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"I feel the lingering charge in the air of a recent fight or lovemaking or depression. I sense the emotions someone near is emitting—whether friendly or threatening."

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"I feel the lingering charge in the air of a recent fight or lovemaking or depression. I sense the emotions someone near is emitting—whether friendly or threatening."

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This quote captures the essence of heightened sensitivity and intuitive perception described in the passage. The author vividly portrays the ability to sense and feel the residual energy and emotions in their surroundings. This heightened awareness, referred to as "la facultad," serves as a survival mechanism, allowing the author to navigate the complexities of human interactions and environments. It highlights the deep connection between emotions and the physical space we inhabit, emphasizing the profound impact that emotional experiences have on our perception of the world. The quote invites readers to reflect on their own intuitive abilities and the ways in which they perceive and interpret the energy and emotions around them.

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“Today some of us have a fourth choice: entering the world by way of education and career and becoming self-autonomous persons. A very few of us. As a working class people our chief activity is to put food in our mouths, a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs.” This passage stuck out to me because I think every Latino can relate to that. We have that choice, but we are programmed through our culture to provide for our family, so making that choice independently can be difficult.

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"There is a rebel in me—the Shadow-Beast. It is a part of me that refuses to take orders from outside authorities. It refuses to take orders from my conscious will, it threatens the sovereignty of my rulership. It is that part of me that hates constraints of any kind, even the self-imposed ones."

This passage stands out because it reflects Anzaldúa's internal rebellion against societal, cultural, and self-imposed expectations. The "Shadow-Beast" represents her refusal to conform, rejecting both external authority and internal constraints. This struggle with boundaries is central to identity and self-empowerment, resonating with anyone facing similar challenges.

Erik Eufragio

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"To this day I'm not sure where I found my strength to leave the source, the mother, disengage from my family, mi tierra, mi gente, and all that picture stood for, I had to leave home so I could find myself, find my own intrinsic nature buried under the personality that had been imposed on me?

This passage stood out to me because it shows how these immigrants would leave their own home and families behind and to find a better life in the U.S. and find their real identity in them.

-Kevin Wong

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"Entering into the Serpent" by Gloria Anzaldúa

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"Entering into the Serpent" by Gloria Anzaldúa

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"In my culture, selfishness is condemned, especially in women; humility and selflessness, the absense of selfishness, is considered a virtue. In the past, acting humble with members outside the family ensured that you would make no one envidioso (envious); therefore he or she would not use witchcraft against you. If you get above yourself, you're an envidiosa. If you don't behave like everyone else, la gente will say that you think you're better than others, que te crees grande. "

I chose this passage from Entering into the Serpent by Gloria Anzaldúa as it highlights cultural expectations regarding humility, selflessness, and the consequences of deviating from communal norms, especially from a Latino cultural perspective. In our culture, maintaining a good reputation, "el qué dirán" is deeply valued, and unjustly more critical towards women, to the point where it becomes concerning when fear of judgment limits personal growth and self-expression. While I understand that respect and humility matter, I believe they shouldn't come at the cost of one's happiness and authenticity.

- Fabian Enriquez

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“That night I watched the window sill, watched the moon dry the blood on the tail, dreamed rattler fangs filled my mouth, scales covered my body. In the morning I saw through snake eyes, felt snake blood course through my body. The serpent, mitono, my animal counterpart. I was immune to its venom. Forever immune.” This part of the passage explains that this traumatic, negative experience made him stronger and less scared as he has now gone through it and has become immune to it. His statement has a bit of truth as in a lot of people in Mexico who work with crops and  get stung my snakes or scorpions and survive, later become immune to their poison if they ever get bit again.

_ Omar Tapia

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"Movimientos de rebeldia y las culturas que traicionan"

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"Movimientos de rebeldia y las culturas que traicionan"

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"Culture forms our beliefs. We perceive the version of reality that it communicates. Dominant paradigms, refined concepts that exist as unquestionable, unchallengeable, are transmitted to us through culture."

This passage stood out to me because of its accuracy. Each of us has a culture that we value and preserve. Each culture has a set of "rules" that we must follow, traditions we must continue, clothing we must wear, languages we speak, and social norms we must adapt to. Many begin to have trouble with their self-identity due to their culture which then makes them question and challenge it. In all honesty, culture is what brings communities together whether it be our commonalities or our differences. Throughout the years, culture has learned to adapt to the modern times of society without having to be dominated by men which Anzaldua later mentions in the paragraph.

