911±¬ÁÏÍø

La Cultura Sagrada / The Sacred Culture

Published On: September 17th, 2024Categories: 2024, Latinx Heritage Month, 911±¬ÁÏÍø Educators Speak, Staff, Staff Articles

This is part of a series of writings from 911±¬ÁÏÍø staff that celebrate heritage and history. This piece is written to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month. You can read more here about why 911±¬ÁÏÍø chooses to use the word “Latinx”.

Translations available:

BY LAURA RODRIGUEZ | she/her
Alumni Success Coach, 911±¬ÁÏÍø Support Team

As agents of change at 911±¬ÁÏÍø, we are committed to anti-racism as we strive to create equitable student experiences and outcomes, regardless of race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, class, or any other identity marker. Reflecting on what Latinx/e Heritage Month means to me, I automatically get taken back to my ancestors, the Mexicas. The Mexica were late-comers to the Valley of Mexico, and they are known for founding the city-state of Tenochtitlan on unpromising islets in Lago Texcoco. The Mexica later became the dominant power of the Aztec Triple Alliance or . The Mexica are Nahuatl-speaking people of the Valley of Mexico, where my Mother was born.

It has been empowering to learn that my ancestors were healers, intellectuals who created calendar systems, the concept of zero, astronomers, farmers of corn, beans, and squash. My ancestors were chiefs, leaders, and problem solvers. They were intricate, social, political, and created religious and commercial organizations. They are like today¡¯s descendants of the Mexicas who diligently rise with the sun and labor. My people demonstrate their commitment to their families and communities.

Contrary to my colonizers’ beliefs, they were not savages, uneducated, or dangerous. They are not drug traffickers, criminals, violent, or gang members. As I continue to point out and fight these very harmful stereotypes and learn about where we came from and who we really are, I vow and commit to forever be proud of who I am and where I come from. I am a proud Latina and will unapologetically continue to be my authentic self in all spaces. I refuse to assimilate into standards that are not mine.

Today, I know that I speak the language of my oppressor (English) and the language of my colonizer (Spanish). Today, I know that conquistadors or conquistadores did NOT conquer my ancestors, they were indeed brutalized and colonized. Personally, this has challenged me to explore more about my native and indigenous history, especially in a world where DEI , book bans, and .

As I continue to educate myself and others on my cultura, I must acknowledge that it feels like omitting this history from the curriculum has been intentional. Still today, my history is being taught as an elective. And so I challenge us to disrupt the norm, the status quo and get in good trouble as we think about ways to intentionally include Latinx/e culture within our classroom, within our lessons, within the art in the hallways. I challenge us to really step into being pioneers of change and create ways to make sure all of our students feel safe and affirmed through culture.

Together we can shape the future. I urge you to be intentional with your pedagogy. I urge you to create culturally relevant content for our kids -on the daily, NOT only during Latinx/e Heritage Month. As an Educator, I urge you to create spaces for our kids to discuss the contributions of Mexican Americans and Latinx folks to this country. To create safe spaces where our kids can learn and explore their history and identities. Let¡¯s continue to bring up the past and elements of the present during uncertain times. This is a month to focus on the beauty of such a vibrant, diverse, and communal culture. Whether it be through food, games, dancing, or personal identities. There is JOY in being Latinx/e. Let us shift attention to what it means to be Latinx/e and how having this identity is like winning the lottery.

POR LAURA RODRIGUEZ | she/her/ella
Alumni Success Coach, 911±¬ÁÏÍø Support Team

Como agentes de cambio en 911±¬ÁÏÍø, estamos comprometidos con el antirracismo, ya que nos esforzamos por crear experiencias y resultados equitativos para los estudiantes, independientemente de su raza, g¨¦nero, capacidad, orientaci¨®n sexual, clase o cualquier otro marcador de identidad. Al reflexionar sobre lo que significa para m¨ª el Mes de la Herencia Latinx/e, autom¨¢ticamente me remito a mis antepasados, los mexicas. Los mexicas llegaron tarde al Valle de M¨¦xico y se les conoce por fundar la ciudad-estado de Tenochtitlan en unos islotes poco prometedores del Lago Texcoco. M¨¢s tarde, los mexicas se convirtieron en la potencia dominante de la Triple Alianza Azteca o?. Los mexicas son pueblos de habla n¨¢huatl del Valle de M¨¦xico, donde naci¨® mi madre.

