Liberation Flicks presents: Palante, Siempre Palante!

For September’s Liberation Flicks, please join us in celebrating the resiliency and revolutionary legacy of the Puerto Rican people. First, we will watch Palante, Siempre Palante!,a film outlining the history of the Young Lords, a radical grassroots organization dedicated to Puerto Rican liberation. After the film, we will have a discussion led by leading community-based Puerto Rican activists and organizers.

On September 20th, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island of Puerto Rico. While any natural disaster is a horrible, life-threatening event, the impact of Hurricane Maria was exacerbated by climate change and a century of U.S. colonialism. Contrary to initial U.S./Puerto Rican government claims, thousands of Puerto Ricans died due to the near-total collapse of the island’s infrastructure.

Even before the hurricane, U.S. colonialism was shuttering schools, driving Puerto Ricans away from their homes and increasing the costs of public higher education. Thousands have been forced to leave their home country for the United States to survive in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Despite this extreme adversity, history is full of examples of resistance. From freedom fighters like Oscar Lopez Rivera and Lolita Lebron to groups like the Young Lords, Puerto Ricans have been at the forefront of anti-imperialist struggles in the hopes of freeing their country from U.S. domination.

Light refreshments will be served. At the Justice Center, we #SwipeItForward, provide free MetroCard swipes to anyone who needs one to get home at the end of the screening.

Donations are graciously accepted and all proceeds will go to NYC-based rapper Princess Nokia’s Puerto Rico relief campaign. If you are unable to make it to the event but would like to donate to the campaign, please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/hood-2-la-gente-puerto-rico-relief/.



¡Que viva Puerto Rico libre!