-Karina Garcia

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The Aztec ruler, ltzcoatl, destroyed all the painted documents (books called codices) and rewrote a mythology that validated the wars of conquest and thus continued the shift from a tribe based on clans to one based on classes

This quote spoke to me because as mentioned in the text the Aztecs burned the documents that reminded the people that women were as important to their people. The burning of this documents is a way to control the people and erase their accessibility to knowledge. We have seen this happen before other times in history. We saw this with the Catholic Church (doctrine of discovery) and them burning everything that reminded the natives of their gods. We also saw this with the Nazi’s when they burned books that went against their ideologies. We are also starting to see this now with people in power who want to remove certain history books from schools because it does not align with their believes. Knowledge is power and books is where we can have access to knowledge.

-Kenia Delgado

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In chapter 2 of Borderlands by Anzaldua, the text that stood out to me was:

"If you get above yourself, you're an envidiosa. If you don't behave like everyone else, la gente will say that you think you're better 'than others, que te crees grande. With ambition (condemned in the Mexican culture and valued in the Anglo) comes envy. "

This passage stood out to me because this is the mentality that was instilled to me since a very young age. It was wrong to be proud and ambitious. But it is also wrong to not have goals. I had to be a role model but not make my cousins envious. In Mexican culture, especially as a female, you are expected to be almost perfect. Not prideful, jealous, loud, outspoken nor lazy. It is a constant struggle to be successful yet fit the standards of what society and our culture wants. I think rather than trying to make everyone fit the standards and put them in a box, our culture should shift away from this and rather encourage individualism and growth. We should teach our people to be happy for others and the opportunities presented to them, rather than frown upon such things. I chose the picture above because when we feel supported by our family and culture, we are able to achieve so much more.

-Candy Avila

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"Guadalupe unites people of different races, religions, languages: Chicano protestants, American Indians, and whites." This quote stood out because Anzaldua makes a great point regarding Guadalupe's significant impact on all communities. There are different versions of the Virgin de Guadalupe, for example, the Virgin Mary, Tonantzin, and the Black Madonna. All these versions are depictions of other faiths and religions that multiple people look up to every day. The impact of the Virgin de Guadalupe is so influential as it is also a symbol of our Mexican culture.- Alina Felix

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"We're not supposed to remember such otherworldly events. We're supposed to ignore, forget, kill those fleeting images of the soul's presence and of the spirit's presence. We've been taught

that tile spirit is outside our bodies or above our heads somewhere up in the sky with God. We're supposed to forget that every cell in our bodies, every bone and bird and worm has spirit in it." This part of the passage that stood out to me was that society teaches us to disregard spiritual experiences and the presence of the soul, encouraging us to focus only on the physical and material aspects of life. It argues that we've been conditioned to believe that spirit exists outside of us, detached from our bodies and nature. The message is that the spirit is actually within all living things, including we, and should not be ignored or forgotten.

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A passage that stands out is “ I am turtle,where I go I carry home on my back”.This stood out to me because when she talks about where ever she goes is carrying “home”.This means Anzaldua’s traditions,identity,language and among other things.Although you go to other countries/enviromens you are always going to have your customs identify where ever you go.This shows that the author stays true to herself and her roots.- Bequer Ortiz

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A passage that stood out was "Pero he crecido. Ya no solo paso toda mi vida botando lascostumbres y los valores de mi cultura que me traicionan.Tambien recojo las costumbres que par el tiempo se hanprovado y las costumbres de respeto a las mujeres .. But despite my growing tolerance, for this Chicana la guerra de independencia is a constant." I chose this one because it shows how although our culture may carry traits which may betray us and therefore is the cause to many issues of violence we face; as Chicanas we choose to embrace and continue to learn of the values which empower us to create change. Being able to recognize the change that is needed allows us to continue to fight for it. - Andrea Acuna

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Something that stood out to me from the reading was, " In 1660 the Roman Cathalic Church named her Mother of God. Considering her synonymous with la Virgen Maria; she became la Santa Patrona de los Mexicanos. The role of defender
(or patron) has traditionally been assigned to male gods. During
the Mexican Revolution, Emilano Zapata and Miguel Hidalgo
used her image to move el pueblo mexicano towards freedom." La Virgen Maria is seen as a very important figure. In addition, it is interesting to note that our culture still looks up to her. - Sherlin Hernandez

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 people praying to la virgen de Guadalupe 

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"I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself."

