XIPE: The Corporate Gap Year and Professional Renewal

Against all odds - Contra Viento y Marea

My Xipe:

this corporate gap year of mine has turned out to be one of the worst years in American history.

We are dealing with a pandemic of hate, health & financial crisis, and the realization that the misdistribution of wealth and resources is too significant to ignore any longer.

I am listening, learning, and working on becoming a better person worthy of the future we deserve.

If our country is to recover, we will need the contribution, strength, and resilience of every American, while ethical leadership will be required to help us move forward.

My heart hurts too much for words — my scattered thoughts will have to do.

Stream of Thought

My index finger pulled the curtain aside, 

a bright blur dilated my pupils.

The sky behind Papi flickered with flames, 

he watered our roof — 

what felt like nonstop.

The green hose he held 

fought off the hatred — 

what felt like forever.

Nineteen ninety-two, 

Rodney King in our chants.

The streets burned 

& burned — pain burning high up.

Police brutality, 

on VHS replay.

Wishing El Santo would come to the rescue, 

on Laserdisc magic, 

or something like,

El Santo y el Blue Demon contra la injusticia!

Superheroes against social inequity.

Un derechaso, un izquierdazo

   y listo. 

But that's not how it happened,

the superheroes who showed, 

were the Activists then,

  the Activists now,

speaking courageously —

not holding back.

Un derechaso, un izquierdazo,

   "Ya Basta," they say.

Police brutality, 

    on digital replay.

Mictlantecutli, 

welcoming animas — 

George Floyd, 

  Breonna Taylor, and 

  many more,

    now resting in power.

Calling on courage,

digital arrival,

out on the street

 the healers, leaders, bringers of hope.

Los Activists contra la injusticia, 

contra viento y marea,

have a resound declaration:

Fewer outputs analysis,

when the input is the matter.

Black Lives Matter,

BLM a matter that matters.

Police brutality a symptom of

Anti-blackness, 

 systemic racism, 

  social inequity 

is the matter. 

The Counterculture contra la unjusticia

live and alive has arrived.