Tag Archives: Netroots Nation

Mala’s Summer Appeal: Food, Rent and Netroots

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Apologies for taking so long away from my true casita, a space where I blogged for years before I was “buzzworthy” and appearing on talk shows.

As Summer kicks off, I am reminded that as radical single mami media maker being called buzzworthy doesn’t pay my bills, won’t get me to an hermana’s wedding across the country, and doesn’t always make me feel safe. With iron bars secured on the windows of Casa Mala, feeling safe doesn’t trump my burning desire to speak/write out what I live and see in my comunidad. This is what I love and I really believe, even at 33 years old that I am not too old to be somewhat of an idealist and love what I do, love that my work includes mami’ing two amazing ChileRicans, maintaining VivirLatino out of pocket, working with young people, playing with palabras and doing what I can, yes to change this mundo I was born into.

Pero I need help. It’s humbling to admit this, that I am struggling to pay rent, pay my utilities, my metrocard, feed my children and myself while engaged in this hustle called vida. Pero my requests are humble as well.

Through the graciousness of two organizations, I will be attending both the Allied Media Conference this week and Netroots Nation next month. For the Allied Media Conference, I have been reminded of the power of the grassroots and have airfare, housing, and even food taken care of. I still need help for Netroots though.

Democracy For America gave me a scholarship to attend Netroots Nations next month in Las Vegas and are covering my hotel and my conference registration. What they do not cover is airfare, food, or the money I will need to spend on childcare for the weekdays I am away. For those that don’t know, I do all I do while taking care full time of my two hijas, one who is three and is home with me 24/7 (except for when her dad takes her, for a few hours three days a week).

So that is what I am asking for help with.

A trip from NYC to Vegas for Netroots towards the end of July costs about $450

Childcare is about $50

I also would like to eat while at Netroots.

If you have airline miles to donate please let me know (I’m not even sure how that works).

Donations can be sent to my paypal account.





Mil gracias

Netroots Nation : Invisibility and Identity in Progressive Spaces Part 2 (Immigration)

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Si Se Puede 2.0 Panel

Si Se Puede 2.0 Panel



Here’s a little more context so some of what went down at Netroots Nation and my feelings about in relation to larger blogging/community issues.

I can’t believe that even after writing this, there is still stuff that is churning inside my gut. I just need to find the way to process it.

Random Notes from Netroots Nation 09

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I need to write some more in depth posts pero I’m really feeling not so hot emotionally right now. I’ve started the posts pero don’t know how to continue.

Mira, I don’t want to come off as a malagradecida pero it is emotionally taxing coming to mainstream events, even those that bill themselves as progressive. I had to deal with my annual attack by a man of color which then sets off some really not good feelings on space and safety and support. Add to that mix tokenizing by people who allegedly are my colleagues and allies pero can’t be bothered to properly link, mention url names, and exclude people from panels as a way to punish people for their outspokeness and you end up with an unhappy mala.

It’s interesting for me to compare this experience from experiences at the Allied Media Conference for example, where things weren’t always easy pero if I needed a shoulder to cry on just to release from all the frustrations, I could find one. Here, not so much. There is no circle of sanity here like there was in Detroit which had it’s owned gendered and personal dynamics. I was verbally attacked here at NN09 by another Latino blogger and am disliking the politics of erasing people on multiple levels, personal and political, that I have been confronted with. There was one moment today that I considered just going home early.

I will write more and get into a few things in more depth pero now I’m just tired and will try and sleep. Tomorrow is the Latino caucus and a kiss in! I haven’t been kissed yet at this conference/convention, motivention so that could be a good thing.

Pucker up baby and kiss it

La Mala is an Immigration Scholar and is Going to Netroots Nation to Prove It

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scholarship image
National blogger conferences are always funny things to me.
I’ve been blogging for many years and not to give myself too many props, pero I was one of the earlier radical women of color blogging on personal issues as political issues and then branched out.
I have been fortunate enough to link my blogging to my history of activism and even to my poetic artistry.
And yet, for multiple reasons, I am not funded and most of what I do is a hustle inside of a hustle out of love for justice.
This means that national conferences that talk about how to talk about the issues and strategies and probably most importantly,
are places to network and share info, even conference held by orgs claiming to rep my interests, are out of my reach. I’m a single mami who makes justice centered media in various forms.

Pero this week I will be attending Netroots Nation this week gracias to a scholarship from America’s Voice that is bringing me and other pro-migrant bloggers to Pittsburgh.

I’m grateful and looking forward to this opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies.

PS: The scholarship covers my travel and my hotel. If you would like to donate to feed the Rican blogger click below. Gracias!