Chronicles de la Chicanita Trying to Make It

Originally sent on February 19, 2005

Stop, collaborate, and listen, la chicanita is back with a brand new edition…

Executive Summary
Last week, I was advised to include an executive summary for my chronicles. I sat down and thought about it but concluded that if you don’t have time to read my chronicles, that’s cool. No worries. Until now, my chronicles have been random thoughts that cannot be summarized. I could include a table of contents so you can read only the parts that look interesting. Hmm, hmmm, let me give this summary/table of contents thing more thought. Any other suggestions to improve the chronicles?

Chicanita Chronicles IV: Table of Contents
I. Mid-Atlantic Weather- check my Yahoo Album…..Page 1
II. Inauguration…………………………………………………. Page 2
III. American Law and Life…………………………………..Page 3
IV. PS…………………………………………………………………Page 4
a. Disorder in the American Courts, hee, hee
b. Too Busy for a Friend, hmm, hmm
c. Dear Bushit, hee, hee

In summary, I am doing well.

Mid-Atlantic Weather
On Wednesday, January 19th, I was awakened by a windy ruckus at my window and a lemon-yellow sun surrounded by white powder snow clouds. It was my first DC snow day and it was so beautiful. The first time I frolicked in the snow was back in 1998 in Big Bear. I got a severe sunburn from the reflection off the snow and looked like a pathetic lobster with white spots around my eyes from my chic snow bunny sunglasses. This snow experience was much more satisfying. I wanted to build a snow chicanita but I did not have time to frolic in the snow because I had to write about my court observation. Maybe during the next snowfall. It’s supposed to snow tomorrow, yeah!

We’ve had a couple of nights ranging from 10 degrees to a high of 22 degrees. But a girl’s gotta go out on the town and party. The latest trend is thermal cleavage. Here’s how is works, before you put on your sexy dance top, start with your wonder bra followed by an equally sexy thermal, then top it off with a lacy, silky, or generally skimpy top and you’ll have some major thermal cleavage action going on. Very sexy and you won’t get sick the next day.

Inauguration
This is old news but it’s still news. I went to the inauguration last month and had a blast bidding on social security. A group called Billionaires for Bush held an auction for social security, public education, the Alaskan wilderness, and many other items on Bush’s “to privatize” list. I bid $20 billion dollars on public education but it was not enough. That’s just pocket change for the Halliburtons of the world. As I walked through the streets of DC, I spotted lots of secret police wearing black jumpsuits with bright, orange letters that read “Secret Police”. A fine job of hiding their secret identity. I saw a group of three “rebels” trying to burn the US flag. Many cheered and “patriots” cried. It took a 4th flag burner to get the flame started. How many radicals does it take to defy the law? I saw signs that read, “Mad cowboy disease” and “Bush Lies”. As I walked to the intersection of 14th and F, I spotted a uniformed army of riot police who were mostly black and Latino. The phrase United we stand came to mind.

As I waited to boo the motorcade, a man dressed as Cheney walked by me holding the strings to a another man dressed as a Bush puppet pouring oil over the planet. I stood on a blockade pillar, bracing the icy wind. When the moment came, I booed and was saddened by the realization that I can keep Running against Bush and boo my heart out, but this is our reality for the next 4 years. Then, I ran into Filene’s Basement (a cousin of TJ Maxx) to shop for more cold weather gear. You can never have enough sweaters and scarves in this hood.

American Law
Last fall, a veterana WCL student named Shirley and I co-authored a proposal to host the 9th Annual National Latina/o Law Student Association (NLLSA) Conference at WCL. We recently heard that we were selected to host and now I am the co-chair of the conference, where we expect 500 law students, pre-law students, practitioners, and professors from around the country. I guess the saying is true; ask and you shall receive. Ya me daban ancias por involucrarme en la comunidad, what better way than this conference.

WCL just hired a Latino Professor names Anthony Varona. We did not have any Latino professors on our faculty roster. Que pena! Professor Varona is a cubanito, who was last teaching at Pace Law School in New York. We’ve already got this Profe on board for the conference and sponsoring our Latino projects. Mentorship is so important. Get out there and mentor a high school student or join your local Big Brother/ Big Sister organization.

I just got my grades from last semester and the good news is that I passed all my classes! Yeah, I got some As, I got some Bs, and I got some Cs. I was sweating it for a little bit. This semester is so much more interesting. I am taking Criminal Law and Constitutional Law on top of Property II, Legal Writing and Rhetoric II, and Civil Procedure II. Both of my new profs are gggggreat (like Tony the Tiger would say). I am happy to report that Latino surnames are the most popular in my criminal law book, not as judges or attorneys but as defendants (U.S. v. Hernandez, U.S. v. Marrero). We’ve seen more Latino last names in the last 5 weeks than we saw all of last semester. We’re doing big thangs, big thangs!

