THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES IN EL MONTE:

BATTLE CARRIED OUT THROUGH IDEAS AND CREATIVITY

TO BEGIN OUR SPRING EQUINOX CELEBRATION WE GATHERED AROUND THE FIRE AND GAVE THANKS TO LA MADRE TIERRA. WITH THE BLESSING OF TONGVA ELDER GLORIA ARELLANES AND THE DANZANTES MEXICA CUAUHTEMOC, WE RENAMED PIONEER PARK, 

TONGVA PARK

*OUT OF RESPECT, PHOTOS WERE NOT TAKEN OF DANZANTES

INTRODUCING THE DAYS ACTIVITY, SOCORRO OF COLECTIVO HAUTNGNA PROVIDED US WITH AN ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT SOCIAL CONTEXT IN REGARDS TO WAL-MART. AS A GRAND/MOTHER SHE EXPRESSED HER CONCERNS ON THE WORLD WE ARE LEAVING FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS.  

FORMER BRACERO AND LIFE LONG ACTIVIST, GUADALUPE MARTINEZ SHARED WITH US A LITTLE BIT OF HIS LIFE STORIES EXPRESSED THROUGH HIS POETRY AND HOME MADE CHAPBOOK/ZINE. HE THEN SERENADED US WITH SOME OF HIS OWN CORRIDOS. 

PATRICIA OF THE EAST LA COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY EDUCATION/SOCIAL ACTION (CESA), SHARED WITH US SOME OF THE WORK OF THIS SOLIDARITY ORGANIZATION. FORUMS ON POLICE BRUTALITY AND WORKSHOPS ON COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY WERE MENTIONED, AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY FITNESS PROGRAMS AND BICYCLE COALITION. BEGINNING AN EL MONTE READING CIRCLE IS A RECOMMENDATION THIS COLLECTIVE IS TAKING TO HEART. PEDAGOGY OF THE OPPRESSED HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED IN OUR FOLLOW-UP GATHERINGS. ANY ONE INTERESTED?

THE MUSICAL DUO, LA REFALOSA, JOINED BY THE SINGER LUPITA'S DAUGHTER, SHARED WITH US SOME AMAZING TROVA SONGS SUCH AS MERCEDES SOSA'S GRACIAS A LA VIDA. THIS TALENTED PAIR STAYS ROOTED TO THE COMMUNITY AND REMAINS TRUE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF SOLIDARITY IN OUR SHARED (COUNTER-)CULTURAL WORK. WE KNOW WE CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON THESE COMPAS! SUPER BUENA ONDA!

LOCAL HIP HOP ARTIST RIGO OF RELATIVE PEOPLES SHARED HIS SKILLS ON THE MIC. BEGINNING WITH A COUPLE ACAPELLA SONGS, THE STREET POET THEN BROUGHT OUT HIS COMRADE ON THE GUITAR WHO TOOK US ON A BEAUTIFULLY IMPROVISED MUSICAL JOURNEY.  SMOOTH SOUNDS AND THOUGHT PROVOKING RHYMES ENHANCED OUR GATHERING IN THE STREETS. THE CROSS-GENRE COLLABORATION WAS AN EFFORT TO BRING DIFFERENT CROWDS TOGETHER AND WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED AND RESPECTED.

COLECTIVO HOUTNGNA WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, DANZANTES, STUDENTS, ELDERS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PASSERSBY THAT SHARED THEIR TIME WITH US.  IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL GATHERING IN WHICH PEOPLE SHARED THEIR TALENTS, KNOWLEDGE AND STORIES, HELPING ONE ANOTHER TO LEARN AND GROW AS PEOPLE, CREATING COMMUNITY AMONGST OURSELVES. 

SINCE THEN, WE HAVE BEEN CONTINUING WITH OUR SOLIDARITY/CULTURAL WORK. MOST RECENTLY, WE WERE PRESENT AT THE COURT HEARING OF THE COMPAS WHO WERE GIVEN RESTRAINING ORDERS FOR DENOUNCING THE ILLEGAL ACTS OF ALBERT'S TOWING. MORE INFORMATION TO COME SOON....

DOWN WITH ALBERTS TOWING!

FTP ALL DAY, EVERY DAY! STOP THE CORRUPTION!

LOOK OUT FOR OUR SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION IN THE KLINGERMAN APTS!