From Puerto Rican Cultural Center & Programs

13th Annual Haunted Paseo Boricua

Featuring Carnival Circus Extravaganza &

Healthy Treats for Children of All Ages

 

Chicago, IL - October 1, 2014- hosts the 13th Annual Haunted Paseo Boricua on Friday, October 31st in the Humboldt Park neighborhood along Division Street from Western to California, between the giant Paseo Boricua Gateway Flag monuments. The festivities begin at 4:00pm and go until 7:30pm. Admission is free and open to the public. We provide a safe space for hundreds of families to enjoy the Halloween festivities, trick or treating and have plenty of fun. 

This year's festival includes over dozen of "halloweenesque" stations inspired by the carnival circus theme infused with a bit of Puerto Rican culture such as: a Haunted Casita, Scary Graveyard, Spooky Dancing & Thriller Stations, Healthy Treats Station, and the infamous and devilish Puerto Rican VEJIGANTE Station. 

 

This is the second year that Haunted Paseo launches the initiative " Healthy Treats for Healthier Kids" a campaign to inform children and their families about moderation and healthier snacks choices. We encourage our businesses to offer alternatives to candy in order to help prevent diabetes and obesity among our youth and in our community.

 

This event is being co-sponsored by: Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos H.S., West Town Bikes/Ciclo Urbano (Boys & Girls Bike Club), AfriCaribe Cultural Center, The Puerto Rican Cultural Center, Batey Urbano, Roberto Clemente High School, Muevete - Diabetes Empowerment Center, VIDA SIDA, The Chicago Park District, Alderman Roberto Maldonado (26th Ward), Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation, and The Greater Humboldt Park Community of Wellness.  

 

Visit: www.paseoboricua.org

Find us on Facebook:Haunted Paseo

or Flickr: Haunted Paseo 2012

 

HEALTHY TREATS, HEALTHIER CHILDREN CAMPAIGN

 

Did you know that the average kid consumes 3 cups of sugar during Halloween?             

Last year Haunted Paseo launched an extraordinary campaign to promote healthy alternatives and moderation during and beyond the Halloween celebration. Children all ages and families were genuinely happy to receive more than candy, but also delicious treats that won't scare good health away.

 

We are encouraging donations of every kind within this category to help realize this initiative. 

 

Some examples are:

  • Fruit Gummies
  • Pretzels
  • Juice boxes
  • Mini water bottles 
  • Plain cookies (graham crackers, Teddy Grahams, vanilla wafers, etc.)
  • Baked chips, baked tortilla chips
  • Popcorn
  • Low-fat granola or cereal bars
  • Sugar-free gum
  • Small toys (be conscious of small children)
  • Stickers

 

Donations can be dropped off at DSBDA, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School, Erie Elementary Charter School, Diabetes Empowerment Center and many others. 

 

Lets make it happen!

El Rescate Resident Awarded With Full Scholarship To Startup Institute 

El Rescate would like to congratulate Erika Knot who was recently awarded a full scholarship to attend the Startup Institute Chicago. This opportunity will further help develop Erika's skills needed to immerse herself in the startup industry. She is a highly motivated and focused individual with a promising career and we're all very proud of her. Keep up the great the work. Congratulations! 

Centro Infantil Teachers learn ABCs of Art in Workshop

 
 

The Centro Infantil staff would like to thank Brenda Torres, the art teacher from Pedro Albizu Campos High School for taking time to teach the staff the different elements of art and multiple ideas the staff can use for the kids and fun activities they can do with them. She also did some ice breakers and gave the staff a certain color and they had to go around the daycare and find the color that was given to them and put them in a triangle on the carpet next to everyone elses colors and it became the color wheel. The art tips Brenda gave the daycare staff was very helpful and the staff couldn't wait to go and show the kids what they learned in their workshop.  
 



PRCC Tech Tips

Back your data up now- tomorrow may be too late!

It's important as the year unfolds, to remember to back your data up, pics, documents, music, etc. The easiest way for anyone with a Puerto Rican Cultural Center.Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School or National Boricua Human Rights Network email to do this by dropping the file in to your Google Drive. From there, you can create subfolders if you want. The most important thing to remember is that HARD DRIVES FAIL, and the failure is always not related to how old the drive is. So back up your Desktop and Documents files, your pictures and music, your videos and yes, copy and paste your texts if they are important to you into your Google Drive folder. It only takes a few minutes and might just save you a world of hurt.

