by Jordan Berg Powers, Free Press
Imagine if a CNN anchor were allowed to talk for 60 minutes every night about how black people are spreading “tuberculosis, leprosy, malaria” in America.
Imagine if a CNN anchor were permitted to spout for 60 minutes every night that blacks are criminals and that blacks are on welfare and rotting in jails, costing Americans billions of dollars while contributing nothing to society.
Imagine if a CNN anchor used talking points from a group whose founders believe “some races of people are genetically and intellectually superior to other races.” Imagine that this same anchor warned of a secret plot by blacks to take over the country.
You’ll have to use your imagination because no one would be given a platform on CNN to spew such obscene racist remarks about black people.
And yet, because these “news segments” are about undocumented workers in the United States, CNN permits this hate speech almost every night on anchor Lou Dobbs’ show. Why? Is it less racist because it’s about Latinos?
No matter your views on immigration policy, surely hate speech is not acceptable on “America’s most-trusted news source.”
Dobbs is so extreme that CNN had to scrub a transcript when he made racially charged comments about former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The network should exercise the same vigilance when Dobbs makes similarly racist comments nightly about Latinos.
Immigrant and Latino rights groups are no longer just changing the channel; they’re protesting Dobbs’ program and urging CNN to enforce journalistic standards.
Last month, CNN presented “Latino in America,” a documentary series about the fastest growing demographic of Americans. The series is a good effort to accurately reflect the complexity of the Latino community and fairly covers the important debate on immigration that our country faces.
But the irony of a network that produces such a documentary while simultaneously permitting hate speech was not lost on Latino groups across the country, who have launched campaigns, including BastaDobbs.com and DropDobbs.org, to oust Dobbs.
Even the Latinos featured in “Latino in America” have come out to oppose Dobbs.
As the New York Times explained:
Isabel Garcia, a civil rights lawyer who was featured in the documentary and attended an protest against Mr. Dobbs in Tucson on Wednesday, said that she felt censored by CNN after the channel edited her comments about the anchor out of an interview.
She said she called Mr. Arpaio [Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona] and Mr. Dobbs ‘the two most dangerous men to our communities,’ and added that ‘because of them, our communities are being terrorized in a real way.’ She also asserted that CNN was ‘promoting lies and hate about our community’ by broadcasting Mr. Dobbs’s program. The comments were not included when the interview was broadcast.
CNN should be accountable to its viewers, who are demanding unbiased quality journalism. Judging from CNN’s declining viewership (Dobbs can count me as a former viewer) and the growing grassroots campaigns against Dobbs, the message is clear: Racist reporting won’t be tolerated, whether it’s about blacks or Latinos.
La lucha globaliza cada día: Justice and Dignity For Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes and Fong Lee
Paramilitary repression and police brutality continue unabated on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border after three years of the assassinations of Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes in Oaxaca, Mexico and Fong Lee in Minneapolis, MN
By Steven Renderos & Sylvia González
November 1, 2009
Two different people – different stories, different places, – separated by nearly 2,000 miles, were connected three years ago when their lives were cut short by gunfire. Fong Lee and Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes suffered a death inflicted by the gunshots of police and paramilitary officials. For Cervantes, it was one gunshot wound to the chest; for Lee, three gunshot wounds in his back, and five more to the front. Cervantes died seeking justice during the popular movement in 2006 in Oaxaca, Mexico, while Fong Lee died as a result of deeply rooted racism and police brutality in communities of color across the United States.
The stories of Lorenzo and Fong tell the tales of paramilitary repression during the popular movement of 2006 in Oaxaca, Mexico and police brutality and racism in the Hmong community in Minneapolis- and how they play out in different sociopolitical contexts. While their lives ended tragically, their stories continue as their family and community members are fighting back, building unity, and defining “justice” and “dignity” on their own terms and based on their own experiences.
