Public Light Campaign unveiled in County Commissioners Court this past Tuesday

Elda Gonzalez, resident of Tauros 14, announces the regional Public Light Campaign at last week’s Hidalgo County Commissioners Court meeting.

The Public light Campaign is now in month three and progress has been made with over 3,000 individual petitions signed, and other community groups and churches continuing to sign on their support.

Download the petition and ask your church, business or organization to sign.

LUPE leaders, along with members of ARISE, TOP, and START, have organized to increase support in our communities. In our 1,000 colonias lacking streetlights we continue to have unsafe conditions and unacceptable number of preventable fatal accidents. Because of this, members have met with county officials over the past month to bring close attention to this issue.

LUPE members, with support from ARISE, attended Commissioners Court April 23rd and for the first time addressed the campaign publicly in front of the commissioners. Much of the discussion was based on

Looking back with joy, looking forward with hope

A message from LUPE Executive Director Juanita Valdez-Cox:

Dear friends,

The year is winding down and holidays are right around the corner. As you prepare for time with family, office parties, gift giving, or just relaxing over the días festivos, we invite you to look back on all that we’ve accomplished together this year. Thanks to our staff, volunteers, allies, donors and supporters like you, La Union del Pueblo Entero has had a number of amazing victories. Here’s just a sample:

- After an 8 year campaign, won the installation of streetlights in 13 Hidalgo County colonias. Organizing with the Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE) initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, LUPE members worked with Hidalgo County Commissioners and their precinct staff to fund and install the first of what we hope will be many more streetlights to come.

- With great joy and fighting spirit, around 800 members of LUPE and sister organizations marched through the streets of San Juan to celebrate the birthday of Cesar Chavez and, at the same time, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Farm Workers.

International Human Rights Day: Our Declaration of Human Rights

Declaration of Human Rights

Convention Equal Voice for Human Rights
November 30, 2012

Community Center, Precinct #2
1429 S Tower Rd
Alamo, TX 78516

The power of human rights lies in the simple but profound idea that we all have basic rights solely by virtue of our humanity. Each individual, family and community should live in equality, dignity and freedom, with the power to participate and shape government policies and institutions that affect our lives.

Love is an emotional need that we all have. Love for thy neighbor and mutual aid leads us to the point that we all take responsibility to defend and take care of each other.

The right to have good jobs with fair wages is important because it is necessary to provide healthy food, decent housing and opportunities for the family.

It is very important to have immigration reform. We deserve to have our families united and that is why we reject separation of families. As part of reform, we should have equal access to the services we need for a dignified life, regardless of immigration status. For example, a driver’s license, an education for our children and our parents, health care and public services.

Education is important to develop intellectually, for both youth and adults. A good education opens the doors to opportunities we need to live a dignified life.

To live a dignified life, we have to live in decent housing. We need proper housing with adequate infrastructure to protect us from floods and other natural disasters.

As each and every one of us lives on this planet, the right to live in dignity also means that the environment has to be cared for. It is not fair that some enjoy a healthy natural environment when others lack this.

Health is very important because with good health, we are ready to serve our families and communities. This is why we need comprehensive medical care, of the body and mind.

Our faith guides us in our daily lives. And because we are different people with different beliefs, the right to religion should be protected in our community.

We have the right that our representatives respond to our requests and take actions to ensure our needs are met. Representatives should represent everyone, regardless of socioeconomic level, sex, gender, religion, race, or immigration status.

As an organized community in dialogue with our neighbors and loved ones, we recognize that many of our basic needs are not taken into account.

Therefore, although each and every one of us has dignity, the fact that our needs are not taken into account affects our ability to live a dignified life. We believe that a just society should ensure a decent life for every individual, family and community.

Therefore we declare:

We all have human rights because we are all human beings.
We strive for:
• Fair jobs with just wages,
• An immigration reform that will treat us like human beings,
• An education that recognizes our diverse needs to develop intellectually with access to technology,
• Adequate housing that will protect our families
• Protection to our communities so they can live in peace with space to play and exercise
• Adequate and affordable health care, regardless of immigration status or socioeconomic levels

To achieve this new society, we need to start by making our commitment to work for it. We recognize our rights because we need them. However, we are denied them. That is where our participation comes in, to demand that our human rights are respected. We commit ourselves to work to create a society that respects our rights. We are guided by these principles as we aspire to a better world – universality, equality, protection of public goods, participation, transparency and accountability.

In the same manner, we welcome other members of the community, representatives of our city, county, state, and nation, businessmen and women, leaders of faith, and each person with sincerity, to also take the opportunity to make their commitment to work for human rights.

Approved and ratified on November 30, 2012, by participants of the Equal Voice for Human Rights convention.

We’re starting to see the light! – First round of streetlights to be installed this month!

