LOS PAPERS DE EL ÁGUILA _part 2

8-8-23

Yesterday i drove to eagle pass otra vez to attend the vigil organized by the Eagle Pass Border Coalition —as part of my participation i wrote a corrido to be distributed at the event — i also brought the entire sound system from Pepito the Takuache (my custom mobile printing press/dj system sculpture trailer thing) to help with amplifying the guest speakers - and to play some corridos and cumbias —- like really loud—- cuz that just made sense with la migra and the rinches with their concertina wire in the background 

 Joaquin and Paloma printed about 100 screenprints of the corrido—my son who is also our production king for the studio and Paloma is one of studio summer interns —-she's rad— once they were printed yesterday morning we headed out

--- jesse couldn't make it - —-but elaine aradillas  jumped in the shotgun seat —-- elaine is olivia’s old school family friend —- i went with her during the first days after the uvalde shooting to visit robb elementary —she's a veterana journalist who has been like everywhere —- lives in nueva york and in san anto —-- hangin’ with elaine is like totally getting a new street cred badge —

we were runnin’ a lil behind - since it took awhile to print out the corrido-  2 hours with the coordinates locked in —------ we took the troca—— it's a good troca pero its gotta lift kit so its kinda much—- pero its my troca —---and the tank was full

as we drove up– it was pretty standard convos with political theories, tejana manifestos, rural town observations, and thick ass chisme —— like mas thick —- elaine is a chisme queen —- but then so am i

it took awhile but we finally passed the la migra station—its my indicator that we are close to Eagle Pass—---we waved at the cameras and punched it to El Aguila—— as soon as we came to civilization —— elaine freaked out like i did on the enormous mexican flag flying above all the tierra—---its so peaceful —--anyway elaine needed a dairy queen fix —-and it was like the troca knew where to go—- we parked and got out—- i scarfed down a steak finger basket con dr.pepper—— she got the grilled cheese and a diet coke—- this wasn't our first rodeo

got back in the troca - and headed to shelby park - the downtown area looked deserted as we drove thru the large metal fencing of the park- we were greeted by this group of women wearing all white with big smiles and hats —- they were so happy we were there- ——it made my heart full

i unloaded my little mobile screen printing carrito- with all the screen printing materials — pero in classic cruz ortiz style - i forgot the ink - i forgot the paper —-- and my phone was on 3% —- when i told elaine - she could have done a backflip with just her eye roll—---- but i did bring the posters that were pre-printed so we were good—-- thanks joaquin and paloma!

I did have everything for the sound system — and that's what the organizers were super happy for —-- plugged everything in - started the generator —- and the cumbias started the event —- as soon we were settled in— me, elaine, some volunteers started passing out the corridos —- immediately everyone read them and loved them —--

something that i've noticed from years of protesting, participating in vigils and demonstrations - is that it seems to always function for a small amount of time - we gather as a community to speak up —- and usually it's the same players —then we leave—i often always feel like we didn't do enough —- that the efforts are not being heard or seen —---

i always remember this amazing old timer —- John Stanford — he was an old commie – the most gentle and frail man that went to alllll the protests in san antonio —---he always just smiled and held whatever protest sign he was handed — lifetime of fighting for what was right —- i think about him alot —-- how do we keep hittin’ the streets? - how do we keep showing up? 

But there’s something special about these corridos——--— they are haphazardly written as things unfold —hand printed one by one — and just as fast as they are printed —-get distributed como wildfire —----corridos give something for the gente to hold on to —- as we go about continuing raising awareness to the onslaught of the empire -  i feel like there is a power when we collaboratively formulate a creative response —- creative responses that are thoughtful and make strong connections to our cultura —- it’s why the teatro carpas would work when Luis Valdez was organizing farm workers in SoCal during el moviemento —or when Cristina Tzintzun assembled young mexicanas on the steps of the Texas Capital—-- these projects resonated—-- because culture cures—----- la cultura cura

As the cumbias were mixing into various corridos over the sound system —-- that's when the mariachis should up—--- like unicorns in their black trajes and shiny medallions on their pants and jackets—- they were already tuned up and ready to play —---i lowered the cumbias and in came in the first song —- solamente una vez    —---when the troubadours finished—- the speakers took to the mic —--all of them had me twisted inside —- to hear of all the death that these bold brave vigil attendees talked about had my brain go blank - in the 100 degree heat they shared accounts of witnessing humanity fall apart —- there was this little catholic nun - firecracker—--Sister Isabel Turcios —she runs the Casa Del Migrante shelter— - en espanol she shared how she serves over 200 meals a day at her little shelter in Piedras Negras —--and made us question —-how can humanity turn into this? —-

