Luis J. Rodriguez

Posted By Luis J. Rodriguez on July 2, 2009

I was in the LA Federal Courtroom on Tuesday, June 30, when bail was denied to Alex Sanchez. The courtroom, filled with Sanchez supporters, fell into a deep silence. Respectfully we remained calm as we slowly left the courthouse and building. Outside a press conference and rally was held to denounce the injustice in denying bail to Alex. He had more than 110 letters of support from former FBI officials to former gang members whose lives were turned around by Alex and Homies Unidos. He had more than $1.1 million dollars in assured surety affidavits (people committed to provide funds to assure bail) as well as one person’s house as collateral (this is hard to do from poor community members with no such assets, but former State Senator Tom Hayden made this offer in the court).

If ever there was a case to set bail, this was it. By denying bail in the face of so much support and assured funds makes the whole bail process a travesty–why even bother with bail hearings if there is no way to differentiate between circumstances? Everyone assured the court that Alex is not a flight risk–he has three children and a wife, siblings (one younger brother has cancer), and his mother in LA. If he runs to El Salvador, he would violate his hard-won amnesty and possibly face death from death squads and others who targeted Alex when he was last in the country.

Alex faces serious charges but he would not risk his family and community to violate any conditions of his bail. This was clear. Still the federal magistrate went solely on the government’s lawyers who claimed Alex would be a danger to the community–a claim they neither substantiated except with the flimsiest of evidence.

For example, the government lawyers used Homies Unido’s very effective tattoo removal program against Alex. They gave the judge a photo of Alex with “Mara Salvatrucha” tattooed across his chest. They questioned why Alex would still have this tattoo when Homies Unidos touted the strong transformative nature of removing gang tattoos. The point of fact was that Alex had removed tattoos from his arms and visible parts of his body. The MS on his chest is not visible and would he costly and extremely painful to remove. Tattoo removal experts do not recommend this.

The government also produced a “poem” and photos of Alex with alleged MS members at a Gang Peace Summit from ten years before. And they cited a recent routine shakedown by police of MS members that supposedly included Alex, although Alex is known to work these streets as a gang intervention expert. No arrests were made nor any crimes alleged in this shakedown. Yet this also served to help convince the judge that Alex was a “danger” to the community.

Alex, mind you, is facing serious charges, including racketeering and conspiracy to murder. The government had an LAPD police officer testify that he’s heard more than two dozen wiretaps that supposedly includes Alex as several people discuss the murder of someone in El Salvador. None of those tapes were produced. The officer’s testimony did not provide any hard or strong evidence that Alex was involved in any such murder. Of course, all evidence will be provided during the trial, but for the purposes of setting bail this testimony only tainted the process.

Alex is facing a life sentence of he loses this case. One key issue is the wide net that the government created to pull in so-called “shot callers,” members and associates of MS-13, which they consider a criminal enterprise, although there is no known hierarchal structure in an association that includes thousands of members, most of which have no ties to crimes, murders, or otherwise. That’s not to say that MS members don’t include murderers and criminals, but street gangs are not the same as a high-level criminal organizations. The RICO Act, meant to go after such organizations, is now being used against street gangs in which many members, if not the majority, can be provided jobs, training, tattoo removal, spiritual and material resources so that they DON’T end up in crime or prison.

That’s what Alex was doing with Homies Unidos. He’s brokered peace. He’s turned kids against gang violence and crime. He’s played a major role in developing community-based gang intervention policies in LA and other cities.

I’ve read Internet statements by people who believe whatever the Feds and other government officials claim. Remember, these are the same entities that railroaded Geronimo Pratt and many 60s activists; who murdered George Jackson and Fred Hampton, among others; who railroaded the Chicanos in the Sleepy Lagoon case and others over several decades.

I can go on and on.

