Mexico has spoken and has elected a new President

Manuel Lopez Obrador has been overwhelmingly chosen to lead Mexico. 54% of the votes speak of the desire that all mexicans have for change. As a Mexican born, I have mixed emotions.

It is hard to believe in anything other than your spirit when you grew-up in a society that focus on high social class oppressing and forgetting about indigenous roots, and people and exploiting the working class. While growing up in Mexico, I saw that only two political parties always won election. PRI mostly then PAN. Now for a change, a President who started as a member of PRI, then switched to te Democratic Party and ultimately created his own political party. Will he stand by the people or by the so many who have taken advantage of Mexico? We will see when he takes office in December.

 Hope and justice, is all I can wish for a country that still my country. A country that has endure so much oppression and corruption. A rich country that barely increases salaries, a country where the bureaucrats can make more than their share while farmers or working people barely exist. Mexican leaders have had its people hypnotized  with mexican soap operas and soccer for ages but that did not stopped Mexicans  who voted for change. Now we got to wait and see if Lopez Obrador is for the people and not for corruption.

Corruption is a phrase that Mexicans seem to got acostumed  due to fear. Killings, kidnappings seem to cause the fear effect that will paralized anyone. Journalist and politicians have been killed without impunity.   I read that elected president Obrador platform is focused on ending corruption and taking away the power from the wrong hands. I certainly want to see that happening.  For starters,  a more educated and well trained Police department who is not well know by " La mordida" but by their service to the community.

I read that he is focusing on the poor, the youth and the elders. If all his words become actions ,I will be overjoyed to see that Mexico my first home, the home to my family and friends will finally have  a leader who believe in change and treat his people with dignity..

Reverting the privatization of Mexican water should be one big priority. Many of us  will be waiting  to see the promises into action. Mexicans want real change the kind that will take half of Mexican population out of poverty. Perhaps selling the presidential plane, reducing politician salaries will be part of the change. We can only wait and see it happening.

http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-43578377

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/29/world/americas/mexico-election-lopez-obrador-president.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/03/mexico-amlo-president-no-bodyguards

Tea with Alice Paul

This 4th of July I will remember the legacy of the women who campaigned tirelessly for women vote and rights. " Tea with Alice and Me" an opportunity to learn more about the suffragete movement. I truly enjoyed the monologue of Zoe Nicholson. By re-visiting with Alice Paul activism we got to know Two militant visionaries that invites us all to lead, resist, persist and do something for change and justice.

About our environment and how do we impact it...

A great gift was given to me and I have embraced it deeply. Caring for my planet and its well-being is in my thoughts constantly.  I cannot change the fact that as a child I was not really involved with anything that had to do with the environment, but I am glad now I am.

I guess our project of planting our own pot-patio garden for the past 11 years has made a big impact on me. It has inspired me to learn more and more about how to contribute to our natural world rather than its destruction.

 The idea that in this country we have the pleasure to enjoy gorgeous gardens and the inmense Redwood and Sequoia forest while in other countries deforestation has been occuring for a long time,  makes me want to become an enviornmentalist educator.
                                             
I have a deep fascination for documentaries and books, because in them I have found so much information. Documentaries and books can help us reflect about how our life support system is doing and what can we do to improve it.

                                                 

I recently learned from "The Monarchs are missing, a Butterfly Mystery" by Rebecca Hirsh that the numbers of Monarch reaching winter in Mexico have been decreasing in the past 20 years. From 45 acres seeing in 1997 now only 4 acres. From 1 billion the population went to millions.

The gorgeous Monarchs fly 3000 miles from across the USA, Canada till Mexico is impressive considering how fragil butterflies are. Having done road trips to Mexico and Canada, I can imagine the Monarch journey which is considered one of the greates Migrations. I get fascinated by their ability to travel that long  while during this period laying 700 eggs which only 5% will survive.

                                     

Last year I had the opportunnity to see clusters of them at Pismo Beach. They were an amazing gift and for that reason I really hope all of us consider something very simple as to having some common native milkweed in our gardens.

I read that butterflies represent freedom, transition and peace and with that in mind, plus them being part of the cycle of life, I will like to continue seeing their population grow.

Talking about that freedom of flying, I recently learned that in Europe 1/2 of billion birds a year are poached specially the Ortolan. These birds are caught in really cruel forms using lime sticks or trap rocks and cages. Although it is illegal to hunt birds some famous restaurant in France still serve them for 40 to 80 euros . "Emptying the skies" a wonderful documentary based on the Essay of Jonathan Franzen published in The New Yorker in 2010, will inspire all of us to take action in regards of protecting our birds.

