Heart & Hand Speaks! Cafe Cultura Community Speaks Project #14 Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
Heart & Hand Speaks! Copyright Š 2014 by Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.
To the youth at Heart & Hand‌continue writing and telling your stories as you accomplish your goals for the future
Acknowledgments Thank you to the staff at Heart & Hand for allowing us the opportunity to work with your youth in expressing themselves. Thank you to all Xpress Yourself workshop participants for offering your time, words, and energy in making our time together fun and empowering. Remember: “It’s our responsibility and choice to express ourselves and lift our voice, together building unity, leaders in our community. This is how we tell our stooorrrryyyy!
Foreword We enjoyed our time working with Heart & Hand, located in the historic Five Points neighborhood. These middle and high school students definitely showed tremendous potential. The collection offered here reflects our short time together. We trust you will enjoy the poems and use them as examples of how you too can express yourself and tell your own story. For those who do not know about our organization: Café Cultura is an award-winning arts, culture, and youth development organization in Denver that promotes unity and healing among Indigenous peoples through creative expression while empowering youth to find their voice, reclaim oral and written traditions, and become leaders in their communities. Café Cultura has been providing positive, creative, and engaging community spaces for the Denver metropolitan area for more than nine years. The idea for our organization emerged during the summer of 2004 with the passing of respected elder and veteran poet Abelardo “Lalo” Delgado. At that moment, we realized and accepted our responsibility to continue using our oral and written traditions to provide opportunities for creative expression not offered in schools or in the larger community. Café Cultura also drew inspiration from the movements connecting Indigenous people from throughout the Americas. In that spirit of Red/Brown Unity, we hoped to use creative expression to unify people representing southern Indigenous nations, known by terms such as “Chicana/o,” “Mexicana/o,” and “Latina/o,” with those Natives of northern nations, referred to today as “Native American” or “American Indian.” Café Cultura’s most well-known event has found a home at the Denver Inner City Parish/La Academia, where we consistently attract 150 to 350 people the second Friday of every month. In fact, we host one of the best open mic venues in the Denver
metropolitan area, and the only space focused on family and youth. We take pride in featuring amazing poets, musicians, and visual artists from the Denver area as well as those from outside the state. CafĂŠ Cultura also conducts highly engaging and culturally relevant spoken word/poetry workshops for underserved youth throughout Colorado. CafĂŠ Cultura partners with select organizations and schools to facilitate an intensive workshop series, publish youth poetry, and organize participant showcases. In an effort to develop young leaders within our community, we also coordinate a youth leadership program for Indigenous youth. If you or your organization is interested in collaborating, feel free to contact us. We hope to see you the 2nd Friday of every month. For more information: info@cafecultura.org; 720-394-6589 www.cafecultura.org; www.facebook.com/cafecultura
Table of Contents Aalijah's Life by Aalijah .........................................................................1 I Am by Teira..........................................................................................3 This is Me by Berenice ..........................................................................5 Me by Tamia ...........................................................................................7 It was Just a Dream by Travielle ..........................................................9 What I'm Made of by Olivia .............................................................. 10 She is My Mom by Keshaun.............................................................. 11 Untitled by A'lexus .............................................................................. 12 Who Am I by Tae ............................................................................... 13 King Lion by Keshaun ....................................................................... 14 A Day in My Life by Berenice ........................................................... 15 Million Years of Chicken ................................................................... 16 20 Years from Now by Keshaun ...................................................... 17
Aalijah's Life by Aalijah I am from Denver. We are a mile high and are located in the U.S. The sun shines down on us. I have lived here my whole life. I do not have a lot of family around me. There are a lot of stores. This city keeps us safe. The past really takes me to the future. Denver holds my memories of when I was a little kid. I have been here for 12 years. I was born here. When I walk down the street, I hear a rhyme. I have loved music my whole life. It calms me down and puts me in a good mood. It connects me to the future because of my favorite song. It reminds me of back in the day, and now. The feelings lift me up. So does Berenice. She makes me happy when I am mad or sad. She connects me to the future and finally gives me ideas for high school and college. She feels strong inside. I try to be a powerful person like Jackie Robinson, the first African American baseball player. He hit many homeruns for his family, three in all.