Background on Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes
In the summer of 2006, a broad-based movement exploded in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. What first began as a teacher’s sit-in at the main plaza of Oaxaca by the Seccion 22 (teacher’s union) soon culminated into a popular movement where thousands of community members raised their voices against abuses from the state government, years of fraudulent elections, and more than 500 years of injustices. On June 14th, 2006, bombs of tear gas were thrown from paramilitary helicopters to peacefully protesting teachers and community members under the orders of Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. For more than five months, el pueblo reclaimed spaces in the city, built barricades at busy street intersections, and exercised self-determination by taking back over 12 radio stations and one television station.
On August 21st, 2006, an announcement was made on the commercial radio station, “La Ley”, one of 12 radio stations that el pueblo Oaxaqueño took back during the 2006 popular movement. The announcement urged people to hit the streets and defend the radio station and antennas, an important apparatus that was used as an organizing tool to disseminate information and mobilize gente to action. Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes, husband and father of four, responded like thousands of other people did: they took to the streets to reclaim what transnational corporations had robbed from them-the media. The PRI political party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional or Institutional Revolutionary Party) and paramilitary troops driving in unidentified vehicles, better known as the “Convoy of Death”, were sent under the orders of Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz with clear intentions to violently repress el pueblo from occupying the radio stations and antennas. In the early eve of August 22, 2006, paramilitary troops opened fire on el pueblo that selflessly stood up to defend the radio stations and antennas. Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes was shot and murdered under the orders of Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz of Oaxaca that day.
Background on Fong Lee
On the evening of July 22, 2006 a group of young teenagers were cruising near a park on their bikes. One of the teenagers riding his bike was 19 yr old Fong Lee. Before I continue, that description, regardless of location is probably reminiscent of the harmless activity of a lot of teenagers across the world that evening. But this is North Minneapolis and the teenagers are Hmong and through the lens of the Minneapolis Police Department this scene is suspicious.
The police officers gave chase to the teenagers assuming that the youth might be dealing drugs therefore excessive force is justified. Fong Lee is chased down into a school yard, here is where the account of events diverge, the official police documented story is that Fong Lee was carrying a gun. One of the officers giving chase, Jason Anderson, “feeling” his life and the life of his partner was in danger because a young teenager running away from him was holding a gun, shot Fong Lee a total of eight times.
Video footage suggests Fong Lee was unarmed.
Here are the details of July 22nd which still remain unclear. For starters, no drugs were ever found on Fong Lee. The gun which Fong Lee allegedly had, never turned up Lee’s fingerprints and there’s further speculation that the gun found at the scene was supposed to be in the custody of Minneapolis P.D.
Regardless of what story you choose to believe, the life of Fong Lee was lost that evening at the hands of a police officer with the Minneapolis P.D.
Seeking Justice for Lorenzo Sampablo
La lucha sigue three years after the assassination of Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes and 26 other people that gave their lives up during the 2006 movement in hopes for social transformation. Amidst money bribes from the PRI government to silence the death and memory of Lorenzo Sampablo, the family members openly rejected the money and have instead launched a campaign to seek justice for Lorenzo Sampablo and the 25 other peoples who died during the movement. Along with legally filing a lawsuit, the family is reaching out to other community members in resistance. The family has participated in numerous caravans within Oaxaca and across Mexico to thread together local resistances and collectively envision strategies and analyses across sociogeographic boundaries. As Trinidad Sampablo, sister of Lorenzo, reminds us, “We are not just fighting for Lorenzo. We are fighting for all who have fallen. I would like for us to be united to seek justice…that we not forget the names of our family members that gave their life to a noble cause, a better world”.
Seeking Justice for Fong Lee
In the aftermath of the slaying of Fong Lee, the Hmong community responded by hitting the streets and protesting this egregious act. They mobilized the Hmong community as well as other communities who are very familiar with abuses from the police department.
The Lee family responded by hitting the court system. The court case revealed how badly the police department handled and investigated the case as well as a certain bias as to what evidence was acceptable and what wasn’t. While Lee’s alleged history and participation in gangs was allowed in the court case, Lee’s killer, Officer Anderson’s history of police misconduct and discriminatory actions were not.