UPDATE: By the beginning of this month, all three precincts had completed installation of streetlights in the 13 colonias. We are celebrating these victories along with colonia residents. For pics from these celebrations, visit our facebook page.

Colonia residents pose after winning a portion of Precinct 3 budget for installation of streetlights.

This month, Precinct 3 is taking the important first step down the enlightened path toward justice for colonia residents. Starting January 23rd, colonia residents will see the first round of streetlights installed in five colonias, starting with colonia Pueblo de Palmas.

LUPE residents worked with Precinct 3 Chief Administrator Dr. Mona Parra on the plan to install solar-powered streetlights in the five colonias north of Alton, including Pueblo de Palmas, Buena Vida, Mi Sueño, La Homa Meadows, and El Flaco. Precinct 3 found funds to purchase the lights via a federal grant and amended the county budget to pay for their installation.

Continue reading about the victory at lupenet.org

Residents of Serenidad: “Turn on the switch in our colonia!”

Prizes for bingo event at colonia Serenidad. The lotería night provided a way for more colonia residents to learn about the campaign for streetlights in the colonia.

Residents of colonia Serenidad have lived in the dark for 14 years. But these days a small group of leaders have been on a roll working alongside LUPE towards positive change in their community.

Earlier this month Serenidad organized a “lotería night” in an effort to encourage more neighbor participation in LUPE’s house meetings about public lighting.

“We had a lot of prizes, food and we had a lot of fun,” said colonia resident Aurora Martinez. “We would like to organize another with LUPE and everyone will be invited.”

Serenidad is following in Buena Vida’s footsteps, a colonia in precinct 3 who recently organized a lunch date with Dr. Mona Parras, Assistant Chief to Commisioner Jose Flores, who has promised five streetlights in Buena Vida’s colonia come January.

residents

Maria Lourdes Garcia, LUPE leader and Buena Vida resident, makes it simple and clear: “It is very important to be consistently in the meetings with LUPE, support one another, and going to the Commissioners Court also influences these great victories.”

As house meetings in Serenidad grow in quantity, Mona Parras will be receiving invitations to attend meetings in the near future. Residents have made it clear that the plan to increase people power in their colonia has been initiated. Now is the time for precinct 3 to share the wealth and “turn on the switch” in their constituents’ communities.

“The union is very important in order to move forward,” says Rosi Salinas, resident of Serenidad. “We support other colonias a whole lot and hopefully we also will receive the same support of Buena Vida and surrounding colonias in order to come out of this darkness together.”

Fight for streetlights in 10 Hidalgo County colonias carries into the new year

Thanks to the organizing of LUPE committees, including more than 40 colonia leaders and 300 of their fellow residents, County Commissioners have promised to install streetlights in 10 area colonias.

Colonias that have been promised light include Indian Hills East and Indian Hills West in Precinct 1; Bar 4 in Precinct 2; Colonias El Flaco, La Homa Meadows, Buena Vida, Eduardos 2 and Mi Sueño in Precinct 3; and San Cristobal in Precinct 4. Colonia organization ARISE has organized with LUPE members to secure lighting in colonia Muniz, also in Precinct 4.

“We’re very grateful for the money that has been acquired for the lights. Now for the most important part: the installation.”

Colonia residents organizing with LUPE, like Maria Martinez quoted above, secured the commitment as a result of their weekly delegations to the County Commissioners Court, and individual meetings with Commissioners and their representatives. Plans for the installation are on the books. However, they have been repeatedly pushed back, most notably in Precinct 3 where the commitment to install the lights was made and funds were secured in July of this year.

Most of the colonias have been waiting years for public lighting. One colonia in Precinct 3, Colonia el Flaco Chiquito, has been without light since its founding in the mid 80s.

While we are hopeful that installation will not be stalled again, Precinct 3’s response to other requests for streetlight projects necessarily gives us caution. Precinct officials have avoided committing to the use of CDBG funds annually for streetlight installation. Precinct representative Mingo Villarreal insisted that “sometimes it is not possible.”

“The rationale of Mingo,” says LUPE leader Sergio Narvaez, “is as follows: for a colonia that has been in the dark for 24 years, waiting 2 or 3 more years is not long.”

But for colonia residents, another night in the dark means another night worrying about the safety of their children, crime seeking refuge in their dark neighborhoods, car accidents for lack of adequate lighting, and other perils.

For those reasons, the only acceptable response to Precinct 3, according to Antonia Garcia, Linda Vista resident and leader of LUPE, is “Sí, se puede!”

“We have joined with LUPE, and they have taught us that yes, it can be done!”

Ensuring that the installation takes place in all four precincts will be part of our continued work in 2012.

Public lights in the colonias? With LUPE, it can be done!

Residents of colonia Linda Vista pose after asking County Commissioners for public lighting.

