Archive for September 2nd, 2008
The specific needs of immigrants in crisis situations, like hurricanes, is important now and taking care of those needs requires a community response.
The South Texas Civil Rights Project is a non-profit public interest
organization which provides free legal services to those in the
Valley’s low-income community whose civil rights have been violated.
Over thirty years ago the South Texas Civil Rights Project (STCRP) was
formed to offer free education, advocacy, and legal services for
low-income and under-served persons of the Valley. The Project makes
one of its priorities assistance to survivors of domestic violence by
helping them qualify for protection under the Violence Against Women
Act. We also work with other organizations and individuals to help
raise awareness of the laws pertaining to persons with disabilities.
We recently worked with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid in filing a petition
in federal court, seeking answers to the Border Patrol’s announcement
that they would conduct immigration ID checks in the event of a
hurricane in the Rio Grande Valley. We also work with several
organizations that are opposed to building the wall along the
Mexico/U.S border.
We are pleased to announce our 3rd annual Noche de Fiesta -
Celebrating Commitment to the Community on Wednesday September 3,
2008, at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. This event celebrates and
honors individuals striving for human rights in our community.
Proceeds from the evening will enable us to continue providing
advocacy in a variety of areas and free legal assistance to low-income
Valley residents. This event celebrates and honors individuals
striving for human rights in our community. Proceeds from the evening
will enable us to continue providing free legal assistance to
low-income Valley residents and continue our advocacy for racial,
social, and economic justice. One very successful aspect of these
evenings has been our raffle and silent auction.
Please consider donating to our raffle or silent auction and support
the very important work that we do. All donations will be
acknowledged in the evening’s program booklet. In previous years,
donations came in the forms of gift certificates, art pieces, books,
zines/magazines, furniture. Monetary donations are always welcome.
The South Texas Civil Rights Project cannot afford to do this work
without your support. Thanks to community support, we have helped many
people achieve a quality of life in the community that would not
otherwise have been possible. Your support will allow us to continue
to protect civil rights and will be greatly appreciated by the people
we assist.
For further information, get in touch with Noemi Martinez, legal
assitant, at noemi.stcrp@gmail.com or Corinna Spencer-Scheurich, Equal
Justice Works Attorney at corinna.ss@gmail.com. Both can be reached at
(956)787-8171.
Former Attorney General Gonzales Scolded, Can’t Remember the Combination to His Home Safe
3:07 pm By Maegan La Mala · Justice|Politics|Washington DC · Comments Off
2 Sep 2008
Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is like that distant cousin who keep showing up at family parties and embarrassing you because he “represents” you. Today the U.S. Department of Justice released a report saying that Gonzales “mishandled” highly classified documents about an eavesdropping program and interrogating terror detainees.
Oh is that all?
The report says Gonzales failed to store the documents in proper secure facilities and at one point took them home. The report released Tuesday also says he stored them in his briefcase because he did not know the combination to the safe at his house.
Girl in a Coma
2 Sep 2008Just discovered this all girl band, Girl in a Coma. Formed out of San Antonio, the band is all Chicana and more than a little gender bending. Dig this video featuring Amanda Lepore.
And can I say how rad it is to find a punk Chicana band? (Don’t forget I’m in the Midwest and don’t have access to a lot of the same scene that Mexicans/Chicanas in the Southwest do!)
Happy Birthday Salmita!
1:44 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities · Comments Off
2 Sep 2008Today is Salma Hayek’s birthday! My siren goddess is 42 years beautiful, and promising to only grow more goddess like this year. As a special gift to us all, Salma forwarded me a photo of her new bathing suit. I have to say I’m a fan of stripes, aren’t you?
Happy Birthday Salma!
Mexicans March Against Violence
1:40 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Activism|crime|mexico · Comments Off
2 Sep 2008It wasn’t just RNC protesters out marching this weekend. Mexicans sick of the constant violence in their country were out en masse as well. Among the protesters were parents and family members of murdered and kidnapped relatives.
