Always Running: Mexican Stereotypes

This poem has to do with all of the stereotypes that are automatically put upon mexicans. People feel as if they don't belong because they don't know the language and can provide services that others would not normally do themselves for a cheap price. Mexicans are no different than anyone else in this world because besides the Native Americans, everybody in the U.S. is an immigrant but many feel that they are superior because of what they have or how much more education one has than another. http://poemjustice.blogspot.com/2005/08/mexican-stereotype.html

An issue that I see in "Always Running" is poverty, which is seen constantly in the book when the author makes a reference to the Hills or South San Gabriel. I remember there was this quote I heard that makes a lot of sense now that I think of it, "You create enough starving people and you would be surprised at how far they would go to survive." That we also see in the book when Luis resorts to stealing. A book that always keeps coming back to be is "A long way gone", I keep making references to it but it's really the only clear connection to "Always Running". Both are a true story and they involve the character going through poverty, violence, and death to the point where they get involved in causing it but they eventually make it out and tell their story.  

The article I decided to share pertains relevance to a major theme in the book, which is segregation. In Luis Rodriguez's Always Running he describes his up brining as mexican american growing up in the gang ridden low income neighborhoods of the greater Los Angeles area. Additionally Rodriguez describes particular instances where he encounters segregation. In the article that I will be sharing, two brave Georgia high school students address segregation in a brilliant and subtly confrontational way. The two high school seniors decided to organize their high schools first racially integrated prom, in hopes to terminate their high school's facility and student body's regressive and racially intolerant approach to organizing school social events.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ga-high-school-seniors-fight-racial-segregation-integrated-prom-article-1.1307821

Sense of Belonging

I chose this article because the author, Stephen Schettini talks about losing his support from his community, where he thought he belonged, and finding his own place where he does belongs. This relates to Always Running because Luis joined a group called Thee Impersonations where he felt a sense of protection and where he thought he belonged. In the article the author states that "Abandoning the sense of belonging to a group that held the key to enlightenment was a wrenching experience that left me feeling isolated for years, but once made, the decision proved irreversible." 

http://www.tricycle.com/feature/sense-belonging

Quest for Power

Just recently, there was a terrorist attack on France. The link below demonstrates the idea of how a group of terrorist use violence in order to gain power. This closely meshes with the book, Always Running by Luis Rodriguez because it reveals the similar situation of a dominant group attempting to promote violence in order to gain power within their community.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/13/europe/france-charlie-hebdo-attack-trail/

 Being from The Hood

Lots of young followed by the cops
just because of colored skins
many killed, many brutally attacked
most run, most hide, ALL the time

Living in the hood is no good
they all want better lives
but no cares to save their lives
so they run and hide all the time

Stealing from the wealthy
To pay and stay healthy
They turn into violence; 
because they are always getting attacked

No one believes in them
so why believe in themselves?
They turn into thugs

I wrote this poem because a lot of teens from low income communities don't have the opportunities wealthier teens have. They get easily influenced into joining gangs. I can relate this poem to the book "Always Running" by Luis J. Rodriguez because Luis and his homies from the "Animal Tribe" were going through segregation from the white communities and white law enforcement.

The police and race relations - Always Running

There has been a lot of crimes towards the law and crime enforcement where racism has been involved and one example of this is the death of Eric Garner. Where a white police officer chokes him to death and is not sentenced to jail for it. Heres the link to the article http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/funeral-today-eric-garner-article-1.1877381 in which they held a funeral for his death and explains what happened. I felt like this related to Always Running because the white male officers treated Luis and his club disrespectfully.

Violent Affairs

Gang violence seems to be a trending issue that is gradually becoming worse. I particularly live in a small town called East Palo Alto, a town in which once had the highest murder rate in the United States. The violence in this city mostly reverts back to drugs and gangs. As the police department strives to make a difference in the community, they aren't as successful due to the lack of sufficient funds and staffing shortages. There is not one weekend night where I wont hear gunshots tearing up the sky. The violence is shredding this community apart. This connects to the violence in Always Running because many kids are at-risk, joining gangs, doing drugs, committing crimes, and becoming violent, because they feel that's all they know how to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBLEMhDMQho

Always Running: Segregation

“All good people agree,
And all good people say,
All nice people, like Us, are We
And every one else is They:
But if you cross over the sea,
Instead of over the way,
You may end by looking on We
As only a sort of They!” 

-Rudyard Kipling, Debits and Credits

I chose this quote because it explains how people are "they" and people like us are "we" and how we will always find someone else who you caterogize as "they" but "they" are and for always be "we". haha if that make sense I chose this quote because the cops started antagonizing Luis and his crew for being "beaners" but in reality the cops are just like then or if not worse in behavior. 

