Renewed ​“Young Lords” Debut At Green ​“Giveback”

A May Day ​“giveback” served as a coming-out event by the Connecticut chapter of an attempt at resurrecting the 1970s Latino activist group the Young Lords.

The New Era Young Lords (NEYL) gathered several organizations Saturday to distribute hot food, diapers, and toiletries on the Green to New Haveners for International Workers’ Day.

Organizations distributed gently used clothing donated from the public. Burgers, non-perishable food items, and PPE were also given away for free.

The celebration gave organizations throughout the state the opportunity to network to strengthen a collective movement to ​“uplift and improve the community,” said NEYL state chapter chief Lobo.

NEYL was formed last June with a blessing from José ​“Cha Cha” Jiménez, who founded the Chicago-based Young Lords a half century ago.

Thomas Brown, 51, stopped by the gathering while on a walk downtown. Brown moved to New Haven two years ago to begin his recovery journey at The 180 Center.

After a year of looking for work, Brown will begin working full time this week downtown. 

“It’s hard to ask for help sometimes,” he said. ​“So something like this is a blessing.”

Brown argues that in addition to events like Saturday’s the city must give New Haveners more opportunities to work and less opportunity to fall into drug or drinking problems.

“When people don’t feel useful or don’t have a reason to get up every day they end up in drugs or trouble,” Brown said. ​“Everywhere has to do better with providing work for people to get up and do something every day.”

Activist James Flores joined the gathering in support of several organizations like Black Lives Matter Willimantic.

“Connecticut is so rich but has such a poor population,” he said.

“Only the people can save the people,” Flores said.

Adjacent to the NEYL gathering, dozens gathered for a May Day celebratory rally hosted by Unidad Latina en Accion (ULA).

The two events were met by two protesters briefly Saturday. Two women carrying an American flag and signs reading ​“Immigrants can enter, We Can’t leave? No Vax Passports” and ​“Immigrant Kids = Traffick Pipeline” did not explain why they were protesting at the gathering.

Flores asked one of the women, ​“You don’t support unity and love?”

“I’m here for the children,” the woman responded.

Participants chanted ​“fuada” as the protesters were told to leave by the group. The two women did after a brief violent conflict and a ten-minute stand off.

NEYL chose the Green to give back to all New Haveners, said NEYL State Accountant Tiffany Toro. ​“There’s a lot of homeless people. And there’s business people who need a meal during lunch,” she said.

NEYL also picked the Green to memorialize the historic protest that occurred in 1970 during the New Haven Black Panther murder trials. ​“This has historically been a spot to voice justice and unity,” Lobo said. ​“We got to keep it going because we’re still not there.”

NEYL member, Ricky also known as ​“Sincere,” lives in Providence, Rhode Island. Ricky taught himself about the Young Lords while in high school and has been interested in activism since. When NEYL host events, Ricky drives an hour and a half to attend.

Ricky (pictured above) will start a chapter in Providence in the near future he said.

“Sometimes all we can rely on is our community. Not politicians or law enforcement,” he said.

NEYL has several goals for the near future including starting a food pantry, youth farm, turnaround program for those recently released from incarceration, and an education program for youth in elementary and high school.

Those looking to make donations can reach Toro .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Crystal McKay picked up several new clothing items Saturday for herself and family.

Two years ago McKay was homeless. She now temporary lives at the New Haven Village Suites and is working to get more permanent housing and continue her secondary education.

“We need to do better in Connecticut. We need to be unified like this,” she said. ​“Today this means love. I see love, peace, and gratitude,” she said.