a publication of the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
October 2013 | Vol. 26 Issue 8
09.15.2013
San Antonio, Tejas
NDO in SA = Civil Rights!
John Stanford’s La Voz de Esperanza October 2013 vol. 26 issue 8
Editor Gloria A. Ramírez Design Monica V. Velásquez Editorial Assistance Alice Canestaro-García
Contributors Itza Carbajal, Rachel Jennings, Dwight R. Platt, Kamala Platt, Elva Pérez Treviño, Pancho Valdez
La Voz Mail Collective Natasha Buscher, Christopher DeLeón, Juan Díaz, Lupita Dominguez, Jorge Franco, Juanita Gallardo, Lee Gonzáles, Jess Gonzáles, Esther Guajardo, Joe Jiménez, Elpidia O. López, Mina López, Familia Medellín, Angie Merla, Josie Merla Martin, RAY MCDONALD, Daniel Miller, Miguel Ovalle, Robert Pérez, Mary Agnes Rodríguez, Thomas Sandoz, Helen Suárez, Kashay Thompson-Sullivan, Raymond Zamarripas y MujerArtes
Esperanza Director Graciela I. Sánchez
Esperanza Staff
LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • October 2013 Vol. 26 Issue 8•
Imelda Arismendez, Itza Carbajal, Marisol Cortez, J.J. Niño, Melissa Rodríguez, Susana Méndez Segura, Monica V. Velásquez
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Conjunto de Nepantleras -Esperanza Board of Directors-
Brenda Davis, Araceli Herrera, Rachel Jennings, Amy Kastely, Kamala Platt, Ana Ramírez, Gloria A. Ramírez, Rudy Rosales, Nadine Saliba, Graciela Sánchez • We advocate for a wide variety of social, economic & environmental justice issues. • Opinions expressed in La Voz are not necessarily those of the Esperanza Center.
La Voz de Esperanza
is a publication of Esperanza Peace & Justice Center 922 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78212
210.228.0201 • fax 1.877.327.5902 www.esperanzacenter.org Inquiries/Articles can be sent to:
lavoz@esperanzacenter.org Articles due by the 8th of each month Policy Statements
* We ask that articles be visionary, progressive, instructive & thoughtful. Submissions must be literate & critical; not sexist, racist, homophobic, violent, or oppressive & may be edited for length. * All letters in response to Esperanza activities or articles in La Voz will be considered for publication. Letters with intent to slander individuals or groups will not be published. Esperanza Peace & Justice Center is funded in part by the NEA, TCA, theFund, Coyote Phoenix Fund, AKR Fdn, Peggy Meyerhoff Pearlstone Fdn, Horizons Fdn, y nuestra buena gente.
body took its last breath on September 11, 2013. His presence and spirit of activism, however, will continue to be a part of us at every march, protest, speak-out and action that we take to make San Antonio and the world a better place. John instinctively understood that all issues of social, economic, and environmental justice are connected and need to be worked on at the same time. He understood the work of the Esperanza Center and has been a part of our history since the old days at 1305 N. Flores. On October 24, 2007 as part of the Esperanza’s 20th anniversary celebration, John was honored for his work in promoting social justice, civil rights and peace. In his acceptance speech he modestly questioned whether he deserved to be in the company of such notable activists as María Antonietta Berriozábal, T.C. Calvert, Ruth Lofgren and Nickie Valdez. He noted that whatever he had been able to accomplish had been built on the legacy of Communists here in San Antonio, Texas before him. With that, he named the Sutton family, Emma Tenayuca, the Inman family, Manuela Soliz Sager and her husband James and others. He also acknowledged the role his beloved wife, Jo, had had in his life as an activist. John commented: The people’s forces are gaining strength, and reasons for hope abound. Yet, here in the USA we have ...racial profiling, ¡Presente! an increase in police brutality...; continued attacks on Roe v. Wade; continued neglect of the needs of the victims of Katrina; attacks on the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgendered people; increasing raids on immigrants...; degradation of the environment; children behind bars at the Hutto Prison ...in Taylor, Texas; and attacks on Palestinians, Arabs, and others. And on a world scale, continued waste of billions of dollars monthly on wars; increased inequality between rich and poor nations; ...and inaction in the face of global warming. The issues John cited that day remain much the same today, but we must continue to work to bring about needed changes. As John put it, We need to use every means at our disposal. As we finished this October, 2013 issue of La Voz, Ben Olguin wrote to us: I cannot envision a world without Juancho. But he has left us his example of the lifelong and tireless communist and humanist who fought all the battles that need to be waged regardless of whether or not they are popular. He was always there with a banner and a smile, and above all else, a clear vision of one truth: We reclaim our humanity together, or not at all. This issue of La Voz de Esperanza is dedicated to Juancho’s memory. It includes articles on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (p. 3), the passage of the Non-Discrimination Ordinance in San Antonio and an article on labor: all issues that were a reflection of Juancho and his passion for politics, the politics for a just world. As luck would have it I serendipitously ran into a picture of John and one of the writers, Kamala Platt. Indeed, he is still with us. The November issue of La Voz will give gente the chance to write literary ofrendas and say more about Juancho and others who have passed (see p. 12). Condolences to John’s family and friends––from the Esperanza Center and the buena gente of our community. As Graciela Sánchez commented, se murió un gran hombre, one of this world’s greatest luchadores. John Stanford, ¡Siempre, presente! ATTENTION VOZ READERS: If you have a mailing address correction please send it in to lavoz@esperanzacenter.org. If you want to be removed from the La Voz mailing list for whatever reason please let us know. La Voz is provided as a courtesy to people on the mailing list of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. The subscription rate is $35 per year ($100 for institutions). The cost of producing and mailing La Voz has substantially increased and we need your help to keep it afloat. To help, send in your subscriptions, sign up as a monthly donor, or send in a donation to the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. Thank you. -GAR VOZ VISION STATEMENT: La Voz de Esperanza speaks for many individual, progressive voices who are gente-based, multi-visioned and milagro-bound. We are diverse survivors of materialism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, classism, violence, earth-damage, speciesism and cultural and political oppression. We are recapturing the powers of alliance, activism and healthy conflict in order to achieve interdependent economic/ spiritual healing and fuerza. La Voz is a resource for peace, justice, and human rights, providing a forum for criticism, information, education, humor and other creative works. La Voz provokes bold actions in response to local and global problems, with the knowledge that the many risks we take for the earth, our body, and the dignity of all people will result in profound change for the seven generations to come.
