Fight Oil!

We don't need big oil welfare - we need to focus on the welfare of ordinary people. www.350.org/oil (make this your update if you agree: www.350.org/yours

Bridging the Gap

"Vic, isn't amazing how we are all still 'bridging the gap?'"

I wanna thank Marlon and his crew today. He invited me to give a presentation on Community Organizing to a group of youth in YO SOS in Brooklyn. Of course, ya'll know that I had to mention El Salvador in the presentation. I wanna make a shout out to the Director of Voces Inocentes. I still can't get over out argument and I haven't watched your film again since but I played a clip of it to the group and they were stunned. I could tell that this is a special group of young men and women, they were serious thinkers and I think they want to be about something. Marlon and Ruby-Beth are doing excellent work with them, putting these young energetic minds into real advocacy and organizing efforts.

I got a special place in my heart for Brooklyn because I was born there and I still have family and friends around there. I should say that I have increasingly more friends there since it is now chic to live in BK, but no hate folks it's all love here. Brooklyn is undergoing so much development, growth, violence, poverty and other countless social issues that it is ripe for concerned people, like these youth, to organize in their communities for and increased quality of life and standard of living for all in Brooklyn, NYC, the North-East, and the Nation. I have to admit that I sometimes wish that I had a good troupe of young people, or better yet, a solid group of peer who were willing and able to organize for better housing, decent employment, against violence, for quality education, and so much more.

Marlon made a very good point today, we should thank Lawrence Mamiya. Professor Mamiya has facilitated several incredible programs which have lasting impacts, some which can never be predicted but generally deliver excellent results. Professor Mamiya, you are amazing and I am sure that everyone you have touched loves you very much!

Finally, there were zero weekend posts. I took madd pictures on my whack phone, none of them will transfer to my MacBook. I would like to do some retro posts, but what's the point? I'll fill you in on the efforts of this week.

p.s. THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE DONATED! I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH!!!

p.s.s don't forget to donate if you haven't! my deadline is 5/25

YOU Made Crude Oil Prices Drop!

Hey folks. Was just coming back from Capoeira and I heard two interesting things on 1010 wins. (Yeah so what, I turn it on to get the quick news, switch to WBAI, and often turn to my iPod)

1) A market analyst said: "investors are speculative because of housing and jobs." Apparently the next job report comes out tomorrow and it seems like Market Watchers don't think that either the housing or job market is getting any better. I can definitely say that both are rock bottom in Newark and in many places that I work with throughout the country (about 19 cities). VERY IMPORTANT: even if the jobs report says that unemployment is down, remember that unemployment only refers to the people on the unemployment rolls. In other words: (all the people who are ineligible for unemployment)+(all the people who do not seek work) ARE NOT IN THE EQUATION! This means that even if employment numbers are up, there are not really more people employed.

2) CRUDE OIL IS DROPPING! Why? Cuz people aren't buying any. Apparently supply is going up and demand is going way down. What I think is funny is that gas was $4 in 2007 (I've kept my receipts since Fall 07 when prices last peaked). People are so shocked now, and rightfully so, but I think that it is especially hard on folks because in 2007 THE BOTTOM STILL HAD NOT FALLEN OUT! I want to give kudos to my boy Chris Blaine here who pointed out that after the 2007 peak, the bottom fell out, meaning WATCH OUT because the next big crash may come.

Here is an explanation of how YOU going to the pumps less, caused prices to fall from PBS (yes, the Public Broadcasting Station, which republicans were trying to gut a month ago). I just hope the prices at the pump go down now!

Lessons in Housing Law Before Law School

Many of you know that I will be heading to Law School in August. This is one of the reasons that I am so committed to taking my trip to El Salvador. My goal is to become a public interest lawyer and I am very happy to say that I have learned a ton about Housing, Development, Labor, Environmental and other types of Law on the Federal, State, and City levels.