We will keep fighting for freedom for Alex Sanchez. It will be a long and protracted struggle, but we will not give up. We are all Alex Sanchez.

c/s

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Posted By Luis J. Rodriguez on July 1, 2009

Last Saturday, June 27, Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural held its fourth Celebrating Words: Written, Performed & Sung literacy & arts festival at Mission College in Sylmar, CA. Hundreds of people came, including families, young people, older people, Mexicans, Central Americans, other Latinos, African Americans, Asians, European Americans–a cross section of our city. On stage we had musicians, poets, performance, including Danza Azteca, Noxdiel, Guerrilla Queens, Mama Hazze Hip Hop, Poets of the Round Table, Mezklah, Raices y Matrices, and many more. Local vendors as well as community service organizations had booths. There was also a wonderful art exhibit. And we had free books as well as books for sale through Tia Chucha’s bookstore.

Below is a piece written by Frankie Firme for Latino LA! We appreciate the love. Make sure to check out Tia Chucha’s Benefit event at the Ford Amphitheater on August 2, 2009 with La Santa Cecilia, zocaloZue, Kyamanan Ng Lahi, Temachtia Quetzalcoatl, Luis Rodriguez, and our host, Herbert Siguenza of Culture Clash. Go to www.fordtheatres.org for tickets ($5 for students and children, $25 for adults).

________

Thank You, Tia Chucha
Celebrating Words Festival shines a light on friendship and understanding,
the sense of community and creative forces at work.
By Frankie Firme, Contributing Editor
Published on LatinoLA: June 29, 2009

Like a flashback in time, I recently became aware of something missing in my life, my children’s life, and now my grandchildren’s life… the spoken word metamorphosed into a life’s lesson.

I remember when I was around 8 years old, one of my younger cousins had burned her hand grabbing onto a hot iron… and my Mom and tias sitting around a table playing cards and dominoes, sharing chismes and wine, and talking about how hurt my cousin had gotten for a couple of years afterwards, but also admonishing all us kids within listening range NOT to do that.

“Touch it with a wet finger first”, or “make sure it’s unplugged before you grab it”, or lastly, “make sure nobody else has something to iron before you put it away” were additional anecdotes we received whenever this story came up during large family visits and gettogethers…something that doesn’t happen anymore among this current “adult” generation now passing the 30 year mark. (too busy texting on “twitter” I guess…)

This might not make ANY sense among the permanent press-wash and wear-look like you just got out of bed look generation, but ironing your clothes used to be tantamount to showering, shaving, and combing your hair …. something that comes into question for some younger guys nowadays… that now seems a lost art left to cholos, military men & women, and owners of dry cleaners. It gave a message that reflected how you cared about yourself, how others looked at you, what others thought were possibilities in you, and your willingness to be around people without fear of rejection because you know you looked good.

The point here is that my last three paragraphs were a message, a lesson, a joke, a bit of history, and lastly, a bit of familiarity all put into one medium for you all to absorb and digest at your convenience… the written word.

And if you can’t read, I could have spoken these points to you in person like my Mom and Tias would have (GOD bless all our their resting souls) with more color and smile-provoking side statements than 20 paragraphs.

Communication as a peaceful way of learning and sharing the world with one another is going the way of another soon to be lost art ~ manners and common courtesy (See Edie Adler’s piece Not So Common Courtesy

That being said, I feel fortunate to have joined around 1,000 people or so attending the 4th Annual CELEBRATING WORDS FESTIVAL held last Saturday afternoon at Mission College in Sylmar, courtesy of TIA CHUCHA’S CENTRO CULTURAL.

A free family event co-sponsored by the L.A. City Department of Cultural Affairs and a handful of optimistic and supportive local political leaders that still see hope in the future, the day-long event featured music, dancers, poetry readings, food, refreshments, souvenirs, books and magazines for all ages, arts and crafts, community resource booths, a farmer’s market, and a real chance for people to get together and communicate, while appreciating the wonder and beauty of art for it’s own sake… and the sake of humanity.

“Yeah! We’re facing tough economic times, and government on all levels are making cuts and doing away with programs and other services that they may not see as essential… but what could be more essential than art & creativity in our lives and community?” internationally acclaimed writer, poet, lecturer, and founder of TIA CHUCHA’S CENTRO CULTURAL Luis Rodriguez said as he opened the program with a welcoming message. “It didn’t take any creativity to get us into this current financial mess we’re in…but it will take a lot of creativity to get us out of it, and nothing establishes and promotes creativity more than art and culture in our lives. Let’s share and enjoy this today, I welcome you!”

