excerpt from Why Am I So Brown?
(MARCH/Abrazo Press, 1991)
WHY AM I SO BROWN?
for Raquel Guerrero
A question Chicanitas sometimes ask
while others wonder: Why is the sky blue
or the grass so green?
God made you brown, mi'ja,
color bronce - color of your raza, your people
connecting you to your raíces, your roots
your story/historia
as you begin moving towards your future.
God made you brown, mija,
color bronce, beautiful/strong,
reminding you of the goodness
de tu mamá, de tus abuelas, your grandmothers
y tus antepasados, your ancestors.
God made you brown, mi'ja,
to wear as a crown for you are royalty -
la raza nueva, the people of the sun.
It is the color of Chicana women -
leaders/madres of Chicano warriors
luchando por la paz y la dignidad
de la justicia de la nación Aztlán!
God wants to understand . . . brown
is not a color . . . it is:
a state of being, a very human texture
alive and full of song, celebrating -
dancing to the new world
which is for everyone . . .
Finally mi'ja,
God made you brown because
it is one of HER favorite colors!
(MARCH/Abrazo Press, 1991)
WHY AM I SO BROWN?
for Raquel Guerrero
A question Chicanitas sometimes ask
while others wonder: Why is the sky blue
or the grass so green?
God made you brown, mi'ja,
color bronce - color of your raza, your people
connecting you to your raíces, your roots
your story/historia
as you begin moving towards your future.
God made you brown, mija,
color bronce, beautiful/strong,
reminding you of the goodness
de tu mamá, de tus abuelas, your grandmothers
y tus antepasados, your ancestors.
God made you brown, mi'ja,
to wear as a crown for you are royalty -
la raza nueva, the people of the sun.
It is the color of Chicana women -
leaders/madres of Chicano warriors
luchando por la paz y la dignidad
de la justicia de la nación Aztlán!
God wants to understand . . . brown
is not a color . . . it is:
a state of being, a very human texture
alive and full of song, celebrating -
dancing to the new world
which is for everyone . . .
Finally mi'ja,
God made you brown because
it is one of HER favorite colors!
Acknowledgements:
Trinidad's bio was taken from:
http://www.marchabrazo.org/Trinidad_Sanchez.htm
Photos of Trinidad, images of his book covers and his poems were gathered from the internet. If you know
who the photo credits should be, please Contact Us and let us know so we may acknowledge the
photographers and artists. If there are any other copyright concerns, please Contact Us so that we may either
remove or replace the material.
Trinidad's bio was taken from:
http://www.marchabrazo.org/Trinidad_Sanchez.htm
Photos of Trinidad, images of his book covers and his poems were gathered from the internet. If you know
who the photo credits should be, please Contact Us and let us know so we may acknowledge the
photographers and artists. If there are any other copyright concerns, please Contact Us so that we may either
remove or replace the material.
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