The People's Spa: Reclaiming Relaxation and Cultivating Collective-Care!

When you hear the word 'Spa' what do you think?  Privileged people with tons of money wrapped in white towels, relaxing while throngs of people tend to their every wish and smear them with mud and honey?  That's what I used to think a spa was.  Til I went to one with a friend.  And then another.  I've been to two and we *worked it*!  $40 a day may seem pricey if you don't have loads of money kicking around, but if you go for 8 hours, that's only $5/hour!  And if you go with friends where everyone brings a homemade bodycare product or two for the group, gives each other shoulder massages, and brings food to share (I recommend finger food over soup and crumbly chocolate cake!), then you can get a full spa experience on the cheap.  

But you can only get to the spa so often.  And that's what we were brainstorming about, at the spa in deep winter when just being in a 70 degree space felt luxurious, even without the cucumber water and warm waterfall.  How can we take the spa out of the - well, spa, and put it (back) in the hands of the people?  So many folks we know that really should be there can't take the time off work or school, get childcare and transportation, spend the $40, etc.  And that's when the People's Spa was born.  We brainstormed a spa based on mutual support and respect.  Accessible and affordable - maybe even free?!  Where everyone serves and is served.  Where ingredients come from ethical sources, from the abundant plants growing in gardens and fields close to home, or from farms far away where the people and land are treated well. Where the relaxation practices are grounded and culturally respectful (rather than recklessly profiting off of the cultures and resources of communities of color near and far). Where all body shapes, sizes, colors, genders, and abilities are welcomed and honored.

I see the People's Spa, practiced collectively or in solitude, as an important aspect of encouraging a culture of self-care, collective-care, and community health.  I do understand when people say that we need to take care of ourselves in order to be able to take care of others.  That we need to put the oxygen mask on ourselves (to use the airplane analogy), before helping others with theirs.  But this message just seems to reinforce that some people are meant to be care-givers and endlessly put their own needs last.  I don't want to feel that I have to justify taking an evening for myself to unwind and give myself a foot bath, by saying it's so that I'll be able to work harder tomorrow.  I think it's important that we value self-care for self-care's sake.  Obviously I'm not going to just stay home forever and indulge in a 24-7 herbal spa. But I don't think the far-too-common flip side of this, of not knowing how to stop, of going non-stop and not taking time to celebrate our victories and accomplishments, of tending to everyone else's needs first, is healthy either.  Giving ourselves and each other the space and encouragement to take a rest every now and then, and having the self-awareness to know when we need a break, can help us to rejuvenate so that we can be in it for the long-haul.  Yes, it makes us better community organizers/ activists, herbalists/health care providers, parents/caregivers, etc.  And it also steps away from the capitalist, ableist, workaholic culture where time is money and there's never enough of either, we're forced to work far beyond our physical and emotional limits, and the meaning of life is to be productive every waking moment.  

Cultivating a culture of care extends beyond our personal good-feelings (being grounded, relaxed, inspired, etc), and builds stronger community organizations and neighborhoods, and allows us to be more present with each other and ourselves.  Nurturing an atmosphere that balances work and play, that values relationships and the process/journey (rather than just numbers) helps to prevent burn-out and sustains us for the long haul.

We don't need to pay loads of money to go to a fancy spa or take a trip far away at a resort in order to relax.  We don't have to wait til the revolution comes, or even til the next big event/ campaign is finished.  We can take a moment this evening, or maybe even right now.  Using supplies that we may already have access to, we can create a simple spa right in the space that we're at.

Here are some recipes for relaxation concoctions that you can make yourself, or get together with some friends/family and do it together!  (You can also purchase some of these products through my online DandelionessHerbals Etsy shop).  These recipes are intended to spark ideas, not be requirements for your at-home spa!  Feel free to keep it simple.  Water is healing, nothing more is needed for a relaxing footbath.  Open your cupboards and spice rack and experiment with what you have.  Get together with friends and family to make relaxing creations together, or come to a hands-on workshop tomorrow and bring some spa items home with you!

Along with the recipes, there is also a report back with photos from our first People's Spa held in Spring 2012 in Montpelier, Vermont (U.S.).

