THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: RICARDO ROMO’S TEJANO REPORT ON EMMA TENYUCA WARRIOR FOR WORKING WOMEN, EMMA TENAYUCA IN HER OWN WORDS, BURUNDANGA BORICUA ON PENSIÓN DIGNA , AND ANGELA ROA WITH “TOCO DESAFINADO.”
This week Ricardo Romo’s Tejano Report looks at the life and pioneering work of labor organizer and educator Emma Tenayuca. Emma led the 1936 Pecan Shellers Strike in San Antonio, Texas and was ahead of her time as a vibrant labor organizer and role model for Latinas. Check out Ricardo’s essay and don’t miss the cool art work by Melanie Cervantes of the Digna Rebelde art collective. We pair Ricardo’s essay with a video clip interview with Emma Tenayuca conducted back in 1983 when she was still with us. Emma explains the Pecan Shellers strike and the importance of labor organizing.
From Puerto Rico, José Umpierre’s Burundanga Boricua reports on the crisis in Puerto Rico’s pension fund. When the fund was created back in the 1960s, the idea was to provide Puerto Rican civil workers with a pension. But because over time the life expectancy of the island’s residents grew, the fund soon became in sufficient to cover everyone. Add to that the balloon payment on the debt creating the current economic crisis and you have a real disaster. What’s clear is that over decades no one in leadership position was watching out for the people. A sobering assessment by Don Zocotroco.
Also this week, Chilean born Angela Roa with her original song, “Toco Desafinado,” (I Play out of Tune). Check it all out on this week. Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia