The US Constitution and me

I became a citizen of the United States in 2010. I have been in this country since 1993. It took me 10 years to become a legal resident, and 7 more to be a citizen.

I remember, several years ago, I was talking to some friends about how me and my family celebrated Thanks Giving. Being from Chile, I had to learn the meaning of this American holiday and how it was celebrated. Believe it or not, other countries do not care about what holidays the United States celebrates or its history.

I was about to tell my friends that we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving as most Americans do, when a very rude person, completely out of nowhere, just busted out loud “WELL, IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, THEN GET THE F_ _K OUT OF HERE“.

I was shocked. I would have thought that a country that lets you burn the flag as a sign of political disagreement would let me, little old me, finish a sentence. Life in the USA has been extremely better for me that it ever was back in Chile. Only the rich live the way I do here. And I’m just a middle class person.

In retrospective,  I wish I had had the presence of mind to say something like…. “No. Stop. You are misunderstanding my meaning. While there are several things that I do miss from Chile, food and people, life is better here. Here I can say and do almost whatever I want. Here I can speak freely of any topic I wish. Here I don’t have to be scared for my family. Here I can agree or disagree with everyone and everything. So, as you can see, if YOU don’t like what I have to say, you can get the flip out of here yourself.”

It is not easy to be an immigrant in the United States. I get discriminated all the time. Funny, but terrible really, I get discriminated by regular folks for being Latina, Hispanic, a woman, a mother, my accent, and some ordinary ideas.

Being a citizen makes me feel more secure and sure of myself. I watched a PBS show about the United States Constitution that really helped me understand a few things about my rights.

I wish that “rude person” had let me finish my sentence that day. She would have learned that “we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving like most Americans do. We eat a turkey, which we bake in the oven, butterfly style. This way it takes a lot less time to cook. My dad would spice it up with several condiments of all kinds. We would then have several salads and cooked potatoes. After lunch, we would watch movies ALL DAY LONG, “picking” at every scrap of food left from the feast.”

 

No!!

Tags

9/11, chile, coup, NO, Pinochet

I don’t know if you already knew this about me but I am from Chile. During the time of the Oscars, a movie from Chile was nominated for best international movie. It did not win, but the fact that a movie from my native country was nominated is just awesome. You can watch the movie trailer HERE.

When I was born in Chile, there was an air of uncertainty and despair.
On September 11, 1975, there was a military coup, in which they took power, and 15 years of dictatorship followed. We had to stand in lines to get flour and eggs and rice. There wasn’t enough food but there was enough people disappearing… and found dead.

My dad used to be the secretary for a small group of workers who were under the direction, of the now dead, socialist president. Because of this job, he was taken away by the militia. They made him drive a truck, all around town, picking up other men, some of his same group, to be taken to a near by stadium and be assassinated. My dad disappear for three full days. My mom was desperate not knowing what had happened to him. to the family’s relief, he showed up after the third day. He said that he had been released by pure luck. but that some of his friends did not make it out alive. We moved that very day, leaving everything behind, to another city.

Then, in the late 80′s, the dictator, Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, decided to have a plebiscite to see if the “pueblo” loved him enough for him to stick around. The plebiscite was simple, “si” for him to stay for another eight years, or “no” for him to go away and have the people decide whom to elect in his instead. You must understand that up to that point people where still disappearing and found dead all over Chile. Fear was strong.

A month before the plebiscite took place, ad campaigns about the “SI” and “No” were played on TV. Each section would get 15 minutes of air time. The “NO” was pushed to be played after midnight every night. After you watch the movie you will see what this “NO” campaign did and how the country decided for the “NO”.

I remember well the day this anticipated news came to life. It was amazing chaos combined with the most beautiful happiness we had known until then. We all went out to the streets and celebrated. The militia came off later on to send everyone home, but after that day, a new air of freedom and change was being breathed.

As for Mr. Pinochet. well, he decided to become a high ranked senator vitae in congress. No one could kick him out of power. A few years later, bodies were being found that had been buried up in mass graves. people that had been tortured under the regime, came forward, and so on so forth. For some reason, that I am willing to research in the future, Pinochet could not be touched. Allegations were filed but he could not be blamed. It took England to extradite him for some crimes committed against humanity. no prison for him.

Pinochet went back to Chile and was placed under house arrest. He died, in 2006, with over 300 criminal charges against him. he never paid time in jail.

