The poem "We Would Like You to Know" from Ana Castillo's book "My Father Was a Toltec" triumphantly dismantles stereotypes and misconceptions about Latinos living in the United States.
We asked our groups to similarly attack the stereotypes surrounding their race or ethnicity, country of origin, clique, socio-economic group, age, gender or neighborhood – and to speak directly to those who might stereotype or dismiss them.
We would like you to know,
because tears are always falling
down our faces,
that doesn't mean we will soon have
rivers in our houses.
We would like you to know,
even though our hearts are
always being broken by
the ones we love,
that doesn't mean our hearts
are going to stop beating.
We would like you to know
that every beat down we receive,
at the end our heads are high,
and our eyes are shining, with
purple all around them.
We would like you to know
that if you would stop mistreating us,
you wouldn't end up lonely somewhere,
and you would know
what pain is.
Susan Ramirez
Age 18
Second Chance Alternative High School
We would like you to know
that we do not gangbang
just for the heck of it.
We want you to know,
a lot of times humans are forced
to do things they don’t want to do.
We weren’t born with a future
planned out, a future that said
when we were older,
we were going to Harvard.
We want you to know,
we aren’t the worst people in society.
We want you to know
we have feelings too,
and we do get all the
doors shut in our faces.
We do not see a way out.
We would like you to know
we did have dreams once,
and because we made a mistake or two,
we didn’t get another chance.
We want you to know
our parents died when we were small.
We want you to know
we got raped at twelve.
We want love from someone.
We never knew what it was like,
having someone to call mom or dad.
We want you to know
we would have loved
to have someone who cared
what time we came home.
We want you to know
our bad influences
are our only company.
Monserrat Mondragón
Age 18
Second Chance Alternative High School
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