Fostering Empathy: A Social Justice Journey [Audio Piece]

La Mexicana Rises from the Ashes [Final Draft]

 On November 7, 2012 flames illuminated the pre-dawn darkness in the Edison neighborhood as Francisco and Carmen Vargas' life work burned to the ground. Apparently sparked by weathered electrical wires in the basement, La Mexicana Market was scorched inside and out, resulting in a total loss.

Judy Sarkozy, the owner of Sarkozy's Bakery, which suffered its own fire in February of last year, was one of the first to arrive on the scene.

“It just broke my heart to see all the stuff that was ruined,” said Sarkozy who recounted watching a river of yellow masa wind its way across the blackness of the market floor.

“It affected all of us. That's our livelihood, that's our baby. We built it from the ground up, with no bank loans—nothing,” said Javier Vargas, Francisco and Carmen's son. We had to throw everything away: cans, produce, meat. It's a very dark feeling because your career, your life work—in four hours, it's gone.”

Nearly seven months later, on a warm, late-May afternoon, Javier and Judy stand in the doorway of Bell's brewery and shake the hands of community members who have arrived for a benefit in support of the rebuilding of the market.

Carmen Vargas moves about busily in a traditional white, embroidered Mexican dress, making her rounds through the crowd of people who fill the Bell's patio. She and her husband Francisco, hair neatly combed in a crisp red polo shirt, thank the community members for their donations in limited English, sell home-made ice cream, and direct the volunteers who have shown up to help out with the benefit.

“I could never have imagined the support that we received from the Kalamazoo community.” said Carmen, whose eyes welled up as she looked at the event around her.

The Vargas family came north to the United States in 1993 from Nayarit, Mexico looking for work and a chance at a brighter future. As Carmen Vargas, the family matriarch puts it: “We came for the same reason as many people all over the world. The opportunity for a better life.”

After first settling in Chicago, the family came to stay with relatives in Kalamazoo after Carmen suffered a broken arm and leg in a car accident while riding in a work van on her way to job. Driven to Michigan by unfortunate circumstances, the family never looked back and Kalamazoo has become their home for the last 18years.

“We got accustomed as quickly as possible. Since that moment, we began to become penguins” said Carmen who chuckled and smiled, referring to the shock of the Michigan climate.

Right away, Francisco saw that there was a market for goods that served the small and steadily-growing Hispanic population in Kalamazoo and he, his wife, and his sons began to sell Mexican products from Chicago out of the back of a truck.

“It was literally a mobile grocery store,” said their son Javier, who remembered that they began to sell exclusively to the Latinos in the Edison neighborhood. “We would go door-to-door every Sunday. We could count 15 houses and that was it. Maybe less than that.”

According to Javier, due to an influx of Hispanic immigration to the city and the expansion of their clientele to include other members of the community, the family achieved their dream of owning their own store when La Mexicana opened on the corner of Portage Road and Lane Blvd in 1998.

Since then, the Vargas family has opened a Restaurant, Mi Pueblo on Gull Road, an ice cream warehouse where they produce their own Mexican popsicles, and has two lunch trucks which visit work sites around the city.

“My dad's always been an entrepreneur,” said Javier. “He always said he'd rather work for himself than anyone else.”

Despite their success and expansion in recent years, Carmen said that the market was the heart of their business.

“The blow was huge, but not big enough to ruin our years of work, she said. “I tell my husband: 'We're like gladiators, we take a lot of hits, but we keep on going.”

For Carmen and Francisco, letting the market go was never an option and they have plans to rebuild what they started with the support of their neighbors. The family is currently dealing with the insurance company, but even with the money they will receive, they will still be short $75,000-$100,000 short of their goal, according to Javier.

The whole family expressed their determination to fight for the business that they love; the business where Javier grew up working the “cash register, butcher shop, taco stand, inventory, payroll—everything.”

“If you achieve something, it's because you worked hard and you believed in what you were doing,” said Carmen.

This hard work has paid off with the many community members who rushed to their side after hearing about the fire, including Noel Corwin, the owner of Gorilla Gourmet, and Laura Bell, the vice president of Bell's Brewery. Bell's donated their banquet and patio spaces free of charge and Corwin donated his time and pineapple chicken tacos for all those in attendance.

“I think they supported us because we're a local, family-run business. We have good principles. We're not there to rip people off or make a bunch of money. We help local schools and local police organizations. They see that from us and they appreciate it,” said Javier.

Noel Corwin, who frequented the market, praised the Vargas' business and was one of the first to commit to helping them do what he could to rebuild.

“Judy [Sarkozy] and myself were talking about it in December. When the conversation started, I said: 'Let's throw a big ass party.” said Corwin. “I think their business is essential to a town that's transitioning. It's one of the few places you see a mixture of culture.”

The mixture of culture that Corwin referred to was visible in the diversity of people who filled the benches at Bell's and waited eagerly to shake Carmen and Francisco's hands and give them well wishes.

“We are very blessed by God,” said Carmen. “We feel like we're not alone in this. It gave us a lot of motivation to keep on going.”

The $4,000 raised at the event last Saturday only scratches the surface for the Vargas family and will be put towards buying new merchandise for their makeshift store at the front of their restaurant.

“We would have been just as happy with $100,” said Javier. “It wasn't really for the money. Its just awesome how the community still supported us.”

Still, Carmen made it clear that they were going to keep on fighting to begin serving the community they love once again.

“Half of our heart is in our homeland and the other half is here in Kalamazoo,” she said.

Word Count: 1,139
Intended Publication: The Kalamazoo Gazette  

La Mexicana Process Writing

 I think it is fitting that this is the last piece that I write for this narrative journalism class. I do not say this because I think it is the best first draft that I have ever written; I say it because I feel I was able to put all of the skills that we learned in this class into action when I was working on reporting for this project.

Unlike my first profile, I knew right off the bat that I wanted to do a wide array of reporting and that I was going to have to start early if I wanted to get it all done. A couple of weeks ago, my friend lent me her car to run a few errands and I decided to seize the moment and stop by the Edison Neighborhood Association to see what was going on in the community. I already knew about the fire at La Mexicana, but it was them who tipped me off about the benefit and many other things that were going to be happening soon. Unsure of what direction to proceed in, I attended the Bell's benefit on a Saturday morning and I got to talk to a lot of amazing people. Originally, I did not think that I was going to write about the Vargas family, but something told me to go to the event anyways. I am so happy I did, because in talking to Carmen and her son Javier, I knew that there was a story to be told about their journey to the United States and all of the things that they have been able to accomplish.

After that day, I set up in-depth interviews with both Javier and Carmen. In addition, I collected information from Judy Sarkozy, Noel Corwin, and Laura Bell at the event itself. I am looking forward to putting together a more cohesive and organized final draft and I am interested to know everyone's thoughts during workshop. I am happy with the reporting I did, but I want to turn that reporting into a good piece of writing.  

La Mexicana Rises from the Ashes [First Draft]

On November 7, 2012 flames illuminated the pre-dawn darkness in the Edison neighborhood as Francisco and Carmen Vargas' life work burned to the ground. Apparently sparked by weathered electrical wires in the basement, La Mexicana Market was scorched inside and out, resulting in a total loss.

Judy Sarkozy, the owner of Sarkozy's Bakery, which suffered its own fire in February of last year, was one of the first to arrive on the scene.

“It just broke my heart to see all the stuff that was ruined,” said Sarkozy who recounted watching a river of yellow masa wind its way across the blackness of the market floor.

“It affected all of us. That's our livelihood, that's our baby. We built it from the ground up, with no bank loans—nothing,” said Javier Vargas, Francisco and Carmen's son. We had to throw everything away: cans, produce, meat. It's a very dark feeling because your career, your life work—in four hours, it's gone.”

Nearly seven months later, on a warm, late-May afternoon, Javier and Judy stand in the doorway of Bell's brewery and shake the hands of community members who have arrived for a benefit in support of the rebuilding of the market.

Francisco and Carmen move about busily in the patio outside the building, thanking people for their donations, selling home-made ice cream, and directing the volunteers who have shown up to help out with the benefit.

“I could never have imagined the support that we received from the Kalamazoo community.” said Carmen, whose eyes welled up as she looked at the event around her.

The Vargas family came north to the United States in 1993 from Nayarit, Mexico looking for work and a chance at a brighter future. As Carmen Vargas, the family matriarch puts it: “We came for the same reason as many people all over the world. The opportunity for a better life.”

After first settling in Chicago, the family came to stay with relatives in Kalamazoo after Carmen suffered a broken arm and leg in a car accident while riding in a work van on her way to job. Driven to Michigan by unfortunate circumstances, the family never looked back and Kalamazoo has become their home for the last 18years.

