Days before the 15th Annual Fiesta Boricua, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) unveiled two news additions to the cultural landscape of Paseo Boricua. These cultural expressions, a mural and sculpture, add to the uniqueness of Paseo Boricua, nuestro “pedacito de patria.”

Renowned Puerto Rican artists Pablo Marcano and Rosana Vazquez Medina presented their newest mural in Humboldt Park to over 100 people. The mural is found at the new annex of the PRCC (2700 W. Haddon). The mural, which is composed of several parts, features colorful renditions of Juan Antonio Corretjer and Lolita Lebrón; two important 20th century figures in Puerto Rico. These figures represent the legacy of struggle and resistance that characterize the PRCC’s community work. This is not the first local mural created by Marcano. He is the artist responsible for the mosaic mural of Roberto Clemente that adorns the outside of Roberto Clemente High School (1147 N. Western Ave).

Along with the mural, the PRCC unveiled a five-foot tall bust of Juan Antonio Corretjer. The extremely talented Puerto Rican artist, Juan Nuñez, designed the impressive sculpture. It is an exact replica of the original work found in the entrance of the mountainous town of Ciales, the birthplace of Corretjer. In Chicago, the bust currently resides in the first floor of Bickerdike’s La Estancia Building (on the corner of Division and California).

These works were created to commemorate the Centennial of Juan Antonio Corretjer and 35th anniversary of the founding of the PRCC. In honor of a history that continues to be made, these artistic productions affirm Corretjer’s famous assertion: “Yo sería Borincano, aunque naciera en la luna.”

Xavier “Xavi” Luis Burgos

Exactly 140 years ago, on September 23, 1868, the beginnings of a national Puerto Rican identity emerged with a sudden act of revolt in the town of Lares against the Spanish colonial authority. The date also marks the third anniversary of the FBI assassination of Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, an advocate and leader of the independence movement and the 40th anniversary of a major Vietnam War act of protest in Lares. On this 140th anniversary of “El Grito de Lares,” the Puerto Rican community of Humboldt Park came together to commemorate these important historical events.

Although the revolt lasted but a few days, it changed the relationship between Puerto Rico and Spain. Slavery was abolished in 1873, one of the priorities of the revolution. El Grito also sent a dramatic message to the world that there were a unique people that lived on the island of Puerto Rico. Due to the significance of the revolt in the creation of who we are and our national symbols, (the original Puerto Rican flag, modeled after the Dominican flag, was created by Mariana Bracetti for the revolt), an event was held at the Batey Urbano community youth space on Paseo Boricua. The event included an art exhibition of the two remaining Puerto Rican political prisoners, Oscar López Rivera and Carlos Alberto Torres, poetry from the youth of the Batey Urbano and Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School (PACHS), and a historical overview of the revolt and the Vietnam War protest presented by José E. López, Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. In addition, Jan Susler from the People’s Law Office provided an update on the assassination of Ojeda Ríos, which was condemned all over the world, including by the Puerto Rican government.

Students from the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School have been working as curators. They are helping to plan and organize the first-ever exhibit of Puerto Rican materials at the Newberry Library, an internationally known cultural institution and research library in Chicago. In March, the students from Saul Melendez’s Puerto Rican Cultural and History class all received reader’s cards and were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the climate-controlled building where the rare and valuable materials in the library are stored. Since then, the student curators have worked to research and select the final objects to be shown, grouping the objects into themes, and crafting the final exhibit descriptions. The students had access to the library’s large collection of Puerto Rican materials including Spanish manuscripts from the 1600s, original rarely seen photographs, government documents, resources for tracing family histories, and maps from the Spanish-American War. “Few students get to handle things that are even a hundred years old, but we got to handle things that are four hundred years old,” remarked Warren Elmore, a student in Mr. Melendez’s class.

This has been a special opportunity for both the students as well as for the Newberry, as it is the first time high school students have ever curated an exhibit at the research institution. The goal of the exhibit, entitled “Puerto Rican History through the Eyes of Others,” was to allow students to learn how to do research using primary sources. It also provided students an opportunity to engage with history by speaking back to those who have tried to describe and define Puerto Rico over the centuries.
The exhibit came out of an ongoing collaboration with the Puerto Rican Cultural Center and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Community Informatics Initiative. Some of the student curators will also be participating in this year’s “Community as Intellectual Space” conference hosted by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in collaboration with the University of Illinois. A reception for “Puerto Rican History through the Eyes of Others” will take place on June 11, 2008 at the Newberry Library (60 W. Walton Street). All are invited to celebrate the opening of this exhibit, which will be open to the public through July 12.

