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In case you haven’t noticed, women are at the forefront of making positive change in our Orange County communities – and have been for quite some time. From the picket line to the DREAM and everything in between their contributions are essential. Only five, you say? The number is psychologically pleasing to the reader, never to the writer! This 2010 retrospective is but a tribute to their dedication and effort. Just know that there are many more mujeres out there than this short list could ever hope to highlight. And please feel free to add on your own mujeristas in the comments section. Now, in no particular order:
1. Ada Briceño
Arrested as part of an action that shut down the entrance to Disneyland years back, labor leader Ada Briceño (pictured seated wearing a red shirt) has continually worked on behalf of Disney Resort Hotel workers. The major corporation doesn’t want to budge in seeking to couple the low wages they pay out to their workers with a new reduction in health benefits. Briceño, as a long time organizer of the hotel workers and Secretary-Treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 11, has done all she can to ensure that the Mouse doesn’t have its cheese and eat it too. This year was yet another of organized protests and innovative appropriations of Disney characters to drive the point home. May next year bring a long hard fought labor victory!
2. Ginger Hahn
Ginger Hahn is Executive Director of the Center Orange County, “a welcoming home for LGBT youth, adults, and families, as well as for our allies.” The space offers numerous services including a safe social space, health education programs and affordable mental health counseling. This year, the major media reported on a string of LGBT suicides occurring across the nation underlying how fatal bigotry and bullying can be. Here in Orange County, The Center has been on those front lines for years. If those news headlines finally caught your attention, supporting the work of Ginger Hahn and the Center is a way to bring much needed change close to home.
3. The Ladies of the OCDT
This year was one in which a DREAM was demanded and ultimately deferred. It certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort on behalf of undocumented students and their advocates wanting a future in the form of a pathway to U.S. citizenship. The slogan “Undocumented and Unafraid” will enter history alongside “We Shall Overcome” and “Si Se Puede.” Locally, the Orange County DREAM Team has grown in size and scope since its inception in 2004. In this pivotal year, OC DREAMers Noemi and Antonia both participated in acts of civil disobedience covered in the media aimed at bringing the DREAM Act to a vote. OCDTers Yenni Diaz and Vanessa Castillo were a ubiquitous tandem in the struggle for the rights of undocumented students and the community at large. Together, the OCDT applied grassroots political savvy to make Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez co-sponsor the legislation. Difficult circumstances present themselves in 2011, but we all know, in the words of poet Langston Hughes, “what happens to a dream deferred”
4. Sarah Rafael Garcia
Published author Sarah Rafael Garcia started the “Barrio Writers” program in Santa Ana in 2009. It took youth in the city and helped them express their worlds through the power of the written word. This past summer, her efforts, including numerous workshops, produced the first edition publication of her students’ efforts in writing. Yes, these barrio teenagers are now published authors thanks to Garcia’s program! 2010 brought another year in which the author expanded the vision of Barrio Writers to include the city of Anaheim as well making her a true “Santanaheimer!” In the coming year, Garcia is looking to publish her own second memoir as well as another edition of the Barrio Writers book. Now in Austin, Texas, 2011 will see her take her talents and vision there while hopefully finding someone to keep BW going here at home. Either way, she will be a deeply missed presence up in the OC mix.
5. Natalie Kennedy [In Memoriam]
As OC Weekly Managing Editor Gustavo Arellano recently noted, 2010 was the year in which the County lost the life of Natalie Kennedy. The early civil rights advocate passed away earlier in June. The Weekly’s obit wrote of her involvement in many organizations that have helped shaped County life for the betterment of us all. Along with her husband Ralph Kennedy, Natalie started the Orange County Fair Housing Council and the Fullerton Observer newspaper — a publication I always make a point to pick up whenever I roll through the Fullerton Library. News of her death was written in an article there and concluded with the words, “Thank you Natalie; the world is a better place for your having been here. We are all personally enriched and inspired by your life having touched ours.”
Men and women alike should aspire to live a life eulogized in such a manner.
Other than the true civil rights advocate Ms. Kennedy, the rest of the list looks to be those that promote racism, sexism or other forms of prejudice. Hardly “positive” changes.