This passage stands out to me because it shows the connection between language and identity. The author argues that language is not just a way of communicating with others but also a fundamental part of pride. Many people who are bilingual struggle to accept their language, especially when it is treated as insignificant.

-Hyung Kim

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I have a vivid memory of an old photograph: I am six years old. I stand between my father and mother, head cocked to the right, the toes of my flat feet gripping the ground. I hold my mother’s hand.

I chose this passage because it shows a personal moment from Anzaldua's life. It is a simple but powerful image of her childhood, standing between her parents. This moment represents her connection to her family and culture. Later in the chapter, she talks about leaving home and breaking away from tradition to find her own identity. This passage is important because it shows where she started before she made the difficult choice to leave.

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"I did not lose touch with my origins because lo mexicano is in my system. I am a turtle, wherever i go i carry "home" on my back". This quote from the chapter stood out to me, because I can relate to it and I believe so many of us can relate to it too. We can continue to succeed and go anywhere in the world, but we will always know and remember where we came from and who we are. -Evelyn Barrera

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"My family, like most Chicanos, did not practice Roman Catholicism
but a folk Catholicism with many pagan elements. La Virgen de
Guadalupe's Indian name is Coatlalopeuh. She is the central deity
conncecting us to our Indian ancestry"

This quote stood out to me because a person who was born in Mexico and grew up their until I was 17 years old. The virgen was a staple in my household. Many Mexicans in Mexico and the United States who are catholic believe in her due to the miracles she has done. To this day I still do believe in her and the church. Personally I have gone to Mexico City and visited the church and where the original photo of her is located.

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"Having crossed the portal, the raised hinged mouth, having entered the serpent's belly, now there was no looking back, no going back. Why do I cast no shadow? Are there lights from all sides shining on me? Ahead, ahead."

I think this passage symbolizes a journey into the depths of one’s self. The act of entering the serpent's belly represents facing one’s fears. The imagery of casting no shadow and being surrounded by light implies an awakening of some kind, where the individual transcends and discovers things about their true self. I like the emphasis that there is no return. Facing one's fears leads to an irreversible change for the better. Personal transformation and growth can be scary but worthwhile. There is a type of liberation felt, so the tone is very uplifting.

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In Gloria Anzaldua's Borderlands, she states:

Like many Indians and Mexicans, I did not deem my psychic experiences real. I denied their occurrences and let my inner senses atrophy. I allowed white rationality to tell me that the existence of the "other world" was mere pagan superstition. I accepted their reality, the "official" reality of the rational, reasoning mode which is connected with external reality, the upper-world, and is considered the most developed consciousness-- the consciousness of duality (pg.59).

This passage is associated with the effects of assimilation of indigenous people of all backgrounds. Through a culture cleanse, that aimed to rid any remnants of the pre-colonial world, Indigenous people from this entire continent, and even the enslaved people from Africa, were forcibly converted to Christian religions. Anzaldua speaks of duality, which she later associates this with code switching. The artwork that I have included draws back to that duality, and because American society adheres to this "official reality", we have ignored our inner senses and our recognition of spirits that are found in our natural world, and are constantly destroying it.

--Sophia Arriola

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"For many mexicanos del otro lado, the choice is to stay in Mexico and starve or move north and live."

This quote stood out to be because a lot of mexican families left their home behind so they could live a better life but also so their future or and present families could live a better life. They risked their life crossing the border to live a better life. It is an emotional topic to think about because most families only took whatever they could pack in a backpack while crossing the border. It is also sad because when Mexicans find work in the U.S., they also risk getting caught and or murdered or sent back. Most Mexicans did not give up a fight they would pray to the Virgencita to be blessed and be able to live a better life then what they were offered in Mexico. - Jazmin Aguilar

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"She, like my race, is a synthesis of the old world and the new, of the religion and culture of the two races in our psyche, the
conquerors and the conquered. She is the symbol of the mestizo true to his or her Indian values. La cultura chicana identifies with the mother (Indian) rather than with the father (Spanish)."

By highlighting their mestizo heritage a fusion of Indigenous and Spanish ancestry this paragraph illustrates the Chicano people's cultural identity. The speaker characterizes their race and a symbolic figure as a blend of the old and new worlds, where European influences and Indigenous pre-colonial civilizations coexist. According to the text, Chicano culture identifies an active bond with Native origins rather than the colonial past because it connects more with the "mother" (Indigenous ancestry) than with the "father" (Spanish lineage). This ultimately represents the historical and cultural struggle of Chicanos, who acknowledge the various influences that have created them while embracing their Indigenous identity.

