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.

The Rio Grande Guardian reports, “TBC asserts that the U.S. government has spent nearly $90 billion over the past decade to secure the Southwest border, with no better than mixed results. It says that while apprehension rates are up to 90 percent for undocumented persons seeking to cross the frontier between designated U.S.-Mexico border crossings, Mexican drug cartels continue to enjoy commercial success, smuggling more drugs than ever into the country through the nation’s legal border crossings. Read TBC’s statement on the Guardian’s website.

The TBC’s report is not surprising and more evidence of what we have known all along. “Border Security,” motivated by political interests, does not improve security of the border communities, on either side of the border. Instead of increasing drug and weapon smuggling and human trafficking-related law enforcement efforts—the cartels’ main industries—US Customs and Border Protection has increased prosecution of non-violent border crossers, laborers in search of a means to provide for their families but denied legal means of migrating to this country. This is policy motivated by anti-immigrant politicians taking advantage of anti-immigrant sentiment.

The impact of Operation Streamline on law enforcement shows how devoting increased resources toward prosecuting non-violent border crossers has actually taken away resources from operations focused on drug and weapons smuggling and human trafficking. While the Border Patrol and Justice Department focus more resources prosecuting poor workers, serious criminals involved in organized crime are neglected.

At the same time, the militarization of the US-Mexico border has increased human rights abuses, decreasing the security of communities all along the border. Families are separated, with children ending up in the custody of relatives and increasingly of state-run foster care programs. High speed chases through densely populated neighborhoods put bystanders at danger, while lack of community oversight of Border Patrol agents allows abuse of power to persist, often resulting in physical violence against non-violent crossers and residents along the border.

While the TBC’s findings emphasize the problem, their proposed solution does not get at the root of it. Organized crime will continue to grow while the economic conditions in which organized crime flourishes persist. Failed economic policy like the North American Free Trade Agreement have put Mexican workers out of a job and pushed peasant farmers off their land. Organized crime flourishes in such dire economic conditions. Until those policies are ended and Mexico’s economy is rebuilt from the ground up, no amount of border enforcement will put a dent in their operations.

This is a further reminder that we have a major need for immigration reform. We on the border understand the intimate connection between families and communities on both sides of the border, and that increased border enforcement spending strains those relationships. Comprehensive immigration reform needs to be passed that recognizes the need for increased access to legal immigration and that does not focus on criminalizing the members of our families and communities crossing the border.

Until that happens, and until the Mexican economy is rebuilt, instead of increased spending on enforcement efforts targeting non-violent border crossers, funds should be redirected toward fighting drug smuggling and human trafficking.

While recognizing the failure of recent border enforcement policy, TBC does not recognize the complexity of the problem or the solution. TBC’s policy recommendations will not fix the problem, but rather serve as a band aid solution on a wound that runs deep.

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

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.”

Planners meet with colonia residents to plan their ideal colonia. The team of community planners played a major role in getting colonias included in the LRGVDC outreach plan.

Thanks to an organized effort from colonia residents, along with LUPE and the Equal Voice Network, residents from across the Rio Grande Valley will receive assistance for housing damage repair that was caused by hurricane Dolly in 2008. The federal government disaster recovery program is distributing $122 million to help residents, taking into account to prioritize the lowest income families.

Residents from colonias in Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties filled to capacity the three public hearings hosted by the LRGVDC (Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council) in Weslaco. After a well organized effort in the public hearings, major shifts from the LRGVDC’s outreach contractor were evident in their outreach map as many of the colonias were added for prioritization. Prior to the public hearings many colonias that were flooded and damaged were being excluded from prioritization, but the resident’s presence and strong voices shifted that and proved to be another example that when neighbors organize with LUPE, they will see results.

We are now studying the requisites of the applications for assistance to better help educate and consult residents in the application process. We are still in the process of learning the specific qualifications for housing repair. If your house was damaged by hurricane Dolly, communicate with your organizer to find out if you can receive assistance.

These victories have come largely as a result of people and organizations of different sectors joining together. While we might not always agree on everything, when we join forces to work for the things we do agree on, we are stronger for it. “Juntos pero no revueltos,” as leader Ramona Casas, of colonia organization ARISE says. That doesn’t mean we are mixed up or uniform. We have our differences and, used the right way, they make us stronger.

These victories are not in any specific order.

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

1. Colonia residents win streetlights for 10 Hidalgo County colonias. La Union del Pueblo Entero and ARISE

The vast majority of the Rio Grande Valley’s unincorporated neighborhoods are left in the dark nightly. This is beginning to change as colonia residents organize for safer, healthier communities, demanding streetlights be installed by their Hidalgo County Precinct officials. Thanks to these efforts, 10 colonias will see streetlights installed next year.

2. $14 million for drainage projects in Hidalgo County colonias. Equal Voice Network, Texas Low Income Housing and Texas Apple Seed

Hidalgo County Commissioners agreed to devote at least $14 million of Hurricane Dolly Disaster Recovery funds to colonias last month. The victory came as a result of the work of ARISE, LUPE, TOP, Proyecto Azteca and the rest of the Equal Voice Network’s housing and drainage team, who have organized with colonia residents whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Dolly. Colonia residents’ demand that disaster recovery funds go to colonias was backed by Texas Low Income Housing and Texas Apple Seed, who insisted that funding colonias was an absolute requirement for use of the federal funds.

Texans fill Capitol rotunda to rally against anti-immigrant legislation

3. RGV residents help fight off over 100 anti-immigrant bills in the 2011 Texas Legislative Session. RITA, Houston Unido, Equal Voice Network and many, many more

Texas joined a short but prestigious list of states able to fight off Arizona-style, fascist legislation targeting Latino and immigrant communities proposed in this year’s legislative session. In Texas, the victory was brought about by a multi-sector approach, with immigrant communities leading the charge and inviting law inforcment officials, small business owners, educators and more to join their oppositional voices. Immigrant-led organizations, including the statewide Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance, Houston Unido, and the Equal Voice Network’s Immigration Working Groups ensured that the fight remained immigrant-led throughout.

4. Low income residents win $122 million to repair homes damaged by Hurricane Dolly. Equal Voice Network

Thanks to an organized effort from colonia residents, along with LUPE and the Equal Voice Network, colonia residents from across the Rio Grande Valley will receive assistance for housing damage repair caused by hurricane Dolly in 2008. The federal government disaster recovery program is distributing $122 million to help residents. The EVN won the prioritizing of the lowest income families when those funds are distributed.

See the rest of 2011′s biggest victories at occupymcallen.org

We look forward to many more victories in the new year.

Compiled by Occupy McAllen.

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.

Chapbook of creative writing projects produced by LUPE members, UTPA students and LUPE staff. Click on image to open the chapbook in PDF format.

Here are a couple of pieces produced by the creative writing class, in which LUPE members participated in our Alton office this fall semester. The pieces were combined into a chapbook titled “Testimonios de Nuestra Frontera.” The chapbook can be read in its entirety here.

Analizo y pienso en por que…

Si los hombres tienen corazón para ayudar al prójimo
Si los hombres se quitan el sombrero ante una mujer
Si los hombres nos abren la puerta del automóvil
Si los hombres nos regalan flores
Porque no quieren entender la igualdad de derechos de la mujer?
En lo personal, me gustaría que en mis país, ciudad, y comunidad fuéramos un solo equipo, una sola iglesia, para que juntos pudiéramos introducir una materia en todo nivel educativo en donde se les ensene a los niños el valor de igualdad.
***
I think and wonder why…

If men have the heart to help others,
If men remove their hat before a woman,
If men open the car door for a lady,
If men give us flowers,
Why don’t they want to understand
Women have equal rights?
Personally I would like to see that in my Country, City, and Community, we are a single team, a single church, so that together we can introduce a subject matter at all levels of education where children are taught the value of equality.

Matilde Díaz

I am Adali

I am from Central American and destiny and life decided it this way. At times, certain people have not looked at me well, but this is how God decided it, I can’t do anything about that. For those who don’t know it, when a Central American enters Mexico, he is an illegal and there begins his hard life. When I entered Mexico, I was happy, but at the same time I was scared. I knew that during the trip my life would get totally hard. The further I went, my thoughts were changing and inside of me, I wished I would die or return to Honduras. I wanted to arrive in the U.S. when I took the first train; I thought I was going to die. I got on Monday; traveled Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The little bit of food I had, finished on Tuesday. I went Wednesday and Thursday without eating or drinking anything. When I got off the train, I couldn’t walk. I think that if I had stayed on the train one more day, I would have died. But, I didn’t know that I still needed 11 more trains. The whole trip takes 12 trains. When I arrived here, my life changed in different ways. With pain in my heart, I had to leave my family behind, but when I got here, their life changed too. Because, now, I can give them help in the best possible way. Things have gone well for me here. I have a good job, I live well, I don’t have much, but I don’t lack the essentials. I am learning English and I know I will do it. I have a great teacher!! It is something that being here, I can achieve. For me, this is a real and beautiful experience, just to have the opportunity to be here. I have many dreams and I know I will achieve them.

Adali Rodriguez

Read the chapbook “Testimonios de Nuestra Frontera” as a PDF file here.

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.

Children visit with Santa Claus at LUPE annual posada in Mercedes

Thanks to the generous donation of Richard’s Pharmacy as well as eight additional pharmacies, over four hundred colonia children received a Christmas blessing Saturday. Each year Richard’s Pharmacy sponsors a gift give-away and posada event at three different LUPE offices, where colonia children receive a gift and goodie bag, talk to Santa, and spend time with family and neighbors, celebrating the spirit of the holidays.

Special thanks to the leadership of Richard’s Pharmacy, who sought additional donations from local pharmacies on top of its own, this year we were able to give out more gifts than any year before. In all, nine pharmacies donated to the children: Family Care Pharmacy, Lino’s Pharmacy, Med Care Pharmacy, Lone Star Pharmacy, Ochoa’s Pharmacy, Fry’s Prescription Pharmacy, Saenz Pharmacy, Med-Aid Pharmacy, and Richard’s Pharmacy.

San Juan area family receive gifts from Santa

Colonia residents are some of the poorest, yet hardest working families in the Rio Grande Valley. Between paying bills, housing costs, food and other expenses, for many, Christmas may not come this year. When they join with LUPE, however, colonia residents gain the tools to overcome many of the barriers keeping them in poverty. Our yearly Christmas posadas are just one way that LUPE helps colonia residents live a little better and keep up their spirits while they work toward their American dream.

Our gratitude and appreciation goes out to the independent pharmacies, and especially Richard’s Pharmacy, for helping give these children a special Christmas this year.

Check out facebook and flickr for all the beautiful, bright faces of the children and their parents!