COLLABORATE with our interactive exhibit where YOU, for 24 hours, can relive the inhumane conditions 

Oscar López Rivera has lived for the last 32 years.

GET INVOLVED, be a prisoner or guard for a day!

CHALLENGE & EDUCATE YOUR FRIENDS

REACH through the prison walls & SAY NO TO INJUSTICE Check out last years video! http://bit.ly/Zp92ph

Attend the opening and closing of this exhibit! 

April 28th 8AM and May 29th at Batey Urbano 2620 W. Division St.

For more information or to get involved please contact Matt McCanna at mattm@boricuahumanrights.org or 708-953-8351

Alfredo Huerta and Sabrina Cintrón, both seniors at Roberto Clemente Community Academy (RCCA), have been rewarded the Open Doors Scholarship upon acceptance into Columbia College Chicago, for their academic excellence. Each student will receive a renewable $7,000 and $8000 a year respectively, totaling $28,000 & $32,000 for four years.

This scholarship, accredited to CPS high school seniors that have earned a minimum cumulative high school grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, is one of many Alfredo and Sabrina have applied for as a part of the College Pipeline Project at RCCA, whereby seniors interested in attending Columbia College Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University, or University of Illinois at Chicago are mentored by students at these institutions. At the end of this years Pipeline Project, Alfredo and Sabrina will have a portfolio consisting of a resumé, five year plan, scholarship applications, and much more to take in college.

A group of IIT students has spent the last semester working on the development of a  mobile app for a walking tour of Paseo Boricua as part of the Interprofessional Projects Program (IPRO), in conjunction with the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. The app, soon to be available on Android and IOs, is near completion. The class, led by Dr. Margaret Power, met on April 15th to conduct a trial tour of the sites and murals. The app tour should take between 45 minutes to 1 hour and showcased the beautiful murals and buildings of Paseo Boricua.

Alejandro Luis Molina, PRCC Board Secretary and Tech Portfolio sachem, is excited about the project because it highlights the potential for productive partnership between a major University and a community. The picture shows the production team stopping at one of the sites in Humboldt Park. The tour begins at Clemente High School, continues down Division St. to Humboldt Park, past the field and boat house and ends at IPRAC.

Over 200 fill Casa Puertorriqueña for Dr. Luis Nieves Falcón & Matt Meyer

Last Thursday, April 11th, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center continued its 40th Anniversary Jornada with a presentation of two important books .

Over two hundred people sat rapt, as Dr. Luis Nieves Falcón, editor of "Oscar López Rivera: Between Torture and Resistance", eloquently spoke about Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera, whose prison letters comprise the book. The audience, including high school students and teachers, law students and lawyers, community health activists and physicians, poets and musicians, lined up enthusiastically to have Dr. Nieves Falcón sign their books and ask him questions about the campaign for López Rivera's release from prison. 

The book, a translation from the original Spanish, includes a forward by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who says "justice cannot be served by keeping Oscar López Rivera in prison." 

Matt Meyer presented on "We Have Not Been Moved: Resisting Racism and Militarism in 21st Century America"  a book he edited with Elizabeth Martínez and Mandy Carter. To lead off his presentation, Meyer announced that Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams has joined the effort to free Oscar López Rivera.

A CD collection of songs authored by some of Puerto Rico's most well-known singer-songwriters was also available for sale. "La Vida Es Lucha Toda" tributo a Oscar López Rivera features Roy Brown and Zoraida Santiago, Tony Mapeyé, Lucecita Benítez and Haciendo Punto en otro Son.

The National Boricua Human Rights Network sponsored program, hosted by Alyssa Villegas and Michelle Morales, included poetry by Judy Díaz and Eduardo Arocho and music by Fernandito Ferrer. 100 copies of "Oscar Lopez Rivera: Between Torture and Resistance" were sold and more have been ordered. To get your copy, contact alejandrom@boricuahumanrights.org. Each copy is $15.95 plus shipping & handling. The Oscar CD is also available and costs $12 plus s/h. View our Flickr set here.

The CIRILO W. MEIJERS Comerio Cultural Center has dedicated its 33rd FESTIVAL JIBARO COMERIEÑO (June 7-9) to the Puerto Rican community of Chicago, represented by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center Juan Antonio Corretjer of Chicago. In addition, they recognize that the tribute would not be complete without dedicating the festival also to Oscar López Rivera. In this spirit they have organized a "Committee to Free Oscar", which has already published a call urging the townspeople to become involved in the campaign to free Puerto Rico's longest held political prisoner.

The Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (IPRAC) and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) invite you to join us in our first Eco-Cultural Tour of Puerto Rico from June 6th-11th, 2013.

Where we will stay!

Hotel Media Luna, Comerio, Puerto Rico

Museo de Arte   de Puerto Rico

Total Price: $1,500 (estimated) per person includes Air Transportation, 5 nights, 6 days in Hotel Media Luna, Breakfast and Dinner, Ground Transportation to and from the airport, to and from each excursion and taxes and fees. (Price will vary depending on group size and hotel room occupancy. Price for couples available at cheaper price) DEADLINES: $100 deposit due by Monday, April 22, and balance of the entire $1500 due May 5th for the entire cost of the trip. For more information contact Militza Pagán at 773-227-7794.

This past Saturday, April 13 Representative Luis Gutiérrez sponsored the "Fight for Our Future Youth Congress" at Roberto Clemente High School. The purpose of the event was to encourage youth to get involved in ensuring that Comprehension Immigration Reform passes this year. At the event the Congressman provided the audience with an update on the state of Comprehensive Immigration Reform in Congress. He explained that things were moving and while there were Republicans willing to back a law that provides legalization for the millions of undocumented people in the US, much work needed to be done to make it a reality.

Emma Lozano, co-chair of Centro Sin Fronteras, and José E. López, Executive Director of the PRCC, also spoke at the event. López explained that Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive order was the reason the president was reelected. He further explained that the Latino consciousness that exists today is due to the solidarity formed between Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Chicago decades ago. "Our ability to form a political Latino Agenda is going to change US politics and consciousness," stressed López. Following the speakers, breakout sessions were held on different issues important to the Latino immigrant community including Empowerment, Violence Response, Education and Employment. Over 200 youth and their families attended the event.

   'FRAME UP!-Unjust incarcerations' Panel featuring Jose Lopez (Director, Puerto Rican Cultural Center, brother of Oscar López Rivera),Felix Masud-Piloto (Cuban-American and DePaul professor),Mark Clements (Campaign to End Torture & Chicago Alliance against Racist and Political Repression, tortured and unjustly imprisoned for 26 years),and Mary L. Johnson (mother of Michael Johnson, Burge torture survivor), 

April 24, Wednesday 6pm, Casa de Cultura Calles y Suenos, 1900 S. Carpenter

Do you qualify for rental assistance?

• Homeless?
• About to be homeless?
• Falling behind in rent?
• Need a security deposit and first month's rent?

Eligibility for Assistance:

• Resident of Humboldt Park or Logan Square
• Seeking housing in the Humboldt Park and Logan Square community
• Behind on rent

For more information, please contact Melissa Rodríguez at 773.227.7794.