Spa Recipes (aka Spaaahhhhhh Recipes) :

-Bath Fizzies 
-Bath Salts and Salt Scrub
-Eye Soothers: cucmber slices, chamomile tea bags, and chilly spoons
-How to do a Foot Bath or Hand Soak


Bath Fizzies

1 cup Baking soda
½ cup Non-GMO Cornstarch
½ cup Citric acid (often available at coops.      and pharmacies)
4 tablespoons Coconut, Grapeseed, Almond,
   Olive, or another oil
2 tablespoon Distilled Water or Hydrosol  
   (flower water)
Essential oils, 10-20 drops
Dried herbs, optional
Flower essences, optional

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl, mix liquids, and then drizzle onto dry ingredients little by little, slowly while stirring together.  Fizzy!  If the texture is too crumbly to stay together, add more of the oil/water mixture, little by little, until it holds.  Shape into balls or press in oiled molds.  Let them sit on waxed paper for 2-3 hours, reshape if needed.  Let them harden 24-48 hours, depending on the weather.  Store in a closed container.  Use a fizzy in your bathtub or footbath.  I like to use coconut oil in this recipe, which in this climate, usually needs to be warmed to turn from solid into liquid.  The balls seem to harden faster than with other oils, and it leaves your skin feeling really silky.  If you'd like to use dried herbs, such as rose petals (in the photo above), I've found that it's easier to form balls if you moisten the dried herbs in the oil/water mixture and incorporate them when adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  (You may know Bath Fizzies as Bath Bombs.  Demilitarize our language!  Demilitarize the Border!  Demilitarize the Bathtub!)

Bath Salts and Body Scrubs

Love It Up! Rose Salt Scrub with Sea Salt,
Rose-petal infused Coconut oil, Jojoba oil

You can make your own bath salts with sea salt, Epsom salts, baking soda, and herbs, individually or in combination.  People have bathed in these minerals for many generations for their soothing, cleansing, and drawing properties.  It’s really nice to prepare bath salts and keep them in a jar near the tub, so that after a long day when you need to slip into a bath or unwind with a footbath, they are ready and waiting for you.  
  
Crush, grind up, or leave whole your favorite bathing herbs and add them to your salts.  Add two to four tablespoons of dried herbs per cup of salts.  If using fresh herbs and flowers, simply layer the plants and salts.  Chamomile, Calendula, and Roses soothe and soften the skin.  Ginger, Rosemary, and Peppermint relieve sore muscles and are potent, especially when dried, so start with less in your bath.  To use, simply add a handful or two of your herbal salts to your bathwater, and relax.  When you are finished with your bath, it’s best to bundle up and keep warm.  

(Do remember that everyone’s body is different, and these salts may be drying and the herbs may be powerful, so if you have sensitive skin, or a sensitive constitution in general, begin by using just a tablespoon or two of your herbal bath salts at first.  If the herbs are messy or you have sensitive drains, you can sift out the herbs from the salts (after they’ve infused for a few weeks) or put your bath salts into a pouch or sock.)

Relaxing Bathing Salts
4 parts Sea Salt
1 part Baking Soda
Lavender essential oil (10 drops per cup or so)
Fresh or dried whole Calendula flowers or Rose petals (optional)
Flower essences, optional

Put sea salt into a glass or ceramic bowl and add in the lavender essential oils.  Add in the baking soda and mix it all together, also stirring in the Calendula flowers or Rose petals.  If you’re using fresh blossoms, place them between layers of salt and let infuse for a few weeks before adding in the other ingredients.  Add a handful or two to your bath.   (Note: 4 parts Sea Salt can be 4 tablespoons, 4 handfuls, 4 cups, any amount.  This recipe is included to give you a starting point for proportions.  Feel free to experiment!)

Body Scrub
You can create a Body Scrub by placing sea salt (or sugar) into a jar, and pouring in olive, sesame, almond, and/or coconut oil.  Some like to add just enough oil to moisten the salt or sugar, some like to pour the oil to the top and have a really oil-rich scrub.  It's up to you.  Experiment and see what you like.  You can add herbal infused oils (see directions in the (Im)migration and Lip Balms for Social Justice?! post), dried herbs (such as rose petals or a bit of ginger powder), or keep it simple with just the sea or sugar and oil.  

Scrubs give us the opportunity to massage ourselves, make tick checks fun, and help us to reconnect with our bodies, especially when they’re buried beneath winter wool and long johns.  Scoop out a fingerful of the scrub and rub it all over your body, starting from your extremities and moving in towards your heart and back out again, avoiding the sensitive skin of your face and breasts.  Chests are okay to gently scrub.  Rinse off in the shower or slip into a bath.  The salt/sugar exfoliates your skin and is rinsed away by the water, and the oil moisturizes, especially with the shower’s heat.  

(Glass jars look nice, but if you’re concerned that it may break in the shower, use a plastic container.  Note that oil is difficult to contain, even when your jar is sealed closed.  If you’re traveling with or mailing body scrub, use less oil when making it or place the jar in a sealed plastic bag so that it doesn’t make a mess.  Using a blend of oils that is primarily coconut oil will give you a more solid, less spill-y oil base (unless you live somewhere where the temperature is consistently over 76°F, as this is coconut oil's melting point).  Whichever oil you choose, do make sure you use soap to wash the oil off the floor afterwards so that it isn’t slippery!)

