News and Views from the People's Struggle
Los Angeles, CA – On December 3, when newly-elected pro-police Nathan Hochman was sworn into office at the Hall of Justice as district attorney, members of Black Lives Matter-LA, Centro CSO and other LA activists arrived to protest Hochman’s agenda.
Los Angeles, CA – 30 people attended a know your rights panel and training in the Boyle Hights neighborhood, hosted by Centro CSO’s immigration rapid response team. The educational event was organized because many in the community are nervous about how immigration law will be impacted by the Trump presidential victory.
Los Angeles, CA – In a criminal court hearing on November 19, former Los Angeles Sheriff Deputy Remin Pineda was given the outrageous sentence of two years of probation, 250 community service hours, and 180 days of suspended county jail time for the killing of David Ordaz Jr. in 2021. As part of the plea deal, Pineda forfeited his right to hold a peace officer position or owning a gun.
Los Angeles, CA – On November 6, close to 50 people gathered for a rally against Donald Trump and his reactionary agenda following his election. Taking place at the intersection of Soto and 1st Street in the predominantly Chicano neighborhood of Boyle Heights, the protest drew attention to the need to organize against Trump’s expected attacks on workers, immigrants, women, and other oppressed peoples.
Los Angeles, CA – On October 29, East Los Angeles (ELA) residents, led by the community group Centro CSO, scored a major win against a proposed charter school in their neighborhood. Centro CSO members and residents spoke at a meeting of the LA County Board of Supervisors to oppose Extera Charter School’s plan to build a new facility on Gage and Eastman Avenues.
Angelina Chavez, a community member voiced her concerns, stating, “This project will bring constant traffic, noise, and pollution to our quiet street.”
Los Angeles, CA – On October 23, Centro Community organization Centro (CSO) held a press conference outside the East LA Sheriff’s Station to condemn the violent actions of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) after the Dodgers’ National League Championship Series victory celebration on October 20.
Speakers at the press conference highlighted the indiscriminate tear gassing of families, the racist “Fort Apache” mentality of the East LA Sheriff’s Station, and the broader systemic violence against Chicanos. The community demanded justice and emphasized the need for community control of the police.
Los Angeles, CA – On Friday, October 18, Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) members and community gathered at local bookstore ReArte in Boyle Heights for a film screening and discussion. The film was on the history of Haiti and was shown in light of recent racist remarks by Donald Trump in Ohio. Haitian American and CSO member Chris Bernadel and the CSO immigration rapid response team chair Jordan Peña co-facilitated the event.
Los Angeles, CA – On October 7, dozens of community members from Boyle Heights and East LA gathered at the intersection of César E Chávez Avenue and Soto Street in Boyle Heights for a Palestine solidarity rally. The rally marked the one year anniversary of the U.S.-funded Israeli genocide in Palestine that began October 7, 2023. Since then, Israel has murdered over 41,500 Palestinians in Gaza and over 2000 in Lebanon.
The solidarity rally began at 5:30 p.m. with chants started up by Gabriel Quiroz Jr of Centro CSO. Chants calling for support for the Palestinian resistance and an end to the genocidal attacks being carried out throughout the region by Israel echoed in the streets.
Los Angeles, CA – Tens of thousands of passionate protesters hit the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, October 5, just days before the one year anniversary of the U.S.-funded Israeli genocide in Palestine that began October 7, 2023 after Palestinian resistance fighters launched an counter-offensive against the Zionist government.
East Los Angeles, CA – On Saturday, August 24, around 200 Chicano activists and community members came out to Rúben Salazar Park to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.
Santa Ana, CA – On August 10, nearly 40 people packed into the Studio of El Centro Cultural de México to hear five panelists speak on a wide range of topics affecting Chicanos. This event, commemorating the 54th Chicano Moratorium, was organized by Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC).
Before the panel began, Diana Terreros, a founding member of CSO OC, led a chant to honor and remember the name of Abigail Lopez, who was tragically murdered at the hands of Anaheim Police Department in 2023.
Chicago, IL – On August 19, over 20,000 people marched on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention, demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel and an end to the genocide in Gaza. The march was the result of over a year of work by the Coalition to March on the DNC. Marchers came within sight and sound of the Democratic National Convention, putting heat on United States government as it facilitates a genocide.
Hatem Abudayyeh, the national chair of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, told the crowd, “Black liberation, immigrant rights, reproductive rights, women's rights, workers’ rights, the right to strike, the right to unionize. The rank-and-file workers are here, the Black community members are here, the documented and undocumented immigrants are here, how powerful this is to be together here, all of us.”