~ Mallek Kherici

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"I thought homophobia meant fear of going home after a residency." And I thought how apt. Fear of going home. And not being taken in. We're afraid of being abandoned by the mother, the culture, la Raza, for being unacceptable, faulty, damaged." This quote stood out to because it is so true that many members of the LGBTQ community still don't not feel free to be themselves due to the society, country, culture, religion, etc. So to think that someone is already fighting for their culture, their roots, and having to also fight for who they want to love and be is so hard. It is seen so much in la raza that it is still hard to accept that we are free to love who we want to and way too often many individuals get rejected from their roots for being LGBTQ. Many rather live unhappy and hidden from the world to avoid the problems that come with it.

Behira Tobes

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A passage that stood out to me was "I had to leave home so I could find myself, find my own intrinsic nature buried under the personality that had been imposed on me." This quote means that the individual had to leave their familiar environment in order to reconnect with their true self. The "intrinsic nature" means that they needed to find out who they really are without the influence of others.

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1. A passage which stood out to me was “Not only was the brain split into two functions but so was reality”. In chapter 2, anzaldua discusses the concept of “nepantla” which is a representation of cultures and their various identities. This passage really resonated with that concept as it explained how people who align with both sides eventually have to find themselves in the “space” and struggle between identities. It describes the stuggle of living with two different cultures all at once.

2. -Andrea Chavez

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"The ability to respond is what is meant by responsibility, yet our cultures take away our ability to act—shackle us in the name of protection" (Anzaldúa 38).

This passage resonated with me because it reflects the struggle of navigating societal expectations while trying to maintain individuality. Many times, cultural traditions and societal norms are framed as protective measures, but they often serve as restrictions that limit freedom and personal growth. I have felt this in my own life, where certain expectations dictated how I should act, what I should believe, and what decisions were acceptable. Anzaldúa’s words highlight the importance of reclaiming our ability to make choices for ourselves rather than being confined by the limitations imposed by others. This passage is a reminder that true responsibility comes from the freedom to respond and take action on our own terms.

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The passage that stood out to me the most was, “Not only was the brain split into two functions but so was reality. Thus people who inhabit both realities are forced to live in the interface between the two, forced to become adept at switching modes. Such is the case with the india and the mestiza.”(37) I chose this passage as it describes having to switch between different worlds in your mind and the real world. People can believe in multiple religions but some of those may conflict with other beliefs they have, therefore these people have to live in between switching back and forth between their beliefs and religions.

Michael Lieng

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A passage that stood out to me “I had to leave home so I could find myself, find my own intrinsic nature buried under the personality that had been imposed on me.” I felt this on a personal level; growing up in an immigrant household meant for me to always be on top of things and never complain. I felt like I was hiding my true self, and I always felt insecure and embarrassed for being me.

-Tiffany Gonzalez

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A passage that stood out to me was “The culture expects women to show greater acceptance of,

and commitment! to, the value system than men”. The culture and

the Church insist that women are  subservient to males. It a

woman rebels she is  a mujer mala .. If a woman doesn't renounce

herself in favor of the male, she is selfish. This stood out to me because these are culture assumptions of what some standards or norms people think in different cultures. We sometimes see this within our culture still how woman and men are treated different upon just because of their gender. Sometimes it’s hard for old school culture norms to differentiate from the status quo to believe in a norm such as gender equality in how we must treat all gender equally to fullest.

Valentin

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“Today, La Virgen de Guadalupe is the single most potent

religious, political and cultural image of the Chicano/mexicano.”

This passage stuck out to me because growing up in East LA, the Virgen was everywhere. You can rest assured that you will see her face highlighted with glowing light on the walls of the market down the street. She is a powerful symbol to our people as she represents resilience and ambition. The arrival of Christianity and Catholicism teachings implemented by the colonizers were used to justify their actions against the indigenous, yet they found hope through the Virgen Mary to fight back. She is a combination of new and old teachings, which really represents what the Chicano essentially is.

