QUOTES

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After more than 50 years of Chicano Activism, 45 years in the practice of architecture and urbanism, and 12 years in academia, herein are my Viente Dichos (20 thoughts) for young Chicano practitioners, as well as others, on a holistic lifestyle at the beginning of the 21st century. In 2050, the US population will be 53% non-Anglo while the population of the Southwest will approach 55% Hispanic/Latino. Today, everyone has the opportunity to focus, reflect, and act. Become a community-activist/entrepreneur/cultural-scholar -- find your absolute truth.

 

Iconic Architecture: 
At the beginning of your career, visit every work of architecture 
you truly admire...it will change your life forever.

 

Richness and Complexity:
Conceive your thoughts in the most abstract ways, 
then articulate them with clarity and elegance.

 

Contemplation:
Before committing pencil-to-paper, express yourself verbally, word selection will 
clarify your design intentions--practice your final presentation on the first day.

 

Authenticity:
We have the responsibility to pass on to future generations valuable 
Monuments with all the richness of their authenticity.

 

Humor, Food and Praise:
They are the three nymphs of successful negotiations.

 

Clients:
Nurture their growth and in turn they will cherish your work of architecture.

 

Good Morning:
First things, say "good morning" to everyone...your spirit will feel better the entire day.

 

Preparation:
Drill deep, you might discover something extraordinary.

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Knowledge:
It is the great equalizer, it gives you immense power.

 

Family and Culture:
It is who you are and it is who you should love.

 

Role Model:
Share your shadow so others can follow the light too.

 

Spirituality:
It is elusive and complex, it's the DNA of aesthetics.

 

Passion:
Make it the essence of your being.

 

Place:
It is where Serenity kisses Light.

 

Beauty:
It is in the eye of the beholder, but aesthetics has its own rigorous logic.

 

Mathematics:
The language of mathematics is pure logic.

 

Wisdom:
You might possess a vast amount of knowledge and have access to Big 
Data, but are your conversations filled with Wisdom?

 

Light:
To capture light as a physical and cerebral phenomena, approach 
creativity in all 11-dimensions of time-space.

 

Water:
All civilizations can agree on at least one thing, water is life.

 

Zero and Infinity:
Zero never really understood its origins -- this occurred just prior to 
the Aztec deities of Water (Tlalco) and Light (Quetzalcoatl) kissing – 
this changed everything for eternity.

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N.B.:  The above dichos are taken from my article "Oneness: The Architecture of Self", By Design, Volume 26.