YOUNG LORDS PARTY - A BRIEF HISTORY | BOOKLET

YOUNG LORDS PARTY

THIS IS A BOOKLET MEANT TO ARCHIVE THE DIRECT ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE YOUNG LORDS PARTY DURING THE 1960s

WE WANT SELF-DETERMINATION FOR PUERTO RICANS AND ALL LATINOS

CONTENTS p.3

WHO + WHY

DEMONSTRATIONS

p.9

GARBAGE OFFENSIVE (1969)

p.13

PEOPLE’S CHURCH (1969)

p.17

LINCOLN HOSPITAL TAKEOVER (1970)

p.21

CONTROVERSY + DECLINE

WHO WE WERE

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Jose “Cha Cha” Jimenez Age: 22 | Founder Miguel “Mickey” Melendez 22 | Co-Founder Felipe Luciano 22 | Co-Founder Juan Gonzalez 23 | Minister of Edu. pablo guzman 19 | minister of Info.

Denise Oliver 22 | minister of economic development Iris Morales 22 | Minister of Info.

“LET ME SAY AT THE RISK OF SEEMING RIDICULOUS THAT A TRUE REVOLUTIONARY IS GUIDED BY GREAT FEELINGS OF LOVE” CHE GUEVARA

“Puerto Ricans are often told we have no past”

Rico’s population to move to the united states.

The Young Lords were an activist group of poor and working-class Puerto Rican youth most active during the 1970s, who modeled themselves after the Black Panther Party.

The leadership consisted of mostly college students whose main goal was to educate the masses and improve the conditions Puerto Ricans living in the united states faced.

Though led by first generation, college educated youth, they worked alongside high-schoolers, dropouts, and lumpen.

They recognized the mistreatment and neglect of the Puerto Rican community, especially in New York, and the Young Lords Organization was officially formed in 1969*.

They also called for Puerto Ricos’s independence after “Operation Bootstrap” forced 1/3 of Puerto

As part of their manifesto, they wrote a 13 point program that included demands such as: • community control • a true education • equality for women • a socialist society *Young Lords of Chicago were formed in 1968 and united with The Society of Albizu Campos in New York; Eventually, they splity with the Chicago party and formed the Young Lords Party

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WHY WE DID WHAT WE DID While they were often described as a street gang with political and social conscience, the Young Lords did not use violence -- they actively opposed violence. The majority of the original founders were young, bright students, such as Juan Gonzalez who was an undergrad student at Columbia University.

Instead of violence, the party focused on direct action in order to serve the best interest of the people. This included various “takeovers” of public buildings or settings to better the lives of those living in their neighborhoods. Members of the Party often strolled in these neighborhoods and asked the people what they needed.

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The Young Lords focused on sectors involving healthcare, education, and environmental conditions. They used tactics both militant and community based, similar to the Panthers.

They also became known for their use of the media, using it to their advantage, and spreading their messsage to the rest of the nation.

The young revolutionaries advocated for change in their local communities.

They gained community support the party after their “Garbage Offensive” in 1969, an event where they said they were going to do something about the garbage issue.

And they did. Dig that.

They served poor communities by notably taking over churches and hospitals to offer basic services such as day care or lunch programs. Eventually, they joined forces with the Panthers and other radical groups to form the Rainbow Coalition, which presented a multiracial front to fight social injustices.

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YLO 13 POINT PROGRAM 1. WE WANT SELF-DETERMINATION FOR PUERTO RICANS--LIBERATION OF THE ISLAND AND INSIDE THEUNITED STATES. 2. WE WANT SELF-DETERMINATION FOR ALL LATINOS. 3. WE WANT LIBERATION OF ALL THIRD WORLD PEOPLE. 4. WE ARE REVOLUTIONARY NATIONALISTS AND OPPOSE RACISM. 5. WE WANT COMMUNITY CONTROL OF OUR INSTITUTIONS AND LAND.

6. WE WANT A TRUE EDUCATION OF OUR CREOLE CULTURE AND SPANIS 7. WE OPPOSE CAPITALISTS AND ALLIANCES WITH TRAITORS. 8. WE OPPOSE THE AMERIKKKAN MILITARY. 9. WE WANT FREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS. 10. WE WANT EQUALITY FOR WOMEN.

11. WE BELIEVE ARMED SELF-DEFENSE AND ARMED STRUGGLE ARE TH TO LIBERATION.

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12.WE FIGHT ANTI-COMMUNISM WITH INTERNATIONAL UNITY. 13. WE WANT A SOCIALIST SOCIETY.

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SH LANGUAGE.

HE ONLY MEANS

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SUMMER OF

1969 “We asked the people ‘What do you think you need help with?

Is it housing?

Is it police brutality?’”

Luciano says.

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GARBAGE OFFENSIVE In 1969, the Young Lords put piles of garbage on display to demand change in how sanitation is handled in East Harlem. a Puerto Rican neighborhood in NY. As a result, their protest changed how the local government approached garbage collection in the city.

This was not just about garbage the protest exposed how environmental racism affects neighborhoods of color. It became about the issue of unqual and living conditions.

And they said,

'muchacho, dejate de todo eso - la basura!’

East Harlem was home to a large community of poor and working class individuals, specifically Puerto Ricans. During the 1960s, there have been reports describing tons of rotting garbage left on the sidewalks at 110th Street.