A couple of weeks ago, Judges Scalia and Breyer from the US Supreme Court visited our campus. It was a really big deal and the Dean was so excited to host them. To me, they’re just two, old white dudes that hold a whole lot of power in their hands but are not very attractive, personable, or fair in their decisions. But I must say that even when I disagree with them, I see the method to their madness. Controlling a society is a multi-faceted exercise of the brain.

I have two new roommates. La francesa Violane and the tall North Carolina boy, Chris, left at the beginning of the year. Now we have Julia from Belaruse (somewhere near Russia) and Brandon or B from Louisiana. They are both LLM students at WCL and are studying for the Bar. They make me want to be a law student forever.

I have many more chismes but I will stop here. It’s two weeks till Spring Break. The end of my 1st year is near. Very cool. I’ll be working in San Francisco this summer. Yeah! And I am looking forward to the craziness that the NLLSA Conference and the applications, deadlines, interviews, essays, and all the business that comes with being a 2L.

Much love,

National Lucero
everything in DC is national

So chill, till the next episode…

PS
These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who somehow managed not to snicker while these exchanges were taking place.
*******************************

Q: Are you sexually active? A: No, I just lie there.
Q: What is your date of birth? A: July 15th.
Q: What year?A: Every year.
Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?A: A Gucci sweat suit and Reeboks.
Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?A: I forget.
Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you’ve forgotten?
Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can’t remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?A: Forty-five years.
Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up that morning?A: He said, “Where am I, Cathy?”Q: And why did that upset you?A: My name is Susan.
Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo or the occult?
A: We both do.Q: Voodoo?A: We do.Q: You do?A: Yes, voodoo.
Q: Now doctor, isn’t it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn’t know about it until the next morning?A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
Q: So the date of conception [of the baby] was August 8th?A: Yes.Q: And what were you doing at that time?
Q: She had three children, is that correct?A: Yes.Q: How many were boys?A: None.Q: And were there any girls?
Q: How was your first marriage terminated?A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?
Q: Can you describe the individual?A: He was about medium height and had a beard.Q: Was this a male or a female?
Q: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
Q: All of your responses must be oral, OK? Now, what school did you go to?A: Oral.
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him.

Q: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?A: No.
Q: Did you check for blood pressure?A: No.Q: Did you check for breathing?A: No.Q: So it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?A: Because his brain was sitting in a jar on my desk.
Q: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

I got this great email about the election. Que hee, hee!

Dear President Bush: Congratulations on your victory over all us non-evangelicals. Actually, we’re a bit ticked off here in California, so we’re leaving. California will now be its own country. And we’re taking all the Blue States with us. In case you are not aware, that includes Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and all of the Northeast.
We spoke to God, and He agrees that this split will be beneficial to almost everybody, and especially to us in the new country of California. In fact, God is so excited about it, He’s going to shift the whole country at 4:30 p.m. EST this Friday. Therefore, please let everyone know they need to be back in their states by then.
So you get Texas and all the former slave states. We get the Governator, stem cell research and the best beaches. We get Elliot Spitzer. You get Ken Lay. (Okay, we have to keep Martha Stewart; we can live with that.)

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get OpryLand. We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole Miss.

We get 85 percent of America’s venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get all the technological innovation in Alabama.

We get about two-thirds of the tax revenue, and you get to make the Red States pay their fair share.
Since our divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian coalition’s, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms to support, and we know how much you like that.
Did I mention we produce about 70 percent of the nation’s veggies? But heck the only greens the Bible-thumpers eat are the pickles on their Big Macs. Oh yeah, another thing, don’t plan on serving California wine at your state dinners. From now on it’s French wine for you. Ouch, bet that hurts.
Just so we’re clear, the country of California will be pro-choice and anti-war. Speaking of war, we’re going to want all Blue State citizens back from Iraq. If you need people to fight, just ask your evangelicals. They have tons of kids they’re willing to send to their deaths for absolutely no purpose. And they don’t care if you don’t show pictures of their kids’ caskets coming home.
Anyway, we wish you all the best in the next four years and we hope, really hope, you find those missing weapons of mass destruction.

Seriously Soon. Sincerely, California Oh and if you want to force us back, Grant is no longer a general.