Ha sido fortalecedor saber que mis antepasados fueron curanderos, intelectuales que crearon sistemas calend¨¢ricos, el concepto del cero, astr¨®nomos, agricultores de ma¨ªz, frijoles y calabaza. Mis antepasados fueron jefes, l¨ªderes y solucionadores de problemas. Eran intrincados, sociales, pol¨ªticos y crearon organizaciones religiosas y comerciales. Son como los descendientes actuales de los mexicas que se levantan diligentemente con el sol y trabajan. Mi pueblo demuestra su compromiso con sus familias y comunidades.

Contrariamente a las creencias de mis colonizadores, no eran salvajes, incultos ni peligrosos. No son narcotraficantes, delincuentes, violentos ni miembros de bandas. Mientras contin¨²o se?alando y luchando contra estos estereotipos tan da?inos y aprendiendo de d¨®nde venimos y qui¨¦nes somos realmente, juro y me comprometo a estar siempre orgullosa de qui¨¦n soy y de d¨®nde vengo. Soy una latina orgullosa y seguir¨¦ siendo mi yo aut¨¦ntica en todos los espacios. Me niego a asimilar est¨¢ndares que no son los m¨ªos.

Hoy s¨¦ que hablo el idioma de mi opresor (ingl¨¦s) y el idioma de mi colonizador (espa?ol). Hoy s¨¦ que los conquistadores NO conquistaron a mis antepasados, sino que fueron brutalizados y colonizados. Personalmente, esto me ha desafiado a explorar m¨¢s sobre mi historia nativa e ind¨ªgena, especialmente en un mundo donde?, las prohibiciones de libros y los.

Mientras contin¨²o educ¨¢ndome y educando a otros sobre mi cultura, debo reconocer que parece que la omisi¨®n de esta historia en el curr¨ªculo ha sido intencionada. Todav¨ªa hoy, mi historia se ense?a como asignatura optativa. As¨ª que nos reto a romper la norma, el status quo y a meternos en problemas cuando pensamos en maneras de incluir intencionadamente la cultura Latinx/e en nuestras clases, en nuestras lecciones, en el arte de los pasillos. Nos reto a ser pioneros del cambio y a crear formas de asegurarnos de que todos nuestros estudiantes se sientan seguros y afirmados a trav¨¦s de la cultura.

Juntos podemos dar forma al futuro. Les insto a que sean intencionados con su pedagog¨ªa. Los insto a crear contenido culturalmente relevante para nuestros ni?os – a diario, NO s¨®lo durante el Mes de la Herencia Latinx/e. Como educador, le insto a crear espacios para que nuestros ni?os discutan las contribuciones de los mexicano-americanos y latinos a este pa¨ªs. Crear espacios seguros donde nuestros ni?os puedan aprender y explorar su historia e identidades. Sigamos trayendo a colaci¨®n el pasado y los elementos del presente en tiempos de incertidumbre. Este es un mes para centrarnos en la belleza de una cultura tan vibrante, diversa y comunitaria. Ya sea a trav¨¦s de la comida, los juegos, el baile o las identidades personales. Hay ALEGR?A en ser Latinx/e. Prestemos atenci¨®n a lo que significa ser Latinx/e y c¨®mo tener esta identidad es como ganar la loter¨ªa.

BY LAURA RODRIGUEZ | she/her
Alumni Success Coach, 911±¬ÁÏÍø Support Team

×÷Ϊ¹ó×åѧУµÄ±ä¸ïÍÆ¶¯Õߣ¬ÎÒÃÇÖÂÁ¦ÓÚ·´ÖÖ×åÖ÷Ò壬ŬÁ¦´´Ô칫ƽµÄѧÉúÌåÑéºÍ³É¹û£¬²»ÂÛÖÖ×å¡¢ÐÔ±ð¡¢ÄÜÁ¦¡¢ÐÔÈ¡Ïò¡¢½×¼¶»òÈÎºÎÆäËûÉí·Ý±êÖ¾¡£·´Ë¼À­ÃÀÒᴫͳÔ¶ÔÎÒµÄÒâÒ壬ÎÒ²»ÓÉ×ÔÖ÷µØ»Øµ½ÁËÎÒµÄ׿ÏÈ–Ä«Î÷¸çÈË¡£Ä«Î÷¿¨ÈËÊÇÄ«Î÷¸ç¹ÈµØµÄºóÀ´Õߣ¬ËûÃÇÒòÔÚÌØË¹¿Æ¿Æºþ£¨Lago Texcoco£©²»±»¿´ºÃµÄСµºÉϽ¨Á¢ÌØÅµÆæµÙÌØÀ¼³Ç°î¶øÎÅÃû¡£Ä«Î÷¿¨È˺óÀ´³ÉΪ°¢×Ę̀¿ËÈþÁªÃË»òͳÖÎÕß¡£Ä«Î÷¿¨ÈËÊÇÄ«Î÷¸ç¹ÈµØ½²ÄÉÍßÌØ¶ûÓïµÄÃñ×壬ÎÒµÄĸÇ׾ͳöÉúÔÚÄÇÀï¡£