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom – August 28, 1963 Photo: officialmlkdream50.com
Reflection in Bethel College Chapel
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- August 28, 2013
The organizers of the march were also nervous. They had said there would be 100,000 people at the march. But, would the people come? Bayard Rustin, who, in just 8 weeks, had organized the march down to the last detail, was out on the Mall early. When he arrived at the Washington Monument at 6:30 am, there were only a few hundred people there. Reporters asked: If 100,00 people are coming, where are all the people? Bayard pulled a blank
slip of paper from an inner pocket, pretended to study it for a moment, and said, “Gentlemen, everything is going exactly according to plan.” And it did. Incidentally, Bayard Rustin, who will posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom this year, spoke on the Bethel campus in 1950, probably in this very chapel, at a Peace Confer-
ence involving students from 12 Kansas colleges hosted by Bethel students. I was in college at the time. By the time we reached the Washington Monument, probably a few thousand people had assembled and were listening to singers - Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Josh White, the trio of Peter, Paul and Mary and others. The arrival of celebrities at the march was announced between songs: James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Marlon Brando, Burt Lancaster, Jackie Robinson, Sidney Poitier, Charlton Heston and many others. People kept pouring in and by afternoon there were at least one-quarter million. At midday, the whole throng started
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he morning of August 28, 1963 dawned on a tense and nervous Washington, DC. Many businesses would remain closed, many federal workers had taken the day off, some Washingtonians had left the city for the day, troops were on alert across the Potomac in anticipation of the black invasion of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. And, in the country as a whole, twice as many persons had an unfavorable view of this march as had a favorable view. The friends with whom we were staying in the DC area warned us that there was talk of violence at the march and persuaded us to leave our 4-year old daughter, Kamala, to watch the march on TV with their son – then LaVonne and I, with our one-year old son in a stroller, went to board the city bus to go to the Washington Monument.
by Dwight R. Platt
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moving spontaneously toward the Lincoln Memorial and the march was on. Those who were to lead the march had to wedge their way into the crowd. We ended up not far from the Lincoln Memorial with a good view of the podium.
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After an opening prayer by Roman Catholic Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle, the Director of the March, A. Philip Randolph, who had dreamed of this march for more than 20 years, took the podium and gave an opening speech followed by other speeches and songs. Marian Anderson sang, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” The religious groups were there: Catholics, Protestants and Jews. Rabbi Joachim Prinz of the American Jewish Congress said he
Un recuerdo
had learned as a Rabbi in Berlin under Hitler that bigotry and hatred are not our major problem. Silence is our problem. America must not be a nation of onlookers. The labor unions were there. Walter Reuther of the United Auto Workers declared that we cannot defend freedom in Berlin if we do not defend freedom in Birmingham. And all six of the mainline civil rights groups were represented on the podium. James Farmer of the Congress of Racial Equality
by Kamala Platt
50
years ago in August of 1963, as a small child in the home of friends in Washington D.C., I was watching the March on Washington on TV. My Dad,
Mom and younger brother were at the March. When I saw the crowds, and heard the singing and speeches on TV—I realized my mistake in not going. My parents who did not recognize beforehand the unprecedented significance of the event, had let their daughter choose whether to attend, and for the 50 years since, I have felt ashamed that I let myself be pressured into staying to play with our hosts’ young son.
This week, as I heard accounts of the mood of fear in Washington DC before the ‘63 March, I realized what I didn’t consciously comprehend previously – that as a four year old, I had, unwittingly, fallen victim to the fear spread to discourage marchers, to discourage equality and justice. Had our hosts not been afraid, their family might have joined mine rather than discouraging our attendance at the March for which we’d come to town. Fears I was not aware of – had affected my life. Our nation is a better place today for that March, which had been exquisitely organized by a gay African American, whose name—Bayard Rustin— many had not heard until he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom this year. The ‘63 March story speaks to the Non-Discrimination Ordinance before City Council—and not just because of the timing. I hear similar kinds of fear repeated in San Antonio: what bad things will happen if we adopt an ordinance that adds to the list to say that all of us have the same human rights? I hope to be in City Council Chambers today to let Council representatives know that if we let fears that belittle our common humanity influence our decisions, those decisions will haunt our communities for decades to come. I was proud to hear that Mayor Castro is speaking at today’s March (August 28, 2013) commemorating the 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom that led the nation toward legal changes that are still guiding us toward more equity and justice. Yet, I will feel ashamed if I learn that he is in Washington D.C. representing a City that does not live up to those same goals. n Editor’s note: Mayor Castro chose to stay in San Antonio to hear all who spoke for and against the NDO before the council. Bio: Kamala Platt has taught in Kansas, New York, and South Texas. She is currently an unemployed profesora, working overtime on issues and projects she grew up with, splitting her time between San Antonio and Meadowlark Center in Kansas. She is a member of Esperanza’s Conjunto de Nepantleras.
(CORE) could not be there because he was in jail in Louisiana but his speech was read. The crowd, gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and stretching back for blocks toward the Washington Monument, was even more diverse – black and white and all shades in between with blue-collar workers and white-collar workers, teachers and students, families and singles, old and young. All of these groups were not pushing their own interests, but demonstrat-
ing for the public interest of an inclusive America. Some have said it was like a picnic on the Mall, and it was celebratory, but also serious. It was not angry, but it was militant. Bayard Rustin read the demands of the march, not the requests, not the petitions, but the demands. And speakers listed grievances and asked for redress, now. Have the demands been met? We can point to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Laws were passed and segregation was decodified. “Whites Only” signs were taken down. But the speakers at the March . . . it was celebratory, but on Washington were not talking simply about changing laws. Maralso serious. It was not tin Luther King’s Dream included removing institutional barriers, culangry, but it was militant. tural barriers and attitudinal barriers Bayard Rustin read the that keep people on the margin. In 2013, we need to Let Freedemands of the march , dom Ring in a nation where black unemployment is almost double that not the requests, not the of whites and the average income of petitions, but the demands. black families is 59% that of whites. Let Freedom Ring in a nation where the percentage of black chil-
Bio: Dwight Platt is Professor Emeritus of Biology & Environmental Studies at Bethel College in Kansas. His involvement in Civil Rights began in childhood as did his interest in gardening and field ecology.