1973 Coup

Designer spotlight: Alexey Brodovitch

Born in Russia in 1898, Alexey Brodovitch moved to the United States in 1930. In 1934 he began working for Harper’s Bazaar, under the inspiring editor, Carmel Snow. He spent nearly 25 years at the woman’s fashion magazine, ultimately influencing the profession for future generations. Brodovitch’s work at Harper’s Bazaar was more in-depth and all encompassing than what previous art director’s had done; He not only arranged photos, illustrations and text on the page, but he conceived and commissioned all graphic art – including helping start the careers of photographers Richard Avedon and Irving Penn. His role at the magazine is now the model that contemporary profession of Art Direction is based on.

What I have always loved the most about him is how he incorporated movement in the pages he laid out. Photography working with type.

'Big Japanese Wave' | Ciara Christensen By Chris Nicholls For Flare Magazine | March 2013

Reblogged from The Libertine:

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I really love all of these fashion pictures. i love them mostly because of the aesthetics of the photographs and the artistry of the designs.

Join Our Family (One7)

Reblogged from Chris Martin Writes:

Check out the new One7 video. We live, laugh, cry, and grow together as a family. Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Christ to a world that is lost and without hope. We do this by providing shelter, food, clothing, and love to those whom the world has forgotten or cast aside. You can help. Donations can be made at…

Read more… 15 more words

I am not part of this group, but I truly feel that what they do is amazing. Children need all the love and support they can get. Well done One7

Great Design: Packaging

Tags

advertising, business, chocolate, cookies, cupcake, design, letter, packaging, script

 

Making Fabrics

Tags

bird, boston terrier, clothing, dog, ermaid, fabric, fabrics, fish, mermaid, Navy, orange, shopping, style, unicorn, worm

Since I am in a pattern making mode, I decided: “why not make fabrics as well?” After some research I came across a website called spoonflower.com. You create and they print and ship your stuff for you. You earn a 10% of the sale and can make as many or as little patterns as you like.

The link to my store is here

Here are some of the fabric patterns I have created so far. I’m having a blast.

Great Art: Custom Sillouette Portraits

Tags

custom made, digital, illustration, portrait, silhouette

En Español

I just created these new Custom Silhouette Portraits. You can send me a profile picture of someone you love and i will make the magic happen. Please visit my ETSY STORE for directions on how to get it done.

I just taught myself how to make seamless patterns in Illustrator, so I’m really excited about what I can do. Really, the sky is the limit. Here are other combos for now. I will post more in the near future.

Great Design: Websites

New Year Resolutions

I remember, back in high school, I had a TA that taught me the difference between try and strive. (I was learning English back then)

He told me that to try to do something is just the thought. the inclination or want to do something. That it wasn’t an “action” verb. Strive, on the other hand, required thinking and doing. To strive for something was to know that you will do and work for a certain goal.

Being a new year, I have been thinking about resolutions. I would like to strive for these:

1. Be a better mom. To me it means to be more patient, kind and loving. To always remember that my kids are just that, kids. I think that I can ask a little too much from my 5 year old.  I need to teach them the correct way of doing things first. I can’t just expect something to be known if it hasn’t been taught. Kids don’t really have common sense as adults know it.
2. Be part of something big.I want to be part something where people come over to see. It could be art, a production, stage designing, etc… I used to be part of a multicultural dance company, back in college, and I’ve been missing the rush of adrenaline when performing. 
3. Have a conscious participation in my well being. After getting married I have not been physically active as I once was. I want to be able to exercise, but also, to learn how to eat properly and maintain a healthy body, to learn new things, and feast in the things of God. I want to have a balanced life.
4. Be a better friend. I have friendships that have lasted over 10 years; I barely see them. I have new friends I would love to get to know better but  I just don’t take the time. It’s a pity, really, because I find them all so interesting, fun to be with and have around. So, I would like to spend more time with them. be there for them. Learn from their wonderful examples.
5. Show more love and care towards my husband. I as a woman, I am under the impression that my husband will think the way I do, do things the way I do, and spend his time the way I think is a better fit. My husband is a really smart man and he really knows how and why of things. As with my children, I would like to be more patient, kind and loving to him, but also, to trust him. Men can only do ONE THING AT A TIME. And that should be my mantra for this year. LOL
6. I want to triumph and not be afraid. How silly is that, right? I don’t seek to be famous or to be on TV. no, no. What I want is to be able to do what I want to do, and not be afraid. Nelson Mandela, in a speech he once gave, quoted “…Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ‘A Return To Love’ (1992) by Marianne Williamson

An that is it for this year. I think it a very complete list. Now I will go and do.