In Yolia

In Yolia

In Yolia

Hit the streetLate la calle
Drums in my chestTambores en mi pecho
Long staresMiradas largas
Fear undoneMiedo deshecho

I step on the sidewalkPiso la acera
Like it’s on fireComo si fuera fuego
If the world burnsSi quema el mundo
We’ll do it againLo hacemos de nuevo

I come from the hoodVengo del barrio
Where the walls are bareDe pisos sin pintura
From mothers who cookDe madres que cocinan
With strength and careResistencia y ternura

I read the futureLeí futuro
In shattered glassEn vidrios estallados
Hold on, girlAguanta, mija
In tired eyesEn ojos agotados

Thank youTlazohcamati
For every dawnPor cada amanecer
My grandma told meMe dijo abuela
Don’t let yourself fallNo te dejes caer

I sang in silenceChanté en silencio
Ancient wordsPalabras ancestrales
Good nightCualli yohualli
For brutal nightsPara noches brutales

I was madeA mí me hicieron
With punches and hungerCon golpes y con hambre
The law gave me a numberLa ley me puso número
Mom gave me a nameMamá me dio nombre

Good dayCualli tonalli
My old man would repeatMe repetía mi viejo
If you fall to the groundSi caes al suelo
You get back up on your feetTe levantas parejo

Growing up with sirensCrecer con sirenas
And helmets on the cornerY cascos en la esquina
I swore my defeatJuré que mi derrota
Wouldn’t be routineNo sería rutina

I took the painTomé el dolor
Turned it into disciplineLo volví disciplina
Pen and wordPluma y palabra
My only doctrineMi única doctrina

Get up, warrior, get upLevántate, guerrero, levántate
Let the ground shake when they see you againQue tiemble el suelo al verte otra vez
Tla, tla, tla, tlacati, I love youTla, tla, tla, tlacati, amo nimitstlakawa
We’re the roots that never go awaySomos raíz que nunca se va

Get up, warrior, get upLevántate, guerrera, levántate
Let the hood hear what you seeQue el barrio escuche lo que tú ves
Tla, tla, tla, thank you, earthTla, tla, tla, tlazohcamati, tlaltikpak
We’re the storm that comes and goesSomos tormenta que viene y va

They say give upDicen resignate
I say: Enough alreadyYo digo: Ya basta
My rhyme marchesMi rima marcha
Your wall wears downTu muro se desgasta

Ne, na, I’ll tell youNe, na, nimitztekia
Your fear with my voiceTu miedo con mi voz
Every lineCada renglón
Is a shout from both of usEs un grito de los dos

I saw the soldiersVi a los soldados
Looking the other wayMirando hacia otro lado
When injusticeCuando la injusticia
Hit the unarmedGolpeó al desarmado

I swear by everyJuro por cada
That fell for no reasonQue cayó sin razón
That my wordQue mi palabra
Doesn’t drop the lineNo baja el renglón

They asked meMe preguntaron
Why didn’t you shut up?¿Por qué no te callaste?
Because in my mouthPorque en mi boca
Every absence criesLlora cada ausente

In lifeIn nemilistli
It’s not luxury or a gameNo es lujo ni juego
It’s a small lightEs luz pequeña
In so much dark fireEn tanto oscuro fuego

I carried bannersCargué pancartas
With trembling handsCon manos temblorosas
Not one lessNi una menos
On furious wallsEn paredes furiosas

Today my throatHoy mi garganta
No longer asks for permissionYa no pide permiso
Breaks chainsRompe cadenas
And shatters the floorY revienta el piso

Who protects the people?¿Quién cuida al pueblo?
In your heart, I careIn teteo timoiknelia
Who breaks the iron?¿Quién rompe el hierro?
In words, in yoliaIn tlatol, in yolia

Who’s still alive?¿Quién sigue vivo?
In the people, my sisterIn tlakatl, mi hermana
Who gets up?¿Quién se levanta?
In the land, tomorrowIn altepetl, mañana

Get up, warrior, get upLevántate, guerrero, levántate
Let the ground shake when they see you againQue tiemble el suelo al verte otra vez
Tla, tla, tla, tlacati, I love youTla, tla, tla, tlacati, amo nimitstlakawa
We’re the roots that never go awaySomos raíz que nunca se va

Get up, warrior, get upLevántate, guerrera, levántate
Let the hood hear what you seeQue el barrio escuche lo que tú ves
Tla, tla, tla, thank you, earthTla, tla, tla, tlazohcamati, tlaltikpak
We’re the storm that comes and goesSomos tormenta que viene y va

If you fall with meSi caes conmigo
I’ll lift you tooTe alzo también
Together we riseTlakame tlen tlatskan
Come on, let’s goNimitznotza, ven

From dust to skyDel polvo al cielo
From disgust to honorDel asco al honor
Same battleMisma batalla
Same cryMismo clamor