Eye Soothers
To soothe tired, irritated, or overworked eyes, put a cooling Cucumber slice or a moist Chamomile tea bag on each eye.  You can also place four teaspoons into a mug of ice water.  Place a spoon over each eye, with the rounded part of the spoon facing out.  When these spoons warm up, replace them with the spoons in the ice water, and continue for up to 20 minutes.  

To the right are hand-made eye pillows - silky material filled with flax seeds/rice and dried lavender.  These eye pillows can be used at room temperature or put in a resealable plastic bag and kept in the freezer to cool hot, irritated eyes or to place over the forehead to ease a headache.


    
How to do a Foot Bath or Hand Soak
If submerging yourself in a full body bath is not possible or desirable, you can make yourself a foot bath or hand soak.  Pour hot or warm water into a container (metal pot, glass bowl, plastic bucket) that's big enough to fit your hands or feet.  No containers big enough?  You can use two smaller containers.  Add a handful of your bath salts.  Be sure not to burn your paws!  Have some cold water handy to add in case the bathwater’s too hot, and if you like long soaks, you can keep a full hot kettle handy for when the water cools down.  Hand soaks are especially relaxing for those who type on computers and work with their hands all day.  They are also a kind and comforting gift to those who are bedridden.  Calendula is soothing to dry, irritated, or cracked hands.  Peppermint both invigorates and soothes tired feet.  Lavender and/or Rosemary foot baths help relieve headaches, drawing your energy down.  Treat your hands or feet to a massage with oil or creme after their soak for deeper relaxation and more restful sleep.

Ideas for relaxation: unplug the phone/computer/television, have an electricity-free evening (if possible), light a candle, surround yourself with good smells (fresh plants, massage oil, scented candle, home-cookin'), massage: back of neck, hands, ears, jaw  - where do you hold tension?,  make a big batch of relaxing tea and then drink some and soak your feet/hands/whole body in some as well, smear some honey on your face and relax for 10-20 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water (honey is good for all skin types and promotes circulation).

Not sure where to track down certain ingredients?  Check out your local herb shop or food Coop (Central Vermont resource listing here), or mail-order through Mountain Rose Herbs. 

Putting it into Practice: 
The first ever People's Spa!

This spring a group of herbalists and other community healers/healthcare providers collaborated to create the first People's Spa in Central Vermont.  Our communities had recently faced very trying times, with tropical storm Irene in the autumn, and May floods before that, damaging homes and businesses.  Mobile home parks, often located in flood planes, were hit particularly hard.  Flood survivors and recovery workers had been working for many months not only save what was left of their homes, but also battling with public officials and insurance agencies for their basic rights and needs.  Through their community organizing, the Mobile Home Park Residents for Equality and Fairness was created, and with support from the VT Workers' Center, they achieved great victories.  Our group of herbalists and healers came together out of a desire to give back to our community members who'd been through so much, to show our support, and to share relaxation techniques and herbal remedies.  

Not victims, but SURVIVORS!  Press conference organized by
the Mobile Home Park Residents for Equality and Fairness

Many survivors and recovery workers had been experiencing respiratory and immune issues, trouble sleeping, and other negative effects of the storm and the stresses following it. From the beginning, our group was clear that we were coming together in solidarity, not charity (thank you for the phrase, Commonground Health Clinic of New Orleans, LA).  All the practitioners that were part of organizing the People's Spa watched the film Strength of the Storm, which documented the impact of hurricane Irene and the grassroots organizing by those most affected.  Here are our guidelines for those who wanted to be practitioners at the People's Spa:

1)    See the film “Strength of the Storm” which was made by the residents of the Weston Mobile Home Park and the Vermont Workers Center. The 2011 flood survivors are the inspiration for the first People’s Spa event. The community activism group that emerged last year, Mobile Home Residents for Fairness and Equality, operate from a social justice and community organizing framework.

2)    Health justice, body justice and “solidarity not charity” are central to the People’s Spa’s baseline mode of operation. What that looks like and exactly means we will create together, with intention. The second expectation of practitioners is to participate in the People’s Spa organizers meeting, where we will be planning the event and coming up with ground rules and The People’s Spa Manifesto.   

We created guidelines for our time together, so that the space could feel safe, inclusive, and relaxing for all participating, and posted it for the event:   

People arrived to a table filled with snacks.  We had an array of food - including hummus and chips/veggies for protein to prevent blood sugar crashes, as well as decadent chocolate-raspberry bark (thank you Suki!) and herbal adaptogen balls (thank you, Marie!) for the spirit.  (Adaptogens are a class of herbs that help the body adapt to change.)








