The Chicano Mexicano Prison Project and The Committee On Raza Rights Dedicate Its 2008 Conference On Raza Prisoners and Colonialism To Compañero Raul Salinas.

His Weapon Was His Pen
On Feb. 13 2008, Raul Salinas, activist and poet, passed away. For four decades, Compañero Raul had fought for human rights and the national liberation of all oppressed people and nations. In particular, Compa took on a struggle that has not been particularly popular, especially when it is raised within the context of the liberation of a nation; we are talking about connecting the struggle for the rights of prisoners to the liberation of La Raza.

Born in San Antonio and raised in the barrio of “Eastside” (a barrio more than hundred years old) in Austin, Tejas. Compa Raul, as is the case for many young Raza, became a victim of the contradictions and manipulation of a capitalist society; he got in drugs and trouble, and ended up in prison.

He did time behind the walls of Huntsville (a city located in Texas, surrounded by 7 prisons, and known as “Prison City”), Soledad State Prison (California), and Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary (Texas). For Compa Raul, prison life became a 15-year journey of confinement and reflection, and coming to terms as to who he was –as an Indian, as a Mexican.

It was in prison where Compa Raul came into contact with political activists and freedom fighters, like Cancel Miranda (a leader in the Puerto Rican Independence Movement). It was in prison, where he learned about the power of the pen, becoming a prolific writer and poet. Compa Raul focused his writings on his prison experiences and poetized about life, love, and freedom.

Upon his release from prison in 1973, Compa Raul dedicated his life to working full time for the “struggle”. He joined AIM (American Indian Movement) and helped co-found the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee (Peltier was convicted for death of two FBI agents on June 26, 1975).

EXPERIENCING THE CONTRADICTIONS OF RACIST WHITE AMERICA
Life’s experiences opened the eyes of Compa Raul to the contradictions and hypocrisy of white/racist “America”; a society which punishes Native Americans and Raza for exercising their right to self-defense, yet glorifies and converts into heroes the assassins and mass murders (Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, Kit Carson, etc.) responsible for the genocide and suffering of millions of people in “America” and throughout the world.

Not content with simply “poetizing”, or living a “petty bourgeois lifestyle”, as so many artists do, Compa Raul actually lived among the poor and the workers; putting into practice his ideas and beliefs. He organized various conferences, demonstrations, pickets, press conferences, visited prisoners, and donating his work and time to raise money for liberation causes. Compa Raul elaborated upon his thoughts and experiences in an autobiographical work titled “My Weapon Is My Pen.”

Up to the time of his death, we witnessed Compa Raul continuing to put into practiced the unity of revolutionary politics and poetry, through activities (meetings, readings, platicas, etc.) that took place in a small book store and arts center that he, along with a collective of young people, managed. The bookstore, “Resistencia Books”, was located in south Austin, a working class community of Africans, Mexicanos, and whites.

OUR UNITY WAS BASED IN THE STRUGGLE TO DESTROY OPPRESSION
To the Chicano Mexicano Prison Project (CMPP), the most important aspect of Compa Raul’s life was his opposition to racism and imperialism. Almost every word he spoke or wrote, expressed the thoughts of the oppressed masses’ desire for liberation. He exposed European (white) imperialism as the main oppressor and enemy of the people. He saw it as a system that needed to be completed destroyed, This was in contrast to the “reformism” of most white left/liberals and wanna-be-chicano “artsy types”, that we see today.

On June 24, 2000, the CMPP hosted its “4th Annual Conference On Raza Prisoners and Colonialism”. Organized under the theme, “Libertad Para Toda Nuestra Raza”, Compa Raul was the keynote speaker. Before more 100 people in attendance, he delivery a hard-hitting presentation titled “Down With The Pintas! Free Our Gente! “

We remember our unity with Compa Raul, as not one based on poetry, but in the struggle to destroy oppression –poetry being just one of many tools to be utilized in the process of liberation. It was this unity that led the CMPP, along with the Raza Rights Committee, to dedicate this year’s Conference On Raza Prisoners and Colonialism, to the memory of Compa Salinas.

