Luis Valdez
Template:TOCnestleft Luis Valdez
Ginny Hirsch's Eulogy
When Liza Hirsch graduated law school her first client was a Black worker in Laurel who was discriminated against by that same company. Liza won the case and Ginny glowed with full circle pride. Ginny avoided the spotlight but always did the vital and unseen work backstage of unfolding social dramas, such as weekly picketing of Woolworth against Jim Crow policies, a civil rights march to San Francisco, building the grape boycott, fundraising for the farm workers, helping and harboring draft resisters, organizing for the demise of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee, organizing the first San Jose demonstration against war in Vietnam. (The main speaker in that rally, Bill Mandel is here today, as is Luis Valdez who added drama to the action by leading a group to take over our Federal Building - then the Post Office.
Soviet connection?
On April 9, 1975, Jorge Acevedo wrote a letter in Spanish to several well known Chicano activists including Enrique Lopez, Lorenzo Torrez, Bert Corona, Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Alfredo Figueroa, Luis Valdez, Ernestina Garcia, Reies Lopez Tijerina, Rodolfo Gonzales, Jose Angel Gutierrez, Lila Gonzalez, and Santiago Montoya.
The letter referred to the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco, Chicano participation in the Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow, Chicano self-determination, the "socialist system" and the Soviet front World Peace Council. The letter spoke of two proposals received from the Soviet Consul in San Francisco.
The first proposal was to invite students of both sexes to enrol in the Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow, for the academic year beginning in September 1975.
"Professional and personal expenses" would benefit the socialist system, which "seeks to support the Chicano self-determination movement."[1]
Chicano movement
The 40th Anniversary Commemoration Committee of the Chicano Moratoriums was formed in the summer 2009 by the Chair of the National Chicano Moratorium Committee of August 29, 1970 along with two independent Chicano Movement historians whom although not of the baby boomer generation, have become inspired by the Movimiento. The organization posted a list of significant “Chicano movement” activists on its website which included Luis Valdez of Teatro Campesino.[2]
UFW 50th Anniversary convention
The United Farm Worker's 50th Anniversary convention was held Saturday, May 19,2012. Rabobank Convention Center. Keene, California.
• A three-hour program (1-4 p.m.) honoring the UFW pioneers, with special segments on the 1962 founding convention, 1965-1970 grape strikers and boycotters, 1966 peregrinos who marched from Delano to Sacramento, the Filipino American grape strikers and the farm worker ministry. Among the speakers were Dolores Huerta, Chris Hartmire and Luis Valdez, whose Teatro Campesino performed old union songs and actos throughout the program.[3]
References
- ↑ [Rodolfo Gonzales papers Denver Public Library]
- ↑ Chicano Moratorium website: Moratorium Participants (accessed on April 16, 2010)
- ↑ Talking Union, U.F.W. 50th. Anniversary Convention,Posted on May 2, 2012 by dcampbell1