This site requires Javascript to be turned on. Please enable Javascript and reload the page.

US Latinx Activism and Protests: From the Farm to the (Legislative) Table Art produced during the Chicanx Movement Abstract: In the midst of change, The Chicanx Movement was a monumental time for Mexican Americans in the United States during the late 1960s. The movement addressed the social, economic, and political inequalities experienced by Mexican Americans across the nation. Aimed to celebrate and acknowledge cultural pride and identity, the movement also sought to reclaim and celebrate Mexican and Mexican American history, art, and culture. The Chicanx Movement played a significant role in shaping the Latino identity and influencing subsequent social justice movements, and the artwork produced during this time allowed for many to voice their opinions on the political and social climate of the U.S during the time. LA Demonstrations During the Chicano Movement Abstract: The Chicano Movement was a movement that involved Mexican-Americans all over the United States and was a crucial component to establishing civil rights for Latinos. While Chicanos living in the United States were at the focal point of discrimination in society, they figured that it was best to come together and establish a sense of familiarity in order to combat these racial remarks and disadvantages. To spark attention to their cause and movement, many Chicanos participated in numerous demonstrations and while many were peaceful, many considered them as radical. By Steve, Lexi, and Ricardo Bracero Program In this project we will be analyzing a number of facets of the Bracero Program with a specific focus on the causes, on both sides of the border, which culminated in the agreement. Consequently, we will explore the historical context of the US and Mexico of the first half of the twentieth century, including the impact of the Mexican Revolution as well as the dire situation brought about by the second world war. By utilizing this basis we will then analyze the “migration aspect” entailed by the program, travel from Mexico to the US and various territories. Not only as an in depth look at the agreement, but also as a necessary foundation. One which will permit the Bracero Program to be positioned in history, while simultaneously deepening the exposition and understanding of a largely forgotten case of large-scale abuse and exploitation. We anticipate this will form the backbone of the examination of bracero experiences: first-hand accounts and testimonials.. By Fernando, Joy and Lizeth Guatemalan Genocide & Its Dark Truth This page will focus on the Guatemalan genocide, a period of brutal violence that brought tremendous adversity to those indigenous communities residing in the rural areas of Guatemala. It will provide details regarding the atrocities that the Mayan people experienced, the trauma that was left behind, and the hardships that they continue to face today. Furthermore, it will demonstrate how this heinous period of history fostered activism and social movements in Guatemala. By Paola Chavarria and & Aurora Nieves Chicano Farm Worker Movement In this project, we will be discussing about the Chicano Farm Worker Movement and how it brought change to not only farm workers but to society as a whole. We will be focused on the working conditions of farm workers prior and after the movement, notable or influential leaders, and the communities that were fueling the movement. By examining their struggles, successes, and legacy, we wanted to provide a better understanding of the process needed to advocate and bring forth social change for a marginalized group of people. Last, we wanted to remove stereotypes and other misconceptions about the movement in creating a more equitable society. Por: Justin Bui, Kristi Kang, Jenniffer Young Las "Brujas" Feministas: Magazines, Art, and Television This project intends to provide a comprehensive analysis of women's representation in different mediums such as art, television, and fanzines. In this way, the goal is to understand the gender stereotypes that women have had to overcome from a feminist perspective. Through this discussion, the hope is to amplify women's voices to promote inclusive and equitable representation in society. By Claudia Mejia, Janet Landa, Diana Andrade Walkouts and Protests in Los Angeles On our page, we will discuss the walkouts and protests that took place within schools and communities across Los Angeles. The school protests happened because Latino students wanted to see a change in the education system. Some of the changes Latino students wanted to see implemented were hiring more Chicano professors and administrators, having more Chicano Studies classes in higher education, and overall being treated better without discrimination or judgment. In the 1960s, high school students faced racism and discrimination, which included a lack of education and insufficient school buildings in comparison to those of white students in the area. Walkouts famously took place at Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles, where there was a large population of Latino students. In 1993, college students also faced a lack of Chicano education when budget cuts put the Chicano classes at UCLA at risk of being shut down. This led to a hunger strike, where UCLA students protested and ultimately helped to establish the UCLA César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o Studies. In the years leading up to 1965, Latino and Black communities also protested because they wanted to see a change in the way they were treated. The Black community finally had enough in 1965 and the Watts Riots happened, which in the end led to positive changes in their community. By Sydney Schwinger, Vanessa Harris, Jazmin Chavez

Activism and Organization Tactics of the Young Lords

This page explores the methods used by the Young Lords in order to effect change in their local communities, particularly in New York. In order to draw attention to their cause, the Young Lords emphasized direct action and confrontation, evident in many of their protests, such as implementing the “Garbage Offensive,” barricading themselves in the First Spanish Methodist Church, and taking over Lincoln Hospital.

“At one point in every revolutionary’s life, you have to know when to take the sword and pound it into plowshares,” Felipe Luciano said. “You do it, and you do it in a progressive manner.”

Co-founded by activists such as Felipe Luciano, the Young Lords chapter in New York utilized a bold and confrontational approach to combat the social and economic inequalities faced by Puerto Ricans and other minorities in their local community.

Puerto Rican Flag

At the forefront of their efforts was a vivid display of their identity, with the intention of asserting their cultural heritage and calling for recognition for their community. In most, if not all, of their protests and demonstrations, the Young Lords showcased the Puerto Rican flag, at one point draping it from the crown of the Statue of Liberty during the landmark’s eight-hour occupation. In the image above, we can see the focus on the flag, held by several members of the Young Lords Party as they marched through the street. This suggests an emphasis on unity and collective action, furthered by the fact that they are linking arms in the image.

“So we’re on 110th Street and we actually asked the people, ‘What do you think you need? Is it housing? Is it police brutality?’" Luciano said. "And they said, ‘Muchacho, déjate de todo eso—LA BASURA!” [Listen kid, fuggedaboutit! It’s THE GARBAGE!] And I thought, my God, all this romance, all this ideology, to pick up the garbage?”

Garbage Offensive

In mid-1969, the Young Lords recognized the lack of sanitation services in their local community—disproportionately affecting the lower class—and took action, engaging in the notable “Garbage Offensive.” They formed an initiative to clean up dirty, neglected parts of the city, and ultimately, when their efforts were ignored by the government, they took matters into their own hands. In the act of civil disobedience, the Young Lords placed the uncollected garbage in the road, set it on fire, and showed they would no longer be disrespected. Unsurprisingly, this collective action brought national attention to the issue of "environmental racism," and as evidenced in the photo above, tense police interactions ensued—a common occurrence in an era marked by civil rights and social justice movements. Eventually, however, the government improved the garbage collection process in the community.

God is not dead. God is bread. The bread is rising! Bread means revolution. Organize for a new world. Make the church a people’s church. Wash off your brother’s blood. The streets belong to the people. And the church belongs to the streets. In the midst of occupied territory, The liberated zone is here. —The New York Lords, “Celebration for a People’s Church,” 1969

First Spanish Methodist Church

Seeing their success with the “Garbage Offensive,” the Young Lords continued to fight systematic oppression with creative—and often more violent—methods. In December 1969, the group forcibly took over the First Spanish Methodist Church, which they renamed the “People’s Church” for the 11 days they were inside (and it is widely known by this name even today). As they did before, the Young Lords provided basic services for the often forgotten community, offering daycare, health services, and a breakfast program. They demanded social justice and called for solutions to the problems faced by the low-income communities, once again using imaginative means to bring attention to the inequalities they faced.