Compañero Raul Salinas, Presente!
Hasta La Victoria, Siempre!
Chicano Mexicano Prison Project
June 25, 2008

Editor’s note: This year’s Conference On Raza Prisoners and Colonialism will be held on June 28, 2008, in Oxnard, Califaztlán. For more information, such as location, agenda, speakers, please see web: uniondelbarrio.org

Attend the Conference On Raza Prisoners
RAZA FIGHTING AGAINST PRISON TERROR, GENOCIDE, AND COLONIALISM

Under the slogan, Raza Fighting Against Prison Terror, Genocide, and Colonialism, the Chicano Mexicano Prison Project and the Committee on Raza Rights, will be hosting the annual conference on Raza Prisoners and Colonialism. The conference will be held in Oxnard, CA, on Sat. June 28, 2008.

In Memory Of Compa Raul Salinas
This year’s conference will be dedicated to Raul Salinas, a compañero with long history of activism and production of progressive and revolutionary poetry, who passed away on Feb. 13, 2008 (in Austin, Tejaztlán). For four decades, Compañero Raul fought for human rights, prisoner’s rights, and the liberation of all oppressed people and nations. The Chicano Mexicano Prison Project/Committee On Raza Rights, above all, upholds the memory of Compañero Raul because he took on a struggle that has not been popular amongst most people; specially when it is raised within the context of the liberation of a nation; a stance which bothers white liberals and their brown/black allies, as it expresses an understanding that prisons are nothing but tools for the national oppression of Mexicans, Africans, Asians, and other nationalities found living within the “nation of prisons” –also known as the United States.

Ni Democratas, Ni Republicanos
The conference will focus on three important concerns: (1) How The Criminal Justice and Prison System Works to Oppress Raza, and (2) Fighting Back Against The Criminalization and Mass Imprisonment of La Raza and (3) Ni Democratas, Ni Republicanos -Solo El Poder del Pueblo Organizado Vencera!” (The solution to our oppression can never be found within the politics of the Democratic or Republican Parties, but within the organized masses themselves).

The conference will consist of keynote speakers, panels, solidarity speakers, and informational presentations. A particular highlight of the conference will be a proposal to those attending that will call for all of us to understand true nature of prisons and so-called criminal justice system, the role these institutions play in the oppression of Raza, and what we must do to end prison terror, genocide, and colonialism.
The CMPP/CRR will use the conference as a space to advance our struggle through dialogue and sharing ideas, and especially to bring ideological clarity and understanding that prisons as underpinnings of capitalism and colonialism. We want to challenged those within the prison rights movement who have placed the issue terror and brutality of imprisonment of nuestra gente as one simply having do to racism or some bad apples found working within the criminal justice system, instead of identifying these institutions for what they really are: weapons to oppress nations and keep people fighting for liberation. Moreover, we want to utilize the conference to bolster the spirit of activists at a time when our communities need freedom fighters with courage and commitment, and the ability to take on the merciless and brutal agents of the U.S. colonial system.

Only Strong and Discipline Organization Can Defeat The Enemies of The People!
Who should attend the conference?
• those presently active in the struggle for the human rights of prisoners
• women’s rights activists who understand how more and more, the number of women prisoners is increasing, and that they are specifically being targeted as a genocidal strategy which leads to the destruction of families
• activists working with youth and are aware that juvenile detention centers and prisons are used to physically and psychologically destroy young people before they become conscious and politically active
• those who are searching for alternatives to the de-humanizing capitalist system in which we currently exist and are struggling for the creation of a new society where there is no rich or poor, nor no oppressor or oppressed
• activists hungry for revolutionary knowledge or want to share strategies and tactics that will enable us, united, to defeat the beast known as colonialism
• progressive people who are tired of being disconnected or struggling as individuals, and have come to the realization that only a strong and discipline organization can defeat the enemies of the people.

If you want real change, join the struggle and attend the Conference on Raza Prisoners and Colonialism: Raza Fighting Against Prison Terror, Genocide, and Colonialism.

NOTE: If you would like to endorse the conference or share some critical information at the conference, please contact us. Please note that only activists representing an organization will be included in the program. Seating is limited, so please pre-register ASAP. You can contact us/register at: todopoderalpueblo@yahoo.com

RAZA FIGTHING AGAINST PRISON TERROR, GENOCIDE, AND COLONIALISM

On Sat, June 28, 2008, the Chicano Mexicano Prison Project (CMPP), united with over 10 progressive and self-determination oriented organizations, will organize its 11th conference on the question of Raza and the Prison Industrial Complex. The conference will be held in Oxnard, CA. The theme of the conference will be “Raza Fighting Against Prison Terror, Genocide, and Colonialism”. This year’s conference will focus on two panel discussions: (1) How The Criminal Justice and Prison System Works to Oppress Raza, and (2) Fighting Back Against The Criminalization and Mass Imprisonment of La Raza.