“We got accustomed as quickly as possible. Since that moment, we began to become penguins” said Carmen who chuckled and smiled, referring to the shock of the Michigan climate.

Right away, Francisco saw that there was a market for goods that served the small and steadily-growing Hispanic population in Kalamazoo and he, his wife, and his sons began to sell Mexican products from Chicago out of the back of a truck.

“It was literally a mobile grocery store,” said their son Javier, who remembered that they began to sell exclusively to the Latinos in the Edison neighborhood. “We would go door-to-door every Sunday. We could count 15 houses and that was it. Maybe less than that.”

According to Javier, due to an influx of Hispanic immigration to the city and the expansion of their clientele to include other members of the community, the family achieved their dream of owning their own store when La Mexicana opened on the corner of Portage Road and Lane Blvd in 1998.

Since then, the Vargas family has opened a Restaurant, Mi Pueblo on Gull Road, an ice cream warehouse where they produce their own Mexican popsicles, and has two lunch trucks which visit work sites around the city.

“My dad's always been an entrepreneur,” said Javier. “He always said he'd rather work for himself than anyone else.”

Despite their success and expansion in recent years, Carmen said that the market was the heart of their business.

“The blow was huge, but not big enough to ruin our years of work, she said. “I tell my husband: 'We're like gladiators, we take a lot of hits, but we keep on going.”

For Carmen and Francisco, letting the market go was never an option and they have plans to rebuild what they started with the support of their neighbors.

“If you achieve something, it's because you worked hard and you believed in what you were doing,” said Carmen.

The Vargas' hard work has paid off with many community members who rushed to their side after hearing about the fire, including Noel Corwin, the owner of Gorilla Gourmet, and Laura Bell, the vice president of Bell's Brewery. Bell's donated their banquet and patio spaces free of charge and Corwin donated his time and pineapple chicken tacos for all those in attendance.

“Judy [Sarkozy] and myself were talking about it in December. When the conversation started, I said: 'Let's throw a big ass party.” said Corwin. “I think their business is essential to a town that's transitioning. It's one of the few places you see a mixture of culture.”

The mixture of culture that Corwin referred to was visible in the diversity of people who filled the benches at Bell's and waited eagerly to shake Carmen and Francisco's hands and give them well wishes.

“We are very blessed by God,” said Carmen. “We feel like we're not alone in this. It gave us a lot of motivation to keep on going.”

The money raised at the event last Saturday only scratches the surface for the Vargas family and will be put towards buying new merchandise for their makeshift store at the front of their restaurant. Still, Carmen made it clear that they were going to keep on fighting to begin serving the community they love once again.

“Half of our heart is in our homeland and the other half is here in Kalamazoo,” she said.

Word Count: 961

Target Publication: The Kalamazoo Gazette 

Create Your Own Assignment: "How Gay Marriage Won"

http://swampland.time.com/2013/03/28/how-gay-marriage-won/

Working in the mail center has its pluses and minuses, but one of the benefits is constant contact with the various newspapers and magazines that students order to be delivered to them on a weekly basis. Sometimes, if the student for whom these publications are destined has since graduated, we the employees get to take them home with us to read. It is impossible to forward magazines and they would otherwise be thrown in a recycle bin--so hey, why not?

A couple of weeks ago, the cover of one of these magazines happened to catch my eye and prompted me to  crack it open and read further. That week's Time Magazine was printed in two different versions, each with a picture of a same-sex couple kissing and words overlaid in yellow, block print reading: "Gay Marriage Already Won." The article came out the week that the Supreme Court began to hear oral arguments for the Prop 8 and DOMA cases, and there was a clear reference to these events. I was intrigued to read further, eager to see what rationale they would use to defend such a big statement about an issue that still remains highly contested in the United States.

Although David Von Drehle's article is more of a long-form feature than a narrative piece, he employs gay peoples' experiences to further his point and put a human face to this broad issue which he tackles head-on. I think it is a great example of how the different genres of journalism can intersect to create something truly great. The piece includes history, politics, narrative, and on-site reporting, which Von Drehle then sews together to create a cohesive article. Most importantly, he uses all of this information to defend his bold claim  on the front of the issue.

This article caught my eye right from the beginning and I thought it was a really good read. I hope you enjoy it as well and I look forward to discussing it in class!