This morning I was with a tenant who was being harassed. She had a washing machine YEARS ago and was being evicted for having it, even though she removed it long ago. Today her landlord thought another inspection was necessary and I showed up to make it clear that this inspection should suffice; any additional inspections would be unreasonable and equal to harassment. I think he got the point and doesn't want to go back to housing court.

This tenant and I are also concerned about late fees. Those of you in the social service field know that some Social Security checks come on people's birth date, so you receive your check on the 15th of every month if were born on the 15th of May. Unfortunately, this means that many people constantly pay their rent late. Senior, disabled people, people on limited incomes and others are subjected to $50+ fees when they already pay 30% of their tiny incomes toward rent and use the rest to eat, use transportation, pay utilities, or any other costs they may have.

I was flipping though Mahlon Fast's book on Housing Law. I suggest it to anyone interesting in Housing Law in NJ. I think that the only way that we will resolve this fee issue is through a new court case or a municipal ordinance. Be ready to see that happen.

Capoeira

Here's a pic of the beginning of a nice callus. I'm hoping to build up a real nice one.

I started running about a year ago, thanks to the pushing and prodding of Kyle Denny. Eventually, I got into lifting and by chance I ran into my friend at the gym who is the Capoeira instructor at the Newark YMCA. I have since canceled my Y membership (after I realized that I needed to cut some costs while I save for my trip) and play Capoeira as often as possible. I LOVE IT! Of course, I still run at least twice a week in my industrialized/blighted-ass neighborhood.

The picture above is the result of running and training Capoeira. I find the game to be engaging to my mind, body, and spirit.

Read a bit about the sport on Wikipedia. Also, email me if you want some conditioning books or a real cool book on Capoeira history.

Nobody Cares For Castro?

I've seen everyone and their brother post about the Royal Wedding, Obama vs. Trump, and Obama vs. Bin Laden. Nobody ever posted about Castro. Officially #0, his brother took the #1 spot as the president and premier and another former guerilla/very old dude is now #2. So much for the call to young blood. Up next? Neo-liberal Communism?

Christian Science Monitor

Washington Post

What do I do that is inspired by El Salvador?

Hello folks.

I just realized that many people don't know what I do for a living and how I find it inextricably tied to the Salvadoran struggle.

Before my parents, their family, and friends were forced out of El Salvador, many of them participated in the organized struggle against the various tyrannical US Backed Capitalist governments that marked the 20th century. People in El Salvador who organized or spoke against the government and in favor of "radical" changes such as workers rights or the ability to open and democratic elections were dragged out of their homes at night and forced into the military, disappeared, or tortured.

I never ran that risk in this country. So I organized since I knew however I could, starting in High School.

After leaving Vassar College in 2007, I returned to New Jersey and organized around homelessness and housing issues in Elizabeth, NJ. At the time, I organized a bit in Newark, NJ, my home city, against the war, for environmental justice, and against the privatization and closing of hospitals.

In 2008, I began organizing for the Greater Newark HUD Tenants Coalition in Newark, NJ. I have organized tenants in HUD subsidized buildings and public housing projects since then. I have also been fortunate to join the fight for immigrant rights, environmental justice, employment and development rights, and several other interesting projects.

We have it easy here. Too many people fought and died, too many people's lives were changed drastically for me to sit back and relax today. El Salvador taught me that.

May 1, 2011 in El Salvador

Along with billions across the globe, workers and demonstrators in El Salvador took the streets on May 1st.

Check It Out Here (In Spanish)

Stop Impunity! Program Description

Summer Intensive Program in
Modern Salvadoran History and Human Rights

June 20 – July 15, 2011

The Stop Impunity Project, in partnership with the University of El Salvador, will offer a four-week summer intensive program in modern Salvadoran History and Human Rights.
The program has been designed for students of law, sociology, history, human rights, anthropology, social work and other related disciplines and is also appropriate for those working with immigration organizations and legal and social service providers that support the Salvadoran community.

The program will explore the history of El Salvador since the genocide of 1932 and will deepen participants’ understanding of conditions that led to the Salvadoran Civil War, the Civil War itself, the consequent diaspora, and the state of human rights throughout.
Core classes will be taught by experienced faculty from the University of El Salvador’s MA program in Human Rights and/or the staff of the Salvadoran Human Rights Ombudsman’s office. The program will include a series of lectures by founders of and participants in modern Salvadoran social and popular movements. Past speakers have included Nydia Diaz, former guerilla commander and current member of the Central American Parliament, Zaira Navas, Inspector General of the National Police, Roberto Cañas, former guerilla commander and signatory to the 1992 Peace Accords, Manlio Argueta, prize-winning author and Director of the National Library, Santiago Gonsalvi, Director of the Museo de la Imagen y la Palabra, and others.

Participants will visit El Mozote, where more than 900 villagers were massacred by the army, the Universidad Centroamericana (la UCA) where six Jesuit priests and their housekeepers were murdered by the Salvadoran army, the chapel where Archbishop Romero was assassinated, and his tomb in the national cathedral. Participants will visit NGOs and Human Rights organization such as Pro Búsqueda, el Comité de Madres de Desaparecidos, Las Dignas, FESPAD, Tutela Legal, the Madeleine Lagadec Center for Human Rights, Protection Ambiental, and the Museo de la Imagen y la Palabra. Leaders of these organizations will present the history and work of their organizations and answer questions.

In order to synthesize participants’ understanding of the issues raised during core classes and visits, there will be a program of facilitated evening discussions.
Participants will be guided in a short research project that meets their interest in the field.

Typical Daily Schedule
9:00 - 12:00 Guest speakers or visits to NGOs
12:00 - 2:00 Lunch
2:30 - 3:30 Guided research
3:30- 4:00 Break
4:00 - 6:00 Core classes
6:00 - 7:00 Discussion seminars & advising

The language of instruction will be Spanish, and participants should be capable of participating in classroom discussions in Spanish, however, instruction will be designed with non-native speakers of Spanish in mind.

Program participants meeting all the course requirements will be awarded with a Diploma in Salvadoran History and Human Rights from the University of El Salvador.

The course fee includes tuition, a round-trip economy class ticket (VN: I BOUGHT IT ON MY OWN) from a major US hub, and shared bed and breakfast accommodation (VN: I WILL BE STAYING WITH MY FAMILY). Transportation to and from the airport (VN:FAMILY WILL PICK ME UP), and for the two-day field trip to El Mozote is included, as is an overnight stay at a nearby hotel. Lunch, dinner and daily incidentals are not included, nor the nominal cost of urban transportation to sites within the city of San Salvador. The program includes Medex health insurance for travelers (VN: IN CASE OF MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE), but this does not cover baggage loss or theft of personal belongings and such insurance is the responsibility of participants.

El Salvador Beckons!

Hello! I'm dusting off this aptly named Blog to countdown my days before heading to El Salvador and hopefully participating in the "Stop Impunity! Intensive Human Rights Summer Program 2011." I hope to post at least daily and give you some information on the status of my trip and information on El Salvador.

I want to thank EVERYONE who has donated to my fundraising efforts to date. You have been an incredible inspiration to me and hold an even greater and more special place in my heart because you recognized how much this means to me. Last night I used a significant portion of those funds to purchase my ticket, so IT'S OFFICIAL: I AM GOING TO EL SALVADOR!

However, I still need $2000 in tuition to attend the program and the deadline is May 25. Please consider donating to this trip. I know that you will realize over the course of the month how much El Salvador and the history of El Salvador means to me. This tiny country is the fuel for the great fire that burns within me to fight for social justice daily.

You can send donations by PayPal to Victor.Monterrosa.Jr@Gmail.com OR send me an email to ask for other ways to donate.

Peace and Love. VM.