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Welcome to Strictly Facts, a guide to Caribbean history and culture, hosted by me, alexandria Miller. Strictly Facts teaches the history, politics and activism of the Caribbean and connects these themes to contemporary music and popular culture. Hey there, waqwan, and welcome back to another episode of Strangely Facts a guide to Caribbean history and culture, our second episode of 2025 and just one short away from hitting our big milestone 100th episode, I couldn't let this month pass without sharing some recent news after the loss of activist and political leader, jose Chacha Jimenez, largely recognized for his role as a leader of the Young Lords, a political organization founded in the late 1960s. Born in Puerto Rico in 1948, jimenez moved with his family to the US as an infant, eventually settling in Chicago. It was during his years in Chicago, as part of the city's growing Latino population and the inequalities the community faced, that eventually catapulted his commitment to fighting social injustice. Though the Young Lords originally started as a street gang, in 1960, jiménez reorganized and founded the political organization on September 23, 1968, under the slogan Tengo Puerto Rico en mi Corazon, or I have Puerto Rico in my heart. Inspired by the Black Panther Party, jimenez transitioned the group to focusing on the socio-political issues affecting the Latino community, particularly Puerto Ricans. Under his leadership and several others, the Young Lords expanded their activism across the US to cities like New York, philadelphia, la and Milwaukee, where their goals spread across several organizations. Jimenez became a key leader in the organization, which adopted a radical, militant stance against systemic racism, poverty, police brutality and other forms of oppression facing Latino communities. The Young Lords advocated for self-determination, empowerment and social justice, and they were not afraid to challenge both local authorities and the federal government. Their philosophy was heavily influenced by Marxist thought and the revolutionary rhetoric of global liberation movements.

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The Young Lords gained national attention for their direct action campaigns, which included the 1969 garbage offensive, their free breakfast and health programs and their health care and education advocacy. One of the most well-known actions led by the Young Lords was a protest against the city's failure to clean up trash in Puerto Rican neighborhoods in Chicago. The group symbolically cleaned up the streets while demanding city action, highlighting the severe neglect of Puerto Rican communities by municipal authorities. Additionally, inspired by the Black Panther Party's community programs, the Young Lords set up free breakfast and health clinics in impoverished neighborhoods. In impoverished neighborhoods, they also established free food programs and provided education on topics like health and nutrition, seeking to empower local residents to take care of their communities. In New York, similarly, the Young Lords occupied a local church to demand the city provide health services to underserved Latino communities. They also launched campaigns to increase health care access and improve public health conditions Several things that the Young Lords did. They advocated for better educational opportunities for Puerto Rican and Latino youth. They demanded bilingual education, the removal of police from schools and more culturally relevant curriculum that reflected the history and needs of marginalized communities.

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Jimenez and the Young Lords were not only staunch activists for Latino rights but for all people of color, forming the Rainbow Coalition, an anti-racist, working-class, multicultural movement, alongside leader Fred Hampton and the Black Panther Party, as well as William Preacher Besperim of the Young Patriots organization. Though the Young Lords officially disbanded in 1976 due to internal differences and external pressures from law enforcement and the FBI, their impact remains enduring. Their community activism laid the groundwork for future generations of Latino social movements and organizations, particularly in the areas of health care and education. Jimenez's work with the Young Lords helped to raise awareness about the struggles facing Latinos in US cities. Their activism also inspired other ethnic and minority groups to organize around issues of social justice and self-determination. Jimenez and his colleagues provided a new model of activism, one that blended radical politics with a focus on direct action, community empowerment and the creation of grassroots social programs. The Young Lords also contributed to broader Latino civil rights movement, helping to shift national discussions about race, ethnicity and justice, and challenging the invisibility of Latino issues within mainstream US politics mainstream US politics. Jimenez's leadership in the Young Lords continues to inspire new generations of activists who see his work as an essential part of the broader struggle for racial justice, immigrant rights and community empowerment in the United States. He remains a respected voice in Puerto Rican and Latino activism, activism advocating for social change and the recognition of Latino history and rights.

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There are several books and movies on Jimenez and the Young Lords, so, of course, I'm going to add these to our Strictly Pets syllabus for anybody wanting to look out for them. So I recommend checking out the 1996 documentary Palente Siempre Palente the Young Lords, as well as the 2010 book the Young Lords a Reader, to learn more. Jose Jimenez passed away on January 10th 2025, at the age of 76, and following one of our themes for this year, is remembered for his radical approach to civil rights activism, not only for Latino communities, but also all marginalized communities across the United States. Jimenez played a critical role in the movements across the 60s and 70s, bringing attention to the issues facing Puerto Ricans and other Latinos in the US. His legacy lives on in the continued work of activists today who are inspired by the young Lord's vision of justice, equality and empowerment. And with that we send condolences to Jimenez's loved ones, and that he rests in power. We'll be back in two weeks with another amazing episode. Until then, little more.