                                                     

It is hard for me to believe that we hunt for eating, or worst for "sport" in a no longer hunting-gathering society.

At this point of our lives, we must make an effort of doing all that supports the sustainability of our planet rather than the destruction of it.

 In the book "Trash revolution" Breaking the waste cycle I read that everything we  consume is connected to the impact that our earth receives from producing our demands for consumption.

300 million barrels of oil are used every year to make food and 1.3 billion tons of food end in a landfill almost 40% of food we produce ends in the trash generating methane gas which is one of the green house gases.

It is estimated that we will have 600 hundred our weight in waste over a life time!! Is it possible that we end waste and overproduction so that we can prevent Global warming and at the same time help people in poverty that really will benefit from having acces to food? It is possible and simple we just need to eat locally, sustainable, Reduse,rehuse and recycle.

270,000 trees are cut every day for paper production. 10% for toilet paper, 18 million acres are deforested around the world every year and as we know this business of deforesting is having a great impact in our ecosystem.  70% of clothing production ends in Africa landfills!!

All of this wasting of resources while we hear that 795 million people around the globe do not have enough to eat are calling for our attention and we can do something as simple as to not consume what we don't think is good for us and the planet. Becoming green, organic, more conscious of instead of throwing away clothing repurposing it, trading or giving it  away.

                                 

Kids are amazing educators and activist for the environment. In the docuemtary "Saving my tomorrow" you will  learn from activist like Xiuhtexcal Martinez, Ta'Kaiya Blaney  both Native-American activist who with their work they been inspiring children and adult to do something in regards protecting our planet. They both started at an early age,same as many other children in the video. In  watching"Saving my Tomorrow", any individual can get vital education; from protecting bees colonies,  Ocean pollution, renewable energy, how mining is deforesting our forests, fracking and  much more. I love to feel the power of children caring for our planet. Definitely inspired!! I hope you too decide to become an Earth guardian.
           
                          ©KarlaGMundo2018
                       

Reflections on War and Peace

 In a few days is Memorial Day and for many families,  it is a time to remember their loved ones who died in War. No one wins in war, too many parents have lost their children, too many humans have killed each other without getting to know one  another.  As a mom of a boy , I been teaching Peace not through War but through reconciliation, through dialogue, through sharing the planet and trying at least trying to get to know our neighbors.

Memorial Day, a time to reconsider if joining the military has the objective of protecting and preserving life? The objective of giving all humans in the world their birth right to basic necessities; rather than benefiting only those in the armament industry.

Why do people really go to War? I have found some of my answers in the words of those who have written about the devastating damages of war.

In “Peace with Honor”, written by A.A. Milne in 1935. The author invites the leaders of the World to consider its citizens when making decisions of war. In it, Milne questions if two lives were a motive enough to loose 10,000,000 more plus a total of 37 million with casualties.  

In its book Milne opposes to War although he was mandated to join. He speaks to Europe and Great Britain about the possibilities of not engaging in further wars. Milne discusses the various reasons a country might go to war, which have little to do with considering the regular citizens of a country such, the artist, musicians, bread makers, shoe makers, the doctors, etc but rather more to do with the businesses that benefit from selling war.

No aggression and No Defense, is something that Milne suggest countries to do instead of war. When I think of it, I feel like in the daily basis, in our relationships at home and within the world; it makes sense to not be violent and to not react but to be open to dialogue.

I wonder often if the voices of the people who work for the country, who make a country such, are ever contempleted at all. Considering all the wars that at present are being fought in different regions.

Although many have protested against War World War I and II, Vietnam War and  Iraq war, still in America 54% of our taxed money goes to military while 6% goes towards education.

U.S. military is the most expensive lethal force in the world. The defense budget in 2015 totaled $598.5 billions and accounted for 54% of all federal spending. It is larger than the combined military spending of China, Russia, Germany, UK, Japan, France, Saudi Arabia, India, Germany, Italy and Brazil. 800 military bases around the world at an annual cost of 156 billions paid by taxpayers.

How do we expect to make educated decisions or Peaceful decisions if we invest more in a violent approach than in Education?

In war, we destroy the lives of people that we considered “collateral damage”. We destroy homes, farming, the economy and way of living that others have preserved as part of their own culture.

If we slow down enough, we will be able to hear from intellectuals like Giroux and his book “America at War with itself”.

