JE #10

1. Mama Chona
2. Lauren Adrian
3. Shelly
4. Concha
5. Rosa
6. Miguel Chico
7. Rudy Robles
8. Ivon Villa
9. Ximena
10. Ismael

5 characters: Mama Chona, Lauren Adrian, Rduy Robles, Ivon Villa, Ismael Martínez
Host: Speedy González

Speedy: ¡Orale! Hola everyone, welcome to this charla. Comenzaremos con unas preguntas
Lauren: Hi, uh Speedy, is it possible for you to speak in English? I lost you on a few words…
Mama Chona: Niña desgraciada, ¿cómo que no hablas español?Pareces que nacistse con el 
nopal allí en frente.
Rudy: Oye, vieja, can you keep it down over there, I’d prefer for this to be in English too.
Ismael: Yeah, me too. English is the main language of this country.
Ivon: This country? Do you know where you’re at? Don’t get me started. You’ve got some 
Historical Amnesia issues to work on.


Speedy: Oye, gente, we haven’t even gotten to the first question, callense por favor. Ok, first 
question, in English, what does border life mean to you?
Ivon: Well, you know, I’m originally from El Paso, Texas but I now live in Los Ángeles, 
California with my wife and…
Mama Chona: Ay Dios mío, una lesbiana…
Ivon: Señora, por favor, no sea sangrona y dejeme terminar con mi respuesta. As I was saying, 
the border is an interesting location. As Gloria Anzaldúa states, it’s, “the lifeblood of two 
worlds merging to form a third country—a border culture.”
Ismael: As a college educated individual as well (looks at Ivon), and from the outskirts of El 
Paso as well, the border is the saddest place to be, that’s why after attending an Ivy League university I rarely returned.
Rudy: Orale man, calm down, Don’t act so muy muy. Speedy, you see, I’m from East LA, it’s far 
from the border so it’s not a problem. I just work on cars and check out fine ladies.
Lauren: Look, I’m just here for a work assignment, I’m here to write about the female murders in 
Júarez, it’s disgusting, it’s terrible.
Mama Chona: Pues, la frontera es mejor que México…


Speedy: Ok, pues, moving on, do you think the border has affected you, made you someone 
different?
Lauren: For me, at least, it’s opening my eyes. This border culture is violent and dangerous, 
women need to be on the look out at all times. We need to stop these murders, we need to 
raise awareness…
Ivon: Lauren, you’re absolutely right. It’s terrible what’s going on. I’m glad that there are more 
Chicanas like you that are aware.
Lauren: I’m not a Chicana though…
Rudy: It doesn’t mater baby, you’re still fine.
Ivon: Rudy, you’re disgusting. Wake up and stop degrading women.
Mama Chona: Lesbiana y feminista. Ayudame, padre nuestro.
Ismael: You know, I know something about liberals from Massachusetts but you, Ivon, are on a 
whole different level.
Ivon, All of you, with the exception of Lauren, are not conscious of what’s going on here. All 
you do is care about yourselves. There’s more here at stake than you can even imagine. 
Thank you Lauren for all your great work but who cares if I’m a lesbian, educated, feminist and a Chicana. I’m more conscious and aware than you two guys y ella.
Mama Chona: ya me voy, ya no puedo. Tengo que ver mi novela…
Ismael: Yeah me too, I need to get back to the East Coast to my American family
Rudy: Me too, I gotta go back to East LA, away from this borderland…
(Everyone but Lauren, Ivon, and Speedy leave)

Speedy: Pues, I guess that’s it.