A Project of YAOTL

Open letter: A right to a safe and civil education March 23, 2010

March 22, 2010
To Whom It May Concern:
As you may know, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and their allies in the non-profit sector are working on the Illinois Safe and Civil Schools Act, a legislative effort to address youth-on-youth violence in Illinois’ schools. As a collection of youth-centered organizing initiatives deeply committed to the struggle against violence, we would like to voice our position that any effort aiming to address school violence must be based on principles of restorative and transformative justice.
The undersigned organizations believe unconditionally that every student has the right to a safe and civil education; however we are concerned that legislation such as this could lead to the creation of “zero-tolerance” policies which reinforce the school-to-prison pipeline. The school-to-prison pipeline refers to the national trend of criminalizing, rather than educating, our youth and “zero tolerance” disciplinary policies are often the first step in a young person’s journey through that pipeline. These policies ignore circumstances around violence, fail to address conditions which create violence, and often disproportionately target marginalized students whom such efforts are stated to protect.
Furthermore, policies which focus on punishment rather than change can only deal with violence after the fact and put young people into artificial categories of bully and victim. Dealing with school violence in this individualized nature ignores the systemic violence which marginalized students face daily. By failing to recognize the inherent violence of a heterosexist curriculum, gendered dress codes, school closings, militarization, and other forms of systemic violence, this legislation has the possibility to divert energy and resources away from efforts to change the culture of schools and truly end violence. (more…)

Sk8 in the Hood Auction 8/22-8/29 August 23, 2009

Sk8 in the Hood Auction

LVEJO in partnership with Sk8 Gallery announce the Sk8 in the Hood Auction whose mission is to build a bridge between the  the artist’s community and LVEJO .Through this collaboration we intend to bring awareness to our communities about the environmental justice issues which effect us all through environmentally themed shows .

~25% of all the profits generated by the sales of the boards will go to LVEJO with some artist donating all the profits earned by the sale of their work.

~The Gallery will continue to travel throughout different venues in the chicagoland area and the hope is to contribute to need for awareness of  Environmental Justice issues on a  national scope.

~Sk8 Gallery is a project  sponsored by Rock N Jewels.

Each of these is on auction at E-bay currently, for only one week!  Ends Saturday the 29th of August.

Clicking on the link below for any skateboard deck, goes safely to the “Active” auction page for this item on E-bay.

This auction is for hand painted uniquely themed skateboard decks only. No other hardware.
The number (#) is the matching E-bay item number

Third Annual Skate in the Hood Jam! August 13, 2009

Download this flier

           We hope this message finds you in good spirits.  Come to Little
Village this Saturday for Our Third Annual Skate in the Hood Jam.  Check out
the flier.  Come in the morning for family events and to learn about
community organizations.  The skate competition will start at 1:30 bands
will play at 4 till 8 and a DJ will bless the tables till 10 pm.
Peace and blessings
YAOTL (young activists organizing as today's leaders)

"La lucha por justicia corre por mis venas, corazon acelerrado con el ritmo
de mi gentes" 

"We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to
change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good
ends"- Mary McLeod Bethune

"We must strive to become good ancestors" 

Check out the flier

Check out the flier |  

Download this flier #1

Marisol Becerra | Power Shift 09 March 12, 2009

In 2003, Marisol Becerra volunteered with Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) to map and inventory the toxins found within 150 blocks of her predominantly Mexican-American community, Little Village in Chicago. Marisol was enraged to discover that in Little Village more than 60,000 youth in a two-mile radius of the Fisk and Crawford Coal Power Plants are forced to breathe air that violates EPA standards. She was inspired to act, she said, “in order to shut down these coal power plants, build more parks, and clean up the toxics. We must organize more people to stand up and fight.” Her first step was launching the youth branch of LVEJO — Youth Activists Organizing as Today’s Leaders, YAOTL. Based on the data Marisol collected, YAOTL collaborated with Chicago-based Open Youth Networks to devise OurMap of Environmental Justice, an interactive online map that includes 12 youth-created videos, descriptions of toxic sites, and gang territory delineations. With this map, Marisol educated her community about local environmental injustice and motivated them to become involved in campaigns. The map uses poignant facts and videos to educate about the different pollutants and contaminants in Little Village that cause 41 premature deaths and 550 emergency room visits annually. In 2008, Marisol was awarded a Brower Youth Award for her commitment and work.

Upcoming Event! July 30, 2008

Rudy Lozano event July 24, 2008

This event was on sunday July 20, 2008 to remember Rudy Lozano. It was the frist year this festival was hosted in the Pilsin area. Their were a lot of different people that performed and DJ’d at this event. the event took place from 1-9 at night. Their were a good amount of people that showed up. this event had a lot of different thing to keep people entertained like my favorite was playing basketball. they had full court set up on the street and drew lines on the ground. We the youth group had to interview three people each and ask them what do they know about this event and what is their knowledge of Rudy.

Interviews

Danny Gomez-16

1. How did you find out about this event?

- My cousin is helping out and helped plan it

2. Why did you decide to come?

- I came to holla at some girls and have some fun.

3. Do you know who Rudy Lozano was?

- I Really don’t know much about him other then he did something for latinos

4. What do you think about this event?

- It’s a good idea to keep the youth busy.

5. Where do you live around?

- I stay in Pilsin

 

 

 

 

 

David Hernandez- 28

1. Do you know who Rudy Lozano was?

- I knew that he was trying to get the blacks and the browns together and he was killed I think.

2. How did you find out about this event?

- I heard about this event from a co-worker.

3. Why did you decide to come?

- I Came for my kids can have some fun and relax in the park.

4. What do you think about this event?

- I think it is a good thing for the community to become more united and have safe fun at the same time.

5. Where do you live around?

- I live around the Pilsin area