The jury in the case was made up of all white individuals. The mainstream media’s coverage of the case didn’t seek to answer some of the many questions and gaping holes swirling the case. Ultimately factors like discrimination, excessive force, police brutality were not considered legitimate points of prosecution. In a system supposedly set up to achieve justice, it seems more barriers were in place to avoid accountability.
Ultimately, Officer Anderson received a Medal of Valor for his brutal act and was acquitted of all charges. So what happened to the brave police officer? He was dismissed from the police department shortly after the case wrapped up for officer misconduct.
Looking back in order to move forward
As we consider the big, inter-connected picture between Lorenzo and Fong, we are reminded that repression is global in scope and rooted in local contexts, shaped by different histories of colonialism and white supremacy. And while there is repression, there is an overwhelming feeling of resistance and hope in Oaxaca, Minneapolis, and elsewhere, where people are putting an end to the impunity of paramilitary repression and police brutality. They are reclaiming their destiny, grassroots organizing for change, and building another more dignified world.
For this year’s el día de los muertos we write this article-ofrenda and honor the lives of all those who died at the hands of injustices, including Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes and Fong Lee, two people whose spirits remain vibrantly alive in the struggle to seek justice.
Justice for Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes Campaign: http://lorenzosampablo.saltoscuanticos.org/
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Espanol
La lucha se globaliza cada día: Justicia y Dignidad para Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes y Fong Lee
Represión paramilitar y brutalidad policial siguen sin disminuir en ambos lados de la frontera con México – Estados Unidos, después de tres años de los asesinatos de Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes en Oaxaca, México y Fong Lee en Minneapolis, Minnesota
Por Steven Renderos y Sylvia González Castro
1 de noviembre 2009
Dos personas diferentes – diferentes historias, diferentes lugares, – separadas por casi 2.000 kilómetros, fueron conectadas hace tres años, cuando sus vidas fueron truncadas por los disparos. Fong Lee y Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes sufrieron una muerte causada por los disparos de la policía y los funcionarios de los paramilitares. Para Cervantes, fue una herida de bala en el pecho; para Lee, tres heridas de bala en la espalda, y cinco más al frente. Cervantes murió en la búsqueda de justicia durante el movimiento popular del 2006 en Oaxaca, México, mientras que Fong Lee murió como consecuencia de racismo profundamente arraigado y la brutalidad policial en las comunidades de color a través de los Estados Unidos.
Las historias de Lorenzo y Fong nos habla de la represión durante el movimiento popular de 2006 en Oaxaca, México y la brutalidad policial y el racismo en la comunidad llamada Hmong (comunidad Asiática) en Minneapolis y cómo juegan en diferentes contextos sociopolíticos. Aunque acabaron trágicamente sus vidas, sus historias siguen como la de sus familias y miembros de la comunidad se están defendiendo, construyendo la unidad, y definiendo “justicia” y “dignidad” en sus propios términos y con base en sus propias experiencias.
Antecedentes de Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes
En el verano de 2006, un amplio movimiento popular estalló en el estado mexicano de Oaxaca. Lo que comenzó como un plantón de maestros en la plaza principal de Oaxaca pronto culminó en un movimiento popular donde miles de miembros de la comunidad levantaron su voz contra los abusos del gobierno del estado, años de elecciones fraudulentas, y más de 500 años de injusticias. El 14 de junio de 2006, bombas de gas lacrimógeno fueron lanzadas desde helicópteros paramilitares en una protesta pacífica de los profesores y miembros de la comunidad bajo las órdenes del gobernador Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. Durante más de cinco meses, el pueblo reclamó espacios en la ciudad, construyeron barricadas en las intersecciones de calles muy transitadas, y ejerciendo la libre determinación mediante la recuperación de más de 12 estaciones de radio y un canal de televisión.
