Community Voz

Author and musician Rosa Martha Zárate Macías has been working for generations to bring justice to the Braceros who came to the United States from Mexico during World War II, promised wages that many of them did not ever receive. Rosa visited Bellingham to educate the community about the parallels between the Bracero program and today's version of legal slavery, the H2A guest worker program.

To order a copy of Rosa's new book, Our Grandfathers Were Braceros and We, Too... email [email protected]

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Since the end of their union contract in late 2020, workers at Bellingham Cold Storage have been fighting for better wages and against an unreasonable hike in healthcare costs. In this episode, Rich and Heather Ewing from Teamsters 231 give an update on this situation. As of the time of publication, an agreement has still not been reached between the union and management.

Songs in this episode:
There is Power in the Union by Utah Phillips
Solidarity Forever by Pete Seeger
Which Side Are You On? performed by Tom Morello

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On July 9th, 2021, we received the sad news that our dear friend Pedro had passed away. We met Pedro in Brazil in 2020 at the MST encampment Marielle Vive. Pedro welcomed us with open arms and quickly became like family. We honor Pedro's fierce commitment to justice, joy, and a better world, which will live on through the movement. Pedro Filipe Presente.

Thanks to Brenda Bentley for this video clip of the last time we saw Pedro.

Songs in this episode:
Negro Nagô by Banda Pj e Raiz
E Vamos Á Luta by Gonzaguinha
Amigo by Roberto Carlos

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Edgar y Marciano de Familias Unidas por la Justicia brindan contexto y actualizaciones sobre la huelga en Bellingham Cold Storage en Bellingham. Algunos trabahadores dan su perspectiva desde la huelga.  Gracias a Rosa Martha Zárate Macías por las música.

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Queer movement support team members Jenn Gonzalez and Leau Darrow checked in with Liz Darrow this week about what it means when Queer is a verb and why camping is an exclusive activity. Thank you to both you rad folks for spending an hour chatting with us!

Music in Season 7 was generously provided by Rosa Martha Zárate Macías. You can buy her music here.

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In this episode Liz Darrow chats with Kara Black and Mialee Jose from the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship about the burden of white fragility in ally spaces.

Special thanks to Rosa Martha Zárate Macías for providing original music for season seven of Community Voz. You can purchase Rosa's music here.

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On Thursday, June 10th, three farmworkers were violently detained on their way to work in Whatcom County. Their family members did not know where they were being held or how to contact them.  In this episode, Rosalinda Guillen, Brenda Bentley, and Liz Darrow give an update on the workers and discuss the history of the Dignity Dialogue and its purpose in the movement.

Many thanks to Rosa Mathias Zárate for providing music for season 7. You can support Rosa by purchasing her music here.

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En este episodio, Edgar Franks, director politico de Familias Unidas por la Justicia conversa con Armida Rivera, organizadora de Trabajadores Unidas por la Justicia, sobre la reforma migratoria, la tarjeta azul y su perspectiva sobre las condiciones de los trabajodores en el Valle de Yakima.

Un agradecimiento especial a Rosa Martha Zárate Macias por las música. Puedes comprar la música de Rosa aquí.

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In this bilingual episode, Rosalinda Guillen interviews musician and author Rosa Marta Zárate Macias and her editor, Armando Rendón about the upcoming book, "Our Granfathers Were Braceros".

Our Grandfathers Were Braceros is a dual language, Spanish and English, book on the Bracero Program, co-authored by Rosa Marta Zárate Macias and Abei Astorga Morales.
​The authors collected many interviews, research and witness the fact that many Braceros were never paid, however much their labor was critical to the war effort of the USA during WWII.  These Braceros still await their remuneration by the USA government, more than 50 years past due.

Armando Rendón, a native of San Antonio, Texas, is the award-winning author of The Adventures of Noldo books for young adults, the author of Chicano Manifesto (1971, 1996), all of which are available as e-books, and the founder/editor of "Somos en escrito The Latino Literary Online Magazine."

Special thanks to Rosa Marta for providing the beautiful music for season 7 of CommunityVoz. You can support Rosa by purchasing her music here. Stay tuned here for information on the release of Our Grandfathers Were Braceros.

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In the final episode of Season 6, journalist Dena Jensen discusses her latest three part series from Noisy Waters Northwest. Read Dena's series, Anatomy of a Shutdown: How Whatcom Officials Pursue Silencing One Member of the Homeless Strategies Workgroup here:

Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Music in this Episode:
Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones

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