In Lak'ech Ala K'in | I am Another You. You are Another Me

I'm spending the morning in high school. Everything is much smaller than I remember ... except me.

La Clase

My friend Jackie Madrigal pioneered a US Latino Literature class at Shawnee Mission North High School in Mission, Kansas. She invited Chato Villalobos and myself to be guest speakers to help put some faces to Latino literature and to talk about the Latino Writers Collective and our writing processes. Both Chato and I are honored to be asked. Her curriculum is thoughtful and hits all the major notes in the rather large genre.

As this day grew closer, my social anxiety started to wrap itself around me. In fact, last night I spent some time thinking about how I could get out of this gig. Chato could do the presentation himself. He's a police officer and therefore automatically much more interesting, right? Besides I have to work that afternoon and there's a chance I could be late. My tummy still kinda hurts from when I was sick last week. Also my car is pretty old and I don't like to drive it more than necessary ...

#JCCC Alert/Suspicious weapon

Alerts issued by my college yesterday after reports of an armed assailant was spotted on campus:

My poem from those alerts:

LLF DAY1: Ghosts of Fellows Past

The day started at 2 AM with me loading up the car and driving to the Kansas City airport.
Economy lot.
Bus to the terminal.
Check-in.
TSA molestation.
Waiting for an hour to board.

Soccer boys on the plane.
Won the championship in KC.
One fell asleep on my shoulder.
He apologized then did it again.

Landed at LAX.
Went hunting for queer writers.
Went to the observation deck of that white thingy that looks like two McDonald's french fries crossed.

Waited for queers.

Waited for queers here.

Queers landing at American Jewish University

Gays lounging

Immediately after arriving, I felt a longing for last year's Lambda Fellows who weren't there with me. I took a moment to sort of absorb it for them and send them good energy to remind us of our time here last summer. 

I also made the decision that in order for me to get the most out of this year's workshop, I needed to be fully present. That means not longing for last year or for boring the new fellows with tales of how we did things -- unless they asked.

They're a fine group of writers and I owe it to them, and myself, not to cast a shadow on this year's experience. Though I feel the essence of last years fellows are here with me. And it feels nice.

So with that, I posted a message on Facebook to last year's fellows asking them for any advice to impart to this year's group.

2012 YA Lambda Literary Fellows

DAY 12: Hispanic Heritage Month 30 Day Challenge

Latino Politics – What affects you?

National, state, local politics, everything, it all affects me. Why wouldn't it? 

National 

Clearly, the presidential election is the big issue this year. I’ve already commented on that. Issues affecting the average citizen also affect me but they some specifically resonate with me as a Latino.

I care about the USDA because I care about food safety. As a former migrant farmworker, I also care about it because the USDA’s policies also affect those who handle and harvest our food. For the same reason I care about the EPA and the chemicals used in farmwork, meatpacking plants, and produce process factories. I care about the economy because many Latinos and other low-income families endure the most of the layoffs, cuts in overtime, and increased workload without pay increases.

Latinos don’t just work for other people, they are the new small business owners who are rebuilding the economy. According to the US Census, the number of Latino-owned businesses in the United States increased by 43.7 percent to 2.3 million, that’s more than twice the national rate of 18.0 percent from 2002 - 2007.

Other national issues like the DREAM Act affect me. I was fortunate to be born in the United States but I care about education and I care about people. I care about the investment we’re making into these young people who, at the end of the day, aren’t allowed to contribute to our tax base. Those opposed to allowing undocumented students earning a path to citizenship (and paying taxes) can push back all they want, but let me just tell you, it’s gonna happen.

State

While national immigration issues are playing out, state governments like Arizona can try to enact anti-immigration and anti-Latino laws. The author of the infamous SB1070, is none other than Kansas’ Kris Kobach. 

Kobach, now the state attorney general, wants to see an Arizona-type law in Kansas. While he has a national reputation as a rabid dog, which he cultivates at the expense of his role as attorney general, in Kansas he’s seen as nothing more than a joke. Kris Kobach is the Fred Phelps of immigration. His current hard-on is perpetuating the myth of voter fraud. What he doesn’t get is that he is the voter fraud.

Local 

I care about local politics so much that I ran for a seat on the board of my community college back in 2009. I was frustrated with the policies the board enacted. Funders, through their donations, dictated my schools priorities. And students didn’t have a voice in the decisions ranging from eliminating late enrollment to increasing tuition.

