DeepSummary
The podcast episode features Lisette Gonzalez, the director of investigations at Profea, a Venezuelan human rights organization. She shares a poem titled 'Rodilla Entiera' by Venezuelan poet Oriette D'Angelo, which reflects on the struggles and hardships faced by Venezuelans amidst the country's political and economic turmoil.
The poem, originally titled 'Knee on Dirt' in Spanish, was inspired by a phrase used by former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez to signify loyalty to the revolution. However, the poem subverts this notion by capturing the physical and emotional toll of protesting, standing in long queues for basic necessities, and the disappointment of unfulfilled promises.
Gonzalez highlights the powerful impact of the poem in conveying the personal experiences and suffering of Venezuelans in a way that resonates more deeply than mere statistics or reports. The visceral imagery of bones and body parts reflects the struggles of ordinary citizens, allowing for a more empathetic understanding of the human rights violations in Venezuela.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Poetry and personal narratives can be powerful tools for conveying the emotional toll and lived experiences of human rights violations, resonating more deeply than mere statistics or reports.
- The poem 'Rodilla Entiera' by Oriette D'Angelo captures the struggles and hardships faced by Venezuelans amidst the country's political and economic turmoil, including protests for democracy and rights, as well as the scarcity of basic necessities.
- The visceral imagery and metaphors used in the poem, such as portraying suffering through the imagery of bones and body parts, convey the physical and emotional toll of the struggles faced by ordinary Venezuelans.
- The personal and relatable nature of the poem, focusing on individual experiences and emotions rather than political discourse, allows for a more empathetic understanding of the human rights violations in Venezuela.
- Using poetry and personal narratives in human rights advocacy can help to humanize the experiences of those affected and potentially have a greater impact than mere statistics or reports.
- The poem subverts the notion of loyalty to the revolution, as promoted by former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, by capturing the disillusionment and suffering of ordinary citizens amidst unfulfilled promises.
- The struggles portrayed in the poem include protests, disobedience against the political system, and the hardships of standing in long queues for basic necessities like milk and bread.
- The poem reflects the diminished sense of self-esteem, patriotism, and the dehumanizing experience of being sustained by 'visceral manure' as citizens, highlighting the profound impact of the country's turmoil on individuals.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I believe he's a very powerful poem that shows everybody what are the feelings in Venezuela? The struggle of the people marching and protesting against the government and towards more democracy and rights in Venezuela. But also the struggle because the economic situation was so hard. No milk nor bread standing in line to buy food.“ by Lisette Gonzalez
- “The bones that the leg is made of that's how she portrays all the suffering in the body because of so many struggles to find food or to be on the street protesting, disobeying the political system.“ by Lisette Gonzalez
- “They say that the first step to a fall is resistance. Mine was the drop. Knee buckling hard. Femur on dirt. Tibia on dirt. Self esteem on dirt. Patriotism on dirt. The ego of a country sustained by fertilizer. The visceral manure that makes us citizens.“ by Oriette D'Angelo
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Episode Information
Strength & Solidarity
Strength & Solidarity
11/30/23
Lissette Gonzalez leads the investigations and research team at PROVEA, a Venezuelan human rights organization. Well-versed in the tools of human rights activism, she knows they don’t resonate for everyone. A poem, however, channels what people are feeling and can have greater impact. She makes her case with Rodilla en Tierra, by Oriette D’Angelo.
For a list of supplemental readings and additional information about this episode’s content, visit https://strengthandsolidarity.org/podcasts/
Contact us at pod@strengthandsolidarity.org
You can find the poetry of Oriette D'Angelo on her website: https://www.oriettedangelo.com/
Thank you to Lupita Eyde-Tucker for her translation of Oriette's poem. You can find out more about her work at her website: https://notenoughpoetry.com/