Addie Mae Collins, 14; Carole Robertson, 14; Cynthia Wesley, 14; and Denise McNair, 11, the four girls killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church
bombing in Birmingham, Alabama were honored with the posthumous awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal. Ku Klux Klansmen had planted a bomb that detonated outside the church on Sept. 15, 1963. Ala. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, honored the legacy of the four slain girls, saying “There was no safety for those four little girls. Not even Sunday school,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that on the day of the bombing virtually every stained glass window in the church was blown out — except for one bearing the image of Christ leading a group of children, with his face missing. “The symbolism was potent,” McConnell said. n
Seeing this photo, with my mom
and me wearing gifts from my aunt’s shop in Chihuahua – probably taken on a sunday morning – reminds me that this is the 50th anniversary of the bombing of the church in Birmingham, Alabama that killed four girls who were only a few years older than me at the time. My mom told us later (usually with tears in her eyes) about the impact when she heard about the bombing. She had heard about the girls being killed by a bomb hitting their sunday schoolroom on the radio, after we had come home from church. I had just told her earlier that day, "Mommy, I sure do like sunday school." n – Kamala Platt
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Congressional leaders honor victims of 1963 Birmingham church bombing
dren living in poverty is almost triple that of whites and one in three black boys born in 2001 is at risk of going to prison in his lifetime. Let Freedom Ring in a nation where racial profiling by police and by citizens occurs and where a black teenager can be accosted and killed because he was walking on the “wrong” street at night. Let Freedom Ring in a nation where groups of people who are different – Muslims, immigrants, homosexuals, minority ethnic groups – are often marginalized. Much remains to be done and removing institutional, cultural and attitudinal barriers that support discrimination will be more difficult than removing legal barriers. King’s dream, the goal of an inclusive America still lies ahead. It remains as a challenge for your generation. n
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Shofar
September 4, 2013
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arlier, a dark cloud sent down rain with thunder and lightning. The air is still heavy. Someone blows a shofar, a curved ram’s horn, outside San Antonio City Council chambers, which have become of a sudden a sacred place. The shofar adds solemnity to the chants of protesters: “Equality now!” Rosh Hashana begins. L’Shana Tova. A good New Year. A last night of public testimony on a nondiscrimination ordinance for veterans and LGBT persons. Tomorrow the Council votes after months of debate and testimony.
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Whether this ordinance passes or is voted down, a new year in San Antonio is born this moment. Our scripted fate will soon be read aloud by City Council members. What names will be inscribed in the book of life? What names will be blotted from the book of the living? Who will receive a respite to reflect and repent? Regardless of the vote or our fate, our city is called to atonement for the sad years behind us. Protesters march past, two by two: Adam and Steve, Lilith and Eve. Come, let us bite the honeyed apple. The rainbow hosts of Jehovah march with fierce energy just outside the walls. “Sí, se puede!” – Rachel Jennings, 9.04.13
Bayard Rustin This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Executive Order signed by President John F. Kennedy establishing the Presidential Medal of Freedom. On August 8, 2013 President Barack Obama named sixteen recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Among the recipients will be Bayard Rustin, the late civil and human rights advocate who will be posthumously awarded the highest civilian award in the United States. Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president, Chad Griffin, urged President Obama to posthumously grant the medal to Rustin writing: “His role in the fight for civil rights of AfricanAmericans is all the more admirable because he made it as a gay man, experiencing prejudice not just because of his race, but because of his sexual orientation as well.” Bayard Rustin is credited with organizing the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom that celebrated its 50th anniversary this summer. An aide and confidant to Dr. Martin Luther King, Rustin has been a forgotten and closeted hero of the civil rights movement, until recently. Others honored include: Baseball Hall of Famer, Ernie Banks; newsman, Ben Bradlee; President Bill Clinton; Senator Daniel Inouye (posthumous); psychology professor, Daniel Kahneman; Senator Richard Lugar; Country Music legend, Loretta Lynn; environmental scientist, Mario Molina; astronaut, Sally Ride (posthumous); jazz artist, Arturo Sandoval; basketball coach, Dean Smith; feminist writer, Gloria Steinem; minister, Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian; Judge Patricia Wald; and Oprah Winfrey. The awards will be presented at the White House later this year.
Congratulations SAN ANTONIO! NDO FOR SAN ANTO PASSEs! SEPTember 5th 2013
The City of San Antonio’s new Non-Discrimination Policy n September 5, 2013, the City of San Antonio passed the Non-Discrimination Ordinance (NDO) that extends legal protection against discrimination to lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The passage of the NDO was a momentous outcry from San Antonio citizenry: for the gay community, a moment of celebration and for the Religious Right, a moment of dismay. The passage of this ordinance came after many months of arduous work by the gay community and their supporters and family members that had joined them in their struggle. For the Religious Right who has long fought hard against anything that extends legitimate recognition of the gay community, the passage of the NDO is seen as a direct infringement of their First Amendment rights to free speech, freedom of association and freedom of religion under both the U.S. and Texas Constitutions. During the course of enactment of this ordinance and the struggle for and against it, a division was sown within the San Antonio community through the various efforts of people who were misinformed and who deliberately sought to implement a designed strategy to promote confusion and obfuscate the real issue of civil rights that is the primary focus of the NDO. The ordinance is meant to extend civil rights protection to the gay community specifically because of the discrimination they face directly as a result of their gay identity, sexual orientation and
gender expression. Opponents to the NDO tried to frame and encapsulate the matter as a free speech issue while the gay community frames it as a civil rights issue. The NDO does not legalize same-sex marriage, it does not require private businesses to provide same-sex benefits to its employees, it does not require anyone to support a particular lifestyle or religious view, it does not address transgender people and restroom access, nor does it regulate speech, religion or political activity. The NDO does extend civil rights to the gay community. It extends a legally defined protected status to lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people in public accommodations, housing, city contracts and city employment – and updates antiquated language. It adds sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status to the current list of legally protected classes that already includes protection on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin and disability. The controversy started when NDO opponents framed the issues raised by the NDO within the First Amendment context and its attendant rights to freedom of religion and speech, as opposed to the civil rights that the new ordinance is intended to encompass. The ordinance, as written, simply consolidates sections of the city code, the state statutes and the constitutional protections already provided to the general public but which current law does not give to the gay community. More importantly, this ordinance does not extend outside the City of San Antonio or to non-city employers, therefore, outside the city limits and for those employed by private business, in order to protect themselves against discrimination, the gay, lesbian community will have to rely on general provisions under state law, the Texas Constitution, the Civil Rights Act, the U.S. Constitution Ninth Amendment’s right to privacy, the First Amendment’s rights of free speech and free association, and the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection and due process clauses. As to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: It contains several basic premises which apply to all citizens of the