Para todos los Freedom Fighters
4th Edition: Chapter 3
The entire staff at the “Chronicles de La Chicanita Trying to Make It” wish you and your entire family super happenin’ happy holidays, y lots of amor, happiness, tacky gifts (it’s inevitable so learn to love it), paz, health, and laughter. Ya llego otro Año Nuevo y seguimos aqui. Un super abrazo para todos and best wishes for 2005.
Please be advised that subscription renewal fees are due on January 1, 2005.

La Law School Life
Last Wednesday, December 1, 2004 was the beginning of the end of my first semester of law school. I was going to make cheesy quinceañera type recuerdos for this special occasion pero nah. Ahora finals, the first of which is Civil Procedure on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 9:00am EST. Then, Property on Friday; Contracts on Tuesday; and finally, Torts on Friday. Two whole weeks of finals.
I feel like a no-name, rookie boxer taking on the heavy weight champion of the world. In my corner I’ve got my te de menta (I can’t afford a water boy) and my flashcards. The Vegas odds are stacked against me. But cheer for the underdog, she’s gonna rock! She’s like a squirrel trying to get a nut, just her fair share, no more, no less. I feel confident about finals; considering that one of the most difficult challenges so far has been the spelling of the word “judgment” as I still think it is spelled judgement with the “e”, like statement. Good thing that spelling is not graded here. But law school is all about privilege and exclusivity. All the study guides, which is where you really learn the law, cost money. If you have money, you are sure to succeed, otherwise you have to work twice as hard. There’s an exclusive language that also creates a barrier between the haves and have-nots. And really, once you decode the language, the concepts make sense after lots of work.

Contracts has been the toughest class for me because there are so many details that don’t make sense. Now I am starting to visualize it as getting dressed in the morning. First, your wanna-be contract gets out of the shower and puts on his boxer-brief “consideration” chonies (the basics). But if he feels like not wearing consideration per se, he can wear his g-string “promissory estoppel”, his boxer “promissory restitution”, or his briefs “UCC statute” and still be cool. If he decides to go commando, then, there’s no contract because there’s no consideration. In the exam, I just gotta look for the chones, y si no hay, no hay contract. You can imagine the rest.

I had a dream last week that caused me so much uneasiness. I was in La Estancia, Nochistlán, Zacatecas, Mexico (a tiny 350 person town) for my wedding. Oh, what a joyous occasion! Or not. My husband to be was a friend of mine who I knew I did not love. “How did I end up being engaged to him?” Throughout the dream I felt this immense pressure about going through with the ceremony, “you can’t say no, you can’t say no,” even though I knew it wasn’t right. But I kept fighting with myself, “why do you feel this pressure to marry him? You don’t live in the same city and he’s in school across the country, how is this marriage ever going to work?” Aaaahhh, the agony. But I felt an obligation and I knew I could not back out. As I kept questioning myself, I realized that the pressure wasn’t about breaking this guy’s heart, rather it was my fear of breaching my contracts with the florist, the band, the cake maker, the church, etc. because I don’t get contracts! It was a nightmare! But I woke up laughing because I think it’s hilarious that this stuff haunts me even in my dreams. I am sure Freud would have another interpretation, but what does he know, he’s dead.

It’s official, we have no Latino Professors at WCL. Booo. We are currently interviewing candidates for professorships and I’ve been attending in hopes of finding a great Latin@ to come on board and represent. Does anybody have suggestions? Our law school was probably a former office building, because it only has one access point and one set of elevators for six stories (I don’t even wait for the elevator anymore, I am all about the stairs); making it feel like a little pressure cooker. The newest chismes in the rumor mill are about the law school couples, is it serious? Didn’t he say he had a girlfriend back home? You know, the dating drama. More importantly, who has dropped out and who will be next? Why do I feel their peripheral vision targeted at me? Maybe it’s just paranoia. In 2014, when people ask me how I became such a bad ass attorney, I am gonna say, “It was my amazing study group. For Torts, I studied with Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Chente, Kanye West y los Red Hot Chiles; for Contracts with the men of Depeche Mode and Inspector; for Civil Procedure con CafeTa, La Maldita, The Cure, and the entire collection de La Ley; and for Property with Elvis Crespo, Olga Tañon, Dr. Dre, Snoop, and Tupac.” There’s no going wrong with that bunch.

DC Livin’
I am still jogging against Bush; great for my health, but not so good for the health of the country. hhmmm, let’s weigh individual interests v. community interests. Our kids will continue being left behind in education; forget about green cards unless you want to be in the army; and our economy will continue to deteriorate, but my solace is that I will look hmm, hmm good in my summer outfits.

