Lupe Mendez's New Book: WE EXIST IN THE WHISPER - Huelga School Verses
Nuestra Palabra is proud to present the next session of its Civil Rights Series:
Lupe Mendez presents his new book We Exist in the Whisper: Huelga School Verses.
This includes a curated line up of folks who lived this history during the desegregation era. This takes place on the original site of one of the original strike schools known as huelga schools.
Speakers include Gloria Rubac, Librotraficante La Gloria, who was one of the original huelga school teachers.
Master of Ceremonies: Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, Founder & Dir. of Nuestra Palabra: Latinos Having Their Say.
And more, always MAS . . .
Discover the history. Learn the history. Experience the history.
Book sales will be provided by Nuestra Palabra Latinos Having Their Say. We overcome barriers to books by and about our community. Get your copy that night and get it signed by the Lupe Mendez and the other figures who fought for all of our civil rights.
Every purchase supports Nuestra Palabra, so we can keep giving back. If you can, buy more copies that evening to donate to our under ground, overground, community and family libraries.
Houston Media Source
7305 Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX 77011
Free admission.
Buy the book this evening, get it signed, and support Nuestra Palabra to continue to give back to the community.
Master of Ceremonies: Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, founder of Nuestra Palabra
“One day all these classrooms /
will no longer hold any of us. /
Leave no evidence we were here. /
We exist in the whisper…”
Lupe Mendez’s innovative new collection captures a unique time in Houston, Texas, “a sliver of a moment for Mexican-American and Mexican communities in the early 1970s,” that explores Houston ISD’s racist plan to integrate schools by sending Mexican-American children—labeled as white—to predominantly African-American schools, thereby satisfying federal desegregation laws.
Incensed that its children would have to travel to schools that were no better than the ones they could walk to, the Chicano community resisted by instituting a walkout, or huelga, and creating its own schools in churches, homes and neighborhood centers.
Weaving poetry and history, the book contains “found” poems created from newspaper articles about the strike; oral history interviews with teachers, principals and students; notes from visits the author made to the sites where classes were held more than 50 years ago; docupoems created from official Huelga School papers; and historical documents such as photographs, charts, fliers and letters.
In his illuminating notes about the book, Mendez describes the methodology for creating this collection and includes a list of best practices for the “poethnographer.” His research revealed the racism that existed in this era, perpetuated by the majority white population and between brown and black populations forced to compete for every resource.
Ultimately, Mendez asserts the Huelga School strike had a critical impact on Houston, both in the development of Mexican-American leaders who got their start in these “freedom schools” and the nascent collaborations between diverse communities. This creative, thought-provoking volume is a must-read for anyone interested in education, history and Mexican Americans’ fight for equality.
Sponsors:
The BIPOC Arts Network and Fund - BANF
The Law Office of Carolina Ortuzar-Diaz, PLLC
NHPO – National Hispanic Professional Organization
ALMAAHH
Monday Paper
Houston Media Source
Universe Purpose
Location
7305 Navigation Blvd
Houston, TX 77011, USA