Thanks for visiting LUPE’s blog. We are moving up in the world and are no longer using this site. Find us at http://launiondelpuebloentero.nationbuilder.com/blog. Entries published before April 14, 2014 can be found below. For all our newer content, visit our new blog.
Thanks!
Posted in Uncategorized
There are over 1,000 colonias in the Rio Grande Valley. Over 200,000 residents live in these unincorporated neighborhoods that lack basic infrastructure like streetlights and adequate drainage. Let’s begin changing that with our voices, and with our votes.
We can make county officials pay attention to colonias if they see that lots of voters care about colonia issues like streetlights and drainage. Right now it looks like at least one county commissioner race will be decided by only around 1,000 votes. If those 1,000 voters say they care about colonias issues, don’t you think county commissioners will take note?
Make your commitment to vote for colonias issues today!
Join LUPE’s vote campaign to improve our Valley! We call on voters throughout Hidalgo County to show their support for colonia issues by filling out our voter pledge. The pledge says, “Today, I make my commitment for my family, community and country. In these elections, I will vote for: Streetlights, Drainage for all, Drivers licenses for all, Equality in investment in neighborhood infrastructure, Recovery of unpaid wages.”
With a race as close as 1,000 votes, every voter has the opportunity to impact the positions of the candidates. If we can show the commissioners our voter pledge demonstrating 1,000 voters that care about colonia issues, you bet they are going to do what they can to show their support for colonias. And colonias will be able to influence the position of the commissioner, no matter who wins.
Join your voice with colonia residents by making your commitment to vote for colonias today.
“It is like a dream, like when you are drowning and all of a sudden someone saves you.”
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| Esther Garza poses with her children after becoming a U.S. citizen. Help us prepare more new citizens by making a contribution today. |
Those words were spoken last week by LUPE member Esther Garza when she and other LUPE members were celebrated for achieving U.S. citizenship. Esther is one of almost 300 immigrants that LUPE helped achieve citizenship this year.
“You feel that peace, that happiness, that tranquility, to walk, to dream, to say, here’s my family, we are free.”
That is what it means to obtain U.S. citizenship for the millions of immigrants currently living in the U.S. While millions of immigrants have no viable option to fix theirs immigration status, the people that do have an option can rely on LUPE to help them through the process.
Help us continue to help immigrants reach the American Dream. Donate $5 to LUPE today. Continue reading
Posted in Immigration Reform, Services
Tagged donate, freedom, giving, immigration, new citizen, U.S. citizenship
The season of giving is here. Get a great gift and advance your progressive values at the same time! Donate to La Union del Pueblo Entero and receive a farmworker movement holiday gift – and give the gift of ¡Claro que Se Puede! this holiday season.
¡Claro Que Se Puede! is an inspiration song that blends historic sounds of the farmworker movement with the modern sounds of Carlos Santana, Los Lonely Boys and more. It captures the spirit of the movement for immigrant rights, one rooted in our varied histories and traditions, and coming together in celebration of one another. Continue reading
December 10th, is International Human Rights Day and a perfect opportunity to celebrate the LUPE members who achieved U.S. citizenship this year. Around 50 immigrant members of LUPE who have achieved citizenship will be celebrated Tuesday evening at LUPE’s San Juan office located on Business 83 and Cesar Chavez Rd. Guests from State Representative Armando Martinez’s office and immigration judge David Ayala will congratulate the new citizens on their achievement.
Martha Sanchez, Community Organizing Coordinator for La Union del Pueblo Entero, will underscore the importance of U.S. citizenship for exercising and protecting our Human Rights.
Commenting on human rights and citizenship, Martha Sanchez says, “Our human rights are fragile, especially when there is no participation, outside of voting and elections. For some of us, it is even harder to protect our human rights because of our lack of immigration status.”
Martha Sanchez is herself an immigrant who attained U.S. citizenship.
She continues, “U.S. citizenship gives us a vehicle to fully participate in our human rights and an opportunity to help protect the human rights of those who because of lack of immigration status are not fully represented.”
Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that everyone has the right to take part in elections and government. It is the spirit of the Declaration that the voices of people who are often excluded should be heard and heeded, especially when we are marginalized or discriminated against because of race, religion, gender or even immigration status. Read Article 21 here.
The Citizenship Opportunity Program is just one benefit of our Programa Escalera, through which LUPE invests in the self-development of our members and the community. The program, free for LUPE members, also offers ESL and GED classes. Escalera goes beyond the basic needs of individuals to develop greater skills thereby allowing participants to improve their lives and their ability to respond to new opportunities.
It is our pleasure to recognize those members of LUPE that, through devotion and hard work, have achieved their citizenship and have made a deeper commitment to the United States as their home.
Today is Giving Tuesday, which means people all over the world are sharing in the giving spirit. From volunteering, to donating, to promoting your favorite causes, today is the perfect day to show others what you care about.
From GivingTuesday.org: “A #UNselfie is an unselfish or selfless #selfie (click if you don’t know what a selfie is). Take a photo of someone or something that represents giving to you and upload to your social media platform of choice via hashtag #unselfie and #givingtuesday.”
Let us know what you care about–Share your #UNselfie with us!
Take an #UNselfie and share it with us on our Facebook page or tweet at us @LUPE_rgv. Make sure to use the hashtags #UNselfie and #GivingTuesday when you do!
You can also share this image on Facebook and help us reach more people in the giving spirit:
Posted in Uncategorized
Update (11/19, 11am): It seems the event has been cancelled. The Facebook event page is down at least. And the counter-action, which has grown to more than 4,000 RSVPs on Facebook, has been converted into a mini-march for immigration reform and in support of undocumented Longhorns!
University of Texas student group the Young Conservatives of Texas will be having a “Catch an Illegal Immigrant” event this upcoming Wednesday. The details, as posted on the event’s Facebook page, are:
There will be several people walking around the UT campus with the label “illegal immigrant” on their clothing. Any UT student who catches one of these “illegal immigrants” and brings them back to our table will receive a $25 gift card.
Supposedly the event is meant to “spark a campus-wide discussion about the issue of illegal immigration, and how it affects our everyday lives.”
“Catch an Illegal Immigrant” game counter-protest Facebook event swells to over 4,000 supporters.
I wonder if any of the YCT’s “illegal immigrants” will face abuses like LUPE member and immigrant to the Rio Grande Valley Francisca [name changed to protect her identity] did when she was detained and deported in 2010. Francisca and her four oldest children came to the US ten years earlier from a small town where women weren’t allowed to do the work men did. Looking for a better life for their children, and a place where Francisca could help her family financially, Francisca’s husband migrated to the US in 1996 and his family followed in 2000.
One summer morning when Francisca and her children were on their way to work, they were stopped and detained by Border Patrol. Continue reading
Posted in Civic Engagement, Immigration Reform
La Union del Pueblo Entero, on behalf of over 7,000 RGV community members who support comprehensive immigration reform, condemns remarks from House Speaker John Boehner yesterday that slammed the door shut on comprehensive immigration reform this year.
LUPE Executive Director Juanita Valdez-Cox responds to Speaker’s comments. Read more here.
Juanita Valdez-Cox, Executive Director of La Union del Pueblo Entero, says, “Speaker Boehner and Republican Party leadership continue to treat Latino Americans as second class citizens, as though the needs of our communities come after the needs of their party, as though the crisis facing our families can wait until the whole of the Republican Party is in agreement that something needs to be done to keep our families together…”
Posted in Civic Engagement, Immigration Reform
Doña Maria Gomez poses in front of her new home constructed with disaster recovery funds
After all these years, we are finally seeing the fruits of our labor. LUPE members who suffered from flooding and damage by Hurricane Dolly are starting to receive repairs to their homes. Thanks to an organized effort from colonia residents, along with LUPE and the Equal Voice Network over the past five years, the federal government disaster recovery program has begun distributing $122 million to help residents, with a focus on the most needy families.
While these funds have been set aside for RGV residents for some time now, this year we were finally able to pressure local and state government officials charged with managing the federal funds to create a clear plan for using the millions of dollars to assist low income communities make repairs on their homes.
LUPE leader Maria Gomez was one of the first to receive a brand new house after applying for these disaster recovery funds. LUPE organizers are now working to make sure that more colonia families apply for the funds and benefit from of our hard work.
Juanita Valdez Cox, Executive Director of LUPE, joins fast for immigration reform Wednesday.
This quote is from Martin Luther King’s March on Washington speech, which took place 50 years ago today. Yet it still rings true to the many citizens of color, especially immigrants, who struggle daily to live a dignified life.
Juanita Valdez Cox, LUPE Executive Director shares, “As border community members we recognize that discrimination and racism still exist. We have been successful at removing most State sanctioned racism, but much work remains to overcome racism of hard hearts and closed minds. We will not stop organizing and allow the suffering to continue unchallenged.”
Juanita joined the Fast and Prayer against Militarization and for Citizenship today, saying, “Anti-immigrant forces need to realize that immigrants are key to helping build and strengthen our economy and our nation.”
America has forgotten about the immigrants that have helped build our nation. With dignity and respect we must fight for equality for our families and community. For us, equality means not having to worry if you will come home at night when leaving for work each morning. Equality means not being subjected to unwarranted searches by law enforcement officials just because we live within 100 miles of the border. Equality means being able to reunite with family members without risking our lives crossing the river or the dessert.
We have a dream that our immigrant families will one day enjoy the promise of equality. And we will organize each day to turn that dream into a reality.
Posted in Civic Engagement, Immigration Reform
Founded in 1989 by labor rights activist César Chávez, La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) is committed to building stronger, healthier communities where people have the power to effect social change through community organizing and civic engagement.
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