We also provided herbal teas made with relaxing herbs that not only nourish and calm the nervous system, but that also support the immune and respiratory systems, such as Lemon balm and Tulsi (thank you, Joann!).  On the left, Tulsi-Chamomile-Lavender tea and to the right - People's Spa Tea: Tulsi (aka Holy Basil), Milky Oats, and Lemon Balm.








Folks then entered the main room, where we had placed comfortable chairs in a circle, with extra blankets and pillows accessible.  There was relaxing music as people settled in.  We went around with introductions and shared a bit about the medicinal plants we'd brought into the space that day, and the remedies that would be going around.  There were Evergreen branches and homegrown, hand-harvested Rose petals for the foot baths.  There was Lavender essential oil to add to the bath or simply breath in, for its relaxing and immune-supporting effect. Fragrant Peppermint, Rosemary, and Fir foot cream could be massaged in after the baths.  And there were sprays made with essential oils and flower essences.  (We kept the fragrances plant-based - no synthetics - and did check in with folks to see if anyone was sensitive to scents).  As people sat in their chairs, we brought tubs of warm water and various ingredients for the bath water - Sea salt, Epsom salt, Plants, and Essential oil.  We also brought trays of food, as well as cups of the herbal teas, for people to enjoy as they soaked.  We returned with rounds of more food and warm water (especially in cool weather, you want to be sure to keep the foot baths warm so that people don't catch a chill), and when they were finished with the bath, we came around with the foot cream to offer for self-massage, or to receive a massage from one of us.



In addition to the footbaths, which folks really enjoyed, there were art supplies out for all to use.  There were pastels, colored pencils, and images for collage.  People could create a protective symbol, an affirmation, or anything else they'd like to make and take home with them.

We also brought in some other show and tell items:   Herbal/health books.  Shown here: Dr. Jarvis' 'Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor's Guide to Good Health' which sings the praises of the people's folk remedies, namely apple cider vinegar, and Susun Weed's 'Healing Wise.'

We also introduced and passed around a few relaxing and grounding remedies.  Here with the books is Rescue Remedy - flower essence blend for anxiety and trauma, great for home and first aid use!  

To the left: Post-Trauma Stabilizer flower essence blend for trauma, grief, relief work.  Heart Elixir (with an alcohol-free version) to open, heal, and protect the heart. Ladies of the Mist (by Fearn and Genevieve) healing sprays for body and space - blends of essential oils and essences of flowers, trees, mushrooms and gems.  And last but not least, the powerful, gentle Lavender essential oil - to waft under our nose for relaxing aromatherapy, to add a couple drops to our foot baths, to massage a drop into each earlobe, the uses are endless! 



And we bagged up some bath salts for everyone to bring home with them so that they could do another foot bath, and share it with their partners, parents, kids, and others in the community.
  

Our hope is that relaxation spaces such as this will sprout up in other communities as well.  This first People's Spa was truly a labor of love and solidarity - volunteers coming together to support other community members in the spirit of mutual aid.  The event was free, thanks to the generosity of the organizers, as well as others who couldn't physically be with us for the event, but shared food, medicinal herbs, and more.






The Co-creatrixes/People's Spa Mavens are Sandra Lory of Mandala Botanicals,  Dana L Woodruff of Dandelioness Herbals, and Laura Macieira. Co-collaborators of the first People's Spa: Joann Darling of Garden of Seven Gables, and Christina Ducharme and Ellia Cohen of Starting Over Strong Vermont, Suki Kapinao Ciappara of Suki Healing Arts, and Fearn Lickfield of The Green Mountain Druid Order.

A special Thank you to Montpelier Community Acupuncture for generously donating their beautiful space to hold the first People's Spa!  Also, thank you to Marie Frohlich, Golden Flower Chinese Herbs, and Hunger Mountain Coop for their generous donations. 

Please feel free to be in touch by commenting below or sending an email to dandelion778 (at) yahoo (dot) com with additional ideas, recipes, thoughts, feedback, report-backs...  

Like to make herbal concoctions in community?!  Come to a hands-on workshop and bring some remedies home with you!

Happy spaaaaahhh~ing!!!

Plainfield Farmers' Market 2012 Season!

The 2012 Plainfield Farmers' Market is well under way!  Each Friday afternoon from 4-7pm local farmers, herbalists, and crafters gather to offer their wares at the Mill Street Park in Plainfield village, Vermont.  You can come by this family-friendly market to pick up fresh vegetables, meats, eggs, berries, sweets, maple syrup, infused olive oil, bread, salsa, soap, drums, rugs, wooden toys, herbal remedies, bodycare products, flowers, and more. Get your knives sharpened and bellies filled!  Cutler Memorial Library has also been making special appearances!   

The market is held at the corner of Mill and Main St, just off Route 2 at the Blinking Light, down in Plainfield village, immediately on your right.  The Route 2 Commuter Bus that runs between Montpelier and St. Johnsbury passes right by the Farmers' Market!  You can check out the schedule here.

The market continues until Friday Oct 5th.  Come begin your weekend at this vibrant, music-filled community gathering!  Here are some of our vendors and their fabulous offerings!  Can't make it to the markets on Fridays?  Many vendors offer their products through the Plainfield Coop, from their farms/homes, and online.  Please check out their online shops, blogs, and websites!

Come out & support your neighbors & their local businesses!

And check out vendor and WGDR/WGDH programmer Deborah Reger's podcast, 

recorded live at the Plainfield Farmers' Market!

Loona Brogan from the Cutler Memorial Library checking out 

books at her traveling library.  She also hosts story time for all ages!

Violet you're turning Violet!! vanilla cupcakes with the prettiest blueberry buttercream 

icing.  Dena Cox of Sweet Toppings makes amazing sweet treats, including Gluten Free 

and Vegan options, like Frijoles Fudge, made with Littlewood Farm's black beans! 

Cleary Family Farm fires up the grill each week with their delicious grass-
fed sausage and beef to fill your belly right there at the market, as well as meat, 
chicken, and eggs to bring home. 

Owl Hill Farm's abundant summer display of their vibrant, vital greens - 

lettuce, swiss chard, cilantro, mesclun mix, and more.  You can also check 

out Owl Hill Farm at the Saturday Montpelier Farmers' Market.

Deborah Reger and Sal of Mink Hill Studio and Amador Drums fill the market with live(ly) music as they display their hand-dyed cloth and clothes, hand-woven rag rugs, and hand-made drums. You can check out Debra's show on WGDR/WGDH's Moccassin Tracks here
wgdr.moccasintracks@gmail.com 

 

Dana L Woodruff of Dandelioness Herbals brings herbal remedies - tinctures, 

elixirs, salves, oils, and balms- as well as herbal bodycare products and live medicinal 

plants to market. You can view many of the products here.

Jen Zumba of Ambrosia Herbals brings her gorgeously fragrant 

soaps, massage bars, body sprays, and more!  jennyzzumba@aol.com

Jeff Swift of Berry and Bramble Farm: Heirloom Fruit offers juicy

bramble fruits and pie plants - blueberries, raspberries, elderberries, currants,

gooseberries, and sweet herbs. Mmmmmm...

 David Strong at Plainview Farm works hard in the spring to bring jugs of 

sweet, precious maple syrup to market in the summer. 

802-454-1418 plainviewfarmvt@aol.com

Kempton Randolph brings Hooker Mountain Farm Pastured Poultry, Pickled 
Eggs, and Old-Fashioned Foods to the market each week.  And you can pick up 
your Chicken CSA card here as well!

Nga's Food for You serves up delicious spring rolls and meat and rice dishes to eat 

right there at the market, or contact them to cater your event! allup@charter.net

Littlewood Farm has been growing vegetables and fruits in Plainfield for almost 20 

years! Come choose from their live plants, ripe berries, dried black beans, and 

overflowing boxes of herbs and vegetables, like the peas and basil above. 

802-454-8466

 Jules & Helen Rabin of Upland Bakers bring their hearty, hand-made bread.  If you're 

like the many others who can't wait to eat their bread until they get home, you can 

slather on butter and pesto and eat some right there at the booth.  802-454-8466

                                                 

Come by for some Angel's Salsa, authentic salsa by way of Veracruz, Mexico! 

J.W. Bensinger displays his fine hand-made knives 

as he also sharpens them right there at the market.

A whole long line of various herb-infused Olive oils and pasta 

made by Angel October Specialty! angeloctober@yahoo.com 

It's not too late to get more plants in the garden, in time for autumn harvests!

Alli Bauer of Into the Light Healing Arts offers 

relaxing table and chair massage 802-426-3587

Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance educates and gathers signatures to close down Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant once and for all!

So, there are the vendors.  Pretty amazing, huh?!  Now mark your calenders: 

Plainfield Farmers' Market 2012

Every Friday 4-7pm til Oct 5th  Plainfield Village

Market contact: Lauren at 802-454-8614 info@clearyfamilyfarm.com 

So You Want to Learn Spanish?! Hooray! English-only, No Way!

