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| Protect our Children’s Health! Relocate Pure Casting! Build Affordable Housing! The Pure Casting facility (2110 E. 4th Street) is a polluter of heavy metals and uses hazardous chemicals in our East Austin neighborhood. Pure Casting is located right next to Zavala Elementary School and surrounded by homes. East Austin needs your support in protecting the health of our children and the residents that live in the area. It is crucial that we let the City Council and Pure Casting know that we will not allow children to be exposed to hazardous chemicals! The Pure Casting facility is an ideal location to build affordable housing. It is 30,152 sq. ft. of land. The City Council should use the Affordable Housing Bond money ($55 million) to purchase the site. This site abuts to the property owned by the City of Austin (the Brown Building on Chicon & E. 4th Street). Call you Mayor Will Wynn Council members at 974-2250. Let’s keep our children safe from harmful chemicals. Download this letter that PODER sent to the Mayor and City Council Members. Please send a letter from your group, neighborhood association or you as an individual to your city council members. Help us to protect the health of our children. Also, please join PODER and area residents at the Bond Oversight Committee Meeting on Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 8:00 am at City Hall. PODER is recommending that some of the $10.9 million Affordable Housing Bond money be used to purchase the current Pure Casting site and to build the needed affordable housing. |
| PODER is now accepting digital donations through secure PayPal. Donate once or become a sustainer. |
| Cesar E. Chavez "Si Se Puede!" March |
| Saturday March 27th, 2010 |
| Cesar E. Chavez is one of the most important leader of the 20th century. His legacy of workers rights, civil rights, environmental justice, equality for all, peace, non-violence, children and women's rights, deserves national recognition. Cesar Chavez inspired millions of people across the country of all races and nationalities to engage in social & economic justice for farm workers. |
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| Photo Credit - Rene Renteria |
| Mother Earth Day Celebration Thursday April 22, 2010 PODER — 2604 E. Cesar Chavez St. |
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| Box Gardens In search for community sustainability, PODER is empowering community members with Box Garden Demonstrations. Box Gardens are simple, unique and versatile system that adapt to all levels of experience, physical ability, and geographic location. Residents will have the option to fill their box garden with beautiful/medicinal flowers, herbs and/or luscious vegetables. |
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| PODER’s YSJ Gabriel Padilla Wins EPA Video Contest Gabriel Padilla, one of PODER’s Young Scholars for Justice, was recently awarded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s, “Faces of the Grassroots” video contest. This contest challenged amateur and professional filmmakers to create videos that capture the faces of the environmental justice movement. The “Faces of the Grassroots” contest is an opportunity to publicly exhibit creativity with environmental justice stories and connect with others working to raise awareness of the movement. Gabriel’s video focused on PODER’s success in shutting down the Holly Street Power Plant in 2007, and the importance of grassroots organizing through health surveys, protests, and leadership development. PODER would like to thank Gabriel Padilla for his dedication in capturing PODER’s history and for submitting his creative video to the EPA. We are very proud and grateful! Gabriel’s video can be seen on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWIIVhrS664 |
| On Saturday, August 21st the Austin History Center honored PODER's Susana Almanza, Gilbert Rivera, Raul Salinas & many other outstanding individuals who have been slelected for recognition as Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin & Travis County. Check out the article in the Daily Texan. The Austin History Center will also have an exhibit on display of the Trailblazers from now until January. Find out more by visiting the History Center site here. |
| Austin History Center - Mexican American Trailblazers |
| Photo by Erika Rich - The Daily Texan |
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The Environmental Justice and Health Alliance on
Chemical Policy is a coalition of diverse groups
that are united by their common concern on toxic
chemical in our homes, places of work, and
products we use every day. NWGEJP is working
to create a sound and comprehensive chemical
policy that protects public health and the
environment by updating the Toxic Substance
Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 and other chemical
policies.
TSCA Reform Bill (.pdf)
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families H.R. 5820(.pdf)
Chemical Policy is a coalition of diverse groups
that are united by their common concern on toxic
chemical in our homes, places of work, and
products we use every day. NWGEJP is working
to create a sound and comprehensive chemical
policy that protects public health and the
environment by updating the Toxic Substance
Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 and other chemical
policies.
