Abya Yala

Verse 1:

Months of planning

Building community, energy, creativity

The wall was blessed, spray paint cans were assembled

Art and youth and community and love

        began to spray beautiful images onto vertical canvas,

             unto heart and spirit

             into the urban landscape

Pyramids meeting Pueblos

A South American boy 

        stands proud alongside

A Pueblo girl

They radiate love and positivity to children ages 1-100 who come to stare

 

Art heals

Culture heals

Love heals

 

Verse 2:

Abya Yala

A term used by the Guna people, an Indigenous nation in current-day Panama/Colombia

Similar to the term “Turtle Island” it invokes connectedness.

Abya Yala is a statement that walls and borders falsely divide people, a reminder that we are all profoundly connected.

Indigenous Freeways” was the sub-title for the project, a reminder of the trade routes and migration patterns that were never constricted by such barriers.

As stated beautifully by of one of the mural’s artists, “We continue to burn walls and build bridges.”

Verse 3:

A big shout out to NSRGNTS who helped create the vision and who led the artistic side of this project. Leah and Votan, I am proud to call you my health colleagues. SABA, you are my brother for life and Abya Yala needed your energy to make it happen. HomegrowNM Trading Post, thank you for the wall to paint on. CABQ and CARES Act, thanks for supporting the project with some funds. Finally, a big thank you to the families and leaders of the Native Health Initiative for always seeing the power in community-led healing.

And an invitation for those who have not spent time with the mural to see it yourself – Morningside and Central Ave SE, south side of the road.

Verse 4:

A beautiful video documentary produced by Shane Montoya on the mural art project and the public unveiling of the mural.

 

Loosen Your Grip

I was on bike, my favorite way to get around town.

A big speed bump loomed ahead.

I knew I was about to be jarred by the imposing structure.

What is the best way for a biker in this situation to avoid falling off the bike?

What would you do?

The answer might surprise you.

As I approached the speed bump, I loosened my grip on the handlebar. Almost to the point of letting go, with the slightest feel of rubber grazing my fingers.

By doing so, the biker gains stability and gives themselves the best chance of not being thrown from the bike.

Our natural instinct says “clench down” and “hold on for dear life” but doing the opposite lessens the jolting and jarring from the bump.

Yes, natural instinct often points us in the right direction. But not always. Beyond leading us to fall, gripping tighter will lead us to perseverate on the speed bump, blaming it incessantly to no one’s benefit.

Today, when a bump in the road arises, try this:

Pause for a moment.

Acknowledge your instinct to grip tighter.

But don’t follow it.

Gently loosen your grasp, breathing deep and slow. Release all tension.

Enjoy the ride as the bump passes beneath you.

Notice how centered and stable you can be despite the obstacle.

Another deep breath as the bump in the road passes into your rear view.

If you aren’t one for figurative language, get on a bike and test it out.

 

Enjoy the bumps in your road today. Life puts them there to strengthen us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Had to share this fun picture from Thursday morning, having survived a snowy bike across town to the hospital. You might say the speed bump was a driving snowstorm in this case. 

But loosening my grip still worked quite well. I joked that I got my hair frosted without even needing a beauty salon.

Vote for Us!

 

Dear Ms./Mr. Politician,

We stand here on the front lines, COVID in our face.

Too tired to change clothes and shower when we get home from the hospital, we now just accept the viral risk that we incur on our families.

For two years we have been asked to give 200%.

We prescribe all that can help us out of this pandemic.

Masks, vaccines, and public health orders to limit spread of disease.

To you, Ms./Mr. Politician, we are disposable like PPE.

Some of you telling the public not to wear those “face diapers”, unmasking your contempt for science, data, and your so-called healthcare heroes. Thanks.

Others putting political spin on health measures, fueling flames as we clean up the mess, one intubation at a time. Thanks.

Both sides of the aisle pandering for votes.

 

Ms./Mr. Politician,

We are not your political pawns. Neither are the patients we care for.

The care we provide is not yours to politicize.

Our Hippocratic oath does not care about animal allegiance (donkey vs. elephant).

 

Please,

See our exhaustion. From COVID, and from the political games you play.

Stand with us.

Stand for health.

Vote for Us!