-Ashley Ortiz

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The passage that stood out to me in Anzaldua’s writing was found in chapter 2. “The Aztec female rites of mourning were rites of defiance protesting the cultural changes which disrupted the equality and balance between female and male, and protesting their demotion to a lesser status, their denigration. Like la Llorona, the Indian woman's only means of protest was wailing." This stood out to me because it is still relevant to this day. Often times, women are seen as less than men and are seen as incapable of accomplishing the same things men can accomplish. This has been an issue for a long time as the passage explains. Women were seen as virtuous and sacred and used to be in charge in many tribes before they were demoted to become less than rulers. I thought the connection with the llorona was interesting considering that essentially, women have been crying out for help for many centuries to try and be seen and heard. As we know, the llorona has always been scrutinized and used to scare but in reality, she was a woman asking for help and trying to escape the oppression she was feeling. The image represents the desperation that women feel because they are undermined many times. Currently we have seen a shift where more women are being recognized and are being placed in positions of power but unlike men, women have to prove themselves everyday to ensure that they are capable of ruling or being the boss.                   -Aredith Lepe

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A passage that stood out to me was "Through our mothers, the culture gave us mixed messages: No voy a dejar que ningun pelado desgraciado maltrate a mis hijos. And in the next breath it would say, La mujer tiene que hacer lo que diga el hombre. Which was it to be strong, or submissive, rebellious or conforming?" It's true that in the Latino culture there is sometimes conflicting advice, especially for women. From a young age I have heard mothers of my family tell the girls to be independent and work hard so they don't end up relying on a man to take care of them. Yet, those same mothers tell the boys to find a "good" woman who will cook for them and do housework. This sends a mixed message to both the boys and girls of our culture. The advice needs to be balanced. The man and the woman both need to work hard and be independent but be ready to be part of a team where they can support each other.

- Guillermo Vazquez

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This passage from Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlandsstands out to me because it highlights the oppressive expectations placed on women in her culture. The stark choices presented—nun, prostitute, or mother—underscore the limited roles available to women, dictated by both cultural and religious norms. Anzaldúa’s critique of these constraints resonates deeply, as it challenges the systemic subjugation of women and calls for a reevaluation of their roles and identities. This passage is a powerful reminder of the need for gender equality and the importance of questioning societal

norms.

-Crystal Aguayo

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A passage that stood out to me after reading "Borderlands" by G. Anzaldua was in chapter 2. "I am a turtle, wherever I go I carry "home" on my back". This part of the passage stood out to me because the way she references the turtles shell as her home is saying that her home is not a physical place. Where she goes, she feels secure about her culture and who she is even if her environment was surrounded by whites. She stays true to her culture/roots and does not lose her sense of self.

-Mayela Munoz

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Coatlalopeub, She Who Has Dominion Over Serpents 

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Coatlalopeub, She Who Has Dominion Over Serpents 

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A passage from this weeks module that stood out to me from chapter 3 was " La Gente Chicana tiene tres madres. All three are mediators: Guadalupe, the virgin mother who has not abandoned us, la chingada (Malinche), the rapped mother whom we have abandoned, and la Llorona, the mother who seeks her lost children and is a combination of the other two". This passage stood out to me because it talks about the three significant mother figures in the Chicana culture. La chingada which stands for betrayal and the harm caused by colonization. Guadalupe the virgin mother who represents love and la Llorona which represents the pain and loss. I also liked that passage because I lived for like 14 years in Mexico and we would always do commemorations towards la Llorona and Guadalupe. -Brandon Salgado

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"The culture expects women to show greater acceptance of, and commitment! to, the value system than men". This passage stands out because it highlights a double standard in societal expectations. Women are often expected to attach more strictly to cultural norms and values, while men may be afforded more flexibility. It points to the unequal pressures placed on women to fit and support the status quo, reinforcing traditional gender roles.

Haley H

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A passage that stood out to me from chapter 2 of Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldua is "Yet in leaving home I did not lose touch with my origins because lo mexicano is in my system. I am a turtle, wherever I go I carry 'home' on my back." This stood out to me because no matter where you go you will never lose your culture since it is with you since birth and no matter where the person goes in their life it will always be there. To some degree the person might not fully embrace their culture and not truly understand it or want to but it is already in their system it only depends on them on wanting to accept it or not.

-Mathieu Chino

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Reading Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldua chapter 2 and 3, one passage that stood out to me was "The culture expects women to show greater acceptance of,
and commitment to, the value system than men. The culture and the Church insist that women are subservient to males. It a woman rebels she is a mujer mala. If a woman doesn't renounce herself in favor of the male, she is selfish." This passage stood to me mostly in our generation a woman has the right to do what she wants and not to follow traditions that doesn't affect her life. Many will seek out for jobs or goals that are higher than men if someone stays stick to tradition what kind of freedom does she have?? Can she go with her friends? Can she go to work, Volunteer? or what if she stuck with abusive partner? It's one of the things that does not really happen in the US, in Mexico its portably more than US, many of people over there is religious and wants to follow the world of the church in reality is it alright to control someone's life to a church.