El 21 de agosto de 2006, se hizo un anuncio en la estación de radio comercial “La Ley”, una de las 12 estaciones de radio que el pueblo Oaxaqueño recuperó durante el movimiento popular de 2006. El anuncio instó a la gente a salir a la calle y defender la estación de radio y las antenas, un aparato importante que fue utilizado como una herramienta de organización para difundir información y movilizar gente para la acción. Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes, esposo y padre de cuatro hijos, respondió como miles de otras personas: tomaron las calles para reclamar lo que las empresas transnacionales les habían robado, los medios de comunicación. El partido político del PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) y tropas paramilitares conduciendo vehículos no identificados, mejor conocido como el “convoy de la muerte”, fueron enviados bajo las órdenes del gobernador Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, con claras intenciones de reprimir violentamente al pueblo que ocupaban las estaciones de radio y antenas. El 22 de agosto de 2006, las tropas paramilitares abrieron fuego contra el pueblo el que desinteresadamente se puso de pie para defender a las estaciones de radio y antenas. Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes fue baleado y asesinado bajo las órdenes del gobernador Ulises Ruiz Ortiz de Oaxaca ese día.
Antecedentes de Fong Lee
En la noche del 22 de julio de 2006 un grupo de jóvenes adolescentes fueron cruzando cerca de un parque en sus bicicletas. Uno de los adolescentes montando su bicicleta tenía 19 años de edad Fong Lee. Antes de continuar, esa descripción, independientemente de la ubicación es probablemente una reminiscencia de la actividad común de una gran cantidad de adolescentes de todo el mundo en la noche. Pero este es el Norte de Minneapolis y los adolescentes son Hmong y a través de la lente del Departamento de Policía de Minneapolis esta escena es sospechosa.
Los agentes de la policía persiguieron a los adolescentes con el supuesto de que la juventud puede estar involucrado en la venta de drogas por lo tanto el uso excesivo de la fuerza está justificado. Fong Lee es perseguido detrás de un patio de la escuela, aquí es donde el relato de los acontecimientos difieren, el oficial de la policía documenta que Fong Lee llevaba una pistola. Uno de los oficiales dando caza, Jason Anderson, la “tuvo la sensación” de que su vida y la vida de su compañero estaban en peligro debido a que un joven adolescente huyendo de él iba con una pistola, entonces disparó a Fong Lee un total de ocho veces.
Las imágenes de vídeo sugiere Fong Lee estaba desarmado.
Aquí están los detalles del 22 de julio que aún no están claros. Para empezar, no hay drogas que hallan sido encontradas en Fong Lee. El arma que supuestamente tenía Fong Lee, nunca aparecieron con las huellas dactilares de Lee y se especula, además, que el arma encontrada en la escena estaba en posesión del Departamento de Policía de Minneapolis.
Independientemente de la historia que usted elija para creer, la vida de Lee Fong se perdió esa noche a manos de un oficial de policía del Departamento de Policía de Minneapolis
Exigiendo justicia para Lorenzo Sampablo
La lucha sigue, tres años después del asesinato de Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes y otras 26 personas que dieron su vida durante el movimiento de 2006 con la esperanza de la transformación social. En medio de sobornos de dinero del gobierno del PRI al silencio de la muerte y la memoria de Lorenzo Sampablo, los miembros de la familia rechazaron abiertamente el dinero y se lanzó en cambio una campaña para buscar justicia para Lorenzo Sampablo y las 25 personas que murieron durante el movimiento. Junto con la presentación de una demanda legal, que la familia hace llegar a los miembros de la comunidad en resistencia. La familia ha participado en numerosas caravanas en Oaxaca y en México, junto a hilo resistencias locales y colectivamente imaginar estrategias y análisis a través de las fronteras socio geográficas. Como Trinidad Sampablo, hermana de Lorenzo, nos recuerda: “No sólo estamos luchando por Lorenzo. Estamos luchando por todos los que han caído. Me gustaría que estemos unidos en busca de justicia … que no nos olvidamos de los nombres de los miembros de la familia que dio su vida a una causa noble, de un mundo mejor “.
Exigiendo de justicia para Fong Lee
A raíz de la muerte de Fong Lee, miembros de la comunidad Hmong respondieron golpeando las calles y protestando contra este acto atroz. Se movilizó a la comunidad Hmong, así como otras comunidades que están muy familiarizados con los abusos de la policía.
