Tension Waves

Hello Bloggers,

As Hurricane Milton is on its way to Florida, I cannot stop thinking about the people who didn't decide to evacuate.

As a survivor of Hurricane Maria in 2017, it was devastating for me and my community. Lives were lost, properties were lost, the Fauna and Flora were literally shaved off, and water and electricity were utterly destroyed, but we survived because of the grace of the Lord. Seeing this powerful Hurricane made all those memories resurface. 

However, unlike in Puerto Rico, residents in the United States have somewhere to move to and wait until the storm passes. We didn't. Puerto Rico is surrounded by water on all fronts.

I don't get why many people living in the States who will be hit from the hurricane are still so stubborn about leaving behind what is material.

In my family, there's a saying, "When you die, you don't take your house, nor your money, and definitely not your car. So earthly possessions are not worth your life; you don't take any of those when you are no longer here."

Hurricane Milton / This photo was taken 7 hours ago.

Let us pray together for Florida. Those who are not religious, spiritual, or believe in anything may disregard this request. But for those who are, let us pray for those stubborn people to listen to the warning.

The truth is something ain't right. but I just cant put my finger on it. 

Being Human Advocate

 Hello Bloggers,

Welcome again.

Today, I have a unique topic: Being Human.

What does it mean to be human?

To be alive? To be free? Or... A sense of purpose?

We don't know. We all have different definitions.

To me, being human is to live in a fucked up world where people are so concentrated in their own lives that they don't take into account others. Not minding the social injustices that are taking place around the world. To me, it means no equality for anyone. One is always benefiting more than the other.

 We live in a world full of injustices. 

People don't give a dime about anyone. Everyone lives in their own little world. And do you know what gets me? When someone asks for help, they give you the knife in the back.

Human nature is complex. It has its ups and downs. We have good people, and then we have not-so-good people. We have hardheaded people, and then we have intelligent people. It is so complex and twisted in between that nowadays, we cannot agree on one definition of human nature. It has a lot of meanings for different people, but we all agree on one thing. There's good and bad, and that goes for everything we do.

I cannot speak for everyone because I'm only a Gen Z and haven't lived long, but people are selfish and lack maturity and knowledge.

People always say, "Knowledge is power," but I say,

k

That is what many activists and black nationalists are trying to say. We cannot create change until we stand up for something. And that's activism.

Change Mentality

Hello Bloggers,

 Angel Y. is tuning here.

Let's talk about the mind. Changing the mind takes work, and people's mentality is even more important. It is difficult nowadays to change someone's mentality. Why was itn't so difficult in the past?

I don't like politics, activism, and many other things. But the power of words to change the mind of a stubborn person is something to admire and honor.

America was stubborn.

Going over and over about a change mentality, and I came across in one of my African American Literature classes about someone named Malcolm X. 

Who was Malcolm X? 

Malcolm X is one of the most widespread revolutionary figures in American history. Why? Because he created change and a change for the better, a change mentality.

He was the leader of the civil rights movement, which encouraged African Americans to gather in unity.  Fighting against racism and racial segregation, and disenfranchising the country of its negative mentality against African Americans.

Here's a video explaining the Civil Rights Movement: https://youtu.be/9ppTiyxFSs0?si=MKNE_HsogjjHd_D8 

This past week, I read one of his speeches, "The Ballot or The Bullet," and it was an eye-opener.

I especially like his Black nationalism strategy. What is black nationalism? Black nationalism advocates economic self-sufficiency, race pride for African Americans, and black separatism. In other words, it seeks to unite and control the Black people in America. Malcolm X's black nationalism revolved around the rights of Black citizens, and he believed that they were best protected through racial unity and black separatism.

However, what I like most about Malcolm X's black nationalism is that he encouraged a change mentality.

Taking that into account...

We live in a world full of unfairness and injustices, and many legal systems hold up that same forth of injustice. It is not easy to change what is already thought from generation to come, but we can change it from unity peacefully. Malcolm X taught me a lot in his speech; I wish I had access to this speech in high school; it would have changed my mentality on many things. One of the reasons is that he wasn’t afraid to speak up. He wasn’t scared to tell his people that their mentality had to change. The realism in his speech connects with his people. With us. He advocates in his speech black nationalism, something that you don’t see so much in our current society. Still, he also talks about taking charge of your train of thought and not letting anybody tell you what you must do for your people, your family, or those around you and the world. There’s a lot of violence and brutality against one another. 

We need black nationalism in our current society! For all cultures!

We need to have a change mentality because if we keep hanging over what happened in the past and keep thinking that only white people (no offense) are pressuring us and putting guns through our heads every time we are faced with unjust situations, we are in the wrong train of thought.

It might be true in most cases, but some situations are created by our hands. Many times, actually.

Take charge. Change mentality and use black nationalism.

Because a clear and change mentality can turn things for the better.

Peacefully! No violence is included in taking charge.

If you want to know more about black nationalist and how they came about to take into account black nationalism. The Black Past website have multiple narrations of such black activist.

Here's the link: Political Activists - Black Nationalists Archives • (blackpast.org)

There's also a podcast made by Robin C. Spencer and Jakobi Willians, which helps us understand the transition from civil rights to Black Power and contemporary issues like mass incarceration.

Here's the link in where you can find it: www.learningforjustice.org/podcasts/teaching-hard-history/civil-rights-movement/the-black-panther-party-and-the-transition-to-black-power

It only takes a little bit of a change mentality and taking charge.

Shifts in the Air

Hello Blogger,

I know it has been a long time since I last updated Flying with the Clouds. But here I am.

