Indispensables

There are men who struggle for a day and are good There are others who struggle for a year and are better There are those who struggle many years hey are very good ^^^ m 11 th A lives These are... the indispensables THE STRUGGLE AND THE IDEALS of Puerto Rican prisoners of war Edwin Cortes, Alejandrina Torres and Alberto Rodriguez and of political prisoner Jos6 Luis Rodriguez "...all the childre the world an the reason I will i to the death to destroy colonialism... This publication is dedicated to the future of our homeland and to the children of the three new Puerto Rican Prisoners of War, Liza Beth and Catalina Torres; Yazmfn Elena and Ricardo Alberto Rodriguez; and Noemi and Cark>s Alberto Cortes. —Alberto R Cover; prose by Bertolt Brecht Editorial El Coquf 1671 N. Claremont (312) 342-8023/4 AUTOBIOGRAPHIES Chicago, Illinois 60647 OF THE 4 "...all the children of the world are the reason I will fight to the death to destroy colonialism..." This publication is dedicated to the future of our homeland and to the children of the three new Puerto Rican Prisoners of War, Liza Beth and Catalina Torres; Yazmfn Elena and Ricardo Alberto Rodriguez; and Noemf and Carlps Alberto Cortes. —Alberto Rodriguez olt Brecht Editorial El Coqui' 1671 N. Claremont (312) 342-8023/4 AUTOBIOGRAPHIES Chicago, Illinois 60647 OF THE 4 • ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ I...reaffirm the right of the Puerto Rican people to wage armed struggle against U.S. imperialism." I was born in Bronx, New York on April and we walked out. Once outside, we were 14, 1953. My parents, Manuel Rodriguez attacked by the police and gangs of white and Carmen Santana were forced to leave racists. After a brief but determined battle, their beloved Puerto Rico due to the de- we had to abandon the school grounds and pressed colonial economy and widespread retreat to our communities. A similar inci- repression against workers. Before my first dent occurred in 1969. It was done to pro- birthday, my parents left New York and test the deaths of Fred Hampton and Mark came to Chicago. Clark, Black Panther Party members killed I remember my father working in various by a FBI/Chicago Police Task Force. In 1970 low-paying jobs, which were the only ones and 1971, several others were organized, this available to Puerto Ricans. Slowly, he was time by the Latino student body. This was able to save enough money to bring the rest done to force a reluctant school administra- of our family from Puerto Rico. With the six tion to hire a Latino counselor and provide born and living in Puerto Rico and another courses which addressed the particular needs eight born in the States, my family grew to of Latino students. fourteen. During the early 1970's, the Puerto Rican Like so many working-class Puerto Rican community, especially its youth, was swept families, we were constantly moving, always by a wave of nationalist sentiments. Young one step ahead of the wrecking ball. We lived people began to outwardly identify them- in neighborhoods which were destroyed to selves as Puerto Ricans. These were the times make room for the Carl Sandburg Village, of the Young Lords, who were attempting to Old Town Condos, Kennedy Expressway address the needs of the Puerto Rican com- and the University of Illinois - Chicago Cam- munity. Though the Young Lords were not pus. Finally, by 1967, after years of hard active on the south side, we did receive liter- work and deprivation, my parents were able ature from them. This had a profound impact to buy a house in the Puerto Rican barrio on on me. I began to see myself not just as a the south side of Chicago. street gang member defending some isolated At the age of 15, I committed my first turf, but as part of a whole nation and cpm- political act. The Black students at the high , munity struggling to be free. It was this that school that I attended, Tilden Tech, had brought me and several other young people planned a massive walkout to protest the together to discuss the need for community assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. organizing and developing support for The Black student leadership had asked for Puerto Rican independence. support from the Puerto Rican students. At In 1972, I enrolled in the University of a pre-determined time, fire alarms were pulled Illinois, Chicago Circle Campus. I was shock- ed to^fincl that out of a total student popula- conference as a member of a newly founded community and tion of twenty thousand, there were less than organization called the Colectiva Don Pedro tunity to come before their to struggle and confn ten Puerto Rican and twenty-five Mexican Albizu Campos which was organized on the denounce the police murders. An intensive prcssion and poverty students enrolled. The same year, a