La familia Lee respondió al presionando en el sistema judicial. El juicio puso de manifiesto lo mal que maneja el departamento de policía y ah investigado el caso, así como un cierto sesgo en cuanto a qué pruebas fue aceptable y qué no. Si bien la historia de Lee y presunta participación en pandillas estaba permitida en el caso de la corte, el asesinato de Lee, la historia oficial de Anderson de mala conducta policial y las acciones discriminatorias no lo eran.
El jurado en el caso estaba compuesto por todos individuos blancos. La cobertura de los medios de comunicación sobre el caso no tratará de responder a algunas de las muchas preguntas y agujeros girando en el caso. En última instancia, factores como la discriminación, la fuerza excesiva, la brutalidad policial no fueron considerados en los puntos legítimos de la acción penal. En un sistema supuestamente creados para lograr la justicia, parece existir más barreras para evitar la rendición de cuentas.
El agente Anderson recibió una medalla al valor por su acto brutal y fue absuelto de todos los cargos. Entonces, ¿qué pasó con el valiente oficial de policía? En última instancia, él fue despedido del departamento de policía poco después de que el caso envuelto por mala conducta oficial.
Mirando hacia atrás para seguir adelante
Al examinar el panorama general, interconectados entre Lorenzo y Fong, se nos recuerda que la represión es de alcance mundial y arraigada en los contextos locales, conformado por diferentes historias del colonialismo y la supremacía blanca. Y mientras hay represión, hay un sentimiento de resistencia y esperanza en Oaxaca, Minneapolis, y en otros lugares, donde la gente ponga fin a la impunidad de los paramilitares, la represión y la brutalidad policial, y que reclaman su destino, la organización popular para el cambio, y la construcción de otro mundo más digno.
Para el día de muertos escribimos este artículo-ofrenda para honrar las vidas de todos aquellos que murieron a manos de las injusticias, incluyendo Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes y Fong Lee, dos personas cuyos espíritus siguen siendo vibrantes y vivos en la lucha para exigir justicia .
Campaña de Justicia para Lorenzo Sampablo Cervantes http://lorenzosampablo.saltoscuanticos.org/
You’re rich, you’re worth more than you think.
That’s what I find out over the weekend at the “Come to My Census” train the trainer
conference in Fargo, ND. Over 40 community leaders gathered to learn about the Census which is coming up in less than six months beginning in April. The day-long gathering was a mixture of education, training, and dialogue with an eye towards recruiting new leaders in the community of Fargo/Moorhead to attain the information and skills necessary to conduct outreach in their communities and achieve and accurate count.
Undercounts in previous Census counts have led to thousands of dollars being lost for communities that are in desperate need of resources. The Census will help to determine how 400 billion dollars of federal funding will be spent. In 2000, Moorhead suffered a loss of close to a million dollars because several communities were undercounted (including: immigrants, refugees, low-income, homeless populations, and students).
Apparently, each individual in Moorhead accounts for $1,200 of funding per year. In Fargo that number is a little over $2,000. A question posed by Cathy Montoya of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights made me think. She asked, if in a typical family household, people decide not to participate, could our families really do without the $20,000 our families represent to our communities over a 10 year period? The answer, for m
ost of us, is no. And this is where the census becomes critical. Our daily lives are touched by the census in more ways than we realize.
One of the overwhelming benefits to the Come to My Census conference is that each of our communities have a distinct relationship with the census. Some positive, others historically more negative. Those experiences create barriers for participation and its precisely why this gathering was important. Engaging in longer discussions about the many implications was key, but also helping to clarify misconceptions can go a long way in achieving an accurate count.
This gathering was put together with support from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and its national partners. The conference was organized through the Common Threads project, a community development collaboration between the People Escaping Poverty Project, Main Street Project, and Cultural Diversity Resources.
Check out the digital story developed by Duke Schempp at the People Escaping Poverty Project. Click on the link below.
Come to Your Census in Fargo-Moorhead
Posted using ShareThis
Here’s an article posted in the High Plains Reader regarding the Census.
