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