Michael Barrera

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A passage that stood out to me while reading the chapters was “No matter to what use my people put the supernatural world, it is evident to me now that the spirit world/ whose existence the whites are so adamant in denying does in fact exist. This very minute I sense the presence of the spirits of my ancestors in my room. And I think la Jila is Cihuacoatl, Snake Woman; she is la Llorona, Daughter of the Night, traveling the dark terrains of the unknown searching for the lost parts of herself. I remember la Jila following me once, remember her eerie lament. I’d like to think that she was crying for her lost children, los Chicanos/mexicanos.” A reason that this passage stood out to me is that in my Mexican culture, la Llorona has only been viewed as a folk story to frighten you. I found the comparison to La Jila and La Llorona as a powerful message instead of a scary story, crying for the lost Chicanos/mexicanos that have been oppressed, colonized, and died by white and Spanish settlers. Being raised catholic, I noticed that it is more of a Spanish and Roman influence rather than indigenous beliefs such as the one presented in the passage. I appreciate being able to read about Indigenous ways, which have never been presented to me through church or family. -Gill Francisco Munoz

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One passage that stood out to me was in chapter 2 that said, "To avoid rejection, some of us conform to the values of the culture, push the unacceptable parts into the shadows. Which leaves only one fear- that we will be found out and that the Shadow-Beast will break out if its cage." Mexican families are very traditional and can be very loving. However, there are many cases where a child is gay and their family is not accepting of this at all. They are thrown out and shunned by their own blood and told they are living in sin. This fear causes many, especially men, to never truly be themselves with their families and put on a façade of who their parents expect them to be. This can be damaging to one's self worth as it forces them to restrict themselves from being happy. Not only can families be very judgmental but the outside word can be just as cruel. Strangers who know nothing about you will wish you harm only for the fact you are homosexual. Just as women are targeted for simply being female, as the next passage states women are prey and are not safe in our world no matter what culture or identity you possess.

-Alexis Gaeta

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After reading the chapters, the section that stood out to me was the section that spoke about cultural tyranny. Anzaldua highlights the major issue of stereotypical gender roles that are placed on women in Chicano culture. Women are forced to have certain values, which the men are not. Men are not responsible to live up to certain expectations in the way women are made to. Women are made to believe that they are supposed to slave away for men and if they do not live up to these expectations they are failures. Anzaldua is calling for women to wake up and rebel against these stereotypes. Women do not have to conform to a certain life, they can be what they want and love who they want. The culture expects women to show greater acceptance of, and commitment! to, the value system than men. The culture the Church insist that women are subservient to males. It a woman rebels she is a mujer mala". Stereotypical gender roles is something that is very common in many minority cultures and unfortunately many women are punished if they do not live by these forced roles. -Moses Rodriguez

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"Yolanda López: Portrait of the Artist’ showcases a variety of López’s work from the 1970s-1980s, including Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe (1978). The portrait depicts López as a strong woman in running shoes, holding a snake, and wearing the mantle of the Virgin Mary.When creating the piece, Lopez says she questioned the common icon of the ‘ideal woman’ in the Chicana culture and based the artwork on the Virgin of Guadalupe.The Virgin is an important national and religious figure in Mexico and represents motherhood and femininity. López wanted to take this iconic image and deconstruct it to mean something different for Chicana women." -Michelle Monaghan, Country to Canberra

