aprilseye:

Hello everyone. My name is April Arreola, and I am proud to say that I am a first generation feminista Chicana graduate.

I was born and grew up along the Borderlands of of San Diego/Tijuana. I come from a family of migrants who truly deconstruct the meaning of the U.S./Mex border. Seeing their struggles, how they were marginalized, discriminated, and yet being a product of their survival and resistance, I find my inspiration to come from them first. 

My great grandparents on my mom’s side fought together in the Mexican Revolution. My grandmother did not have the social opportunity to learn to read or write because she had to sell food on the streets with her siblings. My mom was an undocumented high schooler who had to drop her education to help pay for bills. And despite all their efforts and hard work to keep me in school and fight for my rights today, I was still somewhat discouraged from attending college. Several times, I had professors tell me that my writing was not  ”academic” enough, (Even though my parents raised me to speak English only so that I could “excel” in society). I had counselors who told me that maybe I wasn’t ready for this level of academia. I even had a counselor laugh at me when I was trying to seek help from psychological trauma and abuse within my family. No shit, I wasn’t ready for the academia, but look at how much my family sacrificed all so that I could have more mobility in my education than they ever did. 

I did not lose my Spanish tongue, all so that these professors could criticize my writing rather than help me improve it. My family did not migrate, sweat, and fight for my right to be here, all so that one counselor could tell me that I wasn’t up to their standards. I firmly believe that I am here today thanks to my family and my community of Chican@/Latin@ friends and activists. My accomplishments in the academia were not due to individual efforts, but rather, a more collective one. If my Mom was not such a beautiful storyteller, I would not have known anything about my identity or the struggles of my family. I am here because of them. I am honored to be the first in my family to graduate, but in my heart… I know that I shouldn’t have been. Still, I fight so that education is accessible to all generations of Chican@s and PoC… I fight con las mujeres de mi familia.

April Arreola

San Diego State University, 2012

Major in both Political Science and Women’s Studies.

“Books saved my sanity, knowledge opened the locked places in me and taught me first how to survive and then how to soar.”-Gloria Anzaldua

__________________________

Grats to my sis April

you got this!

theangy:

Dear Human best friend,

Now that the weather is getting hotter you are going to want to go outside more. I don’t mind. I love the outdoors especially when I get to spend time with you. We get to play catch, run, roll around and take pictures.

However, please be considerate with the amount of time i’m being exposed to the heat. Just because you are having fun in the sun doesn’t mean I am. I may have tons of hair! while you stop to drink water remember I need some too. I also want to sit in the shade and cool off. Becareful with my paws for they can burn depending on the ground we’re walking on. The same way you get bit by Mosquitos I get bit as well and get sick. Take necessary measures to ensure I am also safe, for you are my caretaker. please bring some food for me along with yours, I also get hungry, dizzy and may throw up if I haven’t been properly nourished. If you drive and want to stop and eat out or do some shopping remember I am in the back seat, please don’t leave me locked inside.

thank you for taking care of me and taking me out to have fun. Let’s have safe fun!

With love,
Your Dog

(via aprilseye)

dogjournal:

This is awesome art. I wish I had a schnauzer version on my wall.

(Source: nogoodthieves)

dogjournal:

BOY SAVES DOG FROM BEATING - “…it does reinforce the importance of having education in schools about things like this. You just have to to wonder what’s going on to make them think this is acceptable behaviour.”

A 12-year-old boy named Damon was walking home from school in New Zealand when he saw a group of boys beating a terrier mix named Rose. She was being kicked and hit with a cricket bat. Fortunately, Damon intervened and Rose was returned safely to her owner. Damon may be receiving an award from the Wellington SPCA. Click here for the full story.

(Source: alexcesar19, via hikeblr)

giraffe-in-a-tree:

Gerenuks or Waller’s Gazelles are well-known for their ability to stand on their hind legs to feed from trees with their long necks. What they aren’t well-known for are their incredible dancing skills which you can see in action here.

Photo by peggy.

(via magicalnaturetour)

(Source: versosdeliberacion)