Oigan (listen you guys), what’s going on in Aztlan? I leave for three months and all of a sudden, it’s late November and I am getting reports that the West Coast is way colder than the East Coast. Weird. What’s that about? And then, they lift the embargo on Mexican aguacates. And then they’re trying to make Arnie president. And finally, when did Adam Sandler become chicano? And who gave him the right to make a movie called Spanglish, which should really be eSpanglish, que no? I don’t know what to expect upon my return to San Jo on December 18th. All I need is for my momma to greet me wearing an “I love Bush” t-shirt and her NRA member cap.

El brrrrr sabroso that we enjoyed through November has become an artic chill. I am expecting to see penguins when I return from winter break cuz it’s getting colder by the minute. The leaves have turned all sorts of spectacular colors and are now decomposing in pumpkin colored trash bags. And their falling has given way to the real satanas winds. It usually takes me about 5 minutes to walk to school but lately I’ve been forced to slow down and look on as the wind swing dances with the leaves, falling branches, and small cats. Ok, the wind is not so strong as to pick up cats but if I were a cat, I would stay inside and not take any chances.

We share the vents with three undergrads that live in the first floor apartment and those homies are always smokin’ out. So of coarse we’re always getting the smoke and the munchies. All we need is a raid to be disbarred, even before we get barred. (My biggest fear is that the ABA (Am. Bar. Assoc.) will bar jaywalking, which would absolutely crush my career.) In one of my many munchie manias, I found a great place that makes licuados de nuez, walnut milkshakes. But they don’t have licuados de melon, which are my favorite, estilo DF and Doreens. A friend of mine brought me tamales, with the perfect amount of manteca, from his trip to Aztlan for turkey day. I was reminiscing about taco Thursdays at the little place in front of MALDEF and made my own taquitos de papa con guacamole, hhhmmm good but they weren’t the same. I miss the grease. I dream of Cali…

I’ve been living in a bubble but I am really grateful for this semester. I’ve really appreciated the pleasures of slowing down. I’ve learned so much about myself through chilling and focusing on one thing but I need the madness back in my life. Next semester I am planning to get back into the mix. I am going to be more involved with the Hispanic Latino Law Student Assoc. b/c we need to do more as a community of future Latino attorneys. (My biggest fear is that the ABA (Am. Bar. Assoc.) will bar jaywalking, which would absolutely crush my career.) In one of my many munchie manias, I found a great place that makes licuados de nuez, walnut milkshakes. But they don’t have licuados de melon, which are my favorite, estilo DF and Doreens. A friend of mine brought me tamales, with the perfect amount of manteca, from his trip to Aztlan for turkey day. I was reminiscing about taco Thursdays at the little place in front of MALDEF and made my own taquitos de papa con guacamole, hhhmmm good but they weren’t the same. I miss the grease. I dream of Cali…

I’ve been living in a bubble but I am really grateful for this semester. I’ve really appreciated the pleasures of slowing down. I’ve learned so much about myself through chilling and focusing on one thing but I need the madness back in my life. Next semester I am planning to get back into the mix. I am going to be more involved with the Hispanic Latino Law Student Assoc. b/c we need to do more as a community of future Latino attorneys. This year’s governing body has left much to be desired… I am looking into possible internships at Ayuda, a non-profit working with domestic violence issues and immigrants’ rights; Casa de Maryland, which is part of the DREAM Act campaign, also works on immigrants’ rights; and of coarse MALDEF in DC. But there’s no going back to the UCLA burn out days. Life is too short.

Drum Roll Please…
2004 has been a memorable year. You never know where the wind will blow. I am thankful for the upcoming holidays with la familia. Thanks to all of you for listening and thanks for all your responses. Imagine a huge purple ribbon around this email, which contains all my wishes for you and your loved ones.

Exciting news: I have a new freckle (which is weird cuz I am always indoors)… and will be celebrating the “welcome to the face” party soon. You’re all invited! In addition, I just decided that I am gonna have a marimba band play at my wedding (insert Flippo comment, “if you ever get married”). Now that that has been decided, I can focus my full attention on law school.

Start sacrificing chickens and making mole or BBQ, or whatever you enjoy but please pray that the universe will be with me on every Tuesday and Friday for the next 2 weeks. Your collective prayers are much appreciated.

