The delegation will learn about the history of the U.S.-Mexico border since its unjust creation with the U.S. military occupation of Mexico and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, the rise of the Chicano movement in the southwestern U.S., which was around half of Mexican territory, and the present realities and devastating impacts of border militarization on both sides of the border.

The delegation will learn about the experiences of Central American and Mexican migrants who are being denied entry into the U.S. and from organizations in Mexico that are helping them. They will also learn from groups that are organizing on the U.S. side of the border against the effects of living in a militarized border zone in the context of Trump’s xenophobic and white supremacist attacks on immigrants.

Fight Back! will carry daily reports on the delegation’s findings.

#MinneapolisMN #OppressedNationalities #US #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #MIRAc #USPCN #DonaldTrump #YPRC

Southwest Key Programs is a 501©3 not-for-profit group is based in Austin, Texas and is the organization responsible for the facilities that lock up migrant children and families in cages. While the group brags about “providing safe, loving, caring protection for children” many around the country have woken up to the reality that these programs are indeed nothing more than modern day internment camps.

Villarreal has managed to keep his status as board member largely unknown to the Milwaukee immigrant and refugee community, a move that undoubtedly is due to his more well-known position as board member of Waukesha, Wisconsin’s largest “Hispanic community serving organization” La Casa De Esperanza.

Founded in 1966 as History Builders, the non-profit was renamed to La Casa de Esperanza, or House of Hope, in 1968. Starting in the early 1970s, La Casa de Esperanza began to grow and expand beyond a focus on educational programs to services in areas such as financial literacy, workforce development, tax assistance and preparation, food services, youth arts, low income housing, and weatherization services.

Today, La Casa de Esperanza is the largest human service organization in Waukesha County and remains fully committed to fostering an educated, impassioned, and free citizenry capable of achieving their full potential as individuals and Waukesha residents.

The rally and march was held in Milwaukee's Southside, hosted by the Young People’s Resistance Committee. The community’s message is clear, you cannot at the same time be a protector of families and their jailer. The community also addressed his reasons for involvement, and stated that “prisons are prisons. It doesn’t matter if they are pretty or colorful, they are still prisons.” Others also shared stories about their experiences crossing the border into the U.S., highlighting the trauma caused by the separation of families.

The Young People’s Resistance Committee, along with the Milwaukee community, will continue to fight for the rights of immigrant families and bring out to light any opportunist like Anselmo Villarreal. The fight continues.

#MilwaukeeWI #YPRC #SouthwestKeyPrograms #AnselmoVillarreal #LaCasaDeEsperanza #YoungPeoplesResistanceCommittee

November saw the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee chapter of the Young People's Resistance Committee (YPRC) host a rally and march to announce demands for a sanctuary campus status at their school. The group attempted to deliver a letter and statement to UW-M's chancellor, Mark Mone, but were denied the ability to meet with him. His secretaries gave activists the run-around, claiming he was in “back-to-back meetings” but speeches given by YPRC membership told the truth, Mone was too afraid to hear the voice of the students. YPRC will continue organized struggle to achieve sanctuary campus status for the benefit of all marginalized students.

In December, YPRC's UW-M chapter brought revolutionary Chicano organizer Carlos Montes to speak in Milwaukee. There was an amazing turnout, with over 50 people in attendance to learn about the history of the people's movement in Los Angeles, as well as the long struggle of Chicanos nationwide. Montes continues to fight against racist discrimination, gentrification in California, and U.S. war. Montes successfully bridged the gap between Los Angeles and Milwaukee to uncover some of the struggles that both communities face and discussed the importance of YPRC's 2017-2018 campaign – Legalization For All.

The community chapter of the Young People's Resistance Committee also saw incredible successes at the end of 2017. In November, they brought Cuban teacher and activist Griselda Aguilera Cabrera. Cabrera was still a child when she joined the mass movement to end illiteracy in 1961, after the Cuban Revolution. She was the youngest person to serve as a teacher during this historic time when the Cuban nation eradicated illiteracy in the span of a just a few years. YPRC hosted a once-in-a-lifetime event with Cabrera – the only event on her tour which was facilitated completely in Spanish. They showed the 30-minute documentary Maestra about the literacy campaign and had a Q&A style discussion. Cabrera discussed how the Cuban people have achieved so much against all odds, and commented on the work that still needs to be done.

In December, the YPRC community chapter stood up for Temporary Protective Status (TPS) and DACA by hosting a rally at a prominent Milwaukee ice skating rink. The same night, the rink was hosting a “family night,” so YPRC took advantage of the opportunity to inform skaters about the danger of ending the policies – explaining how, without DACA and TPS, many families just like theirs will be torn apart. Several DACAmented people gave testimonies about the positive impacts DACA and TPS have had on their lives. YPRC loudly demanded legalization for all, a halt to the terrorizing of Black and Brown communities, and an end to tearing apart families!

The Trump administration continues to viciously attack immigrants and pushes its relentless violence on families, working people and immigrants fleeing wars and violence often caused by U.S. imperialism or natural disaster. Through YPRC, Milwaukee is fighting back against these attacks and struggling against the administration. 2018 will bring more victories, more resistance, and more justice!

#MilwaukeeWI #PeoplesStruggles #CarlosMontes #Wisconsin #YPRC