"Breaking the Silence" by Ara Cruz...spoken word

Ara Cruz reciting his poem entitled "Breaking the Silence" at a Take Back the Night event hosted by Front Range Community College in Westminster, Colorado (April 22, 2010).

reposted from http://www.youtube.com/user/sweatbandrugger15

Born and raised in Denver, Ara Cruz is a Xicano/Indigenous (Mexica/Tiwa) spoken word artist, educator, and organizer who finds himself standing on the shoulders of those women and men who have struggled to maintain traditions and dignity. With this strong sense of responsibility, he tries to walk in a good way every day in order to better his community. Graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A. in Ethnic Studies (emphasis in Chicana/o and American Indian Studies), he now works with youth in Denver as an educator, advocate, and presenter. Using the experience he gained in campus and community organizing through MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlan), Oyate (Indigenous student group), and other organizations, Ara became a co-founder of Café Cultura. It serves not only as a monthly open mic, but also provides a community space for Indigenous people (North and South) to come together and share energy, words, and struggles. In addition to Cafe Cultura, Ara is actively involved in the Nahui Ollin Spiritual Run, Grupo Tlaloc Danza Azteca, and as a co-chair of the La Raza Youth Leadership Program committee. For his work in the community, Ara received the 2010 Cesar Chavez Leadership Award (from the Cesar Chavez Peace and Justice committee in Denver).

Knowing his talents are a gift from Ometeotl, the Creator, he has shared his flor y canto (flower and song) with people of all ages. Through his poetry, he attempts to place a smoking mirror in front of his people and society in general, in an effort to make all of us think, speak, and act in positive ways. In that spirit, he has taught poetry and spoken word workshops at youth conferences and local schools. Ademas, he has performed at middle and high schools throughout the Denver area as well as at conferences, universities, protests, and fundraisers throughout Coloraztlanahuac and the "Southwest." In fact, Ara coordinated a tour during the Summer of 2009 in which he performed in San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Del Rio (TX), El Paso, Albuquerque, and Española (NM). He has had the honor of sharing the stage with Trinidad Sanchez Jr., Savage Family, El Vuh, Cihuatl-Ce, Guerrilla Queenz, Chicano Messengers of Spoken Word, Slam Nuba, Debajo del Agua, Read Nex, Almas Intocables, and Olmeca.

Having published his book of poetry entitled A Journey in Red and Black Ink in 2008, Cruz recently released a spoken word album by the same title.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• spoken
• word
• chicano
• xicano
• indigenous
• poetry
• ara
• cruz
• cafe
• cultura
• domestic
• violence
• take
• back
• the
• night