Hey all!!
It has been a busy, busy, week of going to different events and checking out friends do their thing!! So I am excited to share my experiences when attending these events that you may be interested in.
So, last Saturday, I went to Broken Silence: The Blue Vein Pages Journal Fundraiser and Poetry Showcase by Tamara Saliva.
I met Tamara about a year ago at a NYC Latina Writers Group meeting. She is the sweetest person I know and a passionate person at that. When she believes in something she works diligently to make her dreams a reality. She started this fundraiser because she saw how important it was to give children a space for them to write about their personal stories. She wants children to know that regardless of whatever circumstances they have lived, their stories are important and should be written down. She firmly believes that through writing, from what I’ve seen, you can be honest and vulnerable. She believes that every one can tell their stories no matter the age.
The reason for the fundraiser you may ask? Tamara states, “the new project is to give the children a journal that is a little more personal, not just another composition notebook. I am creating a Blue Vein Pages Journal. These journals will never be sold. The Blue Vein Pages Journal will always be an item I provide to children after my performances be it at a summer youth orientation or any other outreach opportunity. These journals are for children of all ages.”
The event was fantastic! Poets came through to showcase their talents and break the silence! Silence is so common and deadly! Therefore, it is important that we speak up about experiences otherwise we will forever repeat the same cycles.
Pic courtesy of Mark Vigo and Tamara Saliva
The poets were as follows Nicholas Nichols, Ralphy Tatuxmen Perez, Taino Brigs, Ibrahim Asad Siddiq P.O.E.T, Mark Mark Anthony Vigo aka Vigo Hard BK, Peggy Robles-Alvarado, Maria Rodriguez, and Christopher Chilo Cajigas.
All of these artists left their mark on the space. What I appreciated from the artists poems was that they were all about making their voices heard, although they had hardships, pain and sorrow caused by either their parents, siblings and/or lovers, they showed that we can learn from our experiences. Our voices are important and should be heard. Breaking the silence is important and oh so necessary. As Audre Lorde said, “I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.”
I can clearly understand why Tamara wants to provide a journal to all children who feel that they don’t have a voice or a space to write down their stories. I asked Tamara some questions:
Andreina: Why is this project important to you?
Tamara: This project is important to me because there’s so many untold stories in this world. Untold stories of abuse, all sorts of abuse child physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, verbal mental and emotional abuse. Too often the victims of the abuse believe they are alone, I want them to know they aren’t.
A: What is your ultimate goal? For the future for this campaign?
T: The ultimate goal is to get a journal in every hand that is seeking to have a voice. Even if it means that the only person who knows the sound of that voice is the writer and their journal. The ultimate goal is Voice. My main focus is the kids I work with over the summer, but I want these journals to go to anyone no matter what the age is. These journals will never be sold because the profit is giving voice to the voiceless.
A: Why should the community help out and support this cause?
T: I am turning to the community because it is our communities that voices are being silenced. It is within the community that the abuse is happening and it takes a community to make a difference in just one person’s life.
A: What makes it different from anything you’ve done before?
T: This project is different from what I have done previously because what I did before was go to the community and have them send me actual composition notebooks. This time around I want them to have something a lil more personal than just a notebook from the dollar store. These journals will be printed with a note that reads:
Dear Writer,
May this journal serve you as the
voice of all that is not expressed but
requires its release, expression is
the freedom of silence, voice is the
sound of truth and words are
experiences manifested into
sentences, these are the telling’s of
your story.
Always,
Tamara G. Saliva
If nothing else they will know that someone cares enough about their story to give them a journal created just for them.
Thank You Tamara for doing this, for taking the time to give to the community, our children who are in need.
And with that, I hope you make a donation to this campaign, which is still going on…For further information please visit http://www.gofundme.com/bvpjournals
This has been beauty, brains and blogging approved!
andreinamgarcia 