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Last Updated: Jan 18th, 2007 - 21:02:18

BORICUAS IN CHICAGO JOIN CAMPAIGN TO RETIRE 21
By Julio Pabón
Jan 18, 2007, 11:17

Chicago, Il: I just completed a 3 day trip to the windy city of Chicago to muster up additional support for the Retire 21 campaign to retire Roberto Clemente’s #21 from all of Major League Baseball. Chicago, with the second largest Puerto Rican population in the country was a logical city to introduce the campaign and get it into the streets in full force as we have been doing in New York.

One of the many murials that adorn Division St. within the "Paseo Boricua" section (Photo LSV)

I am happy to report that my experience in Chicago was beyond my expectations. We surpassed our goals in this one trip to levels that would have taken us much more time in any other city. The main reason for this is that the Puerto Rican community in Chicago is very well organized in one concentrated, geographic area known as “Humboldt Park.” This is ironic because in was in this same park approximately 30 years ago that riots broke out where the Puerto Rican community had to fight for its right to exist as a community in Chicago.

This same area that was once the “Puerto Rican Ghetto” is today the epicenter of a Puerto Rican renaissance and power not just in Chicago, but I dare say in the entire mid-West. As an activist that has fought so much to guarantee respect for our community I was proud to experience what the Puerto Rican community in Chicago has accomplished in the Humboldt Park area.

Roberto Clemente Plaque on Division St. (Photo LSV)

The resurgence that the community has embarked upon and to a greater degree accomplished in Chicago manifested itself in full force to support of the Retire 21 campaign. The economic engine of the community is known as “Paseo Boricua” a strip of about 10 city blocks that lie on Division Street and that is home to approximately 80 businesses. This Boricua Mecca which I term, their “Liberated Zone” is marked off for everyone to see between two towering Puerto Rican flags made of metal that resemble a new vogue art form at each end of the strip that also serves as a beacon to all, that this is truly a “Paseo Boricua.”

Professor José López

Upon my arrival on Saturday afternoon, I immediately went to a meeting set up by Professor, José López a respected scholar, but more important, a loving individual that demonstrates his devotion to his community by working to help unite the community and empower its youth.

The meeting was a “who’s – who” of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago. Everyone from Alderman (their version of our City Councilman), Billy Ocasio to the different leaders and organizational heads were present to hear why Professor Lopez invited them to hear my presentation on why we want to retire #21?

The presentation was very well received and we followed it up with viewing the trailer of the film, The Legacy of #21. As has been the case when we have made our presentation, everyone present committed himself or herself to support the campaign, however, unlike the other communities, here they went from the highest level of support to the streets where the people live and shop.

Pabón being interviewed by local newspaper in Nelly's one of many Puerto Rican owned businesses in "Paseo Boricua." (Photo M. Cabrera)

Alderman Ocasio committed himself to introduce a resolution into the Chicago city council to urge Major League Baseball (MLB) to retire #21. He went further and volunteered to take the message to Congressman, Luis Gutierrez and have him do the same in Congress and to the Puerto Rican mayor of East Chicago, Indiana.

The support continued, as the majority of the businesses that I visited after the great welcome that I received on Saturday were overwhelmingly supportive of the campaign. They immediately signed on to place our petitions on their counters. Ricky Salgado Jr., the young and effective Executive Director of the Division Street Business Development Council was on me like “white on rice” making sure that I was introduced to many of the business owners. I have no doubt that the petitions will probably circulate more in this business district than any other business district in the country, including Puerto Rico.

Mikey Sanchez, Ex. Dir. Casa Puertorriquña and Alderman Billy Ocasio present Julio Pabón (center) with gift of Puerto Rican spots personalities done by one of the local youth. (Photo LSV)

On Sunday I was invited by Mikey Sanchez, the Executive Director of Casa Puertorriqueña, (a cultural institution that serves as a base for many cultural community events) to attend their first “Octavistas Festival” (the last Navidad festival celebrated eight days after three Kings day in Puerto Rico and almost extinct in most Puerto Rican communities). This is proof that these Chicago Boricuas are not just cruising on accomplished laurels, but are aggressively defining and defending the Puerto Rican culture every day.

Well over 250 people, majority seniors who were treated to an evening of music by a trobadores competition, attended the event. I was asked to say a few words and as I had experienced throughout all my other presentations everyone was supportive and many came up to me afterwards to “thank me” for what I was doing for Clemente. That was a first for me, but then again, that is the value that our elders have for our history, they are not just satisfied to have lived it, but respect when others today try to relive it. Perhaps no other sector of our population can appreciate the impact that Clemente had on our community in the 1960’s and 1970’s than those that lived it under a sense of extreme racism and discrimination. Clemente was a positive beacon for many and these individuals do not forget that, that is why they were thanking me.

One of the two towering Puerto Rican flags that mark off "el Paseo Boricua" on Division St. (Photo LSV)

My final day was on Monday and that was just as meaningful as the previous two. It was full of additional meetings with other businesses in Paseo Boricua that also included savoring the rich Boricua cuisine offered by many. The final group meeting was back at Casa Puertorriqueña where Mikey Sanchez was conducting a meeting with the managers and organizers of the various softball and Little Leagues. All the leagues and teams present committed themselves to support the Retire 21 campaign. One interesting note was that several of them had already retired Clemente’s #21 from their leagues and in a way showing Major League Baseball that if they as Puerto Rican’s can do this in their leagues, then Major League Baseball needs to step up to the plate and do the correct thing, Retire 21 y Ya!

The other end of Division St. with the second Puerto Rican Flag. (Photo LSV)

Post Notes
Many thanks to all the Boricuas in Chicago who helped make this trip a successful experience for the Retire 21 campaign. Special thanks to Edwin Mendez for your hospitality, Grisel “Gigi” Miranda for your tireless assistance with all my meetings and to Amy Vega from Casa Puertorriqueña for your data.

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