE SPANISH BEFORE WE HAD BILINGUAL BEFORE WE HAD BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND MOST RECENT TIMES EDUCATION AND MOST RECENT TIMES AND THROUGHOUT THE LAST DECADES AND THROUGHOUT THE LAST DECADES I HAVE GONE TO NEW MEXICO TO THE I HAVE GONE TO NEW MEXICO TO THE DESERT AND OUT TO NEW MEXICO AS DESERT AND OUT TO NEW MEXICO AS PART OF I CLAIM IT AS PART OF PART OF I CLAIM IT AS PART OF MEXICO AND OUR HISTORY BUT I MEXICO AND OUR HISTORY BUT I ALSO LOVE THE OPEN SPACE OF IT, ALSO LOVE THE OPEN SPACE OF IT, SO FOR ME THERE IS A FEW PLACES SO FOR ME THERE IS A FEW PLACES THAT I GO BACK TO AND HOME IS THAT I GO BACK TO AND HOME IS WHERE YOUR BOOKS ARE, MY HOME WHERE YOUR BOOKS ARE, MY HOME RIGHT NOW MUST BE IN THE DESERT RIGHT NOW MUST BE IN THE DESERT OF NEW MEXICO BUT I SEEM TO OF NEW MEXICO BUT I SEEM TO CARRY BOOKS EVERYWHERE I GO SO CARRY BOOKS EVERYWHERE I GO SO MAYBE IT'S EVERYWHERE I GO THAT MAYBE IT'S EVERYWHERE I GO THAT I FIND THAT THERE HAS BEEN I FIND THAT THERE HAS BEEN TRACES OF OTHER WRITERS AND TRACES OF OTHER WRITERS AND THINKERS AND POETS.

THINKERS AND POETS.

>> YOU SAID SOMETHING SIMILAR >> YOU SAID SOMETHING SIMILAR WHEN YOU HAD COME TO WRITE AN WHEN YOU HAD COME TO WRITE AN ESSAY ABOUT THE LITERATURE OF ESSAY ABOUT THE LITERATURE OF EXILE AND YOU TAKE YOUR EXILE AND YOU TAKE YOUR LITERATURE WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU LITERATURE WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU CAN NEVER BE EXILED AS LONG AS CAN NEVER BE EXILED AS LONG AS YOU ARE READING AND WRITING AND YOU ARE READING AND WRITING AND BOTH SEEM TO RESONATE.

BOTH SEEM TO RESONATE.

THERE IS THIS CONCEPT THAT I THERE IS THIS CONCEPT THAT I LEARNED FROM OUR LOCAL NATIVE LEARNED FROM OUR LOCAL NATIVE PEOPLE FOLKS OF SEVEN PEOPLE FOLKS OF SEVEN GRANDFATHER TEACHER AND YOU OWE GRANDFATHER TEACHER AND YOU OWE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO TO WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO TO SEVEN GENERATIONS BEFORE YOU SEVEN GENERATIONS BEFORE YOU HAVE BEEN WHO HAVE LABORED IN HAVE BEEN WHO HAVE LABORED IN ORDER TO GIVE YOU ALL THE ORDER TO GIVE YOU ALL THE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE THEREFORE YOU ARE ABLE TO SEVEN THEREFORE YOU ARE ABLE TO SEVEN GENERATIONS FROM NOW KEEPING ALL GENERATIONS FROM NOW KEEPING ALL THE RESOURCES AND THE LAND AND THE RESOURCES AND THE LAND AND ALL THAT STUFF BUT IT'S ALSO A ALL THAT STUFF BUT IT'S ALSO A PART OF YOUR WORK.

PART OF YOUR WORK.