Our Labor Drives the World Economy and The Corn is Ours! by Favianna Rodriguez

United for Justice, Not Divided By Racism by Melanie Cervantes

Legalization Now! and The Land Belongs to Those Who Work It: the people of these continents have walked these lands from the beginning of time by Jesus Barraza 

I studied Spanish in high school for four years and since have drawn on this foundation to get by in communication with Spanish-speakers whose paths' I've crossed, in stores, on a Greyhound buses, city subways, farms, etc.  Living in Central Vermont, I'm not surrounded by an abundance of languages spoken around me.  While there are pockets of neighborhoods and families that aren't limited to English, unless you are connected with these communities, it's easy to live a English-only existence.  How unfortunate!   ¡Qué pena!

I have friends from other countries who speak four or more languages!  I am reminded of this everytime I start to say or hear the term 'English as a second language.'  This term fails to acknowlege that while someone may be new to English, they may be fluent in multiple other languages and could put most monolingual US-Americans to shame!  Being a white person born and raised in the US with US citizenship, it's important to me to not expect that everyone in the world accomodate me and speak English all the time.  Even when people are completely fluent in English, if they were raised with Spanish, I like to communicate in Spanish, as far as I am able.  

Learning Spanish not only helps me communicate with people who I otherwise may not be able to communicate with, it also helps me understand English and the similar roots of words.  My mind thinks in more interconnected, poetic ways when I'm in spaces that include more than just English.  Even when I don't understand at all, I love watching sign language interpreters, listening to radio stations when I visit cities (sometimes not even knowing what the language is!), and just being around other words and sounds. 

Another term I stop myself from saying when I start is 'foreign language.'  In a country made up almost entirely of immigrants, what is a 'foreign language' anyway?!  And who decided that English would be the non-official language of this country?  (The US, no official language exists at the federal level.)  Certainly not the people who were here before British colonizers arrived.  

English-only policies, from "subtle" encouragement by educators for people to only speak English in the home to attacks on cultural studies and politicians demanding that people "Speak English!", encourage cultural genocide.  As someone who's ancestors assimilated to become (white) "Americans," I don't want anyone else to have to give up their languages/ accents, dances, traditional practices, concepts of health/healing, medicinal plant traditions, music, foods, etc.  This loss creates an emptiness that I believe is at the root of a lot of problems, such as racism and cultural appropriation (ie, stealing/commodifying other 

peoples' music /art/food/ceremonial events/ religious items/clothes without wanting to know their history and struggles and work in solidarity for liberation).  This pressure to assimilate is a form of violence.  Sometimes it's physical, sometimes it's not.    

Back to the idea of any language that's not English being a "foreign language" on US soil:  this is backwards.  The idea that everyone that lives or even visits the US should speak English, while US-Americans often feel completely entitled to visit other countries (or certain neighborhoods/restaurants/stores in the US) and expect people to always speak English is really hypocritical.  Unfortunately, it happens all the time.  Let's not keep repeating this arrogant pattern!

Only speaking one language deprives our lives of a lot of richness.  There are concepts that just can't be translated, and from my very much un-fluent Spanish, I can see that much is lost in translation.  And just like there are some concepts that can't be easily translated, there's some info that just isn't translated at all.  There are rad videos without English subtitles.  There are speeches online that don't have translation.  Relying on everything to be translated into English will cause you to miss out on a lot of things you didn't even know you didn't know about!  

Although Spanish, like English, is a colonizer's language that has wiped out or minimized a lot of traditional languages, understanding it can open a lot of doors.  I'm not talking about drunken vacations to Cancun or business trips to Madrid.  I'm talking about connecting with people, learning about the histories and cultures of Latin American cultures, which the US has been very involved with - mostly in very negative, oppressive ways - yet are often not taught about at all in US schools.  I'm talking about learning about medicinal plants, concept of health that are not widely understood in mainstream US culture (like susto and pesar), what the land is like where people are from.

When I've expressed desire to improve my Spanish, oftentimes people recommend language schools in Mexico or Guatemala.  Or local classes.  For a lot of us and for a lot of reasons, traveling outside the US to learn Spanish is not a realistic option.  A lot of us don't have the money to pay for classes, local or faraway.  And language cd's that you can take out from the library, while free, leaves a lot to be desired for those of us whose motivation for learning/improving our Spanish isn't planning business or pleasure trips.  Personally, I'm waiting for some Spanish language resources that are specific to: specific regions of specific countries; agricultural Spanish; Spanish for medicinal plants, herbal remedies, and health; Spanish you're most apt to use in the rural Northeastern US; and Spanish for loved ones.  If anyone knows of such educational resources or is in the process of creating this, please do be in touch!

Here are some resources I've been drawing upon to continue my personal independent study of Spanish:

-Google Translate can be very helpful. SpanishDict too.

