Patti Radle
Template:TOCnestleft Patti Radle was elected to the San Antonio Independent School District Board of Trustees in May of 2011.
She is married to Rod Radle.
Background
Radle is a graduate of Marquette University with a major in Theology. She obtained her teacher and bilingual certification and a second major in English from Our Lady of the Lake University. She was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Theology from the Oblate School of Theology. She taught elementary in SAISD for 12 years and taught high school and middle school in other school systems. She served on the San Antonio City Council from 2003-2007. Ms. Radle has also served, with her husband, as the Volunteer Director of Inner City Development since 1972. Her current term expires in 2015.[1]
Patti Radle, born in Philadelphia, PA. first moved to San Antonio in 1965 when she was a student at Our Lady of the Lake University. She transferred to Marquette University for her senior year to major in Theology and returned to San Antonio in 1969. Experiences in Milwaukee led her to commit to a simple life style lived among people who suffer the consequences of poverty. She moved into the Westside of San Antonio, and shortly after marrying her husband Rod, they together became volunteer co-directors of Inner City Development and continue as such to the present day. This agency now has a 45 year history of providing food and clothing to families in crisis and many recreational and educational activities for children.
She met Rod Radle, who was protesting the Vietnam War. Since both her father and a brother-in-law were Navy officers, this created an inner conflict for her. She said she realized that she would have to seek the truth and confront the issues for herself rather than let others think for her.
She also became interested in Mahatma Gandhi’s movement for nonviolent change and issues of simple living. “Gandhi said that nonviolence is more like a star than a goal.
Radle was active in Communities Organized for Public Service (COPS) during its formative years in the 1970s and loved the people she knew in the organization. However, she recalled one instance in which she found herself at odds with the organization over whether a housing initiative in a West Side neighborhood should be limited to home owners or should include an apartment complex for renters. The organization wanted only the home owners, but Radle sided with the renters.
Visiting their homes, she said she saw some of the greatest poverty she’d ever encountered in the neighborhood; but, she said, “Poverty doesn’t necessarily mean drugs, alcoholism and crime waves. These (renters) wanted a place they could come back to. Can anybody here identify a neighborhood where nobody suffers from alcoholism or uses drugs, where nobody causes problems?
Patti Radle is a bilingually certified elementary school teacher and has also taught middle school and high school at private schools. She taught at J.T. Brackenridge Elementary in the San Antonio School District for 12 years, first teaching 3rd grade and then a conflict resolution program. She served for several years on the National Advisory for the Children’s Creative Response to Conflict. She is a singer, song writer and poet and has spent much time in community organizing and peace advocacy.
Patti has helped to establish several other non-profits including the San Antonio Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, San Antonio Alternative Housing, San Anto Cultural Arts, and Sidewalk, Inc. She established a cooperative home school at Inner City Development. From 2003 to 2007, she served on the San Antonio City Council representing her community, District 5. It was during her time on Council that Patti worked with many others to help establish Haven for Hope and presently serves as Vice-Chair.
Patti Radle serves on the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Committee for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, US Province. representing her community, District 5. It was during her time on Council that Patti worked with many others to help establish Haven for Hope and presently serves as Vice-Chair.[2]
Tribute to San Antonio communists
The People's Weekly World of May 20, 2000, carried a May Day Supplement. On page B, San Antonio activists paid tribute to contributors to the "worker's cause" - all Communist Party USA members Emma Tenayuca (1916-1999), John Inman (1896-1996), Manuela Soliz Sager (1911-1996), James Sager (1902-1979), Luisa Moreno (1906-1992).
Signatories included Patti Radle and Rod Radle.
IWD event
Approximately 250 marchers participated in a march and rally in observance of International Women’s Day, 2004, in San Antonio, emphasizing themes of equality, peace, education and dignity. The march route was about two miles long, beginning at Elmendorf Park and ending at Plaza Guadalupe on the city’s west side, where a number of speakers and dance performers took their turns on stage.
Local folksinger, teacher, and city councilwoman Patti Radle began the rally by leading the crowd in a sing-along of a song she penned titled, “No People Over Profits,” in which she criticizes corporate injustices ranging from the bias of the local daily newspaper to Nike shoes. Afterwards, four of her students gave an abridged theatrical presentation of Sojourner Truth’s famous speech, “Ain’t I a Woman?” which criticizes the hypocrisy of abolitionists who were against suffrage.
Other speakers included Sarwat Husain of the San Antonio chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, Maria Luisa, coordinator and co-founder of Austin-based Inmigrantes Latinos En Accion, Grace Botello, a health care worker, Patricia Castillo, who served as emcee for the program, announced that Councilman Richard Perez of District 4 recently secured funds for the Peace Initiative, a program that earmarks money for education about violence in teen dating. Linda Tippens of San Antonio Fighting Back, Nadine Saliba of the Arab and International Women’s Association identified patriarchy as a common factor between the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The event was organized by a coalition of peace and women’s groups, including Gemini Ink, The Peace Center, The Battered Women’s Shelter, San Antonio Fighting Back, Fuerza Unida and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center.[3]
Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness
After 16 months of meetings and planning, the Mayor's Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness unveiled a 10-year initiative to end chronic homelessness in San Antonio.
The task force, co-chaired by City Council members Patti Radle and Julian Castro, is recommending the city invest in 800 new permanent housing units for people with disabilities; increase access to public restroom facilities; increase enrollment in the food stamp program and expand the San Antonio Food Bank's storage facility.
"The plan will assert the compassionate face of the San Antonio community -- a face that says it is not enough to simply provide more emergency shelters and food," Radle says. "It speaks of a community that says we must provide services that get to the root cause of homelessness and will truly help the homeless to find a way off the street, a way to job, a way to family stability."[4]
MLK Day 2006
Texas led the day as 100,000 marched in San Antonio behind banners reading, “MLK lived for peace, the military lives for war.”
Controversy had simmered for weeks when the city’s MLK Commission invited the nearby Air Force base to conduct a military “flyover” above the march. Not even the fact that the fighter squadron was heir to the famous Tuskegee Airmen, the first military unit of African American pilots, could dampen San Antonians’ anger at the hypocrisy.
“Shame, shame on you, MLK Commission,” they roared, competing with the noise of the aircraft. City Councilwoman Patti Radle joined in the storm of protest against the flyover. She held her sign up high: “Keep King’s message clear: Love, understanding, nonviolence.”[5]
World Social Forum
Fr. Walter Butor OMI, Ms Patti Radle and Fr. Jose Ponce OMI represented the U.S. Oblate JPIC Committee at the recent 2011 World Social Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, February 6-11. Oblates from other regions also attended. In a note from Ms Radle described her experience: “It is very emotional and encouraging to be around thousands and thousands of people who are so sincere about making a better world and seeing beyond borders.” The World Social Forum is an annual summit held by non-governmental organizations, civil society members and religious leaders working to create a more sustainable and equitable world.[6]
Election forum
The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Theater was filled with a who’s who of San Antonio's shrewd political and community organizers ranging from Choco Meza and Daniel Meza, Graciela Sanchez, Henry Rodriguez, Gabriel Rosales, Rod Radle and Patti Radle, David Plylar, Carlos Gonzalez, TC Calvert, Sr., and many other leaders who have experience in mobilizing the mechanics of elections.
About 150 people attended and while the candidates have varying levels of experience and depth addressing city issues, the people of District 5 will have solid choices in May when they go to the polls to vote for their next councilperson.
Former District 5 Councilwoman Patti Radle, one of the events organizers, described her impression of the candidates saying, “I was pleased with the way the candidates spoke. I think they did well for the dignity of District 5. They spoke intelligently, from the heart, sincerely and their own behavior among each other was good.”
When Radle, who now sits on the SAISD school board, was asked why so many people asked the four candidates repeatedly what would they do to communicate to constituents and why communication to constitutents was such a big issue at the forum; she got to the heart of why Medina’s two-month pretty boy offensive between March and May might come too little, too late.
“When people complain that they can’t get a hold of the councilperson, I hold it in reserve, because at some point everyone says that. I kept hearing it over and over. However, there were some high visibility things that took place that he wasn’t showing up for. One neighborhood association said we haven’t seen him in a year. My own communication with him took a downturn because I asked him in August of 2011 to do something about sidewalks that lead to schools. He at first said that he would get with Councilman Bernal and do something–then I had to call him months later because I hadn’t heard anything from him. He hadn’t done anything on it all. I met him more recently and he asked for all the information again that we had already provided to him back in August of 2011. So he hasn’t done anything on our request for sidewalks leading to schools.”
