Houston

Despite dire predictions of more rain for Houston, the First Annual Tejas Xicana/o Moratorium gathered at Eastwood Park on the morning of July 27. The drizzle stopped. 

Brown Beret activist Willie Rodriguez stated: “The Xicana/o Moratorium is not just a commemoration of a past historical event but a statewide day of action against the issues confronting our Raza today.” The event opened with Indigenous dancers giving blessings to the four directions and performing. 

The march began with a banner reading: “Tejas Chicana/o Moratorium honoring the first Chicano Moratorium against the Vietnam war held 54 years ago in Houston.” 

Houston activists were joined by Brown Berets from Dallas, the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Austin, Robstown and Laredo. Members of the New Black Panther Party, the Huey P. Newton Gun Club from Dallas, La Raza Unida Party, Workers World Party, Chicano Boulevard and the Museo Guadalupe Aztlan.t. When the WWP speaker said that the billions of dollars the Democratic President Joe Biden is giving to Israel are funding genocide against the Palestinians, a huge roar came from the crowd. 

From the war on Vietnam to the war on Palestine, the sentiment was and is absolutely “No more war!”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Chicano Boulevard’s center, which features a mural with the face of Dolores Huerta, hero of the United Farm Workers union. 

Gina Richards, chair of the Houston Berets, said after the event concluded: “I have no words for how beautiful and historic today was for la causa for our gente. We saw unity on so many levels. Thank you to the sisters and brothers from all the groups, organizations and speakers. Today we stood side by side with our communities to show we are here, we are Brown, and we will prosper!”