And with that, a colorful program of Native American, Azteca, hip-hop (yeah, hip-hop!), spoken poetry, and contemporary dancesand& music were magically blended together for everyone’s enjoyment under a clear blue sky and cool California breezes, with fresh food cooking, happy children running around playfully, and different generations of people coming together in an almost tribal way that somehow seemed very welcoming & familiar to me.

There were job booths and college recruiters, book stands offering FREE books and magazines (I scored on a free, rare copy of James Crawford’s 1992 classic book “Hold Your Tongue - Bilingualism and the Politics of English Only”, a book that exposed the sophistication racial bigotry had evolved into), fortune tellers, artistic painters and crafters, and people just talking to each other.

“You know, it’s a trip nowadays, just to walk up and greet a stranger,” one of TIA CHUCHA’s staff said on stage while introducing some of the performers. “I guess because of all the electronic devices, cell phones, twitter, MySpace, and text messaging junk available today, people have almost lost the art of spoken word. I say hello or good morning to somebody, for no reason at all but just to say it being courteous, and some people get uncomfortable, wondering what do I want… that’s the sad reality of some people today.”

Like a trip back into the 1960’s and 1970’s when hope and individuality sprang like a gushing well from the restrictive and white controlled confine our society had become during the Cold War , here were talented poets, publicly speaking their soul and trade on stage, giving messages of life, love, hope, reality, and heartache as beautiful as a song to all that would listen, drawing enthusiastic applause.

I had almost forgot what it was like to have a poet give my soul a motivating and educational shock…the kind that had encouraged my 1970’s post Chicano Movimiento-Viet Nam era generation to head for college rather than the factories or produce fields that once existed in abundance in Southern California.

As I sat there, eating my warm fresh tacos, rice and beans under the shade and taking it all in while beautiful music, aromas, conversation, and laughter filled the air… I felt bad that only a mere 1,000 or so people were fortunate enough to share this peace, this wholesome art, the smiles of friendship and understanding, the sense of community, and the creative forces at work on this day….

Thank you, TIA CHUCHA’s…. I will be back to see you again…. and I’m bringing friends!

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Posted By Luis J. Rodriguez on June 30, 2009

The FBI and federal prosecutors have built up a racketeering case, including murder, against 24 alleged “shot callers,” members and associates of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). For years, the authorities have demonized this gang, which as I’ve written before, is one of our own making. In the 1980s, civil wars that we as a government took part in helped send a fifth of El Salvador’s population, and also from Guatemala and Honduras, as refugees to Los Angeles and other major cities (tens of thousands of people were killed).

In LA, some of the children of these refugees joined existing and older Chicano gangs–like 18th Street–or created their own, such as MS-13. Unfortunately, soon after the 1992 LA Rebellion immigration authorities created a National Gang Task Force targeting “immigrant” gangs for deportation. Tens of thousands of 18th Street and MS-13 members were repatriated to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and parts of Mexico (along with other LA-based gangs). By 1996 immigration law changed to facilitate the deportation of undocumented convicted felons and those in jails for more than a year, resulting in some 700,000 people repatriated–enough to change most cultures.

The growth of MS-13 and 18th Street in Central America is a direct result of these misguided and draconian policies. We not only deported young people often raised in our prisons and juvenile facilities, but exported the LA-based gang culture as well. Many abandoned children and youth in Central America from war and poverty -have now become part of MS-13 or 18th Street. Instead of providing jobs, schooling, material and spiritual resources to this issue, these gangs faced Mano Dura (Firm Hand) policies, imprisonment, death squads, “social cleansing” policies, and more poverty.

Alex Sanchez was a member of MS-13 until he turned his life around and became a leader in urban peace and gang prevention/intervention. Despite facing deportation, and being targeted by officers in the infamous LAPD Ramparts Gang Unit, Alex was given amnesty and allowed to continue his work to help other youth turn their lives around. For the past eleven years Alex helped make Homies Unidos into a viable gang prevention/intervention model–with tattoo removal, counseling, jobs, life skills training, and more. Alex has spoken out against the ongoing imprisonment and throwing away of our young people. And he has spoken out against the demonization and targeting of so-called immigrant gangs such as MS-13.

