Time to start blogging again...

Hello pilsenprole readers - if any of you still exist. Yes, it has been a long damn time since I have been maintaining this blog. It has been increasingly difficult, first with my intensified job search in the final months of my nearly two years of unemployment, and than as I started my new job as the Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization's (PERRO) organizer to spend anytime composing new material. The really shame is that so much has happened in the past year locally and globally, that should have received more of my attention. So today I am making an extremely tardy new years pledge of sorts and committing myself to make at least a couple posts every month, from now on. Hopefully you may find my posts worthy of a few minutes of your time, and hopefully I can start my self back on the track of my original mission, to inform those who do find their way to my blog about important issues affecting my community, my city and my world.

I will start with posting a piece I wrote a little over a year ago for a special publication by Area Chicago. The publication, entitled Haymarket: 1886-2011 was meant to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the events of Haymarket and the first May Day. The publication included reflections on Haymarket, May Day and the struggle for the 8 hour day from a variety of perspectives. I was asked to write on Pilsen's connections to the events of Haymarket. What I wrote in the end, was an attempt to encapsulate Pilsen's century and a half at the forefront of social struggle.

Unfortunately the publication was released too late to really be featured at any of the many Haymarket commemorations held last year and as a result did not receive much circulation. The published version of my essay was a substantially shortened version with the understanding that the longer version would eventually be published on the web. To my knowledge, this never did happen. So my very next post will be the final unveiling of "1877-2011: 134 Years of Social Struggle in Pilsen", in its entirety, roughly a year from its planned initial release date.

Comments

Honduran Civil Society Leaders Visit Chicago, Advocate for Restoration of the Constitutional Government and an End to Human Rights Violations...

Honduran Civil Society Leaders Visit Chicago, Advocate for Restoration of the Constitutional Government and an End to Human Rights Violations La Voz de los de Abajo, Casa Morazán and NALACC invite you to panel discussions and community forums in Chicago with leaders of Honduran civil society touring U.S. with immigrant leaders to advocate for the restoration of the constitutional government and an end to the escalating human rights violations. One month after the interruption of constitutional order in Honduras through a military coup d’état and in the wake of widespread reports of human rights violations harkening back to events of the 1980s, the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC) is bringing a delegation of civil society representatives from that country to the U.S. to participate in a speaking tour and to advocate for the restoration of constitutional order and respect for human rights. U.S. based Latino immigrant leaders will also join this del

Dark day for Chicago, but a ray of light in the 25th Ward...

So Rahm Emmanuel has been elected the next privatizer in chief. Wisconsin is looking much closer to Chicago than ever before. Lets just hope we can organize the same type of labor rebellion against Rahm they have so successfully organized in Madison. Let’s see who loses their jobs first. Will the unions that decided to play nicey, nicey with Rahm really believe they will be spared Rahm’s meat cleaver? I suggest they bend over and kiss their collective asses good bye. Rahm is a man who loves to be feared not loved. I give it one year before even the most feverent Daley opponent (myself included), long wistfully for the return of daddy Daley, when evil step dad Rahm takes over. But all is not hopeless tonight. Here in the 25th, in good old Pilsen, we live to fight another day. Danny Solis has finally paid a small price for his host of sins. We have a run-off! Here are the totals as of 10:47 PM with 31 of 31 precincts counted and 100% of the vote in… CUAHUTÉMOC MORFÍN 2,451 27.96 % DANIEL

The Siege of La Casita...

The Siege of La Casita: The war at Whittier Elementary School is far from over, but at least the most recent battle has been won. The siege of la casita, the field house which sits in Whittier ’s playground, has been lifted. Since Wednesday parents and community activists have occupied the facility to prevent its demolition by Chicago Public Schools (CPS). They want the field house protected and used, at least temporarily, as a library, a resource the school has been left without for years. They currently use the field house as a community center and a place for various activities for the children. They question CPS’s desire to spend over $300,000 on demolishing the structure rather than spend that money ensuring that the school has the resources its needs. The struggle at Whittier is nothing new. For much of the past decade, parents and community allies have had to fight to keep the school open and than fight yet again to make the smallest of improvements in what is

Search This Blog