Latino south side of Chicago. The Colectiva, along and successful campaign was launched against Center I did everyth student movement was formed to confront a sector of the independence movement police repression and many members of the to carpentry and pail the University administration on the issues of which was very active on the north side and Comite were harassed and arrested by police. was done at this Cei recruitment and the development of a Latin worked out of the Puerto Rican Cultural 1 was arrested with another Comite member community and truly American Studies Program. Due to our lack Center and other Puerto Ricans from New on the eve of a conference against police endeavor. Besides man of experience in political organizing and clear York, formed a coalition which called itself repression. At that conference, several com- buted to the publics Newsletter La Voz d< direction, several student organizations were the March First Bloc. The March First Bloc, munity members were attacked by Police elopment of a theatr formed and disbanded. Finally, in 1974, the which had attracted the more radical ele- task force units, but this did not dampen Guamn. Union for Puerto Rican Students was form- ments of the North American left, con- our commitment to struggle to end re- On June 29, 198i ed. This organization began to do work fronted the liberal PSP-dominated PRSC and pression. began working as a Counselor/ with three other c among students around the issues of concern forced it to deal with the need for revolu- In 1977, I Coordinator at the Borinqucria Learning Cen- being members of th to Latino students, support for the Five tionary action to free Puerto Rico. ter; which is an integral part of the Puerto with the political off( Nationalist Prisoners and independence for During this period, federal grand juries Rican Cultural Center. My three years at spiracy." I have assui Puerto Rico. The Union became instrumental were being convened in Chicago and New Borinquena were some of the most difficult court and before my in the establishment of programs such as the York purportedly investigating the FALN. and time-consuming, while at the same time Prisoner of War. I di Latin American Studies Program, Latin Four members of the Colectiva were subpoe- the most rewarding. Borinquena was a unique right of Puerto Rican American Recruitment and Educational Ser- naed along with other activists from Chicago, experiment in higher education. It provided struggle against U.S. vices and the Rafael Cintron-Ortiz Cultural New York and the Southwest. Out of the community people an opportunity to develop to POW status is a co Center. It was through this process that I need to confront this repression and to pre- necessary skills as well as political education. mitment and dedicatk began to learn political organizing skills. sent an alternative to the reformism per- Many of its students went on to become Puerto Rico and to c< I also became aware that while concessions meating the independence movement, the various community struggles. Borin- U.S. imperialism, whi and reforms could be forced from institutions active in Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional was quena was also significant in that it destroyed demned as a crime like the University of Illinois, the fundamen- formed. The Colectiva became part of this the myth that the Puerto Rican community world peace. As a PO^ tal contradictions would continue. I began new organization. integrity of the imper to see the need for more radical approaches Between 1977 and 1980, I worked with must rely on the state to provide it with ser- trial Puerto Ricans > to our reality and was attracted to the ideas the following organizations: The Workers' vices and guidance. The college program, of Marxism. Rights Center, National Committee to End along with the Puerto Rican Cultural Center and justice. which houses it, continue today as a model As in any auto Iti 1976, the year I graduated from col- Grand Jury Repression, Committee to Free of struggle and self-determination. must omit many asp lege, the whole independence movement was the Five Puerto Rican Nationalist Prisoners, In 1980, I left Borinquena Campus and conclusion, there are in a period 6f turmoil and redefinition. On and the Comite Pro-Orientacion Comunal. began working at Northeastern Illinois Uni- my life that I would the one hantl, you had the reformist tendency This latter group was formed after the brutal versity as a counselor for Black and Latino First, is my marriage headed by the Puerto Rican Socialist Party's 1977 murder of two Puerto Ricans in Hum- students. I also began working with the loved companera, Cai decision to participate in the colonial elec- boldt Park in Chicago.

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