I didn’t win a seat but I learned a lot about the election process. I learned how crucial it is not only for Latinos to vote but for Latinos to be candidates. With only $1,000 and a small crew of volunteers, I earned almost 7,000 votes in a race where only 10,000 guaranteed a win. 

By the way, never run for public office while going to school full time.

Since then, I’ve learned to affect policy without being elected to the office. I use my student status to speak to education issues. I use my writing to communicate information and bridge the effects of policy to real-life. I use my social media presence to support causes and influence decision makers.

I want to say one more thing about the DREAM Act and Dreamers (those young people directly affected by the DREAM Act). I don’t think people realize that Dreamers have a taste for activism and politics. When the DREAM Act is enacted, they won’t just sit back. They’ll want to continue to affect the world around them. They’ll vote. They’ll volunteer for political campaigns, They’ll even run for public office. They’ll be the change they want to see in the world. 

I can’t wait.

Venga Renga

This morning as I was getting ready for work, I decided to checked my Facebook page. I don't know why because I'm not the sort of person who has to constantly be checking Facebook or updating my status (well, not anymore).

I had a few of annoying notifications about someone wanting to add me to their calendar app or inviting me to an event that's not even in my part of the country. Then I read a message from someone saying my contribution was "outstanding" and "an important part of Kansas history."

I thought, "Oh crap, what did I do now?"

Then I remembered my contribution to the 2012 Kansas renga must have been posted. The renga "To The Stars Through Difficulty" comes from the state motto: Astra Per Aspera

This project continues celebrating last year's sesquicentennial by inviting 150 poets with Kansas connections share their voices. In a renga, each poem is a conversation with the previous poem.

So please read Dan Pohl's poem before you read mine. Make sure to follow up in a day or so to see how the next poet "converses" with my work.

Here's a few lines from my contribution:

Tender hearts tend the land that belonged to pioneering homesteaders.
Corporate farms hire migrant children who learn to master machetes
rather than their multiplication tables — or their destinies.

Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, the renga's organizer, announced that Mammoth Publications will publish the renga this fall.

NEWS: Carlsen's 2006 Harassment

Portions of this article originally appeared on
The Campus Ledger Online April 21, 2006

Carlsen's unwelcome visits continued into 2006
Female employee says her supervisor knew of Carlsen's visits and still did nothing

by Miguel M. Morales

A new document reveals Teresa Lee, manager, Human Resources, feared the college president, Charles Carlsen, would resume sexually harassing her.

The Ledger obtained a new document describing a visit Carlsen made to Lee's office one month before allegations of unlawful harassment against him became public.

A previous 22-page document described alleged unlawful harassment by the former college president from May to November 2003.

“I am shaking about it”
The new document dated March 14, 2006, states Carlsen came into the Human Resource office where Lee works and sat in her private office until Dorothy Freidrich, then director of Human Resources, interrupted.

"Dorothy came in to say that she had [someone] on the phone and wanted to know if Dr. Carlsen was able to be a part of a conference call," Lee writes in the document. "He made a joke that he didn't like the look in her eye and then said he could.

"He stayed seated in my office after she left ... I thought it odd that he wouldn't just get up and leave."

According to the document, after Carlsen left, Lee spoke to others in her department as she had in 2003.

"I then went out to ask [another employee] what Carlsen had asked her," she continues. "[The employee] told me that he had asked her about [a Human Resources] issue. She directed him to me as she was now out of the loop.

"I told her, 'Gee, thanks!'"

"I am not sure why he is in my office again. He was in last week as well and I let Dorothy [Friedrich] know. I would think that the man would never set foot in my office again."
Teresa Lee, manager, Human Resources

The employee asked if Carlsen was again in Lee’s office with the door closed.

"I told her that it hadn't stopped Carlsen in the past whether the door was closed or not," Lee writes.

Lee also wrote that she thought this type of behavior from Carlsen ended in 2003 after she confronted him about his unlawful harassment. According to information from a previous document, that was the meeting where Carlsen admitted harassing Lee.
"I am not sure why he is in my office again. He was in last week as well and I let Dorothy know," Lee writes in the new document. "I would think that the man would never set foot in my office again.

"I am a little concerned that he is going to start something again. I haven't been keeping track of his visits but I think I will need to start again ... Now I am shaking about it."

“Satisfactorily resolved”
April 13, nine days after denying the allegations of unlawful harassment in The Ledger, Carlsen released a statement resolving to take a leave of absence while a third party investigated the allegations. In the statement, Carlsen again denied the allegations.