-Practice!  Do It!  Work with someone who speaks Spanish?  Have a neighbor from a Spanish-speaking country?  Even if you live in a really white/overwhelmingly-English area (I'm from Maine and live in Vermont), there are probably people in your live that speak Spanish as a native language or who have learned it later in life.  Even if you're nervous and don't want to butcher someone's language, put yourself out there a bit!  And even if you're speaking in English, use the proper Spanish pronunciation of people's names, areas, foods, etc.  If you're not sure, ask!

-Watch movies in Spanish, or ones dubbed in Spanish!

-Watch movies in English with Spanish subtitles!  (This is good for more visual learners and for learning some conversational slang, expressions, etc.) 

-Watch telenovelas!

I like Una Familia Con Suerte, and other tv programs like El Chapulín Colorado and El Chavo del Ocho (check out shows on Youtube). 

-Watch music videos!  A lot have subtitles/lyrics right in the video (try searching for Spanish subtitles/subtítulos en Español), or you can search for them separate from the video.  Or just listen and see what you can pick up.  Current favorites:

    LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It  (Dang, they removed the good good version with
       subtitles, you can check this live version out here or another one here)

    Wisin & Yandel - Estoy Enamorado (make sure you translate the closing words!
      Or read them here.)

    Anything in the whole world by Lila Downs, such as:

         -Palomo Del Comalito

         -La Cumbia del Mole  (currently not available in the US, errrr)
          -Zapata Se Queda
    La Sonora Matancera con Celia Cruz - El Yerbito Moderno (watch this,
       herbalists!)
    Camila - De Que Me Sirve La Vida 
   La Gorda - Krudas Cubensi

NEW!:  National Day Laborer Organizing Network's Arts and Cultures page contains a number of amazing videos both in English and Spanish.  Be sure to watch to the end!

I'm An Alien by Rebel Diaz
Wake Me Up by Aloe Blacc
La Santa Cecilia - Ice El Hielo

-Check out (free) opportunities in your area!

Is there a free language group that meets at your local library?  Is someone offering one-on-one Spanish tutoring through your local timebank? (If you live in Central Vermont: Montpelier's Kellogg-Hubbard Library hosts a lunch in a foreign language program, with a different language each day of the week from 12-1pm.  The Spanish group meets Wednesdays.  And check out the Onion River Exchange/REACH timebanks.)

-Read familiar books in their Spanish versions! Read Spanish/English bilingual editions!

Know Harry Potter by heart, or Strega Nona?  Check out the children's library, or read an epic novel, whatever your level is!  A Cafecito Story (El Cuento del Cafecito) by Julia Alvarez, the Spanish/English bilingual edition is really great.  You can read in Spanish and then read the same page in English, back and forth.  If you're not yet ready to read books in Spanish, read English-version books written by Latin@ authors and/or Latin@ authors who weave Spanish words into their English.  I highly recommend Julia Alvarez's book Return to Sender, a kids book (great for adults, too) about a friendship between a Vermont farmer's son and migrant farm worker's daughter from Chiapas, Mexico.

-Read poetry in Spanish!
I love to read poetry in Spanish that's been translated into English, or poems in English that have been translated into Spanish, that are printed together side by side.  That way, you can read the poems together and gain insight into poetic images and concepts that are quite different from literal translations.  You can check out Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait, Barbara Kingsolver's collection of poetry entitled Another America/ Otra América, with Spanish translations by Rebeca Cartes.

-Read (and listen to) everything in its Spanish version! 

Democracy Now! posts a transcript in Spanish, Democracy Now! en Español.  You can read them online, click on 'Escuche' to listen to the headlines in Spanish, and check out their Democracy Now! en Español page on Facebook.  The back pages of the newspaper of my union, the UE, is written in Spanish.  Read labels for foods (or anything!) in Spanish.

-Have a good dictionary handy (and other word &/or picture resources)!
I've gone through periods of having my Spanish/English dictionary on me constantly, as well as a book on medicinal herbs written in Spanish and a seed catalog in English so that I can communicate with Spanish-speakers to talk about plants we grow in our gardens, plants we use as remedies, etc.  My mom also sent me a great Spanish/English Medical Dictionary by Glenn T. Rogers, which I've found helpful as a community herbalist.

-Check out (free) opportunities online!

Sign up for the Spanish Word of the Day with SpanishDict!  StudySpanish.com has a lot of free online info.  Also, your local library may carry free online Spanish courses such as Mango Languages or Powerspeak Languages.  Change your computer settings to Spanish, use Google.com.mx, etc!

-For those with iPhones, check out the SayHi Translate app!

-Write letters! Write emails!

Do you have friends, acquaintances, and allies who speak Spanish?  Push your boundaries and initiate some written communication in Spanish.

-Learn about the history of the places where this language is widely spoken!

