Señora, ¿podría firmar nuestra petición? ¡Por supuesto!

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Dr. Lisa R. Brown

This has been a tough week for me following the #Ferguson fiasco and non-indictment for trial of the officer who killed Michael Brown in Missouri. Not only has that particular non-indictment contributed to my sadness this week, but also what seems to be a national crisis in the United States of police brutality resulting in the death of black people groups in our country’s urban centers.

So, I decided to just go to the park and reflect on my thoughts and feelings this beautiful Sunday afternoon here in Talca, Chile. It warmed my heart when a group of teenagers approached me on their bicycles asking me to sign their petition for the city to create a bike park for them. Awwwww, ❤ that was just what I needed at that moment. An act of civic engagement by today’s youth (tear). Their interest in becoming involved in their community politically, was just the inspiration booster shot I needed today. So I pulled out my Chilean resident identification RUN number and happily signed their petition. It felt really, really, good to share in that experience with them today.

Burrito-Ride-5-19-13-Salinas-here-boys-at-the-lead

These were not the exact kids that approached me, as I didn’t have me camera with the at the time. However, you get the point. 🙂

However, shortly thereafter entered the negative voice in my head. I began to wonder, if I were in the United States and this was a group of young white teenagers, would they have even felt comfortable approaching me? Moreover, if again in the United States and this was a group of young black teenagers approaching for the same purposes and I was a white woman sitting alone in the park; what would be the outcome? Would memetic imagery override reason and could said woman becomes in fear of her life? What if in the last scenario, everyone was living in a conceal-and-carry gun law state, and the park visitor (e.g., white person) pulled a gun out of her purse and starts shooting because she felt threatened by the black teenagers?

I know these hurt feelings that I hold are still very tender, and perhaps at some point (when justice prevails) my thoughts will return to “normal”. Maybe, such scenarios and questions will not dog my mind or make appeals in my head as normative (like they currently do).

So here is to seeing the rainbow after the storm, to being inspired by the political activism of the young Chilean teenagers I experienced today, to all those here that have just looked at me quietly and smiled in solidarity as #TheStruggleIsREal. To all of those types of people, I say thank you today. 🙂

There ain’t no turkey, pilgrims, or Black Friday sales… Christmas is on and poppin’ in Chile

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Dr. Lisa R. Brown

The nativity scene is being constructed alongside a lovely Christmas tree in a local Talca mall, but wait; what? Is that a black magi I see here in Chile? Wonder what the odds are that I’d see the same (especially this dark skinned) in Ohio or Georgia. I think the probability is less than p < 0.5 alpha. Nevertheless, have meme will travel. Not only are there NOT three kings, as traditionally sang during holiday Christmas events and displayed in nativity scenes around the world, there is no biblical reference to the number of Magi. There could have been 100 magi there at the home (not at the manger of baby Jesus) of the Christ child. Perhaps, that is why he is not here in this picture (Ha Ha, SNARK). But seriously, these types of errors are used as the fodder to dissuade people from the message of what Jesus of Nazareth came to bring to the world.

Wait, whaaaaaaaat? Chile has an Asiatic Black man in their nativity scene. Sometimes, it’s the thought that counts. 🙂

No doubt!! Chile is definitely giving a Black man some play in the Nativity scene.

First off, I am a Christian and most certainly believe in the birth, death, burial, and resurrections of Jesus as an offering for all mankind. However, people’s inability to actually read the bible for themselves and ferret out the revelation knowledge is astounding. Some of the world’s biggest cults and religious tragedies (e.g., Jim Jones tragedy in South America) have occurred because people have blindly followed the leadership of religious figures that subsequently turned out to be some shady, immoral, and/or psychologically broken individuals.

So, the takeaway I want to leave for this post is to implore all to reflect on the taken for granted assumptions we hold in life and not become too distracted by the commercialism of the season. Particularly, as that reflection should relate to so many outstanding social justice issues still in need of attention like: the Police brutality in Ferguson, MO (and other places around the United States’ urban centers), the missing and likely dead students in Mexico and immigration laws that might bring relief for some relative to the tragic drug wars and corruption plaguing that country. Let’s not forget during our prayer time gathered together with our loved ones before eating our turkey and watching the football games, to pray that gun violence in American schools becomes a thing of the past. Let’s pray that political leaders will take there proverbial thumbs out of their behinds (trying to keep it Holy), because the will of the people speaks to them through civic engagement and has DEMANDED that they do the people’s business.

So as I spend the second Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays away from my families, I hope you all enjoy enough turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, rolls, greens, cake, sweet potato pies… Oh dear, I am so hungry right now!! Nevertheless, please enjoy this time with your loved ones and please do not feel sad for me (I’m gone still get my grub on). During this particular Thanksgiving season, I have so much to be thankful to God for as I am in the happiest space of my life ever. One day for me, the turkey, stuffing, macaroni and cheese and loved ones will return; however for families like Michael Brown, these holidays will never be the same. #TheStruggleIsReal #BlackLifeMatters2

Prepping for my return to Chile: Where did September go?

