2nd Annual ARE Conference on the Struggle for Social Justice in Education a Success

A.R.E. Would like to give special thanks to Mr. Mel Collins, Ms. Ana Shapiro, Mr. Don Robinson, Mr. Minor Courtney, Ms. Amalia Salas, Mr. Ray Adair and all the teachers who attended and shared their rooms for our conference workshops.

Lincoln High School, San Diego, CA- On Saturday, April 12th, 2008 the Association of Raza Educators held its 2nd Annual ARE Conference on the Struggle for Social Justice in Education at Lincoln High School. The conference gathered 600 participants: educators, students, parents and community members from all over California and parts of Mexico, who are concerned with the oppressive conditions that students, communities and our society as a whole are facing.

The goals of the conference were:

1.  To create a network of Raza and other socially conscious educators which will be strongly committed to an education that is multicultural and relevant to the student’s social and economic needs; 
2.  To motivate educators to become involved in struggles within and outside the educational institutions; 
3.  To provide a solid understanding of what critical and revolutionary pedagogy is all about, thereby arming us with the knowledge and skills to confront the racist-fascist onslaught currently being waged upon the Raza communities and other oppressed people.

The event opened with a cultural presentation by Toltecas en Aztlán who helped set the tone of the Conference, reminding attendees that as Raza we are an Indigenous people to these lands (Southwest United States). To open the event, Juan Orozco- the San Diego ARE Chapter Coordinator- welcomed the more than 600 attendees. Then Los Angeles ARE Chapter Coordinator, Jose Lara, introduced the first keynote of the day; Vicente “Chente” Jimenez (Somos Raza youth organizer and member of Unión del Barrio, Los Angeles). He was followed by Professor Antonia Darder, from the University of Illinois, who was introduced by Mariana Ramirez, member of ARE San Diego. Both Vicente and Antonia shared their anger and frustration towards the system that has created oppressive conditions for students, families and communities, not only in the barrios and ghettos of the United States, but throughout the world.

The opening plenary was followed by two workshop sessions that addressed issues towards Social Justice in Education. Among the issues addressed were: Organizing for a Socially Just Education, Criminalization of Youth: Schools & Prisons, Resisting the Military in Schools, Parent Power and Participation in Education, Democratic Schooling, Media and Education, and Human Rights Education.

This conference- which was completely free of charge and organized by an all-volunteer organization- was a most historic event that facilitated a space for dialogue about the injustices that are taking place within the U.S. educational system.

Before listening to the last two keynote speakers, ARE awarded three, $1,000 dollar scholarships to undocumented students who have excelled in their studies, but who, because of their “immigration status,” are ineligible to receive financial aid to go to college. The scholarships were presented by ARE members, Aremi Lopez, Lola Murillo and Debby Villegas. Because ARE believes that education is a human right, and is committed to ensuring the protection of this right, ARE asked participants to contribute to the Raza Education Fund that seeks to raise 10,000 dollars to help Raza achieve a College and University education. The participants responded by contributing 3,000 dollars collectively.

The conference ended with two keynote speakers Kobina Bantushango (Chairperson of the African International Student Organization, and member of the African Peoples Socialist Party, from Florida) and Jeff Duncan Andrade (Activist Scholar, Professor at San Francisco State University) who challenged attendees to join the struggle for a truly liberating education by joining an organization.

The closing message by Eduardo Enrique Ochoa (A.R.E. member and Lincoln teacher) to the attendees was to take to the streets of San Diego and march shoulder to shoulder with students and young people for Justice, Dignity and Raza Self-Determination. The march, which was organized by Somos Raza (the youth project of Unión del Barrio) and MEChA’s from throughout San Diego, held this march to honor Emiliano Zapata and to protest the growing militarization of education, the state budget cuts to education and the ICE/Migra raids in our communities.

¡El Maestro Luchando, También esta Educando!