Venezuelan activist lectures on social issues
Gisel Saillant, Collegian staff
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: News
The Afro-Latino movement reached the University of Massachusetts last Tuesday, as Jesus "Chucho" Garcia lectured about a social movement in Venezuela.
The lecture, titled "The Afro-Venezuelan Social Movement and the New Left in Latin America," brought a global perspective to UMass students.
He explained the more complex issues that exist in this community other than the stereotypes that are in the media about Latin America, "We are stereotyped as people that play drums, and shake [our buttocks] not as intellectuals," Garcia said.
Garcia is an intellectual activist and leader of the network of Afro-Venezuelan organizations and Strategic Alliance of Afro-descendants in Latin America. The lecture highlighted changes he feels must be made in the Venezuelan constitution and the involvement of the United States in the social movement.
Garcia gave his speech in Spanish, his native tongue, and it was translated into English by UMass faculty members, including Professor Agustin Lao Montes, who introduced Garcia to the attendees.
"I'm not Chavista, I'm not Bolivarian, I'm a revolutionary," Garcia said.
According to Garcia, this social movement evolves around racial and economic inequality in Venezuela.
"The problem of racism [in Venezuela] is that is under the veil of racial mixture," Garcia said. Education, according to Garcia, is the solution to the country's problems.
That is why the Afro-Venezuelan movement has made it a priority to implement more African elements in the school curriculum.
"We went to the ministry of education to demand our participation," Garcia said.
These demands were discussed with Cuban instructors that came to Venezuela to implement a new school agenda. Garcia admitted that the Cuban instructors had strategies, methods and objectives that should be included in the Venezuelan school system.
However, when the question about the content that should be taught came up, disagreements arose.
The lecture, titled "The Afro-Venezuelan Social Movement and the New Left in Latin America," brought a global perspective to UMass students.
He explained the more complex issues that exist in this community other than the stereotypes that are in the media about Latin America, "We are stereotyped as people that play drums, and shake [our buttocks] not as intellectuals," Garcia said.
Garcia is an intellectual activist and leader of the network of Afro-Venezuelan organizations and Strategic Alliance of Afro-descendants in Latin America. The lecture highlighted changes he feels must be made in the Venezuelan constitution and the involvement of the United States in the social movement.
Garcia gave his speech in Spanish, his native tongue, and it was translated into English by UMass faculty members, including Professor Agustin Lao Montes, who introduced Garcia to the attendees.
"I'm not Chavista, I'm not Bolivarian, I'm a revolutionary," Garcia said.
According to Garcia, this social movement evolves around racial and economic inequality in Venezuela.
"The problem of racism [in Venezuela] is that is under the veil of racial mixture," Garcia said. Education, according to Garcia, is the solution to the country's problems.
That is why the Afro-Venezuelan movement has made it a priority to implement more African elements in the school curriculum.
"We went to the ministry of education to demand our participation," Garcia said.
These demands were discussed with Cuban instructors that came to Venezuela to implement a new school agenda. Garcia admitted that the Cuban instructors had strategies, methods and objectives that should be included in the Venezuelan school system.
However, when the question about the content that should be taught came up, disagreements arose.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Chavez
posted 3/25/08 @ 12:19 PM EST
this is really interesting stuff. I really didn't of the U.S involvement in all this. The U.S wants to get in everything.
Jenna
posted 3/26/08 @ 9:22 AM EST
The information about the afro-latino movement should very interesting watch and see how these people fight to get their rights in the constitution.
sammy
posted 5/07/08 @ 6:43 PM EST
Wow, this is a very informative article. it gives an overall look at the struggles in venezuela.
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