- What is the legacy of the Young Lords party?
The New York City Young Lords Organization was founded by a group of mostly Puerto Rican students from SUNY-Old Westbury, Queens College and Columbia University. They were inspired by the Black Panther Party (BPP) and a group called the Young Lords in Chicago, Illinois. Representing the Puerto Rican community of New York City, the young lords served as a group that acted as a voice for those who were too afraid to speak out. They decided to focus their energy on the communities in which they had actual roots: the Puerto Rican communities on the Lower East Side and in East Harlem. They continued to build an autonomous student movement, while at the same time training students to be community organizers. They educated themselves so that they could empower others. They encouraged further studies and literacy for all. The Puerto Rican communities in New York were always overlooked by the city sanitation departments and other government services in general. Furthermore, healthcare was a major lacking feature in these communities. They organized the Health Revolutionary Unity Movement (HRUM), a mass organization which was made up of Puerto Rican and Black medical workers based in Gouverneur Hospital on the Lower East Side and other hospitals in Harlem.
2. Why do they matter for today?
The Young Lords fought for all Latinos. They made it their mission to guarantee and protect their born given rights. Many are oblivious to the existence of the Young Lords and what they did for their people, even new generation Latinos. Forgotten in the history books, their legacy is forgotten. But for those who are aware of them, realize that their actions left an impact that changed the lives for many to come. They matter now more than ever because the Young Lords serve as an inspiration for those hungry for change but don’t know how. While the organization may have corrected many of the political and social atrocities imposed on to the Latinos, the discrimination still lives amongst them. In neighborhoods where Latino families have been living for generations, gentrification is occurring and people are getting kicked out of their homes. Moreover, struggling to keep their families fed and a roof over their heads, Latinos are restricted to low-income jobs and unskilled labor by the racial restrictions of many white collared jobs. Looking up to authoritative figures such as the Young Lords, these kids have a path paved for them to instill change in their communities.
3. How does the film frame the answers for those questions?
In the film, there are many characters with each person contributing a unique perspective to the young lords legacy. Mateo is an elderly male who’s wife just passed away. He’d lost his purpose in life, but soon after finds it in teaching oblivious about the Young Lords at a class in a community college. Milly, in my opinion, represents the epitome of the Latino struggle. She is a young adult who has to work long hours to help provide for her family. Her father is a janiotor who is very controlling and restricts her from many things. The low budget setting and cast for the movie was surprisingly fitting for the message trying to be conveyed. In the scene where they first learn about the Young Lords, one of the girls says it’s all bullshit as “nothing has changed.”, but Mateo quickly points out that her speaking out is what the Young Lords empowered their people to do. The movie shows the transition from a bunch of individuals unsatisfied with their life coming together as one unit under the eyes of the Young Lord.
