THE FIGHT CONTINUES!

I was inspired by Alberto O. Cappas to pursue community activism, and I am absolutely inspired by participating in making a difference within our Latino/people of color community.

 Since my renewal involvement, I have attended several meetings against gentrification in my lower west side community. I have rallied for affordable housing, tenant rights, an end to homelessness, and fighting for climate justice to save our planet from pollution and destruction.

I remember January 27, 2020 very well, as it was my first protest of the year and I was very excited and not able to sleep. By 4:30 am, I was ready to go. It was a clear night. My block club vice-president was supposed to join me but did not. I picked up several youth PUSH members on my way to the meeting place. We met at School 77, everyone was there, waiting to leave for Albany to make our presence, to make noise.

And by 5:50 am, we were on our way, together, in a Coach Bus.

We made a pit stop in Rochester, NY, picked up more protesters there. We practiced chants, repeatedly, led by Geovanni Hernandez and Luz Velez.

We arrived in Albany at 10:30 am, and everyone got off the bus, we followed one another into this giant, white building, known as the Capital building. We went through security, towards the million dollars staircase. We were all there, people from across New York State – from Buffalo, Grand Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Rochester, Syracuse, all the way from the Adirondacks, and we were demanding CLIMATE JUSTICE!

 Led by our very own, community activist Luz Velez, hundreds of us sat there blocking the governor’s office main entrance, yelling, “Governor Cuomo, do your job!”

Since then, I continue my community activism, I’m honored to be part of this movement, as I know that public discourse and protests, and rallies does make a big difference, and I’m very fortunate to be part of the solution, and not the problem.

I’ve attended other protests this past month, lobbying for home guarantee, fighting for tenant and homeowner rights, more secure public housing, & an end to homelessness.

We need to save the environment, we need to go solar, and we NEED to stop the FRACKING which is sucking the very blood out of our planet, causing destruction, pollution, and yes, earthquakes.

Get involved in the right issues, help save the planet, if not for you, for our children, for our future generation.