CORRECTED: Alum organizes Chicano Movimiento forum starting Sept. 16 at 6pm

A series of discussions on the Chicano movement for civil rights and its legacy will kick off Sept. 16 (NOT Sept. 20!) in San Jose, organized by local civic group MAIZ (Movimiento de Accion Inspirando Servicio), according to SJSU alum Adriana Garcia

The first of four panel discussions, “Community Based Organizing in the Movimiento, Then and Now,” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Roosevelt Community Center near downtown San Jose. Admission is free.

Event #1: Wed. September 16, 2009: Community Based Organizing en el Movimiento, moderated by Maribel Martinez, SJSU Cesar Chavez Community Action Center, Program Director

Since 1969, community-based organizing has played a profound role in empowering San José’s diverse Latino community. Rallying around issues of quality education, police brutality, immigrant and labor rights, groups have employed militancy, culture and history as key organizing tools. Newer generations have also worked to strengthen the voices of mujeres and the LGBT community. Listen and share on the impact of the movimiento through the people that shaped it and continue its legacy.

Participants from the movement will speak about how grass-roots organizers rallied Mexican-Americans to press for quality schooling, bilingual education, affirmative action, better labor conditions and improved policing. Younger activists will talk about extending the movement today to include women’s and gay and lesbian rights.

Scheduled panelists include Henry Dominguez, a longtime activist and current member of the Black Berets of San Jose; Adriana Garcia, alum,  local poet and founder of MAIZ (A Spanish acronym for Movement Inspiring Service); Sal Alvarez, a former associate professor of social work at San Jose State University and officer with the national League of United Latin American Citizens; and David Madrid, a youth counselor and member of Silicon Valley De-Bug, a collective of artists and community activists.

The series will continue Oct. 14 and on dates to be selected in April and May 2010. For more information, contact MAIZ at 408-250-6965 or maiz_mex@hotmail.com.