SO IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT SO IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT SURVIVES ONE OF YOUR BOOKS OR SURVIVES ONE OF YOUR BOOKS OR ONE OF YOUR POEMS THAT SURVIVES ONE OF YOUR POEMS THAT SURVIVES SEVEN GENERATIONS FROM NOW YOU SEVEN GENERATIONS FROM NOW YOU HAVE A SON AND YOU HAVE A GRAND HAVE A SON AND YOU HAVE A GRAND DAUGHTER RIGHT SO HER WHAT WOULD DAUGHTER RIGHT SO HER WHAT WOULD THAT BE HER GREAT GREAT GREAT THAT BE HER GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GRAND DAUGHTER OR GREAT GRAND DAUGHTER OR GRANDSON, THERE IS SOMETHING OF GRANDSON, THERE IS SOMETHING OF YOURS YOU WANTED TO GIVE TO YOURS YOU WANTED TO GIVE TO THEM, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

THEM, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK OF MYSELF >> YOU KNOW, I THINK OF MYSELF ALTHOUGH I WAS BORN AND RAISED ALTHOUGH I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CHICAGO AS VERY INDIGENOUS IN CHICAGO AS VERY INDIGENOUS PERSON, I HAVE THAT SPIRIT AND PERSON, I HAVE THAT SPIRIT AND MY MOTHER'S WAYS WERE VERY MY MOTHER'S WAYS WERE VERY INDIGENOUS AND I AM VERY INDIGENOUS AND I AM VERY COGNIZANT OF A PEOPLE THAT WERE COGNIZANT OF A PEOPLE THAT WERE CONQUERED AND OPPRESSED AND CONQUERED AND OPPRESSED AND EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM IN THESE PAST GENERATIONS THEM IN THESE PAST GENERATIONS AND, YES, A WOMAN LIKE MYSELF AND, YES, A WOMAN LIKE MYSELF AND LIKE MY MOTHER CAN STILL GET AND LIKE MY MOTHER CAN STILL GET UP IN THE MORNING AND COMB HER UP IN THE MORNING AND COMB HER HAIR AND WASH HER FACE AS OUR HAIR AND WASH HER FACE AS OUR ANCESTORS TAUGHT US TO HAVE ANCESTORS TAUGHT US TO HAVE PRIDE AND HOLD OUR HEADS UP, NOT PRIDE AND HOLD OUR HEADS UP, NOT TOO HIGH, NEVER BOW TO HAVE A TOO HIGH, NEVER BOW TO HAVE A SENSE OF SELF WITH RED LIPSTICK SENSE OF SELF WITH RED LIPSTICK LIKE THE QUEEN AND WAIT FOR THE LIKE THE QUEEN AND WAIT FOR THE BUS AT THE BUS STOP AND CARE FOR BUS AT THE BUS STOP AND CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN SO I THINK FOR OUR CHILDREN SO I THINK FOR EXAMPLE WHAT I DO TRY TO SHOW MY EXAMPLE WHAT I DO TRY TO SHOW MY GRAND DAUGHTER AND HER THE WOMEN GRAND DAUGHTER AND HER THE WOMEN IN HER FAMILY SHOW HER THIS IN HER FAMILY SHOW HER THIS PRIDE IN OUR HISTORY AND WHO WE PRIDE IN OUR HISTORY AND WHO WE ARE REGARDLESS OF NOT HAVING THE ARE REGARDLESS OF NOT HAVING THE THINGS THAT WE SAY THEY GIVE YOU THINGS THAT WE SAY THEY GIVE YOU AND GIVE YOU A PLACE, A FAMOUS AND GIVE YOU A PLACE, A FAMOUS NAME, LAND, YOU KNOW, A CASSELL, NAME, LAND, YOU KNOW, A CASSELL, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF FEEL OF YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF FEEL OF THE FAMILY SHIELD OR SO THE FAMILY SHIELD OR SO UNDERSTANDING THAT AS WOMEN WE UNDERSTANDING THAT AS WOMEN WE SXIS AND WE EXIST BECAUSE OF SXIS AND WE EXIST BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE AND PASS ON THE WHO WE ARE AND PASS ON THE STRENGTH AND LOVE AND COMPASSION STRENGTH AND LOVE AND COMPASSION WE FEEL FOR OUR FAMILIES IS WHAT WE FEEL FOR OUR FAMILIES IS WHAT I TRY TO BRING TO MY WORK AND I TRY TO BRING TO MY WORK AND CERTAINLY TO MY FAMILY AND THE CERTAINLY TO MY FAMILY AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND ME.

PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND ME.