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After reading Ch. 2 & 3 of Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldua, a passage that stood out to me was in the Cultural Tyranny section of chapter 2, where Anzaldua states, "Culture is made by those in power-men. Males make the rules and laws; women transmit them. How many times have I heard mothers and mother-in-law tell their sons to beat their wives for not obeying them, for being hociconas (big mouths), for being callajera (going to visit and gossip with neighbors), for expecting their husbands to help with the rearing of children and the housework, for wanting to be something other than housewives...The culture and the Church insist that women are subservient to males. If a woman rebels she is a mujer mala. If a woman doesn't renounce herself in favor of the male, she is selfish. If a woman remains a virgen until she marries, she is a good woman. For a woman of my culture there use to be only three directions she could turn to, the Church as a nun, to the sweets as a prostitute, or to the home as a mother" (Anzaldua ch.2, page 16). With this passage, it captured my attention because of the reality that many women faced especially Chicana women like Anzaldua, who had been told this in her household and made to believe because of cultural and societal norms and expectations given to women in general. There was the expecations then and still now that men are not forced to live by or is expected of them due to society and laws that are made for women to follow even when in present day, women have more rights, there still is so much that is restricted to us in terms of opportunities and still the historical backwards societal expectations that are seen as traditions that are still continued and still told to many women and especially Latina women in our culture and in religious views. The image I chose to interepret this passage with and relate to with is the paintings in 1978 of the “Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe” by the Yolanda Lopez who created these Virgen de Guadalupe paintings with depictions of hardworking Chicana women, during the Chicano Movement for women and bringing feminist views to these posters that challenged the idea of the religious figure Virgen De Guadalupe with Chicana women portrayed in traditional jobs and of different ages from a young woman to an elder woman. During the Chicano movement, many Chicana women began fighting for their rights and freedoms and changing the gender stereotypes for not only women, but for all Latina women in society and religious views.

-Joseline Hernandez

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From reading chapters 2 and 3 of Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldua, a passage that stood out to me was:

"Culture forms our beliefs. We perceive the version of reality that it communicates. Dominant paradigms, predefined concepts that exist as unquestionable, unchallengeable, are transmitted to us through the culture. Culture is made by those in power--men. Males make the rules and laws; women transmit them. How many times have I heard mothers and mothers-in-law tell their sons to beat their wives for not obeying them, for being hociconas (big mouths), for being callajeras (going to visit and gossip with neighbors), for expecting their husbands to help with the rearing of children and the housework, for wanting to be something other than housewives?"

This part of the texts stood out to me because it mentions how our lifestyle, thoughts, opinions, decisions, experiences, etc. are shaped through culture, creating for those within a culture a sense of their own world/vision/reality. In our sense of this, it suggests a very great impact that can differ from what we commonly feel, since this reality has been present since our birth and/or common in our everyday lives, taking part in gender roles, beliefs, and differences for instance. The idea that culture, by those that create, practice, and spread beliefs onto other people is so complex, as it can feel commonplace, but can also feel at times restrictive and harmful, as it can suggest how men and women are subjected to the cultural enforcements that are deemed as essential and practical. In this case not so, as women are viewed through these harsh stereotypes for voicing their concerns and wishes, as they are not just their gender; they are human as their husbands and their mothers and mother-in-laws. Societal expectations based on the ways in which a women should behave and think of herself are seen as needing to be commonplace and practical for the other person, in position to her fellow man (husband, father, brother, etc.) and woman (mother, cousin, etc.) in her life, when she should be regarded in a way in which she is heard/respected by both a fellow man and another woman, as should a man to be heard/respected by both a fellow woman and another man in his life. - Andrea Valadez

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A passage that spoke to me comes from Chapter 2, which states, "1,950 mile-long open wound dividing a pueblo, a culture, running down the length of my body, staking fence rods in my flesh, splits me splits me..." The following quote is powerful because it demonstrates how the border is harming communities because of the separation it creates. They refer to the border as fence rods going through them, meaning they feel trapped in a continuous cycle of pain because of the border. I get not everyone will win these battles, but there is nothing to gain from the border for those who reside in the pueblos. They are stuck suffering while the U.S. maintains control over everything, as they pick, choose, and enforce.

-Aaron Lopez

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“The culture expects women to show great acceptance of, and commitment to, the value system than men….If a women rebels she is a mujer mala.if a women doesn't renounce herself in favor of the male, she is selfish….For a women of my culture, there used to be only three directions she could turn: to the church as a nun, to the streets as a prostitute, or to the home as a mother”

This passage stood out to me because of the harsh reality women faced, and might still face in some parts of the world today. They were locked into taking one of three paths. One of a nun, a prostitute, or mother. It's appalling to me how they can be failures and rejects if they choose a lifestyle other than one of those three. Looking in today's world, saying such a statement would bring about so much disdain. Adding on, they had to live by a moral code that revolved around renouncing herself to a man, if not she was selfish.

