Our global economy is becoming
increasingly connected. Society has seen massive changes in the past decade alone
due to wireless technology. On an international scale, China’s unprecedented economic
rise has been a major upset in the Liberal world order, couple that with the 2008
great recession and the global stagnation of the economy we see an increasingly
bipolar world illustrated in a technology race.
See the case of Huawei, the largest telecommunications company in the entire world. According to the National Interest, Huawei is also the second-largest manufacturers of smartphones and has become a market leader across Asia, Europe, and beyond. This Chinese firm is a single example of China’s rise that has made the United State very nervous in terms of the security of our telecommunications in a time of much instability. Huawei has been eclipsing what used to be the center of technological research and development, the US.
Regime-type differences between the
democratic United States and the totalitarian People’s Republic of China seems
to be an exacerbating factor when considering national security issues. There
have been many historic rifts between the relationship of the countries when
approaching privacy and freedom of speech issues. Due to the Chinese Communist
Party’s stringent control over the economic sector, Huawei does not operate as
a privately-owned entity. The trade war is rising Sino-U.S. tensions in an
increasingly bi-polar and globalized world economy. Huawei has a history of
fraud. In winter 2018, according to the NY
Times, Ms. Meng, an top executive and part of Huawei’s elite was seized in
Canada and extradited to the US, because
“between 2009 and 2014, Huawei used a Hong Kong company, Skycom Tech, to make
transactions in Iran and do business with telecom companies there, in violation
of American sanctions.”
With the creation of 5G technology, comes promises of record-shattering internet speeds and with it, massive economic growth. According to (National Interest) 5G “next generation of wireless networks that promises to be 100 times faster and more reliable than current technology. It is a market that will be worth hundreds of billions of dollars, as 5G will require compatible new phones and communications equipment. “That primary factor that has made Huawei be seen as a national security threat. Another reason that Huawei is seen as a national security threat is that intellectual property theft has revealed all of the strengths and weaknesses of our technology. This complete disassembly and reassembly gives the Chinese Communist Party an understanding as to how better get around or enforce firewalls.
China and United States are threatening each other and waging an economic war of attrition. The reason for that being that technology and access to information are key to the world economy. As China has been edging the West out of the telecommunications industry, the United States has tightened China’s access to chips, hardware that Chinese firms desperately need and one of the few footholds that the West still has a monopoly over. The bi-polar world economy in which America is losing it’s ironclad hold on the state of affairs that they have acquired since 1991. Today, the state of affairs happens on the internet. The sale of telecom networks and smartphones that have American software has allowed Chinese technology companies to mass reproduce and become the third-largest purchaser of chips. China has made massive strides in artificial intelligence, providing massive subsidies in that sector due to the promises that 5G provides, according to the Brookings Institute “[5G] will enable a vast array of applications, including driverless cars and machine-to-machine communications”
There are claims that if American companies continue to do business with Huawei, they will be at risk. According to the NY Times, “Huawei, which sells global telecom equipment that American officials fear will give Beijing new channels for control and surveillance. Huawei says that its networks are secure and that it does not spy for the Chinese government.” American democracy and technology are fragile constructions. United States citizens in the past year have watched as their democratic elections were meddled in by Russia. Our president has seen to it that an increasingly massive division within the country has resulted in President Trump calling the Freedom of the Press as the “enemy of the people.”. Americans have had their data leaked by Equifax and their personal beliefs exploited and fed misinformation through the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica disaster. The landscape of technology in our democracy is under threat from American companies and foreign firms. I do not believe that I am speaking out of term when I saw that the United States is slipping from the position of hegemonic power. The Trump administration’s trade war is a manifestation of a falling and increasingly nationalist power.
All in all, the trade war and the movement of ban Huawei stems from the very valid fear of intellectual property theft, the regime type differences, the domestic issues stemming from freedom of speech, and right to privacy. Technology has radically changed how we navigate the world, opening up new opportunities to hijack our computers and our phones.
It’s across the street. The roots of an old oak sprout like
hair which are holding my purse and my shoes aloft. Somehow, I knew without a
doubt without ever really knowing the details that they- They had stolen them
from me as I walked FROM my school past the adult entertainment center and
finally PAST the broken-down bubblers on Wisconsin Ave and mind your own
fucking business boulevard. My phone- my portal into a different planet – starts
to leak corn juice and VPN sauce. OH my GOD – The sun is burning down, and so I
crack a raw egg over my face.
3 minutes on one side
Flip-
easy over does it
2 minutes on the other so that the
Whites are set.
The broken yellow yolk dries in my eyebrows – which raise as
– A small rabbit with cowboy boots runs across my field of vision. I can hear
his whistling the same tune that my mother used to hum to me when I was only 6
pounds old.
“Inquiring”
I mused to myself mumbling a list of justifications that would permit me the higher legal and moral ground so as to proceed. Whereas the rabbit, nearly mindless in its animal intent continues the travel its journey in a way that placed it in shady overgrown crops on the city street. There are taller taller grasses and there are smaller smaller rabbits. The leaves of the long grasses whip and bring unwelcome caresses and my hands get cut when I try to pull them out from the roots and I strain my albeit- underworked – biceps and place all of my stress on my lower back. I feel a twinge. I curse the ground and the dust for making me tired and making me do all of these things on such a HOT day.
But that okay that’s something that can be fixed with pseudo-science-based rejuvenating facials and masks and creams and gels that will make a person’s problems disappear just like their body’s pores. Whittling themselves so they can fit behind a single sheet of computer paper or a lamppost or something like that. – but the bulletproof monk once said and I’m paraphrasing- a fish cannot survive in water that is completely pure.