Tommy Calvert, Jr. General Manager KROV, said "All I know is that when it comes to District 5 politics, I would never bet against Saint Patti".
In 2005 when I was Mayor Julian Castro’s deputy campaign manager, she and David Plylar achieved a 90 percent share of the vote for Castro.
Friends of Patti Radle host appreciation party
Friends of Patti Radle turned out for Councilwoman Patti Radle for her four years of service to the City. The event was held at Say Si on South Alamo, Tuesday, May 29th, 2007.
Guests included Anita Martin, City Public Works Director Tom Wendorf, former Mayor Bill Thorton, Larry Romo, Patsy Castillo, friend & Cesar Chavez March coordinator Jaime Martinez, Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, Anita Reyes & Bud Ford, Alyssa Burgin & Cliff Borofsky, Russell Felan & Julian Castro, Cris Alderete & Joe Alderete, Robert Galvan & Lourdes Galvan.[7]
Castro visit
Patti Radle spent time in D.C. March 2013, at the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Committee meeting of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
- I was very happy to introduce our director, Fr. Seamus Finn, to our wonderful Rep. Joaquin Castro on a visit to his office.[8]
Free the Cuban 5
In 2009, over 100 Texan activists wrote a Letter from San Antonio Activists Supporting the Cuban 5 to President Carter:
We actors, artists, writers, teachers, cultural workers and other activists in the struggle for peace and justice in San Antonio, Texas, have read the letter that twenty Actors and Artists United for the Freedom of the Cuban 5 wrote you on April 8. We agree with the contents of that letter, which we have copied below, and we wish to add our names as signers to that letter.
We are sending a copy of this letter to President Barack Obama, to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to the five Cuban anti-terrorists who are in U.S. prisons, to the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five, and to the U.S. office of the International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5. Signers included Patti Radle, Former City Councillor .[9]
"Hunger in America" symposium
In 1968 CBS News aired "Hunger in America". Forty-five years later, Inner City Development showed the documentary to a packed house at the Guadalupe Theater in San Antonio. U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, D-TX35, attended the showing on March 23, 2013, and addressed the audience, as did Mayor Julian Castro.
The event was organized by Patti Radle and her husband Rod Radle;
- This spring, with the inspiration leadership of Patti and Rod Radle in San Antonio, we re-watched the 45-year-old "Hunger in America," discussing the progress we've made in #SanAntonio on fighting hunger and the remaining challenges.[10]
Hunger Free San Antonio began with the work of Patti and Rod Radle, executive directors of Inner City Development. After the showing, many attendees signed up to join a coalition to fight hunger in the San Antonio area.[11]
References
- ↑ SAISD Board of Trustees
- ↑ http://www.sa2020.org/staff/patti-radle/ SA2020 bio, accessed July 2013]
- ↑ [http://www.peoplesworld.org/texans-observe-international-women-s-day/ , PW, Texans observe International Womens Day Print Email to a Friend by: SUMADI CHEN march 19 2004]
- ↑ [http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2005/01/10/daily33.html,SA Business Journal, Jan 14, 2005, 9:17am CST City proposes 10-year plan to fight hunger, homelessness]
- ↑ [ http://www.peoplesworld.org/king-day-events-breathe-life-into-dream/PW, King Day events breathe life into dream Print Email to a Friend by: WORLD COMBINED SOURCES january 20 2006]
- ↑ [http://omiusajpic.org/topics/world-social-forum/,Oblates Attend 2011 World Social Forum March 4th, 2011]
- ↑ Walker Report, Tuesday, May 29, 2007 Friends of Patti Radle host appreciation party
- ↑ Radle FB page, accessed november 2013
- ↑ Marxism-Leninism Today, Letter from San Antonio Activists Supporting the Cuban 5 PDF Print E-mail Oct. 2, 2011
- ↑ Rep. Lloyd Doggett FB Page June 20, 2013
- ↑ Texas Hunger Initiative, Hunger Free San Antonio