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A Review by Elva Pérez Treviño
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United States, specifically that... “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” This means that government can not establish a state religion; that government can’t tell you what to think, nor prevent you from expressing your opinion; that you have a right to get information from any medium, uncensored by government; that you can come together with people of like mind to organize in groups or societies to promote a common ideal or politic, or reach a common goal, and that you can criticize government and ask for changes in its policies. Government can, however, impose restrictions on speech as to time, place, manner and the content of Speech. This amendment does not guarantee that you can say whatever you want, whenever you want or wherever you want. The First Amendment provides no protection to obscenity, child pornography, or speech that advocates the use of force or which is directed at inciting violence or advocates a breach of the peace. It applies to all branches of federal, state, and local government, and very importantly, it is meant to erect a wall between church and state. If Government wants to pass restrictions on speech, the restriction as contained in the proposed legislation, statute, or ordinance must be content neutral. In order to review whether the legislation, statute, or ordinance enacted by Government is content neutral and necessary to protect the public, the courts first determine if Government has a compelling interest in enacting the proposed law and then apply a strict scrutiny to it. This translates into the courts looking very closely and seriously at the proposed restriction, at its intent and they try to make sure that the speech sought to be contained is not being denied nor prohibited simply based on the content of the speech. The courts try to ensure that it does not cause harm to the right of free message. On the other hand, The Texas Constitution, in article 1, section 8, addresses speech as a liberty and holds the individual responsible for the abuse of that privilege. It appears to be more protective of speech than the U.S. Constitution in some instances. The key difference between the two is that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution attempts to prevent the passage of any law that would curtail speech or the press. It pushes the idea that govern-
ment shall not interfere with people’s speech, their right to a free press, nor their freedom to join together to petition government to grieve against it. The Texas Constitution assures the liberty of speech. Its ideal is one of inclusion, of an expansive freedom of expression: An affirmative grant of free speech. As its interpretation has evolved through the state courts, its presumption is that any prior restraint on speech is unconstitutional, and, that any prior restraint is permissible only when essential to the avoidance of an impending danger. The First Amendment arguments raised against the NDO by the Religious Right are meant to counter what they believe is an infringement on their right to believe as they wish, to practice their religion as they choose and their right to free speech as they choose to express themselves. To hear them in their moment of angst is to hear outrageous commentary that, while hurtful and ugly, is not against the law. Many in San Antonio feel that the ugliness of the debate as it transpired and unfolded in city council chambers is directly attributable to the atmosphere and the permission created by council member Elisa Chan and, in particular, her homophobic comments that were secretly recorded in her city council office. And while she may be misinformed, her response to criticism leveled against her for her commentary then became a strategy to confuse and keep the debate mired in the most controversial aspects of the anti-discrimination ordinance. It is unfortunate that the focus came to rest so heavily on her, her words, and her actions instead of focusing on all the personalities who surrounded her and encouraged her in her ignorance.
Many in San Anto ugliness of the deba and unfolded i chambers is direct the atmosphere an created by council m and, in particular, comments that were in her city co
onio feel that the ate as it transpired in city council tly attributable to nd the permission member Elisa Chan her homophobic e secretly recorded ouncil office.
away from San Antonio. To hear them speak, to hear their words, simply bolsters the argument that the ordinance is much needed. These arguments emanating from the Christian Right are not new. They are the same arguments raised against the gay community in response to the legal attacks launched by the gay community against the Defense of Marriage Act, and engendered by the various laws passed by various states as they continue to recognize same sex marriages and committed unions, as well as to any endeavors to keep the separation between church and state intact. These arguments are nothing more than the Christian Right defending and nurturing the institution of traditional, heterosexual marriage and their traditional notion of morality. For them, no legislation that seeks to establish – on the basis of a free, wholesome society – the right to marry outside the man-woman matrix is justified, or is it allowable. For them, the mission seems to be to protect the right of states to formulate their own public policy regarding the legal recognition of homosexuality. For them, it is a matter of retaining state sovereignty, democratic self-governance and preserving the sure foundation of all that is stable and noble in our civilization, and which in turn would be that the Christian view is the best guarantee of this reverent morality. For the Christian Right it is hard to detach from the natural teleology of the body—which is that only a man and a woman fit together. For them, the NDO is a fine example of how it is not the business of the political branches of government to take sides in the culture wars that see a broader and greater inclusion of the Other—specifically the Other that does not fit the paradigm of what is Christian, moral, traditional or normal. Their opposition to the NDO is motivated in part by a desire to challenge the ability of elected officials to decide matters of homosexuality that run contrary to their religious views and their religion as they know it. The NDO extends the safe zone within which the gay community can live, can practice their lifestyle and enjoy the privileges that are afforded all citizens in San Antonio. San Antonio now joins Dallas, Austin, El Paso, Brownsville and 180 other cities in the U.S. in extending these protections. The gay community is now a protected class in San Antonio, because they are not automatically protected under federal or state law, by or under that designation. And this is what the Religious Right fights about, debates against, and for which they continue their struggle against the Gay community. During the course of public commentary regarding passage of
