-What is the legacy of the Young Lords party?

The Young Lords was founded by a predominately Puerto Rican group of college students. Inspired by the Black Panther Party and Malcom X, they served as a group to draw notice to social inequality, specifically in East Harlem. They used attention-grabbing strategies, that are more commonly used today, but were not so much back then in order to leave a lasting impact. Their campaigns generated headlines, bringing the Puerto Rican community into the light. Primarily focused on attaining healthier living conditions, the Young Lords seized churches and hospitals and provided free food, clothes, and health services. Although their activity was short-lived, it brought about Puerto Rican pride, along with political and cultural activism.

– Why do they matter for today?

As discussed in class, sometimes the audience of activists is the future. While the progress of Puerto Ricans in New York over the years has been mixed, most of them still living poor lives, the legacy of the Young Lords provides hope for the current generation. The Young Lords Party did not have money or a great amount of media attention, but the passion combined with love for the Latino community drove them to fight for reformation. Individuals today, even Latinos, are unaware of the Young Lords until they reach higher levels of education or will never know of their movement at all. While this lack of knowledge is a challenge towards completely transforming the community for the better, for those who do know, the legacy of the Young Lords provides motivation to fight for change today.

-How does the film frame the answers for those questions?

The film frames the answers to both the legacy of the Young Lords Party and why they matter today. The movie is set in East Harlem, present day. Latino communities are still poverty stricken, violence-oriented, with people, young and old, who are uneducated, struggling to make pay. Most are unaware of the Young Lords party. The protagonist, Milly, encompasses all of these attributes. She and her classmates represent the current-day Latino community. Mateo, acts as the educator in the plot. His first-hand experience with the Young Lords and extensive knowledge allows him to inform the current generation about their movements, with the intention to provide an incentive for these kids to make change and hope for a brighter future. Through these characters, viewers gain a better understanding of what the Young Lords party was and how their actions act as inspiration for Latino youth today.

F.N.

How To Survive A Plague recounts the story of Act Up during the 1980s, when the LGBT community dedicated themselves to ending the Aids crisis and demanded treatment they deserved. Greenwich Village became the epicenter for the movement, and members of the organization were determined to rid society of the sentiment that, as the movie states, gay people deserved Aids and the discrimination that accompanied it by being denied treatment. Sick patients could go four days in a hospital without a bed because the hospitals had incentives not to diagnose, and as a result, people died every single day.

The use of “sacred spaces” in their movement was critical to the success of Act Up. The first example we saw was when the organization protested in front of City Hall, all chanting that, “The government has blood on their hands” and that, “Silence is death”. Then of course medical institutions and hospitals were targeted by Act Up because they wanted to challenge the idea that these places were legitimate in calling themselves sacred, being they withheld treatment to those suffering from Aids. Then there was the extremely moving clip of people pouring their loved one’s ashes on the grass of the White House because Raegan and Bush were responsible for their deaths, and lastly, we saw Act Up protest in the Catholic Church, blaming them for murdering the gay community as well.

This movement was so powerful because of this strategy of theirs to target sacred spaces and to challenge the underlying foundation of all these institutions. Though the government, hospitals and religion pride themselves on being fair and just to all, Act Up was publicly showing that all were failing in their duties regarding the Aids crisis, and no one should be exempt or justified in their actions. And even though they may have widened the gap between the LGBT community and the Church, their efforts were still effective because the media coverage allowed them to reach a far greater amount of people than those within the Church who disagreed with them.

All movements, including the one against police brutality, can learn from Act Up. It is important to try and influence the people who are ignorant, uninformed, or even neutral regarding the matter. Trying to sway extremists is often ineffective and won’t be successful. However, members of Act Up knew that they could influence people because of the attention they would receive since their actions were done publicly. It is this strategic type of activism that has the potential to implement real change in society, just like it did during the Aids crisis.

Molly Ottensoser

The AIDS crisis resulted in countless deaths of gay men, yet the majority of society ignored the severity of this matter, particularly due to homophobic tensions. In order to draw awareness to the real-time problem occurring, movements and organizations arose. Specifically, the ACT-UP organization included groups of diverse people united in anger, committed to ending the AIDS crisis. A method that members utilized to gain attention was the use of ‘sacred space’ in their actions.

The use of ‘sacred space’ not only drew attention to the matter, but also to the seriousness of it. The crisis was not meant to be taken lightly, shown by activists setting their protests in spaces that people deem worthy of awe and respect. For instance, members disrupted Catholic church services by making an abundance of noise and shouting “stop killing us.” They also trashed areas surrounding the White House, creating a noticeable scene. By disturbing both church and state, the organization makes it clear that these institutions are responsible for the deaths and can no longer ignore this crisis.

The use of violence is not always as powerful as nonviolent protests, and ACT-UP proves just that. Although their actions may not turn the minds of active members of the Church or state, they give them a hard time to forget the instance and motives behind it. In addition, the organization gained a lot of attention from the media. This results in swaying outsiders, who may have no idea about the crisis or those who are on the fence of deciding whether to support it or not. ACT-UP was definitely purposeful, creating uncomfortable tension with their actions, making their movements so strong.