>> WE ARE KIND OF RUNNING OUT OF >> WE ARE KIND OF RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW TIME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AS THINGS PROGRESS IN ART OR IN AS THINGS PROGRESS IN ART OR IN SOCIETY WHAT DO YOU THINK IS ONE SOCIETY WHAT DO YOU THINK IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL MESSAGES OF OF THE CRITICAL MESSAGES OF TODAY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TODAY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO KNOW IN YOUR WRITING AND YOUR TO KNOW IN YOUR WRITING AND YOUR LIFE, WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LIFE, WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON RIGHT REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW GIVEN ALL OF THE REALITIES NOW GIVEN ALL OF THE REALITIES THAT WE ARE IN?

THAT WE ARE IN?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PEOPLE >> YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONSCIOUSNESS WHO FEEL THAT HAVE CONSCIOUSNESS WHO FEEL COMPASSION IN SOME WAY RIGHT NOW COMPASSION IN SOME WAY RIGHT NOW IS A TIME WHERE WE MAY FEEL VERY IS A TIME WHERE WE MAY FEEL VERY BOGGED DOWN, OVERWHELMED, BOGGED DOWN, OVERWHELMED, CONFUSED, TRAUMATIZED, AS AN CONFUSED, TRAUMATIZED, AS AN ACTIVIST I ALWAYS ADVISE YOUNG ACTIVIST I ALWAYS ADVISE YOUNG ACTIVISTS ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ACTIVISTS ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE IN THEIR 20s AND LATE TEENS ARE IN THEIR 20s AND LATE TEENS PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY ARE GOING PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SAVE THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY TO SAVE THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY HAVE INHERITED SUCH A MESSAGE HAVE INHERITED SUCH A MESSAGE THEY REALIZE THEY INHERITED A THEY REALIZE THEY INHERITED A MESSAGE THEY WANT TO GO OUT AND MESSAGE THEY WANT TO GO OUT AND DO EVERYTHING AND SAVE THE DO EVERYTHING AND SAVE THE DOLPHINS SAVE THE WHALES SAVE DOLPHINS SAVE THE WHALES SAVE THE PIPE, GO TO DAKOTA AND COME THE PIPE, GO TO DAKOTA AND COME BACK, YOU KNOW, GO MAKE SURE WE BACK, YOU KNOW, GO MAKE SURE WE HAVE OUR SCHOOLS IN PLACE, THERE HAVE OUR SCHOOLS IN PLACE, THERE IS SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO AND SO IS SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO AND SO MY ADVICE IS TO FIND THE THING MY ADVICE IS TO FIND THE THING THAT DRIVES YOU THE MOST, THAT THAT DRIVES YOU THE MOST, THAT SPEAKS TO YOU THE MOST, THAT YOU SPEAKS TO YOU THE MOST, THAT YOU FEEL MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT FEEL MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SAVE THE WORLD BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SAVE THE WORLD AND YOU ARE GOING TO BURN OUT AND YOU ARE GOING TO BURN OUT VERY QUICKLY SO DO THAT, GIVE IT VERY QUICKLY SO DO THAT, GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT, KNOW YOU ARE JUST ALL YOU GOT, KNOW YOU ARE JUST ONE PART OF THAT BUT YOU ARE ONE PART OF THAT BUT YOU ARE GIVING IT ALL YOU GOT SO YOU CAN GIVING IT ALL YOU GOT SO YOU CAN GO HOME IN THE EVENING, GIVE GO HOME IN THE EVENING, GIVE YOURSELF SOME TIME, DO OTHER YOURSELF SOME TIME, DO OTHER THINGS IN YOUR LIFE, GO TO THINGS IN YOUR LIFE, GO TO SCHOOL, GO TO WORK, LOVE YOUR SCHOOL, GO TO WORK, LOVE YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR PARENTS AND GET DRESSED EAT WELL PARENTS AND GET DRESSED EAT WELL AND GET UP IN THE MORNING AND AND GET UP IN THE MORNING AND START ALL OVER AGAIN.

START ALL OVER AGAIN.

>> WE ARE GRATEFUL YOU MADE TIME >> WE ARE GRATEFUL YOU MADE TIME TO COME HERE AND VISIT US AT TO COME HERE AND VISIT US AT WGVU AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR.

WGVU AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR.

THIS IS NEWS MAKERS MY NAME IS THIS IS NEWS MAKERS MY NAME IS MARIANO AVILA, THANKS FOR MARIANO AVILA, THANKS FOR WATCHING.