The Guest Speaker
Marcelo Hernandez Castillo was the first undocumented student to graduate from the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program. He is a poet and has authored a memoir titled Children of the Land. He is currently a professor at St. Mary’s College of California and had his book adapted into an opera with the help of composer Reinaldo Moya.
He is an extremely accomplished writer and teacher who helped found the Undocupoets, a group that abolished citizenship requirements for all major poetry book prizes in the U.S. so that undocumented people could compete in all major poetry book competitions.
The Reading
The reading opened with Marcelo reading some of his poetry projected next to the podium he spoke from. The poetry was unconventionally formatted and let you jump from idea to idea, thought to thought, disconnected but joined together with lines that wove between one another in a similar way that one might process information.
Next, Mr. Castillo opened his book Children of the Land and jumped through a few different passages. These passages recounted different moments in his life, including being a teenager when ICE raided his home to look for his already deported father, going through the process of his citizenship interview, and how he realized that his home was not an escape from the looming threat of deportation he had originally thought it to be.
The Q&A
At the end of the reading, Mr. Castillo opened the floor for students to ask questions.
Question about the number of ICE raids Mr. Castillo has experienced
One student asked how many times he had been through an ICE raid, and he told the audience just the one time recounted in his book.
Question for advice for undocumented students
Another student asked what advice he had for undocumented students or those who had parents who were undocumented. Castillo explained that it is no longer the time like back in 2006, when the undocumented community borrowed from the queer liberation movement that championed a sort of “coming out” about your documentation status.
He reflected on the fact that at this point in time, coming out—even to close friends or loved ones—could still be dangerous, as even if they are well-intentioned, they could put you in danger by revealing your status to unsafe people or groups. While he did speak on the dangers, he did reiterate the point that a community of loved ones you can rely on is extremely important right now.
He also advised not buying into the myth of having to be the perfect immigrant and that buying into the lie that being a perfect example or model citizen will not buy you the respect or protection you think it will.
When it comes to watching news, Marcelo reminded the crowd that the headlines are not based on what is happening but are speculation about what might happen.
Question on humanizing immigrants
When asked how one could humanize immigrants to friends and loved ones after Nov. 5 and how people voted, a Marcelo responded that it was not his responsibility to make them see their own humanity. He explained that it is not his job to convince others that he is a human.
He further explained that he has learned not to let people get away with distancing themselves from what they voted for. He said that if you voted for was racism and that those who voted for said racism should not be allowed to separate it from themselves.
Student input
With a full audience, I approached one individual reading a free copy of Marcelo’s memoir before the event began. Eric Perz, a Butte College student and student assistant working at the UndocuCenter on campus, heard about the event from his boss, Brenda Rodriguez, and wanted to apply what he had been learning from his Chicano Studies class, taught by Mr. Isido Guzman, from someone who has experienced the effects of migration from Mexico to California.
When asked what the message of Children of the Land is, Eric explained that its main message is that everyone, of any race and especially people of color, can be reminded that they have a voice and can speak up for themselves. And that you should not buy into the myth that you can’t.
Why Marcelo?
I was able to interview Butte College English professor Amy Antongiovanni on why she chose Marcelo Hernandez Castillo to speak to the student body at Butte College. She recounted the many accomplishments that Mr. Castillo has under his belt, such as being one of the first undocumented poets to graduate from the MFA program at Michigan State, and that his opinions and ideas on problems such as border control and migration were particularly relevant and important.
She further explained that when looking for speakers to invite to the school, she looks for those who have messages that can inspire the student body, reflect the student body’s population, and serve as models for what education can do for them as a whole.
She also let students know that they can watch a recorded version of the entire event on Butte College’s DEI page. I could not find the recording as of yet, but I will link the page here as soon as it is up.