As we have explained in the past, the CMPP pulls no punches; we are upfront as to who we are and what we strive for. We are a project of Unión del Barrio and we struggle against a brutal and racist capitalist-colonialist state, which oppresses nations around the world, as well as Raza and poor people (of all colors) here within its current borders. The CMPP sees the struggle against prison terror as part of the worldwide struggle against imperialism, or what some people call “corporate globalization” (the control of the world by capitalist corporations). We are a non-funded organization that relies totally on the contributions of its membership and the community, and the only Mexican-Raza proliberation organization struggling specifically around the question of prisons and their relationship to the oppression of our people.

The main objectives of this year’s conference will be:

A. To expose the many ways that prisons and incarceration are used to oppress Raza and other poor people.
B. To enable the representatives of prisoner rights/anti-prison organizations, to share and critically dialogue around the concrete ways we are struggling to end the dialectic (connection) between Raza (centro-americanos, mexicanos, puertoriqueños, etc.), African, and Asian/Pacific Islander communities and the Prison Industrial Complex.
C. To continue the solidarity and consolidation of the unity of the various forces and groupings doing work to end the use of prisons as a tool of oppression, genocide, and colonization.
D. To support the Raza Rights Coalition’s campaign of “Ni Democratas, Ni Republicanos -Solo El Poder del Pueblo Organizado Vencera!”. A campaign which works to inform our communities that the solution to our oppression can never be found within the politics of the Democratic or Republican Parties, but within the organized masses themselves.

We understand that white (European) NGO (non-government orgs.), or governmentfunded agencies, are not the solutions to our oppression, and in fact, are often the problem. Therefore, CMPP stands for creating a movement where the oppressed
themselves will not only find the solution and basis for their oppression, but actually lead the struggle which will liberate them.

The issues and concerns which will be address by the conference include relating incarceration and the struggle for liberation to the questions of la mujer (women’s liberation), youth, security housing units (SHU), colonialism, capitalism, Black and Brown unity, internationalism, education, political prisoners, importance of organization, prison violence, and the human rights of prisoners. A proposal and declaration summing up the function prisons and the question of liberation will be presented at the conference for ratification and acceptance as a position of the conference participants.

The following have been confirmed as speakers, those giving messages of solidarity, and panel presenters:

Antonio Velazquez (Raza Press and Media Association, and editor of Clavo En El Corazon, Santa Barbara)
Cathy Espitia (CMPP and Comite de Mujeres, San Diego)
Cesar Gonzalez (Brown Berets de Aztlan, Los Angeles)
Alex Sanchez (Homies Unidos, Los Angeles)
Francisco Romero (Association of Raza Educators and Committee on Raza Rights, Oxnard).
Irene Mena (CMPP, San Diego)
Teresa Zaragoza (Comite de Mujeres Patricia Marin, Los Angeles)
Ernesto Bustillos (Association of Raza Educators and CMPP, San Diego)
Hector Flores (Raza Rights Coalition, San Diego)
Monica Bernal (CMPP, San Diego)
Christian Carbajal (CMPP, San Diego)

Conference endorsers include:

Coalition for Youth Justice and Human Rights (Statewide Org.)
Committee on Raza Rights (coalition based in Oxnard, CA)
Brown Berets del Aztlan (National Org.)
African People’s Socialist Party (International Org.)
Raza Rights Coalition (coalition based in San Diego)
MEChA San Diego City College
African People’s Solidarity Committee (National Org.)
MEChA Sacramento State University
Association of Raza Educators (Statewide Org.)
Raza Press And Media Association (Statewide Org.)
MEChA San Diego State

If you would like to endorse the conference or share some critical information at the conference, please contact us. Please note that only activists representing an organization will be included in the program. Seating is limited, so please pre-register ASAP. You can contact us/register at: todopoderalpueblo@yahoo.com

Current Information:
Bulletin #1
Conference On Raza Prisoners and Colonialism: 2007