The explosions wake me up at night. I'm back in the war. I almost roll off the bed to lie on the floor.The enemy is at it again. Mortar rounds. Then a shriek, a blast as the 75mm recoilless rifle round lands close. I'm caught in the open, in between waking and dreaming. It only lasts a moment. I wake up. I remember. It's the preliminaries for the 4th of July. Bottle rockets and the thick firecrackers that look like sticks of dynamite. Fireworks, just fireworks. The neighborh

March 31 is the birthday of Cesario Estrada Chavez, the Chicano labor union organizer who gained fame in the 1960's and 70's for his achievements in the farm fields of California and the five-year-long grape boycott. After service in the U.S. Navy, Cesar, with Dolores Huerta and other activists, created the United Farm Workers, the UFW, the first viable agricultural worker union in the country. The UFW is eclipsed now, but it did have a strong impact on worker rights in the U

I teach American Ethnic Studies, an academic discipline which gave rise to the current bugaboo, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. DEI unfortunately is grossly misunderstood. Those three letters are enough to scare lots of people. Because it's perceived as un-American and dangerous, the Trump administration has banned DEI. The ban has made Trump even more popular than he was before January 20. Trump, of course, can infallibly read the public mood. When DEI is proposed the rea

Introduction These three words, individually, are powerful nouns. When they are combined as a set, the meaning evokes an optimistic outlook and high expectations of how individuals should be welcomed into their respective and corporate role as a person within the institution or organization. Fostering an inclusive organization that values diversity and equity is an ongoing challenge. Unfortunately, in some instances, it has been interpreted as imposing quotas and simply fol

Americano There’s no room for tears today Believe in your heart Don’t have to be a soldier To fight against injustice Americano There’s no room for fear today Raise up your forehead You can make a difference In our troubled society Americano There’s no room for hate today In our troubled minds This is time to link our hands To strive hard for our future Americano There’s no room for doubt today These times need your voice These times need your clear vision These times n