Good luck to everyone taking finals, especially the first timers. This (2 weeks of finals) is for la raza,

Lucero

Talking God, Tony Hillerman
Through the doorway which led from her receptionst-secretary’s office into her own, Catherine Morris Perry instantly noticed the box on her desk. It was bulky-perhaps three feet long and almost as high…
“Where’d that come from?” Catherine asked, indicating the box.
“Federal Express,” Markie said. “I signed for it.”
“Am I expecting anything?”
“Not that you told me about…” …
With her free hand Catherine Perry was slicing the tape away with the letter opener. She thought that this box was probably a result of that story in the Washington Post. Any time the museum got into the news, it reminded a thousand old ladies of things in the attic that should be saved for posterity. Since she was quoted, one of them had sent this trash to her by name. What would it be? A dusty old butter churn? A set of family albums?
“You got a message from somebody in the anthropology division. I put her name on the slip. Wants you to call. Said it was about the Indians wanting their skeletons back.”
“Right,” Catherine said. She pulled open the top flaps. Under them was a copy of the Washington Post, folded to expose the story that had quoted her. Part of it was circled in black.
MUSEUM OFFERS COMPROMISE IN OLD BONE CONTROVERSY
The title irritated Catherine. There had been no compromise. She has simply stated the museum’s policy. If an Indian tribe wanted the ancestral bones returned, it had only to ask for them and provide some acceptable proof that the bones in question had indeed been taken from a burial ground … She glanced at the circled paragraph.
“Ms. Catherine Perry, an ATTORNEY for the museum and its spokesperson on this issue, said the demand by the Paho Society for the reburial of the museum’s entire collection of more than 18,000 Native American skeletons was ‘simply not possible in light of the museum’s purpose.’
“She said the museum is a research institution as well as a gallery for public display, and that the museum’s collection of ancient human bones is a potentially important source of anthropological information. She said that Mr. Highhawk’s suffection that the museum take plaster casts of the skeletons and rebury the originals was not practical ‘both because of research needs and because the public has the right to expect authenticity and not to be shown mere reproductions.’”
The clause “the right to expect authenticity” was underlined. Catherine Morris Perry frowned at it, sensing criticism. She picked up the newspaper. Under it, atop a sheet of brown wrapping paper, lay an envelope. Her name had been written neatly on it. She opened I and pulled out a single sheet of typing paper. While she read, her idle hand was pulling away the layers of wrapping paper which had separated the envelope from he contents of the box.
Dear Mrs. Perry,
You won’t bury the bones of our ancestors because you say the public has the right to expect authenticity in the museum when it comes to look at the skeletons. Therefore I am sending you a couple of authentic skeletons of ancestors. I went to the cemetery in the woods behind the Episcopal Church of Saint Luke. I used authentic anthropological methods to locate the burials of authentic white Anglo types … and to make sure they would be perfectly authentic, I chose two whose identities you can personally confirm yourself. I ask that you accept these two skeletons for authentic display to your clients and release the bones of to of my ancestors so that they may be returned to their rightful place in Mother Earth. The names of these two authentic—
Mrs. Bailey was standing beside her now. “Honey,” she said. “What’s wrong?” Mrs. Bailey paused. “There’s bones in that box,” she said. “All dirty, too.”
Mrs. Morris Perry put the letter on the desk and looked into the box. From underneath a clutter of what seemed to be arm and leg bones, a single empty eye socket stared back at her. She noticed that Mrs. Bailey had picked up the letter. She noticed dirt. Damp ugly clods had scattered onto the polished desk top. “My God,” Mrs. Bailey said. “John Neldine Burgoyne. Jane Burgoune Weren’t those— Aren’t these your grandparents?”

Long-Weekend Edition of the Chronicles de la Chicanita Trying to Make It

As the majority of Americans take a three-day weekend to Remember/Celebrate our Indigenous Roots, I will be in class for seven hours (my longest day of the week). As the year begins to wind down, these Chronicles will be a point of reflection going into the last quarter of 2004.

Welcome new subscribers!

East Coast vs. West Coast
Check it, check it… it was all dream, to think that this chicanita could be a law student is DC. My present reality hit me on Week 7 of 15, during a workshop on outlining for final exams… wait, what, I have law school exams in two months, but, but…

The temptation to get involved in 101 activities for una metiche chismosa (gossiping busy-body) like me is great but I am not here for the no cover charge clubs, free concerts, museums, conferences, or dinners. I am here to kick bootie in law school. This is what I must tell myself on a regular basis being in DC, the city de free loaders. As far as school is concerned, I finally found an onda for studying that has given me more confidence and has relieved some of the stress off the shoulders, where are my momma’s massages when I need them, oh yeah, back in Cali. I’ve been able to get one study-free day each week by maximizing my 9-5 schedule, taking a three to four hour break and then hitting the library for another four hours. Once you learn law school and the practice of law is about time management, dedication, and reverting back to a three-year old who asks “WHY?” every five minutes, it’s all good.

