Voces For Change

In episode 9 of Voces For Change, Cristina Jiménez, co-founder and executive director of United We Dream talks about the passing of Rep. John Lewis, an icon of the 1960´s civil rights movement, his legacy and his impact on the immigrant rights movement of today. Lewis often shared his experiences as an African American activist fighting for civil rights with Dreamer activists like Cristina, and he supported comprehensive immigration reform. 
When speaking to reporters or speaking out during a hearing on the Hill, the Georgia congressman often liked to say that it didn´t matter how people came to the U.S. because "we´re now in the same boat." 
Cristina reflects on his words and his body of work, and how his legacy lives on through the fight for immigration reform and social justice. 

Entrevista con Ben Monterroso, un activista con mucha experiencia en la comunidad inmigrante y que predica con el ejemplo. Monterroso emigró ilegalmente de Guatemala a Estados Unidos, donde comenzó desde abajo trabajando como janitor en California. Encontró su vocación como organizador comunitario tras la puesta en marcha de la Propuesta 187, una medida anti-inmigrante del entonces gobernador republicano, Pete Wilson. Desde entonces, ha participado en protestas callejeras, campañas de presión ante el Congreso por una reforma migratoria, y ahora trabaja con Poder Latinx para movilizar el voto hispano en los comicios del próximo 3 de noviembre.
Si necesitan información sobre cómo inscribirse o dónde están los centros de votación más cercanos, envío el texto PODER a 52886 desde su teléfono móvil para recibir detalles. El voto latino será clave en 2020, así es que Monterroso les aconseja: "no se queden en casa!"

For this episode, we reached out to Sara Fernandez, an activist with Project SALUD, a program of the Rural Women's Health Project (RWHP), working to educate farmworkers on many health issues, including COVID-19, in North and Central Florida.
Florida broke a new record of new coronavirus cases over the weekend, with over 18,115 cases. The situation is especially alarming in rural areas, where Hispanic farmworkers harvest fruits and vegetables but they don´t readily have access to information in their own language on how to protect themselves and prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

On the heels of two dramatic Supreme Court rulings, one upholding gay rights in the workplace, and the other halting the end of DACA for Dreamers, we chat with Antonio Arellano, a 29-year old gay Dreamer and interim director of JOLT, the largest civic organization in Texas seeking to mobilize and empower young Latino voters. Arellano discusses the impact of the rulings on the Hispanic community, the next steps in defending DACA, and the failings of political candidates as they seek the Hispanic vote in November, among other hot button issues. 

Exactly 8 years ago today, President Barack Obama announced DACA for thousands of undocumented youth and, any day now, the Supreme Court will decide their fate. A leader in the Dreamer movement, Cesar Vargas made history in 2016, when he became the first undocumented lawyer in NY. He later joined the Army Reserves and, on the verge of getting his US citizenship, he is now working in the NYC council helping to draft pro-immigrant legislation. He tells Dreamers they´re not alone. 

In episode #4, I interview Luis De León, an investigative reporter turned artist, who set down roots in Louisville, Kentucky, after fleeing death threats in Guatemala in 2009. Through his simple drawings he reflects on complex social issues, including the massive street protests against police brutality, and the recent killing of Breonna Taylor, an African American EMT killed by police in error during a drug sting operation in Louisville. One of his drawings very graphically shows an AK-47 next to a silhouette of a dead man in a pool of blood, which brought back traumatic memories from his younger years in Guatemala. He talks about his hopes and fears, and encourages young people to pursue their dreams and to be compassionate. 
De Leon is a firm believer in art as a catalyst for change, both personal and societal. 

In this English-language podcast, Lizbeth Abeln, an activist with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, in Adelanto, California, explains why ICE needs to release immigrant detainees at risk of contracting COVID-19, given how difficult it is to practice social distancing in cells. ICE is the target of lawsuits and reports from human rights groups alleging inadequate care of detainees. 

In this Spanish-language podcast, we talk with Arturo Massol-Deya, an environmental activist with Casa Pueblo, who is leading the charge in Puerto Rico to promote the use of solar panels and reduce environmental pollution driven by fossil fuels. After hurricane "Maria" made landfall in September of 2017, practically the whole island went dark. But    Casa Pueblo, nestled in Adjuntas, was the only place where people could recharge their phones, medical equipment, and. other electrical devices. Massol-Deya argues that solar panels are a good investment, because, based on what happened in Puerto Rico, outages are actually costlier in terms of loss of lives and economic productivity. 

In this Spanish-language podcast, MLB legend, Dennis Martínez, talks about his efforts to raise money for healthcare workers in his native Nicaragua, who are on the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic without adequate protective gear or supplies. Martinez became the first Nicaraguan to play in the Major Leagues. He made history in July of 1991 when, as part of the Montreal Expos, he pitched the "perfect game", beating the L.A. Dodgers 2-0. Martinez has joined efforts through a GoFundMe page to raise $ for Nicaraguan healthcare workers, hoping to get another "perfect game" and strike out the coronavirus. 

In this episode, I explain the scope of this weekly, bilingual episode, where I´ll introduce my audience to people who are making a difference in their local communities across the United States and Puerto Rico, by volunteering, launching businesses, mentoring youth, or advocating for social justice and social change.