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He had a hard time in life. He loved baseball and his family. It connects me to the future. It reminds me of the movie 42 and his legacy. His son Jackie Robinson Jr. later became a football player. I look in the mirror and see a powerful person that’s me.
Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
I Am by Teira I am the sweet, delicious corn bread my mom and grandma makes with Jiffy, a little extra sugar, and patience. Every time it’s made, the smell reminds me of home. I come from an old recipe, reminding me of my great grandma making it all the time. I will always remember how each soft bite fills me with warmth and excitement. I will never forget how cornbread makes me and my family happy. When I wake up every morning, I wear the shiny necklace my mom gave me on Christmas day. It fills me with luck and happiness, reminding that I am an angel of God sits underneath the heavenly being watching over my family with almighty God from the bright shiny stars above. I am Ms. Alicia. She taught me how to be an individual through the life she lives. The darkness that hides in her eyes influence me to keep moving forward, knowing positive things will come my way. When I am down,
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through her words, she makes me happy She will always be the number one twerker, the “Champ” at everything. I am me, strong and intelligent. I do things myself and put effort into it. I am beautiful and energetic. People say things and I don’t care. Y’all just hatin’. I am an individual who has feelings and my own perspective. I come from a hard working family that knows how to work hard, play later. I have talent. I can do almost anything, if I put my heart in to it. I am me Teira Wright.
Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
This is Me by Berenice I am a girl who comes from another woman. That woman is my mom. She brings my future and reminds me of my past. She makes me feel loved, warm, comfortable, happy, and beautiful. “Be yourself and the right people will love you. Be someone else and people will only like you.” This quote has helped me through life as I figure out who are my real friends are. This determined my strength and helped me to be strong. I am one of the many places in Mexico. I am Aguacalientes. I may not be born there but it’s in my blood, from the hot burning sun and the prickly cactuses to the wind that blows through your hair. I am Spanish conquerors in Mexico and the blessed Virgin Mary. From the loud gunshots through the air to the smell of food that is now Mexico. To all the people that died, R.I.P., trying to fight for our country. I am a woman who some people pray to and celebrate on December 12.
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I come from everybody above, where Mary is taking care of them and watching over us like a guardian angel. I am a golden chain with the face of a little girl hanging around my neck. I am my necklace from my 10th birthday that my grandmother gave me. The sun shines on the spirally chain and makes a really bright light. I am the toasty tortilla with chicken inside. The spicy chili runs through the fresh lettuce stuffed in the taco. I am a fluta. I come from a long history. This is all me, I am Berenice Chavez
Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
Me by Tamia The place that makes me happy is school. My friends are like my second family. They pick me up when I down and make me turn my frown upside down. They make me laugh and smile. They bring out the real me. My school is in Denver, where my friends are and where they hope to see me every day. They hate to see me sad, mad, or confused. My phone reminds me of my friends and the fights I had over facebook. I use my phone every day all day. My phone lets me contact friends and family on my way to school. My phone makes me feel happy, when I am down. Te Amo my phone. I am the delicious spicy hot wings my school makes to eat. They are made with hot sauce. Hot wings make me happy. The recipe is many ages old. They are chewy. When I eat them, I get happy. I eat them with a lot of ranch and hot sauce. My mom is the key to my life. I will always love her no matter what. She is my guide, my support, and my resource.
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She will always help me. I also love my grandmother and Nana even though we had a few fights. I will always love them. She is like the sky. My family tries to celebrate every holiday. Cinco de Mayo and Day of Death are Mexican celebrations. They remind me of my beautiful Mexican friends at Wyatt. I miss them so much. They encourage me to celebrate Mexican traditions. They are the reason why I stay open-minded.
Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
It was Just a Dream by Travielle I remember the time when I was seven years old. I thought I flew but to others, I didn’t. I was actually flying. I thought I surpassed the human limit but I didn’t because I was sleep. You know how you have a dream and it seems like it’s real. That’s all I could remember because when I went outside to play, I felt and bummed my head. The only thing I remember was that I was okay.
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What I'm Made of by Olivia I am made of the hot smell of hot Cheetos. They are tasty chili powdered. The place that makes me feel at home is Mexico because my dad’s side of the family is from there. When I see him, he encourages me not to fight and to keep my head up high. Also, he tells me to do my best and to breathe. Thank you for holding me accountable. The picture I will always remember is of my cousins who passed away. One was six when he died. He left us two days after his birthday, due to brain tumor. My other cousin is now 18 but he was 1 when he passed away. He fell off the couch with a babysitter. We rushed him to the hospital and they pronounced him dead.
Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
She is My Mom by Keshaun She is the brightest star in the sky. Her face makes the world stop. She destroys anything that gets in her way. She is so beautiful, no matter what people say. She is my mom and she loves me, night and day. Together we will keep love between us. We will never forget each other, until the last day.
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Untitled by A'lexus I would always remember that people are shining bright like the sun, just as Rosa Park did, fighting for her rights and holding her ground. While the sound of the basketball is bouncing on beat with a sweet rhythm, Rosa Parks is following her dream and helping Martin Luther King, who wants equal rights for black, white, and all colors. Everybody is shimmering like the beautiful glistening of the whites, Snow White. The moon is shining on the icy snow seeing every independent women and man sticking up for what they believe in & showing what they feel.
Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
Who Am I by Tae I am my momma’s stuffed shells. I tend to be hard on the outside but yet I have a core that’s filled with goodness. I am shadow that appears to follow when light shines bright. It’s not sure where to go but manages to make its way back into darkness, hoping that someday, it can adventure out on its own. I am grandmother, constantly putting others before me but yet no one does the same for me in return. But that won’t stop me from doing the good that I was set out to do My grandmother was a strong woman and one day I hope to say, “I am at least half of woman she was.” I am the Van Gogh painting a Starry Night, something so beautiful but yet still hidden. People look at me with uncertainty, pointing out my flaws. But they never seem to acknowledge my true value. But in the end, I will remain true to myself.
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King Lion by Keshaun I am a king of the jungle. Nobody can stop me when I’m mad. When I am down, I raise my head up like a tree in the ground. I am the king of my crew. I keep my family safe from anybody who is new in town. I am king of the lions and nobody would back me down when I am around.
Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
A Day in My Life by Berenice We take depressing pictures to seek attention. Why? Because nobody cares what we hide under our smiles. All my life, I tried to be a girl who people would accept. I trust, help, and love people. But every time I trust somebody, they show me why I shouldn’t. “…But I loved him,” says so many people. This is one of the many problems I face I help them but where are they when I’m in pain? Is there something or someone who understands me? No? Ok… It feels like I am drowning in my own tears, constantly crying and being depressed. But pick your head up princess, your tiara is falling. Don’t listen to them and be yourself. Never give up and follow your dreams. Most importantly, be strong.
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Million Years of Chicken I am the delicious and tasty chicken. My mom and grandma make it with flour and seasoning. The smell reminds me of a restaurant I’ve never been in. I come from a recipe millions of years old, in a time I’ve never been. I will always remember how each crunchy bite fills me with happiness and love. I will never forget how chicken brought love to our family. That feeling will never go down. It is our great recipe for good chicken that has been around.
Xpress Yourself Workshop Participants
20 Years from Now by Keshaun In 20 years, I see me having a job, still spending time with friends and family. I see myself graduating college. I see myself as an artist having money. I see myself in 20 years with the family by my side.
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