From his book, we will learn about the growing acts of violent towards African people and towards the poor sides of the American society, we will learn what is the real purpose behind many decisions made for us without considering our opinions as citizens of a country.

As Giroux mentions, “Totalitarianism destroys everything that makes democracy, civil rights and openness possible. We have heard these narratives of authoritarianism existing elsewhere. We associate it with dictatorships in Latin America in the 70’s or Hitler’s Nazi Germany or Mussolini’s Fascist Italy”. But consider, aren’t we mimicking the very societies that we have condemned? “They glorified war soldiers, nationalism, militarism fallen warriors, racial cleansing, and a dogmatic allegiance to the homeland, and so we do in America.

It seems surreal and unacceptable that, the 16,000 richest families in America overpower 256,000,000 people when it comes to where to invest the money the government collect from taxes imposed on it citizens, don’t you agree? Who made them rich and powerful without our consent? Don’t we have a say in the most important decisions a country makes in the name of its citizens?

I strongly suggest the reading of the book “America at War with itself” and “Peace with Honour” among so many written about the necessity as a one world to stop fighting each other. 
These books will give us a deeper understanding of the consequences that War and violence are having in the world and in America.

Totalitarianism has never been the path to Peace, as we have seen through History. If we keep at this pace, “War will always generate a more violent and emotionally detached society”.

As a society we got to reconsider this wave of lacking of empathy for the suffering of others in the World who were invaded, destabilized and made refugees.

As Giroux explained, Bush and Blair’s invasion o f Iraq in 2003 led to the deaths of some 700,000 people in a country that had NO history of Jihadist. If a Nation continually bombs others, invades and occupies their land, appropriates their resources, harms their children, imprisons and humiliates their families and tears apart the fabric of the social order. It actually produces the very conditions in which violence continues to thrive. (6,000 American lives were lost in Iraq-Iran War plus 3 trillions from US treasure, killed thousands of civilians) 

It depends on us to be a Nation of humanitarians or authoritarians and I believe that the 99% of the population whom we have seen marching and protesting are in favor of a real democracy not a totalitarian government. 

If we, the taxpayers are mandated to support violent acts in which we do not believe, are we living a real democracy?

 Many of the decisions made by governments are not the unanimous decision of the Nation. We, the people should have louder voices and be considered for decisions made in our favor or against our will. We should deeply ponder about the effects of every wrong doing in other Nations in the world and the side effects those violent decisions and acts will produce.

How do we brake the cycle of violence? Giroux asks:

Eradicating the conditions that have created it. Producing a political settlement in Syria and stabilizing the Middle East, ending the Western support for the anti-democratic and dictatorial regimes through tough the Middle East and around the world. Stopping the funding and arming of ruthless dictators, make the countries from where refugees are fleeing free of violence.

As a mom and human being who cares about the world, I want to take this moment to re-consider the violent acts that human have been committing in the name of hate.

 In Orange County, I read last month  a mom lost his joyful, bright, dedicated 19 year old who was stubbed to death by an ex-classmate. The crime could have been an act of hate due to the boy being Jew and gay I read. The killer, a Christian boy. There is something really deep rooted wrong in our society and we must address it.

I keep hearing about shootings in schools, at governmental offices, in events, mass shootings against each other at home, in our neighborhoods, in school, an ultimately against other countries.

All this acts of aggression not in the name of Peace, but rather in the name of control and oppression.  Violence, hate, anger, retaliation, pride, power as we have seen through history will never be the path to Peace.

It is time to reconsider our righteousness and think in the children, of the world, the youth, our kids. 

I heard that there would be no safe havens anywhere in the world until the militaristic, impoverished and violent conditions that humiliate and oppress young people are addressed; so I want to address it.

                                                     ©KarlaGMundo2018

For my son on his birthday

Happy 15^thBirthday to Giancarlo, 

Our miracle baby, our son, friend, hero,  leader, inspiration, our guidance in parenting, our companion in this planet. 

    Giancarlo the beach lover, my walking        pal, my deep conversationalist contra        part, my Yogi and explorer of outdoors. 

   GC the avid book reader and constant       learner….my amazing gardener.  

      Congratulations to the child who                loves playing and meeting kids.

    To our challenger and risk taker,               our  “everything is awesome” attitude        little guy. 

To our little Mozart, passionate singer, our scientist, coder, magician, chess lover, our artist and  Origami Master.

Giancarlo who has visited and enjoyed more parks that I can count, I wish you never outgrow your likes for playgrounds, outdoors, National Parks, wetlands, etc. 

Happy Birthday to our Pacifist, activist, organizer and outspoken citizen; you have been an example to many of  us. 

Giancarlo, watching you grow inch by inch, day by day, month by month, year by year has been a privilege, a gift. It has been a real opportunity to see you shining bright like a star.  Year after year, you have taught us how to enjoy every minute, every moment, every opportunity from life. You are my inspiration and certainly my life is a better life because of you.

The way you enter a room with such certainty that there is space for you. The joy in your laughter, pure and clear, fresh like the breeze in our face.  The way you embrace others regardless of race, color of skin, nationality, etc… I love it!!

I thank you for having chosen me as your mother. I miss so,so,so much my little baby but I embrace the ingenious tweet in you. 

Giancarlo, I love you immensely, immeasurable to eternity and back. You are my rock and engine. 

I honor your Love for others, your caring ways towards those who you remember. I honor the letters you write and mail reaching people in the distance; some to friends, some to family and you always sharing  thoughts, books and everything you have from your heart. 

Our precious boy,  Today, I thank the Universe for our friends and family who love you much💕❤️ and intend that new friends embrace you always the way you embrace  them, with sincere care and   kindness.

 I intend that their hearts always embrace you with tender and pure love. The same love we planted in you when you were a tiny seed.

                          

 I intend that you continue embracing the people of this world, that you never forget to share with those in need, what gratitude is, how to say sorry when needed. I intend that you dance and sing your heart song always. 

GC never forget to share with the world all the Love you have been saving in your heart for every one of those kisses that you grabbed from your cheek as a baby and saved in your heart, for everyone of those, there will be a soul that will feel less burden because of your kind interest in them.  Te amo….
               
                                                                          ©KarlaGMundo2018

ORIGAMI, The Art of Creating Plentiful Possibilities with paper folding

It has been a few years since the Origami adventure started but still loving it. I wrote a similar article  for the Homeschool magazine a few years ago (http://homeschoolmagazines.com/the-art-of-ancient-origami-the-8-year-old-californian-homeschooled-boy-creating-infinite-paper-folding-possibilities-giancarlo) intending to promote the innate skills our children learn to develop when we offer an independent and self-directed  education.

For young artist Giancarlo, Origami was a discovery he made when he was 7 years old. A shape of paper folding that he had seen somewhere fascinated him to the point of wanting to learn how to create that shape. It was the kind of fold that when blown on it becomes a “water balloon”. It was a real challenge for GC to figure out one last fold before seeing the magic of his paper fold becoming a round shape. For Giancarlo who as an independent student learned to play chess at 4 years old, nothing was going to discourage him from learning one step. Once he figure it out; many “water balloon” followed and the door was open for him to discover how to create hundreds other possibilities of paper folds that became alive with color and shape.

There were no Japanese parents or teachers who guided Giancarlo into the ancient Art of making Origami. Was only his interest and dedication that took him into the journey of studying Origami basic folds. Giancarlo, diligently practiced hours and hours a day making shapes over and over till he mastered how to create his first crane, flower, fox, dog, cat, and many more. Within a few months, he realized that he had achieved a new skill as he has been doing for the past few years.  As a very avid, independent student since before preschool, Giancarlo saw Origami as a fun skill to learn and although challenging did not notice it till he could not make a shape but by then he figured that libraries Origami books will help him to figure out what he could not on his own. Giancarlo checked books at many different libraries and watched videos online and his Love for origami was born. 

Giancarlo who is now a 10 year old homeschooler; has been a student who has been not only learning academics but learning to do everything he gets interested in such; creating electric circuits, coding, playing chess, doing magic tricks, playing keyboard, guitar, singing, basketball, tennis, and swimming. The learning possibilities for Giancarlo are endless as long as his interest for a new skill is vibrant. 

One of Giancarlo’s favorite shapes on this display has been dedicated to one of his favorite animals, foxes (kisune in Japanese) which in Japanese culture are very spiritual creatures related to the God of rice Inari. 

It is said the fox was a messenger or servant who carried rice to the communities. If you visit a Kami (shrine) in Japan, you might see a fox statue, which is honored, as a symbol of creativity, intelligence and strategy.

Although Origami is very elaborated and requires a lot of patience, there are many benefits to it such: 

Helping with Math concepts in geometry, proportions, fractions, symmetry, problem solving and more. It also helps with visual motor skills, reasoning, attention skills, concentration, sequencing, creativity, independent studies and has also been used for its health benefits as a relaxation technique to ease tension, reduce anxiety and to help with ADHD.