 

Google Extends Apps for Education with Unlimited Storage!

Google has extended Drive for Work -- a paid version of Drive for users of Google Apps for Work that offers unlimited file storage -- to students at institutions that use Apps for Education. Instead of the $10 per user per year paid by Drive for Work users, the upgrade comes freely for Drive for Education users. The offering allows for unlimited file storage, with a maximum individual file size of 5 TB (previously, users of Apps for Education were limited to 30 GB); users will be upgraded to unlimited storage over the next few weeks. Also included is access to Google Apps Vault, a utility offered for "search and discovery for compliance needs," access to which will be rolled out by the end of this year.

 

Presumably, the rationale behind this move is to encourage users to switch to the paid Google Drive for Work upon completing their studies.

 

Google Apps for Education is part of a newer endeavor at Google that provides customized Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions using publicly available Google Apps, customized to the domain of a given institution. It also includes Google Classroom, a course management and virtual learning environment that competes with the proprietary Blackboard Learnsoftware, available as a package installable on local servers or as a hosted service. Individual students are unable to sign up for Apps for Education; their educational institution must be a participant in order to benefit from this offering.

 

This is a problem that we need to solve now

According to a recent report from the National Science Foundation, as of 2010, women held 18.2% of computer science degrees. Barbara Ericson, director of computing outreach and a senior research scientist at Georgia Tech, compiled data from the College Board that showed that in 11 states, no African American students or Latinos took the Advanced Placement computer science exam in 2013. Not a single girl in Montana, Wyoming, or Mississippi took the test, either. 

From Our Community Partners

Curriculum of Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School infuses real-world experience, living history, and meaningful reflection

Grito de Lares Celebration -- "They took that from us!

by 

Francisca Guerrero, Senior, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School

In September, all students at Albizu Campos H.S. studied Mexico's"Grito de Dolores" (September 16) and Puerto Rico's "Grito de Lares" (September 23rd). Students and staff together attended a community event to meet history-makers in person. Students became the historians, as evidenced in the following report filed by a student on the Press Team.

 

I attended the Grito de Lares Celebration that was dedicated to Oscar Lopez Rivera at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture on September 23, 2014. The celebration was honoring Puerto Rico's first revolution for independence in 1868, the 15th anniversary of the release of the 1999 Boricua political prisoners and the campaign to free Oscar L�pez Rivera, currently the longest held Puerto Rican political prisoner in history.

Oscar L�pez Rivera has spent the last 33 years of his life in U.S. prisons. He was separated from his people and was punished for his commitment to the independence of Puerto Rico. Three political prisoners spoke about how they couldn't have their freedom without Oscar being free. What I learned at El Grito de Lares was to never give up on my dreams and always fight for my beliefs.

"Around Town" visits The National Museum of Puerto Rican of Arts & Culture

By Bianca Ortiz-Declet

The morning of Monday, September 1st 2014 was somewhat a rehearsal for what would be our Grand Opening. We were delighted to receive Ana Mar�a Belaval from WGN Morning News channel 9, for the "Around Town" segment. Billy Ocasio received Ana Maria and the museum staff truly excited about all the achieved efforts to open our doors as the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. He gave a walk through the historic building and its exhibition galleries. We also talked about our current exhibitions and our plans for future exhibitions that will come to the Museum. As part of this visit, we also had the pleasure to have AfriCaribe do a presentation on bomba, one of the traditional musical styles from Puerto Rico. We also launched our new museum store, where we will be having a selection of souvenirs, arts and crafts, books and our new museum t-shirt.

Puerto Rican Parrots 2014 Captive Breeding Update

By Jafet V�lez-Valent�n

Dear Friends and Colleagues:


I hope these short lines find all of you and your loved ones doing great and having success in your personal goals, your plans, and your projects.  As I always mention, the success of the captive management of the endangered Puerto Rican Amazon, is a collaborative effort between the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (Jos� L. Vivaldi Memorial Aviary, better known as the R�o Abajo Aviary) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Iguaca Aviary former Luquillo Aviary). Together, we had another great year. Ricardo Valent�n, the Rio Abajo Aviary Manager and Aviculturist ended the 2014 breeding season with 46 fledglings and at the Iguaca Aviary we ended with 37 fledglings.  That is a total of 83 fledglings in a season.

 

But the greatest news is yet to come.  As you may know, the purpose of this program is the recovery of such an endangered species in the wild.  So every year through different methods we release Puerto Rican Parrots into the wild in historically occupied habitat.  Well, some of them are already breeding in the wild in artificial nesting cavities.  But this year "mother nature" had a surprise, an awesome surprise.  JongPiel Banchs and Tomas Medina of the DNER found a "Wild", yes what we call "Wild Nesting Cavity" never managed by human beings, never altered nesting cavity in a Casuarina tree (Honduran Pine, known also as False Pine, Casuarina equisetifolia).  Long story-short, the new wild nest, the 1st one in that historical habitat in more than a century, produced the 1st fledglings in the wild in that area in over 100 year.  Click on the links here and here with several photos and the full story.  As well you will find a link for a short article from Giga Science that "talks" a little about the Puerto Rican Parrot Genome as one of the first published bird genomes (and first Parrot species).  Please enjoy the lecture and Happy Conservation Efforts.



UrbanTheater Company premiere's 

"Julia De Burgos: Child of Water" 

by Carmen Rivera in Humboldt Park

 

UrbanTheater Company (UTC) has been making professional theater accessible to the community of Humboldt Park for the last nine years, especially plays written by Puerto Rican playwrights. This Fall, to celebrate the centennial of Julia de Burgos, UTC kicks off their 9th season with the Midwest Premiere of Carmen Rivera's Julia De Burgos: Child of Water, directed by Juan Casta�eda (UTC ensemble member). Performances will be held at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture located at the Humboldt Park Stables at 3015 W. Division St. The play runs from November 7 - December 14, 2014. Make sure to save the date. Tickets will be on sale soon. 

 

For more information visit: www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org


Campaign to Free Oscar L�pez Rivera

WRITE TO OSCAR LOPEZ, #87651-024

FCI Terre Haute,  PO Box 33

Terre Haute, IN,  47808 

Terre Haute, Indiana 

By Alejandro Garcia Padilla, Governor of Puerto Rico

The morning was colder than anticipated: 48 degrees Fahrenheit. I arrived the night before in Indianapolis, Indiana, from where we left, driving for an hour and a half, to the Holiday Inn in Terre Haute. That morning we met to have breakfast with Puerto Rican Congressman Luis Guti�rrez. Then we left for Terre Haute Federal Prison. Arriving, the cold hit us again. We walked to the entrance. There we identified ourselves and waited a few minutes to enter.

That prison was built in 1938 and later adapted for current requirements. It's made of dark brick. It looks well maintained, clear and clean on the inside. Photos of the building as it looked in 1938 adorn the lobby. While I looked at them, the guard called me to go in. We passed the first and second gates. Then we walked through an internal yard that leads to the main building. Walking out to this yard, it was still cold. I thought of all the souls gathered there since 1938. How many deserved it. How many didn't. How many who deserved it never got there. How many who deserve it now aren't there.

We arrived at the main building. Another gate. A hallway, another door, and then another gate. Then a waiting room with some one hundred chairs. Comfortable. Like an airport. Placed in line across from each other. They're assigned by number. We sit down. At the other end, a family with a prisoner.

Soon, from a door at the other end, out came the man I came to see. A short man, showing his years. He looked at me and smiled. He's the same as he looks in the photo published with the column this newspaper publishes on Saturdays. He went to the guard and then walked over to us. Luis hugged him and they greeted each other with affection, like people who have known each other for more than 40 years. Then I greeted him. I gave him a big hug, and he returned it. I told him about the solidarity of his people and the affection all of us in Puerto Rico have for him. We hugged strongly again. We sat down. 

For almost three hours we talked about his childhood in San Sebasti�n. About his life in Chicago. About people in Chicago at the time. About his friends. About people in Puerto Rico at the time. About people in Puerto Rico now. We talked about Vietnam, where he was declared a hero. We talked about why he joined the independence movement. We talked about the current problems in Puerto Rico and about the most important thing to resolve them: solidarity.

Oscar L�pez Rivera has been in prison for 33 years. He hasn't been accused of committing any violent act. He hasn't been connected to any violent act. He was accused of conspiring. The line that divides "conspiring" from "thinking" is very fine. I don't think Oscar would be a danger for the future of our country, of our community, or of our family. His sentence, far too excessive, violates the most elemental principles of humanity, sensitivity and justice. Oscar L�pez Rivera owes no debt to society, and if he ever did, he paid it a long time ago. He hasn't done us any harm. 

Who has harmed us are corrupt politicians or those who mortgaged the future, our present, borrowing without caring who had to pay. But they're not in Terre Haute. What has harmed us are the advertisements of the Republican ultra right of the U.S. press, sponsoring a local political party. But they're not in Terre Haute. What has harmed us are those who only worry about votes, or about their counterpart in the media, ratings. But they don't even know where Terre Haute is. Who harms us are the parents who aren't concerned about their children's education. But they aren't even interested in knowing about what Terre Haute is.

After about three hours, I asked him what message, if any, he wanted me to take to you. He thought for a moment. He said he was grateful for what has been done for his release. Then he spoke of hope and of solidarity. Yes. This man who has been in prison for 33 years. Who is already 71 years old. He still has heart and spirit to talk about solidarity and hope. What a lesson for so many people!

The time arrived for me to leave. I had to go back to Indianapolis to catch my flight. I wanted to talk longer with him. I gave him a big hug. I told him that we would keep working for his release. I asked God to bless him. He thanked me. I thanked him. 

Leaving, it was still 48 degrees Fahrenheit. But for me, now it was a warm morning.

I hope to greet that compatriot again, in Puerto Rico. 

EDITORIAL: An important gesture and the example of Oscar

By CLARIDAD Board of Directors

To meet his responsibility in the demand for the release of Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar L�pez Rivera, governor Alejandro Garc�a Padilla didn't have to visit him. He could have limited himself, as some of his predecessors did in similar situations, to more common gestures, such as making a public expression or sending a letter to the president of the United States. This governor has gone beyone that; he went to meet with the patriot in a remote and harsh prison where our brother is being held. There is no doubt that the gesture was different because Oscar L�pez Rivera's case is also a different.


 All the cruelty of the Empire's political and prison system has been thrown his way, with the perverse intention of extending his punishment and warning the rest of us, as if written in stone, that is exactly how we will be treated if we insist on denouncing the United States as a colonial power and combating the politically and economically inferior condition this domination has created. 


 For the government of the United States, Oscar L�pez Rivera is an uncomfortable prisoner, just as it is uncomfortable that there are Puerto Ricans who keep denouncing and fighting colonialism and struggling for the independence of our nation. Even worse, it's an undeniable problem for them that the majority of Puerto Ricans keep seeing themselves as Puerto Rican and feeling proud of it, independently of their ideological and political preferences. That's why they insist on wanting to treat Oscar's case as if he were any run-of-the-mill prisoner. Also, whenever they have the occasion in their official comuniqu�s or statements, they refer to us as "United States citizens living in Puerto Rico," with the obvious intention of ignoring the reality of our nationality, which is unique and different from theirs and from the rest of the world's.


 In the face of that arrogant and indifferent conduct, in the face of the imperial gesture of devaluing our existence and even wanting to erase it, the symbolic value of the governor of Puerto Rico's gesture should not be underestimated. Alejandro Garc�a Padilla and Oscar L�pez Rivera met as Puerto Rican nationals, and, although they don't politically and ideologically agree, and although their visions of the world are diametrically different, they do share a community of affections, thoughts, and feelings that have forged us as a people. Rising above their differences, the patriot thanked the governor who had traveled so far to visit, setting the tone for a meeting characterized by cordiality and respect.


 The release of Oscar L�pez Rivera, 71 years old, having served more than 33 years in prison, is an urgent humanitarian demand for a political prisoner whose experience in jail has softened his spirit, elevated his personal, intellectual and spiritual growth, consolidated the strength of his convictions, and turned him into an example for all Puerto Ricans of good will. That is why so many thousands of Puerto Ricans have thrown themselves into asking the president of the United States, Barack Obama, to grant the immediate release of the Puerto Rican prisoner, a demand that has been seconded by governor Garc�a Padilla, resident commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, four ex-governors of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican members of Congress in the United States: Nydia Vel�zquez, Jos� Serrano and Luis Guti�rrez, and figures of great international prestige, including five Nobel Peace Prize laureates.


 CLARIDAD feels it is urgent that every effort be redoubled to achieve Oscar L�pez Rivera's return home. For this reason, we welcome any action, such as the recent gesture of the governor, that can be a factor that motivates the president of the United States to grant our patriot the requested clemency. At a time like this, we shouldn't lose time in cheap partisan political considerations, and even less in infantile questioning of the motivations of those who do more for this cause. That is what Oscar's example teaches us.

Governor of Puerto Rico

Alejandro Padilla and Congressman Luis V. Guti�rrez

Visit Oscar L�pez Rivera

By National Boricua Human Rights Network

In a historically unprecedented event, the Governor of Puerto Rico and Congressman Luis V. Guti�rrez, visited the Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar L�pez Rivera at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at Terre Haute, Indiana. In the history of Puerto Rico, a sitting governor has never visited a political prisoner.


Alejandro Garcia Padilla, accompanied by Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez, Jos� E. L�pez, brother of Oscar L�pez Rivera and Alejandro Molina, along with Governor's staff including Doris Lamoso and Jes�s Ortiz, visited Oscar L�pez Rivera ion Saturday, Oct. 4. The visit was filled with symbolism, deeply felt emotions and an incredible camaraderie. The Governor asked Oscar about his political  formation, about his work in the community and  demonstrated a deep sense of commitment to having Oscar freed. The visit lasted nearly three hours, even though the Governor had a busy schedule before the visit. He flew in from Washington DC from Spain, where he had participated in a series of meetings including the head of the Spanish government, Mariano Rajoy, and incredibly, flew from the US capital to Indianapolis, and from there to Terre Haute, where he met, Congressman Luis V. Guti�rrez, who thanked the Governor for his visit and his support of Oscar.

Editorial, El Nuevo D�a

The Primary Responsibility of President Obama

The resignation of the Attorney General of the United States, Eric Holder, represents a new hurdle in the struggle for the release of political prisoner Oscar L�pez Rivera, but doesn't diminish the primary responsibility of president Barack Obama to pay attention to the united demand of all Puerto Ricans supporting their compatriot.


There is no doubt that Holder, who will leave office holding the record for more pro-civil rights initiatives than any other U.S. Attorney General, has been the member of Obama's government with the most knowledge and activism in affairs concerning Puerto Rico. 


During his incumbency he was directly involved in the investigation of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division concerning the violation of such civil rights by the Puerto Rico Police, which resulted in a lawsuit settled by way of agreement that commits the Puerto Rican government to undertake a complete reform of the police force.


In the same way, he was very up to date about the process being followed in Puerto Rico to convene a new plebiscite about status that will require the U.S. Attorney General - in this case Holder's successor - to approve the definitions of the political formulas to be included in the consultation for which the United States government assigned $2.5 million for use in an educational campaign conducted by the State Elections Commission.


When he was Deputy Attorney General at Justice during the Bill Clinton administration, Holder was also close to the debate about the military operations in Vieques and the clemency granted in 1999 by the then president to a dozen political prisoners of the independentista groups Los Macheteros and the Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN). 


At the time, L�pez Rivera rejected the executive clemency offered him, which resulted in his being kept in prison; he has now served 33 years of continuous incarceration, a convincing argument in the non-partisan and humanitarian campaign being currently carried out, in Puerto Rico as well as on an international level, in favor of his release.


It is precisely the role of the U.S. Attorney General to make a positive or negative recommendation to president Obama to exercise his constitutional power to grant the release of L�pez Rivera, who is now 71 years old.


Obama has said that he won't allow Holder to leave until his successor has been designated and confirmed by the Senate, which is not likely to happen until at least November. 


Unless L�pez Rivera is released before Holder's departure, the process will remain pending for his successor, which some interpret as a new obstacle in the road.


However, other say that Holder, who already had to face the censure of the Republican Congress over the operation against the Mexican drug cartels known as "Fast and Furious," feared another battle with the president's political adversaries if he recommended that L�pez Rivera be released, meaning that it wouldn't necessarily be negative to leave the matter for his successor. However, independent of the obligatory participation of the U.S. Attorney General, be it Holder or whoever succeeds him, in the process for L�pez Rivera's release we must emphasize that the final determination belongs to the president of the United States.


For this reason, we urge president Obama to attend to, without any further delay, the demand of a people united beyond political partisanship and supported by the international community that waits, perhaps with more impatience that even L�pez Rivera himself, the release of the longest held political prisoner in the United States prison system. 


It is the president who must fulfill this moral duty with justice and with democracy. 

 

September 30, 2014

http://www.elnuevodia.com/editorial-responsabilidadprimariadelpresidenteobama-1863863.html

El d�a que nos hicimos una naci�n: Garc�a Padilla visita a Oscar L�pez

Por Daniel Nina

El pasado s�bado, 4 de octubre, sin haberlo anunciado, el gobernador de Puerto Rico, Alejandro Garc�a Padilla, fue a la c�rcel federal de Terre Haute (tierra alta, en espa�ol), en el estado de Indiana, y se reuni� con el preso pol�tico puertorrique�o Oscar L�pez Rivera. Fue bajo la convicci�n moral y colectiva de que dicho encarcelamiento, luego de 33 a�os, para una persona por actos no violentos "es excesiva". M�s a�n, destac� el Gobernador, por v�a de comunicado de prensa, que "comparec�a a dicho encuentro, en representaci�n del pueblo de Puerto Rico". En otras palabras, no se trat� de un yo singular, sino de un yo colectivo. Nosotros el pueblo, como bien reza la primera oraci�n de la Constituci�n del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico.

La importancia de este encuentro la desconocemos. Se trat� de una visita oficial. El Gobernador solicit� permiso como gobernador de la Isla para ver a uno de sus ciudadanos m�s afectado por un hecho que se reconoce hoy como injusticia. El Gobernador no fue a verlo como abogado privado, pues esto ser�a en violaci�n a la Ley de �tica Gubernamental. Tampoco fue a verlo como amigo. Fue a verlo como gobernador, y considerando que Oscar L�pez Rivera es ciudadano de Puerto Rico, seg�n se reconoce desde el Tratado de Par�s de 1898. Esta gesta, entonces, tiene un significado monumental: en ausencia de Estado, solo se es ciudadano de una naci�n.

Valoremos pues los lenguajes escondidos del acto realizado por el Gobernador el pasado s�bado. Es por esto que cobra tanta importancia el hecho de el Gobernador haya pronunciado que iba en nombre de ese colectivo social llamado el Pueblo de Puerto Rico. No es algo poco significativo, lo reiteramos, es la afirmaci�n de una voluntad llamada pueblo, que representa una identidad diferenciada, sea la naci�n, y que valora a sus hijos e hijas como ciudadanos de Puerto Rico.

Siendo una visita oficial, entonces, pidamos ahora una transcripci�n de lo que el gobernador Garc�a Padilla y Oscar L�pez Rivera conversaron. Se trata de una conversaci�n no privilegiada, donde nosotros, la naci�n boricua, �ramos parte. Por lo tanto, merecemos saber de qu� hablaron. �Por qu�? Porque nos ayudar�a a entender las formas y las maneras en que los sujetos nacionales, los cuales son soberanos, se van conformando.

En su acto, el cual es un dato hist�rico y �nico en su clase, el gobernador Alejandro Garc�a Padilla, se consolid� como jefe de Estado. Esto muy a pesar de no tener Estado, soberan�a e independencia. Cosas ver�is. 

De Noticel

Garc�a Padilla visita a Oscar L�pez en la c�rcel y exige a Obama su liberaci�n

El gobernador de Puerto Rico, Alejandro Garc�a Padilla, exigi� el s�bado al Presidente Barack Obama que excarcele al independentista puertorrique�o Oscar L�pez Rivera, quien lleva 33 a�os en prisiones estadounidenses acusado por conspiraci�n sediciosa, tras visitarlo a su prisi�n en Indiana. 


 

En un comunicado de prensa difundido el s�bado por La Fortaleza, Garc�a Padilla expres� su injusticia por el tiempo que lleva L�pez Rivera en prisi�n por seg�n dijo, "actuaciones no vinculadas con actos de violencia", exigi�ndole a Obama la liberaci�n del exmiembro de las Fuerzas Armadas de Liberaci�n Nacional (FALN).

Garc�a Padilla, quien visit� a L�pez Rivera junto al congresista puertorrique�o Luis Guti�rrez, record� que a trav�s de diversas actividades multitudinarias y gestiones con las m�s altas esferas del gobierno estadounidense, puertorrique�os en la Isla, Espa�a y los Estados Unidos le han solicitado a Obama la excarcelaci�n de L�pez.

"La condena impuesta a Oscar L�pez Rivera no es solo excesiva, sino que lacera los principios de justicia, humanidad y sensibilidad. Es tiempo de que Oscar regrese a casa", agreg� el gobernador en el texto. Siga leyendo.

Desde la diversidad

lo largo de los 18 meses que las 33 x Oscar han estado en el Puente, se les han unido diferentes grupos de mujeres, entre ellas, trabajadoras de la cultura, abogadas, maestras, trabajadoras sociales, psic�logas, abuelas, mujeres del sector religioso, periodistas y funcionarias gubernamentales.

En esta ocasi�n, nos reunimos un grupo de lesbianas, que llegamos aqu� con la etiqueta.

Como bien sabemos, nosotras "estamos en todas partes" y hemos estado en cada uno de esos grupos. Sin embargo, en esta ocasi�n queremos participar abiertamente como un sector de la sociedad que conoce el discrimen y la injusticia de primera mano, que sabemos tambi�n de la importancia de la solidaridad y la sororidad.

A veces somos invisibles. Parece que no, pero estamos.

Tenemos diferentes oficios y profesiones, y un gran grupo est� desempleada; tenemos diferentes niveles socioecon�micos y educativos, ideolog�as y creencias. De alguna manera, la comunidad l�sbica representa muchas de esas identidades que compone lo diverso, y como grupo queremos hacernos visibles y llevar un mensaje desde la diversidad por la excarcelaci�n de Oscar L�pez Rivera. 

 

�33 a�os son demasiados!

Desde la diversidad, as� como es el reclamo nacional e internacional; voces distintas que dicen que ya es hora de traerlo a casa, para que vea el mar, para que disfrute con su hija y familia, para que cada una de nosotras siga aprendiendo de su tes�n, claridad y fortaleza.

En este grupo no convoca una organizaci�n en particular. Nos convocamos. Como hemos hecho a trav�s de los a�os.

Existen grupos l�sbicos de los que algunas integrantes est�n aqu�, como Taller L�sbico Creativo y Las Libertinas (grupo cerrado de lesbianas, mayores de 50 a�os). En �stos y otros grupos que han existido en nuestro pa�s, creamos espacios para desarrollar el trabajo a partir de nuestras necesidades y experiencias. Entre �stos, cuya labor fue (y sigue siendo) de gran impacto mencionamos a Madres Lesbianas, Nosotras 10/ Aquelarre L�sbico, Taller Zuania, Colectivo de Lesbianas Feministas.

En este momento es fundamental que todos los sectores de nuestra sociedad estemos presentes y en solidaridad con esta lucha por la excarcelaci�n de Oscar.

El tri�ngulo rosa invertido que usamos hoy, se utiliza por las comunidades l�sbica, gay, bisexual, transg�nero y transexual (lgbtt) desde el 1970. 

Es un s�mbolo de la represi�n, con �l se distingu�an en los campos de concentraci�n nazis, a los hombres homosexuales y a las mujeres transexuales a las que no se les reconoc�a su naturaleza de mujer.

Las mujeres lesbianas eran marcadas con un tri�ngulo negro invertido.

La idea de rescatar y utilizar el tri�ngulo rosa fue recordar lo ocurrido en la guerra y reforzar la lucha en contra de la discriminaci�n y la homofobia a trav�s de este s�mbolo.

Cerca de 220,000 gays y lesbianas murieron junto a los millones de jud�os que los nazis exterminaron.

El pasado viernes 26 de septiembre, se aprob� una resoluci�n en el Consejo de Derechos Humanos de la ONU, contra la violencia y discriminaci�n por orientaci�n sexual o identidad de g�nero. La resoluci�n presentada por Brasil, Chile, Colombia y Uruguay cont� con 25 votos a favor, 14 en contra y 7 abstenciones.

Esta resoluci�n es importante por muchas razones, entre ellas, porque invita a cuestionar, reflexionar y dejar de repetir a ciegas el discurso de c�mo Am�rica Latina es de las regiones m�s conservadoras en estos temas.