Á˽⵽ÎÒµÄ׿ÏÈÊÇÖÎÁÆÊ¦¡¢´´ÔìÁËÀú·¨ÏµÍ³ºÍÁã¸ÅÄîµÄ֪ʶ·Ö×Ó¡¢ÌìÎÄѧ¼Ò¡¢ÖÖÖ²ÓñÃס¢¶¹ÀàºÍÄϹϵÄÅ©Ãñ£¬ÕâÈÃÎÒÊÜÒæ·Ëdz¡£ÎÒµÄ׿ÏÈÊÇÇõ³¤¡¢ÁìÐäºÍÎÊÌâ½â¾öÕß¡£ËûÃÇÊǸ´ÔÓµÄÉç»áºÍÕþÖÎÈËÎ´´½¨ÁË×ڽ̺ÍÉÌÒµ×éÖ¯¡£ËûÃǾÍÏñ½ñÌìµÄÄ«Î÷¸çÈ˺óÒᣬÇÚÇÚ¿Ò¿ÒµØÓ­×ÅÌ«ÑôÉýÆð£¬ÐÁÇÚÀÍ×÷¡£ÎÒµÄÈËÃñչʾÁËËûÃǶԼÒÍ¥ºÍÉçÇøµÄ³Ðŵ¡£

ÓëÖ³ÃñÕßµÄÏë·¨Ïà·´£¬ËûÃDz¢²»ÊÇÒ°ÂùÈË£¬Ã»ÓÐÊܹý½ÌÓý£¬Ò²²»Î£ÏÕ¡£ËûÃDz»ÊÇ··¶¾Õß¡¢×ï·¸¡¢±©Á¦·Ö×Ó»ò°ïÅɳÉÔ±¡£µ±ÎÒ¼ÌÐøÖ¸³ö²¢·´¶ÔÕâЩ·Ç³£Óк¦µÄ³Â¹æ¶¨Ð͹ÛÄÁ˽âÎÒÃÇ´ÓÄÄÀïÀ´ÒÔ¼°ÎÒÃǵ½µ×ÊÇË­µÄʱºò£¬ÎÒ·¢ÊIJ¢³ÐŵÓÀԶΪÎÒÊÇË­ÒÔ¼°ÎÒ´ÓÄÄÀïÀ´¶ø¸Ðµ½×ÔºÀ¡£ÎÒÊÇÒ»Ãû×ÔºÀµÄÀ­¶¡ÒáÅ®ÐÔ£¬ÎÒ½«ºÁÎÞ±£ÁôµØ¼ÌÐøÔÚ¸÷ÖÖ³¡ºÏ×öÕæÊµµÄ×Ô¼º¡£ÎҾܾø±»²»ÊôÓÚÎҵıê׼ͬ»¯¡£

½ñÌ죬ÎÒÖªµÀÎÒ˵µÄÊÇѹÆÈÕßµÄÓïÑÔ£¨Ó¢ÓºÍÖ³ÃñÕßµÄÓïÑÔ£¨Î÷°àÑÀÓ¡£½ñÌ죬ÎÒÖªµÀÕ÷·þÕß»òÕ÷·þÕß²¢Ã»ÓÐÕ÷·þÎÒµÄ׿ÏÈ£¬ËûÃÇȷʵ±»²Ð±©µØÖ³ÃñÁË¡£¾ÍÎÒ¸öÈ˶øÑÔ£¬Õâ´ÙʹÎÒ̽Ë÷¸ü¶à¶ÔÓÚÎҵı¾ÍÁºÍÍÁ×ÅÀúÊ·£¬ÓÈÆäÊÇÔÚÕâ¸ö¶Ù·¡±õ¡¢Í¼Êé½ûÁîºÍÊÀ½ç¡£

