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The Save Our Centro Coalition is a member of the National Association of Latino Arts and Cuture ART |
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The HummingbirdA
New SOCC Newsletter
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1. Sept. 8 Centro Demonstration HighlightsWe would like to thank everyone for participating and supporting the SOCC at Thursday's creative demonstration at the Centro's Fiesta San Diego event. We talked peacefully with many patrons and ended the evening in a positive spirit of music and conversation. Over 20 Fiesta San Diego patrons signed our petition, many commenting that they were disappointed at the quality of the event. A lot of folks remembered all the great year-round programming that used to take place at the Centro and were curious to find out what had happened to their beloved institution. Read Section 5, "Inspiration Point", for Tommie Camarillo's touching story about a couple she met that night. Several people offered their help, and we encouraged them to support the SOCC-led effort to bring the Centro back into harmony with the community. Some of you may be asking, "Why picket? Things are moving ahead aren't they?" While it's true that the Centro is taking baby steps toward resolution, our constant and visible presence keeps the process moving forward. We have found that when we back off on demonstrations, negotiations tend to drag -- but when we mobilize, talks move forward. We look forward to the continuation of dialogue and a successful healing of the rift in our community. For more information about the SOCC-Centro discussions, please read Section 2, Status of the "Peace Talks", below. Images from the SOCC Demonstration on Sept. 8th:
Mary Ellen, a young Brown Beret, stands proudly while holding a sign
A Fiesta San Diego attendee supports the SOCC by signing the Audit Petition
SOCC member Adelina and danzante Endy express what the Centro means to them in paint on canvas 2. Status of the "Peace Talks"Centro Board President Aurelia Flores contacted the SOCC this week with dates for an informal planning session. We are scheduling this session for mid-month and are hopeful that a Community Meeting date will be announced soon. The last time members of the SOCC met with Centro Board Members Aurelia Flores, Juan Zuniga and Nadia Bermudez was June 7. At that meeting the SOCC was promised a response within 2 weeks. A month later, SOCC member Sandra Sarmiento contacted the above mentioned individuals for an update. The only response was that no decision could be made while Ms. Flores was on vacation. Two more months passed with no word from the Centro. During that time, the SOCC began a community outreach effort. Taking the lead from our sister coalition in Los Angeles, the Coalition of Concerned Citizens for Self Help Graphics, the SOCC drafted an Audit Petition requesting detailed information about the Centro's operations and its historic art collection. We have posted our Audit Petition on the SOCC website, along with a list of the more than 100 signatures of people who signed it. As we receive answers/materials to each of our requests, we will post them on the SOCC website in order to inform the general public. A copy of the petition was also sent by registered mail to Centro Board President Aurelia Flores. To view the Audit Petition submitted to the Centro Board, visit: http://www.saveourcentro.org. To read about the SOCC - Selp Help Graphics connection, visit: http://www.laprensa-sandiego.org/archieve/july08-05/graphics.htm 3. Eyes on the Prize - Our Two Main Goals1) A Comprehensive Audit - In order to properly inform the public and dispel rumors and misconceptions, the SOCC has submitted a petition signed by over 100 community members requesting documents detailing the status of the Centro and its historic art collection. If the Centro has been a good custodian of our taxpayer funded assets, then an audit can only act to clear their name. 2) An Open Community Meeting - After the public has access to the facts regarding the state of the Centro (the answers to the Audit Petition as posted on the SOCC website), they will be empowered to offer an informed opinion about how to coordinate a smooth transition to a new administration. To view the Audit Petition submitted to the Centro Board, visit: http://www.saveourcentro.org. 4. Inspiration Point - Tommie Camarillo shares her storyAs you know I had to leave the picket early on Thursday, because I had to take my grandson to his Karate class for his awards night. Anyway when Teresa and I were walking to my car, we met up with a couple going to the event at the Centro. I gave them a leaflet and we talked for a while. The man said he was with some Latino/Hispanic Builders Assoc., anyway he told me he had bought their tickets from one of the Centro Board members. He said he wanted to know why there were people from the community outside and all the suits inside of the Centro. Teresa and I gave him a little of the history and told him to talk to Sandra or Victor Payan for more information. He did ask what the position of Rachael Ortiz and the Chicano Federation was. I told him I did not know. * They both agreed that if it wasn't for the community getting the Centro in the first place, back in 1970, the people in the suits wouldn't be there that evening. * The man looked down at his tickets, looked at the women, then they said they weren't going in and they walked back to their car and drove off. Tommie 5. La Neta - Rebecca Romani's disturbing report about a Centro funderSent out September 8, 2005 Dear Friends, As some of you may know, the Centro Cultural de la Raza is holding a Fiesta San Diego at the Centro (Park Blvd) this evening, in part, as a fund raiser for various scholarships for Latino organizations. While