Fostering Empathy: A Social Justice Journey [Final Draft]

Lillie Wolff teeters with full arms and makes her way into St. Basil's Catholic Church in South Haven, Mich—a balancing act of posters, papers, buttons, and baked goods. The pastries are from a local bakery in Kalamazoo and the lemonade is made from certified organic lemons. She enters a large, empty room filled six rows deep with chairs and a turquoise-blue crucifix that hangs high in the back of the room and sets everything down. She looks around, takes a breath, and begins to set up.

Tonight she is representing Welcoming Michigan, a foundation that focuses on migrant worker outreach in the rural Southwest Michigan community; but she is not here to educate immigrants, she is here to educate Americans on their role in ending xenophobia and discrimination. Her only prior advertisement comes from word of mouth, from church groups like the ones at St. Basil's, and from the local South Haven newspaper. The room slowly fills with an elderly, Anglo crowd and Lillie welcomes them, smiles and keeps breathing. People are watching, but Lillie is not sure they are listening, so she clears the air.

“Just to let you all know before I begin, I'm okay,” she says as she smiles nervously, scanning the crowd.

Lille was only 14 when her hair began to fall out. She remembers it falling out in clumps until she “didn't have enough left to have a full head of hair.” It was the summer before high school when she had to shave it all off and she covered her head with wigs until she was a senior. She remembers facing it bravely, “stoically” as she puts it, but below the surface she struggled with the potential of getting judged for being different.

Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that attacks Lillie's hair follicles and causes her hair to fall out at random, leaving her patchy. Although purely cosmetic, it may have left more marks on her internally then externally.

“I think my Alopecia has led me to understand what it's like to be different, outside the parameters of what mainstream wants to say is acceptable or in the in-group,” she said.

Lillie is an artist, an advocate, and an instructor. She moves about busily in a flowing black dress, dangling earnings that she hand-crafted, her piercing blue eyes fixed on the crowd that shuffles out of the room at St. Basil's.

“Well...I think that went pretty well,” she says with a big smile.

Events like these are the cornerstone of Lillie's work. During 45 minutes, she shows a short documentary about the migrant farm work situation in Van Buren County and fields discussion questions. Some make statements rather than ask questions, some are kind and others are not, but Lillie keeps cool under the pressure. The event ends and Lillie pours herself a glass of organic lemonade.

Lillie believes in the power of nature. It was during a college orientation expedition in the wilderness in 1999 when her hair began to come back. It started growing and for years it didn't stop. If you flip back though a college yearbook, you will find her smiling with the same smile, staring out with the same blue eyes, but with long hair caressing her shoulders.

“I like to think that it was nature,” said Lillie who for years tried a slew of herbal supplements and healing massages, believing with all her might that she had the power to bring her hair back. She now likes to believe that all she needed to do is to let go.

Although her hair began to fall out once again when she was 25 and has not since returned, Lillie has found peace with her condition. Her experience with prejudice has been formative and she channels her can-do attitude into her work, advocating for those at the margins of society.

“She has a strong sense of justice and empathy for folks,” said Chris Moore, Lillie's partner of three years. He remembers early on in their relationship when a man on a bicycle approached her after a concert at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place and harassed her about her Allopecia, taking note of her difference. It was the first time he had ever had to witness the questioning that Lillie undergoes frequently.

Since then, he has experienced numerous uncomfortable encounters with curious strangers who are unafraid to approach her and ask about her condition. While both Lillie and Chris acknowledged that most people are kind and come from a place of concern, there were power dynamics related to who approached her and what they asked.

“I have this theory that it actually has a lot to do with race,” said Lillie who noted that her most abrasive encounters had been with white people seeking to 'quell their curiosity'. “People of color either don't say anything or they say something really nice. They trust that I'm fine and they affirm me. I think that has to do with the way people of color are treated in our society.”

Chris believes that Lillie's daily experiences have been key to her involvement with social justice work. Her work with migrant farm workers is just one of the ways she is reaching out to make a difference in the lives of “people who everyday have to expend energy to assure people that they're human.”

During a typical workweek, Lillie works over 40 hours doing desk-work for Welcoming Michigan in addition to the time she spends out in the field putting on events like the one in South Haven. And this is only her day gig. She has recently become involved in the ERAC/CE (Eliminating Racism and Claiming/Celebrating Equality) movement which is seeking to eliminate racism in Kalamazoo and she participates in numerous events throughout the city.

