La Raza Round Table – Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Press Conference

Austin City Hall – June 27, 2013

Here are photo & audio moments from the RAZA ROUND TABLE  press conference in support of the HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE REPORT.

La Raza Round Table announces support for HLQL Report

HABLA press conference at ESB MACC

June 5, 2013   Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center  (River/Rainey Street  Austin,TX)

HABLA supporters annouce their opposition their opposition to a developer’s request to purchase city-owned land located at the entrance of ESB MACC

Here are few moments of the press conference at the ESB – MACC.

Hispanic Leaders Oppose Sale of City-owned Land Near Entrance of Mexican American Cultural Center Austin, Texas – Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin (HABLA) hosted a press conference to announce their opposition to a developer’s request to purchase city-owned land located at the entrance of the Mexican American Cultural Center (64 Rainey Street)

For those who couldn’t attend the HABLA press conference at the ESB – MACC, here are audio clips:

Susana Almanza and Hon. Gonzalo Barrientos – Interview with PEOPLE UNITED

People United produced/hosted by Allen Campbell  spoke with PODER Director Susana Almanza and former Texas State Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos about politics and social movements in Austin with reference to the legacy of the late civil-rights and labor leader Cesar Chavez, who is being honored with a march SaturdayMarch 23 that begins at 10 am at Terrazas Library in East Austin and culminates in an 11 am rally at Austin City Hall Plaza, all on the street that bears his name.

Susana Almanza – PODER

Hon. Gonzalo Barrientos

‘Si Se Puede’ March 2012

Dr. Sylvia Herrera – Chicana Leadership

 “From the Tank Farms in East Austin to Immigration Struggles in Arizona and Beyond”

Saturday March 2, 2013  –  Southwest Key’s El Centro de Familia – 6002 Jain Lane 78721

 

March 2, 2013 marked a moment to celebrate Dr. Sylvia Herrera, a longtime community organizer on civil, social, environmental and economic justice issues.  Dr. Herrera is a native East Austinite who earned her Ph.D  in 1998 (University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education)  and she is a founding member of PODER (People Organized in Defense of Earth and her Resources) . Her research has examined health impacts in neighborhoods surrounding the Tank Farm (benzene) the Holly Street Power Plant (Electro Magnetic Fields-EMFs, noise) and the BFI Recycling Center (Noise, rodents).

Family, friends and supporters gathered to hear her speak about her work with PODER in East Austin and her current involvement on immigration rights issues in Phoenix, Arizona.The event was held at and sponsored by PODER and Resistencia Bookstore/Red Salmon Arts.

 

 

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Austin’s Rosewood Neighborhood – Booksigning at Resistencia Bookstore

November 9, 2012  Resistencia Bookstore  1801-A South First Street, Austin  TX

Austin’s Rosewood Neighborhood – booksigning/presentation at Resistencia Bookstore

Here a few moments from a presentation & book signing of AUSTIN’S ROSEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD written by Jane.H Rivera PhD & Gilberto C. Rivera.   Both authors have been neighborhood activists in Rosewood for decades. Their book is based on interviews with their neighbors, personal photographs, and information from the Austin History Center.

Caravan for Peace with Justice and Dignity AUSTIN STOP

Austin – Texas Capitol  Saturday August 25, 2012

Here are a few moments from the Austin stop of the CARAVAN FOR PEACE WITH JUSTICE AND DIGNITY led by Javier Sicilia.

Sponsors of the Austin event included the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, MORENA Austin, St. James’ Episcopal Church, Texas NORML, Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera, SOA Watch Austin, Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Drug Policy Alliance and the human rights nonprofit GLOBAL EXCHANGE.

I encourage people to find out more about each organization if you want to support the movment on a local level.

Within the week, I aim to include more photos on my website from the rally and the dinner held at the St.James’ Episcopal Church.

Most of the rally included testimonies from protesters who have lost family members to the violence in Mexico due to the Drug War.

Many thanks to Ana Yanez-Correa, Leah Pinney, Craig Adair, Oscar Ponce,  the various wonderful translators (Catalina Nieto and John Pluecker)  , Jennifer Elena Mendoza (photo assistant)  and my family (Eileen, Iris & Nora).

CARAVAN TESTIMONIALS (AUDIO FIELD RECORDINGS)

Javier Sicilia

Marco Antonio Castillo (Caravan coordinator) introduces Ricardo ‘Richie’ Rivera

Environmental Justice – The Relocation of the BFI Recycling Plant (Austin,TX.)

On the occasion of the start of structural demolition of the Holly Street Power Plant, here is a May 1997 archival documentary produced by Rene Renteria & PODER (People Organized in Defense of Earth and her Resources)  about grassroots organizing to relocate the BFI Recycling Plant located in East Austin.  Like the Holly Street Power Plant, the recycling center was another concurrent example of “environmental racism” in  East Austin.
 
Production credits also include: Lisa Sánchez González (narration/script) & Maria Loya (interviewer/translation)
 
For over 20 years, East Austin residents and various community organizations called for the removal of the plant due to public health and safety concerns related to air pollution, extreme noise levels, rodent/roach infestations and fires.  The industrial facility was situated in close proximity to homes, parks, schools and churches.

Environmental Justice – Shutting Down Holly Street Power Plant (Austin,TX.)

On the occasion of the start of structural demolition of the Holly Street Power Plant, here is a 1994 archival mini-documentary produced by  Rene Renteria  & PODER (People Organized in Defense of Earth and her Resources) which features the story about grassroots organizing to shut down the Holly Power Street Power Plant located in East Austin.
 
For nearly 30 years, East Austin residents and various community organizations called for the removal of the plant due to public health and safety concerns related to air pollution, extreme noise levels, chemical spills and fires.  The industrial facility was situated in close proximity to homes, parks, schools and churches.

Radio Documentary Project — Austin History Center and ‘Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County’

 

Mexican American Trailblazers of Austin & Travis County

Besides documentary photography, I occasionally create audio projects that link my interests in community affairs and Chicano history. Here is a radio program that I produced at a volunteer, Austin community radio station – KOOP 91.7fm The show aired on “People United” hosted by Allen Campbell.

The program spotlighted the Austin History Center & the exhibit , ‘Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County’. The exhibit celebrates and recognizes the lives of thirty-two extraordinary individuals who have lived in Austin and Travis County and were the first to blaze a trail within their respective communities in the areas of Arts, Business, Education, Humanities, Media, Politics, Public Health, Public Service and Sports.   The exhibit continues till January 16, 2011.

This exhibit is the first time the center has featured a program exclusively of Latinos to tell the history of the City of Austin.