How diverse is your community? haha! As to the other questions: How so? Just because you say?
If you mean excluding one race or gender at the expense of another, I hope my community refuses to succumb. I really don’t understand how you differentiate yourself from those that you condemn. Try being colorblind and gender neutral instead of fostering hate.
Fostering hate? Again, how so? By supporting those advocating for good health benefits? Those who offer services to the LGBT community? Those who offer confidence and healing through the form of writing? Those who advocate for education and a DREAM?
You know not what you speak of.
Another idiot…
Mr. Willis,
You must know that Gab is in love with racist, sexism and other forms of prejudice! He is liberal!!!!
It’s simply beaming with positivity!
Call me whatever you want. Your head is like a sieve.
That’s six of your lovely comments today quinn.
You can’t count Vern or YOU just can’t bare to only give me six comments!
It’s about 20+
Don’t worry, I am off for a night on the town! I am not bringing my computer!
Happy New year Big Brother and Gab, if my head is a sieve, it’s because I sieve out the useless sh*& that is your ideology!
Bye boys and via the disco!
I foresee some problems – i.e., some impossibilities of communication that are gonna get pretty old pretty quick – given that Geoff Willis, Hirota, and Newbie fervently believe that minorities (racial, ethnic, gender, etc.) banding together to help each other or even just to foster pride, is somehow RACIST.
That’s an article of these guys’ faith. I don’t know what can be done about it. Maybe they need to pop in on one of these groups some day and see how friendly they actually are to old white guys like us.
I find that a funny response Vern since every time someone challenges ILLEGAL immigration they are quickly labeled a “hater.” Having been a part of local government for more than a quarter century, I have witnesses first hand self-labeled racial groups (“Mexican” or “Vietbameese” or “Cuban”) consciously and intentionally excluding those who are “different” from business opportunities with their public agency. I have seen a local official take on a previously non-existent accent to be more “ethnic.”. I have seen strings pulled for college admission solely based on the race of the applicant.
The core problem with all of this is that race itself is self defined. There is no legal definition for any race. My recent heritage is Scotch/Irish but there is nothing in then law that would prevent me from declaring myself as of Afrcan or Chineese heritage. As soon as you move away from a color blind philosophy, it is a slippery slope down the path of overt racism which iis anathema to true equality.
Vern – that’s fine. Willis is just regurgitating responses divorced from reality. Did he answer my questions? No. That’s ok, because it is what people read as well as what they don’t read:
DREAMers aren’t just Mexican, or even Latinos. DREAMers and their supports are multiracial.
The Center Orange County is an open space for the multiracial LGBT community (and their straight allies)
Having been at hotel worker rallies over the years, I can personally attest to multiracial support from the union and the community.
Willis wouldhave a similar difficulty in trying to paint the work of Barrio Writers as prejudiced, racist or sexist…
And nonsense such as his deserves no further response.
Back to the original sentiment of this post, “Viva La Mujer!”
“DREAMers aren’t just Mexican, or even Latinos. DREAMers and their supports are multiracial.”
MQ says:
Well, that sucks! Not only did the ethnocentric Mexicans screw it up for themselves, they screw it up for the other illegal Aliens!
“Willis wouldhave a similar difficulty in trying to paint the work of Barrio Writers as prejudiced, racist or sexist…”
MQ says:
You mean guys like yourself Gab, that go ON and ON about us white devils invading your turf!
lol:I have never met more racist or sexist people than the Mexicans!!! It’s cultural; its normal for your clan! It’s ok though; quite frankly your clan is a hugh pain in the as^! I suppose in the head too! What is all this head cutting off craze? Can the Mexicans not come up with their own torture??? What about Water boarding or having to sit and listen to your big hat music for a couple of minutes!
Keep up the good barrio chatter!
Mr. Willis, you are one cool dude! 🙂
Sarah is muy bonita. Ugh. Sexist pig.
Orange county is haunted by cruel snobs that can’t learn and feel no interest in expanding their thought patterns–like despicable Michelle Quinn. Too many loose X-Rays ? Your poison is showing.