Jaylynn Lyons

I found Gloria Anzaldua’s, “To live in the Borderlands means to you” to be a compelling poem expressing the hardships of fitting in and being accepted. Anzaldua describes the Borderland as a place where individuals have many ethnicities but aren’t accepted into any of them. The citizens that live in the Borderlands are “neither hispana india negra española ni gabacha, eres mestiza, mulata, half-breed caught in the crossfire between camps while carrying all five races on your back not knowing which side to turn to…” (Anzaldua, 118). I believe the poem in written in two language to convey the idea that people who live in the Borderlands know different languages. This concept can intensify the notion that numerous cultures are found in the Borderlands. The poem communicates thoughts of minority women and how they will not be left out of women’s rights movements. This correlates with the concept that woman cannot fail to notice all of the races that comprise her being. Lastly, this poem shows that mixing cultures while keeping your own identity is acceptable, however, you have to fight for it.         

In Laina Dawes’ interview, Zapata (who was brutally murdered) had friends who created “Home Alive, a nonprofit organization that promotes alternative methods for women to protect themselves within the community” (Dawes). Student from the University of Washington, Rozz Therrien says, “There was no sense on how the community responded outside of her friends, and how it felt during that time” (Dawes). Moreover, Michaels explains how it is “really weird [that] there was this lack of history talked about that no one of our generation knew about” (Dawes). In this interview, women empowerment is undermined. An interviewee proclaimed that some people may misunderstand self-defense as teaching women to beat up someone. To combine these thoughts, women promoting self-defense and the people who lived in the Borderlands were restrained. Needless to say, it comes across that people are apathetic towards these conceptions.

Many musicians have had a voice in promoting human rights. “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis immediately popped into my head since it is covering all concepts of equality whether it’s your religion, gender, or skin color. Another song that came to mind was “One Love” by Bob Marely. This song conveys the idea of world peace and shows oppression and injustice in his lyrics. There are so many artists that use their music to intensify opinions on human rights and current social issues. It is important to bring these matters into the light so that people can be educated and speak more about human rights.

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.)

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:

1. Gloria Anzaldua “To Live in the Borderlands” (PDF)
2. 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

 

 

 

 

Trey Lowe

Song and length: Strength, 2:26

Artist: Black Youngsta

In Black Youngsta’s song titled “strength” on his album titled 223 he raps about many problems not only in his life but being black in America.  The song is 2 minutes and 26 seconds and in his chorus he talks about people in his own life that have showed strength to him and he asks God to give him, his family and his friends strength to overcome things.  Not only is he worried about his life but black people in America.  Throughout the song, topics such as racism, Flint Michigan water, and overcoming adversity are all hit on.  This song is not only for black people but people in general who need to listen to something to lift them up from a dark place and realize they have strength.  

This song is important to me because it created an impact on my life at a point when I needed an uplift.  When Black Youngsta starts the song by naming people in his life who have strength, he reminded me of people in my life that I have seen have strength also. My mom, sister, grandma, and brother have all showed me strength and I realized that through this song.  By him stating people who he had in his life, it really allowed me to see how these people have effected my life.  During my junior year of high school, I got hurt during football and was hurt that I could not finish the season with my teammates and was lost without being able to play.  The first time I heard this song I only knew the artist as someone who only made music that was funny and not serious.  This song reminds me of the times when I was searching for strength and needed to fight through my circumstances to overcome it.  I was able to overcome it but I knew when I was having a bad day at this time in my life, I could turn on this song to create positivity and remind me just how much strength I can have. 

Also, even though it was a few years ago, police brutality and racism is alive today.  He touches on these social issues that are happening in America.  These are also important to me and it struck me at a point when I was just starting to realize how America came to be and how police brutality effects us as black people.  

When I turn on this song today, it brings back memories of strength, adversity and overcoming it.  This moment in my life in junior year of high school really shaped me to who I am today and I know that I will be able to get through anything life throws at me.  

Artist: Vicente Fernandez            

Album: Arriba Huentitan

Song: EL Jalisciense

Song Length: 2.37

    Finding a song that I was really passionate about was very hard until, I remembered  the song that has been played throughout my whole life. This song gives me chills everytime I listen to it. This mariachi song has so much history and memories that I hope to never forget. At the start of the song he says “con gusto vengo a cantarles este muy alegre son pa’ quitarles la tristeza y alegrar el corazon”  which translates to with pleaser I am here to sing this very happy song to take away your sadness and bring happiness to your heart. Throughout my life our family has dealt with very hard circumstances. On the day I was born my dads brother passed away in a car accident. Mi Papa used this song to cope with the passing of his hermano (brother) . My dad told me this song was the first song he ever played for me. So when I say this song has been played throughout my whole life it really has, since the first day I was born. I became the biggest fan of mariachi. I listen to it all the time, so much so that my friends make fun of me.