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The truly important matter about Ms. Chan’s behavior is that she is a public official and, as such, the general public naturally has an interest in whether her conduct as a public official creates an apparent conflict of interest to her role as an elected official for her district and not just for a selected, but vociferous few individuals. The proponents of the NDO in her district are rightly concerned, because she spoke not as a private citizen voicing her personal opinion, but instead chose to voice her homophobic concerns in her city office during a staff meeting. Thus, to the religious community, Ms. Chan’s words became a lighting rod that sparked them into a reactionary mode and allowed them to claim that the NDO would discriminate against them, their practice of religion, and their believe system. The Religious Right believes the NDO will prevent them from educating their children as they want; that it allows school systems and teachers to teach their children about homosexuality contrary to the parents’ religious traditions and parental wishes; that the NDO exposes their children to homosexuals; that the NDO is an injustice to people who believe in God; that it violates their individual rights; that it allows men – read transgender male to female – to come into women’s bathrooms; that it confuses children; that it interferes with their right to raise their children as they wish; that it violates their right to practice their religion as they wish and to speak about the homosexual community as they wish; that it forces Christian businesses or Christian business owners to do business with the gay community; that it encourages outsiders to come here and celebrate Gay Pride – and finally, that the NDO will keep people
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the NDO, many people argued that the Gay movement’s struggle their supposed Christian principle of forgiveness. The struggle for for civil rights was not worthy of recognition because it does not the moral soul of our nation continues in these types of fights. This compare with or to the 1960 Civil Rights movement of the Afri- is not human nature; this is dirty politics – pure and simple. This can American community. This is nothing less then the ranking targeting of political progressives is meant to keep our nation in of oppression with the idea that only African American suffered the shackles of a religious tyranny and has little to do with “God under the lash of discrimination. Nothing can be further from and Country”. the truth. True, that gay people with white skin have white skin This type of vengeful retribution on the supporters of the privilege if they choose to be silent about their gender identity, NDO, and against the NDO itself, is the Christian Right’s attempt sexual orientation or if they choose to curtail their gender expres- to rewrite the constitution and force Government to accommosion; however, for many in the gay community, this is not a privilege they can readily enjoy, much less exercise. This is especially true for those gay people who are “obviously gay” or who choose to be “obviously gay”, or who, simply get labeled as “gay” because they do not fit what the traditionally accepted image of a heterosexual man or woman holds. For many, especially members of the Christian Right, the NDO threatens the supposed honorable and therefore, moral preferential status given to the institution of heterosexuality. They do not want any civil laws that permit anything that impinges on their collective judgment about homosexuality. Maintaining a preferred societal status of heterosexuality gives them courage in their perceived vulnerability. During a time when the Christian Right seeks to guard against doing anything which might mislead children and others wavering on the issue of homosexuality, they seek to impose their political might onto a society they perceive as being indifferent to the sexual orientation that these wavering children and others may develop. For them, an increase in the social acceptance of homosexuality only Final San Antonio City Council vote on the Non-Discrimination Ordinance. serves to increase the confusion around sexual identity, and seems to threaten their very sense of self. They resist the movement to abolish all societal distinctions between homo- date, sponsor, promote, advance, and support religion. This is sexuals and heterosexuals. For them, ordinances like the NDO their agenda: to eliminate the established wall between Church and similar legislation entails a moral and State and to flood the public sphere with Christianity, its prodisapproval of heterosexuality grams, its symbols, its activities, its message, and its philosophy. in favor of homosexual- They want a privileged place in society and in the public square ity. This is why they fight. of ideas. Their agenda forces the idea that there should be a pubThis is why they hide lic accommodation to their emotional tyranny: that religion has behind labels like “com- a communal aspect is deserving of political and legal protection. passionate conservatism”. They formulate it as a mere by-product to their way of religious This is why they claim that practice, deserving of supremacy over all other aspects of public the NDO deters their right life no matter whose civil rights get trampled along the way. This to freedom of religion—they is very dangerous thinking and poses a threat to all who do not seek to have government pro- agree with them. mote religion as they have So, Religious Right groups from outside of San Antonio will come to know it, define it, prac- direct their money and effort from afar to disrupt the peace we tice it, and impose it in the name have established in passage of the NDO. They will seek to argue of equality; equality they do not that the NDO discriminates against them because it forces them seem prepared to extend to others to treat others as they would have others treat them, with dignity outside their chosen few. and respect, with equal treatment based on the common courtesy In the coming days, the Christian Right of simply being human and wanting humane treatment. They will reach into San Antonio politics and tar- will seek to distort and destroy the notion that we are all created get those politicians that supported and voted equal, and that under the law we should be treated and protected for the NDO. They have already started a recall as equals.n campaign against Councilman Diego Bernal for introducing the NDO and for fighting for its Bio: Elva Pérez Treviño, buena gente of the Esperanza, is a writer, passage. It is a shame that the Christian Right artist, political activist and practicing attorney in San Antonio, TX does not practice magnanimity in the face of For more info check www.facebook.com/CAUSASanAntonio
It’s Going to Take
to retain their jobs. While some will argue that to resort to the old militant tactics of labor’s past hinges on being illegal, the fact is that workers either have to be willing to fight or go down losing it all! A good example of not resorting to militant tactics or even by Pancho Valdez soliciting community to resort was the local receive in order to be their own advocates. strike by Teamsters Local 657 against the Instead, hired staff perform the work that C.H. Guenther Company aka Pioneer Flour the rank & file should be trained to do. Mills. After almost two years of futile pickIn many cases, the hired staff fear losing eting the members voted to end the strike, their cushy positions and they become very but management refused to reinstate them territorial when it comes to sharing responas is their option under the NLRA. This is sibility. Meanwhile rank & file members another case where union leadership failed never receive the experience that they need to educate the membership on the consein order to effectively run and manage their quences of engaging in an economic strike. own unions. Any labor organization that is In order for today’s unions to resort to operated in a top down fashion will usually using the militant strategies of the past, union members must have some exposure to labor history. Workers need to understand that when they are involved in a struggle with their employer, no federal agency, no politician is going to save them from defeat. Only their own determination to engage their enemy to the fullest extent will result in significant victory. An example of this was the sit-in/occupation of