The article below shows the outcome of all the gang violence in the last couple decades. In December of 2014, L.A. and it's police department has declared that the gang violence has come to a halt. Homicides, robberies, assaults, and other crimes has decreased. http://www.psmag.com/navigation/politics-and-law/the-end-of-gangs-los-angeles-southern-california-epidemic-crime-95498/

Black and Whites Divided

Here is a link to an article that discusses about how Minorities have a different view on how they are treated in the criminal justice system and on how police officers respond to them. This does relate to Always Running because the people who are abused by the police in the book do show the same belief on how some officers treat people now.
http://www.washingtonpost.com

I Did Too

Marissa

You only know what you learn
I was so young and had no where to turn
Growing up I said I wouldn't do that to my kid
I repeated the cycle and I did
I left her alone I let her down
just like my mother I was never around
my daughter cries the same way I used to
I wonder if my mom ever hurt like I do
I miss my little girl so much
and now I'm on the right track
I wish they would give her back
I did to her what was done to me
I wish I could tell her I'm sorry

This poem is about a mother who struggles with drug addiction, and after finally getting out, her daughter suffers from the same problem. This just shows how influential you can be to someone that looks up to you, if this mom was there for her kid, or if this lady's mom was there for her then there wouldn't be this cycle of anguish.

Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/regretting-past-with-drugs#ixzz3Ovt1P2aJ
Family Friend Poems 

http://www.jconline.com/story/news/2015/01/15/bill-prohibit-racial-profiling/21811407/

This article talks about how a black man called David Long who was racially profiled. They also talk about how racial profiling is an ongoing issue in america.

Police mistakes

this video that i found in an article shows how police over use their power and that person cant really do anything since police have access to more resources when it comes to court. The way police poorly treat luis and his friends just goes to show the abusiveness of bad cops.









http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Man-who-shot-Bridgeport-police-brutality-video-6009997.php

I found a song that talks about police brutality. If the song lyrics don't appeal then the videos will grab your attention. The video is somewhat disturbing. This connects with Always Running because of the police brutality Luis and his vatos face when being held by the police.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlY9C6pzxKc

Racism is a great factor not only in Luis's life but to millions of minorities. It pushes them into bad activities such as joining gangs and being a menace to society. It's a way of letting the pain out. Getting back at someone, a form of revenge to cause damage at the opponent.

Creative Connections to Always Running - Tupac Shakurs Message

There has been a lot of crime on the streets of America through out the years including a lot of gang rivalry's. Some have been in the spotlight of the media including the music industry. Most memorably, the war between the East Coast and West Coat rappers or more specifically, Biggie vs. Tupac. In the midst of these wars, artists have expressed their feelings of being trapped with no outlets. Much like Luis's character in Always Running, gangsters in East L.A. lived lives marginalized by society and always at war with different groups as well as facing racism by law enforcement.

I see no changes. Wake up in the morning and I ask myself,
"Is life worth living? Should I blast myself?"
I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black.
My stomach hurts, so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch.
Cops give a damn about a negro? Pull the trigger, kill a nigga, he's a hero.
Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares? One less hungry mouth on the welfare.
First ship 'em dope and let 'em deal to brothers.
Give 'em guns, step back, and watch 'em kill each other.
"It's time to fight back", that's what Huey said.
2 shots in the dark now Huey's dead.

Song: Changes by Tupac Shakur

Creative Connections to Always Running

Select an issue from Always Running and come up with a creative response to discuss this issue. For example, you could write a poem, find a song or movie, link to a current event, or draw an image that relates to this issue from the book. Post a response on the blog with a link to the issue, or write about it directly in the post (if it's a poem that you create, for example). Then comment on two other students' posts, sharing your feedback on the connections they came up with.

Issues to connect to:

segregation
racism
poverty
prejudice and stereotypes
misunderstandings
a sense of worthlessness
the quest for power when disempowered
violence
drug use
the police and race relations,
the search for meaning in life and knowing one's purpose versus feeling aimless
the search for a sense of belonging

My Example:

Here is a link to a video and opinion article about the actor Mark Wahlberg's recent attempt to receive a "pardon" for his criminal record in order to erase the fact that he was charged for brutally assaulting two Vietnamese men as a teenager. The author brings up the idea that white privilege plays a role in how we view Wahlberg's hate crime, and it's interesting to compare this to how Luis and other gang members are treated by police and authorities for their crimes:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/09/opinion/yang-mark-wahlberg/index.html