Unfortunately, Alex now faces life sentences in the recent RICO Act indictments against MS-13–he was named and arrested as one of the 24 alleged conspirators.

We in the community, especially those who know Alex’s tireless efforts to help troubled youth in and out of gangs, are appalled at this latest attempt to silence Alex and keep him imprisoned and away from the vital work he started at Homies Unidos. We know him as a genuine leader, decent father, husband, brother, and son. Alex represents the best of our community and we can’t let this injustice stand..

I invite anyone who can to help support Alex Sanchez’ Freedom by joining us tomorrow, June 30, Tuesday, at 1 PM for a silent rally outside the US District Court, 312 North Spring Street in downtown LA. Then at 2 PM, we plan to quietly fill the courtroom with his supporters on the 8th FLoor, Court D, where a bail hearing will be held. No cameras, cell phones, IPods, laptops will be allowed (IDs must be provided).

Please help bring fairness and justice for Alex Sanchez. I’ll try to keep everyone updated on his case and our efforts on his behalf.

c/s

[ UPDATES: On Wed., July 1, 2009, the Los Angeles Time published an article titled: "Nationally Known Anti-Gang Leader Accused in Killing Won't Get Bail."

Also - videos from the June 30 Press Conference following the denial of bail for Alex Sanchez can be viewed at the "We Are Alex Sanchez" channel on YouTube. Tom Hayden spoke at the press conference, saying: "The bad news is our brother Alex is in the pen for some while, the good news is there will be an appeal, and in my expert judgement I have never seen a weaker case brought by the Los Angeles Police Department than this one."

On March 12, 2009, Alex Sanchez addressed a UCLA forum on "Global Perspectives on Youth & Violence." You can view his opening address on YouTube, as well as watch videos from the entire forum. ]

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Posted By Luis J. Rodriguez on June 26, 2009

We’re back with a new blog program and blogposts! My good friends and supporters. I apologize for not posting blogs this past few weeks. I’ve been extremely busy with finishing up a new book for Touchstone Books/Simon & Schuster, due August 1 and slated for Fall 2010 release. I also continued my travels and lectures, my work for Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural, my other community work, and “Keeping up with the Rodriguez’s” (including my four children and four grand-children).

But we also made the switch to WordPress, which is due to the hard work and diligence of my web designer and collaborator, the renowned Chicano artist Mark Vallen.

Until my book is done I’ll only do sporadic posts, so please bear with me.

Meantime, I want to inform people about the federal indictments against my friend and fellow peace activist Alex Sanchez. These are serious charges against him and 23 other alleged “shot callers,” “members,” and “associates” of the Mara Salvatrucha. You know I’ve written about MS-13 and 18th Street in various articles, books, and posts due to my work as an expert on gangs in the United States, Mexico, and Central America.

I know Alex very well. He’s a genuine leader for peace and turning youth away from gangs, violence, and drugs. He’s a founder and current director of Homies Unidos, one of the most active and prominent gang prevention and intervention programs in the city. He’s also a solid father, husband, brother, and son.

Many of us are doing what we can to help him make bail, if needed, for his next court hearing on Tuesday, June 30 at 2 PM. If anyone is interested in being part of the group that will stand vigil at the courthouse, please contact Mirna at (213) 291-5494 for more information. The address of the federal court is 312 Spring Street, 8th Floor, Court D, in downtown LA.

Also a community forum is set for this Sunday, June 28 at 6 PM at CARECEN, 2845 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90005.

I’ll try to provide more updated information as it comes.

I’m also encouraging the community to attend the free “Celebrating Words” Literacy & Arts Festival at Mission College in Sylmar this Saturday, June 27 from 3 to 9 PM. We’ll have vendors, a children’s area, food, books (for free and to sell), author signings, as well as a stage with Azteca danza, indigenous blessings, bands, poetry, performance, and more.

