Category Archives: La Familia

Houston Group Will Venture in Knowledge Trafficking

Posted on January 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

One of my favorite literary nonprofit groups, Nuestra Palabra:  Latino Writers Having Their Say is getting into the trafficking biz:  Knowledge trafficking, that is.

Many of you have heard that along with banning Latinos, generally, Arizona is doing away with ethnic studies programs, thus, banning Latino-created literary works, including works by highly renowned authors like Sandra Cisneros and Guggenheim Fellow Dagoberto Gilb.

Nuestra Palabra is organizing The Librotraficantes Banned Book Caravan to Arizona. March 12 – 17.

The caravan will be filled with authors and activists who will be taking banned books back into Arizona, to give away. The bus will be filled with authors who were banned, new authors, as well as other advocates concerned with preserving First Amendment rights of Equal Protection and Freedom of Speech.

The Caravan will be making stops in Texas, New Mexico, and, of course, Arizona. More stops will be listed as they are finalized. More will be added as funding permits.

It’s time for Texas to support this effort. You may make your contribution at Librotraficante.

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Posted in Bigots and Liars, DC Ojo, La Familia, U.S. Ethnic Relations, Violence Against Latinos

Thursday: Actions Against Wage Theft

Posted on December 6, 2011 | Comments Off

In my inbox from the Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center are two actions that will be taken on Thursday to give light to two examples of wage theft here in Houston.

1) Thursday 6:30am – Meet at HIWJ
Cosme Asencio and Gilberto Zavala came to the Worker’s Center in April after a former contractor did not pay them for remodeling construction work they performed. In late July, the workers and Mr. Lucas Garcia, their former employer, had a court mediation in which Mr. Garcia admitted to owing the workers $4,450 collectively and agreed to start a payment plan to repay the workers’ wages. It has been almost 6 months since this court judgment, yet both workers are still waiting to get paid! Gilberto received a mere $200 out of the $1,450 and Cosme has not been paid any of the $3,000 he is owed.

6:30am too early? How about the pm??

and

2) Thursday 6:30pm – at Ruggles (903 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77006)
This past weekend, six Ruggles employees walked off the job in the middle of their shift fed up after trying unsuccessfully to collect their overdue wages. Five of the six workers are waiters who depend on the measely $2.13/hr tipped employee federally required minimum wage.  HIWJ met with the workers last night, today they met with the County Attorney who has agreed to open an investigation. Some workers have picked up checks, but not all checks represent the full balance owed. The owner of Ruggles, Bruce Molzan, is looking to open three new locations. Let’s let him know stealing from workers won’t fly in Houston! Check out a few articles on the issue: Houston Chronicle and the Houston Press.

The HIWJ is located at 1805 Alabama, 2nd Floor.

You can still sign the petition asking Mayor Parker and City Council to support an ordinance which will put bad apples on notice that this practice will not be tolerated.

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Posted in City of Houston, DC Ojo, La Familia, Mayor Parker, Your Wallet

Back To Work She Goes: Citizenship Week

Posted on November 9, 2011 | Comments Off

Mayor Annise Parker has proclaimed November 13 thru 19 as Citizenship Week.

Mayor Annise Parker is urging Houstonians to participate in the City of Houston’s Third Annual Citizenship Week. This year’s observance runs November 13-19 and will feature more than 180 events and activities across the city celebrating what it means to be a Houstonian, including student poetry contests, art exhibitions, citizenship workshops, discussions about Houston’s history, and other events and performances representing many culturally-diverse communities.

“We just completed the most important act of civic engagement and citizenship with yesterday’s election,” said Mayor Parker.  “Unfortunately, this right is often taken for granted.  With that in mind, I hope all Houstonians will renew their citizenship commitment by participating in Citizenship Week.”

You can check out all the information about Citizenship Week here. What’s it all about?

What We Are Celebrating

  • Citizenship: Greater awareness of what it means to be a citizen in order to foster positive, active civic engagement
  • Diversity: Underscoring of the City’s diverse ethnic, immigration, cultural, professional and socioeconomic communities to support social cohesion, secure and vibrant neighborhoods, productive workplaces and healthy communities
  • Global Houston: Highlighting the City as a global, inclusive, vibrant place uniquely-positioned and highly attractive to do international business in order to support its economic growth and health and foster increased work opportunities for our diverse populations
  • Fellowship: Providing opportunities for community-driven events representing every segment of City life to support our City’s neighbors getting to know each other better for harmony, cooperation and a sense of citizen stewardship towards one another and the City as our home and work space
Here’s a link (PDF) to events in which you can participate. 

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Posted in City of Houston, Cultura Chicana, DC Ojo, El Mundo, La Familia, U.S. Ethnic Relations, Unidos Con GLBT

Theatrical Trailer: The Harvest/La Cosecha

Posted on October 10, 2011 | Comments Off

The Harvest is a film about the children who work in agricultural fields here in America. With Texan Eva Longoria as executive producer, this film is sure to be heart-wrenching for those of us who experienced migrant farm work growing up, and a reality-check for those who have avoided the reality of knowing from where exactly the food on their table comes.

Every year there are more than 400,000 American children who are torn away from their friends, schools and homes to pick the food we all eat.  Zulema, Perla and Victor labor as migrant farm workers, sacrificing their own childhoods to help their families survive.  THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA profiles these three as they journey from the scorching heat of Texas’ onion fields to the winter snows of the Michigan apple orchards and back south to the humidity of Florida’s tomato fields to follow the harvest.