Today, we are going to talk about shifts in the air.

Have you ever felt like anything you do is pointless? Not worth it. We keep pushing and pushing, and nothing seems to work out how you want to. I call that shifts in the air. Everything keeps revolving around us, but they shift in between each time.

That is how many people felt in the past. Where segregation and discrimination were at their highest.

The Black Era, the Civil Rights Movement, the separate but equal slogan, the Black Power Movement, the Civil War, and so many others contributed to the liberty of our people.

Those were just the beginning of something larger.

The same shifts in the air made the people speak up and stand up for what was taken and stripped from them a long time ago. For example, a more recent movement that impacted a lot of people was The Black Lives Matter Movement, created a shift for the better. It changes our submissive standpoint from those who oppressed us and profiled us, and this was just taken about 2020 when COVID was at its highest.

But I want to let you know that All Lives Matter. 

I don't want to impose religion on anyone, but we are all created equal. And equality is not a word that you seem to associate with segregation and discrimination, profiling, and colorism. All of which is taken from generations and generations of slavery and colonization.

Part of our History. Our American History.

All Lives Matter!

Not just you and me.

Aggravating Force & Proud to Be

 Hi bloggers,

Welcome to another adventure in Speak Up World. For my first post, I will share a poem about hidden thoughts about America's assimilation of Latinos and Hispanics. Today's theme is Aggravating Force and Proud to Be. The poem is called Lessen the Burden.

This is a topic that is very valuable to me because it talks about discrimination and separatism that America has within its borders.

America has a hard time assimilating another culture into its own. As a Latino woman, I think I can speak about it because I have heard so much about other cultures but not enough about my own. So, I will speak about it through this poem.

The poem is called Lessen the Burden.

Have you ever felt that force? That need from within to speak up, tell the world how you think about certain situations, and just say what's on your mind? It is a burning sensation up in your stomach, chills all over your back and arms, and red cheeks. And, No. It is not our little friend who is called embarrassment. It is anger. It is power and strength that, after decades of not speaking up, just build up inside until you reach the point of explosion. 

Every Latino and Hispanic woman or man has gone through this at least once. All these thoughts come to their heads at one point in their lives. I, maybe, am still a Naive Young American, but at least I know some of my history—not all, of course.

This poem is written out of spite and all the emotions that come through my head because I can't speak for all. It was made but never turned in to be viewed. 

Lessen the Burden

I often face this question: Who are you?

Who am I? That is simple: I'm a 21-year-old Boricua woman born and raised in Puerto Rico.

 I say, Who are you?

I have seen so much news that people in this country have felt ostracized by our presence. 

Violence

Deportation

Racism

Stereotyping

All of which America used and still uses to make a clear stance against us.

Why? Why is that?

Who do you think built the foundation of America strongly and proudly walks on? Who do you think are the people that led on America to what it is today?

Us.

The ones that you strongly and firmly are up against.

The immigrants.

The ones that come to this country seeking refuge in the land of dreams.

And you tell me. You're not American. Go back to your country.

And perhaps… Your right.

Speak English, they say. You are in the United States now. 

And.

That doesn't mean it would make me less of myself. That I should cut all of my ties with my lineage because I'm looking for a better future in a country that is supposed to be welcoming for all. 

The truth is that the vast majority of Americans often feels like we are taking what is theirs. That we are invading their space.

Space 

Land

Work

But the truth is that…

It was never yours.

It is not mine, either.

I ask you, Are you Native American? If the answer is no. 

America was never yours

If the answer is Yes

Congratulations! You are an American.

But don't come to me complaining about what we have achieved on a land that is supposed to be yours to work and embrace.

                           You, maybe, have made us what we are today

But we have also made you what you are today.

Embrace

Learn

Read

Learn your history! And then come back to me.

Because the truth is… 

Many of you,

Even me. 

Still naive.

Naive. Young. Americans.

That is all for today, my dear bloggers, but I will leave you this to consider.

Are we really that okay with being outsiders all the time when it comes to Latinos being pushed to the edge? When is going to be the time that we will stand up with aggravating force and be proud to be Latinos?

I'm not talking about violence. Because violence never beats violence. I'm talking about words. The words from a heart. When will be the time for us to speak up?

Equality and Assimilation are everything when embedding a new culture into a much larger one.

If we don't have those, we will continue to live in the past for generations to come.

Cheers! Have a good one.

Here's a view of my beautiful land Puerto Rico.

Knowing about Me

 Hello Dear Bloggers,

My name is Angel Y., but you can call me however you want. 

I’m a straightforward person in some points, but I also considered the feelings of everyone around me. Not all the time, thought. Everyone had its limits, right?

I’m a spiritual person that believes that God has created us for a purpose.

I have set this blog to express ourselves better than usual.  

I'm a senior in college majoring in English Literature and Creative Writing. I have been exploring different ways to make writing exciting and fun. Nobody believes that writing can be a career other than a hobby. Sometimes, it can be therapeutic. Won't you agree?

I have done several projects where I found ways to delve into a world with endless possibilities for creative writing.

Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, short stories, journals, scripts, poems, talking about social injustices (my opinion), and many more.

When I first started writing, I was going through a rough patch in my life. Writing allowed me to express myself fully without feeling the pressure of skepticism, criticism, and bluffing. 

I fought so hard to get here along the way. That is just is me and my writing for you. You are the ones who will read the works from my heart and hands for the first time.

Let's get to know each other more through this blog.

You may find videos, posts on social injustices, or random thoughts that come from my mind.

However, I feel like writing right now.