La Voz

Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: Campus Features

Media Credit: Sonia Easaw A piece entitled "Prelude," One of Canutú's collaborative works with Marta Sanchez, features her writing on the bottom: "Fiery gold crown sunset over Mexico death defies life A packed train speeds by transports precious cargo Arrives with the moonlight."

Media Credit: Sonia Easaw Norma Cantú speaks to students in the Euphrat Museum Monday, Oct. 1.

Norma Cantú once told her father that she was "going to run away to San Francisco and become a hippie." She became an English professor instead. Cantú, an award-winning author and professor at the University of Texas, visited De Anza College on Oct. 1 to give a series of talks to students and the public.

Cantú, wearing a vibrant purple shawl over a white suit, dramatically read from her book entitled "Canícula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la Frontera," to a classroom filled with De Anza Puente students. Her voice was passionate as she read stories from her childhood, sometimes singing in Spanish. She spoke candidly about her life: an intricate tale of a woman who rose from poverty to overcome many obstacles.

"I like how she gave her background, and what made her become a writer," said Lisa Le, a first year nursing student at De Anza.

"When you think you can't do something because you don't have the money - no, that's not an excuse," says Cantú, who did not have any financial support to go to college. Her father even called her crazy for going to college; "Estas loca!" he said. After years of financial struggle and prejudice, Cantú earned her Ph.D. in English.

The Euphrat Museum of Art on campus welcomed Cantú in a reception later the same day, where she spoke to an overflowing crowd of students who sat on the floor, listening attentively.

"People read it and find messages that resonate that I didn't even know existed," said Cantú about her work. She also spoke about the artwork behind her that she collaborated with another artist to create, her poetry etched into it. Some of the poetry was in Spanish, some in English.

"I love her art. I really love the bilingual aspects of her poetry," said Karen Chow, an English instructor at De Anza.

One student, Quynh Lam, unwittingly happened to walk into the museum and heard Cantú speak. "I really loved the way she spoke. Even though I don't know Spanish, I felt the emotion in her art. It's like getting to know another culture," said Lam.

"It was really wonderful, and I've really enjoyed it. I'm impressed by the students' energy, and how the students ask really good questions," said Cantú, who jokingly added maybe it was because the quarter just began. When asked what her advice would be to students, especially Latinos, she said to remember that whenever students think they can't do something, think "Si se puede," Spanish for "Yes, you can."

The collaborative artwork of Norma Cantú and Marta Sanchez are part of the Moving Cultures (...all over the map) exhibit at the Euphrat Museum. The exhibit runs from Oct. 2 to Nov. 12.

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