12/11: Raza Youth Conference in San Diego

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Venceremos.
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INTRODUCTION, OBJECTIVES, AND CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Educate! Not Incarcerate!
Raza Youth Conference

Saturday, December 11, 2004

12 Noon to 4 PM

Yo Spot Youth Center Auditorium

41st and Market Street

San Diego, CA

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Listen Raza, Ponte Trucha!

The truth is .....

.

•In California alone, over 100,000 Raza youth are locked up in prisons,
camps, and juvenile halls. They suffer daily from violence, brutality,
loneliness,
and despair.

•The migra hunts down our people as if we were dogs.

•60% Of Raza don’t graduate from High School. Of those that do graduate,
only 10% go on to attend college. This means that less than 5% (5 out of
100)
Raza make it to a college or university.

•Only a handful of High Schools offer Raza Studies or Chicano Studies
classes. This means most Raza don’t learn about our own history.

•The politicians and the media (newspapers, television, etc.) blame Raza for
all the ills (problems) in society.

•Most teachers and other students dislike (and some hate) us because they
see
as foreigners, illegal aliens, or criminals.

•Most people either want to harm or make fun of us.

•For Raza, it is easier to go to jail, than to get a job.


.....To deal with these issues is the reason we are organizing this
conference!

Join The Struggle, Join Somos Raza!

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The Objectives Of This Conference Are:

(1) Raise the consciousness/educate young Raza to the realities of life.

(2) Learn how to deal with the problems facing youth and how to effectively
fight for our rights.

(3) Get young people into the struggle (the movement for peace, justice, and
self-determination).

Join The Struggle, Join Somos Raza!

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Who Is Organizing This Conference?


Somos Raza is youth group founded by Unión del Barrio in 1987. For almost
20
years, Somos has been fighting for Raza rights. We are a member of the
Raza
Rights Coalition. We believe and struggle for:

(1) Keeping Our History and Culture Alive (dignity and knowledge)

(2) The Unity of All Raza (end divisions and fighting amongst ourselves)

(3) The Liberation of Raza (freedom to control our own lives)


This conference is part our Raza Studies Program. Raza Studies Programs are
organized two to three times a year as part of our ongoing work to educate
young people about our history and culture, as well as to teach how to
organize
our community. Through this conference we are not only learning about
issues
of importance to us, but also developing organizing skills such as: choosing
a
theme for a conference, how to put together a conference program
(speakers,
workshops, etc.), developing publicity materials, and how to get others to
support our work.


Join The Struggle, Join Somos Raza!

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Conference Program

Keynote Speakers: Francisco Romero (Committee On Raza Rights, Oxnard,
California), Dulce Hernandez (Somos Raza and San Diego High MEChA), David
Rico (Brown
Berets de Aztlán).

MCs: Sonia Franco (Somos Raza and San Diego High MEChA) Vicky Baltazar
(Brown
Pride and Raza Studies Program).

Discussion Sessions:

•Education, Raza Studies, and the Power To Defend Yourself!

Luis Fuentes (San Diego State MEChA), Esther Martinez (Teacher, Memorial
Academy/ARE (Association of Raza Educators), and Monica Bernal (Somos Raza)

•How To Put An End To Police Brutality and Incarceration

Rommel Diaz (Raza Rights Coalition), George Ramirez (ex-prisoner), and Alan
Rodriguez (Chicano Mexicano Prison Project)

•We didn’t Cross The Border, The Border Crossed Us! -Todos Somos Raza!

Christian Ramirez (Raza Rights Coalition) Juan Orozco (Community Activist),
and Nancy Zepeda (Somos Raza and Mission Bay High MEChA)

•End Barrio Violence and Create Barrio Unity -Organizing For Power!

Robert Tumbuzi (African Community Activist ) Ernesto Bustillos (Teacher,
Memorial Academy/Chicano Mexicano Prison Project), Manuel Sanchez (Brown
Pride/Raza Studies Program)

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Endorsed By

Community Organizations:
•Raza Rights Coalition (San Diego) •Brown Berets (San Diego •Committee On
Raza Rights (Oxnard, Ca.)

MEChAs/Student Organizations:
•San Diego High •Mission Bay High • Patrick Henry High •Sweetwater High
•Montgomery High •Mira Mesa High •Helix High •Castle Park High •Chula
Vista High •Hoover High •Otay Ranch High •San Ysidro Middle School •San
Diego
State
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(619) 696-9224
P.O. Box 620095
San Diego, CA 92162
http:/uniondelbarrio.org