Giancarlo’s Origami display rotated from different libraries in Orange County. The display was at Dana Point, Aliso Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, Irvine, Newport Beach and Laguna Niguel. It was a great joy seeing the interest and fascination  many kids showed for Origami.  

GC’s Origami is meant to inspire other kids to create something unique using their hands, creativity and imagination. Our intention is that more kids will choose Origami vs using electronic devisers for entertaining themselves. Folding instead of texting.

Thanking all who have inspired us and Intending that you have found inspiration to start creating something that you can share with the World!! 

                                                      ©KarlaGMundo2018             

                                     
                                                 

Creativity, Art and Imagination in the life of a child outside of the school system.

When I think of children expressing their Art abilities, I cannot think of better words than Einstein’s. “Imagination is more important that knowledge”. 

Interesting enough, since I was in Kindergarten 35 years ago, our public system has been focusing on lineal education and knowledge or better said; in testing our knowledge instead of focusing in our very wondrous, unique, creative minds. 

Recently I heard Sir. Ken Robins talk about schools killing creativity and then I read a quote by Maya Angelou that said, “You cannot use up creativity, the more you use it; the more you have".  I must say that for Giancarlo and many kids both things have applied. 

The few months of GC in public Kindergarten were slowly killing Giancarlo’s innate creativity. I remember one particular project he was given at his classroom. The teacher gave all the students the same color of background paper, with the same color of a tree cut and exact instructions in how to glue the tree.  When Giancarlo finished his project, he looked around and saw everybody having the same tree so he decided to ad some “details”. When I picked him up from school that day, I could not helped but noticed all the trees that seemed to have been made by the same student.  “Is odd” I thought to myself. 

At that moment I recalled a story told by a writer and educator, Leo Buscaglia about how a teacher asked the students to draw a tree when in reality she wanted them to draw the tree that she believed was a tree and nothing else.  

Giancarlo came out of the classroom and said to me that he had spent some time on the “thinking chair”.  Wow, the thinking chair? I though naively, it must be a space dedicated for imagination, creativity and ideas. Well, not exactly. The thinking chair was the place GC was send for adding details to his project and for using his creativity and imagination, for not wanting to create the same boring tree.

When Giancarlo was younger and started to grab crayons to color or draw, I remember how happy and confident he was at coloring. I try to not interfere with his project by saying  “stay within the lines or that is not the way we color”. I noticed that if I did, that discouraged him from coloring and that was the last thing I wanted.

When GC was 2 years old and started to use real paint and easel, I caught myself trying to find a shape that talked to me about what he was painting. I remember him using purple paint and me thinking I knew what was he painting. Trying to encourage him with my “ cheering mom voice, I told him that his painting was a “grape”. 

Giancarlo looking at me ensured me seriously that it was not a grape, he told me in a very confident, joyful voice “it is purple don’t you see”. I laughed, but I knew that he was right. 

Why did it have to be what I could see? When for him it was a color. I realized then what I have known before. Art; does not come from the Artist imagination in a specific, common shape or idea. It comes more like in a very unique, inspiring fashion way. It comes as a form of expression of feelings, emotions and never will be communicated in the same way by different artists.

As Giancarlo grew older, we never stopped doing Art or appreciating Art. 

He has participated at libraries and Museums art events; we have studied at home from Cave paintings to Matisse, Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso, Frida Kahlo, etc.  During 1^stgrade GC took a semester of Home school Art class.

For the longest time, GC used to tell me that he was going to be an Artist and was always interested in participating in all writing, drawing, painting contests.

 Interesting enough, while in his Kindergarten class, all of his security and interest starting fading away. He second gussed himself, he wanted to be perfect, he got easily frustrated and started having these attitudes that never had before school.

At home, he is always doodling, or thinking of an idea. He has created his own booklets, story lines. When was about music he made his own arrangements to songs, when was about spelling he will spell-sing the words, when has been about math or science always the creative mind will come up with ideas. When we were exploring Egypt and the pyramids, the Ziggurats and every history period or religion we have use imagination and creativity to complete our projects. For his writing journals, always you will see a unique symbol or detail created by GC.

As a mom educator, I always encourage his creativity no matter what. It took time for GC to gain his confidence again but till this days GC creativity and imagination has been expanding. 

He goes from painting to drawing to sketching, to video making, to narrating to creating beautiful origami piece.  

 As someone said “The Artist is not a special kind of person; rather each person is a special kind of Artist."

                            

                                                        ©KarlaGMundo2018