This past week, I had the honor of working on community projects with the students of Pacux, a relocation site for the indigenous people who survived theRio Negro’s massacre. When I visited the small community with the students, I immediately noticed the difference between this site and the surrounding aldeas. Whereas other communities are relatively uncontaminated and tranquil, my pupils expressed that Pacux struggles with constant littering, drug abuse among children, various health issues, and deadly violence. Residents are undoubtedly still haunted by the barbaric events that took place in Rabinal during the Civil War in the 1980s. A surviving witness of the genocide explained that the older individuals of this location helplessly observed how the federal police as well as soldiers savagely murdered and tortured entire groups of people. Although I had read about these events in Jesus Tecu Osorio ´s autobiography and seen the pictures of victims in the museum, interviewing the survivors in Pacux actually brought the reality of these historical events to life. I cannot convey in words the strong clashing emotions that I felt during the interviews and dialogues with people who still struggle the consequences of these inhumane events. I am forever grateful with the people in Pacux for opening their homes and hearts, as these actions enable me to learn so much regarding the indigenous struggle for social justice.
As a South Central educator, I immediately linked what I observed in Pacux with my experiences in Watts, given that these topics are major concerns for my own community. Like many South Central teenagers, teenagers in Pacux understood the fear of walking down the street alone and terror of witnessing murders. The people from both communities are segregated in an environment surrounded by air and trash pollution; thus, residents in Pacux and Watts suffer similar illness. Both communities face the consequences of systemic oppression because they are forced to live within a segregated environment that limits people from proper health care, educational opportunities, and socioeconomic independence. Often times, individuals think that our society must invest its strength in “fixing” the poor health care, economic, and educational systems; yet, we must open our mind in order to understand that true change can only happen if we eliminate the systemic oppression. It is the worldwide systematic oppression that maintains humble people at a socio-economic, educational, and health disadvantage. Until then, our society will perpetually be divided into those who are the privileged wealthy and people who are inhumanely deprived of proper wellbeing.
Initially, I eagerly took the opportunity to travel with Voces y Manos toGuatemalain effort to gain a better understanding regarding the indigenous roots of my people and Latino students. Although I arrived in a different country than the land that gave birth to my ancestors, mi queridoMexico, my adventure in Rabinal has expanded my knowledge about my people’s suffering, deculturalization, customs, beliefs, and resistance. I now have a better understanding regarding my grandmother’s Otomi views towards life, nature, and tradition. By being in touch with the new becados, I strongly feel the need for survival and hunger for success that feeds many of the Latin-American immigrants’ dreams. Although I have conversed about these topics with students, teachers, professors, friends, and family members, till now, I can personalize their life experiences and humanize their ordeal for existence. While I am well read about social injustice and constant oppression in Latin-America, I never experience such an intense feeling towards these topics because I had the privilege of living away from the forever exploited land. I can now comprehend what my wise father and many undocumented students referred as, La vida dura de la tierra que nos vio nacer.