the Republic Windows & Door Manufacturing plant in Chicago 5 years ago. The workers union, UE Local 1110 organized the sit-in and won their demands from the company and the banks that handled the company’s “Labor cannot stand still. funds. While the Republic sit-in involved only 200 workers it does show that workers It must go on, or go under” can indeed defend themselves and come -Harry Bridges, Founding President ILWU out winning! Two other internal weaknesses that hinder the American labor movement is not be that democratic or effective in reprethe influence and domination of labor by senting the interests of the membership. the Democratic Party. Today’s Democratic As employers become bolder with their party leaders contain almost as many refusal to bargain, lockouts have become labor haters as do the Republicans. Penny their way of defeating workers trying to Pritzker, the heir to the Hyatt Hotel chain, negotiate a new labor agreement. Workers is such example. Only after two years of at the American Crystal Sugar company in struggle has the union (UNITE HERE) Minnesota and N. Dakota are an example come to a tentative agreement with the of this. The tragedy is that most lockouts Hyatt company. The bottom line is that can be avoided if the members are willing U.S. workers need and deserve their own to use effective and proven tactics from working-class-based political party. Being the past – occupying the work site. Instead the red-haired stepchild of the Democratic the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Party has gained us nothing but NAFTA, Grain Millers Unions (BCTGM) relied on the Trans-Pacific Partnership and no the NLRA to protect the workers and the needed labor law reform. Social justice result was 20 months of being locked out cannot occur without the presence of a with scabs replacing the locked out workstrong and democratic labor movement. n ers who ultimately returned to work under the same conditions that they had voted Bio: Pancho Valdez is a 48 yr veteran of civil five times to reject. They were 20 months rights, labor & peace activism. Contact him @ out on the picket line and no gains except mestizowarrior59@yahoo.com or 210-422-8000
a Fight to Win! O rganized labor
LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • October 2013 Vol. 26 Issue 8•
in the U.S. is in deep trouble for two reasons: 1) Only 6% of private sector workers are organized, the lowest percentage since the 1920’s and 2) Organized labor has many internal flaws that make being a union member neither attractive nor worthwhile for many unorganized workers. If workers are to be organized they must have the option of joining democratic organizations that will fight for their interests. First, we must remember that labor in this country lost most of its core members through plant closings and off-shoring of jobs in the garment, electronics, rubber and steel industries. Much of this was done through tax and other economic incentives from the federal government. Another factor for the dwindling number of union jobs is the ineffective and often pro-employer positions of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This can be attributed to Reagan’s appointment of arch-conservative members to the NLRB as well as appointees by Bush. This federal agency that is supposed to protect our right to organize has been under the control of employers who do not want their workforce organized. The original intent of the National Labor Relations Act has long ago been diluted and rendered almost useless. Today labor unions that strictly adhere to the rules of the modern day NLRA & the Taft-Hartley Act are not going to come out as victors. Internal flaws that hinder real expansion of union membership must include those unions that are either under control by outside forces or that have no process for real union democracy. These would include the Teamsters, the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA), the Laborers International Union, and some local unions of the Hotel workers. Case in point: the Laborers International Union and the United Steelworkers do not have provisions for the rank & file members to vote on ratification of their labor agreements. Can you imagine having a labor agreement without your input? Another flaw in many labor organizations is the lack of education that members
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T
Esperanza to receive SA NAACP Award
he San Antonio Branch of the NAACP will host its annual Freedom Fund Dinner October 25, 2013. Organized in 1918, the SA-NAACP began holding testimonial dinners as early as 1949 highlighting national and local accomplishments in the fight for social justice. Since then, the Branch has also honored those who work tirelessly to ensure the political and educational equality of rights for all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. This year the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center will be honored for providing leadership in the fight against injustice and discrimination. In 1996 –– against the advice of the mayor, police chief and other city leaders –– the Esperanza helped organize a peaceful anti-Ku Klux Klan march and rally in San Antonio. As an integral part of the San Antonio Coalition for Racial Unity, the Esperanza joined with local and religious Black and Brown institutions, as well as gay organizations, to successfully offer a positive, nonviolent response to the KKK rally at the Bexar County Courthouse. Esperanza highlights the struggle of the Black and Brown community all year long – not just for one “heritage month.” Annually, the Esperanza brings numerous artists, writers and activists to share their work with the San Antonio community including esteemed scholar-activists Angela Davis and Barbara
Smith; and Afro-Peruvian musician (now Peru’s Minister of Culture) Susana Baca. Documentary screenings and pláticas about such historic figures as Shirley Chisholm and Bayard Rustin have come to the attention of the San Antonio community through Esperanza’s events. Indeed, the intersectional philosophy and approach of the organization is based on the writings of feminist civil rights women of color like Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldúa and bell hooks. This emphasis on building Black-Brown alliances has continued to inform Esperanza’s work. For the past two years, Esperanza has supported the Hays Street Bridge Restoration Group to preserve the bridge and accompanying land as a public space serving the historically Black Eastside community. The lifelong struggle – shared by the NAACP – to ensure justice for those who have experienced and survived histories of discrimination, displacement, violence, and oppression is readily visible in Esperanza’s 26-year history in San Antonio.
LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • October 2013 Vol. 26 Issue 8•
Freedom Fund Dinner is Friday, Oct. 25, 2013, 7pm @ University of Incarnate Word’s Skyroom, 847 E. Hildebrand
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Tickets are $75 each. To purchase call Nettie Hinton at 210.409.1682 or visit www.sanantonionaacp.org
CALAVERAS AND LITERARY OFRENDAS DUE OCTOBER 5TH! Honor the dearly departed with a literary ofrenda...
¡Ultima llamada!
Short stories, poems, photos, artwork or literary tributes to remember loved ones or historic figures who have passed can be submitted for the November issue of La Voz. Submit calaveras and ofrendas to: lavoz@esperanzacenter. org or mail to 922 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78212 or call 210.228.0201. (Photos or artwork are also accepted.) Examples of calaveras can be found in previous November issues of La Voz at www.esperanzacenter.org
SUBMIT YOUR CALAVERAS Calaveras are satirical poems written in rhyme or free verse killing off the living in a comical way. Traditionally, political figures or issues are the subjects of calaveras. Some possible targets this year include:
• Wendy Davis • Rick Perry • Julián Castro • XL Pipeline • Tea Party • Monsanto • Vladimir Putin • NDO • Bashar Al-assad • Fracking • Hays St. Bridge • Elisa Chan • Lerma’s • Hillary Clinton • Diego Bernal • DOMA • Diana la cazadora • Hemisfair Park • Miley Cyrus • CPS y mas!!!
