Charlice M Drexler
LTCS 165
Week 2 Assign 2

Quote 1: Music “The Legacy of El Teatro Campesino”

“No introduction to the music of the farmworker movement would be complete without acknowledging the enormous influence and creative force of Luis Valdez and Agustin Lira, founders of El Teatro Campesino in 1965. Much of the music presented in this section owes its existence to the creative genius of these two pioneers.” Jorge Huerta

Music has been a keystone in the lives of humanity. Music had helped humans to create a connection between themselves since the early time. It’s a source of refuge, medicine for one’s soul, and it is also, one of the elements that help shape humanity as a whole. Music has played many important roles in our lives. Some of the benefits of music are: It provides comfort, eases pain,Lessens anxiety, improves mood, recognition, exercise, memory, and reduces stress. When we listen to sad songs, we feel a decline in mood. When we listen to happy songs, we tend to feel happier. The power of music also helps regulate one’s emotion and create happiness and relaxation in everyday life. The two pioneers, Luis Valdez and Agustin Lira, helped bring music and theater in the farm workers community by creating the “ El Teatro Campesino in 1965” to produce music and theater in support of the United farm workers. A place where farmworkers can come every Friday night to listen to music, political stories, watch performances, laugh, and have fun. According to a UFW:songs of stories article ‘solidarity/solidaridad’ I found in the UCSD library: “we sang when we were proud; we sang to lift our spirits.” This quote proves how incredibly important music is in our lives. A world without music is like a world in complete darkness. ((that for my keyword: music of the farmworker movement))

Quote 2: Leah Penniman, “Healing from Trauma”

“Even though white people may control our external lives, we are in charge of our internal lives, and we decide not to hate…no matter what is done to us, we will not hate.” A quote by Martin Luther King Jr.: “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

I kind of agree with this quote, but at the same time, I find it very hard to truly love those who hurt me and my family.

In the early years, many Africans were kidnaped from their homeland and were brought to America as slaves where they put to work in plantations, and in cotton fields. According to a passage of this article, in 1619-1865 “6 to 7 million enslave African people labored in the tobacco, cotton, indigo, and sugar plantation of the American south.” A lot of the Slaves were subject to rape, torture, and murder for no good reason. They were forbidden to worship, learning to read, and even married. Their children were taken from them and were sold to other slave owners. The life of an animal had more values than the life of a slave. Despite everything they have gone through, they do not carry hatred in their heart. It takes generous people to do that. My friend always tells me “ When people do you wrong, you repay them with good…by holding grudges against people, you might think that you’re hurting them, but instead you’re hurting yourself.” I guess he is right.

Quote 3
Urban farming benefits the local economy… Urban farming could help revitalize declined cities… Urban farming plays a crucial role in disaster relief worldwide.”

Thanks to the Urban farmers, we are able to buy organic food. Even in this Covid 19 outbreak,a lot of people are out of work, but because of programs like “feeding San Diego” and “FoodBanks” people can go and get free food like vegetables, fruits and canned food. Most times when I go to grocery stores to buy vegetables and fruits, I never realize how these come about. Now I understand more about the people who produced them, and how they get to the store. Now I have more appreciation for the farmers, and for all their hard work.

B) What I learn from reading is how important it is to grow my own food. Before this class, I had no experience of gardening. When I received my seeds, at first I didn’t know what I was during. I planted seeds, and sprinkled some water on the ground. Day later I realized that I should have added more water since we’ve been having a lot of heat. I was glad that I could see my plants growing.

C) The best idea I get from the reading is the importance of urban farming. It could really build a diverse community by inviting different people of diverse ethnicity and social status to share the beauty of farming. At the same time, it could provide a great healthy food supply to some people that cannot afford it. Because the urban community must get together to work side by side to cultivate a particular piece of land that will have a positive effect of dismantling racism and injustice in the food system. Because people that work together, eat together, break barriers of discriminination.

D) the keyword I searched is urban farming. It stated, “Urban farming benefits the local economy… Urban farming could help revitalize declined cities… Urban farming plays a crucial role in disaster relief worldwide.” This quote shows how important Urban farming is to our society. It provides healy nutritions to people around the world.

E) Urban environments are often referred to as a concrete jungle. But in reality, some urban areas can be transformed into superb farming communities. Here is a great way to exercise justice activism and support many people. As stated in my quote, Urban farming can “benefit the local economy,” by supplying organic food; “Urban farming could help revitalize declined cities” by turning vacant lots to many farms; “Urban farming plays a crucial role in disaster relief worldwide” by providing extra food to people in the affected areas.