I'll still write on the rest. My own journey, thoughts, news commentary. Noise. Of course. But the word "Chicano" does have very specific roots, at least. To my understanding it does. It's a word of pride, and a word of intention. It's a consciously adopted way of seeing and being and relating to the current system and to la gente. It's a definite meaningful self-identification. This is my understanding! And my understanding began with my understanding of who my father was; it was almost the first thing I remember learning about him, and the constant through the years.

I don't know about in Mexico. I grew up and have always lived in America. And I have learned the term Chicano to imply that America has her stamp on you and your identity. And yes, it means you have Mexican blood. No, you don't have to be 100% Mexican. Yes, it's a political label. No, it's not nailed down, and you can find many things said about it. Yes, una mujer would be a Chicana, and that label means, most likely, that that she is a feminist to some degree, empowered. And some of my generation (the children of the original movimiento Chicanos) changed the "Ch" to an X, to show the update.

I'm feeling the definition is getting too fluid...or vague around here. For myself. Flexibility and interpretation is good, and essential. But it would also be good to be grounded in a societal and contextual understanding of the idea. For my own path. For my own blog, this virtual arena of thought and visual presentation and discourse. We should start from a common point. (And no, you don't have to be "Chicano" to read or comment, or be welcome here. Just be not antagonistic to my process, please.)

If you have read some books on the time period or some poets forged in it, or taken classes on the subject that moved you, have lived through it with awareness of what was taking place, or have other knowledge of these artists and writers and/or this subject matter, I hope you will add something to this ongoing conversation. I'm sure it would be valuable. If you have thoughts on it, those are valuable. If you have feelings about it, those are valuable to me.

I did start this blog for a reason, and it wasn't just to harp on the media. I do want to learn, keep learning. And I want to begin with a look at those that were "there" firsthand when the Mexican-American identity began coalescing into marked movements of art and writing and social actions and changes. See how it makes its way here to you and me. Because we might decide to take the idea forward into this new time, into new challenges. We may adapt it. They may help us. I don't know. But we should first relate to the beginnings.

¡Adelante!