As the speakers took breaks and passed the mic to the next person on the agenda—--the mariachis sang and strummed their big and little guitarras —as if they were trying to melt all the concertina wire that lined the Rio Bravo —-- the sun and songs were making me dream of all the melting possibilities — then they sang—-- amor eterno —-- the classic juanga song that feels like a stab to the heart —- these people witness so much pain - 

The young volunteers from the local high school started to hand out these little white roses, white carnations, and white daisies —-- Ricardo Calderon - the mc for the event explained to everyone that after the last speaker —- we were all going to go down passed the barrier of DPS troopers and Florida State troopers to take the flowers into the river in honor of the ones who have passed while crossing -  —---- yeah that got the crowd buzzing quick - even the journalists were gettin’ shifty on that one —--

After the last speaker — the mariachis closed out with their last song —- EL Rey —--- that is when slowly one by one folks started to break away and start walking to the river —- i scrambled to make sure all my screenprinting stuff was secure enough to break away — but then decided that going with the group outweighed the value of my equipment —--so i got my little carnation - signaled elaine — and we joined the group 

As we walked thru the park - the dps officers just stared from inside their air conditioned SUVs - some of the mujeres were holding the corridos up in the air as if they were making sure the rinches could see the words that were written —- then as we got closer we could see for our own eyes —---the fan boats with florida decals - a new shipment of large buoys - miles of stacked razor wire - and rusted out shipping containers —- and if you looked closer you could see the trash - the pieces of cloth shredded in the concertina wire - the blank faces of law enforcement troopers hiding behind super black sunglasses —------ as the group slowed down to form a more cohesive group - we started to go down the wide concrete boat ramp - but there were two military inflatable boats fully armed with several camo’d soldiers about to launch off——-- they were young —- and looked like tired zombies —- they too are witnesses to the fragility of humanity —- no matter what they are personal ideologies are —- they have seen death —- unnecessary death —- 

The group got tighter as the boats launched and headed down the river - we waited a bit for the viejos to gather their flowers and join the group —-then it got quiet —--  one by one everyone dropped their flowers and prayers into the terrible current of the rio bravo —----- 

Some ducks flew over as the sun was turning the trees pink on the other side — it got quiet enough to hear the river talk back to us - chirps and weird river animalito sounds brought bursts of comfort —-- the journalists went bonkers with all their clicking—-- but it was a visual— i'm glad they documented —-

For a brief moment as all stood there in that re-occupied space —- it felt powerful —- like we won —-- but we didn't —-- they threw us bone — and then i was mad again 

We walked back up the bank and hill —-to the big mesquite tree where the stories were told —- as i looked back at the super chingon mexican flag that was slowly moving —cutting through the wind —- the sun was down —- and the dps troopers took back what was ours - as i loaded up the speakers and PA-  a small dwindled group were reflecting – Amerika Garcia Grewal jumped up and realized something —- “where are the big lights?” - “where are the big generators” - “where is the rest of all the razor wire?” —--- “they took it out for the journalists!” —-----the rinches had watered down what they've been doin’ down here — which makes sense - a group of democratic congressfolks were visiting this same site today —--- 

Two things i got from this:

1. This is lynching

2. This is not a border — this is an epicenter

—- elaine and i jumped back in the troca —- we both needed to hydrate —-- we got to a gas station and drank all the water —jk —- we got some gatorades and some water —-- i also got a milky way —---she smoked a cigarette in the truck as we downloaded what had just happened to us —--what we saw —- what we heard —----- we got back on the road — pero i noticed i had a half tank - so we had to find another gas station —- pumped the troca to full —- then headed out on highway 57—-- after a couple of minutes on the road - we pulled up in a line behind some traffic in the middle of darkness — it was the la migra checkpoint —i ignored my cringing—--- it took a minute to go thru as we continued our download —- i took a couple of bites of the milky way — thinking this probs wasnt the best healthy choice - but still funny cuz i was eating a milky way at the la migra checkpoint —- its the little things that matter——- i rolled down the windows —- we pulled up to the stop sign —- the border patrol agent asked if we were good —he was another young one- mexicano— with this really cool thin mustache —--- we answered yes —- and he said “have a good night” —-- and we drove off back to san anto

C