LVEJO - El Cilantro Issue No. 6

"Little Village satisfies everyone’s demands while adding some Mexican spice !"
Issue # 7, Volume 2
December 2005 Issue

*(Disclaimer: People’s opinions are very important to us and highly welcomed. However, Articles submitted into El Cilantro
are not entirely reflective of the ideas and beliefs of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization).

Little Village is recognized as the largest Mexican Community in the Midwest, Its rich culture is reflected throughout its main street, 26 th street, and the people that shop in it. From its famous cotillion stores to its popular Mexican cuisine restaurants, Little Village satisfies everyone’s demands while adding some Mexican spice. It’s no wonder that 26th street brings to Chicago the 2 nd highest tax revenue base right behind Michigan Avenue. So, how did this neighborhood come about? It all began with the migration of thousands seeking a better life in the United States. By the late 19th century, rapid industrialization and urbanization in Chicago transformed the largely Czech and German working-class neighborhood of Little Village into a national center of labor activism. Little Village, continued to be the port of entry for many, but as immigrants from the South of the Border increased, people of European descent began to relocate to different areas throughout the city. This form of de-facto segregation further united the community under the same culture and traditions. Now, La Villita is one of the most vibrant Mexican neighborhoods in the city.

Every summer the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) offers exciting internship opportunities. The following is an excerpt from a former intern, Suzie Ramirez. She believes LVEJO has instrumental in her success in her many endeavors. Suzie Ramirez is a Junior undertaking the Nursing Program at St. Xavier University.

When I first applied for a summer medical internship, I had pictured a hospital or clinic and research on at such a facility. Boy what I surprised when I got to LVEJO. It was the complete opposite of what I thought. It was an office with many people, babies, and everything was so much more casual than the other sites. I soon learned that LVEJO had a lot of campaigns and projects that not only had you dive into the world of research but whose results and effects could be seen in the neighborhood. It was incredible. I worked on the Healthy Latino School campaign. I learned a lot even from day one.

Working on the campaign, I was able to fine tune my internet skills. I had to investigate not only the root cause of Obesity but also how it links to Hispanic neighborhoods. I had the opportunity to create and conduct a survey of the availability of healthy foods in Little Village. The best part of this was the “one-the-flied” work that made me feel like a real research investigator. And thanks to LVEJO I am a real researcher. During the summer I also was able to participate in aerobics, gardening, and other healthy activities that help the community to become aware of healthier lifestyles. It not only helped the community but helped me as well. I realized that I too had to eat healthier and be more active.

It was an eye opening experience. I realized that everything we do has consequences in our health and that we have a duty to try and make our world a better healthy place

This summer I also learned a lot about working with groups and different people. At LVEJO I met friendly and intelligent people that have let a positive impact in my life. From them and from the experiences we had together I learned the art of comprise and how friends can become family. They people at LVEJO continue to be there for me and it is because of them that I learned more than just medical research. From them I learned that life its self is work and fun at the same time. That we always have something to learned and that what we do with that knowledge affects not just ourselves but the world.

It was an eye-opening experience. I realized that everything we do has consequences in our health and that we have a duty to try and make our world a better healthy place. LVEJO and everything I experienced in the summer has left an unforgettable mark in my life; so much that I have not been able to leave the organization and continue to volunteer on a regular basis.

Join Us to Stop the CTA Fare Hikes and Service Changes!

By: Howard Ehrman, (a.k.a THE HOWARD )

Don’t let CTA balance its budget off the backs of the working poor,
students and the disabled!

We want equal access to world-class public transit!

On Wednesday, November 9 th , 2005 the CTA board passed their 2006 Budget including these January 1 st , 2006 fare hikes to raise $17 million:

1. Doubling the fare for paratransit rides for disabled riders to and from their homes from $1.75 each way to $3.50 each way.

2. Eliminating cash transfers: The 20% of riders who use cash to travel on a bus or train will now pay $2 everytime we get on. Instead of $0.25 when we go from bus to bus. bus to train or train to bus, riders will pay $2 for each or at least $4 depending on how many transfers are made.

3. Riders using Automated Fare Cards will now pay $2 for each train ride instead of $1.75

The CTA Board also passed a Westside “Improvement” Plan that includes: ELIMINATING the present route of the 54 th /Cermak Blue Line past Polk St.: to/from Racine, Halsted, the Dearborn subway, northwest side, and O’Hare Field. It will be replaced by the CTA spending $4 Million on a NEW rail service: Phase 1 of the Circle Line. Trains going from/to Polk St. will go directly to the elevated Green Line Ashland station over the elevated Paulina Connector, then into and around downtown on the elevated and back to Polk St. onto/from 54 th & Cermak. All 54 th /Cermak Blue Line riders who now go directly to/from Racine, Halsted, the Dearborn Subway, Red Line transfer tunnels, Northwest Side and O'Hare Field will now be forced to transfer at Clark & Lake from the elevated down 3 stories to the Dearborn Subway to get to any of these stops. So students from Little Village, Pilsen and North Lawndale who take the 54 th /Cermak Blue Line to Whitney Young, UIC East Campus will no longer be able to get there directly, but will have to transfer at Clark & Lake.

Don’t let CTA balance its budget off the backs of the working poor, students and the disabled!

How Much Will students have to pay to take a CTA bus or train beginning January 1, 2006?

Beginning January 1, 2006 student cash fares will increase to $1 per ride. These student fares are only on public school days from 5:30 am to 8 pm. Cash transfers will be eliminated: If we use cash we will pay $1 every time you go from bus to bus, bus to train or train to bus

How much will we pay outside of school hours when we take the bus or train? :

If we use cash: $2 every time we get on: there will no longer be any $0.25 cash transfers. Instead we will have to pay another $2 to get on the bus or train we connect to. The other choices are to buy an Automated Fare Card (AFC) at any Dominicks, Jewel or Currency Exchange and add value at a train station. Riders with AFC’s will now pay $2 for a train ride, but bus rides will stay at $1.75 and transfers at $0.25. Children ages 7-11, grade and high school students with CTA Student Riding Permits will continue to pay $0.85 for bus and train rides and $0.15 to transfer. These student fares are only on public school days from 5:30 am to 8 pm. To get reduced fare cards students must first buy the CTA Riding Permit for $5 at our high school, usually in the school bookstore. We can then add value to the card at any train station, using the fare card machines. The other choice is to use the Student Riding Permit to buy packs of 20 individual fare cards for $15.30 at any Dominicks, Jewels or Currency Exchange.

What Do We Want Instead of Fare Hikes and Service Cut-Backs?

Since 1974 the City of Chicago contributes only $1/person: $3 million/yr to the CTA’s annual operating budget. Cook County contributes only $2 million/yr. This is less than 1% of the CTA’s annual operating budget of $1.036 Billion New York City contributes $200 Million to their transit system Los Angeles contributes $150 million to their transit system San Francisco contributes $95.4 million annually to the operations of their rail system, or 21% of the systems operating budget Boston supported their transit system with $65.2 million on operating funds in 2004, or 6% of the systems operating budget. Instead of making it impossible for the working poor and disabled to take the CTA, we are asking the City of Chicago to increase its CTA contribution to $6/person or $18 million/yr & stop the 54 th /Cermak Blue Line Re -Route.

What Can We Do?

1. Send/Give this information to all of your friends, families, fellow students, teachers and workers

2. Join our campaign and team for Better CTA Services on bus/trains without raising fares and to keep the 54 th /Cermak Blue Line Open to/from Racine, Halsted, Dearborn Subway, Red Line tunnels, Northwest Side and O’Hare

3. Circulate one of our CTA petitions: come to our office, call or email us or go on-line to get one and sign up.

Looking for individuals willing to volunteer their time to forge economic, environmental and social justice, in order to unite our communities talents, and power to build a society that treats all of us equally: no matter what race, culture, age, or gender we are.

El nunca me odio pero tampoco me amo Y aunque el no me ame y yo lo acepte yo siempre lo amare

The minutemen must be stopped. Over 3,500 people have died crossing the US/Mexico border since 1994. Their attempts to militarize our communities and our country as a whole is going on further and further each day. There are rallies recruiting people willing to join them in promoting their California Border Patrol. What are all these rallies for? They are to keep immigrants from crossing the border and living in the United States. They claim people not born in the United States are illegal, while the South West Action to Resist the Minutemen, or S.W.A.R.M, says no one is illegal.