My life in Mexico was amazing, it was a very careless time. Life seemed to go slow and everyone was so humble and blessed even with little resources. We are from a very small town about 25 minutes from the city named Autlan. Throughout the song he talks about the beauty and traditions of our state Jalisco. He says “ es muy bonito Jalisco hay por el Grullo y Autlan” which translates to “ Jalisco is so beautiful, there through El Grullo and Autlan”. Both of these cities hold a special place in my heart that’s where I spent most of my childhood. When he sings the city names I yell them out at the top of my lungs, because i’m so proud to be from there. I am proud of my culture and my heritage.

Although life was amazing my father decided to move our family in search of the american dream. I moved to the United States when I was 6 years old. We lived in California first and after a couple years we moved to Washington. Life in america is definitely different.Both of my countries have beautiful landscapes and traditions. I really like how both of my cultures have been merging. I eat carne asada and tacos on football sundays, I listen to Hip Hop at the gym and Rancheras when i’m cleaning. No matter where life takes me this song will always have a special place in my heart.

Artist: OutKast

Song: Hey Ya!

Album: Speakboxxx/The Love Below

Song Length: 3:59

            When I listen to “Hey Ya!” a flood of fond childhood memories greet me. I remember my mom gifting me the “Barbie Hit Mix” to ease the sadness I felt for my “Panda-bear” who had recently lost her plastic nose and part of an eye. The perpetrator was our newly adopted beagle puppy “Maggie” who, in addition to the ingesting my favorite stuffed animal’s extremities, had also recently gnawed off a leg of our wooden coffee table. I remember thinking, “Why would my mom get me a Barbie CD!?! As if I’m some kind of baby!”. As a little girl, I prided myself on not being interested in Barbie dolls. I apparently did not realize that my preferred brand of “American Girl Dolls” was just a spoiled-child version of the toy. I had recently obscured a coveted Boombox, so that I could play my own music. This was the result of an irritating habit of forcing anyone with a music-playing device, to replay my favorite songs at least 10 times over. “A Sweet Escape” by Gwen Stefani and “Hey Mickey” by Toni Basil were some of my most popular vices. It was so frustrating depending on others to be able to listen to music, so when I could play my own, I felt super grown up. Oh the freedom my boombox provided. My parents had an enormous collection of CDs, which I would pick from and play at random, but nothing topped the “Barbie Hit Mix”. “So what if it’s a Barbie CD”, I practiced replying to anyone who dared challenging my matureness. “Don’t judge a book by its cover!”. And surely anyone who saw me load “Hey Ya!” into my pink and light blue boombox, would have their suspicions erased. There must have been 20 songs on the CD, but I only listened to the first and last, respectively “Hey Ya!” by OutKast and “…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears. I wasn’t really into the sappy Hillary Duff and Jessica Simpson hits, I needed something I could groove to! So, a whole new world opened up with my discovery of “Hey Ya!”. For one, who knew cleaning your room could be so enjoyable! I jumped around, swinging my head to the infectious rhythm of the song. It gave me so much energy and joy! The wonder of discovering a song which could provide so much happiness and ecstasy, was a revelation I found otherworldly. I thought my passion for “Hey Ya!” surely meant that I was special in my adoration. I turned my nose up at my brother’s favorite songs, “American Idiot” by Green Day and “We Will Rock You” by Queen. Of course, we could both agree that “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix A Lot, was a wonderful jam, to which we would belt the lyrics, in Elliot’s spaceship themed room. My favorite was to recite all the lyrics perfectly, which I thought was an impressive talent. I laugh today imagining my young self, memorizing the catchy words about being “sprung”.

“Hey Ya!” introduced me to the enticing play-ability of pop music. It also provided my first taste of a hunger to dance to music. Almost all of my favorite songs to this day, share this quality; a need to soak up the music through body movements. And, predictably, now I am a dancer. Dance was the sole love of my childhood, where I spent 90% of the week in the studio. I have a feeling my obsession for it started with “Hey Ya!”, and my wild tornado moves in my room. “Hey Ya!” really opened up a lot of doors for 5 year old Corinne. I found out that being by yourself isn’t bad when you have music, especially with songs that elate you. I started to collect what type of music I loved and was interested in, and I was confident in my choices. I began dancing to music because it made me feel wonderful and joyous. All around “Hey Ya!” is like an old friend for which I have immense love, warm, and fuzzy feelings for. Listening to it takes me back to a time of childhood discovery and bliss, and for that I will always bop my head and to the chorus and smile when it comes on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97gB6YaZKYg

Samuel Juarez-Solis

Band name: Queen

Song name: ‘We Are the Champions’

Album: News of the World

Song length: 2:59

We are the Champions is the battle song that crystallizes my victories. It reminds me of the mental sacrifice I’ve made to become the first one in my family to graduate from a university. And oh, I have made a lot of mistakes and had to contend with feelings of sadness and self-doubt. But regardless of how sad I felt, when it came time for an exam I put aside my feelings and put on my game face so that I could walk out of the exam room a champion.