And I send a big rest in peace to the talented, troubled, but no doubt amazing Michael Jackson.

c/s

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Posted By Luis J. Rodriguez on May 12, 2009

After driving five hours (I stopped a lot along the way) from Madison, Wisconsin to Pontiac, Illinois, on May 3 I rested so I could have a good five hours with my son the next day. Ramiro is staying in the Pontiac prison complex that includes a maximum security and minimum security prison. Because of his “shortness” in time–Ramiro is slated to be released in February of 2011–he’s in the medium security prison with his own cell. Many of the prisoners in both joints have been removed when Department of Corrections planned to close the prison complex. But that has apparently changed–new prisoners are being brought in every day.

It’s always good to talk with Ramiro. Despite twelve years of incarceration, Ramiro has tried to better himself with two associate of arts degress and a couple of certificates (in horticulture, landscaping and cuisine), but this stopped when the DOC backed off from any educational programs for prisoners–a big mistake, but no accident: prisons live off people unprepared except to return to prison.

Ramiro now gives advice and sage counsel to his teenage kids when he can talk to them–they are now 17, 15, and 13. He also helps his mother, myself, and sister. He is removed from the daily dramas we all go through and he prides himself in thinking through issues. He still has problems with his own concerns, but I have to say he’s doing well emotionally, at least as well or better than most of us in the free world.

That night I went to visit my friend James Lilly and family in LaGrange, IL. James is a champion wheelchair racer. He was paralysed when he was fifteen by rival gang bullets in Chicago. And James now speaks to kids about gangs and violence throughout the country. He’s a strong family man–he has three young boys. He had two of his sons in two parks playing baseball league games, and a baby on his lap.

You can check a trailer about his life documentary calledy “Pushin’ Forward” on www.pushin-forward.net.

The next morning I drove to Chicago–a city close to my heart, having lived there for fifteen years–to have breakfast with my friends in Juvenile Justice work: Amanda Klonsky; her father, a long-time progressive educator, Mike Klonsky; my friend and juvenile justice lawyer, Bernardine Dohrn; among others. Then I spoke to a group of young incarcerated men at the Juvenile Detention in Chicago, once the largest youth lockup in the world (now I believe the Sylmar Juvenile Hall, near my home in Sylmar, CA, is the largest).

The boys were creating music, poems, Hip Hop pieces, and murals. They had access to computers and teachers. It’s been a big change from the last time I was there when the whole place was falling apart (about a year ago). The new director also came to my talk, and even read a few poems from the young men. Ryan Griesling is directing a special program there for almost ten years, and it’s working.

That evening, I spoke at a detention home for undocumented youth run by the Hearland Alliance. My good friend Gerardo Serna set this up. We both spoke in Spanish to a group of about fifteen youth. Staff and I believe a couple of parents were also in attendance. I ended up giving most of the books I brought to them. They in turn wrote me letters and a thank you card.

I spent the rest of the week dealing with family and friends. I spent a nice evening with my granddaughter Anastasia. On Saturday, May 9, many of my friends and family took part in the graduation ceremony for Tanee Blazquez who just received her BA. This was held at the American Indian Center. I’ve known Tanee since she was twelve years old (she’s now 26) when she got involved with Youth Struggling for Survival with her whole family. Frank and Lou Blazquez, her parents, and their son Frankie also took part. They’ve been active in YSS ever since.

I was so proud of Tanee, to see her develop into the beautiful, smart and spiritually engaged young leader she’s become. She’s now married to “Chek It,” one of the founders of Chicago Tribe Breakdancing group, and a YSS leader himself. Anastasia came as well as her grandmother, Camila, and her husband Alvin Thompson also showed up.

Many long-time YSS members were there. It was so good to re-connect with them, as well as the younger youth who are now taking part.

The weekend of Mother’s Day, I ended up in DeKalb, IL with the Blazquez family and their guest, the Lakota elder/teacher/medicine man, Ed Featherman (Young Man Afraid of His Horse), who facilitated Tanee’s ceremony. He’s always a great person to talk to, to learn from, to find guidance.