the idea is theoretically laudable, there are two problems, one has todo with the Centro itself and its relationship to local Latino artists, Please see the Save Our Centro Coalition website for more on that issue. However, another, rather horrific, connection has come up. This event is *SPONSORED* in part by SAIC, a local, privately owned defense corporation that has held major, non-bid contacts in Iraq, screwed them up horribly, trained the Iraqi Democratic Project members who are on SAIC's payroll and hold senior positions in Iraqi ministries, and has, through SAIC-Maryland, made possible the Diebold voting machines that have hacked elections around the country. And it goes on: For more background on SAIC, please see the Corpwatch site: http://corpwatch.org/article.php?list=type&type=17 SAIC's participation in this event is particularly heinous given the following: California has contributed 201 to the official list of military deaths in Iraq- the highest of all the states. of those 201, 52 are probably Latino, based on surname and first name. There are probably others. The California border region is the most heavily targeted by military recruiters in the high schools, who also target high school students in Tijuana. And, operating on the idea that this is the house that Jack built, these "potential soldiers" are what helps prolong the conflict in Iraq and fattens SAIC's bottom line. Certainly the Latino community deserves better than to be used by SAIC to launder its reputation as an unrepentant military contractor who has made millions off the travesty of the US-run coalition in Iraq, and who continues to make money both off the continuing conflict in Iraq and off that official Policy of Paranoia; Homeland Security. Please take a moment to read what Corpwatch has to say about SAIC and then either join the demonstration/cultural resistance project in front of the Centro from 5-9 pm or contact the organizations on the Fiesta San Diego list: http://www.fiestasandiego.org and ask them not to accept blood money in exchange for access to Latino Youth. All our youth deserve better than to be groomed, directly or indirectly, by organizations such as SAIC who have shown by their actions that profiteering from conflict, not community development, is why they seek to align themselves with "community" projects. Rebecca 6. SOCC Member Happenings
LOS ALACRANES FEATURED ON SMITHSONIAN CHICANO COMPILATION CD
MURAL RESTORATIONThe Chicano Park Steering Committee is following up its 35th Anniversary celebration by working on a $1.6 million mural restoration project with CalTrans. Sal Barajas and Victor Ochoa are working on a Chicano Park Mural Restoration Guide with help from Sandra Pocha Peña. BALLET FOLKLORICOFormer Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan director Teresa Caballero recently returned from the XXXII Asociacion Nacional de Grupos Folkloricos (ANGF) Conference in San Antonio. She is currently teaching ballet folklorico at the Sherman Heights Community Center. Classes meet on Monday and Tuesday from 6pm-8:30pm. Her dance group is available for performances in San Diego. For more information, please contact Teresa at 619-944-0684 or t.e.caballero@sbcglobal.net. Click here for more member happenings!Valerie Aranda Returns from Italy • Keep on Crossin • more! ! |
Contents1. Sept. 8 Centro Demonstration Highlights 2. Status of the "Peace Talks" 3. Eyes on the Prize - Our Two Main Goals 4. Inspiration Point - Tommie Camarillo shares her story 5. La Neta - Rebecca Romani's disturbing report about a Centro funder 6. SOCC Member
Happenings: Editor's WelcomeThank you everyone for your continued friendship and support. Together we can bring the Centro situation back into harmony with the people. We all deserve a world-class Latino institution in Balboa Park. The SOCC is in full support of increasing the Centro's capacity as a dynamic hub of cutting-edge performances, a showcase exhibition space, and a safe place for youth which offers richly diverse educational opportunities. Si Se Puede! --- Sandra Peña-Sarmiento and Victor Payan Editors, The Hummingbird P.S. Feel free to contact us if you would like assistance with artists, venues and galleries in the San Diego/Tijuana region. Contact us at: SOCC MissionThe SOCC seeks to re-establish the Centro Cultural de la Raza as a relevant and dynamic community cultural Center that is open and responsive to the aspirations of the Chican@/Mexican@/Indigena community; that supports the free expression and liberating qualities of our culture; and that embraces all races, ages, genders and sexual preferences. The e-publication of this newsletter is a donated service by www.pocharte.com and www.flyingserpent.net - providing full-service * Video Production * Technical Writing * Public Relations * Marketing/Promotional Campaigns * Website Design * Grantwriting * Arts Administration * Event Coordination * in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles
Click Here For Aug 2005 News: Click Here For May 2005 News:
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Chunky
Sanchez and Los Alacranes will
be featured in the new Smithsonian Folkways Chicano music compilation
CD 'Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement,' which will
be released on Sept. 13. The album, which borrows the title of the Alacranes'
1978 album, features "Chicano Park Samba" as well as 18 other historic
songs from groups such as Los Lobos, Agustin Lira y Alma, Teatro Campesino,
Trio Casindio, La Rondalla Amerindia de Aztlan, Conjunto Aztlan and
others. In April, the Alacranes went to Denver to pay respect to their
friend Corky Gonzales and perform at the funeral of the beloved Chicano
hero. They were joined in Denver by members of the Raza Rights Coalition.
For more information about the Alacranes, please visit 