change
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The need to live in society is often overlooked — civilization is at it’s best when in cooperation. I am dependent on people I do not know and cannot know everyday of my life. The structure of civility dictates connections be severed — the warm communities that all of humanity have come from have been replaced by the cold concrete of cities.
It suffices to mention that the times of unison are rare in the grand scope of human history. Progress is often preceded on the tail of devastating differences that are deemed irreconcilable. War, slavery, control and dominion of rights, of land, of money — it is a story we have all seen time and again. History is the scar that shapes all aspects of our world — stories set in stone about the roles we play, myths we venerate as true. Why would an individual be seen as anything else other what they already know? Those who perpetuate listen and see the injustices of this world as facts that are unchangeable. Their hearts are closed and that is why they learn nothing. It is no surprise that many people have lost faith in politics. Being labeled as illegal would put pause on anybody wanting to participate in the legal process. And that is exactly the point of such dialogue; it is to take away what little power they have left.
In regards to Canal Alliance and their Adult ESL, I have learned much about the challenges that can arise in pursuit of progress. I have seen the path they must walk because my Filipino family walked a similar path back when I was just a child. But I don’t think it’s quite the same now. The world has changed drastically since then in it’s view of immigrants and I had advantages that leveraged me to where I am today. I grew up knowing how to speak English. My family already has some other members here. We were always in a position to sacrifice more because we had more of something to sacrifice. American society rewards those who work hard and sacrifice more and more — it is a virtue of godliness many Americans put stock in. Some people don’t have anything else sacrifice, absolutely nothing left. No more money, no more favors, no more food, no more time; now what? Where does this leave them in the eyes of all of us?
The vilest and most disgusting human vice is the lust for power and control. The context of discrimination has always been shaped by what we think we know about ourselves and one another. It is true power to knowing oneself rather than accepting what society makes you out to be.
I am frustrated by all the barriers to change. There are dynamics to change that seem to hang onto subtle appeasement and collusion that I would not expect. These kinds of politics do not have stock in the problem-solving process. The winners always stay winners no matter what. That’s how it was designed.
I do not know what lies ahead for Latino immigrants. But I have learned how bad the struggle is for most of them. Many of them work menial jobs in service, construction and carpentry. Education is the great equalizer for many people. The ESL classroom does not feel like education in what I know, but it is a place where they are growing. Supporting any type of progress is good. I just hope we are not settling. It is important that they and others participate in the census so their voices can be heard — even if it’s just one more seat or just a little bit more funding. I still hope they can navigate through it all and find a way to progress on their own. I do not think society will catch up in time for them.
In prospect, I do remain hopeful that change will come in time. The tenacity of the students to find a way to survive in Marin County is encouraging. I have never been in an Service-Learning environment where I have had to spend time with peers of similar age. It has been a livid opportunity to understand the world they live in, one that I thought I understood. I think this is the point of Service-Learning now: to understand the world, to understand ourselves — at it’s purest this whole process has always been about growing beyond our inner worlds and joining the that of the world’s; in all it’s ugliness or beauty. And perhaps once the growing stop we can begin to do the things that ought to be done.
The responsibility I have now is to remember what I have learned. I do not know where my path will lead me in life; but I know the path I have traveled. It is my duty, as it should be everyone else’s, to carry forward what we have learned in these places we have walked. We know the truth of what these places look like, the straits these places are in. And maybe, once we have a voice that can no longer be denied — the changes we seek will be more comprehensive in scope. When our votes takes up more of the majority, when our money can start doing other things other than pay down loans and debt, when our lives are in control — we have the power to do all things. But for now, all we can do is to hang onto this and continue learning. We can grow from it — we can revisit this when we get to that point when power doesn’t feel like an ideal. This is the point of our lives when the change beginning — both in ourselves and in the world. It’s shouldn’t be where it ends.