Through education and preparation, LUPE leaders are gaining the confidence and knowledge to speak to their elected officials, and tell them that, when it comes to their colonias’ needs, they won’t take no for an answer.

The presentation of Maria Guadalupe Pruñeda at the beginning of November in the Commissioners Court started a conversation on public lighting with Mingo Villarreal, assistant of Precinct 3 Commissioner Joe Flores, who told the residents of Linda Vista that “there is no money.”

After studying the Hidalgo County Community Development funds, LUPE leaders did not give up. “The rationale of Mingo is as follows: for a colonia that has been in the dark for 24 years, waiting 2 or 3 more years is not long. But we did not go to hear that,” said LUPE leader Sergio Narvaez.

All LUPE leaders who continue participating in the monthly trainings learn how the distribution of economic resources functions. “You get the budget every year,” said Antonia Garcia, Linda Vista resident and leader of LUPE. “Why not give a percentage for public lighting each year since it is a necessary priority of the constituents of precinct 3?”

While the precinct has found federal grants to install solar lights in area colonias, precinct officials have avoided committing to use CDBG funds annually for streetlight installation. Mingo Villarreal insisted that “sometimes it is not possible.”

Armed with knowledge from LUPE’s CDBG funds workshops, Antonia Garcia responded, “We have joined with LUPE, and they have taught us that yes, it can be done!”

Civic participation continues in colonia Muñiz

Precinct 4 Rep Humberto Garza addresses residents of colonia Muñiz at the colonia meeting organized by LUPE and ARISE

Colonia residents from election precinct 43, where a community-initiated and directed effort to get out the vote was held during the 2010 midterm elections, received backpacks with school supplies thanks to their participation in the GOTV campaign.

The campaign in precinct 43 was one of 10 GOTV campaigns led by the Equal Voice Network of the Rio Grande Valley in Hidalgo and Cameron Counties for the purpose of raising the vote in low income and Latino communities.

The backpacks were distributed at a community meeting where LUPE and ARISE, both partner organizations in the EV Network, gathered residents of colonia Muñiz to discuss public lighting and redistricting with Hidalgo County Precinct 4 representative Humberto Garza. Colonia Muñiz and elections precinct 43 fall within County Precinct 4.

Young resident of colonia Muñiz models his new backpack. LUPE distributed backpacks as a thank-you to residents for their participation in GOTV campaign.

LUPE has been working for public lighting the in the colonias since 2005. Some colonias have been waiting for light for over 20 years.

LUPE members broke down the first barrier to public light for colonias when in 2005 the state legislature authorized counties to expend a portion of their community development block grant funds to install and maintain streetlights in colonias. A second hurtle was overcome when, as a result of LUPE’s organizing, in 2007 they authorized those same counties to collect a fee from colonia residents to pay for the electricity used by those streetlights. Now, LUPE has received support from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation to continue our push for public lights.

Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE) initiative of the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation is correct when stating that “the childhood obesity epidemic facing the nation is a byproduct of years of neglect and disinvestment in communities that has undermined our children’s ability to eat well and be physically active.” Without streetlights at night, colonia children are denied safe conditions for outside play. Staying inside means being less physically active.

The distribution of the backpacks was a way to thank the residents of colonia Muñiz for their participation in the GOTV campaign. It also served to invite more residents of the colonia to continue their civic participation by joining the campaign for public lighting in their colonia.

LUPE leaders from colonia Muñiz with Humberto Garza and organizer Martha Sanchez.

Field Operations Director Garza told residents that when he first began working in precinct 4 at the beginning of this year, there was no money for projects like public lights in the colonia. But after Commissioner Joel Palacios decided to use engineers and other experts already on staff with the County instead of contracting the work out, the precinct was able to find the money. Together with federal grants for solar lighting, he said, colonia Muñiz should see public lighting soon.

To get involved with the campaign for public lights in the colonias, contact LUPE organizer Cristela Rocha at 787-2233 or 787-5557.

Have you had problems with public lighting in your neighborhood? Comment with your story!

More gains for colonia members organizing with LUPE

San Juan Mayor Pro-Tem Armando Garza Jr. met with residents of Subdivision Bar 4 to talk about their neighborhood’s issues.

Police responding quickly; city trucks picking up trash; workers cleaning ditches – these were all happening days after LUPE members of colonia Subdivision Bar 4 met with San Juan Mayor Pro-Tem Armando Garza Jr. on June 22 to talk about their neighborhood’s issues.

Residents of the colonia, which is located within the city of San Juan limits, organized the meeting with the help of LUPE organizer Cristela Rocha after the residents began telling her of the problems their colonia faces.

As a result of the meeting with Garza, residents of Subdivision Bar 4 say that of all their issues, only public lighting remains. And the city has already promised to begin a study of the neighborhood in order to install lights.

As a result of LUPE organizing, other colonias are also on their way toward finally receiving public lighting. Precinct 3 colonias organizing with LUPE were awarded county funds to install solar lights bought with a federal grant and precinct representatives say installation should begin two weeks before school starts. Precinct 4 has approved four colonias for streetlights.

LUPE begun our campaign to switch the lights on in Hidalgo County colonias in 2005 and some colonias have been waiting 20 years for public lighting.

LUPE Members Push Forward Campaign for Public Lighting in Precinct 3 Colonias

María Martinez, LUPE member and leader of colonia La Homa Meadows, testifies before Hidalgo County Commissioners Court

“We’re very grateful for the money that has been acquired for the lights. Now for the most important part: the installation.”

With those words, María Martinez, LUPE member and leader of colonia La Homa Meadows, summed up the reason that around 30 LUPE leaders filled Hidalgo County Commissioners Court, Tuesday, June 14.

After promising the installation of solar lights in colonias north of Alton, precinct 3 representatives told LUPE leaders last month that they didn’t have the money to install the lights after all.

Colonias Mi Sueño, Buena Vida, and Eduardo 2 have been put on the list to receive from 1 to 3 lights. Other colonias that will receive lights in the future include La Homa Meadows Phase II, El Flaco Chiquito, as well as Pueblo de Palmas.

Colonia El Flaco Chiquito is one of 6 colonias organizing with LUPE that have been promised street lights

The promised lamps will produce light by solar energy. The lights were bought through a grant from the federal government, which allowed the county to buy 32 lights and light posts but which didn’t include the cost of the installation.

The residents of the recipient colonias organized themselves and prepared to present in a public hearing of the Commissioners Court in support of designating a total of $24,000 to cover the cost of the installation in the 6 colonias. After 6 colonia residents and 2 supporters spoke in support of the amendment funding the installation, the court made a unanimous vote of approval.

“A victory all around,” said Javier Parra, previous organizer in the area of Alton. “From getting the vote [of approval], to the leadership of the residents that rose to the challenge of speaking in public before the commissioners… Sí se puede!”

“La unión hace la fuerza.” Unity is strength, said Pilar Leal, colonia leader in El Flaco Chiquito, after the commission approved the $24,000 for installation. “It’s like a light that starts to go out. But when we blow on it, it flares up very big.”

“That about ‘unity is strength’ is very important. You see how together changes come,” said María Gomez, LUPE leader and previous organizer in the Mercedes area. “You struggle a lot to win, but when you win, you feel really good, with a lot of satisfaction.”

Colonia leaders, LUPE organizers, and supporters in victory pose after winning street light installation funds

“Each day, new colonia developments are proposed by developers and approved by commissioners,” said Javier Parra. “But they don’t ask about public light or parks for colonia residents.”

A future goal for the Union is to gain rules for the establishment of new subdivisions that include public lighting, parks, paved roads, and other necessities.

“We need to work very hard to get those rules,” Parra said. “We need to continue toward getting them to require more when they approve new colonias.”

Even the Objective Watchers of the Legal System (OWLS), a traditionally anti-immigrant organization, could not deny the need to meet the basic needs of colonia residents.

“If lighting is essential, that should be included in the county taking more control over colonia development,” commented Virginia Townsend, member of the OWLS. “If lighting is essential, that should be included in what we require the developers to include.”

The approval of the installation money is the latest step toward shinning light on colonias north of Alton. Colonia committees will continue to work toward more lights, improved drainage, paved roads, and their next major project, the construction of a park that residents of the 13 colonias can share.

“Chief Administrator [for precinct 3] Mona R Parras is familiar with the residents of Las Colonias del Norte who are still eagerly collecting signatures for petitions,” says Alton organizer Yvette Salinas. “After the street light installation victory, colonia reseidents won’t simply settle for 21 lights. Just like the fought for lights, now the people united want a park. And a park we’ll get!”

LUPE has been working for public lighting the in the colonias since 2005. Some colonias have been waiting for light for over 20 years.

LUPE members broke down the first barrier to public light for colonias when in 2005 the state legislature authorized counties to expend a portion of their community development block grant funds to install and maintain streetlights in colonias. A second hurtle was overcome when, as a result of LUPE’s organizing, in 2007 they authorized those same counties to collect a fee from colonia residents to pay for the electricity used by those streetlights. Now, LUPE has received support from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation to continue our push for public lights.

Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE) initiative of the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation is correct when stating that “the childhood obesity epidemic facing the nation is a byproduct of years of neglect and disinvestment in communities that has undermined our children’s ability to eat well and be physically active.” Without streetlights at night, colonia children are denied safe conditions for outside play. Staying inside means being less physically active.