Hello everyone.
I'm writing to you today after one of the most horrific events that has ever happened in my hometown of El Paso, Texas. Many of you may not have known that I am from ELP, and I am posting about it today to inform those who don't know plus those who may be expecting a review or two from me this week. However, I am also posting in memoriam to those who lost their lives this past weekend and to offer myself a little space to get out some of my thoughts. Born and raised in El Paso, I can tell you that El Paso is different than most cities in the United States. Everyone may say that about their hometown, but I can say that we honestly are different. Crime here has always been so low that we have constantly been at the top of the list for safest cities in the United States. Being so close to our sister city, Juarez, Mexico has not caused our crime rate to go up. Anyone who comes to El Paso can tell you that they have been welcomed with open arms, much love, and respect. So, you can see why the news of an outsider, someone not of our city, driving hours upon hours just to come and target Hispanics can cause so much emotion in our community. We are predominantly made up of Hispanics in El Paso. I am Mexican American. It truly is heinous to feel hated for the most basic "label" of who you are. I am tired of the outright freedom people have with their hate. I am sad, and I am outraged at what has happened to my city. But what this murderer didn't know is that El Paso is stronger than anything he can stand for with his hate. El Paso is a family, a community, and it will only become stronger and more resilient in the wake of this tragedy. I will also be sharing this post on my other blog, Book Fidelity, which is where I post about my books. Books have become my solace during this time for when I need a break from feeling scared and crying. I ask that you hug those you love a little tighter, but I also ask that you stand up, not just for El Paso, but for every city where there has been a mass shooting. Because unlike illness and accidents - mass shootings are something we can help prevent. We're not going to do it with more security and guns. It has to happen with the lawmakers caring about the people who vote for them. People need to care about people. Please take time to truly think about how you would react in this situation. I never thought it could happen here, and here we are.
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Hey there! I apologize (to the universe?) for leaving this blog so neglected. Time management will forever be an ongoing life lesson for me it seems. I'll try my best to become more involved in my blog because it's important to me to connect to myself and to people who are interested in my creative journey. I recently was involved in the El Paso Punk Rock Flea Market and it was a great space to be in. I'm still feeling so validated and encouraged when people enjoy my artwork and crafts. I'm playing with the idea of starting a Patreon with really simple tiers (tier, if I'm able to). Art is, sadly, not my main source of income and therefore, it cannot be my only focus. But - I need to be creative in my life. It feels wrong if I'm not.
So, if you're reading this - thank you. Please feel free to connect with me - on here or through my social media! |