This neglect by the government reflected a larger issue at hand the refusal to provide adequate trash collection services to a densely populated block, even as several community members raised their complaints.

The issue was that the community’s trash was left uncollected for weeks and was rarely swept. On the occasion when sanitation workers showed up, only half of the trash was dumped in their trucks and the other half was left behind. Soon, the garbage began to pile up.

The Young Lords heard these complaints and began working. They started sweeping with brooms from the sanitation depot, attempting to clean up the rubble. They waited for the workers to collect, yet no one came. As a result, the Young lords took the trash and put it in

the middle of street.

This street happened to be one of Manhattan’s biggest connecting points for surburban commuters, making the spectacle even more attention grabbing.

This disruption became a daily demonstration and as the summer went on, more and more disgruntled members of the community joined in.

At one point, the garbage was set on fire, which quickly caught the attention of local political figures.

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“WE WERE USING THE INSTRUMENT OF OUR PROTEST, WHICH WAS GARBAGE, TO PROTEST EVEN MORE” HIRAM MARISTANY Eventually, the Young Lords were heard - their demands were met.

They accomplished: + increased sanitation services + more garbage receptacles + increased sanitation workers’ wages + hire more Puerto Rican and black workers

They also pressured the local government to launch several improvements to garbage collection in the city, such as: + improved dumping schedules + mandated systematic use of plastic garbage bags rather than metal cans + introduced an alternate-side-of -street parking

system meant to facilitate regular streeet sweeping.

An overall successful mission from the young party that had a lasting impact on the community and in the end, they returned the brooms they borrowed from the sanitation depot.

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After the Garbage Offensive in the summer of 1969, the YLO performed their first takeover in December of the same year.

They occupied a Methodist church at Armitage and Dayton Street for 11 days.

It was during this time, they deemed it their home or headquarters and carried out services to benefit the community, such as a daycare center, a free health clinic, and a cultural center.

They called it the People’s Church.

Though the church was still active, the Reverend Bruce Johnson supported the YLO intent and message. Thus, they allowed them to offer the services while worship was not in session.

Other programs they carried out at the People’s Church were: + educational workshops + free breakfast + clothing programs + community dinners + resources related to Puerto Rican culture and history

DECEMBER

1969

PEOPLE’S CHURCH

LOCATED IN THE HEART OF EL BARRIO 14

“WE WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN THE CHURCH TO PROVIDE US SPACE DURING TIMES NOT RESERVED FOR WORSHIP SO WE COULD CONDUCT BADLY NEEDED SERVICE PROGRAMS” MIGUEL “MICKEY” MELENDEZ

Even though the Young Lords were successful in carrying out these services, things did not go so smoothly on the first day.

They were immediately confronted by police and were arrested inside the church.

This was partially due to the Reverend’s past - he was Cuban and had been arrested in Cuba three times. Though he was reluctant, he still agreeed to let the YLO use his space.

During the 11 days of occupation, over 3000 people showed up and participated.

After the 11 days, 106 Young Lords were arrested for occupying the space.

After this, the YLO staged a subsequent church takeover in the next year, with a focus on calling attention to police brutality and the poor conditions of jails in NYC. This first takeover allowed the party to share their ideas platform within their direct community as well as the city and the state of NY.

Today, the original church is still referred to as the People’s Church. It is heavily associated with the ideology of the Young Lords.

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JULY

1970

In 1970, the Young Lords staged another takeover, this time in a hospital.

Lincoln Hospital, located in the Bronx, had a terrible reputation due to its unsanitary conditions, lack of staff, and outdated practices.

It obtained the local nickname of“Butcher Shop.

Unfortunetly, this was the only hospital available to the local community.

The YLO heard the people they represented loud and clear. They aimed to have their demand

LINCOLN HOSPITAL TAKEOVER

met: accessible, quality health care for all.

Thr group infiltrated the hospital - barricading themselves inside and read their demand.

They used no violence they collaborated with the likeminded doctors and nurses who agreed to stay and provide proper treatment to community members. Those who wished to leave could do so no one was held against their will.

They hung banners outside the hospital that read “Welcome to the People’s

Hospital,” reclaiming the facility as one for the community.

The beauty in this is how the Young Lords, who were inded young, were not intimidated of confronting issues as large as health care.

They did not worry about being “old enough” or having the proper resume.

They had experiences of living the injustices they were fighting against and they used this as their own tool.

The takeover resulted in one of the first.

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Patient’s Bill of Rights, which changed the patients’ relationship between doctors and hospitals across the united states. It also led to the reformation and expansion of the hospital’s health care and emergency services.

They also recognized an increase in tuberculosis (TB) among Black and Latino New Yorkers - a disease that resulted from poorly ventilated housing.

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When the YLO demands to alter the TB testing truck’s insuffcient schedule were ignored, they took matters into their own hands: they stole the truck and “liberated” it for the people. Hundreds of residents received free tests and eventually received official permission to operate it 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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THE LEGACY OF THE YOUNG LORDS

As for any radical group, the YLO eventually became associated with controversy. They published a 13-Point Program that envisioned a anti-racist, socialist society. They staged takeovers, demanding

free health care and education for all.

Their success in these takeovers still inspire those today, from the emergence of mutual aid groups and community fridges - the Young Lords activism is one to learn from.

The Young Lords were officially disbanded in 1976, after infiltration by the FBI, membership decline and member infighting due to extremism of certain factors.

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VIVA PUERTO RICO 1969 1976 LIBRE