Month: July 2012

– This summer Tucson is Ground Zero for the Chicana/o movement. For the past two years Raza and their Allies in Tucson have been fighting the power structure in Arizona battling to Save Mexican American Studies and Ethnic Studies! In the month of July a broad coalition of local and national organizations are calling on organizers, artists and activists from around the country to converge on Tucson as we advance the struggle for human rights in Arizona.
In July activists groups on the ground in Arizona are expecting rulings on SB 1070 the racial profiling law as well as HB 2281 the law that specifically targeted the destruction of Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies program by eliminating millions of dollars of state funding. This six year struggle came to a head in January of this year when the TUSD school board voted to honor Arizona HB 2281 by ending the Mexican American Studies program and then quickly followed this terrible decision by banning over 50 titles from use by Mexican American students!

During Tucson Freedom Summer there will be daily activities for volunteers including but not limited to: canvassing for November school board elections, community education, updating websites, working social media, ceremonias, Danza Azteca, fundraising, direct action along with working and assisting artists, teachers and poets in the popular education of participants and Tucson residents.

Save Ethnics Studies wants to invite organizers, artists and activists to come as individuals, collectives and work groups. To help with travel expenses we are arranging housing in Tucson and all requests will be handled on first come first serve basis.

WHY A FREEDOM SUMMER IN TUCSON?

The Tucson Chicana/o-Mexicana/o-Latina/o and Progressive communities have fought valiantly these past two years against racism, cultural bigotry and the anti-intellectualism so pervasive in the power structure of Arizona and around the country. Tucson Freedom Summer is above all a non-violent convergence in the tradition of militant direct action that will bring the best of social justice agitation with it. As such participants will be expected to go through training on non-violence and issues specific to the struggle in Tucson. Participants will be expected to identify themselves as Freedom Summer members and will be expected to follow the rules of Tucson Freedom Summer.

For more go to: http://tucsonfreedomsummer.com/FREEDOM_SUMMER/FREEDOM_SUMMER.html