"I am deeply distressed by reports in our campus newspaper about a personnel issue brought to my attention two and one-half years ago that I was assured had been adequately addressed and satisfactorily resolved at that time," his statement read.

The meeting Carlsen referred to took place Nov. 14, 2003.

The meeting involved Susan Lindahl, vice president of College Relations and Strategic Initiatives; Friedrich, then director of Human Resources, now vice president; Lee; and Carlsen.

Lee's calendar shows a 10 a.m. meeting with Carlsen that day, which corroborates the date in her narrative.

Lee's narrative describes Carlsen as "uncomfortable" during the meeting. He also admitted that he didn't know why he harassed her.

The document also reveals Friedrich said the college would pay Lee's legal fees.

"My legal fees -- Dorothy said after the meeting for me to submit them to her and we would try to get them paid under consulting fees," Lee writes.

In an e-mail to her attorney that day, Lee writes, "While I was meeting with you the powers-that-be-met with him. We all met this morning and he apologized to me and discussed how we could improve the current procedure for handling this type of problem."
Her lawyer responded, "I am pleased that your concerns were recognized as important. I am also pleased, but surprised, that the issue was addressed by JCCC without a formal complaint from you.

"Pat yourself on the back for standing up for yourself, and for handling the situation professionally and with class. Keep a journal of any further incidents, and stay in touch."

Lee took his advice.In 2004, she documented contacting and meeting with Board of Trustee chair, Elaine Perilla, regarding Carlsen's unlawful harassment. Lee also documented Carlsen's March visit.“Exceeding expectations”
Trustees, including Perilla, deny knowledge of the alleged sexual harassment.

Lindahl and Friedrich have yet to deny knowledge of the alleged sexual harassment or that they impeded the process by not reporting it.

Lee's performance appraisal forms, or evaluations, from fall 2002 to fall 2005 rate her overall work performance as "exceeding expectations."

Friedrich, who conducted each evaluation, noted in the fall 2003 appraisal, "You have a trusting relationship with many supervisors on campus. They frequently seek your advice on personnel matters. I consider this to be a major strength for you and for the division.

"I respect your advice and value you as a colleague. I genuinely appreciate your commitment to our team."

A Brief Note to Thor Nystrom

Incredible.

To Hell and Back

Thor,

The media is filled with traditionalists. Many traditionalists say we should not write about ourselves and if we do, we should never disclose as much as you did. Those of us who follow rules with skepticism know they can help and hurt us. We understand that knowing when to break the rules is just as an essential skill as learning to follow them.

Thanks for breaking rules in life and in journalism.

INFOLIST: JCCC's Reorganization

From: InfoList [mailto:infolist@list.jccc.net]
Sent: Mon 12/10/07 3:35 PM
To: InfoList
Subject: Instructional flowchart

Colleagues,

Below you will find a link to the reorganizational plan for the Instructional area that the three of us have developed and intend to implement. We hope that this chart reflects the amount of listening to your suggestions, ideas and insights that we have done. It would have been, of course, impossible for every specific recommendation to be incorporated into a comprehensive plan for restructuring; however, we strongly believe that the major themes arising from your comments set the parameters for the basis of this reorganizational plan. You have proffered to us robust and engaging advice, and for that we are thankful.

Except for the Evening and Weekend position which recently has been filled, all of the deans’ positions will be filled first. Currently, job descriptions are being revisited, and we expect to post these positions internally by February 1. Any subsequently vacated associate deans positions will be opened for application later in the spring. Our continued commitment is that no one should be fearful of job loss. One feature of the plan that particularly appeals to us is the establishment of a Division Council for each dean’s area that is intended to strengthen lines of communication throughout Instruction.

We are also committed to the creation of faculty-chair posts. We still need to work with faculty and academic leadership in order to determine the number of discipline chairs, the method of their election, required skills and tasks, and a compensation formula; however, we are certain that establishing chairs will help integrate faculty involvement more inclusively into college processes.

Again, we wish to thank you for your ideas, and we will continue to welcome your comments. The success of any plan of action rests on the commitment of those involved. With your support, this reorganizational plan cannot help but achieve its principle goal which is to promote continual quality improvement at JCCC.

http://www.jccc.edu/home/download/16956/InstructionalFlowchart.pdf

Terry Calaway

Dana Grove

Marilyn Rhinehart

Shame the Devil

Truste me, I'm a reporter.

So the Board finally acknowledged what I've known all along -- that there were other victims.
Too bad it took the threat of me re-launching my investigation to get them to admit it.
But if they think this admission will stop me from getting at the truth, they don't know Miguel.