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A passage from the module's readings that stood out to me was from Chapter 2 in Borderlands. It explains the value system being so harsh on women to stay strict to, and for males it is not at all the same. For example, the author explains "For a woman of my culture there used to be only three directions she could turn: to the Church as a nun, to the streets as a prostitue, or to the home as a mother. Today some of us have a fourth choice: entering the world by way of education and career and becoming self-autonomous persons. A very few of us" (Borderlands Ch. 2, p.17). This being my culture as well makes the readings personal and relateable to myself. I did find these three directions to be true until this day, except we are expected to be mothers and homemakers on top of workers. There is a recurring theme that if women rebel, we are mujer malas (bad/poor women). It is easy to be seen as a failure as a Chicana/Latina woman, and its sadenning how transparent it is in our culture. These give me the hope that our culture can transform more overtime and be more accepting and loving to both genders.

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In this passage, I found this statement ‘‘Educating our children is out of reach for most of us. Educated or not, the onus is still on a woman to be a wife/mother the nun can escape motherhood. Women are made to feel total failures if they don't marry and have children.’’ This means to me that they treated the women by not being a housewife. They don't want to see them work but marrying and having kids are their only jobs. If they are not married, they seem like failures and can’t do anything by themselves but have the roles of the marriage and children.  They want to make the women seem worthless to a guy because they are independent of a guy. This makes the women trapped in being at home because it is required for them instead of men.

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"Guadalupe unites people of different races" religions, lan-
guages: Chicano protestants, American Indians and whites.
"Nuestra .abogada liempre seras lOur mediatrix you win always be." She mediates between the Spanish .amd the Indian cultures (or three cultures as in the case of meXic,anof of African or other ancestry) and between Chicanos and the white world. She mediates between humans and the divine, between this reality
and the reality of spirit entities. La Virgen de Guadalup,e is the symbol of ethnic identity and of the tolerance for ambiguity that Chicanos-mexicanos, people of mixed race, people who have Indian blood, pea pie who cross coheres, by necessity possess" ( pg 30). The Catholic title of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is Our Lady of Guadalupe, sometimes referred to as the Virgin of Guadalupe. The virgen mary or La virgen de Guadalupe is mostly known in Mexico, but has expanded towars other parts of the world. This specifc passage from the reading caught my attention because I agreed on where it says it has united many of us bringing us together when visiting her in church or even murals in the communities. Just like this weekend known for our independence many individuals in our communities carry her either mentally, or in images, shirts, sculptures and many more along the Mexican flag. The Virgin of Guadalupe has been the mother of Mexicans since the viceregal era and calls millions of devotees to her sanctuary, located on the hill of Tepeyac, every December 12. December 12 is another important and big date where many communities, and induvial unite to celebrate her b day. Which carry a big meaning within the Catholics.

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1.“Fear of going home. And of not being taken in. We’re afraid of being abandoned by the mother, the culture, La Raza, for being unacceptable, faulty, and damaged. Most of us unconsciously believe that if we reveal this unacceptable aspect of The Self Our mother/culture/race will totally reject us.”

2. briefly explain your selection.

-Although we find that in Mexican Culture we are open and loving, as the passage says there is much to lose when it comes to coming out to Hispanic Families, there are a lot of stigmas when it comes to the gay community, the root of homophobia has always played a part in the population of Hispanics coming out and why its so small quantity. Then, this passage highlights the damage that some gay or lesbian people deal with and how they can feel unwanted and can lose their identity and family in the process. Also, as they lose their family some may feel like they are losing themselves, as they lose their culture, their race, their identity, and for some, it can affect the way they view themselves which is why some feel like they are faulty and damaged.

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A passage that stood out to me states, “The world is not a safe place to live in… Woman does not feel safe when her own culture, and white culture, are critical of her; when the males of all races hunt her as prey.” (Anzaldua, 20). This passage stood out to me specifically as I believe it contains a deep and important message that can resonate with most women if not all. Women of all cultures constantly face many instances of unfairness and belittling in society and have done so for many years. Women of color are constantly the target of the oppressor’s actions and insults, as this can be seen occurring in a woman’s own community and by White women and men as well. In the case of Anzaldua, as a queer Latina woman, she felt shunned and discriminated against by her community and culture as her identity did not align with those set in stone. Anzaldua speaks out against the expectations women are expected to live up to within the Latino and Mexican communities and how she was “different” for not wanting to follow these traditions and act for her own self. With this, Gloria Anzaldua demonstrates her resilience. She explains how Latina women and women of color have been oppressed for hundreds of years and have even participated in the oppression through cultural norms and beliefs and highlights the importance of breaking and negating these harmful views and traditions for oneself and future generations. She encourages the reader to acknowledge the rights and wrongs of one’s cultural beliefs and to act and express oneself in the manner they wish to, not according to how society tells them to. — Melannie Arreola Castro