Velveteen Echo has come out with a new music video to celebrate their sophomore album golden ring. Authoritative drumlines and dreamy climbs of the guitar make the background. Lauren Massa looks out at the water. When the first organism crawled out of the sea and made its home in the dark soil it was the beginning of everything, but more accurately, it was the beginning of Velveteen Echo’s Nuclear family. A shedding of inhibitions like the way that you take off your clothes. Nuclear family is an embrace of the more animal sides of humanity. Through its lingering guitar riffs and an otherworldly female vocalist, it transforms what was once a standard person. Examining what it means to separate ourselves from nature, from ourselves, how far we have come from the joyful play of our evolutionary ancestors.
Velveteen Echo’s first music video, “Do You” was written and directed by Lauren’s sister, Kristin Massa. Like the bright and shiny music video called Nuclear family it has to do with non-humans taking on human wants and needs and humans developing more animal inclinations. Velveteen Echo Lauren’s concern is with the line or liminal space between being, and existing as a human being with all of the caveats and challenges. There are so many emotions that humans experience. There is so much to be gained when we cast off our human garments and go play a while. When asked about what excited her most about being in this newly formed group was the fact that “it’s the first time I’ve ever played amplified with an electric guitar and performed as a frontwoman. It’s incredibly fun and empowering.” It’s this power that she channels into her sophomore album, Golden Ring and sustains her plans for a Texas tour in December 2019.
Tossing normally held conventions and flipping it all upside down on top of the head. A celebration of senses and pack mentality. Velveteen Echo sets itself apart from others through its high quality and acknowledgment of the divinity of nature. How if we can be more like nature and follow the seasons just as the animals do things would be simpler. Being a part of something, rather than being separate. The warmth of the drumline and the guitar cradling us, making the listener whole. A yearning for the fulfillment of promises rather than the breaking of truths. Being together, a community of animals that we are, all worshiping the things that take care of us, such as the dog in the music video. We are left with an animal howl and a yearning to be a part of Velveteen Echo’s soft ambient soundscape.
When I first met Sam Catral, he was wearing a patterned button-down and a full beard that would give some the impression that he was much older than what his years were. Snow was still in drifts along the streets and you couldn’t go outside without shivering. After our toes had thawed, we made conversation about our shared love of guitar music. Being a full-time student and teacher of jazz guitar, he gave me some pointers that have served me since (Keep your hand still, let your fingers do the talking). He was giving me advice on life, which I thought was a bit bold – me being two years his senior, he at the time was only around 19 years old. Despite, or perhaps because of this youth you’ll find Milton, Sam, and Yanni’s influence dominate in just about every stage in Milwaukee.
The Sunkin Suns are the human embodiment of the DIY culture
that permeates the Milwaukee music scene. Their ethic is one of empowerment of
the individual and the employment of alternative approaches outside of traditional
mainstream consumer culture. They are as punk-spirit as it gets… but make it
jazz. Since their conception, they have created Milwaukee music nights where
other DIY bands have a place to excel. Be it in sweaty attic shows where the
oppressive air seems to take on a cross breeze pushed only by their groovy
guitar bends and eccentric drum lines or loud basement shows hosted by a local
anarchist. They push on, despite societal and bureaucratic obstacles.
Circumventing the traditional route of the creation of music. They take total control
of their final product. The pleasure of watching the Sunkin Suns perform is like
stepping outside of your comfort zone, outside of the established cultural community
and finally being able to choose what you want your night to look like.
The Sunkin Suns was originally Sam’s pet project with his friend Milton. They officially met on the high school bus he informed me, introduced by a mutual friend. It was the beginning of a project that has survived through undercover jobs at jazz bars in Milwaukee; brief ill-fated forays with cover bands and has now culminated in a Psychedelic Jazz Trio Jam Band that plays everywhere that matters. Despite Milton and Sam having incredible talent, they were lucky enough to pick up one of the best drummers that I personally have ever been lucky enough to see, Yanni. The might of that man’s internal metronome and quick humor makes a person think that anything is possible. Their forces combined; the smooth music is like cold water on a sultry day and refreshes all parts of the good land from River Revitalization foundation fundraisers to Marquette University’s Straz Theater.
Four years later after Milton and Sam met, more often than
not getting turned away from shows because of their age, you can find their
sticker on every lamp-post of Milwaukee county’s streets from West Allis to Oak
Creek. They have around eight songs in rotation that they wrote themselves and
are more than willing to hop on the bill with other up and comings of the music
scene in Milwaukee. Most famously, Cullah but also other lesser known but
should be known Christian Porter, Graham Scott, Gnatcatchers, and Dogbad. There
is so much to be seen in the streets and stages of Milwaukee both in snow and
in sunshine. Like a duck, calm above the water, but below- a flurry of
productive activity and everyone wants in.
The Sunkin Suns mixes old favorites with new takes like a twist of lemon on your mineral water carbonation of sound-buds. As their deft fingers pick out the classic melodies and lift up the spirits of every pair of ears they touch, they weave notes as if they were cotton strings set precisely on a loom. If the songs they create bring so much happiness, then the influences that they leave behind are DIY euphoria. Leave all of the out-moded disbeliever talk at the door and let your soul decipher the meaning of the connection of the melodies to your past, your present, and your future. Without realizing, you will find your head bobbing to the beat.
It’s hard to believe, but over the last year, Cullah has created three music videos as well as producing yet another album. His natural intensity is reflected in this video, his newest accomplishment. Never a stranger to pushing the needle forward, he teamed up with local Milwaukee talent to create a flowing effortless portrayal of the rhythmic development of romance. Marina Dove, Dan Wein, and Cullah began working together they spoke over their plates of summer squash and lemonade homemade in Cullah’s childhood home. As they reworked section after section of the vibrant new world of “I Don’t Mind It” the message aged and maturated. According to Cullah, “I create my music to balance between my own individual expression and the forms in which others can digest them” He uses this approach as he salts the taste buds of our ocular and visual palates.