community altares at the casa de cuentos Reserve a space at the Casa de Cuentos to set up a Dia de los muertos ofrenda for a loved one. Altars will be installed at 816 S. Colorado the last week of October and will be on display for one week following our Dia de los Muertos celebration on November 1st. LET US KNOW IF YOU’D LIKE TO RESERVE A SPACE. Call 210.228.0201 or email lavoz@esperanzacenter.org
Coraz0n de Artesana by Itza Carbajal
N
o larger than three feet high, dressed in a traditional embroidered Zapotec skirt and blouse, Ximena López spoke four simple words: “Tengo corazón de artesana.” The little 6-year-old girl had the heart of an artesana. Ximena, the granddaughter of Teresa López Jiménez, renowned maestra de artesanía from Juchitán, Oaxaca, Mexico, made her debut to our visiting group without a hint of timidity. Despite the fact that she had not begun to sew the traditional garments of the proud Zapotec culture like her grandmother, she had already developed a strong sense of pride in her Zapotec culture both emotionally and physically through her dress. Each day Ximena would strut her oneof-a-kind skirts with hand embroidered flowers that represented her home, Juchitán, the Zapotec name for flower. Ximena would run, skip, and dance in her beautiful outfits just like other children who might prefer jeans and a t-shirt. Not once did I hear her complain about the difficulty of maneuvering in a skirt, unlike my own childhood memories of countless days spent crying
because I didn’t want a dress to hinder my attempts at playing tag. As a child, and now as an adult, my own garments do not represent my parent’s native Honduran culture, but rather they reflect my identity as a North American first generation child. Ximena’s outfits represented her identity as an emerging Zapotec woman trying to preserve her culture. I traveled to Mexico for the first time last summer through an internship at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. The Esperanza Center in San Antonio, Texas strives to present programming centered around the themes of peace, justice, solidarity, respect, and equality. Annually, we hold an open-air Mercado in which local and international vendors sell their merchandise during the holiday season as an alternative to commercialized centers. Last year, our trip yielded new contacts and solidified relationships with international vendors that return annually to our Peace Market. As a result the 2013 Mercado promises to be bigger and better. I think back to Ximena and her grandmother in their majestic hand embroidered
Peace Market Mercado de Paz Nov. 29 & 30, 2013 10-6pm @ Esperanza 922 San Pedro, San Antonio
comida
música raffle arte
Bio: Itza Carbajal, staff member at Esperanza, works on archiving and with the International Peace Market vendors for 2013.
Call for Buena Gente:
The Esperanza’s Mercado has remained free of admission with affordable vendor fees because of our community’s involvement and contributions. Your help will make the Peace Market a success in 2013: • Contribute food or drink to sell • Help us ready the grounds by trimming trees, leveling holes, clearing and more • Help clean-up and prep the building before and during Peace Market • Assist in a variety of ways on actual Peace Market Days, Nov 29th & 30th
To volunteer or contribute
call 210.228-0201 or email esperanza@esperanzacenter.org
LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • October 2013 Vol. 26 Issue 8•
24th Annual
huipiles and understand that their cultural preservation is in good hands and that we are privileged to have the master artisans of Mexico and other countries among our own local artists striving to make our own cultural traditions and continuing to offer an alternative to the madness of corporate production. n
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* community meetings *
Amnesty International #127 info. Call Arthur Dawes, 210.213.5919. Anti-War Peace Vigil on Thurs. (since 9/11/2001) from 4-5pm @ Flores & Commerce. Contact Tim 210.822.4525 | timduda@aol.com Bexar Co. Green Party info@bexargreens.org or call 210.471.1791. Celebration Circle meets Sun.@11am @JumpStart@Blue Star Arts. Meditation, Wed.@7:30 pm@Quaker Meeting House, 7052 Vandiver. 210.533-6767 DIGNITY S.A. gathering @ 5:15 pm, mass @ 5:30 pm, Sunday @ Beacon Hill Presbyterian Church, 1101 W. Woodlawn. Call 210.340.2230 Adult Wellness Support Group sponsored by PRIDE Center meets 4th Mondays, 7-9 pm @ Lions Field, 2809 Broadway. Call 210.213.5919. Energia Mia meets 3rd Saturdays, 1pm @ Oblate School of Theology, 285 Oblate Dr. Call 210.849.8121 Fuerza Unida, 710 New Laredo, Hwy. 210.927.2294 www.lafuerzaunida.org Habitat for Humanity meets 1st Tues. for volunteer orientation, 6pm, HFHSA Office @ 311 Probandt. S.A. International Woman’s Day March & Rally planning committee meets year-round. www.sawomenwillmarch.org or 210.262.0654
LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • October 2013 Vol. 26 Issue 8•
Metropolitan Community Church 611 East Myrtle services & Sunday school @10:30am. Call 210.472.3597
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Overeaters Anonymous meets daily in English & MWF in Spanish. See www. oasanantonio.org or (210) 492-5400 The People’s Power Coalition meets last Thurs. Call Marisol 210.878.6751.
PFLAG, meets 1st Thurs. @ 7pm, University Presbyterian Church 300 Bushnell Ave. 210.655.2383. Parents of Murdered Children, meets 2nd Mondays @ Balcones Heights Community Ctr, 107 Glenarm | www.pomcsanantonio.org Proyecto Hospitalidad Liturgy meets Thurs. 7pm, 325 Courtland. The Rape Crisis Center, 500 US Hwy-90W Hotline: 210.349-7273. or 210.521.7273 or email: Drominishi@ rapecrisis.com 7. The Religious Society of Friends meets Sundays@10am @ The Friends Meeting House, 7052 N. Vandiver. 210.945.8456. San Antonio’s Communist Party USA meets 3-5 pm on 2nd Sundays. Contact:juanchostanford@yahoo.com S.A. Gender Association meets 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 6-9pm @ 611 E. Myrtle, MCCSA The SA AIDS Foundation offers free HIV testing at 818 E. Grayson St. 210.225.4715|www.txsaaf.org.
The United Way Combined Federal Campaign is Here! From Sept. 1 – Dec. 15, all federal and state employees will be able to donate through the combined federal campaign. If you take part in the CFC workplacegiving campaign, please consider designating the Esperanza (#7773) as your organization of choice.
Make a Gift for the Future:
SA–NOW is back! Call 210.887.1753 or see womansa.com for info.
A bequest is one of the simplest ways to support the Esperanza. A bequest from a will or a trust distribution is fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim.
SGI-USA LGBT Buddhist group meets 2nd Sat. at 10am @ 7142 San Pedro Ave., Ste 117. Call 210.653.7755. Shambhala Buddhist Meditation classes are Tues. 7-8pm, & Sun. 9:30am-12:30pm at 1114 So. St. Mary’s. Call 210.222.9303. S.N.A.P. (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests). Contact Barbara at 210.725.8329. Voice for Animals: 210.737.3138 or www.voiceforanimals.org for info
For more info: call 210.228.0201 or email esperanza@esperanzacenter.org
Make a tax-deductible donation. La Voz Subscription $35 Individuals $100 Institutions
for more info call 210.228.0201
Please use my donation for the Rinconcito de Esperanza
Notas Y Más
Brief news items on upcoming community events. Send info for Notas y Más to: lavoz@esperanzacenter.org or mail to: 922 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78212. The deadline is the 8th of each month.
