Los Angeles, CA – Celebrating and parading through the streets of East Los Angeles (ELA), Sept. 13, community members gathered along the route to watch the annual Mexican Independence Day parade. Participants included many local Mexican clubs, leaders and business owners, both Chicano and Mexican, traveling on adorned cars and floats, playing mariachi music and waving at viewers. This year the teachers’ union, United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), and Centro CSO marched in unity.

The local community of ELA still faces bad conditions and poverty. The local LAUSD public schools are under attack by the forces of privatization. Charter schools – private schools that are funded by the public – are taking over and replacing public schools. Charter schools are nonunion, and exclude English learners and special needs students. Rich business owners, like Eli Broad, are pushing for more charter schools.

In the parade, members of the United Teachers of Los Angeles, many of whom are Chicanos themselves, chanted, “Maestros, y padres, unidos, jamas seran vencidos” (Teachers, and parents, united, will never be defeated.) UTLA is one of the largest and progressive unions in Southern California.

UTLA handed out flyers to parade viewers urging them to support teachers at their upcoming Sept. 20 protest rally against billionaire Eli Broad, who is pushing for 50% more charter schools in Los Angeles. Broad is set to open up an art museum in Los Angeles on Sept. 20 and the teachers are ready. More information about the protest can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/UTLAnow.

On Mexican Independence Day, we unite with the students and teachers fighting for liberation and equality in Mexico as well as those fighting for liberation and equality here in the U.S.

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