With 7 weeks of law school under my belt, I can honestly say that our legal system tends to be unfair more often than not. The very foundation of many of our institutions come from notions of justice based on injustice, super subjective ideas of objectivity, and lots o’ exclusion and discrimination that have carried over into modern day. I may find some relief to my current sense of confusion as the year progresses but take the standard of the reasonable man… first and foremost, it’s called the reasonable MAN standard, aahhheeeemmmm, and it points to “logical” behavior that reasonable people should undertake in society but it accounts little for cultural, religious, or class differences.

Informal Chicanita SURVEY: What do YOU think… would a reasonable man save a drowning person? Should we as a society hold people responsible for other human life? Is that reasonable?

We read an article about a photographer who published a book of drowning victims, never stopping his flash to save the person whose death he was profiting from. Is that reasonable? Should he face any legal repercussions for letting someone die when he could’ve saved them? How does that play into the idea of community? Is our legal system guided by economic principle more than anything else? How does that work in with capital punishment?

Here’s a shovel, can you dig it?

I have so many questions and I am giving the FBI and CIA so many reasons to put me on a no-fly list and raid my house (Hi FBI/Patriot Act/Homeland Security email readers). Share your thoughts, what do you think about this issue? And for the lawyers out there, what can I do to begin working it all out?

I digressed somewhat… so there’s a ton of free activities and networking opportunities in DC, especially during Latino/Hispanic History Month (Sept. 15- Oct. 15). As tempted as I have been to represent ya’ll at each one of these, I have limited my outings. But two events I could not pass up were a free concert de Olga Tañon, a super merenguera from Puerto Rico and the grand opening of the Museum for the American Indian, where Lila Downs performed but I wasn’t there b/c I was (all together now) studying. Both are must sees.

Coming from LA, where only the smoggy air is free, it’s nice to go to an event and only spend for the metro fare. Some other points of difference between LA and DC include accident clean up and celebrities. I don’t usually get star struck, even though I am always up on celebrity gossip while I wait in line at the supermarket, yes I am the girl that goes to the longest line just to read People and US. I also must admit that the only time I was super star struck was when I ran into pre-American Idol Paula Abdul who I loved as a shortly, I almost peed my pants. Ok, back to the mission at hand, we spotted Condi Rice (yes, the real First Lady, well in her mind anyways, according to Boondocks) exiting the building in front of the law school. It brought some of us to standstill, and that was that, what was the point of this comment? So the other day there was a car accident right in front of mi casa, and NO, I was not involved in causing it. But I was one of the first people out there trying to find contributory negligence, law school does change the way you look at the world. There were no serious injuries but the accident took more than 5 hours to clear up. Ambulances must have taken over an hour to show up… another hour to check the victims… and then the tow trucks, all in all, it was the slowest accident response ever. They would get lynched if they tried to pull a movida like that in Cali. Having been in an accident, I do appreciate the efficiency of highway patrol and tow trucks in Cali, my accident state of choice.

DC is also known as the murder capitol of the U.S. and by watching the news, you could swear the population will be extinct in a few months. Funny for a place where guns are outlawed. Maybe it’s the outlaw of guns. Makes a girl feel like she can’t trust anyone in this place and essentially that is the advice that I have received from many DC veterans, hmmm, what if they’re the ones I can’t trust? But I have found some great people.

I received an email about Las Comadres de América, a national networking group for Latinas, which provides great resources for getting situated in your city and access to more FREE social activities. I recommend it to all the mujeres out there, especially if you are an out of towner wherever you live. I’ve also joined a jogging group called Running against Bush. Imagine, thirty to forty people running down the street with t-shirts that say Run against Bush, what a great visual, no? It impacted me as soon as I say it. También hay some cool cats in the law school but I’ve had moments where I think to myself,

“What am I doing here? I am a non-smoking, tea drinking Latina in a Caucasian, smoking, coffee drinker’s world, how do I reconcile these differences?”

VOTE or DIE
If P. Diddy is able to vote, y’all have no excuses to get off your booties and vote.
#1 REGISTER to vote in person or get absentee ballots that you can fill out in the privacy of your own home. But with absentee ballots, I don’t think you get the cool “I voted” stickers or the free cookies. For more information and to register, visit Southwest Voter Registration at www.svrep.org, call 1 800 404 VOTE, and for Cali folks visit www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm This week is the last opportunity to register in many places. Remember that if you missed the deadline to vote at a polling place, you may be in time to vote via absentee ballot. Make sure to REGISTER!