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Dr. Lisa R. Brown

The University of Georgia College of Education gave me these little promotional gems to take back to Chile, South America.

Sheesh!! I have very little idea what has been going on in the world/life outside of my dissertation lately. I have been frantically trying to meet with my committee chair and research methodologist (mission accomplished on both scores) prior to my departure for Chile de nuevo. I noticed that my blogging has been a little thin for September, but for good reason. I returned to the United States in August and have been trying to update my committee, family, and friends about my experiences abroad. I now look back on this blog and simply cannot believe that this has been my experience for almost two years now.

September saw me at my most productive state, turning out two research manuscripts that I submitted to Adult Education Quarterly (AEQ) and the Education, Citizenship, and Social Justice journals. I also had been waiting with great anticipation to learn of my fate in application for a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Award. I found out yesterday that my application was not successful this time. There still remains a silver-lining as that particular fellowship provides its applicants with review feedback relative to their proposal submissions. So I am looking forward to reading those results to find out how I can better structure grant/fellowship applications moving forward. I also learned today that the American Education Research Association (AERA) has a Minority Dissertation Fellowship Program in Education Research. Those funds, among other things, allow doctoral candidates support in the writing of their dissertation. I am definitely going after that fellowship. One of the things that I am learning in this scholarly journey is that submitting for these grants helps you to not only become a more concise writer, it provides scaffolding for other potential research proposal. So, I’ve gotten over my recent rejection (took a few hours) and am moving forward. That is largely because I just LOVE my research/dissertation topic!! I really believe I have a real opportunity to make a substantive contribution to my field on matters of civic engagement, social justice, adult learning and development, as well as, international adult education. Thank you Chile! 🙂

So, as I prepare to place my things in storage, ride my motorcycle as much as possible before October 1st, it’s generally been a good season for me. I miss my friends and Chilean family (especially my office mates and Zumba sisters). ❤ I will return to Chile until the new year and I am hard pressed to get folks to take my survey. I’ve collected and analyzed my qualitative data (I’m doing a mixed methods study) and am going to be pounding the pavement in the northern Chile region to get my surveys completed. I wish I could transfer my excitement to would-be volunteers so that they would flock to completing my survey. Alas, I am learning that academic research takes tenacity, diplomacy, and a LOT of patience. Mine continues to grow everyday. Thanks for reading! 🙂 I leave you with some recent pics from my doings in Athens, Georgia over the last few months.

Got to catch-up with friends and faculty in our department’s graduate student organization University of Georgia Lifelong Learning Association (UGALLA)

Had the opportunity to share with incoming doctoral students my experiences as a student in the Adult Education Learning and Organization Development (AELOD) program at UGA. As you can see, we enjoy acronyms. It’s hard to believe that I was sitting in their position a seemly short four years ago. Our graduate student organization UGALLA has been a great support to me during my years at UGA. I will always try to be there to support its activities whenever possible. There was an exciting group of news students there as well as our awesome departmental faculty (as per usual). 🙂

What time is it Hondura?

As I mentioned earlier I have a motorcycle (Honda Rebel 250) and I nicknamed her “Hondura”. I sometimes I leave campus in the evenings and am not always sure what time it is when I’m riding. So I decided to get this little digital clock that sticks to my bike via Velcro. Thanks 3M, that invention is one of the best of the twentieth century. Ha ha 😛

My friend Josh repaired my bike when I was out of the country. He's an awesome "Bike Whisperer"

My friend Josh repaired my bike when I was out of the country in Chile (and Canada). He’s an awesome “Bike Whisperer”.

This is a better view of my bike. I had the engine rebuild and the transmission redone. My brother told me I should just junk it and buy a new bike, but NO!! This is my first motorcycle and I’m keeping Hondura forever!

I forgot to mention my bug bites in Chile.

So it seems the Chilean mosquitoes really like me because I kept getting bitten in the face at night. You can’t tell as well in this picture, but I have like a third (red) eye in the middle of my forehead. Thanks to Mary Kay I can cover it in this picture. Nevertheless, its been a little swollen since I left Chile in August and my doctors put me on an antibiotic for 3 weeks to see if we can get it to go away. So prayers for my recovery are welcomed, I’ve already anointed and laid-hands on my forehead so I’m not going to get too worried about it. But we are definitely taking the industrial strength deed-laced “OFF” back to Chile this time . I will be giving myself a bug-stray facial every night. Ha ha. ~ ¡Chau chau chicos!

The Chilean Chronicles Blog (The US Return Extended Version)

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Tag Archives: Talca

Señora, ¿podría firmar nuestra petición? ¡Por supuesto!

There ain’t no turkey, pilgrims, or Black Friday sales… Christmas is on and poppin’ in Chile

Prepping for my return to Chile: Where did September go?