Friends have recently recommended Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent (or Las Venas Abiertas de América Latina if you're ready for the original Spanish version) by Uruguayan journalist, writer and poet Eduardo Galeano, and published in 1971.  The 25th anniversary edition is available here as an e-book.

  And if a book is good enough to be banned by school district officials hell-bent
  on destroying ethnic studies and anything that questions white supremacist 
  US history that silences the voices of the people, it deserves to be read!   

Despite its great success, Arizona has banned ethnic studies, including Mexican, Native, and
  African American studies.  They've banned any book where "race, ethnicity, and oppression     are central themes."  Here's the list of books they removed from the classrooms of the    
  acclaimed Mexican American ethnic studies program:

     Rethinking Columbus: The next 500 Years by Bill Bigelow

     Occupied America:  A History of Chicanos by Rodolfo Acuna

     500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures edited by Elizabeth Martinez

     Message to AZTLAN by Rodolfo Corky Gonzales

     Chicano! The History of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement by Arturo Rosales

     Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire

     Critical Race Theory by Richard Delgado

     The Tempest by William Shakespeare

For more info on the banning of these books and the ethnic studies programs, check out this debate on Democracy Now!

Check out Librotraficante if you're interested in a project to smuggle contraband books back into Arizona!  Yeah!  Also, check out the Biblioburro: The Donkey Library

-Seek out organizations that are doing work you're passionate about!  Read their pamphlets, booklets, websites, and other writings that they put out.  See what terms they're using to name themselves and the issues they're facing.

-Get Involved!

Being involved in movements for liberation and creating relationships through this is going to sustain your motivation for learning Spanish like nothing else!  Having people that I care about in my life that I want to communicate with (in person, over the phone, on Facebook) fuels my passion to learn Spanish on a daily level.

Migrant Justice/Justicia Migrante
National Day Laborer Organizing Network
No More Deaths/ No Más Muertes
Freedom for Puerto Rican US Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera 

Mujeres Creando

Presente

Have ideas?  Know of good resources?  Please share in the comments below or contact me directly.  Thanks so much!  ¡Cuídate! 

31 Days for 31 Years: Free Oscar López Rivera!

I am heartened to see such creativity and solidarity - youth and elders, Mexican and Muslim, students and organizers, poets and relatives - joining together to support and raise awareness about Puerto Rican US Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera.  Thank you to all the organizers and participants for all their work and energy in creating this.  If you're in Chicago, go witness and be a part of this!  Please see the press release from the project and some of the short videos documenting it below:
  
“31 DAYS FOR 31 YEARS”
A Multimedia and Interactive Exhibit for the Release of Oscar López Rivera

The National Boricua Human Rights Network (NBHRN), Batey Urbano and Latin@ Coalition have commenced “31 Days for 31 Years” in which 31 activists and community residents will spend 24 hours each in a makeshift storefront cell with guard, for a total of 31 days. The exhibit, starting April 29th, also features an exhibition of Oscar’s artwork (he is a prolific painter) as well as literature and posters from the campaign to free Puerto Rican political prisoners for the past 30 years and a wall of Oscar’s letters to his supporters as well as a station where people may write to Oscar, in the Batey Urbano, located at 2620 West Division St. Chicago, IL 60622. Batey Urbano is in the heart of “Paseo Boricua” in Chicago’s Humboldt Park Neighborhood.

The purpose of this is to call attention to the continued unjust incarceration of Oscar López Rivera. The ambitious joint effort of the Latin@ Coalition, Batey Urbano and NBHRN will culminate in a major event commemorating his arrest and 31 years of imprisonment on Tuesday, May 29.

Oscar, a decorated Vietnam veteran, has been imprisoned since his arrest on May 29, 1981. Subsequently, he was charged and convicted for seditious conspiracy and minor arms charges and sentenced to 55 years. The other Puerto Rican political prisoners of his generation, arrested in 1980 and 1983 and also convicted of seditious conspiracy, were released in 1999 by President Clinton, due to mass international and domestic pressure. Oscar rejected the offer at that time because 2 others, Carlos Alberto Torres and Haydee Beltrán, were not included. Both of them have since been freed on parole.

Another creative way folks have organized to show Oscar support and educate the people about his incarceration and Puerto Rico's struggle to be free:

Not yet fluent in Spanish?  You can learn more about the mural here.

For more information, please see:

National Boricua Human Rights Network 

Previous Dandelioness Herbals blog posts about Oscar López Rivera, including his artwork:

Freedom for Oscar López Rivera!

The Campaign to Free Oscar López Rivera Continues!

Keep on Calling to Free Oscar López Rivera!

Interested in writing to Oscar López Rivera?  Please see: 

Writing to (Political) Prisoners