#2 BE INFORMED. Ya’ll know who I am not voting for but it’s important to know why you vote for who you vote for… Turn to alternative media, don’t base your decisions on mainstream media alone, and make an informed decision. Ask “WHY?” Do we really have a democracy? Does a two-party system really give us options for true representation? Why is the current U.S. President a billionaire when most of us will work harder but will never reach a substantial fraction of his wealth? What does a billionaire know about growing up in a society that treats you like an inferior being, on welfare, in a single parent home, as a third world refugee in the third world community in a first world country? Why do we support programs called Food for Oil? How does all of this political drama even matter in the big picture? The questions are endless but action is important.

#3 VOTE on November 2nd of THIS year. It’s a Tuesday. It’s el día de los muertos.

HOME
I am currently looking for sponsorship from the makers of Hot Flaming Cheetos, anybody got a contact there? Like anyone living 3,000 away from home, I miss my loved ones and the little things that make my life enjoyable. Things like playing with the wind while driving down the freeway, the drum circle at sunset in Venice, familiar faces, and hot flaming cheetos. I’ve never been a huge fan of this tangy treat but lately I’ve been craving them like no other. And sadly enough, I had to visit three different stores and ask all sorts of people before I found them at 7-11, next to the slurpees, hhhmm. Funny how I felt less homesick while I was licking my fingers and slurping away at blue ice. I must say it was a good day!

The things I appreciate the most are being able to wash my clothes in the middle of the week (I’ve never had a free washer in my house before); having my own room but also being able to be silly with my housemates in our living room; getting random, lil’ “hello, watcha’ doing?” emails; making time to write in my journal; cooking every meal; knowing my family is armed with a smile and that’s all they need; and being able to roll out of bed, go to class, come home, eat, take a shower, go back to class, study at the library… the routine.

HOW TO BE THE BEST YOU?
I really liked the Motorcycle Diaries, go see it tonight (it’s a holiday weekend, support Latino cine). I watched the movie with a group of friends from across Latin América, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Atlán, Perú, Colombia, and even France, and Moldova. That was way cool!

I also finished reading Republic of East LA by Luis Rodríguez. Buy it at Cultura Latina Bookstore, support independent bookstores) and read it. I tried to start a book club once upon a time and it didn’t seem to work. Anyone interested now? I will need more time than usual though, k, unless ya’ll wanna read 800 page law books with me J

Lately, I’ve been attending a series of workshops about how to be the best you. It deals mostly with time management, study skills, and stress management. The best workshop has been about tuning into yourself and working on your strengths. Asking questions like, What inspires me? What makes me happy? When do I make time for myself? What are my strengths? It’s all very interesting. If you’re interested, visit www.authentichappiness.com to do a strengths evaluation (some of you may remember this from CBOP/Education Class at UCLA with that one Prof with the funny beer belly)

Feedback is great. What’s going through your head right now… three weeks before the 2004 presidential election, as the Fall sets in, as Wal-Mart moves to build a superstore in Teotihuacan, as those of you in my generation savor adulthood, as Halloween is right around the corner (who’s dressing up? I think I am gonna go with Chilindrina this year. Carri, you wanna be las dos chilindrinas?) Holla’ back ya’ll!

I leave you with a quote, by Anne Lammott, that I received on a random email about voting but the quote is not about voting,

“Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen, widen and expand our sense of life; they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again.”

Un abrazo (Hugs),
La Chicanita esq, Lucero :)

Welcome to the Chronicles de la Chicanita Trying to Make It, an interactive, easy to read series of emails from your favorite chicanita trying to make it. Started in 1999, these chronicles have followed our chicanita from San Jose to Los Angeles to Italy and Mexico City. Our fourth installment finds our freckly protagonist in Washington DC for law school, the ultimate challenge and possibly the premise of the next hit reality show, extreme law school.

Your free subscription offers you anecdotes, pictures, random thoughts, and privileged contact with the bookworm chica. DC will not be like Siena’s Chianti nights, formaggio (cheese) filled meals, and Italian men in tight ass jeans around every corner (“Ciao bella!” still rings in her ears, grazie, prego) or the always vibrant DF, where after 6 months a friend described Lucero as cihuacoatl, nahuatl for mujer serpiente, snake woman, having shed many colonized notions of self and fear. She will not be backpacking through jungles or beaches or working side by side with empowered colleagues and community leaders to make a difference. DC will not be like Los Angeles; her home away from home, her alma mater, her foundation as she spread her wings. DC is scary because it is the first adult decision ever de nuestra Chicanita.

