To commemorate 31 years imprisonment for OLR
"31 Days for 31 Years" in Full Swing
The first week of "31 Days for 31 Years", in which 31 activists and community residents will spend 24 hours each in a makeshift storefront cell with guard, for a total of 31 days, is almost over. The interactive exhibit, organized by the National Boricua Human Rights Network (NBHRN), Batey Urbano and Latin@ Coalition began April 28th, also features an exhibition of Oscar's artwork (he is a prolific painter) as well as literature and posters from the campaign to free Puerto Rican political prisoners for the past 30 years and a wall of Oscar's letters to his supporters. There will also be a station where people may write to Oscar. A 31 second video of each "prisoner's" reflection is also posted here. Check back every few days to see the new content.
 | | 31 Days for 31 Years, Day 1 |
The purpose of this exhibit is to call attention to the continued unjust incarceration of Oscar López Rivera. The ambitious joint effort of the Latin@ Coalition, Batey Urbano and NBHRN will culminate in a major event commemorating his arrest and 31 years of imprisonment on Tuesday, May 29, 6pm at the Batey Urbano, preceeded by a press conference at 5:30 pm. Save the date.
For more information or to schedule an interview with a representative from one of the sponsoring organizations, please contact Laura Ruth Johnson (773) 505-2490 or laurarj@boricuahumanrights.org
WE CAN HELP FREE OSCAR LÓPEZ RIVERA.
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Our Websites:
View our Photos on Flickr!
Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos HS (Over 13,000 pics!)
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| Friday, May 11
Johanny Vázquez New Poetry Book Release
 IPRAC is proud to host the first book- signing of Johany Vázquez Paz' new book of poetry, Querido Voyeur published by Ediciones Torremozas, Madrid, Spain. Fri, May 11, 2012 at 6:00 PMInstitute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (IPRAC) 3015 W. Division Street |
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Available at La Cosecha and IPRAC
"Don Oscar" Coffee, Paseo Boricua Edition
 Café Don Oscar can be purchased for $5.99 at: La Cosecha: 2703 W. Division St. or IPRAC: 3015 W. Division St., 773-486-8345 |
Puerto Rican Cultural Center 2739-41 W. Division St Chicago, Illinois 60622 P 773-342-8023 F 773-342-6609
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Xavier Luis Burgos Receives
"Nuestros Heroes" Award
 On Friday, April 27 the Latina/o Cultural and Resource Center (LCRC) at Northeastern Illinois University hosted its second annual Latino Graduation. Since the inauguration of the center two years ago, the gala-type event is one of its largest and most-attended, attracting university faculty, staff, students, and their families. This year, another dimension was added to the celebration - the "Nuestros Héroes" award - given to students whose contributions have improved the Latina/o community on campus. We are proud to say that one of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center's own, Xavier "Xavi" Luis Burgos, was the first to receive this honor. Xavi, as he is affectionately called in the community, was a former Editor of NEIU's Que Ondee Sola magazine and President of the Union for Puerto Rican Students; he also helped spearhead the creation of the LCRC. He will be graduating on May 5 with a B.A. in Sociology and will be attending the University of Illinois-at Chicago this Fall as a doctoral student in Educational Policy Studies. |
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Documentary "Culebra" Shown at IPRAC Tuesday May 24th
14 elderly from Culebra tell their stories since their childhood, the games they played, the school they went to barefoot, their chores like fetching water from the well and bringing wood to cook. Then they recount their experiences when the Navy started doing military maneuvers, first interacting with the population but later bombing from the huge ships and planes. Out of our 14 protagonists, 13 migrated to St. Croix, Vieques, the United States but they eventually came back. Images by two kids metaphorically relay the continuation of this history amongst the beauty of the island. The film was produced and directed by Sonia Fritz.
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PRCC Licensed Childcare Serves 50 Children 15 mos to 6 yrs
Apply Now for Your Child!
Centro Infantil Consuelo Lee Corretjer, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center childcare, is now fully licensed by the Illinois Department of Family Services to service 50 children, ages 15 months to 6 years. This increases the PRCC's capacity to serve more infant and toddlers in our community.
Founded in 1980, the Consuelo Lee Corretjer Day Care Center is a full day bilingual program offering quality childcare services for children 15 months to 5 years of age. The Center was founded in response to the need for bilingual-bicultural programs in the community. We place special emphasis on Puerto Rican, Mexican and Latin American culture. The program is designed to help ease the child's transition to elementary school and aims to provide services primarily to working and student's families.
We offer:
* Full day, Day Care for children 15 mos. to 3 yrs.
* Full day Head Start for children 3 to 5 years in collaboration with El Valor
* Research based curriculum
* Family involvement
* Nutritional Meals
* Parent workshops
WE ACCEPT:
* Action for Children
* DCFS
* Private slots are available
Required Forms and Documents:
* Admission application
* Statement of Earnings
* Child's current physical examination signed by physician
* Copy of child's birth certificate
* Copy of child's social security card
* Dental examination For more info contact Xochitl Ramírez at: xochitlr@prcc-chgo.org |
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PUERTO RICAN LEADERS FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA FORM THE CENTRAL FLORIDA CHAPTER OF THE NBHRN
NBHRN Florida Chapter Opening Event Hosts ex-political prisoner
Luis Rosa
 The National Boricua Human Rights Network announced at a press conference on Thursday, April 26, 2012, the formation of their new Central Florida Chapter. The event - a resounding success with standing room only - was held at the Southeast Branch Library, 5575 S. Semoran Boulevard, Orlando, Florida.
During the conference, attendees heard from former Puerto Rican political prisoner, Luis Rosa, who commended the Central Florida Puerto Rican constituency leaders for joining the international campaign in support of Oscar Lopez Rivera, who as next May 29, 2012, will have served 31 years in United States prisons for the decolonization of Puerto Rico.
"The case of Oscar Lopez Rivera is a humanitarian issue," said Luis Rosa.
"We are urging the leader of the free world, President Barack Obama, to follow in the steps of his predecessors Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, respectively; to commute the sentence of Oscar Lopez Rivera, since the support for his release comes from a cross-section of various civic and religious leaders," Pastor Roberto Morales continued. 
In 1999, then President Bill Clinton determined that the sentences of the 1980's political prisoners were disproportionately lengthy and offered to commute their sentences after they had served 16 to 20 years behind bars. Most accepted and were subsequently released. However, under the terms offered to Lopez Rivera, he would have to serve an additional ten years with good conduct. He declined the offer, as the President did not include all of his co-defendants. Had he accepted he would have been released by now; unfortunately, he is currently the only one of the 1980's political prisoners remaining in prison, while all his co-defendants are living productive, exemplary, and law abiding lives.
The National Boricua Human Rights Network is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with Chapters throughout the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Connecticut, among others, to defend Puerto Rican rights in the United States and Puerto Rico. For further information about the Central Florida Chapter, please contact Rosario Martinez at 407-486-4017 or by email at rosariom@boricuahumanrights.org.
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