One of the biggest resources used this semester was by far the writings of Paulo Freire, a famous Brazilian educator who is undoubtedly among the most influential thinkers of the late 20th century. Freire argues for a system of education that emphasizes learning as an act of culture and freedom. His theories such as �banking� education, in which passive learners have pre-selected knowledge put into their minds, and �culture silence�, in which people are no longer able to critically respond to the culture that is forced upon them, are two of his most well known ideas. Freire came to know that even in the most economically stable countries people still feel powerless in relation to their status, and to their choices. Freire believed that literacy, written and cultural, equated to power and that those who are illiterate have no control over how the �word� (power) is used for or against them.
In Wendy Cardenas� project 5 she tells of one very important Latin leader, Eva Peron. Born Maria Eva Duarte in May of 1919 to a poverty stricken family young Eva was forced like the rest of her siblings to work in the homes of the elite to ensure a roof over their heads at night. Opportunities were not abundant to children, especially little girls, during her time. But through all her family struggles Evita found the �word� in acting. After obtaining her first role in a school play the young woman knew she wanted to be an actress, and through her journey towards fame she would fall in love with an emerging political figure and use her celebrity, poise and charm to help cure the ails of her country and bring a new, kinder more caring face to the Argentinean government. Evita�s attentive, organized and managerial nature struck many as odd for a woman of her time; always running about, meeting people, making speeches, getting things done. By using her talent as a people person she was able to overcome the objections to her being a woman in power and helped others how to use the �word� to help themselves and others.
And with Sarah Armas� piece for project 6 she watched and wrote about the movie Frida. The film tells the life story of Frida Kahlo a famous Mexican painter who undergoes many mental, physical and emotional struggles after marrying her mentor and favored artist Diego Rivera. At a young age Frida was in a horrific bus accident and only after much perseverance did she have the strength of body and mind to walk again. During her recovery time when she was bedridden Frida took to painting and when her family�s need money she quickly offered to sell her paintings to help defer the suffering of her beloved family. Frida sought out the help of her favorite artist Rivera and after working together for some time the two married and began an emotional and physically abusive life together. Frida was oppressed in her marriage and only found the �word� through her paintings. By painting what she was feeling she was able to communicate her emotions. But Frida did not relate only her own pain through her self-mutilated pieces but the pains and struggles of a generation of women silenced by their husbands and their societies.
In my own class projects I learned so much about ancient and more recent trends in different cultures. For my second film review I watched the movie My Family, Mi Familia. Mi Familia is a colorful film that tracks the history of a Mexican family starting with the father leaving Mexico and arriving in California in the 1930s. Throughout the film the family faces struggles that they resolve together. From the mother Maria�s unexpected and unexplained deportation, to the re-socialization of their youngest son Jimmy la familia was always there to support one another. The story is told from the perspective of the middle brother, Paco, who after joining the navy decides to be a writer. The Sanchez family proves to be only one in a long line of Mexican families oppressed by the system after California was admitted into the US. Forced into run down parts of town, faced with racism and prejudice everywhere, such treatment drove one of their sons Memo to disown his heritage and drop his given name for William so that he could fit in with his new image as a lawyer. But Paco found the �word� in his gift of the word. He praised his heritage and honored his family by telling their story. The youngest son, Jimmy, found the �word� and decided to use it to be the best father he could be instead of falling into the Mexican stereotypes of a lazy criminal. And both of the Sanchez daughters broke out of their roles to become successful, and self-employed; one owning her own restaurant and the other using her missionary work to open a rescue center for immigrants.
In conclusion, the theories provided to us by Freire gives us another way to understand the effect of society on its people regardless of location or time. Having looked at the five major historical eras of Latin America through different means of evaluation, essays, creative writings, and art analysis, this class has allowed every student the opportunity to learn and examine the different times in Latin American history with the aid of Freire and his revolutionary philosophies.
