La Muerte and Home

Death is a unifying force. It brings together all the people of your life, even if they are fighting, no longer speaking, or because of time and space do not see each other on a daily basis. Today, I came home because of death. Not the home of my blood family, but that of my family and friends formed through my politics, passion and circumstance. I learned much about how important that a persons funeral truly reflects the life they have lived.

I attended the funeral of the mother of one of my neighborhood's foremost community leaders, Juan Villar. She was known as Dona Juanita, a woman committed to revolution. Rev. Luis Barrios led the group in a prayer and participatory memorial of who Dona Juanita was. I learned she was committed to sharing, defending, and creating identity. I learned how she loved to work, be with her family and eating patita de puerco con yuca y aguacate. Los mas inpactante is that she was buried with a gun. You would ask why would this old lady want to be buried with a gun. Her son Juanchi explained that on the night of Balaguer's death she said that when she dies to please bury her with a gun so that if she meets Balaguer she could shoot him dead. What a vivacious and gutsy woman. Even in her death she is a revolutionary.

Tonight, I was inspired and proud to be a part of such a great movement of revolution. That I didn't know her personally, but I too am a fruit of her life. To know that she has influenced so many and those people of have touched my life as well is mind-blowing. Things don't just happen. There is interrelatedness and interconnectedness to our lives. Eventhough every day is a challenge, people continue to fight off the dehumanizing life of New York, of living in an unforgiving capitalist society that strips you of compassion, love and joy -la sabrosura of life. It is sad though that these are the moments when we celebrate our lives together in a real and authentic way. Our struggle, our urban struggle.....

I dedicate this to all my family, friends and those I didn't know so well who have passed to the other side that have touched my life so deeply, gracias eternally....