Desde las ondas del mar
que son besos a su orilla,
una mujer de Aguadilla
vino a New York a cantar
pero no sólo a llorar
un largo llanto y morir.
De ese llanto yo nací
como en la lluvia una fiera.
Y vivo en la larga espera
de cobrar lo que perdí.

Por un cielo que se hacia
más feo que mas más volaba
a Nueva York se acercaba
un peón de Las Marías.
Con la esperanza, decía,
de un largo día volver.
Pero antes me hizo nacer
y de tanto trabajar
se quedó sin regresar:
reventó en un taller.

De una lágrima soy hijo
y soy hijo del sudor
y fue mi abuelo el amor
único en mi regocijo
del recuerdo siempre fijo
en aquel cristal de llanto
como quimera en el canto
de un Puerto Rico de ensueño
y yo soy puertorriqueño,
sin ná, pero sin quebranto.

Y el echón que me desmienta
que se ande muy derecho
no sea en lo más estrecho
de un zaguán pagua la afrenta.
Pues según alguien me cuenta:
dicen que la luna as una
sea del mar o sea montuna.
Y así le grito al villano:
yo sería boricano
aunque naciera en la luna.

Jodene Velázquez

On March 9, before a crowd of over 100, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) organized a multifaceted International Women’s Day celebration that was intergenerational, educational, and of symbolic importance for our community.

The event began with opening comments by the Director of Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School, Lourdes Lugo, who passionately conveyed the historical role of Puerto Rican women in the independence movement. As part of the “100×35” campaign, Lugo also spoke on the example of national poet and leader Juan Antonio Corretjer, who supported the women’s liberation struggle in Puerto Rico, which at his time was very uncommon. Her comments were followed by a brief, but informative presentation by the coordinator of the National Boricua Human Rights Network, Michelle Morales. Morales spoke on the issue of incarceration, as specifically experienced by the female Puerto Rican political prisoners during which they suffered blatant human rights violations. Some of the audience members were visibly impacted by their story of hardship, but even more so by their unbreakable love of freedom.

The program continued with a courageous presentation by the students of the Lolita Lebrón Family Learning Center describing a project they engaged in through their Women’s History course. The project, which touched on stereotypes women face on a regular basis. A member of Batey Urbano’s coordinating collective, Janeida Rivera, stressed the need to include LGBTQ realities in the discourse of feminism, which she argued must combat not only sexism, but also heterosexism and homophobia.

Along with presentations, the IWD event also featured several cultural acts, the first of which was several scenes from the new play, “Crime Against Humanity.” These scenes, preformed by young Boricua women, brought further to life the experiences described by Michelle Morales.

Another highlight was the hilarious and entertaining performance by local Puerto Rican poet, Johanny Vazquez Paz. She recited works from her new book, Old Streetwise Poems, which is a collection of poems based on her migration to the US and her experience living in Chicago’s Puerto Rican community. In addition, Judy Diaz recited two poems by Juan Antonio Corretjer as homage to his centennial and commitment to the women’s struggle.

The final portion of the Sunday morning event was a walk to the Adalberto Methodist Church. At the church, Emma Lozano, president of Centro Sin Fronteras, gave a powerful account about the deep solidarity between Puerto Ricans and Mexicans, particularly as expressed by the longstanding relationship between activists from the PRCC and CSF. Following her, all present were moved by sincere words of Flor Crisostomo, who is currently living in sanctuary at the church because of the broken immigration laws of the US. Crisostomo, who has picked up the torch after Elvira Arellano was deported last August, provided a touching account of her experience as an undocumented indigenous woman and the impact of NAFTA on Mexico. She concluded her comments to a standing ovation by all present.

International Women’s Day on Paseo Boricua proved to be a historic moment for participants and the organizers who hope to continue to make this community event part of the annual events in our community.

• Puerto Rican patriots Alicia Rodriguez, Luis Rosa, Tania Frontera to be honored
• featured speaker Renowned author, attorney Eduardo Villanueva

On Friday, April 4, Orquestra Mapeye comes to Chicago to celebrate the centennial of Juan Antonio Corretjer, the National Poet of Puerto Rico, as well as, to commemorate the capture of Puerto Rican Patriots on April 4, 1980 in Evanston, IL. Author and attorney Eduardo Villanueva, former Puerto Rican political prisoners Alicia Rodriguez and Luis Rosa, artist and grand jury resister Tania Frontera and SieteNueve “Boricua Hip Hop with Conscience” will join them in an extraordinary event of music, food and camaraderie.