An aesthetic taste to sate appetites of all inclinations. Gliding across the screen, the natural and organic process of falling in love is absorbed. This pattern ingestion is not only the narrative of the music video but also of the viewer’s experience as they view the oftentimes psychedelic movement of Cullah’s music video. Even the choreography of the experience defied the expectations that society separates itself, and throughout the three minutes and thirty seconds, elevates it to high-brow. The three fates border Marina and Cullah as pervasively as society expects us to follow the rules and “natural progression” of love.
Ignoring the fates surrounded by the color blocks of red
hotel stairs and cutting contrast of black costume and white. He believes that
“Art is the most intense expression of individualism. A true artist believes in
himself. A true artist must understand the society that they are formed by.”
His struggle to maintain his freedom is clear in the dizzying melting patterns
with brass saxophone. What, after all, separates an individual’s wants from the
wants of their culture? The main character’s willful cold shoulder to the
external elements that shape his art create a destructive paradox. In ignoring his
culture, he is, at the same time subject to it. This excitement of love and
staying in love that, in the end, resulted in the corrosion of his own artistic
vision. Although, crossing the skyline of Milwaukee, it doesn’t seem that he minds
following society’s expectations.
Again and again, Cullah goes above and beyond, not only
through the stellar production work, but a masterful command of narrative. His
methods are devoted to balance and a drive to deliver excellence of product and
taste to truth. Heart and the ever-undulating pressures of society on the
artistic mind are the central themes of Cullah’s newest production.
On a cool October evening in the setting sun of the Montrose area of Houston, Texas the two young men who make up the Worldwide Black Inturnet Radio sit before me. With clear-rim glasses and beanie, Ike details to me his love of craft beer (Yellow Rose, Victory Golden Monkey, Voodoo Ranger, and Jai Alai) and Courtland, his love of sleep and equal love of photography. Ike Ekwueme and Courtland Webb tag team production and develop their lyrical sound with the same level of respect that they approach with each other.
Drawing from their contemporary existence and influenced by old inspirations they make music a priority rather than an afterthought. Having art and presenting it to people, they have only been in this particular project since January of 2019. When I first met them, they were freshman performers trying out their craft on one of their first live crowds at Axelrad’s open mic. But when not performing at trendy art galleries and crowded chic bars, they dedicate a large chunk of time toward producing their sound.
Every Monday, the music comes first, using samples from the 70s and 80s and Courtland playing the guitar they embark on the germination of their up and coming self-titled album WBIR. Working weekly, WBIR is a production duo made up of two individuals who got along so well you could’ve sworn they’d grown their whole lives up with their houses right next to each other.
They had only played their first show this past October after having put out a single called Velvet Bed Spread. Insomnia gallery hosted and the two shared the stage with a band called Uncommon colors. They’ve been playing in every corner of Houston since then. Their epic vibrations are out of this world. But for them, it’s all about the down to earth love and friendship that places its roots in the music. The skeleton of beats made flesh by their mouthwatering lyrical feats. Their self-titled album will grace the networks of the worldwide web most likely by the end of the year. Bring your friends, and enjoy the time-transcendence cranial global experience of Worldwide Black Inturnet Radio.
I usually get my sweet potatoes from my local supermarket or farmer’s market when I can make it there on the weekends. A 2005 Gallup poll ranking the least favorite thanksgiving foods; sweet potatoes placed solidly in third most despised. Despite this poll, I have found a haven in the slightly sweet and earthy vegetables. During Thanksgiving meals, Twenty-one percent of Americans put cranberries as their least favorite, seventeen percent of United States citizens placed, all vegetables as their second least favorite. Finally, roughly one in ten Americans said sweet potatoes or yams were their least favorite food at the Thanksgiving dinner table.
But in 2019, health is the new trend. Begone from the millennial’s table are mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows, welcome is the farro and sweet potato gratin. Although most are pleased and intrigued by the green and orange offerings made every turning of the leaves, most of my family members avoid it. According to sanfordhealth, Millennials value health the most, besides their family. Wellness is brought by daily achievements. One of those achievements, for me, is delivered sweet and steaming from the oven, preferably with garlic and thyme.
My sweet potatoes are a robust orange. Their dark orange peels lining the bottom of my garbage can and they are properly prepared, I sharpen my Wusthof chef’s knife. I push the sharp blade into the tuber until I hear the clack of the knife against my fluorescent orange cutting board. It is a celebration of orange. Since moving to a big city after finishing my undergraduate career, I find myself going back again and again to the beautifully versatile and cheap sweet potato. Eat them with black beans and spicy salsa for a vegetarian taco. Another day, you could finally utilize the immersion blender that your mom got you for Christmas two years ago. You know the one that you have used a total of four times? It makes it a snap to boil and blend into a creamy soup with ginger and turmeric that warms your insides and lifts your spirits. You could even put it into a pie for Thanksgiving or really anytime is good for pie.
Rich in complex carbohydrates, gluten-free but still packed with dietary fiber and loaded with beta-carotene it is no wonder that it has graced the tables of American kitchens for centuries. Although they belong to a different biological family, often, they are treated like every other potato, whether Russet or Yukon. They are deep-fried. Eat them with ketchup or mayonnaise and whatever other condiments strike your fancy and let the grease help the bad feelings slide right out of you. You can roast them in the oven with paprika and eat them with leafy greens.