But it is at Lillie's night job that she finds solace and tranquility. Every Wednesday and Thursday she instructs classes at the Sangha Yoga Studio in downtown Kalamazoo. She found yoga ten years ago, after returning from studying abroad in Ecuador in 2003. Lillie's self-driven attitude has worn her out on more than one occasion, but she recalls feeling particularly defeated upon her arrival home after 9 months.

“I came back and basically I was a hot mess,” said Lillie, whose father recommended she take up yoga. During the last 10 years, a lot has changed for her but yoga has remained her constant.

Born in New York and raised in Traverse City, Lillie returned back to the Big Apple after graduation from college and began to make connections with nonprofits in the city. Later, she moved back up to Traverse City and founded an ESL Program for migrant farm workers before moving down to Kalamazoo and furthering her work within the migrant worker community.

She has been to India to study yoga, back to Ecuador twice, from coast to coast of the United States, but she cannot imagine being anywhere but in Kalamazoo.

“She came to Kalamazoo to reinvent herself,” said Chris who reminisced about the Lillie he met three years ago, just getting her start again in the city she had left after her graduation from Kalamazoo College in 2004. She found stability in her job teaching yoga, but she found her passion engaging in race work in the community.

“I think that the anti-racism work that's happening in Southwest Michigan is unlike anything happening in any other part of the world,” she says. “There's so much potential here. There's so much we can do here.”

She puts emphasis on the word “we,” recalling times when she felt like she could set out to singlehandedly save the world and nearly got crushed by the pressure.

“I can't not do this,” she says passionately. “But, you can't be alone in this work. It's not sustainable or healthy.”

She shifts her eyes upward and to the left and runs her hand across her scalp and remembers long sleepless nights organizing in Traverse City where she worked alone on issues surrounding the migrant community. She remembers the hustle and bustle of New York City and the neighborhoods of Ecuador where she once walked and lived.

But ultimately Lillie keeps on looking forward; she keeps on moving and organizing, advocating for leaders to work together for change in the community.

“My liberation is tied up in your liberation” Lillie says and she smirks. “Everyone has historically thought that their fight is the good fight, but people shouldn't have to choose what hat they wear. It's all connected; it doesn't have to be an either-or, it's a both-and.”

Target Publication: The Kalamazoo Gazette 

Word Count: 1,445

"The Events of October" Reading Response

 The minute that I picked up The Events of October, I could not put it down. I borrowed a copy of the novel from a friend this past Saturday afternoon and cracked it open with the intention of just reading the first chapter. Three hours later, I found myself still sitting in the same spot with my face in the middle of the book. I know that my instant interest has a lot to do with me being a part of this college community and the sense of shock I felt at the prospect of a tragedy of this magnitude. Having said that, I think that Gail's powerful ability to tell a story drew me in and sustained me. For me, the sign of a good writer is the one who can get you to desire to read more and to want to get to the end of the book. In this reading response, I want to identify and break down the stylistic and structural strengths of The Events of October that make it one of the best pieces of creative nonfiction that I have ever read.

1. Ample Context

One of the first things that I observed when reading this book is the amount of time that Gail spends setting up the context for the tragedy that later ensues. Not only does she describe the college well for someone who has never visited a small, liberal arts college, but she also does a good job at getting the reader to picture Maggie's and Neenef's upbringing. In the case of Maggie, the reader gets a good look at all of the potential she had and which was robbed from her. In the case of Neenef, the reader gets a glimpse into his psychological formation and red flags are raised for the reader early on.

2. Widespread Research and Interviewing

Another thing that stuck me about this book is the sheer amount of researching and interviewing that Gail did in order to put this book together. I cannot even imagine all of the notebooks and files she had filled and what a tedious task it would have been to sort through it all. I think the her book is a testament to the power of ample researching and the abundance of information appeases all of the reader's doubts.

3. Highly Thought-out Sequencing

Due to the fact that Gail seems to have had so much material to put into this book, I admire how she handled the arduous task of putting everything together. Since being in this class and beginning to write my own narrative pieces, I have discovered that this is the hardest part of the process for me. Especially in the sections entitled “The Endless Night” and “Hold Fast,” she manages to piece together a narrative using all of her interviews that takes into account nearly every aspect of those tragic weeks. Whether she divided them through the use of her own voice or through the simple drawing of lines, the chapters never read as jumpy to me. I think that she is more fabulous that ever in this realm and I am going to ask her a lot about it in class.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, even though the subject matter is truly traumatic. I think that Gail puts together a fantastic example of narrative journalism and I am really looking forward to our class today so I can ask her for tips, both stylistic and structural.