ZipOdes by FIU Honors Students

FIU Honors students reading their ZipOdes at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens © John William Bailly

Odes to the 305 and Beyond by Isabella Marie Garcia (spookyrose.wordpress.com)

In partnership with WLRN and O, Miami, the students from the FIU Honors College were invited to share their zipcode inspired pieces at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Followed by an award ceremony for the winners of the ZipOde finalists, guests were greeted by students performing their spoken tributes to their homes or their experience at FIU. Alongside the student performances and award ceremony, guests were welcomed to explore the museum and surrounding gardens and reflect on what home means to them. The following are a selection of the ZipOdes that were read by FIU Honors students during the evening.

“Expectations” by Katerina Cutie (33174)
Dishonor Disgrace Disdain
Makes us feel
Small
How could we live up to it
Will it ever end

“Exist or Live” by Katerina Cutie (33199)
Exist or Live
What makes us
Alive
Breathe in, Breathe out, Eat, Sleep, Drink, Release, Exist
Love, Touch, Speak, Listen, Feel, Help, Hurt, Laugh, Live

“33185” by Lauren Falcon
Dear New Neighbors,
Noise travels far.
Walls.
Last time I checked, Do not block sound.
How about inviting me over?

“Pines” by Isabella Marie Garcia (33332)
the suburban melodrama
wishing to leave
why is that?
this is home
my birthplace

“White Party Time” by Isabella Marie Garcia (33129)
francia italia españa
white party time
stop
j’ai dit
it is time for them to step down now

“Shock” by Isabella Marie Garcia (33199)
six were lost
what the fuck
how
it was built to save others from street danger
man can’t rule man and more payed the price

“Angels” by Isabella Marie Garcia (33199)
home away from
my suburban birthplace
miami
i’ve met angels in this land of diverse roots
cortaditos con mis amigos para disfrutar de la verdad

“Home?” by Michelle A. Gonzalez (33185)
Foreclosure brought me
Here to stay,
Sucks.
But at least I have my family’s love
Luckily, that’s all that matters.

“What Home Really Is” by Michelle A. Gonzalez (33185)
Café con leche:
Early every morning,
Gracias.
Here’s something I can always count on,
Just like Mami y Papí

“Jacqueline” by Michelle A. Gonzalez (33186)
A great listener
Doesn’t know she’s
Cuban…
But that’s okay because she thinks she’s French—
Currently my only favorite human!

“33126” by Barbara Sanchez
Drive through MIA
avoid Le Jeune
traffic
but not
to avoid my reality in escape

El Rey’s Pizza
the Argentinian bakery
home
everywhere lies
my daily does of el cafecito

“33199” by Barbara Sanchez
I learned at
FIU that Miami
cultures
are very mixed, when a classmate made fun of
me being Pinareiña but plot twist he is Chilean

Daily route to
education, passes me
through
8th street, where bridge construction existed to provide safety
but instead provided several people pain and final moments

“The Coming of Time” by Richard Suarez (33187)
Time is fickle,
Yet an everlasting
Creation.
For we do not know the end of this creature
Despite being responsible for fabricating her existence.

“Blink” by Richard Suarez (33199)
Life is lived
Through memories formed.
Blink.
One moment you are living life filled with happiness.
Blink. In another, you are constructing a false reality.

Gallery from ZipOdes at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens