Media round up from 10th Annual Cesar Chavez March!

The 10th annual march is a rap and a huge success! Here’s what the media is saying about the 1000-strong march.

Two preview stories set the tone for the march. Action 4 news started their morning show saying, “Cesar Chavez is one of the most recognizable Hispanic figures and a true leader in the civil rights movement.” See the video interview here.

The Rio Grande Guardian followed up the pre-march excitement:

LUPE Executive Director Juanita Valdez-Cox said the big issue for LUPE members this year is winning immigration reform that is “comprehensive and humane.” She said the 10th Anniversary March will “send the message” to elected officials that the Rio Grande Valley needs immigration reform for Valley families, the Valley’s economy and the safety of the community.

“2012 was the dawn of a new day of political empowerment of Latino and other minority voters that has brought the light of immigration reform to the horizon,” Valdez-Cox told the Guardian. “Latinos were instrumental in the outcome of the 2012 elections and immigration reform was a mobilizing issue. We are calling on Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to embrace this new day and support immigration reform that brings the light of justice to the Rio Grande Valley and the state of Texas.”

BREAKING: RITA responds to Obama Announcement on DREAMer deportations

(EL PASO, Texas) — The White House announced today that the administration will provide Deferred Action for some undocumented youth.

The Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance congratulates the undocumented youth whose leadership and bold action forced this announcement. DREAMers have been occupying Obama campaign offices for weeks demanding action. And today, the White House had no choice but to respond.

SECRETARY NAPOLITANO ANNOUNCES DEFERRED ACTION PROCESS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES

June 15, 2012

WASHINGTON— Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced that effective immediately, certain young people who were brought to the United States as young children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country or from entering into removal proceedings. Those who demonstrate that they meet the criteria will be eligible to receive deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and will be eligible to apply for work authorization.

Cesar E. Chavez Art and Essay Contest

Life and Legacy of Cesar E. Chavez – The Art of Social Justice

We're inviting youth to be a bigger part of this year's Cesar Chavez March by entering our Life and Legacy of Cesar Chavez - The Art of Social Justice Art and Essay Contest!

Calling all Youth! La Union del Pueblo Entero invites you to enter the Life and Legacy of Cesar E. Chavez – the Art of Social Justice Art and Essay Contest for a chance to win an art kit and journal! The contest will be part of our efforts to celebrate and promote the 50th Anniversary of the United Farm Workers and the life and legacy of UFW co-founder Cesar E. Chavez.

Contest Rules and Guidelines:

All youth ages 6-17 currently living in the Rio Grande Valley are eligible to enter. We will award 3 winners based on age in these age groups: 6-9, 10-13, 14-17.

Your artwork can be about the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez, or it can be about ways we can continue Cesar’s legacy at home, at school, or in the community. We’re looking for drawings, essays, paintings, sculpture, collage, or whatever format helps you express yourself.

Read the complete contest guidelines on our website.

Attention Educators!

Why not teach about the life and legacy of Cesar and the UFW in your classroom and encourage your students to enter? Learn more about Cesar and the UFW by downloading this short bio and coloring book. And check out these great resources for educators on Cesar and the union.

Seventh Annual Peace and Justice Gathering happening Feb 4th in Weslaco – Save the date!

People for Peace and Justice’s Seventh Annual Peace and Justice Gathering will be happening Feb 4th in Weslaco. If you’re interested in creating a better world for everyone, this is the place to be.

This is the gathering of progressive minds in the RGV, where cross fertilization happens between movements for justice and liberty, where ideas spread, where networks are strengthened, and where community is shared. Make plans now to attend!

Seventh Annual Peace & Justice Gathering
February 4, 2012

“The Year the World Woke Up! What’s Next?”

Keynote Speaker:
Justin Akers Chacón
Professor of U.S. History and Chicano Studies in San Diego, California. He has contributed to the book Immigration: Opposing Viewpoints and is the co-author of the book No One is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on the U.S.-Mexico Border with Mike Davis.

Also Featuring:
Peace Play Festival for Children and Youth
Led by Georgianna Duarte
Professor in Early Childhood Education at UTB
and
Workshops and Breakout Sessions
Labor Rights
The Death Penalty
U.S. Military Policy
And so much more!!!

Free Admission!! Free Lunch!! Free Workshops!!

This event is sponsored by People for Peace and Justice of the Rio Grande Valley, a coalition of persons and organizations opposed to violence, lies and greed that subvert democratic government and society. We try to model peace and tolerance within our association and in dealings with others. We come from diverse backgrounds– ages, races, ethnic groups, educational levels, religions and philosophies, political and sexual orientations. And we welcome opportunities to work with others who share our commitment to peace and justice.

LUPE members honored for their creative writing in “Testimonios desde la frontera” graduation ceremony

Alton creative writing students and teachers pose at graduation ceremony.

For the last three months, LUPE members taking English and Citizenship classes in Alton have had the opportunity to develop their creative writing skills every Monday and Wednesday after their normal classes. This month their efforts were honored with a graduation ceremony and certificate of completion of the class.

Students from the University of Texas at Pan American gave instruction to members on how to use poetry and narrative to write about life experiences, their experience crossing the border and their ideas of social justice.

In a nursery called the world were a pine tree and a palm. The pine dreamed of decorating a beautiful garden. The palm of adorning the entrance. The pine dreamed of growing tall. The palm dreamed of reaching him. When the two talked, they had the same ideals. The time seemed short when they talked. The pine never realized she fell more in love every day. The pine grew very tall, and of the palm he forgot. Tempest and storms came and took the pine. The palm in her world, was very well planted. Hurricanes and storms, could not do anything to her. Today the palm looks very nice. Caring for and giving shade to her two small palms. - Matilde Diaz

Though many in the immigrant community have not finished their formal education, they still have the creativity and experiences that make for powerful literature. And through their classes with UTPA students, members demonstrated their ability to learn forms and technique in creative writing to express that creativity and those experiences.

The UTPA students, working with MaryRuth Chen and the Mexican American Studies Program, plan to continue the creative writing class at the Alton office during the summer months.

Member Convention – Cultivating the Union, growing towards justice

On Saturday LUPE had our member convention, a chance for members from all parts of Hidalgo County to meet, share their stories, and make commitments to work together on 6 key issues: immigration reform, health care, safe communities, education, jobs, and housing.

The convention began with the customary prayer of the farmworker in the struggle, written by our founder Cesar Chavez, asking for strength and guidance in our fight for justice. And while our struggle is long and hard, another great American leader, Martin Luther King, Jr., taught us that the arc of history bends towards justice.

And working toward justice is what today’s convention was all about. In meetings and mini-conventions throughout January and February, LUPE members met to prioritize their top issues, learn more about LUPE and the United Farm Workers’ past victories, and share their own victories. At Saturday’s convention, members chose which of the 6 issues they will commit themselves to and joined working groups to tackle them.

Mi Voto = Mi Voz Candidate educational session

This Saturday, community members and representatives from the Equal Voice Network of the Rio Grande Valley will be gathering to express our platform to the candidates running in local and state races and to educate ourselves about the positions the candidates take on the issues that affect our lives.

Everyone is invited to join us and learn more about the races and candidates we will vote on this Nov. 2nd.

When? October 16th at 8:30 AM
Where? McAllen Convention Center
Ware Rd. and Expressway 83

For more information, please call LUPE:
956-584-3636
956-787-2233

Voter Registration Drive Kicks Off Voter Education & Registration Campaign

LUPE members and organizers pose with District Director Solomon Torres

On Friday July 16, LUPE officially launched our voter education and registration campaign with a press conference and voter registration drive outside of the Junior’s Supermarket in San Juan aiming to raise awareness about issues affecting low income Valley residents and announcing our plan to address low voter registration and turn out.

Latino voters across the United States are expected to be a key constituency in the upcoming elections. LUPE is launching a voter education and registration drive in an effort to organize that constituency into a powerful voting block.

“We had a successful event,” reports LUPE organizer Javier Parra, “since we formed a team of active members and organizers for this event that officially kicked off our voter registration campaign.”

Javier said that the event was successful because of all the involvement, not only by LUPE members but by Junior’s Supermarket and the office of Congressman Ruben Hinojosa. “We had enough people to invite every person that entered the store to register themselves,” he said. “And [District Director] Salomon Torres, of the office of Ruben Hinojosa gave us support with his presence.”

Member Sergio Narvaez, Director Juanita Valdez-Cox and member Don Francisco Martinez help a Junior's customer register to vote

“Though this event was only for the one day, the director of Junior’s gave us permission to return in the coming weekends to continue with our campaign to register voters.”

Our voter registration efforts with NCLR will be a precursor to our civic engagement campaign with the Valley’s Equal Voice Network, which after the October 3 voter registration deadline will focus entirely on getting out the vote in precincts with a history of low voter turn out.