ÔÚÎÒ¼ÌÐø½ÌÓý×Ô¼ººÍËûÈËÁ˽âÎÒµÄÎÄ»¯Ê±£¬ÎÒ±ØÐë³ÐÈÏ£¬¿Î³ÌÖкöÂÔÕâ¶ÎÀúÊ·ËÆºõÊÇÓÐÒâΪÖ®¡£Ê±ÖÁ½ñÈÕ£¬ÎÒµÄÀúÊ·ÈÔ±»×÷ΪѡÐÞ¿ÎÀ´½ÌÊÚ¡£Òò´Ë£¬ÎÒÌôÕ½ÎÒÃÇÒª´òÆÆ³£¹æ¡¢ÏÖ×´£¬ÔÚ˼¿¼ÈçºÎÓÐÒâʶµØ½«À­ÃÀÎÄ»¯ÄÉÈëÎÒÃǵĿÎÌá¢ÎÒÃǵĿγ̡¢ÎÒÃÇ×ßÀÈÉϵÄÒÕÊõʱ£¬ÎÒÃÇ»áÓöµ½Âé·³¡£ÎÒÒªÇóÎÒÃÇÕæÕý³ÉΪ±ä¸ïµÄÏȷ棬´´Ôì¸÷ÖÖ·½·¨£¬È·±£ÎÒÃÇËùÓеÄѧÉú¶¼Äܸе½°²È«£¬²¢Í¨¹ýÎÄ»¯µÃµ½¿Ï¶¨¡£

ÎÒÃÇ¿ÉÒÔ¹²Í¬ËÜÔìδÀ´¡£ÎÒ¶Ø´ÙÄãÃÇÓÐÒâʶµØÊ¹ÓÃÄãÃǵĽÌѧ·¨¡£ÎÒ¶Ø´ÙÄãÃÇΪÎÒÃǵĺ¢×Ó´´ÔìÓëÎÄ»¯Ïà¹ØµÄÄÚÈݖÿÌì¶¼ÒªÕâÑù×ö£¬¶ø²»½ö½öÊÇÔÚÀ­ÃÀ´«Í³ÔÂÆÚ¼ä¡£×÷ΪһÃû½ÌÓý¹¤×÷Õߣ¬ÎÒ¶Ø´ÙÄãÃÇΪº¢×ÓÃÇ´´Ôì¿Õ¼ä£¬ÈÃËûÃÇÌÖÂÛÄ«Î÷¸çÒáÃÀ¹úÈ˺ÍÀ­ÃÀÒáÃÀ¹úÈ˶ÔÕâ¸ö¹ú¼ÒµÄ¹±Ïס£´´Ô찲ȫµÄ¿Õ¼ä£¬ÈÃÎÒÃǵĺ¢×ÓÄܹ»Ñ§Ï°ºÍ̽Ë÷ËûÃǵÄÀúÊ·ºÍÉí·Ý¡£ÈÃÎÒÃÇÔÚ²»È·¶¨µÄʱÆÚ¼ÌÐøÌáÆð¹ýÈ¥ºÍÏÖÔÚµÄÔªËØ¡£Õâ¸öÔ£¬ÈÃÎÒÃǾ۽¹ÓÚÕâÖÖ³äÂú»îÁ¦¡¢¶àÔª»¯ºÍÉçÇøÎÄ»¯µÄÃÀ¡£ÎÞÂÛÊÇͨ¹ýʳÎï¡¢ÓÎÏ·¡¢Î赸»¹ÊǸöÈËÉí·Ý¡£ÉíΪÀ­¶¡ÒáÃÀ¹úÈËÊÇ¿ìÀֵġ£ÈÃÎÒÃǰÑ×¢ÒâÁ¦×ªÒƵ½³ÉΪÀ­¶¡Òá/Å®ÐÔµÄÒâÒåÉÏ£¬ÒÔ¼°ÓµÓÐÕâÒ»Éí·Ý¾ÍÏñÖÐÁË²ÊÆ±Ò»Ñù¡£

We want to write the stories you want to read.

Take our short survey to let us know what you want to see on the 911±¬ÁÏÍø blog:

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

We want to write the stories you want to read.

Take our short survey to let us know what you want to see on the 911±¬ÁÏÍø blog:

Follow us on social media for more updates about what¡¯s happening on our campuses:

For information about enrolling at a 911±¬ÁÏÍø School or employment opportunities please, click below.

A collage of three images. The right image is a selfie of Gary Comer parent LeKeshia Smith. The middle photo is of a parent advisory council meeting at Gary Comer in a lecture room. The right image is of a parent and staff member Chloe Hassell sitting in big green chair in the Gary Comer front lobby.The Parents of Gary Comer College Prep's Parent Advisory Council
A collage of four images that show two Baker College Prep students, Vanelle and Emmanuel, and a couple photos of their time at Harvard UniversityTwo Baker College Prep Students' Summer Experience at Harvard University

Ensuring Positive and Equitable School Experiences for 911±¬ÁÏÍø Students Across Chicago

Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter!

Blog Archives

Go to Top