October 2013
FemTechNet is an activated network of scholars, artists & students who work at the borders of technology, science and feminism. FemTechNet¡Taller! Dialogues on Feminism & Technology meets Tues. 6:30-8:30 pm, thru Dec. 3 @ Weston Center, 112 East Pecan St. (free parking) www. femtechnet.newschool.edu or Facebook.
–– 10,000 years of San Antonio’s history with poetry, music and dance on Oct. 5 at sunset, 7pm, at San Pedro Springs Park. | www.sahearts.com
Join Green Spaces Alliance for their annual fundraising event as they celebrate land conservation, urban spaces and kids outdoors @ Steves Homestead Museum, 3rd Biennial Policy Summit on Latino Higher Education presented by The Sere- Oct. 17th. | www.greensatx.org no Alliance for Higher Education, and Increasing Access to Justice: Respondthe University of New Mexico takes place ing to LGBT Crime Victims of Family & Oct. 2-4 in Albuquerque, New Mexico | Sexual Violence with the Texas Advocacy www.latinosummit.unm.edu Project will take place on Oct. 22, 8:30 am Hispanic Heritage Month at Palo Alto Col- - 5 pm @ PEACE Initiative, 1443 S. St. lege includes a reading by Poet Laureate of Mary’s St. Register at: www.lgbtpeaceiniTexas, Rosemary Catacalos, Thurs.,Oct.3, tiative.eventbrite.com or email: jlara@tex12-5pm with a reception at 6pm @ the Per- asadvocacyproject.org forming Arts Ctr. See alamo.edu/pac/HHM or call 486-3125 for event listings.
The Women & Fair Trade Festival organized by Austin tan Cerca del la FronGuadalupe Cultural Arts Center Call for Submissions for the 36th Annual Cine- tera celebrates its 10th year on Nov. 23 & Festival. Deadlines: Oct. 4 & Nov. 1/FI- 24 in Austin, 10am-6pm @ the Old School, NAL | www.guadalupeculturalarts.org 1604 E. 11th St. | check Facebook for info
-11th grade advanced students who can get $2,500 for each of 2 years consecutively to study an art discipline. Deadline: Nov. 15, 2013. See tinyurl.com/youngmaster or email ym@arts.texas.gov The NACCS 2014 Tejas Foco Conference, Chicana/o Studies in Tejas: Transforming Our Communities will be held Feb. 20-22, 2014 at Northwest Vista College. Call for papers deadline: Nov. 30. See www.alamo.edu/main.aspx?id=33219 The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) conference will be held in Irving from March 9-13, 2014. The theme is “Break the Box: Collective Action Against Sexual Violence.” See: http:// taasaconference.org/speakers/ Hispanas Unidas is back on track with the Escuelita Program, an afterschool program for young girls in the West & Southeast of San Antonio. To get involved or to donate, call Sarah at 210.434.2550 or email sarah.salinas@hispanasunidas.org
Upcoming! A Fracking Fotoexhibit! Carmen Tafolla, SA’s poet laureate, com- Texas Commission on the Arts is accept- To get involved or for information call memorates Blessings of our Beginnings ing Young Masters Applications from 8th Marisol at the Esperanza, 210.228.0201.
Corazones de
Casa de Cuentos
invite you to the
San Antonio Latino Legacy Summit Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013 | 9am - 3pm @ Guadalupe Theater 1300 Guadalupe Street, 78207 Highlighting the importance of identifying and preserving Latino heritage in Texas www.nps.gov/latino Facebook: latinoscholarspanel As many as 7 out of 10 women do not show symptoms of chlamydia*. It always helps to get tested.
Get Information @ www.facebook.com/ communitystorm *Source: Texas Dept of State Health Services (2012). What You Should Know About Chlamydia.
Monthly Convivio +
Altar-Making Workshop with Blanca Rivera
from Nueva Rosita, Coahuila
Saturday, October 12 10am - 12pm @ Casa de Cuentos, 816 S. Colorado (near Guadalupe & Colorado St.) share historias, coffee, pan dulce & laughter
Check out our new blog! Actos de Corazon: Honoring the Historias of San Anto’s Westside www.corazonesdelwestside.blogspot.com or call Cynthia at 210.396.3688
LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • October 2013 Vol. 26 Issue 8•
American Latino Heritage Fund, the Westside Preservation Alliance, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Ctr , the Esperanza Ctr; Los Compadres de SA Missions Nat’l Historical Park, Nat’l Parks Conservation Assoc. & others
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LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • October 2013 Vol. 26 Issue 8•
SAVE THE DATE!!! Esperanza’s Annual
Mercado de Paz/ Peace Market
join us for our annual dia de los muertos celebration Friday nov 1
¡Ultima llamada!
Friday & Saturday Nov. 29 & 30, 2013
calaveras y ofrendas due october 5th for the november La voz issue.
see pg 13 for info
see pg.12 for info
Cooperativa
@ Casa de cuentos dia de los muertos community altares see p.12 for info on reserving a space
Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID San Antonio, TX Permit #332
La Voz de Esperanza
922 San Pedro San Antonio TX 78212 210.228.0201 • www.esperanzacenter.org
Opening Sat. Oct 19 10am-5pm
Exhibit & Sale 210.223.2585
Haven’t opened La Voz in a while? Prefer to read it online? Wrong address? TO CANCEL A SUBSCRIPTION EMAIL lavoz@esperanzacenter.org CALL: 210.228.0201
@ MujerArtes 1412 El Paso (between Brazos & San Jacinto)
continues Mon-Sat Oct. 21-30 10am-5pm
¡Qué vivos, los muertos! dancing skeletons, masks y más for altares
Fuego del Caribe Puerto Rican cantautora, Lourdes Pérez, and Venezuelan cantautora, Irene Farrera, in concert together for two shows!
Noche Azul
de esperanza
Mujeres azul en la Canción Mexicana Pt. I
Friday, October 18 at 8pm Concert @ Esperanza | $5
Every Story Tells a Picture:
a night of music, video, & conversation
Saturday, Oct. 26th at 7pm & Sunday, Oct. 27th at 3pm
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@ Esperanza, 922 San Pedro | 210.228.0201 Tickets are $10. Presale available October 1st.
Saturday, Oct. 5 7pm @ Esperanza $5 Mandala Meditation Series
celebrating Jöel Dilley’s new album, “Lullaby of the Flatlands” plus the premiere of a new film by Guillermina Zabala.