Coming Together to Honor Local Activists

On Saturday, April 14, Santa Cruz activists crowded into the First Congregational Church to honor some of their own local heroes. The evening was filled with good food, laughter and inspirational words from a variety of community members. The common link among all attendees: a love and respect for all peoples of the Americas.

Not only did the event bridge the seemingly ever-present divide between young and old, it brought together people from north and south Santa Cruz County. Said event organizer Lois Muhly, "The pulling together of the two ends of our county was an especially gratifying part of the whole proceedings. The more we can do this, the better our north south relations will be." It has been recognized, as evident in the formation of the Monterey Bay Latin America Support Network, that numerous groups in the county are involved in similar struggles and that more can be accomplished if everyone works together.

In all, five local heroes were honored by their respective organizations, Bill Burtch from the Santa Cruz Cuba Caravans, Takashi Yogi of the Cuba Study Group, Ramiro Madrona from the Watsonville Brown Berets, Colleen Crosby nominated by Three Americas, Inc, and Oscar Rios nominated by Barrios Unidos. Congressman Sam Farr also spoke and presented the award to the winner of the Three Americas essay contest, the prize being a scholarship to go on this year's Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba.

Santa Cruz Cuba Caravans organized the event to raise funds for the purchase of a bus for this year's trip to Cuba.