Funnily enough, despite my steadfast loyalty to the spud, I never grew up with it. Most likely because although now I live in humid Houston, Texas; my place of birth and coming of age was snowy and frosty Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sweet potato plants, according to TheSpruce.com, because they are unrelated to regular potatoes they require the warm temperature to germinate full-sized and harvestable tubers.
Like most of us, sweet potatoes need a little bit of love and warmth to get to where they need to go. Despite being third-to-last in likeability in terms of thanksgiving, they have placed solidly in first in my apartment.
Click. Buzzz. Katizz. In the Heights
area of Houston, Texas at the tail end of September, a group of around 20-30 Millennials
gather around the television on a hot Sunday afternoon. They flick through the
channels to cheer on their favorite Houston team. But something makes this
event different from the Sundays past, it is not to cheer on any soccer game or
football or even tennis. It is The Overwatch League 2019 Grand Finals. Twitch
and even ESPN have helped make gaming the single largest entertainment business
in the world. By a long shot.
These platforms provide live coverage of the matches that are viewed by a little under than half a million people. The viewership is only growing and is fast outpacing all mainstream physical sporting events. The world of competitive gaming has swelled, and with it; the potential winnings. According to Overwatch’s website there is around 5 million dollars at stake for those willing to put in the work. There are salaries to be earned and online forums to troll. Split between the Atlantic and Pacific, 6v6 teams ranging from cities like Guangzhou and Toronto to compete in the regular season to play live at an arena built by Blizzard, the video game developer company itself in Los Angeles.
I was first
introduced to the gaming world by my older brothers. One brother in particular
was very tech savvy and in the early 2000s would go around our suburban
neighborhood with his high school friends and haul back big monitors with giant
convex glass screens that flickered and hummed whenever you turned them on.
With whatever tech supplies that he could scrounge up he would hook together something
called a Local Area Network (LAN) and would invite his friends so that they
could play Warcraft III. Now, 20 years later, Blizzard is still maintaining a
solid grip on the gaming industry. Blizzard has been able to adapt and anticipate
new markets such as first-person shooter games like Overwatch.
First-person shooter games are heralded by conservative
older Boomers at its worst as a poison that stokes violence among the youth and
at its best; a waste of time. But we can’t deny that video games are the domain
of Millennials like my brother and has become a huge part of our world culture.
First person shooter games have become so pervasive in our society that if
continuing the current trajectory will overtake even the most steadfast of
American traditions, football. Rather than torn ACLs, carpel tunnel has the
potential to take over as the predominant sporting injury that costs
professional gamers money according to a 2016 article by The eSports Observer.
But can you even define gaming as a sport? Fans of Overwatch
would argue steadfastly for the affirmative. Activision Blizzard, the publisher
of Overwatch along with many other highly successful games has permeated the
market has made millions, just like in real life (IRL) sports. Blizzard is the
brains behind Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and most famously World of Warcraft. Game
developers have found other ways to make money according to the Atlantic like
loot boxes which is surprisingly close to gambling.
In conclusion, the rise of professional paid gaming is just
in its infancy. Gaming competitively will further embed itself into the norms
of American culture and a world denied to all but jocks will see the revenge of
the geek. There is are high stakes to be tackled, and much nerd-ary to be
embraced. Oh yeah, and millions be made.
The year was newly 2018. January was just peeking
its head around the corner of the calendar when I got on the plane to live in a
country that I had only read articles about and seen in smog-filled photos.
When I landed (a day early, a mistake I still blame on my father’s insistence
that I keep in mind the time change) I dragged my bright red suitcase behind
me. My goal was to find my way to a hotel for that first night. I did not think
at the time to buy a new sim card to account for the Chinese firewall and was operating
solely on a well-worn stack of papers that I had printed at my parent’s house. Forging
ahead toward where I thought made the most sense; the line of taxis outside of
the airport. Sweaty palms gripped my small amount of Yuan and I flagged down
one and showed them the messy Chinese that I had painstakingly copied down onto
one of the pieces of paper that I clung to like a life vest. But what I didn’t
understand (besides the Mandarin that covered every tongue and street sign),
was that I had made a mistake with my choice of taxi-driver. It wasn’t until I
was standing in front of a nondescript building that was most certainly not my
hotel without any method of getting back to the airport. I was effectively on
my own. But by taking a deep breath and thanking my lucky stars that I had the
foresight to download the offline-google translate of English-Mandarin I was
able to find someone to call me a taxi back to the airport and I ended the day
(if not a little shaken up) safe and sound where I was supposed to be.
Capturing the attention of a nation, Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision that has shaped judicial power and personal rights since its 1973 ruling. The 7-2 Supreme Court decision found that a woman’s right to privacy extended to their ability to seek an abortion. Such a decision was then determined to be one that should be made between a woman and her physician. In 2014, an estimated 650,000 abortions were performed and understanding the reasons and ramifications of seeking an abortion is important to a larger discussion of reproductive rights and autonomy.[1] A controversial subject, abortion is a nuanced issue that intersects law, religion, ethics, health, and more with the individual. The ruling was crucial in defining modern feminism as it established the one of the movement’s goals. Though reproductive rights and abortion were central issues for early second wave feminists, this was not always the case for all women activists.
To gage the full scope of abortion opinions, it is important to feature the voices of all individuals including often marginalized women. Such an emphasis may further complicate the issue but it is essential to advancing discourse as well as helping dispel assumptions that all women hold the same opinions. In focusing on Milwaukee Latinas post-Roe, a specific location and population is considered to understand individual’s attitudes. Throughout the 20th century, Milwaukee Latinas navigated multiple worlds and roles as they aimed to satisfy the needs of others and themselves. That said, the personal often remained private and Latinas focused their activist efforts in areas beyond issues of reproduction. Despite the goals of the larger women’s movement, Milwaukee Latinas forged their own activism aimed at the specific needs of their community given local events, circumstances, and cultural expectations.
Though local Latinas did not place an explicit focus on abortion rights, polling has recorded the abortion attitudes of Latinas and the nation at large. While public opinion is often classified as either ‘pro-life’ or ‘pro-choice’, the reality is much more nuanced. National polls in the years following Roe v. Wade have found that most Americans support some form of abortion. However, these opinions are often situational and more people are accepting of abortion in cases of rape, incest, and when pregnancy endangers a mother life. Elective abortions on demand have often had the least amount of support throughout widespread public polls.[2] However, there can be a variety of reasons for an individual’s stance on abortion. Within the Latinx community, attitudes have varied depending on nationality with Mexicans being the least willing to approve of abortions. That said, overall approval post-Roe was somewhat lower compared to non-Hispanic Whites but higher than African-Americans. However, Latinas have a higher rate of abortion with some suggesting this is due to a reliance on less effective contraception and more frequent pregnancies.[3]
Within the state of Wisconsin, abortion was not legal until 1971, but this did not prevent women from seeking the procedure. Prior to legalization, women would often travel to states with legalized abortion to ensure a safe procedure. Networks were established to facilitate a women’s trip to New York or other states.[4] However, the procedure and travel fees could often exceed several hundred dollars, making a safe, legal abortion difficult or impossible for working class women to acquire. Faced with the reality of the price and extent of travel, some women elected for risky, illegal but close to home and often cheaper abortions. Exhausting these options, others carried their pregnancy to term.[5]
That said, organizations such as Planned Parenthood were present in the Latinx community to assist in other ways. Planned Parenthood established itself in Milwaukee in the 1960s with most early clients being married, middle-class White women. It later established traveling clinics to service several communities as they began noting the needs of low-income areas for quality health care and family planning assistance to alleviate poverty. However, since abortion was not yet legal, the organization only provided contraception and family planning counseling to married couples.
The proposal to establish such clinics created a public dialogue chronicled in letters to Wisconsin Secretary of State Vel Phillips. Archived in her files on these clinics and later abortion bills is various letters from community members, theologians, and organization leaders. These letters reflect Milwaukee’s need for such services and their benefits for the city and individuals. Acknowledging the limited access to downtown clinics, county hospitals, as well as the effects of family size on those in poverty, these correspondences signify a complex grasp of the topic at hand and it ramifications.[6] Yet, there appear to be none from those who identified themselves as Latina. Some allude to this lack of voices from within the affected communities as they state their privileged positions as advocates. Though Latinas may not have been advocating to politicians directly, they were still involved with other Latinos.
According the 1970 census, a low estimate of the Milwaukee Latinx population was about four thousand, with actual demographics believed to be over ten thousand. Mexicans made up sixty-five percent of the area with most of them coming from Texas and identifying as Chicanos. The rest of the area was majority Puerto Rican with a smaller Caribbean, South, and Central American population. In addition to national ties, the Latinx community is one also defined by location. Much of the population resided in and around the south side Walker’s Point neighbor located between Florida St. and Lapham St. and 1st and 16th St, with some extending these boundaries to 37th St. and Oklahoma Ave.
In comparison to the rest of Milwaukee, the Latinx community differed from the rest of the area in several ways. Milwaukee historian John Gurda’s research indicated that South Side residents, on average, were majority working class, bilingual and had less education completed and larger households. There was also a distinct generation gap between older immigrants and their younger, American-born children. This latter group soon became those most active in social movements and local groups. Gurda stated that almost twenty percent of the area lived below the poverty line. As a result, issues such as jobs, education, and child care became central to the community.
Gurda also mentions a growing leniency towards religious observation. Perhaps influenced by American Catholics, religiosity seemed to begin to wane around this time among Latinos. However, it was still seen as the responsibility of women to uphold religious traditions.[7] This may include ensuring regular church attendance, organizing church-related functions, and continuing other established traditions within the home. This indicates not only the influence of Latinas within the domestic sphere but also the significance placed on maintaining cultural norms.
However, the decline in religiosity is notable as the Latinx community at large tends to be associated with strong religious ties to Catholicism. Though still a component of cultural identity, religion carried less weight than once assumed. In addition, individuals appeared to distance their religiosity from their public opinions. For example, in Vel Phillips correspondences, there are several religious leaders who make sure to note that their views are not necessarily that of the church. In identifying as private citizens, these individual’s separate portions of their identity to explain their stance.[8] In fact, several studies have found that religious individuals are willing to defy church doctrine for personal or situational reasons. Take for instance the widespread use of contraception amongst Catholics despite it being condemned by the church.[9]
Distinctions between an institution and the individual are common and Latinas are no exception. One California Chicana, Alisia documented her religious upbringing and reproductive choices in Sumi Hoshiko’s Our Choices: Women’s Personal Decisions About Abortion. Elaborating on her childhood, she notes the significance of family, the Catholic church, and a good value system enforced by her mother. In regards to the church, she credits it with instilling within her a respect of kin and elders. In fact, she viewed her familia [family] as the focus of her personal life and professional work. She also attended Catholic schools for several years and states that its teachings were not something she could disregard with ease. This prefaces her explanation for seeking two abortions during her life. While she had grown to view her spirituality as more informal and personal, she still felt a sense of religious guilt stating that, “Oh my god, me castiga Dios [God is punishing me] you know?” Considering herself a good mother, Alisia refers to this role in explaining her decisions. Having already had four children, Alisia felt she could not support another child at the time. By limiting her family size, she could continue to support her children and lessen her fear of being unable to provide.[10]
Within the local Latinx community, the power of family is present and it served as a powerful influencer to all, including activists. It appears that Latinx activism was rooted in interpersonal relationships and coalition building within the community. Movements which were most associated with family and community wellbeing took precedent over the area. For example, education was a major topic of discussion for local leaders. Advocacy for quality schools, bilingual education, and access to higher education was based on it benefits to one and their family. A good education meant better jobs and a better quality of life.
This activism is best exemplified at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where student demonstrations in response to discrimination, little university support, and a general lack of representation shaped local Latinx thinking. The movement made headlines and resulted in the development of various programs and service centers for underrepresented students. With only twelve Latinx students enrolled at the university in 1970, efforts to increase enrollment and student support systems were established by the School of Education. However, this initiative was more appropriate for top university administrators to implement. Through sit-ins, walkouts, and petitions, activists led by Roberto Hernandez helped found the Spanish Speaker Outreach Institute in 1970.[11]
During the same time, the university’s Feminist Center had made reproductive rights a central issue and structured their activism around women’s issues. As previous research has indicated, the more educated one is, the more accepting one may be of a contentious issue such as abortion.[12] There is little evidence of Latinas being involved with the group’s community outreach. It is however possible that Latina students were involved and interested in the work done by the center but felt that there was a choice to be made between supporting women’s rights or Latinx rights. Later student groups on health, pro-choice, and pro-life ideologies were established but appeared to still lack Latina participation. While university students have some of the most relaxed abortion attitudes, events such as those UW-Milwaukee may have pushed these discussions to the backburner for Latinas. Also, due to the already low enrollment of Latinx students in general, there may have been few Latinas at the institution. However, this conflict of identities and support has been present in other social movements as women have dealt with supporting all the aspects of their identity.
The participation of Latinas within activist circles is a complicated one with women often doing valuable work while not receiving the proper respect or accolades. Also, many did not receive formal training or even identify as activists. However, through their actions to help others and mobilize a community, one could consider these women activists.[13] Latina political participation has been found to be based on more informal, social coalition building as opposed to a traditional focus on voting. This may be due to cultural influences that limit formal political participation and enforce gender roles. Also, emphasizing voting ignores the potential power of undocumented and disenfranchised individuals. Latinas approach to activism tends to be based on equality and community compared to Latino men. Thus, Latinas are less concerned with nationality as they focus on broader Latinx connections.[14]
Latinas were involved in almost all sectors of activism and many founded organizations aimed and increasing educational opportunities and improving community health. In promoting health initiatives and local centers, family planning was only a small portion of the services Latinas helped support. In addition to Planned Parenthood, other organizations functioned to address reproductive health, preventative care, and child care.[15] Furthermore, with a sizable portion of the population living below the poverty line, access to jobs and fair wages was another focus for activists. In addition to participating in labor movements, several Latinas founded professional development and skill building groups.
However, some community members expressed frustrations with regulatory systems in place that seemed to hinder their efforts. For instance, some day cares struggled to provide necessary assistance as they faced social and political hardships. Serving low-income families, some of whom received welfare assistance, many day cares struggled to provide adequate care and maintain their facilities. Also, municipal and federal regulations determined where and for how long children could be in these centers. Meant to protect children, community members argued that lawmakers, who were majority elite males, were out of touch and incapable of comprehending the daily realities of working-class families. There is also a mention of the social stigma associated with welfare. Citing political rhetoric of “get mothers to work” and “pulling yourself up by your boot straps”, child care leaders discussed the assumptions made about those receiving public assistance. Regarding mothers and their work, activists asserted that motherhood is work and should be valued as such.[16]
In more radical circles, many of the same issues were discussed through a more revolutionary lens. These smaller pockets of activists were often inspired by similar movements around the country. For instance, elsewhere, the west coast saw Chicana feminism bloom amongst student leaders. The discourse of Chicana feminism reached Milwaukee through publications such as La Guardia and The Young Lord as well as word of mouth.[17] In this development, Chicanas and Latinas began sharing more personal topics that affected them as active women of color. In various editorials and articles, women discuss the sexism they experienced within the activist community.
A poignant and candid mention of misogyny and sexism, Latina activists elaborate on feelings of being excluded from leadership positions or demeaned by their colleagues. Writing in La Guardia, Mary Lou Espinoza discussed Latinas access to power and stated that no other oppression is as severe as that of women of color. In relegating women to a domestic sphere, she argues that not only have men devalued women but that Latinas have been brainwash by culture to remain subordinate. Espinoza suggests that women can prosper and add a much-needed perspective to the various movements. She states, “Latin women do not want to become men. They want to be able to breath, to educate ourselves, to influence our community and society at large, and to contribute it with our insight of life.” [18]
If these women did not feel supported by their own peers and supposed allies, they may have been less likely to talk about the most personal of issues in a public setting. This misogyny was part of a greater cultural issue of machismo which emphasizes manliness and power. However, some antiwar activists saw this machismo as dangerous to everyone, not just women. Some argued that with men being encouraged to enter the Vietnam war, machismo was being used to promote violence rather than education and self-betterment. Machismo could be a useful tool for community advancement but war warped masculinity to be defined by violence. To reshape this narrative, Latinas should have made themselves informed citizens who, alongside men, could redefine the power of machismo in the Latinx community.[19]
The role of men in Latina activism was distinct compared to that of Anglo feminists and their respective movement. Some groups made sure to distance themselves from standard “Women’s Lib” groups.[20] Milwaukee activist Maria Rodriguez argued that, “We [Latinas] didn’t see ourselves as the Gloria Steinem feminists; we saw our men as participants of community change.”[21] An activist since the 1970s, she has been a lifelong advocate of education, reproductive rights, and increasing cultural knowledge. Rodriguez argues that Latina feminism was more collectivist and women wanted to include one’s spouse and family. Inclusion of others was important as decisions made by Latina feminists had to consider the ramifications on the family. Local Latinas did not want to exclude those closest to them but rather include them in their narrative. This approach further demonstrates the role of community within movements. With less of an emphasis on the individual, Latinas strove to campaign for whole groups.
In addition, context helped define local Latinas immediate concerns. For instance, Rodriguez participated in and developed many organizations targeted towards issues impacting Latinas. In an oral history, she explains that while she was involved in broader, mainstream women’s groups, she and other Latinas felt there needed to be a focus placed on their community. Detailing her motivations for founding the group “Latinas En Accion”, Rodriguez stated,
“…that we were part of this community and that we needed to really focus in on some of the things that would affect women and bringing them to, well dealing with social justice issues and making sure that women were advancing.”[22]
In addition to community organizing, Rodriguez worked at Planned Parenthood where she aimed to increase girls and women’s awareness about educational programming. She mentions the conversation she had with her mother before accepting the position. Worried she would disapprove or ask her reconsider, Rodriguez’s mother, instead discussed with openness the realities of many Latinas in the past. Noting the lack of health education and family planning options available to older generations, Rodriguez’s mother supported her daughter’s attempt to change and inform her community. Surprised at her response and candor, Rodriguez reflected on her mother’s support as indicative of her larger intolerance of inequality and want to help others. She remarks that she was encouraged to use her knowledge to inform and empower those who may not always be able to advocate for themselves.
Close relationships with established trust, such as that between mother and daughter, are crucial to furthering important conversations and movements. As highlighted in Rodriguez’s interview, she discusses a hesitance to talk to her mother about the controversial Planned Parenthood. However, due to the deep respect and trust between each other, a fruitful and surprising conversation arises, one that questions cultural assumptions. Yet her initial worries also suggest that not everyone engaged in sensitive dialogues.
Conforming to traditional cultural notions of femininity proved to be a source of conflict for young Latinas at the time. Some young women state they were encouraged by previous generations to improve their lives through education. Citing the lack of opportunity for one’s mother or grandmother, young Latinas were often told of the financial and personal opportunities education provided. However, others disregard this and stated that women should help their families by seeking the roles of mother and caretaker. Due to expectations to be housewives and mothers, the willingness to become educated or enter the workforce is hindered as women grapple with pleasing both their families and themselves. For some women, working was not an option as they had to help support a family.[23]
While not exclusive to the Latinx community, these issues were exacerbated by an urgency stressed by previous generations to seek marriage and subsequent motherhood at an early age. Such a focus on the role and necessity of motherhood made it seem to be an obligation rather than a choice. Those who married but did not have children right away still felt the obligation to become an ideal wife and mother as soon as possible. Those vocal against these pressures were perceived as rebellious and were met with confusion. With much pressure coming from older individuals, generational differences further fueled tension.
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Many young Latinas discuss an inner conflict that arises as they attempt to seek their passions while maintaining a strong cultural identity. One woman, Gloria Villanueva Jimenez, shares her experiences in an El Universal article. From childhood, she expressed an untraditional attitude towards gender roles and sought to be a leader. She explains that despite her academic accomplishments and interests, her parents questioned her interest in higher education. Over time, however, her relationship with her parents improved as they understood the validity of her choices. She explains that an adherence to tradition is not an issue and many women find fulfillment in motherhood and housewifery. In doing so, she is acknowledging that limited opportunities for women restricts them of their full potential. Restricting Latinas to one role further excludes them from a larger narrative. A mother herself, Jimenez concludes by noting that Latinas unhappy in their roles should ‘break out’ and pursue other routes in life.[24]
Milwaukee may serve as a small reflection of larger national opinions. Issues that the nation faced manifested themselves on a microscale in varying degrees in Milwaukee. However, location specific events had the power to stress the urgency of some issues over others thus making the perspectives of Milwaukee and its residents unique. An initial focus on Roe v. Wade does not encompass the full spectrum of motivations of the Milwaukee Latinx community. While a watershed moment for all women, it was a distinct landmark for Anglo women’s movements during the second wave of modern feminism. Within the Latinx community, as with the larger population, there are a variety of abortion opinions dependent on a several factors. However, due to a host of personal and cultural reasons as well as community events, Milwaukee Latinas did not outright address abortion, let alone the Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade. For instance, local issues such as student demonstrations, unemployment, and access to a quality education held precedent over national issues. Though an important issue, reproductive rights were not always at the forefront for these community activists.
Expanding the voices of women included in a conversation further informs a greater narrative of the complexities of gender issues. A consideration of one’s cultural and geographical location, among other factors, acknowledges the varying circumstances in which individuals experience the world. The analysis of Milwaukee Latina’s activism and their related roles within the community demonstrates the role of context in fueling movements. As presented, the Milwaukee Latinx community established various networks to rectify their most immediate concerns. The power of Latinas has been ever present but they have long been ignored by others. Amplifying these women is crucial to chronicling their legacies as activists and individuals. As organizers, leaders, and mothers, Milwaukee Latinas found empowerment and fulfillment by addressing the specific needs of the community closest to them in their own ways.
References
Arenas, Andrea-Teresa, and Eloisa Gomez. 2018. Somos Latinas: Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 2018. Reproductive Health: Data and Statistics. February 16. Accessed 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/index.htm.
Chavez, Jennie V. 2016. “Women of the Mexican American Movement, 1972.” In Women’s America: Refocusing the Past, by Linda K. Kerber, Jane Sherron De Hart, Cornelia Hughes Dayton and Judy Tzu-Chun Wu, 733-735. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Eschenburg, Beverly, May 9, 1971. “Abortion Legal!” Kaleidoscope.
Erickson, Pamela I., and Celia P. Kaplan. 1998. “Latinas and Abortion.” In The New Civil War: The Psychology, Culture, and Politics of Abortion, by Linda J. Beckman and S. Marie Harvey, 133-155. Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Espinoza, Mary Lou. 1970. “Latin Leaders Leave Wives at Home.” La Guardia. June. 8.
Gurda, John. 1976. The Latin Community on Milwaukee’s Near South Side. Milwaukee: Milwaukee Urban Observatory.
Hoshiko, Sumi. 1993. “Alisia.” In Our Choices: Women’s Personal Decisions About Abortion, by Sumi Hoshiko, 85-90. Binghamton: Haworth Press.
La Causa Day Care. n.d. “las madres abren daycare center.” La Guardia.
La Guardia Staff. n.d. “cumunal clinicas de salud del sur.” La Guardia.
Longoria, Thomas. 1998. “Gender and Political Participation in the Latino Community.” El Universal, 5,8.
Moore, Joan. 1998. “The potential for Female Leadership.” El Universal, Winter: 9.
Rodriguez, Maria, interview by Casey Resendez. 2015. Interview with Maria Rodriguez, Fall 2015 Wisconsin Historical Society, (Fall).
Sanchez, Corinne. n.d. “exploitation of machismo.” La Guardia.
Statement of Emily Louis Before the Social Development Commission in Support of Planned Parenthood Proposal, 16 December 1964, Box 62, Folder 1, Vel Phillips Papers, 1946- 2009, Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library Archive and Museum Collections, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries’ Archives Department.
Statement Presented by Lucius Walker Before the Social Development Commission in Support of Planned Parenthood Proposal, Box 62, Folder 1, Vel Phillips Papers, 1946-2009, Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library Archive and Museum Collections, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries’ Archives Department.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. n.d. UWM Latino Activism. https://uwm.edu/lib- collections/latino-activism/.
Unknown. n.d. “Mujeres de La Raza.” La Guardia. 3,10.
—. 1971. “Las Chicanas.” The Young Lord, 1.
Villanueva Jimenez, Gloria. 1998. “A Latina Baby Boomer Speaks Out.” El Universal, Winter: 1, 9.
[1] “Reproductive Health: Data and Statistics,” Center for Disease Control and Prevention, February 16. Accessed 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/index.htm.
[2] R. Sauer, “Attitudes to Abortion in America, 1800-1973.” Population Studies (1974): 65-66.
[3] Pamela I. Erickson and Celia P. Kaplan, “Latinas and Abortion.” In The New Civil War: The Psychology, Culture, and Politics of Abortion, by Linda J. Beckman and S. Marie Harvey, (Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1998), 136-137.
Abortion rates: 47% of Latinos, 51% of Whites, 42% of African-Americans.
[4] Beverly Eschenburg, “Abortion Legal!” Kaleidoscope, May 9, 1971.
[5] Jim Gibbons, “Abortion & the Law,” Kaleidoscope, Apr. 11, 1968.
[6] Emily Louis, “Statement of Emily Louis Before the Social Development Commission in Support of Planned Parenthood Proposal,” (Vel Phillips Papers, 1946-2009), December 16, 1964.
[7] John Gurda, “The Latin Community on Milwaukee’s Near South Side,” (Milwaukee: Milwaukee Urban Observatory, 1976), 11-16.
[8] Lucius Walker, “Statement Presented by Lucius Walker Before the Social Development Commission in Support of Planned Parenthood Proposal” (Vel Phillips Papers, 1946 -2009).
[9] Pamela I. Erickson and Celia P. Kaplan, “Latinas and Abortion,” 147.
[10] Sumi Hoshiko, “Alisia.” in Our Choices: Women’s Personal Decisions About Abortion, by Sumi Hoshiko, (Binghamton: Haworth Press, 1993), 85-90.
[11] “UWM Latino Activism,” University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, https://uwm.edu/lib -collections/latino-activism/.
[12] Pamela I. Erickson and Celia P. Kaplan, “Latinas and Abortion,” 143.
[13] Andrea-Teresa Arenas and Eloisa Gomez, Somos Latinas: Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists (Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2018), 5.
[14] Thomas Longoria, “Gender and Political Participation in the Latino Community.” El Universal (Milwaukee, WI), Winter 1998.
[15] La Guardia Staff, “cumunal clinicas de salud del sur.” La Guardia (Milwaukee, WI).
[16] La Causa Day Care, “las madres abren daycare center.” La Guardia (Milwaukee, WI).
[17] Jennie V. Chavez, “Women of the Mexican American Movement, 1972,” in Women’s America: Refocusing the Past, by Linda K. Kerber, Jane Sherron De Hart, Cornelia Hughes Dayton and Judy Tzu-Chun Wu, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016), 733 -735.
Unknown, “Las Chicanas,” The Young Lord (Milwaukee, WI), 1971.
[18] Mary Lou Espinoza, “Latin Leaders Leave Wives at Home,” La Guardia (Milwaukee, WI), Jun. 8, 1970.
[19] Corinne Sanchez, “exploitation of machismo,” La Guardia (Milwaukee, WI).
[20] Unknown, “Mujeres de La Raza,” La Guardia (Milwaukee, WI).
[21] Andrea-Teresa Arenas and Eloisa Gomez, Somos Latinas: Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists, 169.
[22] Maria Rodriguez, interview by Casey Resendez, Wisconsin Historical Society, Fall 2015.
[23] Joan Moore, “The potential for Female Leadership,” El Universal (Milwaukee, WI), Winter 1998.
[24] Gloria Villanueva Jimenez, “A Latina Baby Boomer Speaks Out,” El Universal (Milwaukee, WI), Winter 1998.