I want to wish my beautiful wife Trini a happy birthday - on May 8 - and a Happy Mother’s Day. This is also the first Mother’s Day I’ve had without my mother, who passed away last October. I know she’s with us in spirit. I love them both very much.

c/s

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Posted By Luis J. Rodriguez on May 3, 2009

The recitation of poems by master poets like Martin Espada, Allen Ginsberg, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Edna St Vincent Millay resounded in the Lisner Auditorium in Washington DC where the national finals of the Poetry Out Loud competition were held the last week of April. The recitation contests involved some 300,000 high school students from around the country. Like last year, I was invited to be one of the finals judges, something I truly prize. Seeing young people recite powerful poems, with the emphasis, understanding, subtleties, and respect these poems deserve is truly an inspiring thing.

This year’s final judges included my long-time friend (and Tia Chucha Press poet and National Book Award nominee) Patricia Smith, A Prairie Companion’s Garrison Keillor, actress Tyne Daly, journalist Jeffrey Brown, poet Suji Kwock Kim, and Tim McCarty of “Quest: Arts for Everyone.”

Poetry Out Loud is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation of Chicago.

We had to determine who would get the $20,000 in scholarships as this year’s Poetry Out Loud champion from the twelve finalists. After outstanding presentations from all the finalists, William Farley of Viriginia took the top prize. His emotional response was met by that of his young brother and parents–they were all so proud of William.

Poetry was big for me these past few weeks. Previously at Xavier College Prep High School in the Coachella Valley of Southern California, I read poetry with former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins. Also Tia Chucha Press just released the astounding collection of Kansas City poet Linda Rodriguez (no relation, except in the larger sense of “we are all related”), entitled “Heart’s Migration.” You can find this on Amazon.com as well as any major and independent bookstores (ask for it).

And then after the Poetry Out Loud finals, I talked and read poetry to Blair High School Students in Maryland, and later in Virginia at a Youth Community Center, both due to the efforts of long-time activists and friends, Luis Cardona and Susan Cruz.

I flew from Washington DC to Chicago, where I rented a car and drove the two hours to Madison, Wisconsin to take part in The Progressive magazine’s 100th Anniversary. I’ve been a columnist for The Progressive the past two years (a poem and an essay is part of a 100th Year Anniversary Anthology recently released by the University of Wisconsin Press). I was a panelist on a Civil Rights panel, and I read poetry–along with poets and speakers such as Martin Espada, Dolores Huerta, Naomi Klein, and others.

Later Robert Redford and Howard Zinn held a reception where I got to speak to Mr. Zinn (his talk on US wars taught me more significant history than all my history classes). I also got to speak briefly with Mr. Redford–he remembered that I was a Sundance Institute Fellow for Arts Writing. In the mid-2000s, I took part in a film lab, workshops & panels, and two film festivals where Mr. Redford was in attendance.

I was most honored to again share the stage with labor leader Dolores Huerta. She is the consummate labor and community organizer, presently promoting the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Her talk was instructive, wise, personable, and an example of how to engage one’s audience. I also saw Jesse Jackson in the lounge area of the Hilton hotel–he was among the key presenters.

I want to thank Matt Rothschild and the staff of The Progressive for inviting me to share in this historic event. Several hundred people were in attendance from all areas of struggle. And there was much inspiring and unifying talks and presentations to dramatize that progressive politics in the United States, especially in this age of change, is strong and growing.

I left feeling renewed.

I wanted to also thank Eric Shager and the students of the Work and Learn Center of Madison. For fourteen years, they’ve been reading “Always Running” and communicating with me through the Internet and email. I spoke to Eric’s class, something I try to do whenever I get back to this liberating city. They had poignant and well thought-out questions.

AND I’m grateful to Alex Gillis and the organizers of this year’s May Day Rally, held at the steps of the state’s Capitol building and the county building. I was one of the speakers to several hundred participants, including labor leaders, immigrant rights activists, and community people. I didn’t have much time, so I gave a rousing talk, directed to the many young people in the audience, in Spanish and English. I encouraged them to keep organizing, keep getting consciousness and knowledge, and to make their own history. I was very pleased by the inspired response after my talk.

Today I drove several hours from Madison to Pontiac, IL, site of one of the state’s major prison complexes. I’m here to see my son, Ramiro, tomorrow in one of the prisons. Since his incarceration twelve years ago, I try to visit with him whenever I’m in the Chicago area. Despite all we’ve been through, my son and I are very close.

c/s

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