As a leading advocate of colonia residents in the Rio Grande Valley, LUPE believes in the importance of the participation of all citizens in the decisions that affect our lives. The membership of LUPE is a key stakeholder in some of the top national issues, including immigration reform and healthcare. Therefore LUPE is interested in making sure that those suffering the most have their voice heard in the results of the election.

In the 2008, 58% of Texas registered voters voted. In Hidalgo County, however, only 42% of registered voters voted. And with voter turnout expected to be lower because it is a mid-term election, voter education and registration will be crucial to increasing voter turnout.

LUPE is one of 21 organizations selected by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) to be part of the Latino Empowerment and Advocacy Project (LEAP) Ya es hora! Campaign designed to animate Latino voters throughout the country to raise their voice on issues affecting the Latino community and participate in the electoral process.

SB1070’s implementation provides occasion to speak out against increased raids and deportations

Yesterday was a momentous day. People carried out civil disobedience, protests, and rallies against SB1070 in cities across the country and the globe. In the RGV, LUPE members and supporters hosted a prayer vigil to protest the implementation of SB1070 and draw attention to the effects of our broken immigration system on our own community.

Solidarity protest in Oakland against SB1070

The National Day Laborer’s Organizing Network, one of the major ally groups and active organizers in the fight against SB1070, reported: “New Yorkers shut down the Brooklyn Bridge. In Los Angeles, they locked down Wilshire Blvd. In Tucson, they blocked the highways. They protested in Milwaukee, Chicago, Louisville, Ecuador, Spain, and Mexico.

“In Phoenix, Sheriff Arpaio’s office and his jail were shut down the morning SB 1070 went into effect. More than 80 people including Unitarian Universalist President, Peter Morales, and Salvador Reza, a leader of the Puente Movement, were arrested in acts of non-compliance.”

People converge in Phoenix, Arizona to protest the racist anti-immigrant bill SB1070

In Texas, the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance, a statewide coalition of immigrant rights organizations of which LUPE is a member, organized and participated in vigils in Austin, Dallas, El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley.

LUPE member holds up sign saying "we don't want SB1070"

The San Juan vigil, with over 3 dozen participants, allowed community members to connect the implementation of the racist SB1070 with the increased terror felt in local colonias as a result of Border Patrol raids and harassment.

In an article published today, The Monitor reported:

Families who work with La Union del Pueblo Entero in South Texas have reported a growing number of instances in recent weeks of U.S. Border Patrol agents detaining them in neighborhoods, in shopping areas and outside workplaces, said Corinna Spencer-Schuerich, the director of the South Texas Civil Rights Project…

While the judge’s order will likely delay other states from implementing similar laws, Spencer-Schuerich said, it will do little to address an already unjust immigration system.

“The judge clearly recognized the discriminatory nature of Arizona’s law,” she said. “But the federal government needs to take action on comprehensive immigration reform. It’s time to get something done that is compassionate.”

Sareth recites Prayer of the Farmworker in the Struggle

The prayer vigil started with the Prayer of the Farmworker in the Struggle led by LUPE leader Sara Herrera and continued with recognition of all the immigrants and activists organizing in Arizona against SB1070 by organizer Martha Sanchez.

After recognizing that the partial and temporary injunction only meant that the new law would have less harsh effects, Martha reminded attendees that SB1070 and similar anti-immigrant legislation are products of a broken immigration system that requires reform. Immigrant repression in Arizona and immigrant raids and harassment in the Valley can only be ended by humane and comprehensive immigration reform.

Martha then invited LUPE members to speak out against SB1070. One member said that the raids here and SB1070 in Arizona are not right because people are decent and hard working and come to this country to make a life for themselves and their families. “We don’t want SB1070,” he said, “because it is discrimination against working people.”

Celestino gives know your rights training

The event continued with a “Conoce tus derechos” training from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and South Texas Civil Rights Projects, two legal aid groups dedicated to helping low income RGV residents fight for their civil and legal rights. The training focused on the constitutional rights held by all residents, no matter what their status, when approached by law enforcement officials.

The Rio Grande Guardian reports:

Celestino Gallegos, an attorney with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, told the audience that there a lot of misconceptions about what the police can do when it comes to immigration issues. He said jurisdiction matters.

“Local police do not enforce immigration laws. Only immigration officials are there to enforce immigration laws,” Gallegos said. “It is important to know your rights if you are stopped by police. You need to know how best to answer police questions and insert your own rights.”

Sanchez said LUPE would be mounting a vigorous education program to explain the legal rights of immigrant families in the coming weeks, with events planned at the group’s offices in Mercedes, San Juan and Alton.

The event ended with singing and a prayer.

See all the pics from the event here.

"We want immigration reform!"