La Nueva Raza

You are all invited to consider attending the information session for the upcoming Social Justice Saturday School.  We are looking for a least one student organization to serve as a co-sponsor of the meetings taking place in January and February 2011.

The Social Justice Saturday School will be taking place in January and February 2011. The school is being sponsored by the Mexican American Center for Community and Economic Development and Austin Voices for Education And Youth.

The purpose of the school is to identify and train a group of community activists who can practice the art of civic engagement in creative ways that will inspire others to join them.

Up to 30 students from area high schools are welcome to apply. Classes will be held on Saturdays at UT Austin from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Lunch will be provided. The following topics will be covered during the course of the six-week program:

1. Economics and the Origins of Poverty
2. Social Movements in History

3. Understanding what is meant by “The Community”

4. The Ins and Outs of the Prison System in Texas

5. Understanding Public Narratives, the story of You, Us and Now

6. Current and Coming Issues in Texas

Students from The University of Texas at Austin are welcome to apply and participate in the Social Justice Saturday School as facilitators, presenters, observers or students. Much of the material will be presented using power point presentations, handouts and guest speakers.
UT students are invited to attend a Social Justice Saturday School information session taking place at 12 noon on Thursday, December 2, 2010 in the Sinclair Suite of the Texas Union.

For more information or questions please contact Alfredo Santos c/s at (512) 944-4123.

6 Traiblazers flyerRevised

You are invited to join the Austin History Center for A Conversation with Six Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County on Saturday, December 11th from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Austin History Center (see attachment).

A special viewing of a 10 minute documentary produced by the Austin History Center will be shown following the program.  Entitled “Abriendo Brecha/Making Our Way”, the video highlights some of the significant aspects of the history of Mexican Americans in Austin.  It especially notes the many hardships faced by this population and how these obstacles were overcome with persistence and determination.  The video features the words of the poet Raul Salinas and video clips from the destruction of the Juarez Lincoln campus mural seen in the film “We Will Always Be Here” by Gilbert Rivera to frame the story of Austin’s Mexican American citizens.  The video serves as a companion piece to the Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County traveling exhibit.

Arrangements are being made to provide seating and streaming video in the Grand Hallway for possible overflow of guests.  Program is Free to the Public.  Please feel free to invite your friends, family and colleagues.

http://lianalisa.smugmug.com/Events/Dream-Act-Hunger-Strike-Day-22/14897109_YYYVb#1111938502_ssWxE

Federal suit filed against Family Dollar stores for alleged wage theft

Naxiely Lopez
The Monitor

SAN JUAN — Nearly 30 people gathered in front of the Family Dollar store in this city Thursday to protest against alleged wage theft and other violations by the company.

The protestors waved their red United Farm Worker flags and held up posters demanding the company pay five employees who have allegedly been denied wages for almost two years. The workers cleaned several stores throughout the Rio Grande Valley for over a month almost two years ago and have yet to be paid, said Martha Sanchez, an organizer for La Union del Pueblo Entero.

“We have several complaints that came through our office saying that people didn’t get paid,” she said. “The company also hires them to do contract labor and ends up paying them less than the minimum wage. And they never get paid overtime.”

As a result, the non-profit migrant advocacy organization and the South Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit in a Brownsville federal court against the stores and the janitorial company who contracted them.

Family Dollar Stores of Texas, LLC could not be reached for comment Thursday.

View Univision report

“It’s all about the dignity,” STCRP Attorney Elliott Tucker. “These people just poured their heart out working for this company doing the cleaning, working nights, really long hours and really long shifts. And then to just not get paid at the end of the month or month and a half is devastating.”

Demetrio Vazquez, 41, is one of those workers.

“I worked almost three weeks and they never paid us,” Vazquez said in Spanish about Israel and Maria Vallejo, owners of Vallejo Janitorial. “(Israel Vallejo) would pick us up in Weslaco — that was our meeting point — at 5 in the afternoon and we would work until 11 in the morning cleaning several stores.”

Marcelino Valdez, 46, is another plaintiff who was also protesting.

“It’s not fair for them to use us and then not pay us,” Valdez said. “We have necessities and bills to pay.”

Valdez, who lives in Donna, said he sends money to his four sons in Tampico, Tamaulipas for schooling.

“We just want them to pay us and to stop the discrimination,” he added.

There are too many abuses in the Rio Grande Valley, said supporter Reyna Torales.

“When we work in the fields, in the potato or asparagus, they pay us week by week and they don’t just string us along,” the protestor said in Spanish. “Our American dream has become a tragedy with these people who don’t want to pay.”

But problems with the company are not only being heard locally, Tucker said. People are protesting against the company in El Paso for similar claims.

Sanchez said both organizations are working to form a new group called Fuerza Del Valle, which in English means Valley’s Strength.

“We’re trying to establish this group for fair wages and everything that has to do with workers’ rights,” she said. “Any time injustices happen, especially to our members, LUPE is going to stand with them.”

Tucker encouraged anyone who is experiencing similar injustices to contact LUPE headquarters in San Juan.

“We want to help people,” he said. “That’s what we’re here for.”