Samuel Juarez-Solis
One claim I found compelling in Anzaldua’s “To Live in the Borderlands” is how brutal the lives are for people living in the Borderlands, yet most people probably don’t know about the harsh history of the Borderlands people. The poem tells us that people living in the Borderlands, “are neither hispana india negra española ni gabacha, eres mestiza, mulata,” and instead are half-breeds “caught in the crossfire between camps while carrying all five races” on their backs (Anzaldua). People living in the Borderlands seem to have gotten their identities displaced throughout history as they aren’t accepted in multiple race categories.
Also, in the same vein of forgotten history, in Dawes interview, the audience discovers about a self-defense group called “Home Alive” which is buried in news archives. The interviewee, Leah Michaels remarks “how is this not a huge thing? How did people not really know about this at all (Dawes)?” Michaels also exclaims they found it “really weird [that] there was this lack of history talked about that no one of [their] generation knew about (Dawes)”. Somehow the awesome initiative of women to promote self-defense and the harsh reality of Borderlands people were suppressed which sends a negative message that society that doesn’t care about them.
I’m glad these buried histories are being unearthed so future progress can be made. The uncovering of hidden histories reminds me of the songs A Change is Gonna Come, by Sam Cooke, and Changes by Tupac. Both songs talked about African-Americans whose oppression was hidden, but somehow they found the strength to stand up for their human rights.
References:
- Gloria Anzaldua “To Live in the Borderlands” (PDF)
- Laina Dawes, https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/finally-filmmakers-tell-the-forgotten-history-of-seattle-diy-self-defense-group-home-alive (Links to an external site.)
Song Links
A Change is Gonna Come, by Sam Cooke
Changes, by Tupac
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