Drug cartels are being blamed for the violence, and yet for some reason, 25,000 military and federal officers dispatched throughout the country since Mexican president Calderon took office don’t seem to be helping at all.
I wonder why that is?
Could it have something to do with the fact that many of those military seem more intent on preventing indigenous nations from organizing than they do stopping drug trafficking? Or maybe it’s just that old culture of violence thing–you know, the argument that basically states that you can’t end violence with violence?
Whatever the reason is, Mexican citizens seem to be doing more about the violence than the government is. And there’s sadly, nothing new about that.
via/The Christian Science Monitor
Revolutionary Hip Hoppers Rebel Diaz in NYC Court Mañana
12:30 pm By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Justice|Music|New York City · Comments Off
2 Sep 2008They are asking for a show of support for immigrant rights and against police brutality. Let’s try and pack the courtroom to show that the community will not be silenced.
9 a.m
Part MCP (Room 2-11C)
Look them up under Venegas
Pack the
court room of the Bronx Criminal Court House
on 215 E. 161st St.
Bronx New York
AIDS Crisis in Puerto Rico
11:27 am By Maegan La Mala · Health|Magazines|Puerto Rico · Comments Off
2 Sep 2008
Oh no, here comes the Rican with another Puerto Rico related post. This month’s issue of POZ Magazine has an article about the AIDS crisis in Puerto Rico and how it is endangering the lives most in need of critical services.
According to the article, there are 11,000 people living with AIDS on the U.S. colony, and many are being denied access to treatment because they face stereotypes and and massive mismanagement of services. With an AIDS prevalence rate there is almost twice that of the U.S. mainland, people are losing their lives and not enough people seem to care.
Amy Goodman Arrested at the RNC
9:10 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Activism|Media|Politics|radio|RNC08|Women · 5 Comments
2 Sep 2008Last night was a pretty intense night at the Republican National Convention. Protesters at the RNC were pepper sprayed, beaten with clubs, indiscriminately arrested and otherwise harassed nonstop. Among the arrested was noted indy media journalist and Democracy Now! broadcaster, Amy Goodman.
In the 21st Century, Abortion is Illegal All Over Latin America
7:19 am By Maegan La Mala · Health|Justice|Latin America|Politics|society|Women · Comments Off
2 Sep 2008
It’s easy to forget that women throughout the world are deprived of the right to govern their own bodies. Some of us are only reminded when we realize that the right to have an abortion is something that right-wing politicians wish to take away from women here in the States. But what you may not know is that abortion is illegal in the entire Latin American region with only two exceptions: Cuba and Mexico City.
It was in Mexico City that the Mexican Supreme Court ruled last week that abortion was in fact, constitutional. A harsh blow to the Catholic church who, with this move (and others such as same-sex civil unions) seems to have lost control of largest city in the Latin world.
While other social causes are being advanced all over the region, it seems that the issue of abortion hasn’t moved an inch. To me it’s unbelievable that in countries like Argentina or Colombia abortion is still criminalized, and the only procedures that are legally carried out are the ones that aren’t decided on by the woman but by the state — the ones deemed justifiable such as in cases of imminent death of the mother or the fetus or in cases of rape. According to Mexico’s La Jornada, Paraguay has an even stranger way of defining justifiable circumstances: “para salvar el honor de la esposa, madre, hija o hermana”. And even in that case the punishment is only cut in half, not eliminated. Even worse, in some countries such as Honduras and Peru abortion is ALWAYS illegal. No matter what.
How can Latin American leaders who call themselves progressive – the Hugo Chavezes, the Lulas and company – allow their countries to live with such antiquated and machista legislation on a topic so vital to human rights? Chile tried to make abortion legal a couple of years back and it didn’t fly. Brazil, too, but the pressure from the Church in the region’s largest Catholic population is just too much to bear.
Women have risen to the post of President in some Latin American countries, yet women’s rights remain just as frozen as before these strides were made. In the end, no matter who’s at the helm, it’s still a boys club and the Catholic Church an omnipresent social force to be reckoned with.
Via / La Jornada
Hola!
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
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