Luis Valdez

Yesterday evening, I had to go to a presentation by Luis Valdez for my Hispanic Literature Analysis class and my Spanish Internship class as well. I only knew a little bit about him, just from taking so many Spanish classes, but wasn't all that excited to go...mainly because I had been at school since 9am and the presentation was for two hours at 6pm :/

It ended up being a really great presentation and he gave what I thought was a very inspirational speech. Being the founder of El Teatro Campesino (or theater of the laborers) and the Father of Chicano Theater, he talked about how he came from almost nothing, working (in the fields) his way through his education, and then becoming an internationally famous playwright, author, and social rights activist. Of course, he told his story beautifully and had the entire audience of 300+ students captivated, even though we were crammed into a lecture hall. Although he was born in America in the 1940's, he was still in the underprivileged class and had to work extra hard for everything he wanted. 

One of his main points was that the future is what you imagine it to be. He kept pointing out that he doesn't "look" like a playwright and he doesn't "look" like an internationally renown director/author, but when he looks at himself in the mirror, that is was HE sees in himself, and was determined to be what he saw. Ever since his heart was broken in elementary school, when he had been evicted from his labor camp and couldn't be in his first play, he said it fueled his passion even more and helped his empty hole in his chest become the hungry mouth for his passion for theater.

Another idea he lives by is turning a negative into a positive. Just like the hole in his chest turning into what devours his passion, he did that with everything that brought him down. And I thought this was a great message to portray to the people at my school. Most of the attendees were already of Mexican dissent, or Chicanos themselves, so I think it opened their eyes a little bit to help motivate them. Also, I feel like the general population at my school just doesn't have the drive to thrive in what they're doing. They just go through the motion to get a passing D (which I didn't even know was considered passing, because in my program, a C- is a big fat fail!!). I think that's a horrible way to live, especially if this education is setting them up to do the career they believe they have a passion for. At the end of his speech, the students went wild, and I think it's great that he had moved so many people at a little known "baby" University that's only 22 years old. People don't automatically feel like they are going to do great at our school, because it is "just" Cal State San Marcos and we're surrounding by such great Universities in southern California alone.

Overall, I'm a strong believer in loving what you're doing. You only live this life once and I would hate all this effort and work I put into my schooling and life in general if I didn't love it...and maybe sometimes hate it ;). Although I'm in quite the predicament fighting through the competition for being a nurse in San Diego (let alone a nursing student), I value everything I have gotten out of it. My education really is my most prized possession. Even though I would be BEYOND ecstatic if I got into the program this year, I know that a lot of my competition have had YEARS to build up their points (a lot are young moms in their 30s coming back to enhance their job as a medical professional), but at least I have a real fighting chance this year with a minimum of 52 points.

Thankfully now, I have a back-up plan that really isn't half bad. I have 7 more upper-division Spanish courses and 3 upper division GE and I can graduate in Fall 2013 with my Bachelor degree in Spanish. Then I am applicable for the accelerated 20-month BSN program at my school. So either way, I'll be done in about the same time with TWO degrees. It's a lot of work, but I would say that result is not too shabby! :)