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Bridging Borders 2017
Pueblo,
Colorado,
by Juliana Aragón Fatula
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| Bridging Borders 2017 Writing Workshop at Rawlings Library, Pueblo, CO. |
The Stiletto Gang represents women who are
mystery writers; I haven’t published my first mystery novel, I am writing my
first manuscript. I switched genres from poetry to follow my dream of writing a
mystery.
Today, I’d like to focus on a project I’ve
participated in the past three years. Bridging Borders is a leadership program
for young women and empowers them with skills, builds confidence, teamwork,
entrepreneurship. The future of our country falls in their hands and I’m proud
to be a mentor and to assist the teens with writing skills through my writing
workshops at the Rawlings Library.
The El Pueblo History Museum and the
Department of Social Services sponsors the teens and provides excellent
mentors. I happen to be one of the mentors being honored this year at a banquet
to celebrate the year 2017 and the Bridging Borders Graduates: Anysha, Cheyene,
Elian, Reigna, Zoe, Alyssa, Jakiah, Jaylee, Alex, Jaden, Elena, Sophia, Amaya,
Taylor, Marisol, Rhyia, Iliana, Chloe, Anika, Mayala. I know these young ladies
will become future leaders, some even political leaders and I’m very proud to
have been a part of Bridging Borders.
When I met the first-year participants I
didn’t know what to expect. What I found that day: writers, poets, confident,
intelligent, creative, high-level thinkers. The second year I met young ladies
who taught me more than I taught them. They were so welcoming and eager to
learn. I kept in touch with a couple of incredible ladies and followed them on
their path to freshman college.
year, the third year of my involvement, the number of ladies grew: I met a
larger group than in the previous years. I met ladies ready for whatever I
threw at them. They met my challenges and exceeded my hopes for a productive
writing workshop. I asked for volunteers and they volunteered. I asked for million-dollar
words and they impressed me with their vocabulary; they are young,
at-risk, and marginalized by society.
Five minutes later they volunteered to share their poem with the group and impressed
me again with their eloquence, command of the stage, their confidence in their
writing. I cried tears of happiness. I laughed with them and hugged them and
told them how proud I am of them. My day
was spent surrounded by young leaders who will make a difference in this
country and change the way we treat women in society.
They asked questions about writing and I
beamed with joy at their enthusiasm. In my experiences of teaching and
conducting writing workshops with teenagers I’ve witnessed these teens have a
lot to say; they are writing from their hearts about their truth: the bullying,
suicide, abandonment, but also about soccer, dance, music, love, and hope.
While they wrote, I circulated the room
and observed their hands and eyes. They were not given writing prompts other
than to write without limitations about anything but to make it memorable; they
wrote incredible poems and left me with their dreams, fears, hopes, and
questions about their world in the twenty-first century.
My first book of poetry, Crazy Chicana in Catholic City, juliana-aragon-fatula bowerhousebooks was
provided for them by their sponsors and if they weren’t busy writing; they were
busy reading my book. The delight I felt when I watched them write for five
minutes non-stop and read through the table of contents in my book gave me a
sensation of being part of something. Developing the minds of these young
ladies with the power of words and meaning in their lives brought me tremendous
joy, honor, pride, and humility.
This has been one of the most satisfying
experiences of my sixty years; I’ve had many journeys, but to share with these
young leaders my past: a teenage pregnant high-school-drop out who went on to be
the first in my family to graduate college, write and publish books, teach,
tour with the Department of Defense entertaining the men and women in the
military, travel the world, perform on stages across the country, and to end up
in Southern Colorado the place of my ancestors, validated I have fulfilled my
destiny to work with at-risk-youth and empower them to express themselves with
spoken and written word.
They give me hope and hope is all we can
ask for in this time of racism, bigotry, xenophobia, misogyny, and homophobia.
Have I left anyone out? This country needs new leaders and I know these young
ladies will bring it. How fortunate for us that they have been empowered to
teach us what women contribute to society and how they mold the next generation
of leaders. I learned about writing workshops from my mentor, Sandra Cisneros and The Macondo Foundation. I teach what I learn to the future writers of diversity: LGBTQ, and ethnic writers from the nation
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| Macondo Foundation Writing Workshop San Antonio, TX
Founded in 1995 Mission:
The Macondo Writers Workshop is an association
of socially-engaged writers united to advance
creativity, foster generosity, and honor community.
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| Sandra Cisneros and Laurie Ann Guerrero at Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, San Antonio |
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| Macondistas |
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| Sandra Cisneros and Juliana at Rawlings Library |
