10/31/2024
Setsu was invited to participate in the "No, I Am Dolores" Poem Project!
I’m excited to share that I’ve been invited by the organizers to participate in the "No, I Am Dolores" Poem Project!
What is the "No, I Am Dolores" Poem Project?
This project was organized by the wonderful, award-winning journalist Yuko Kodama and her daughter Mika from Seattle, Washington. They were moved by the poem, “No, I am Dolores,” written in 2022 by Magdaleno Rose Avila, a human rights activist making an impact in the U.S.
Magdaleno describes the project “…Yuko Kodama and her 15 year old daughter, Mika, took this poem and brought it to life with the grassroots voices of 30 women, capturing many of the wonderful sides and history of Dolores Huerta.”
Yuko has been a highly awarded journalist based in Seattle for over 30 years. She passionately engages with the local community, reaching out directly to those whose voices often go unheard. Through her work, she sheds light on the realities, cultures, and social issues faced by diverse communities.
Who is Dolores Huerta?
Dolores Huerta is one of the most influential labor activists in the U.S. and a leader in the Mexican-American civil rights movement. As a woman and a minority, she has faced discrimination from a young age and has fought for the rights of women, marginalized groups, immigrants, and workers. She continues to advocate for environmental justice, freedom, equality, and peace through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which she founded 20 years ago.
The project organizers, Yuko and Mika, chose Setsu to participate in this wonderful project. Inspired by Dolores Huerta’s work and achievements, Setsu joined 30 women and children to voice her empowering phrase, "Si Se Puede!" (Yes, we can! / Yes, it’s possible! / Yes, it can be done!). Setsu had the honor of sending a heartfelt voice message to Dolores as a part of her contribution.
We encourage everyone to listen to this poem. The poem in the link is narrated in English.
Below is the poem translated into Spanish. You will be able to feel Dolores’s life experiences, her courageous actions, and her many accomplishments.
The courage to take action, the belief that we can change our circumstances, and the importance of compassion for others—the strength that arises from these is the "true strength.”
Living in this world, it is essential for each of us to truly understand our significance. When we raise our voices and take action for ourselves and for the collective good, we can undoubtedly pave the way and achieve what may seem impossible.
The poem: No, I Am Dolores
No, I am Dolores. I am a woman who, like many other women, was born into a society that believed that men were better than women born into a world, where people of color were not considered full citizens. I was born into Dawson New Mexico on April 10th, 1930.
I am Dolores at six years old. My dreams are bigger than the moon. I fight for all the children as a child I wanted to be heard. I wanted people to listen to my heart so I can help to change this world.
No no, I am Dolores, a feminist to the bone and a dreamer of full equality. I want all young girls to know that they're equal in every way, and that we need to ensure that this world of ours recognizes and respects young girls and women so that they can help us to move forward together.
I keep dreams alive. I am Dolores. My children, like so many, have had so many challenges growing up. It's not easy being a young person, but I work hard to keep the dreams alive of all young individuals. Everyone deserves a second chance or perhaps a third chance. They deserve our support every day everywhere.
No, look at me, I am Dolores. I was accused of having someone else write my high school papers. They could not accept that I was a good writer. My teachers could not believe what their eyes were reading and that I had written it, and those teachers should know that I continue to write history by my speeches in my actions.
No, listen, I am Dolores who wants to meet everyone at every event I attend. I want to hear their stories, I want them to know that we need them to stand with me, with us, as we work to make this a better world.
No no no, yo soy Dolores, Chicana warrior, orale Raza I embrace the struggle for Freedom and Justice for all Chicanos and all those who need our voices and actions.
Register this! I am Dolores. I was part of early efforts to register Latinos for Bobby Kennedy and was standing with him on the stage the night he was assassinated. I continued to register voters and also prepare them to become candidates and win to change laws and policies and make them better, and I remind everyone to vote for candidates who represent our values.
No no no, I am Dolores. I am the one who learned how to organize house meetings by the master of organizing Fred Ross Sr. who was a major influence in my life. With his lessons, Cesar Chavez and I organized CSO, the community service organization, and there I began lobbying for the poor changing attitudes and legislation, learning, of course Fred Ross senior's lessons on organizing, which continue to help us all.
No, look at me, I am Dolores, a fighter for judicial reform. I work to eliminate the school to prison pipeline and the unfair judicial processes that targets people of color and the poor, and I know that we must end the death penalty.
No, I am Dolores. Every day it seems like I have more news of the day that I want to share with everyone. Wishing I had my own radio program to announce to the world about the racism and oppression that tries to destroy us, and also at the same time I want to spotlight the women, men and youth who dream the impossible and through hard work and sacrifice, make it a reality.
No, I'm Dolores, co-founder of the UFW along with Cesar Chavez of the historic United Farm Workers Union, and we Latinos joined a strike initiated by Larry Itliong and the Filipino farm workers. We showed the power of farm workers and the power of consumers by organizing successful grape and lettuce boycotts, and winning contracts, improving the lives of workers.
Wait a minute, I am Dolores. I am a warrior for environmental justice. I knew early on about the damage done by herbicides and pesticides to farm workers, farmers, the soil and the consumer. I am fighting for laws that will protect Mother Nature and all her creatures.
Watch what I eat! I am Dolores. I love eating vegetables. It is what mother earth provides for us. There is such a great variety of items growing wild along our rivers in our forests and at amazing organic farms. As a vegetarian, I know that I need this natural medicine, and I know that by changing our diets we can help everyone everywhere have enough to eat.
Orale I am Dolores, who honors our indigenous roots, our sweat lodges, our drum ceremonies, our cleansing with the smoke of sage and with our danzantes aztecas. I too dance with them and send my prayers up to the wind of four directions so that all will fight for justice.
Of course! I am Dolores, protecting the LGBTQ community, knowing that everyone is equal. When we protect their rights, we are ensuring that our rights are protected. All my life I have made sacrifices. I sacrificed my family, my friends, my health, my everything so that I could help to create a better future for everyone.
No, this really is me! I am Dolores, a school teacher who wanted to open the minds of so many students as a teacher. I knew that I could help students to succeed. I knew that I would be a good teacher for all students and now I must inspire not only students, parents but also educators.
I am Dolores. I enjoy reading. I want to read everything every day. I want the news. I want the facts and of course a little fiction now and then it's also good. Reading is as important as water and oxygen to keep us alive.
What? you know I am Dolores. I appreciate the arts, the poets, the artists, the dancers, the singers, muralists, musicians, the comics, who make us laugh. Laughing frees our spirits. I love an artistic and colorful march with full color banners and flags. I love that the arts give us life.
Yes, I am Dolores. I had dreams as a child of becoming a dancer. Music would and does move my heart and my body, and I would have loved to put my body to the test. So please dance with me now all the way into tomorrow.
Let me be clear, I am Dolores. I love music, mariachi, rancheras, hip hop, rock'n'roll, Latino, country, soul, rap and folk. And protest in more than one language. But late at night the music for my soul is jazz, which brings so much that my heart of hearts desires and gives me a chance to breathe deep in dream.
Can't you see that I am Dolores? A peace activist. I believe in nonviolence and do not accept wars as an answer. The damage that wars leave destroys people for years after the last bomb or bullet is used. Peace is a lifestyle we must all embrace and we must promote love.
Take my picture, because I am Dolores. Over my lifetime I have documented my dreams, my work with photos, videos, songs, murals, poems and news articles, creating an archive of the struggle for freedom for generations to come so that they can learn from my journey and do even more.
Si I am Dolores, making Si se Puede, not only a champ but a reality. Even today there are some who say it can't be done, but to them I say yes it can, Si se Puede! But to make it a reality, you must work hard sometimes against incredible odds and never give up.
Everyday, I am Dolores, an organizer in a freedom movement while giving birth to 11 children. I was and I am a mother, organizer and grandmother. Perhaps I should be in the Guinness Book of world records for having the most children while being a full time organizer.
No, at last you will learn that I am Dolores, a founder of the Dolores Huerta foundation who along with my family and friends are building a working model for activists of all colors. For everyone under the sun and moon who want Freedom and Justice, my spirit and work will live on long beyond the time when I have to leave this place and time. And from afar I will continue to whisper to one and all! Si se puede! Yes it can be done! Si se puede! Si se puede!
Yes! I am the Dolores Huerta!
Here is the link to the website: https://www.magdaleno.org/no-i-am-dolores
＊Press play & listen to "No, I Am Dolores."
From 13:31, Setsu joins other participants in saying "Si Se Puede!"
＊Press play & listen to "Participant introductions and messages to Dolores Huerta."
At 6:29, you can hear Setsu's voice message to Dolores.