I lost my virginity to the internet when I was 14. I remember hooking up to dial-up internet and waiting the agonizing three minutes for the modem to connect. The raspy noise of dialing and re-dialing created enough tension in the room that it seemed like we were watching the finale of a telenovela instead of a computer screen. Once it did, a majestic voice erupted from my speakers announcing “You’ve Got Mail.” Wow only seconds in to my internet experience and people were already communicating.
I had opened up a portal in my small one bedroom apartment in Koreatown, Los Angeles to an infinite landscape of information and knowledge. But before I could get to that infinite knowledge I had to wait another minute and a half for my browser to fully load. Where to go…www…dot…anything I wanted. My first choice…Yahoo. Up until that point Yahoo was just something I knew existed on the internet, plus they had the funny ad with the yodeling dude…YYAAAHOOOOOO.
My family stood around watching me, I had monumentally been the first member of my family to make it to the internet. That fact just hit me now. I can’t really know how they felt, but I imagine it’s very similar to my feelings when I watch rugby. There are moments when you know it’s important, and you know you should cheer but you don’t know what about? It was clear that for my mom the internet was just a concept and that the real significance to my life and to everyone’s lives around us was not really apparent.
My father, an on-again off-again presence in my life had committed to pay for the AOL monthly dial-up charges. That commitment lasted only 6-months, so after tasting the “infinite landscape of knowledge” I was back to reading from my set of the 1994 edition of the World Book Encyclopedia. From time to time my mom could afford to pay for AOL, but I didn’t regain consistent use of the internet until I got to college. Since then the internet has been an important piece of my life socially and professionally. If you’re reading this, then you know.
My story is unique but it’s not an uncommon experience. The consequences of not having the internet today are far worse, impacting people’s work life, health, education and in the numerous tangential ways that that seem to be influenced by an increasingly digitized society. It’s those stories of barriers and challenges that should shape the future of the internet.
In response to that, last week we launched the Minnesota Digital Justice Coalition. A group of social justice organizations committed to shaping an internet accountable to digitally marginalized communities. Made up of organizations in the Twin Cities as well as in Greater Minnesota, this coalition of groups collectively have the knowledge and experience to speak to the real challenges our respective communities face. In the short time it’s been assembled, the MN Digital Justice Coalition has already provided valuable input to issues like net neutrality and mobile broadband access.
At that gathering last week, people in the room were asked to draw a picture of what their relationship to the internet is. Much like my story, it was a combination of good and bad, but the real lesson in the activity was that we each have a relationship whether we want to or not. The same is true for people in our communities that don’t have access on their cell phone or at home. The relationship is always there, and our work is to make sure it’s a good one.
What’s your internet story? Check out what kids in Moorhead MN are saying.
Enough is Enough Lou Dobbs!
By Steven Renderos, Main Street Project
I’ve talked to a lot of people in my community that have never heard of Lou Dobbs in their lives. The truth is that he’s someone who with his words has affected many of us.
Lou Dobbs is a news anchor on the cable channel CNN and throughout his career he has caused a lot of controversy with his opinions on immigration. It’s no secret that Lou Dobbs has little compassion for immigrants in the United States.
He has been one of the loudest voices against just changes to the system of immigration and has utilized his program on CNN to disseminate false and offensive information against Latinos. He’s constantly used the phrase “illegal criminal alien” when referring to undocumented immigrants.
CNN, the channel where Dobbs works, is starting a new series titled “Latino in America” in which they explore the Latino community in the United States through its culture and contributions.
Maybe I’m confused but…
…on the one hand CNN is fine with Dobbs insulting our community and allowing him to spread false information on his program…then on the other hand they want to demonstrate how we’re a hard-working and positive force in our country.
I understand that there’s multiple sides to a debate, but the type of reporting that Dobbs does is completely offensive and doesn’t deserve to be included in CNN’s coverage, the station that prides itself on being the “most trusted source in news.” News should be based on facts and the truth, but Dobbs has repeatedly been exposed for his lies.