Lincoln Hospital

About six months later, in July 1970, the Young Lords occupied Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx. As demonstrated in the archival video footage, they barricaded themselves inside in the early morning, and once again, had a Puerto Rican flag on display. Similar to the situation with the First Spanish Methodist Church, the Young Lords renamed it the “People’s Hospital,” and with their 12-hour occupation, they protested the inaccessibility of safe health care in the community. At the time, Lincoln Hospital was known as the “Butcher Shop,” and Gloria Cruz, a member of the Young Lords, was quoted saying, “Lincoln Hospital is only [a] butcher shop that kills patients and frustrates workers from serving these patients.” This community activism ultimately succeeded and led to the establishment of one of the first Patient’s Bill of Rights. It might be noted that this was not the only instance of a public health protest, as just a month earlier, they seized a mobile X-ray unit to test Harlem’s low-income community for tuberculosis.

Conclusions

Ultimately, the Young Lords implemented a variety of activism strategies and organizational tactics to draw attention to the inequalities faced by Puerto Rican and other minority communities in the United States. From the “Garbage Offensive” to the occupations of both the First Spanish Methodist Church and Lincoln Hospital, they aimed to show that radical action can produce radical change. They brought awareness to the oppressive systems in place in the United States, using collective action and an imaginative vision to ensure that they would no longer go unchecked.

WORKS CITED

Bernico, Matt. 2020. “The People’s Church.” Geez Magazine. December 30.

Breasted, Mary. 1977. “30 in Puerto Rican Group Held in Liberty I. Protest.” The New York Times. The New York Times. October 26.

Felipe Luciano.” 2022. National Museum of African American History and Culture. January 11.

Fernández, Johanna. 2021. “When the Young Lords Put Garbage on Display to Demand Change.” History.Com. A&E Television Networks. September 15.

“A Latinx Resource Guide: Civil Rights Cases and Events in the United States.” 2023. Research Guides. Library of Congress.

Lee, Jennifer. 2009. “The Young Lords’ Legacy of Puerto Rican Activism.” The New York Times. The New York Times. August 24.

Mthethwa, Nqobile. 2023. “July 14, 1970: Young Lords Occupy Lincoln Hospital.” Zinn Education Project. January 31.

“Pinback Button for the People’s Church / Iglesia de La Gente.” 2023. National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Roth, Jesse Steve. 1970. March to U.N. Photograph. New York City. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“Sept. 23, 1968: Young Lords Founded.” 2023. Zinn Education Project. February 13.

“Takeover: How We Occupied a Hospital and Changed Public Health Care | Op-Docs.” 2021. The New York Times. YouTube. October 12.

“Young Lords Occupy Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx.” 2022. History.Com. A&E Television Networks. July 22.

“Young Lords.” 2023. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.

“‘Takeover’: New Doc Chronicles Historic 1970 Young Lords Occupation of Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx.” 2022. Democracy Now! January 26.

This page has paths:

Contents of this path:
1. The Origin and Early Presence of the Young Lords Party This page illustrates the history and initial activism of the Young Lords Party. Modeled after the Black Panthers, the Young Lords consisted of BIPOC citizens of Chicago and Harlem, primarily the poor and working-class Puerto Rican youth who aimed to be a voice for minorities and provide them equal access to healthcare, employment, education and housing while simultaneously launching platforms for Puerto Rican independence. Their first successful campaign is known as the "garbage offensive" and it encapsulates the YLP's desire to advocate for people at a community level first.
2. Ideology and Goals of the Young Lords This page details the Ideology and Goals of the Young Lords, which will open up analysis and discussion of what this party believed in and what they were trying to achieve with their actions and public outcries. In this page, I will be discussing the Young Lords ideology and goals as a whole, utilizing propaganda, pins of membership, and analysis younger generation education tactics to further justify my descriptions and reasoning.
3. Activism and Organization Tactics of the Young Lords This page explores the methods used by the Young Lords in order to effect change in their local communities, particularly in New York. In order to draw attention to their cause, the Young Lords emphasized direct action and confrontation, evident in many of their protests, such as implementing the “Garbage Offensive,” barricading themselves in the First Spanish Methodist Church, and taking over Lincoln Hospital.
4. Legacy and Impact of the Young Lords