Jimmy Santiago Baca and My reaction to his Bio..

In Baca's Bio it was known he was born from the Chicano and Native American descent. Baca had a really rough childhood, raised by his grandparents until the age of 5 yrs old. Relocated to an Albuquerque orphanage for 6 yrs. Then ran away at 11 yrs old; practically living in the streets which lead him into a juvenile detention until 1972.  Arrested for narcotics possession; which Baca denies and sentenced to a 7 year term Federal prison in Florence, Arizona and received Electroshock treatment for reluctant behavior. 
Baca being illiterate all his life, in jail he taught himself to read and write. Writing in a journal producing several short poems. With the encouragement of his inmates Baca sent several pieces to Mother Jones Magazine; where Denise Levertov published 3 of his poems from the first colt verse "Immigrants in our own land" in 1979 the same year he was released from jail. Baca since then has a wife, two sons and lives in the Black mesa region. 

In research of this I couldn't picture of a worse childhood for such a boy. A question pops up in my mind; "Can it be appropriate for one to say from the beginning Baca had a tough childhood just being born as a Chicano and Native American descent?" Some may think this is not the case, but sadly in this world that is the bigger issue. I believe in the poem "Family Ties" and many others, Baca is pointing out this issue. Baca wants to catch our attention, to be alert, to be aware of this matter! 

Baca feels a displacement a dislocation from the world. Being born a Chicano, families ripped away from him and placed in a orphanage and seeing the only way out was to run away. Practically a child still trying to provide and survive in the streets. Baca then was arrested for narcotics possession. He was arrested for narcotic possession and sentenced to a 7 year term in Federal prison. OK ! to me this sounds a bit stereotypical ? Is this the world saying again because he is Chicano he has to sell drugs ? This might be an overreaction of mine but this was it. How is it I hear of no court case or trail to show proof of this narcotic possession and the ABUSE of authority treating humans as animals or a non living thing using electroshock therapy. Where are the lawyers defending the rights of this human and the saying "innocent until proven guilty" maybe its just me but I would've liked to hear more about this.  

I believe Baca refused to become a stereotype and taught himself how to read and write. And by the support not of a family member, friend, or society norms but by an inmate who pushed him to send his poems to the magazine.  I find this interesting that it is in jail when he realized the power of reading and writing holds. "Can a pen be as sharp as the tongue?" I believe so, and it holds an even stronger effect on the one who reads and understands the meaning of it all. 

Baca is formally known on bringing national attention to literary and cultural contributions of Chicano in America, as well as those who are poor and underprivileged. Baca is also an amazing novelist and screenwriter; has came a long way from childhood to adulthood. In Baca's work he protrays  himself, the Chicano community, the displacement/disposition as a former illiterate convict and the transformation of a celebrated poet in today's modern world. I enjoyed reading Baca's work and more so about his life. 

And this is my reaction to Jimmy Santiago Baca's Bio.

Work Cited
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/547