Presente.org, an organization based in California, is starting a campaign called “Basta Dobbs” to respectfully ask CNN to stop allowing Lou Dobbs continue with his daily attacks against the Latino community. Organizations across the country and internationally have answered the call to action. More than 50,000 people have joined a petition asking CNN president John Klein to remove Dobbs from his station.
Wednesday October 21st was the national day of action where our Latino community organized meetings throughout the country to talk about the damage that Lou Dobbs is doing through his irresponsibility and to let our media outlets know that voices like Lou Dobbs shouldn’t be part of the dialogue on immigration.
I became part of this campaign because I believe that we all deserve a democracy in this country that recognizes the humanity and dignity of all. Voices like Dobbs only cause hate and false ideas when we desperately need a real dialoge on immigration.
Do your part, participate in the Basta Dobbs campaign. You can do so by visiting: www.BastaDobbs.com or by texting “BASTA” to 3-0-6-4-4.
Steven Renderos is the Media Justice Organizer for Main Street Project, a non profit organization based in Minneapolis.
Una organización nacional, Presente.org, esta comenzando una campaña llamada “Basta Dobbs” para que respetuosamente se le pida al canal de CNN que pare de dejar que Lou Dobbs continué con sus ataques a nuestra comunidad Latina. Organizaciones a trabes del país, e internacionalmente, han escuchado el llamado a la acción. Mas de 50,000 personas se han hecho parte de una petición pidiéndole al presidente de CNN, Jonathan Klein, que quite a Dobbs de su estación de televisión.
El Miércoles 21 de Octubre era el día de acción al nivel nacional en donde nuestra comunidad Latina se organizo y se reunió para hablar sobre Lou Dobbs y para hacerles saber a nuestros medios de comunicación que voces como la de Lou Dobbs no deben ser parte del dialogo sobre inmigración.
Yo me hecho parte de esta campaña por que creo que todos merecemos una democracia en este país que reconoce la humanidad y dignidad de todos. Voces como Dobbs solo causan odio e ideas falsas cuando desesperadamente necesitamos un dialogo concreto sobre inmigración.
Haga su parte, participe en la campaña de Basta Dobbs. Lo puede hacer visitando el sitio de web: www.BastaDobbs.com o a trabes de su celular. Envié un texto con la palabra “BASTA” al 3-0-6-4-4.
Steven Renderos es el organizador de justicia en los medios para Main Street Projet, una organización sin fines de lucro basada en Minneapolis.
Ya Basta Lou Dobbs!
Por Steven Renderos, Main Street Project
He hablado con mucha gente en mi comunidad que nunca han escuchado de Lou Dobbs en sus vidas. La verdad es que el es una persona que con sus palabras ha afectado a muchos de nosotros.
Lou Dobbs es un presentador de noticias en el canal de cable CNN y en su carrera ha causado mucha controversia con sus opiniones sobre inmigración. No es ningun secreto de que Lou Dobbs no tiene compasión para los inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos.
El ha sido una de las voces mas altas en contra de cambios justos al sistema de inmigración y ha utilizado su programa en CNN para repartir información falsa y ofensiva contra los Latinos. El constantemente utiliza la frase “inmigrante criminal e ilegal” refiriéndose a inmigrantes indocumentados.
CNN, el canal donde trabaja Dobbs, esta comenzando una nueva serie de reportaje titulada “Latino en America” en donde exploran la cultura y contribuciones de la comunidad Latina en los Estados Unidos.
Quizás estoy confundido pero…
…por una parte, CNN se siente conforme insultando a nuestra comunidad y dejando que Dobbs reparta su información falsa en su programa pero por otra parte quiere enseñar como somos una comunidad trabajadora y positiva para este país.
Entiendo que siempre hay dos partes de un debate, pero el tipo de reportaje que hace Dobbs es completamente ofensivo y no merece ser incluido en el canal de CNN que supuestamente es la “fuente mas confiable para noticias.” Noticias deberían ser basada en la verdad, pero Dobbs repetidamente ha sido expuesto por sus mentiras.
Una organización nacional, Presente.org, esta comenzando una campaña llamada “Basta Dobbs” para que respetuosamente se le pida al canal de CNN que pare de dejar que Lou Dobbs continué con sus ataques a nuestra comunidad Latina. Organizaciones a trabes del país, e internacionalmente, han escuchado el llamado a la acción. Mas de 50,000 personas se han hecho parte de una petición pidiéndole al presidente de CNN, Jonathan Klein, que quite a Dobbs de su estación de televisión.
El Miércoles 21 de Octubre era el día de acción al nivel nacional en donde nuestra comunidad Latina se organizo y se reunió para hablar sobre Lou Dobbs y para hacerles saber a nuestros medios de comunicación que voces como la de Lou Dobbs no deben ser parte del dialogo sobre inmigración.
Yo me hecho parte de esta campaña por que creo que todos merecemos una democracia en este país que reconoce la humanidad y dignidad de todos. Voces como Dobbs solo causan odio e ideas falsas cuando desesperadamente necesitamos un dialogo concreto sobre inmigración.
Haga su parte, participe en la campaña de Basta Dobbs. Lo puede hacer visitando el sitio de web: www.BastaDobbs.com o a trabes de su celular. Envié un texto con la palabra “BASTA” al 3-0-6-4-4.
Steven Renderos es el organizador de justicia en los medios para Main Street Projet, una organización sin fines de lucro basada en Minneapolis.
The Social Change Fund of Headwaters Foundation for Justice is Headwaters’ largest, oldest and broadest fund, supporting groups through Minnesota working for social, racial, economic and environmental justice. In partnership with Main Street Project’s Justice 2.0 program, 24 Minnesota-based groups were invited to participate in a two-part Justice 2.0 training.
The training is based on the knowledge that, throughout history, stories have been used to educate, express, advocate and organize. Through the sharing of stories, communities build their identities, pass on traditions, and construct meaning. Participants in the first half of the training learned about current applications of storytelling in a variety of contexts. The training also explored the potential of multimedia technology to support the use of narrative in historically marginalized communities – with a goal of reframing what power looks like, and who holds power.
In the second session, participants will collaborate to develop a multimedia narrative related to the Headwaters Social Change grant. Participants will use a low-bandwidth digital storytelling software called PlaceStories to construct a one-to-two minute digital story about their organization, their work, and their specific campaign or project.
UPDATE JUNE 30: Watch the PlaceStories created by Crossing Barriers – Our Passion.
The ¡Justice/Justicia 2.0! initiative is a new program at Main Street Project. Grounded in a media justice approach, the program was designed to support rural Latin@s, other communities of color and allies to use interactive Web 2.0 technologies, including blogs, Facebook and Twitter to advocate for immigrant rights and other issues important to their communities, as well as combat anti-immigrant and racist voices in the media.
Recently, we worked with the Organizing Apprenticeship Project to train their 2009 class of organizers. The Organizing Apprenticeship Project is a Minneapolis based organization that works to advance racial, cultural, social and economic justice in Minnesota through organizer and leadership training, policy research and strategic convening work.
During the day-long training–which was part of our Justice 2.0 initiative–organizers learned “story telling for social change” skills. The morning was spent in a session called “Path to Power” led by Hope Community Youth/Adult Organizer, Chaka Mkali. Our goal following Chaka’s training, was to re-frame what power looks like and who holds power. This short video was one of the results.
As organizers, activists and cultural workers, we know that the connections between media – its form, content, and who owns it – are inextricably tied to issues of social justice, power, and equity. Connecting media issues to core social justice and human rights issues is crucial. Our media justice initiatives work towards digital justice, addressing the need for both access and representation so that all historically marginalized communities can work towards new relationships with media and share a new vision for its control, access, and structure tied to social justice and equity.
Learning to recognize and honor our personal power is an important first step that has everything to do with challenging stereotypical and demeaning images of our communities and ourselves. When we tell our own stories– we take important steps towards building community, strengthening social change and reclaiming power for us all.
