Author: tecpatlpitzer14

Native youth commonly face challenges to block their road to college. However, I am confident that all obstacles can be overcome. 20 youth currently enrolled in the 2015 Pitzer Pipeline are living examples of my statement. Many of us first handedly face obesity, alcoholism, diabetes, and other communal issues back home. We are the descendants of warriors who stood up to powers craving land, slaves, and outright colonization of indigenous peoples. The task at hand was to write about 5 things that can make it hard for Native American students to attend college. However, I am straying away from it with a purpose. This piece of work is dedicated to all Native youth who find themselves reading this. You already know the struggles; you live with them. I seek to motivate you to continue on. All human beings are walking on our Mother Earth for a reason, because all life is special. Listen. Share. Observe. Find your place in your community and love your people, for it is an important practice often times long forgotten. Our children need love, guidance, and more love. Simply acknowledging a person can change their life. Let us practice the old ways again. Tlatzocamate, Ela:kwa, Aho.

Today was an exciting day filled with ice breakers and activities. We were introduced to each other, and it felt nice seeing familiar faces from last year’s program. It is slightly intimidating that there are only 5 male students, and the rest female. However, it is always nice seeing the power of females in action.

Today was one of the most fun days in the program. We were given the opportunity to kayak and snorkel in the clear waters of limuw next to wild life like bat rays, sting rays, and leopard sharks. There was so much life in the ocean of the channel islands that were once home to the Chumash. I’m hopeful that other native youth get to experience these opportunities to learn about their ancestors or ancestors relatives on the island.

Today was a loose but exciting day. We took the time to greet the sun in the morning and headed off to Hollywood board walk. While in Hollywood, my group and I visited many shops and had a good time exploring a place where people seem to think movie stars hang out. In all the times I’ve visited Hollywood, I have not seen a single movie star. I am greatly looking forward for tomorrows sweat lodge so I can cleanse myself of any bad thoughts. Thank you and goodnight.

Today in the sunrise ceremony, everyone was tired. Most of us had our eyes half way closed from lack of sleep. However, our faces changed when the sun reached a point in the sky to greet us. We all felt the sweet warmth of the suns greeting on our faces. Every single one of us took it in with delight. We no longer felt tired. Instead, we felt energetic, with an urge to move our feet with drum beats, and that is what we did.

Counting with the beautiful traditional Aztec calculator, which surpasses that of the western calculators capacity, was a proud moment for all. We used decimals, divided, subtracted, and even did math in systems.

Exploring in Western University, gazing at all the cadavers that are used for strictly scientific research, some felt comfortable while others did not. Before entering the actual University, we did a small ceremony to ensure that we were all in our right mindset.

Overall, today was an amazing day.

Tonatiuh, the father sun was honored today, as should be every day in a circle of native youth. I helped create the beat for the circles’ pasos with hand drums that we all recently created. I am very fortunate to be a part of this program that prepares us for constructing more extinguished goals for our future.

Today has been an invigorating and indigenous day. We started off with a healthy departure from our parents with allowing them to relieve of their worries. We then moved on to exciting ice breakers that gave us the opportunity to laugh and share our experiences. I am an individual that enjoys trying new things or even refreshing my knowledge on experiences that I have focused on in the past. Creating a hand drum with the elders and very knowledgeable and capable drum maker, was a very empowering and connecting experience. I am greatly looking forward to the ceremonies and activities over the period of the next two weeks.