What an interesting week.
I lost my part time job, apparently because I wasn't needed anymore. I was also invited to speak to a class about the Dream Act and my personal immigrant story, it was my first time speaking about such personal topics in front of strangers though I don't know how much of what I told them they grasped, their minds were definitely all over the place. I finally step into the shoes of my professors, and what a tough life, fortunately, it was just one day of trial, but it was enough to realize that you must love what you teach or just had given up in order to be able to look at those creatures called students so I have plenty of years to change my mind and subjugate to the numbness of teaching lol.
Marching to Foley Square yesterday was amazing. From Union Square to Foley Square we marched through 6th avenue and it was so much fun. Here's a list of some incidents that caught my attention.
1. When we got to Union Square, we noticed a group of about a hundred police officers tailing the marchers who were walking to Foley Square. That's how we were able to catch up with them. From there we marched through 6th avenue and then Broadway till we arrived to Foley Square. Right before we turned to Broadway police officers were actually very civilized. They were helping us cross the streets safely, stopping traffic while we took over the avenue and overall keeping the march organized. However, as we got closer to the square, they got more aggressive and overzealous, i thought it was unnecessary because the marchers were not being violent and I also thought it was ridiculous from them to think that by waving their sticks back and forth to us they are powerful. OH PLEASE. It's important for an institution such as the police to maintain that line of respect, especially when in light of recent events, the clashes with the police and the protesters have intensified. They shouldn't be worsening the situation.
2. I was happy to see a large representation from CUNY both students and unionized staff and professors representing the 99% that works and studies under the CUNY system.
3. There was a lot of chanting by english speakers in spanish, I thought that was very interesting.
4. People in the march were actually very diverse. age, creed, race, and class was all mixed in there. that's pretty cool.
I think it is very important for every young person to live a little, march and learn what's the cause of these protesters. One shouldn't have to be the target, the vulnerable target, to become active about issues that affect us all one way or another. Overall, Ive learned this week how important it is to speak up no matter what. Whether it is from of a classroom about the issues I care the most or marching with thousands of others for change in our political system, or even standing up to bullying in the subway (that actually happened to me today) it is important to remember what James Baldwin once said
The world is before you and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in
small, big, collateral change, doesn't matter as long as you try and keep in mind that quote for everything you choose to do for this world and your life.
