50 for Freedom of Speech Milwaukee

The national event, 50 for Freedom of Speech, was organized by El Librotraficante, Tony Diaz, and the incredible crew at Nuestra Palabra.  It was a day to defy censorship of Ethnic Studies and celebrate Mexican American Studies and Chicana/o Studies.  Bookstores, libraries, and community centers around the nation united to call attention to the dismantling of the Tucson Unified School District's Mexican American Studies program and celebrate the literature that was removed from the classrooms.


Three organizers in Milwaukee, WI (Adriana McCleer, Melissa Flores, and Brendaliz Rodriguez) coordinated an event with Council for the Spanish Speaking, Latino Nonprofit Leadership Program, Rethinking Schools, Milwaukee Public School teachers, University of WI - Milwaukee students and faculty, Tres Hermanos Restaurant, Y.E.S., Youth Empowered in the Struggle, Educators Network for Social Justice, and many individual volunteers, talented writers and poets, and artists.

On September 21, 2012, over 100 individuals gathered to share literature, skits, poetry, personal insights, and conversation at the 50 for Freedom of Speech Milwaukee event held at the Dr. Filiberto & Carmen Murguia Campus.  Royal Mexican Players performed a live-action skit and local authors and poets shared beautiful words with an engaged audience.  A silent auction was held to raise funds for the Libros Milwaukee underground library and books were collected onsite.  Rethinking Schools, publishers of one of the books removed from the TUSD MAS program Rethinking Columbus, shared their books and co-editor Bob Peterson shared his perspective on the importance of such literature in schools.  Attendees came from around the state of Wisconsin to participate in this event and built community with other social justice advocates.  This event launched the efforts to create Libros Milwaukee, which seeks to unite people with literature, arts, and with other people that stimulate critical thought and cultural awareness.

Check out the Twitter posts from September 21: