My Name Is Maria

I wrote this poem while I was working at Freedom House, that wonderful place I have mentioned before in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. which is a shelter for political refugees. My ancestors came to America in the 1600's, but I can still imagine how exhilarating and frightening it must have been to leave the "Old Country" and set out for the "New World".

We all came here at different times and by different routes, but we are all in the same boat now, so we need to learn how to row together.

My Name is Maria
by Anne Jantz
Copyright 2004

My name is Maria, Anita or Carlos,
I come from South of the Rio Grande’s flow.
I wear a mantilla or a cooling sombrero,
I worship Christ Jesus in cathedrals of stone.
I left Metamoros or Sabrinas Hidalgo,
I left persecution under poverty’s heel.
I struggled North towards a bright, new tomorrow,
I came like so many to America’s shores.

My name is Sasha, Achmid or Rahima,
I come from the mountains where the Tigris begins.
I wear a burnoose or a fez made of scarlet,
I worship Allah and the prophet Mohammed.
I left Halabjah or Ali al Gharbi,
I left persecution from war’s cruel sword.
I came West for a bright, new tomorrow,
I came like so many to America’s shores.

My name is Abraham, Lev or Naomi,
I come from the steppes by the great Volga’s edge.
I cover my head when I enter my synagogue,
I worship my God there, the mighty Jehovah.
I left Kamyshin, Gorki or Volgagrad,
I left persecution for serving my God.
I came West for religious freedom,
I came like so many to America’s shores.

My name is Mai Ping, Chang Lim or Jasmine,
I come from the banks by the great Yangtze’s great course.
I wear quilted jackets and sandals of bamboo,
I worship in temples where Buddha is God.
I left Chungking or Wuhan or Shanghai,
I left persecution for just being alive,
I traveled East at the beckoning of freedom,
I came like so many to America’s shores.

My name is Promila, Shuva or Sirghit,
I come from the land by the Ganges great banks.
I wear silken saris or gleaming white turbans,
I worship in temples where Vishnu is Lord.
I left Calcutta or Rampur or Delhi,
I left grinding hunger, disease and despair,
I traveled West in my search for a haven,
I came like so many to America’s shores.

My name is Amadu, Kareem or Mahalia,
I come from the floodplains beside the wide Nile.
I wear a dashiki or robes of cool cotton,
I worship in mosques to my great God, Allah.
I left Debre Markos or Sinjah or Kigali,
I left the bloodshed and fighting behind.
I traveled West to find peace and freedom,
I came like so many to America’s shores.

My name is John, Nancy or William,
My ancestors came here three centuries ago,
They wore powdered wigs and shoes with large buckles,
They worshiped their God in a church painted white.
They left Jonkoping, Hamburg or Limerick,
They left persecution and famine behind.
They sailed to the West towards the promise of freedom,
They came to the New World on America’s shores.

My name is Brave Wolf, Moon Calf or Red Cloud,
My ancestors came here an eon ago.
I wear a suit or a dress from the mainstream,
I worship wherever the Great Spirit goes.
I stood on the shore when they all started coming,
I showed them the ways of the woods and the plains.
I lost my grasslands, my deer and my bison,
I lost the ways of my ancestors brave.
I need now to find a way through the future
Like all of the others on America’s shores.

Dong to the Podcast's Rescue

I was feeling pretty discouraged this week in terms of getting the Podcast off the ground, because I don't have a video camera, and I don't want to spend any money right now on camera equipment. First of all, we're not rolling in money, plus I don't know yet what I need in terms of equipment. I was talking with Dong Mach, one of my co-workers at M+W Zander, and the person who will be my first guest, and I told him my problem. Sweetheart that he is, he chimed in "I have a video camera I'm not using. You can borrow it."
I take after my Dad, he would never borrow or rent anything - he always went out and bought it. I understand that impulse, but I also realize that people like to help other people out, and it makes a lot more sense to use a friend's camera until I get my sealegs.
Dong is a darling. He was born in Vietnam, but came to America when he was 2. I am using him as my first victim for the "Diversity Is Our Strength" Podcast. Scott Le who sits next to me at work is also from Vietnam. He has offered to help me with the research behind the scenes for my Vietnam podcast. I am also going to urge him to be on camera.
So Dong has saved the day in terms of my Podcast idea. Stay tuned for the next chapter in the Saga of the Diversity Is Our Strength Podcast.

Podcasting Diversity Is Our Strength

I was filling out a questionnaire about my heroes the other day. After listing my mother, my mother-in-law, my grandmothers, and Oprah Winfrey, it suddenly hit me that I could do a talk show too, and I will focus on Diversity. So I am now researching the technology involved. It will celebrate the contributions of foreigners to our country as well as Native Americans and also native born Americans with alternative lifestyles. I see it right now as a one hour format. Using "Wayne's World" as inspiration, (they did a TV show from their basement) I am planning to use my patio for the interview portion of my show. It will start off with an interview with a person or persons of the chosen nationality, and I will ask them about contributions their country has made to the USA. I am going to invite people I know, that live in the Phoenix area. Then we will have a combination of remotely filmed segments, possibly a visit to a restaurant of that nationality where we will film a cooking segment showing how to make one of that country's signature dishes, or a dance studio where people dance typical dances, or a fashion show of the costumes from that country, etc. I am looking at starting off with Greece, Vietnam, Nigeria and Argentina in the first set. I am very geeked about it.