Activism around my topic, which is affirmative action, usually consists of nonviolent protests at universities or work places. Posters are held and chants are recited. While there have been instances of more disruption, similar to those performed by ACT-UP members, affirmative action activists could definitely diversify their protests by drawing more attention from the media. With intentional, clever planning and the motive to not only spur awareness, but also real change through anger, affirmative action activists should reference ACT-UP movements for influence.

F.N.

Act Up, AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, was a movement known for taking their demonstrations to “sacred” spaces in order to send a message. Whether it be Churches, the White House, or City Hall, activists wanted to show that no one was innocent and that institutions such as these were largely to be blamed for the deaths of so many individuals with AIDS. Additionally, the activists were going to these spaces in order to attract the largest audiences possible. While they knew it was entirely possible and likely that their voice would not resonate with the opposite extremists, they knew that somewhere, someone a little less informed and less opinionated might hear what the Act Up Movement was fighting for, and be inspired to fight the same fight. To me, this is why Act Up’s public actions were so powerful. The fact that their message was able to resonate so much with people on the outside, people with a little less prior knowledge, and the ability to rile people up and gain support, is no small feat. It is one of the reasons that Act Up has become as famous and well-known as is it today, all these years after it was founded.

Activism around Police Brutality, the Criminal Justice System, and Law Enforcement can learn about what’s effective from Act Up for a number of reasons. For starters, they represent inclusivity and anti-discrimination. They welcome all people regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, etc. to join them. Act Up also shows that sometimes activists must take extreme measures, such as bombarding a Church, in order to see the change they so desperately want and need. Finally, Act Up serves as a reminder that the end goal should not be to change the minds of those who cannot be swayed, but rather the ones to be sought out are often the ones who simply don’t know enough.

N.O.

Any activism is only as powerful as the place where it occurs. At each place the audience, ambiance, and overall message of an activist activity will be slightly different. ACT UP is an advocacy group to peacefully fight for people who suffer from AIDS. They feel as though this epidemic has not received enough attention  so they believe that it is their responsibility to help the LGBT community to educate others and help find a cure. Since millions of people were dying from the AIDS crisis, ACT UP made sure to have their voices heard and shed light on topics that were overlooked, especially throughout the 1980’s.

One of the ways that ACT UP was able to succeed with their mission was through their slightly controversial use of sacred spaces across the country. I think that sacred spaces are anywhere that people feel a connection to or that they see as a respectable institution. Throughout their existence, ACT UP has used sacred spaces to hold their activist movements. Some instances include walking into a NYC hospital to question the doctors and how hard they were trying, throwing ashes of people who passed away due to AIDS/HIV straight onto the White House lawn, as well as walking into St. Patricks Cathedral while a service was going on. The purpose of using these specific locations was to make a valid point and directly question the institutions that were not doing enough to help or even institutions that were speaking against the cause. Although coming to sacred spaces and making a statement was not usual, it was imperative for the ACT UP cause to get more attention.

ACT UP decided to incorporate sacred spaces into its actions to directly have an impact. They knew that by using spaces which people had an emotional connection to would definitely evoke a response and it would result in the exposure and attention that they desperately needed and wanted. It’s important to keep in mind that this exposure meant that there were positive as well as negative reactions. While these actions did raise awareness, some people simply couldn’t understand how the activists could dare to “invade” sacred space. Overall, ACT UP was able to succeed in their goal of creating more awareness although they may have taken the unconventional route.

The organization helped make the “unconventional route” more normal and also reinforced the idea of having your voice heard regardless of the immediate change among many people. These lessons can be applied to the Uber vs Taxicab issue that exists today in NYC and may even empower the taxicab drivers to have the issues that they face to be more well known. I think that the most effective way for the Uber vs Taxicab issue to see some reform is by using their strength in numbers, similar to how the people that were a part of ACT UP did. In addition, since it is known that Uber drivers aren’t the enemy, the company of Uber itself is, they should make sure to fight the root of the problem instead of causing more tensions between the drivers themselves. In this issue, informing the public is very critical and this was also seen done by ACT UP in numerous instances. By learning from the lessons of the past, the Uber and Taxi issue can see significant progress in its change and reform.

-R.Rasheed

During the 80s, a time when neoliberalism and new politics came about, the AIDS crisis emerged.  Everyone – the government, media, medical institutions, and the general public were totally unprepared for what this entailed.  The deaths of thousands of people, most of them gay men, were largely ignored by these institutions (obviously because of homophobia).  As a result, society needed to be pushed to recognize that the AIDS crisis was a real problem, and that the voices of victims and their allies could no longer be ignored.  ACT UP was one of the organizations that arose from this.  Its members realized that they needed to be assertive in how they gained attention.  One of the ways it did this was to insert themselves in ‘sacred space’.

ACT UP used sacred space as a stage.  As shown in the video, when they flooded a church during services, they made a big show of it, engaging in a die-in and shouting phrases such as ‘stop killing us’.  They engaged in nonviolent direct action, risking themselves in order to make a point.  While members of the church prayed, activists would make as much of a noise as possible and were arrested.  In that way, they sent off a message saying that no space was too private or ‘special’ for them to invade and make the public aware of what was happening.  Additionally, the Church was just one of the many powerful institutions that ignored the AIDS crisis; ACT UP was basically telling the Church that they were not innocent, and were in fact complicit in the deaths of so many people.

These public actions were so powerful because they evoked intense feelings within those on the outside.  Perhaps the people in the church didn’t care about the cause the activists were trying to bring to light, but many people who would watch videos of it on the news would likely sympathize with the activists, and direct their anger towards institutions like the Church for doing nothing.  ACT UP’s actions were so strong because the organization understood the importance of cultural politics in that day and age.  Their entire purpose was to make a spectacle to make people angry.

I would say activism surrounding my topic already uses the same methods as ACT UP.  My topic is Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, and in the past we have seen many people, professional activists or not, utilize methods similar to ACT UP’s to take a stand and draw attention, whether it’s protesting against the Muslim ban or against violence against those communities.  I would say in general ACT UP has had an influence on all sorts of activists, because they all want the same thing: to be noticed.

-A.H.

The Young Lords root back to the times of the Black Panthers. Inspired by the group’s revolutionary methods to get their message across, Young Lords evolved, transforming themselves from a street gang to a political activist action group. Although the group originally began with Jose “Cha Cha” Jimenez, students like Mickey Melendez took the movement to a new area of focus in locations such as the New York. The East Coast chapter emphasized the unfair treatment occurring with the Puerto Ricans and the lack of resources provided to them. From poor housing, inadequate health care and sanitation services, and inferior schools in East Harlem, the group began to protest and denounce the conditions through the means of highly visible staged actions in the streets of East Harlem.

Personally, I had not previously heard of the Young Lords before. Instead, I have learned more about the Black Panthers, from whom they were inspired by. In history books and social studies classes, I have read of the tactical and radical strategies used by them to get their message across during the civil rights movement. Even though the Young Lord’s history may not be seen much in the public eye, their impact is still prevalent. Their activity from the 1970s still embodies the revolutionary spirit it was meant to entail in the first place. As a minority group, they rose to prominence as a group of activist students calling for change.

I think the movie, Millie and the Lords, portrays Young Lord’s impact in an effective way. As mentioned earlier, it is clear that although their influence was prevalent in today’s society, there are many people today who do not have knowledge regarding the group’s history. These people include Puerto Ricans and Latinos too. As a result, there are many people who feel that there has not been enough done for them. We can see these sentiments through the female character in Millie’s class. She is genuinely disappointed in how the Young Lord’s actions have not made her life easier and that she has to struggle to earn enough money to pay bills and care for her family. I think the movie captures the argumentative side effectively by showing the girl’s firsthand experience. The movie also does a good job in highlighting the cultural influence the Young Lords brought. For example, when the students are at the church of movement, the teacher discusses how the Puerto Rican students of the group were able to form a society among themselves. Together, they were able to improve the community around them by bringing change. Through pivotal scenes such as this one from the movie, we are able to get a good sense of how the Young Lord’s impact has not been entirely forgotten. Yes, they may not be as famous as groups such as the Black Panthers, but the sense of community they were able to garner among the Puerto Ricans speaks for itself.

-SK

1. 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.

The Act Up movement was known to target “Sacred space” in order to deliver their message to the society. They targeted the Catholic Church, White House, and Citi Hall and these were places that no one else have ever tried to target before. These places are considered “sacred” because these were important political and religious institutions. Thus, the Act Up movement use these sacred places to send out the message regarding the fact that these institutions are responsible for the deaths of so many lives and these are the institutions that need to start taking action. Furthermore, these sacred spaces are places that have the most power over the society and in order to start making changes, the Act Up group believe that they have to start from these most powerful institutions first.

The Act Up movement actions was often very powerful because in many cases, the Act up members will do controversial activities in order to be arrested. However, this lawlessness got more attention from the people of the community and also get more social media coverages. Due to the amount of social media coverage they were able to get and how powerful they were as a group they were able to eventually affect the society on a political, social and institutional level. In addition, the Act Up movement is extremely powerful because they take action in forcing institutions to take actions. For instance, the members marched and protest the profiteering of pharmaceutical companies at Wall Street pharmacies. Furthermore, the Act Up movement was extremely powerful because they act from the inside of these institutions. They try to get people inside these powerful institutions to help with the movement.

Overall, due to how successful and powerful the Act Up movement was, activism around other issues today can learn from how to be as effective as the Act up Movement. For instance, the Act Up movement was very immense and also effective due to the fact that it was antiracist and also included everyone that wants to participate in the movement. It didn’t favor a particular group of another which is very important in terms of uniting people for a movement. The more people the more powerful a movement is thus from the Act Up movement it can be seen that by not discriminating against any group of people, it really helps with increasing the power of the movement. Furthermore, from the Act up movement, it can be seen that in order to see results for a particular issue, activists must take action on the institution level or else not much will change.