As a result of the above arrest, Carlos Alberto Torres will mark the beginning of his 28th year of political incarceration—by year’s end will make him the Puerto Rican patriot that has served the longest sentence of any political prisoner. The other remaining Puerto Rican political prisoner, Oscar López Rivera, arrested in May of 1981, will begin his 27th year of incarceration.

This April 4 event has a threefold purpose: to celebrate the centennial, to honor the patriots and as a call to action to bring the remaining patriots home —by writing to them, by getting involved in the campaign to free them, by hosting charlas in our churches, schools, professional circles, by sponsoring the “Not Enough Space” art exhibition, or the play based on their experiences “Crime Against Humanity”. Thus, we can all be part of making history. JOIN NATIONAL BORICUA FOR THIS CONCERT, FORUM AND DINNER ON:
Friday, April 4th, 6pm,
Casa Puertorriqueña,
1237 N. California
$25 includes dinner

Dr. Rene Antrop-González
Dr. Bill Ayers
Dr. Adam Berker
Leony Calderón
Dr. Kathy Christoffel
Dr. Antonia Darder
Carlos De Jesús
Judith Diaz
Raul Echevarria
Omaira & Ecliserio Figueroa
Sol Flores
Lisette Fuentes
Juanita Garcia
Marvin Garcia
Dr. Laura Ruth Johnson
Michele Kelley
Jeanne Kracher
Nancy Kurshan
Lourdes Lugo
Debby Macey
Eliud Medina
Alejandro Luis Molina
Michelle Morales Montes
Nancy Myers
Alderman Billy & Veronica Ocasio
Fred Rivera
Lourdes Rodríguez
Matthew Rodríguez
Michael Rodríguez
Yvette Rodríguez
Dr. Ida Roldan
Hipolito Roldan
Dr. Lourdes Torres
Jodene Velázquez
Dr. Steven Whitman

Xavier “Xavi” Luis Burgos

On March 3, under the name “La Jornada 100 X 35,” the beginning of a yearlong journey of celebrations and initiatives to showcase and benefit the Paseo Boricua-Humboldt Park community was unveiled. On that day, exactly 100-years-ago, one of the great revolutionaries and the National Poet of Puerto Rico, Juan Antonio Corretjer was born. Also, 35-years-ago, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC), which bears the name of the prominent figure, was founded in this community.

At the launching of La Jornada 100 X 35, a representation of the dimensions of the island of Puerto Rico, over 80 invited guests were given a detailed tour into the fruits of labor of the PRCC. Since its inception, the PRCC has addressed the challenges that Puerto Ricans face in Chicago. With a goal of creating parallel institutions, the PRCC, with community support, built an alternative high school, a child care, a library, a youth space, a fresh fruits and vegetables program, a newspaper, an after school program, an anti-gentrification project and much more. The tour of the multiple institutions was also a fundraiser so that the PRCC’s vision for community could be carried-out.

Some of the notable guests included State Representative Cynthia Soto, a longtime supporter and contributor to the efforts of the PRCC as well as a representative from the Advocate Bethany Hospital. Guests were able to view the new recording studio in the Batey Urbano youth space, made possible with funding from Comcast. The recording studio will be used for the students of the radio section of the Barrio Arts, Culture, and Community Academy (BACCA) after school program. That day the students in the photography section of the BACCA program were also able to receive their digital cameras. The tour ended with a special dinner at Nellie’s Restaurant on Paseo Boricua and a private viewing of the heartfelt theater production, Crime Against Humanity, about the imprisonment of the Puerto Rican political prisoners.

As “100 X 35” is yearlong celebration, please keep reading La Voz for news about future events. For more information, please contact, Raul Echevarria at 773/278-6751 or email him at raule@prcc-chgo.org.

Editor’s Note: As a proud project of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, La Voz del Paseo Boricua would ask for the support of all its readers. If you are in the position to make a financial contribution to the PRCC, please do so and help contribute to the preservation and development of Puerto Rican-focused community initiatives. Only together can we move the Puerto Rican community forward!