Tambi�n, porque como el tri�ngulo rosa, sirve de recordatorio de las fobias que fomentan el odio y se interponen en el camino de la equidad.

Estados Unidos fue uno de los votos a favor de esta resoluci�n, incluso consumieron un turno con un breve pero contundente mensaje por los derechos humanos para todas y todos. 

Y nos preguntamos, �c�mo ese mismo gobierno que alardea de tener como prioridad la igualdad y la justicia en todas partes del mundo, mantiene en sus c�rceles a un prisionero pol�tico puertorrique�o como Oscar L�pez? �Podemos aplaudir tranquilamente esas contradicciones?

Desde aqu�, algunas de nosotras nos comprometemos en desarrollar desde nuestro trabajo por la justicia, una cadena de informaci�n y solidaridad hacia y desde grupos l�sbicos y de las comunidades lgbtt en y fuera de Puerto Rico. Deseamos darle vuelo a los esfuerzos que se han estado haciendo y unirnos a las campa�as desde la diversidad.

En una ocasi�n, exponiendo sobre la equidad y la justicia, compart� estas palabras que tienen relevancia en este caso y en esta causa.

Desde aqu� hacemos:

Un llamado a la VOLUNTAD,

un llamado al COMPROMISO,

un llamado a la SOLIDARIDAD,

un llamado a RECONOCER que las luchas por la JUSTICIA SOCIAL son transversales, horizontales.

Un llamado a ACTUAR respondiendo a esa realidad.

Un llamado a REFLEXIONAR en:

Que el empe�o por la justicia no puede limitarse a UNA CONSCIENCIA. Que la verdadera consciencia tiene manifestaciones m�ltiples y emprende caminos diversos.

Que en la medida en que �stas y �stos se encuentran son m�s concretas y efectivas nuestras oportunidades.

�ste es un LLAMADO...

PORQUE LA VOLUNTAD, LA SOLIDARIDAD Y EL EMPE�O TIENEN URGENCIA.

Porque el regreso de Oscar a casa, tiene urgencia.

�Oscar nos re�ne, en nuestra diversidad! �Oscar pide equidad y nosotras libertad!

�Lesbianas presentes; en las luchas, en los frentes! 

Articulo originalmente publicado en Claridad.

In His Own Words:
In His Own Words: Oscar Discusses Poverty and Education

La Respuesta is proud to announce a new page titled "Oscar's Corner", where we will provide news on the campaign to free political prisoner Oscar L�pez Rivera. We are also excited to share with you our direct correspondence with Oscar from inside prison, facilitated by Dorian Ortega and the National Boricua Human Rights Network. Every month Dorian asks Oscar a question relevant to our community and he responds with an essay. You can participate too! If you have a question for Oscar, send them to [email protected]. Here is our second letter from Oscar, covering the topics of poverty and education:


 

Dorian Ortega: Tell us about your experiences combating poverty and educational inequity in Chicago's Puerto Rican community in the 1960s and 1970s? Is there anything you would have done differently? What is your advice to young Boricuas working to improve access to formal education in their communities?

Oscar L�pez Rivera: The two issues need to be put in historical perspective in order for me to explain what i was trying to do while organizing in the community and addressing issues like poverty and educational inequality.

As soon as the Puerto Rican community started to consolidate itself in the West Town community the system of public education began to eliminate some of the institutions that had existed in the area for years.  There was a Teachers College that was eliminated. There were public libraries that were eliminated. And many of the best teachers transferred to other communities. Most of the schools became overcrowded as the Puerto Rican population grew, and most of the teachers didn't know how to teach students who only spoke Spanish. And if a principal was asked how he or she was addressing these problems there was no honest answer forthcoming, because principals didn't know how to deal with them. Continue reading.

Fast for Oscar

Cablecast Info for Chicago's El Grito de Lares Commemoration


Below are the cablecast dates, times and channels the El Grito de Lares Commemoration  video will air on CAN TV, as well as a link to the video on YouTube. Please let me know if you have any questions.


Sunday, October 12th, 9:00 AM, Channel 21

Monday,  October 13th, 8:00 AM, Channel 19

Tuesday,  October 14th, 12:00 PM, Channel 21

El Grito de Lares Commemoration
El Grito de Lares Commemoration YouTube


 


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