And now, without further ado, our chicanita speaks…

Week 2 of law school starts in 11 hours, precisely at 10:30 am EST with Professor May in Contracts Class. Lucky for me, I live in the NW section of the city, an upper class hood, just 5 minutes away from WCL (Washington College of Law de American University. We’re the Eagles, it’s all very patriotic.) Every day on my way to class, I run into women of color walking the future conservatives of this country around the block. You can change the location but not the situation.

I live in a 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 3 story, old red brick, Victorian era pad with a great backyard. My housemates are all very different.

First, there’s Michael, the sixth new kid on the block. He’s from Connecticut with the New England accent, New York bark and bite, and heart of gold. He’s a third generation italiano, speaks the language way well, and a 2L at American Law.

Michelle is from San Diego, a 1L like me, very studious and politically involved. She likes chocolate and is a great study buddy. Her parents are Jewish-French-Canadian.

Violaine is a WCL alumni who is now working on democracy projects in the Caribbean and former Soviet states. She’s from France, loves 80’s music, and keeps a tight watch over the use of lights and dishes. She’s the oldest in the house and the oldest tenant.

Finally, there’s Tomo from Japan, who is leaving next month. He takes two showers a day and spends a whole lot more time in the bathroom than the rest of us combined. A homie from North Carolina named Chris, who is pursuing a MA in forensic science, will be taking his place. We’ll see what he’s all about soon enough.

There are a lot of mosquitos in DC and they’re all part of the welcoming committee or a friendly bunch because I’ve gotten all sorts of bites, booo. In packing my two carry-on and two checked bags, I was careful to bring clothes that I could layer but I did not pack for this humidity or the mosquitos. It’s intense. But the alternative of spending all day in AC is not appealing tampoco. I love all the greenery in DC. I am surrounded by all sorts of parks and the streets are all line with beautiful trees. I hear the fall is an amazing display of color. You’ll hear more about DC in our bi-weekly or monthly editions (depending on the rigors of school).

Week 1 of law school was much more interesting and relaxing than I imagined. I have a fixed schedule this year and this semester I am taking: Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure, Property, and Legal Writing and Rhetoric. I have three female and two male professors. Two of my professors are African American. I have not yet come across any Latino professors in my classes or the law school but the Dean is from Chile. My incoming class has about 400 students, including part-timers and we are all divided into sections of 90. In my section of 90, I am 1 of 4 Latin@s, there are like 4 African American students, 5 Indian students (from India), and like 9 Asian students. The rest of them are from White America. It’s a total trip. My entire class is said to be 30% students of color and 60% women. The awesome part is that the majority of my classmates have traveled abroad and speak more than one language. Many of them are interested in Human Rights work and the school tries to foster a sense of community. There was even a story about a mujer who lost her laptop last year and her section pitched in to help her get a new one. The workload is intense enough without having to worry about sabotage and unfriendly folks.

For the first time since I can remember, I have time for myself. I go to class, study at the library for a while, come home and make dinner, study some more, but I still have time to listen to music, paint, talk on the phone, and even watch TV. I don’t know how long that will last but if I am able to be productive during my 9-5 daily schedule, I can afford to take one day off on the weekends without touching a book. All through high school, UCLA, and even MALDEF, I did not make enough of an effort to chill, read for pleasure, listen to jams, etc. and now I have time. I have been weirded out all week. I came to law school expecting to be crazy stressed and for the first time in a long time, I am not stressed. Again, this could all change starting at 10:30am tomorrow but for now I am going to enjoy it.

As subscribers, you’ll journey with me down the treacherous road to “making it”. One of our subscribers has suggested that I change the name to the Chronicles of a Chicanita In the Process of Making It, but “making it” is far more complex than graduating from UCLA and being accepted to law school (WCL was ranked 55 by US News in 2004 and 47 in 2005, just in case your were interested).

Feel free to contact me; I love to get feedback and news (chisme) from home. I am also trying to become more tech-savvy (FINALLY!!! says Flippo, my software engineer brother) and am starting with the wonders of instant messaging so if you’re an IMer, add me. Send me your names, even if you’re not on Yahoo. I heard there’s a free, all-inclusive IM service which I plan to use. I’ll let you all know once I find out.

This year has been tough for many of us but we have to make the best of every situation. Good luck with all your adventures.

A huge hug from the East Coast,
Lucero :)