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Faces

Faces, presents portraits of farmworkers in a concluding montage. Poems by African American and Mexican migrants accompany the visual images with voices from the road, the camps and the fields.
 

The faces and voices of farmworkers tell their own stories, speaking directly to us over the years.

We can learn again from them Belinda's lesson: that although time passes and the contexts and conditions of farm labor change; their human predicament is timeless, and their challenge to our conscience goes on.

 Camp rappers, poets and balladeers continue the traditions of African praise singers and Mexican corrida composers. They tell their stories of life on the stream and their longing for home in words sometimes tender, sometimes tough, always moving.
 
Un Recuerdo Trist

Yo recuerdo que cuando me vine 
de México, yo pase por 
la frontera de E.U. cons mis hijos 
tomando el reisgo del todo. 
Yo tenía ganas de llorar y mis ojos 
se ponían rojos, pero me aguante 
por mis hijos. Solo pensaba 
que dejaba mi país tan rico 
y a la vez tan pobre. 
Si el gobierno viera cuando 
la gente se ahoga, ó los matan, 
ó se mueren de desolación 
de hambre en el camino, 
no hicerian lo que hacen. 
Espero que algun día se arreglan 
las cosas, y no pasen mas tragedias.

 A Sad Memory

I remember when I came from Mexico 
I crossed over the U.S. border 
with my children, taking the risk 
entirely. I felt like crying, and my eyes 
got all red, but I held myself back 
for the sake of my children. 
All I thought about was that I was 
leaving my country - so rich 
and at the same time so poor. 
If the government could see when 
the people are suffocating, or get killed 
or die in the desolation of hunger 
on the road, they would not do 
what they do. 
I hope some day things will get settled 
and no more tragedies happen.

Francisca Camacho C., Elba Camp

Pezcando Manzana en New York

Hoy que estoy en New York 
pezcando manzanas, 
Estoy muy contento porque 
de aquí acabando la pezca 
de manzana, me voy a México 
para estar con toda mi familia. 
Y que lindo es para mí, 
pero deseo volver 
a New York en enero 
para contemplar la nieve.

 Picking Apples in New York

Today I am in New York 
picking apples. 
I am very content because 
as soon as the apple harvest 
is over, I'm going to Mexico 
to be with all my family. 
And how nice it is for me, 
because I want to return 
to New York in January 
and contemplate the snow.

Braulio García Gonzalez, Robb Camp

Click an Image to select or take the tour .


Shock


Cold
I Work Too Hard (Rap)


Poem


Following a Dream

Sadness


Love Me Blues

   
 

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