Everyone has human rights, and freedom of movement and the rights to stay are just some of those human rights that constitutionally should be followed. The minutemen are after immigrants because they are taking their jobs, eating their food, and taking away privileges citizens could be having. This is all false. Most of us immigrants that come to the United States take jobs no one would take. If Mexicans do not work in the United States for such little pay, who would take their jobs…the minutemen? Immigrants do not take privileges from citizens, migrant workers pay more taxes but receive fewer social services than citizen, after knowing that, how could you argue and say immigrants are taking away what belongs to the citizens? If anything, immigrants should be welcomed to the United States. Only 25 out of 7500 migrant people stopped by the border patrol had criminal records. Immigrants do not bring harm into the United States, and do not deserve to be treated like animals. Immigrants come to the United States with one purpose, to live a better life and be able to offer better things to their families. Minutemen search the borders looking to abuse any immigrant who happens to get caught. How could people do this knowing that their ancestors were once migrants to this country too? Most people have ancestors who descended from countries other than the United States, by beating on immigrants or turning them in to the authorities, is like betraying your ancestors, were they come from. There have been instances where people get robbed or killed by their "coyotes", or people who transport them over to the United States, in the deserts and borders. You cannot blame the immigrants for going into nearby farms and looking for some kind of shelter. They are humans, need food and water, and have no money for certain reasons. Clearly minutemen want more unrestricted fascism in our borders, and unmerciful actions towards other human beings. No matter what the minutemen might say or do, there is no excuse for killing anyone, under any circumstance.

Do you have something cool that you think the rest of the world needs to See?
It could be a poem, a drawing, a music review, a sports review, An article, or an opinion.
Send it to “el Cilantro”

What is religion? Defined religion means “organized system of faith and worship.” The problem with the way that religion is defined is the “organized,” part. Over the years, different religions have gone to the gutter in my opinion, due to lack of organization. A person’s religion/customs/ beliefs are personal things and they should be kept secret.

In conclusion, religion in the 21 st century is pointless in my opinion. If everyone just started to get along with people there would be no need for salvation or anything such as sin. If people would stop judging other people by what they believe or who/what they extol, life would be greatly simplified. Judge by a persons action not by being prejudice. People will never change and therefore neither will the world.

Have you ever been called a wetback? Are you tired of being discriminated against for being an immigrant? Do you want to go to college? If you can identify yourself with any of these questions, this article is for you. The DREAM Act (Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act) was first introduced in 2001 to Congress and is still struggling to get passed. It allows undocumented high school graduates to apply for legal status and further pursue post secondary education. These individuals must have lived in the United States and have attended some school for at least five years. The DREAM Act's main concern is to make college affordable to anyone who shares the American culture and wishes to continue with their education.

We need to give strong individuals the opportunity to progress for themselves
and to be part of the "American Dream".

Unfortunately, undocumented students do not have a social status in this country and are not allowed to apply for state and federal grants and loans, private scholarships, or the ability to work legally to earn their way through college due to the lack of nine numbers. So far, the federal government has permitted nine states to supply in-state tuition to immigrants who have the drive to learn after high school. Illinois is one of the states that follows these provisions and as a result has had a major increase in minority recruitment in colleges and universities. As a community, we need to unite to motivate and support undocumented students that have the potential to improve society. We need to give strong individuals the opportunity to progress for themselves and to be part of the "American Dream".

Take matters into your own hand, take the enclosed petition form and collect signatures. If you need help organizing a petition run or have any questions please feel free to contact us 773.762-6993.

Have you ever wondered which hurts the most? Saying something and wishing you hadn't? Or saying nothing and wishing you had? I guess the most important things are the hardest things to say. Don't be afraid to tell someone you love them. If you do, they might break your heart...if you don't, you might break theirs. Have you ever decided not to become a couple because you were so afraid of losing what you already had with that person? Your heart decides whom it likes and whom it doesn't.

You can't tell your heart what to do. It does it on its own.... when you least suspect it, or even when you don't want it to. Have you ever wanted to love someone with everything you had, but that other person was too afraid to let you?

Too many of us stay walled up because we are too afraid to care too much...for fear that the other person does not care as much, or even at all. Have you ever denied your feelings for someone because your fear of rejection was too hard to handle? We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing we fear grows stronger. Life is all about risks and it requires you to jump. Don't be a person who has to look back and wonder what they would have done, or could have had.

On September 24, 2005 a protest against the war in Iraq was held in Washington D.C. It was estimated that 300,000 people participated in the protest, making this one of the largest Anti-War protest since the troops’ departure to Iraq.

We, the youth of El Cilantro, had the opportunity to actually go and take part in the event. Most of the youth had never attended a protest, let alone one of such caliber. It was a wonderful and empowering experience that allowed us, and many others, to express ourselves freely about the war. Not only were we able to speak our minds, but also put into practice the leadership skills we have learned. This experience helped us to understand that together we can make a difference. That the saying we chanted as we marched through our nation’s capital, “the people united will never be defeated; el pueblo unido jamas sera vencido”, is true.