TSCA Reform Bill (.pdf)
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families H.R. 5820(.pdf)
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| PODER thanks your for celebrating and honoring three East Austin Activist Trailblazers on Tuesday, September 21st at Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center. If you were unable to attend and would like to make a donation, please click on Donation on right hand corner. You can now become a sustaining member by selecting Recurring Donatin Opition & Subscribe. Keep Activism Alive! |
| Photo Credit: Rene Renteria |
| La Voz de Austin La Voz de Austin recognizes all 32 Mexican American Trailblazers. Click the image to see the La Voz edition in pdf. |
| Montopolis Neighborhood walk with City Manager Mark Ott |
| The Montopolis Neighborhood Planning Team along with Allison PTA, PODER, Vargas Neighborhood Association, Carson Ridge Neighborhood Association, and Montopolis Little League hosted City Manager Marc Ott's tour in the community. The Montopolis community held numerous meetings to discuss the concerns, issues and recommendations of the residents. The tour began at Allison Elementary, where the City Manager heard from the PTA and Allison Elementary's Principal, Guadalupe Velasquez. City Manager Ott talked vistied housing development by AHFC, American Youth Works & Habitat for Humanity. He also, visited the Montopolis Little League fields at Roy Guerrero Park and spoke with Israel Lopez, President of League. The tour ended with a debriefing at the Montpolis Recreation Center, where he heard from staff and residents about the need to place on the next bond election, an item to build a new Montopolis Recreation Center for the area. The MNPCT also discussed the City staff's challenge to the Montopolis community by trying to place a water reclamation tower in the Montpolis Triangle and a disc golf course in the Roy Guerrero Park. |
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| Help Preserve 28 Acres and Roy Guerrero Park! In 2007 the City of Austin’s Park Department purchased 28 acres (700 Grove Blvd) adjacent to the Roy Guerrero Park on Grove Boulevard. The 28 acres has wetlands, natural springs, huge trees, plants and is home to wildlife (deer, foxes, birds etc.). The Parks Department is proposing that the Pease Park Disc Golf Course be relocated to the 28 acres and to take an additional 7 acres that belongs to the Roy Guerrero Park. Parks Dept. wants to dedicate 35 acres for disc golf. This site needs to become a Preserve and not home to disc golf. Stop the displacement of our wildlife and the destruction of our natural resources. Call the Mayor and City Council members and ask them to make the property in east Austin a Preserve. |
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| We Demand Neighborhood Schools Remain Open! |
| For numerous years the East Austin community has taken on the burden of desegregation. Our children have been burden with being bused across town and away from their communities. We have lived through years of inequality of education. Our parents should have the right and access to participate in their children’s education and in neighboring schools. We demand that our neighborhood schools remain open! |
We propose the following in order to keep our neighborhood schools open:
1. AISD and community leaders must demand that state legislators fulfill their
obligations by releasing some of the $9.2 billion in the rainy day funds to assist
education shortfalls.
2. AISD, City Council & County Commissioners must demand that the state
legislators create & pass mandatory sale disclosures on all properties (millions
of dollars of taxes can be recovered).
3. AISD must sell its downtown offices and relocate administration to the so
called underutilized schools (this could be a model for other cities & states –
administrators, educators & students all in the same school).
4. AISD must stop paying exorbitant salaries to superintendents and cease all
bonuses.
5. Review Southwest Key Programs in partnership with the East Austin College
Prep Academy proposal to lease portion of Eastside Memorial High School to
house a Full Service Community School (AISD would save millions of dollars by
not having to operate this underutilized school).
1. AISD and community leaders must demand that state legislators fulfill their
obligations by releasing some of the $9.2 billion in the rainy day funds to assist
education shortfalls.
2. AISD, City Council & County Commissioners must demand that the state
legislators create & pass mandatory sale disclosures on all properties (millions
of dollars of taxes can be recovered).
3. AISD must sell its downtown offices and relocate administration to the so
called underutilized schools (this could be a model for other cities & states –
administrators, educators & students all in the same school).
4. AISD must stop paying exorbitant salaries to superintendents and cease all
bonuses.
5. Review Southwest Key Programs in partnership with the East Austin College
Prep Academy proposal to lease portion of Eastside Memorial High School to
house a Full Service Community School (AISD would save millions of dollars by
not having to operate this underutilized school).
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| Cesar E. Chavez 2011 Honorees Please help us in recognizing the 2011 Cesar E. Chavez Awardees. These awardees demonstrated leadership that is changing lives and transforming communities. |
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| The Montopolis Neighborhood Association(MNA) just elected new officers Saturday May 7th at the Montopolis Recreation Center. The new officers are as follow: Susana Almanza, President Larry Gross- Vice President Angelica Noyola - Secretary Monica Allen - Treasurer Israel Lopez- Community Partnership Coordinator |
| International Women's Day Award PODER's Susana Almanza wins International Women's Day Award, sponsored by Ten Thousand Villages. Awards were given in three categories: Humanitarian, Environmentalist and Animal Advocate. Susana Almanza was selected 2011 Environmentalist of the Year. The Environmentalist is a person actively involved in attempts to solve environmental pollution and resource problems. Environmentalism is the activity of protecting the environment from pollution or destruction through such measures as ecosystem protection, waste reduction and pollution prevention. |
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| PODER’s Young Scholars for Justice (YSJ) participate in the “Preserve Eastside Affordability Campaign”, a campaign to help slow down the displacement of families in East Austin caused by gentrification. PODER teamed up with the East Austin Conservancy and Eliot Tretter’s senior capstone geography course students. YSJ participants went door-to-door with a survey and information on an upcoming community meeting. |
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| The YSJ also addressed the Austin City Council about the possible budget cuts to youth services and the re-opening of the Dan Ruiz Library. The YSJ recommended that the City Council consider the importance of youth services and employment when making tough decisions about the budget. The YSJ stated, “We are Austin's future, and we are depending on you”. |
| PODER's 20th Anniversary |
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| Thank You to all who attended! Thank you for supporting PODER's 20 years of fighting injustice! |
Shut Down the Tar Sands – Tell President Obama to Deny Permit
U.S executive approval is needed before the pipeline can be laid in place. The State
Department has announced the schedule for a series of public input meetings in States
along the route of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
The date and location of the hearings in Texas are as follows:
Port Arthur, Texas
Monday, September 26th, 2011 4:30PM to 10:00PM
Bob Bower Civic Center, 2011 Cultural Center Drive
Austin, Texas
Wednesday, September 28th, 12:00PM to 8:00PM
LBJ Auditorium, 2313 Red River Street
The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would consist of approximately 1,711 miles of new 36-
inch-diameter pipeline, with approximately 327 miles of pipeline in Canada and 1,384
miles in the U.S. TransCanada filed an application for a Presidential Permit with the U.S.
Department of State to build and operate the Keystone XL Project. The proposed Project
would have the capacity to transport 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil to delivery
points in Oklahoma and southeastern Texas.
Just a few years ago, people in Canada, U.S. and Europe heard little to nothing about the
Canadian tar sands. Today, the tar sands have become a topic of national and
international discussion as stories of cancer epidemics in the community of Fort
Chipewyan, massive wildlife losses related to toxic contamination, environmental
degradation and increased vocal resistance from impacted communities have shattered
the ‘everything is fine’ myth propagated by the Canadian and Alberta governments.
Eminent climatologist Dr. James Hansen believes that the Tar Sands mining, refining, and
subsequent emissions represent "game over" for the effort to stem climate change.The
Alberta Tar Sands are larger than Saudi Arabia in size, and emit three to four times more
greenhouse gases than conventional crude. The process is also water-intensive, with two
barrels of water being discarded in toxic pools for every barrel produced.
Indigenous peoples (known as First Nations) in Canada are taking the lead to stop the
largest industrial project on Mother Earth: the Tar Sands Gigaproject. Northern Alberta is
ground zero with over 20 corporations operating in the tar sands sacrifice zone, with
expanded developments being planned. The impact to cultural heritage, land, ecosystems
and human health of First Nation communities has been termed a
“slow industrial genocide”.
U.S executive approval is needed before the pipeline can be laid in place. The State
Department has announced the schedule for a series of public input meetings in States
along the route of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
The date and location of the hearings in Texas are as follows:
Port Arthur, Texas
Monday, September 26th, 2011 4:30PM to 10:00PM
Bob Bower Civic Center, 2011 Cultural Center Drive
Austin, Texas
Wednesday, September 28th, 12:00PM to 8:00PM
LBJ Auditorium, 2313 Red River Street
The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would consist of approximately 1,711 miles of new 36-
inch-diameter pipeline, with approximately 327 miles of pipeline in Canada and 1,384
miles in the U.S. TransCanada filed an application for a Presidential Permit with the U.S.
Department of State to build and operate the Keystone XL Project. The proposed Project
would have the capacity to transport 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil to delivery
points in Oklahoma and southeastern Texas.
Just a few years ago, people in Canada, U.S. and Europe heard little to nothing about the
Canadian tar sands. Today, the tar sands have become a topic of national and
international discussion as stories of cancer epidemics in the community of Fort
Chipewyan, massive wildlife losses related to toxic contamination, environmental
degradation and increased vocal resistance from impacted communities have shattered
the ‘everything is fine’ myth propagated by the Canadian and Alberta governments.
Eminent climatologist Dr. James Hansen believes that the Tar Sands mining, refining, and
subsequent emissions represent "game over" for the effort to stem climate change.The
Alberta Tar Sands are larger than Saudi Arabia in size, and emit three to four times more
greenhouse gases than conventional crude. The process is also water-intensive, with two
barrels of water being discarded in toxic pools for every barrel produced.
Indigenous peoples (known as First Nations) in Canada are taking the lead to stop the
largest industrial project on Mother Earth: the Tar Sands Gigaproject. Northern Alberta is
ground zero with over 20 corporations operating in the tar sands sacrifice zone, with
expanded developments being planned. The impact to cultural heritage, land, ecosystems
and human health of First Nation communities has been termed a
“slow industrial genocide”.
| PODER's 11th Annual Cesar E. Chavez “¡Si Se Puede!” March - Saturday, March 31st, 2012 |
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| PODER held its 6th Annual Cesar E. Chavez “¡Si Se Puede!” Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 31st at the Emma Barrientos Mexican American Culture Center. PODER and community members were reflecting on the life of Cesar E. Chavez and the struggle for justice. The spirit of Cesar E. Chavez lives in all of us. Cesar Chavez was a civil rights, Latino, farmworker and labor leader. PODER recognized and honored 18 individuals that continue the struggle for justice. Individuals that help keep the spirit of Cesar E. Chavez alive. The Honorable Gonzalo Barrientos received the Lifetime Achievement Award. |
| ¡Si Se Puede! |
| L-R –seated: Linda Crockett, Gonzalo Barrientos, Rosa Santis, Laura Morrison, Fred McGhee, Cristina Balli. L-R-standing: Ruby Roa, Scott Johnson, Adrieana Montez, Brittany Garza, Myron Smith, Angelica Noyola, Sabino Renteria, Sylvia Orozco, Frank Monreal, Israel Lopez, Nora Faz. |
| Land of Broken Dreams |
The issue of the "gentrification" of East Austin is one that has been the subject of
innumerable university studies and new articles. There's no doubt that several more are
in the works. What this study attempts to do that is different, is to present the data in a
way that will lend itself to the development of community solutions. The study is called
"Land of Broken Dreams" because the results confirm that the housing trends in East
Austin constitute a "crisis." It is called "Land of Opportunity" because the study suggests
that the opportunity to maintain a significant degree of housing affordability in East Austin
is not only possible but much more economically preferable than the traditional
approaches for providing affordable housing.
Land of Broken Dreams Report (.pdf file)
innumerable university studies and new articles. There's no doubt that several more are
in the works. What this study attempts to do that is different, is to present the data in a
way that will lend itself to the development of community solutions. The study is called
"Land of Broken Dreams" because the results confirm that the housing trends in East
Austin constitute a "crisis." It is called "Land of Opportunity" because the study suggests
that the opportunity to maintain a significant degree of housing affordability in East Austin
is not only possible but much more economically preferable than the traditional
approaches for providing affordable housing.
Land of Broken Dreams Report (.pdf file)
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PODER (People Organized in Defense of Earth and Her Resources) donates their
extensive organizational archives collection to the Austin History Center. Founded in
1991 by a group of Chicana/o East Austin activists and community leaders, PODER
seeks to redefine environmental, economic and social injustices in Austin through
grassroots participation.
The PODER collection will be a gold mine for future researchers and activist.
PODER represents the epitome of community organization and activism, and the
work they have done, as documented in the archives, is not only important to East
Austin and Austin in general, but speaks to larger issues, such as gentrification and
youth organizing, that affect cities across the country. The collection consists of
correspondence and administrative records, video and audio recordings, radio
programs, oral history interviews, and other important documentation relating to
PODER and their mission dating from 1991 to 2011, including information relating to
the shut down of the Tank Farm, the close down of the Holly Power Plant, the BFI
Recycling Center relocation and other environmental accomplishments.
For more information about this donation please call (512) 974-7498 or visit
www.austintexas.gov/library.
extensive organizational archives collection to the Austin History Center. Founded in
1991 by a group of Chicana/o East Austin activists and community leaders, PODER
seeks to redefine environmental, economic and social injustices in Austin through
grassroots participation.
The PODER collection will be a gold mine for future researchers and activist.
PODER represents the epitome of community organization and activism, and the
work they have done, as documented in the archives, is not only important to East
Austin and Austin in general, but speaks to larger issues, such as gentrification and
youth organizing, that affect cities across the country. The collection consists of
correspondence and administrative records, video and audio recordings, radio
programs, oral history interviews, and other important documentation relating to
PODER and their mission dating from 1991 to 2011, including information relating to
the shut down of the Tank Farm, the close down of the Holly Power Plant, the BFI
Recycling Center relocation and other environmental accomplishments.
For more information about this donation please call (512) 974-7498 or visit
www.austintexas.gov/library.
| PODER donates their organizational archives to the Austin History Center |
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| Cesar E. Chavez 'Si Se Puede' Awards 2013 |
On March 23rd, 2013, PODER reflected on the life of Cesar E. Chavez and the
struggle for justice by recognizing and honoring individuals that continue the
struggle for justice. Individuals that help keep the spirit of Cesar E. Chavez
alive. The Cesar E. Chavez “Si Se Puede!” Awards Dinner was held at the
Emma Barrientos Mexican American Culture Center.
struggle for justice by recognizing and honoring individuals that continue the
struggle for justice. Individuals that help keep the spirit of Cesar E. Chavez
alive. The Cesar E. Chavez “Si Se Puede!” Awards Dinner was held at the
Emma Barrientos Mexican American Culture Center.
Seated L-R: Rosa Ellison, Robert Martinez, Teresa Perez-Wiseley, Linda Curtis,
Judge John Vasquez, Lupe Morin. Standing L-R: Steve Swanson, Fred Lewis, Peck
Young, Robet Summers, Chavelo Herrrera, Christopher Chavez, Debra Esquanazi,
Arlette Flores, Richard J. deVarga, Jennifer Gonzalez, Michelle Mejia, Steven Ugalde,
Roberto Hernandez.
Judge John Vasquez, Lupe Morin. Standing L-R: Steve Swanson, Fred Lewis, Peck
Young, Robet Summers, Chavelo Herrrera, Christopher Chavez, Debra Esquanazi,
Arlette Flores, Richard J. deVarga, Jennifer Gonzalez, Michelle Mejia, Steven Ugalde,
Roberto Hernandez.
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