Los Angeles, CA – A dozen local activists disrupted a National Night Out event held at Boyle Heights’ Hollenbeck Police Station on Tuesday, August 6. The determined Chicano activists are part of Centro CSO, a local grassroots organization that mobilized to disrupt LAPD’S propaganda event. Centro CSO demanded accountability and to “jail killer cops.”
Los Angeles, CA – Immigrant rights activists with Centro CSO held a press conference July 9 calling for a protest on opening day of the Republican National Convention (RNC). The LA activists are sending a delegation and will travel and join a march and protest on July 15 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Los Angeles, CA – Over 40 people gathered at a local bar, Distrito Catorce, to raise funds for organizers traveling to march on the Republican and Democratic National Conventions (RNC and DNC) taking place in Milwaukee and Chicago, respectively. Those traveling include members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization and both the LA and Orange County chapters of Community Service Organization (CSO).
Los Angeles, CA – On June 16, in the heart of Boyle Heights, a neighborhood known for its Chicano culture and activism, hundreds gathered for Orgullo Fest. The yearly festival brings together different communities and allows participants to celebrate both their Chicano and LGBTQ identities in an important cultural and social celebration.
Orgullo Fest was born out of a grassroots effort by local activists and leaders who recognized the need for an inclusive space. Juarez, an events organizer from the neighborhood, managed this year’s celebration.
Los Angeles, CA – On June 2, Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights was alive with vibrant culture and history as hundreds of Chicanos gathered for the Zoot Suit Cruise, an event commemorating the infamous Zoot Suit Riots of June 1943. Over 100 classic cars, affectionately known as “Bombas,” lined the streets, their glossy, bright paint jobs reflecting the pride and resilience of the Chicano community.
Chicanos, dressed in their finest zoot suits, danced the night away to the energetic rhythms of Pachuco Jose Y Los Diamantés, a band known for their Chicano rock. The atmosphere was electric with celebration, yet charged with a somber remembrance of the violent history that necessitates such gatherings.
The Zoot Suit Riots were a dark chapter in Los Angeles' history, marked by a week-long series of brutal attacks. On June 3,1943, mobs of U.S. servicemen, off-duty police officers and civilians targeted young Chicanos and other oppressed nationality youth. These violent assaults, which eyewitnesses described as mass lynchings, were sparked by racial tensions, targeting those wearing the distinctive zoot suit popular among many young Chicanos.
For a week, U.S. Navy sailors, police officers and other white men roamed the barrios, attacking indiscriminately based on clothing and skin color. Chicana women were beaten and some raped by servicemen, while Chicano men faced beatings and imprisonment. The violence, which spread from downtown Los Angeles to East Los Angeles and Watts, was only quelled when military personnel were confined to their barracks. By then, the attacks had wrongfully imprisoned many and left an indelible scar on the community.
Decades later, the City of Los Angeles issued a formal apology, acknowledging the horrific events and the city's role in them. However, the apology was seen by many as half-hearted. For Chato Ranflas, one of the cruise's organizers, events like the Zoot Suit Cruise are crucial for cultural remembrance and community strength. “It's very important to have these types of cultural Chicano events in the neighborhood. Aquí estamos y no nos vamos,” Ranflas declared, emphasizing the enduring presence and resilience of the Chicano community.
Centro CSO members were present at the event, enjoying the festivities and documenting the community's vibrant celebration of culture and history. The Zoot Suit Cruise stands as a testament to the strength and unity of the Chicano community, a poignant reminder of their enduring spirit.
#LosAngelesCA #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #Zoot #CentroCSO
Los Angeles, CA – On the morning of May 28, over 100 Chicano students at Mendez High School walked out of their classes. Students were demanding that their school principal Mauro Bautista be brought back after mysteriously being removed for more than a month now from the school.
Starting at 9 a.m., the students walked out of their classes and marched along the front of the school, holding a banner that read, “Free Jefe!” After the march and coming back to school premises, the students refused to return to classes and staged a sit-in, where organizers read their demands and made speeches.
Los Angeles, CA – On May 17, Chicanos from the Boyle Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles, California held a rally for the 76th anniversary of the Nakba. Chants like “Desde el río hasta el mar, Palestina va ganar!” rang through the Cesar E. Chavez and Soto intersection. The rally was organized by members of Centro CSO, a Chicano-led grassroots organization, fighting for oppressed people in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles.
Los Angeles, CA – Thousands of spirited Los Angles Unified School District (LAUSD) workers rallied on May 7 to protest proposed cutbacks and layoffs by Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.
In front of LAUSD headquarters, the educator’s union, United Teachers of Los Angles (UTLA) and SEIU 99 school workers voiced a united strong message of “no cutbacks and no layoffs” that will hurt students.