Spiritual Reflection

Listen to “Vientos del Pueblo” (“Winds of the People”), one of the most beloved of Victor Jara’s songs. The Chilean poet and musician was murdered in the infamous stadium in which thousands were imprisoned when Pinochet took power in a coup in 1973.

Here is an English translation of this beautiful poem of courage and solidarity:

Yet again they want to stain
my homeland with the blood of working people —
those who talk of liberty but bear guilty hands,
who want to divide the children from their mothers,
and build again the cross that Christ dragged.

They want to hide the infamy
they inherit from past centuries,
but the mark of murder cannot be wiped from their faces.
Already thousands and thousands
have sacrificed their blood – the generous streams
multiply our bread.

Now I want to live with my child and brother
in the new world that all of us build day by day.
I am not frightened by your threats, you masters of misery —
the star of hope will continue to belong to us.

Winds of the people are calling me,
winds of the people are bearing me,
they scatter my heart and blow through my throat.
So the poet will be heard, until death takes me away,
along the road of the people, now and for ever.

Unit 8: Next Steps
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Heather Vickery is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with UU congregations, State Action Networks, past UU College of Social Justice (UUCSJ) program participants, and regional staff in order to expand engagement in UUSC and UUCSJ’s work. As the Coordinator for Congregational Activism, she manages the workshop offerings and group visits to the UUSC/UUCSJ office and assists with communications for the Activism and Justice Education Team. Heather is an active member of the Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network and a dedicated dog-mom to her rescue puppy Nova.

Heather may be contacted at hvickery@uucsj.org and 617-301-4303