We are the champions is the mantra that allowed my friends and I to fight through physics scenarios, organic chemistry reactions, and biochemistry pathways so that we could get the coveted grades that we wanted. But more than the grades we obtained an enormous sense of pride and trust, as if we had just climbed Mount Everest together. This song let’s my friends and I know that we are not losers. It communicates that we are the champions that will help solve the science and political problems that plague our world.

I’d be a selfish fool if I didn’t acknowledge the many advisors, friends, and family who helped me achieve this biology degree. So here’s a big thanks to the countless people who approved of my shenanigans and allowed me to gain this exquisite treasure.

But, it hasn’t been a bed of roses and I’ve had the unfortunate task of dealing with suicidal thoughts. Thankfully, I’ve come to accept my flaws and see the beauty within myself so that in any future challenge I’m not gonna lose!

Yes friends and family I’m alive and maintaining my happiness and peaceful state of mind. And I want us all to keep fighting to become better humans and obtain arduous victories to let our ancestors know that we are the glorious champions we were born to become. Yes Freddie, we are the champions that unite and overcome our physical and mental limits to make this world a better place for the future. I will not go to my grave a loser and will make sure things get better for my family, friends, and communities.

Of course i’ll continue to fail many times in my life but i’ll obtain some victories that will make life worth living and this song will commemorate them. Victories come in a variety of flavors from grand to modest. And honestly, one of my greatest triumphs is a modest one which is just staying alive. So watch out world because I won’t be fading away and I will accomplish more victories. Yes, the sacrifice of time and mentality was worth it to graduate from the University of Washington and I will die a proud champion of the world!

 

Jaylynn Lyons

U2

‘Beautiful Day’

All That You Can’t Leave Behind

4.08

Bono isn’t just good, he is extraordinary. He spends considerable time writing music that expresses ideas, thoughts, and emotions significant to his audience and the world. Bono weaves in personal stories and writes songs for his audience allowing them to reflect on their own lives to share a memory of their own. The song opens up with the unique sound of a reverberating electric piano playing over a string synthesizer which immediately lights me up when recognizing that it is my favorite song of all time. Bono wrote ‘Beautiful Day’ to speak to those who feel hopeless, stuck, or out of luck, but still finding joy in life. 

Life seems to have come to a stop. The house felt quieter; no yelling. I sense peace but feel sadness. I think to myself, where’s my dad?I’m in the car with my mom listening to U2 when ‘Beautiful Day’ begins to play. The perfect reminder that the human spirit cannot be smothered but can be protected in hard times. It’s important to realize that life is hard and can feel like we have no room to share it with anyone else, however, having a friend can increase your sense of belonging and purpose to help you realize that it is a beautiful day. The chorus electrifies the car with my mom and I both screaming out the lyrics thinking about nothing but the verses to follow. The upbeat rhythm strengthens the powerful lyrics throughout the song making it uplifting and optimistic. The ineffable beauty of the song is moving to those struck by disaster such as those a part of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. This song exemplifies hope that can be absorbed by a community or individual experiencing a low which for me was my parents’ divorce. Pain is proof of life since it reminds us there are things in our lives that aren’t perfect. It is crucial to be thankful for what you do have and celebrate that there is so much to live for. It’s a beautiful day. Don’t let the day be taken from you. Appreciate what is in front of you and soak in all of life’s beauties. Concentrate on the present and don’t let the past haunt you. Accept it and move forward.  

The world is against me. I’ll never be happy. Thoughts that have circled around my head over and over. God, show me the beauty in the world. Take me to that other place. Teach me. He tells me I am not a hopeless case. I catch myself looking out the window subtly seeing my reflection but taken away by the colors and beauty of Seattle Washington. 

See the world in green and blue

See the mountains right in front of you

See rainier broken by clouds 

See the salmon fleets clearing the sea out

See the stars shining at night  

See the needle at first light 

And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth

After the flood all of the colors came out 

This line references the story of Noah from the Bible. The flood resembles a period of depression but the bird with a leaf in its mouth brings content to the people and the rainbow after the flood is God’s promise that it would not happen again. It was a beautiful day. 

I understand why he is gone. There is an end to this darkness. Years have gone by, and I know that I am close to that other place. Good days, bad days, I want to find myself in that place of love, happiness, and prosperity. At the end of the song, Bono encourages everyone through his lyrics to be happy and realize that it’s a beautiful day despite the things you may not have. Human nature is to desire things that we can’t have or don’t have. It is time to start to live in an effortless and authentic way, not wishing for what you don’t need.  

If a flower can survive and flourish in inhospitable conditions, I can to. He isn’t here for a reason. I am happy, I am loved, I am complete. We all have an astonishing capacity to make progress, to find hope, and to absorb all of the beauty in the world. It is up to us to choose how we interpret and reflect upon what is around us. Everything we need to make it a beautiful day is right in front of us. Now I wake up every morning, and it’s a beautiful day. 

This week’s reading and class lectures were really interesting because I love Beyonce and things activism against oppression. That was my first time fully watching and paying attention to her music videos. I thought it was so well put together you see her heritage and how she shows that off. She also had more of a country song to show of her Texas side. It was really interesting to see the different things people had to say about her visual album. In the article A Conversation About Beyonce’s “Lemonade”; it talks about some of the comments the people were making on twitter one of them said “it’s not for me”, she’s right this type of visual representation was not for everyone. The one time an African American artist has a form of protest the whole world goes insane. Do they ever stop to think that more than 50% of english music has no representation of black and brown girls? It amazes me how quick people were judging her music. The article also talks about a white woman saying she felt “rejected”. This comment made me so mad like why can’t they just let her do her. Brings up many questions like is being black really that frightening and taboo for white folx? No matter the race we all should be so happy just to think of how beyonce felt embracing and showing of her heritage while empowering brown women around the world. The article How #BlacksLivesMatter started a musical revolution, had some very interesting points. I remember watching the super bowl when beyonce performed and my friends and I were talking about how cool it was to see bey and her backup dancers dressed in black panther attire. We thought that many would agree but when we went on facebook we saw all the negative comments. People were saying things about its an american sport they should have not allowed that as if the black panthers were not american. If beyonce can use her platform to address “the killings of unarmed black men as well as women” why shouldn’t she? I think the article is right whether we agree or disagree with all the #blacklivesmatter music that’s been happening we should learn to respect all perspective but acknowledge the message that’s being sent out. The first song I chose is about black lives matter just like we have been discussing through the readings and songs. The second song by jcole called Be Free is also about black lives matter. He also had a music video which is very graphic. It shows the killings of innocent black folx. It also shows real pictures of past black kids women and men that have been killed.

Lemonade by Beyoncé is one of the most influential protest albums of our generation, making social, cultural, and political commentary the forefront of the album’s purpose. This has become increasingly important as, “The new wave of black pop protest music captures and grapples with racial catastrophe in the 21st century: the prison-industrial complex, globalized wealth inequality and the violent expenditure of women and children,” (Brooks). Anyone listening to a radio can enjoy her infectiously entertaining music, while hearing messages of black female empowerment and political confrontation, which is an amazing feat on its own, and it creates a widespread message to America. One of the most enjoyable parts of Beyoncé’s music is her unabashed love and pride in Southern black women, who have never been brought to the light in the way Beyoncé displays them. As Hampton remarks, Lemonade is a “love note to southern black girls”. Unfortunately, some people have found this to be “exclusive”, and taken offense. But, Hampton correctly points out that, as a person you are never included in every single space, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have love and appreciation for it. Notably, she does this in addition to showing that “the antebellum south serves as an entry point for Beyoncé to recognize the historical and cultural horrors of black womanhood while reclaiming the survival techniques passed down over time,” (Hampton). Instead of making pop music which is only valuable in dance clubs, Beyoncé has gone beyond the constrains of pop music, using the platform for a greater purpose, and in this she has achieved something far more remarkable than just stardom.

DJ song picks:

I picked the songs “Bad Girls” by M.I.A and “Doves in the Wind” by SZA because of their messages of female empowerment. In the same way that Beyoncé does, these two artists put women at the forefront of their music, and celebrate women’s strength and sexuality. While still being pop songs, they provide important messages about culture and politics. All of these artists have become immensely popular, yet they maintain the important values of providing a space to talk and celebrate women of color.

Trey Lowe

There is one main connection between “Close To Home: A Conversation About Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ and “How #BlackLivesMatter started a musical revolution”. This connection is that both of these reading are related to making people uncomfortable. In the piece about Beyonce, Regina Bradley says,”I think what made folks uncomfortable was the fact that she was pulling from not only a blues tradition, but a southern black woman blues tradition.” This made people uncomfortable because they are not used to seeing black women in the main stream and using older black women’s music to create it. In the black lives matter text, the author says, “That kind of musical statement, the sound of black sonic dissent, has a history to it that stretches across the centuries and could surely make a mixtape for the ages”. Protest music also makes people uncomfortable because it brings up issues in society that people try to avoid. Both of these texts have to do with making people uncomfortable. This is intriguing to me because music can have an impact on societal issues in the world.