Chingona Rising—Lessons from the Rise

Prison Writing as Social Justice - Final Project

In this podcast, I examine the impact mental health and substance use treatment could impact both crime and recidivism rates. I also look at the dramatically different turn my life could have taken as a result of $1000.

A Letter to Anthony...

FINAL - WRA 891 Final Project

No Me Olvides--The Life and Legacy of Herminia Ybarra

No Me Olvides--Don't Forget Me--is painted on the side of a piece of Mexican Pottery my grandma gave me several years ago, as if it were possible to forget her. I was not able to deliver the eulogy I prepared for her funeral mass for a number of reasons too undignified to entertain when remembering such a dignified woman. Instead, I have recorded it here for any who might take a bit of her wisdom into the world with them.

The Gospel According to Rocky...

Do you ever feel like you have taken two excruciating and brutal steps forward, then effortlessly fall three steps back? That's where I found myself this holiday season when Rocky Balboa descended from the heavens to remind me what I'm made of. As I told my therapist a few weeks ago at the beginning of the session "The GOOD news is: God's setting me up for a MAJOR comeback! The bad news is: there has to be shit storm in order to have a comeback." I was reminded that it's NEVER about the setback, the failure, or the shit storm, it's about endurance, tenacity and accountability. <3

Feel the pain, but keep it moving

We all go through pain and disappointment, but we can't stay there. How do you pick up and keep moving? MORE, how do you move stronger than you were before? Today, I'm talking about things that helped me get out of the slump.