From the Producers of the Academy-Award® Nominated film, WAR/DANCE and Executive Producer Eva Longoria, this award-winning documentary provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of these children who struggle to dream while working 12 – 14 hours a day, 7 days a week to feed America.

Learn more about this award-winning film at TheHarvestFilm.com. Here’s a two-minute trailer.

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Posted in Bigots and Liars, Chicanos on Screen, DC Ojo, La Familia, U.S. Ethnic Relations, Violence Against Latinos, Viva La Union

The Shift: Hispanics in America

Posted on August 24, 2011 | Comments Off

This vid I came upon today was produced by the Center for Hispanic Leadership, which has a commitment to creating Hispanic Talent. Warning to Tea Partiers – Your head may fall off after watching this.

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Posted in Chicanos on Screen, Count Me!, Cultura Chicana, DC Ojo, El Mundo, HoustonVotes '11, Immigration, La Familia, LatinoVote '11, LatinoVote '12, U.S. Ethnic Relations, Wise Latinas

City of Houston Activates Heat Emergency Plan

Posted on August 3, 2011 | Comments Off

The City of Houston has activated the Heat Emergency Plan. Find information on cooling centers here. http://bit.ly/oRy4Pm .

The Houston Department of Health & Human Services is listing some recommendations for residents to stay cool and healthy during these extreme heat conditions.

And from DC: Keep an eye on our elderly, our kids, and our pets, too!

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Posted in City of Houston, La Familia

Spread the Word: Back to School Fest on Saturday

Posted on August 3, 2011 | Comments Off

This event information comes to you from…

It’s time for Back to School!

Come out and join us as we celebrate the new school year with a

Back to School Fest

Saturday, August 6, 2011

8:00am – 12:00pm

FREE ADMISSION

George R. Brown Convention Center

backtoschoolfest@houstonisd.org

FREE

*School Supplies * HISD Educational Zone * City and Community Resources*

* Uniforms * Back-to-School Immunizations * Health Screenings * Kid Fun Zone * Entertainment *

* Prizes and Fun for the Family *

Available while supplies last

Shot Record required for Immunizations

Proof of HISD Enrollment : Student ID or Last Report Card

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Posted in K-12 Education, La Familia, Para La Gente

Tagged ,

Tuesday Was Immigration Day in Texas

Posted on May 11, 2011 | Comments Off

At least that’s the image we were given.

First, the Texas House railroaded through the Arizona-like, yet harsher, House Bill 12, which allows local law enforcement to go on the hunt for Hispanic Texans who might be thought of as “illegal.” Then, President Obama visited El Paso to announce an all-new effort to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. Soon after the visit, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin announced that he was going to re-submit the DREAM Act for consideration in a very changed legislative atmosphere in Washington, DC.

For the rest, click here.

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Posted in DREAM Act, Immigration, La Familia, LatinoVote '12, National Democrats, Texas Lege

Starving for Good Jobs Food Drive

Posted on April 12, 2011 | Comments Off

Courtesy ~ Offcite.org

After the City of Houston redistricting hearings, make your way down to 1001 McKinney to help the janitors who were fired from their jobs by the management company of that building–Cameron Management. Here’s more from SEIU Local 1:

Dear Friend,

It’s been over a week since most of the janitors who cleaned this building, 1001 McKinney, lost their good jobs. For the nine families affected, it’s been an anxious nine days of struggle as they face life without the fair wages and access to affordable health care those good jobs used to provide.

On Wednesday, April 13 stand together with Houston’s working families by donating non-perishable food items to the “Starving for Good Jobs” food drive in benefit of the fired 1001 McKinney janitors and their families.

The food drive will take place in front of 1001 McKinney from 12-1PM on Wednesday.

Now more than ever, our city needs employers who are committed to creating and protecting good jobs—not cutting wages and benefits to pad corporate profits. While companies like Cameron Management and PJS turn their backs on working people, we must step up to protect Houston’s chance for a better future.

Five years ago, responsible business owners joined Houston janitors in creating good jobs and raising standards in the cleaning industry. Together with their employees, these companies created a path out of poverty for thousands of janitors and their families—including access to affordable health care. But Cameron Management—the company that owns 1001 McKinney Place—has rolled back that progress by hiring PJS, a cleaning contractor that pays janitors poverty wages and denies them a voice on the job.

Please contact Paloma Martinez at martinezp@seiu1.org if you plan to donate or for more information.

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Posted in La Familia, Viva La Union

Texans Day of Outrage on March 15

Posted on March 3, 2011 | Comments Off

TEXANS DAY OF OUTRAGE!

STOP Rick Perry and the Texas GOP Legislature from devastating our State, Working Families, & Less Fortunate!

March 15, 2011

HOUSTON CITY HALL

4:30pm

Every segment of our society is threatened, as BILLIONS of dollars will be eliminated from:

  • ·Public Education!!
  • ·Health Care!!
  • ·Social Services!!
  • ·Environmental & Protection Agencies!!
  • ·State Parks & Historical Monuments!!

Demand Governor Rick Perry use the $9.4 BILLION Rainy Day Fund to help offset these outrageous budget-cuts!!

It is time that Texans unite in solidarity and protest these outrageous budget-cuts and hateful legislation attacking Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, GLBT, Latinos, and Immigrants!

If you are as furious as we are about our current state of affairs and our future then join the movement starting right here in Houston to make our voices and concerns heard at City Hall protesting the irresponsible governing by the Texas Republican Party!

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Posted in La Familia, LatinoVote '12