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today, march 4th, thousands of students (k-university), parents, teachers, & workers are striking and convening in defense of public education in california and throughout the u.s. students at 9 universities in south africa are striking today as well. we will join them all, in our hearts & in the streets, to fight for what should belong to all of us.
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a change is gonna come : sam cooke
The story is that Sam Cooke wrote this after he was arrested after challenging a hotel that denied him a room in Louisiana because he was black. From the first cords, this song fills me with a deep longing......longing for justice, for change, for victoria. It reminds me to be patient and calm, since material changes will not happen overnight.
There've been times that I've thought
I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
: la pachuquita
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me gustan los estudiantes : daniel viglietti (original, violeta parra)
this song, written by violeta parra, came out of the unidad popular movement in chile in which a wave of workers, students, left intellectuals, and professionals swept socialist salvador allende to the presidency in 1970. the protests at uc & elsewhere in california in the past few months have given, i think, a glimpse of some beautiful potential in our movement here. during the fall and winter 09 protests i saw students + janitors+ professors + lab techicians + clerical staff all standing together, united in their demands. and now they are joined by so many other sectors in cities and towns all over. just a beginning, yes, but a good one. long live popular unity!
: diabólica
It's Nov 2 again. Time to remember the grandparents, light some candles, and enjoy a piece of dead bread (pan de muertos). All of this is done best, of course, with some musical accompaniment...
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la dibaólica:
a few months ago, se murió mario benedetti. he was a beloved uruguayan poet & leftist militant, whose work is still recited from memory all over the americas. here he is with his camarada, musician daniel viglietti, performing "refranivocos" as viglietti plays "the devil in paradise" by violeta parra. ¡viva benedetti!
refranivocos / el diablo en el paraíso: mario benedetti / daniel viglietti
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La Cumbiambera:
The original plan for this post was to honor people who have in the last year gone on to the spirit world. Blame it on the baby, but La Cumbiambera just couldn’t get focused. So I went back to an old favorite – Quetzal – and this song “Limones Agrios,” which was composed after the passing of two of the band members’ grandfather. The song is dear to my heart because the old man lived in Oxnard, CA, which is just down the road from where my grandparents live, and because the song's central metaphor is the lemon tree. The area surrounding Oxnard is home to a huge agricultural industry, and in particular citrus orchards, so the metaphor is not random. Neither is my attachment to it as my family, beginning with my great-grandparents, has worked for many generations as laborers in the very orchards referred to in this song. Today I remember those who work the land. La tierra pertenece a quien la trabaja.
Limones Agrios: Quetzal
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