Brothers and Fellow Community Members,
2020 has brought us many challenges, and it has not spared Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month. Indeed, in a year with a decade’s worth of current events, it has forced our community to think on Latinidad from afar. In many ways, this has allowed individual reflection on our shared heritage. Remove all the festivals, the flag waving, the in person celebrations and we are left with our history.
A history that is replete with the pain of oppression and the joy of achievement. As such, we implore those celebrating to do so safely and mindfully of our roots. Remember that Latinidad once did not include Black and Indigenous populations, yet their contributions to our culture cannot be ignored because they have created the foods we eat and the music we dance to.
Ultimately, as a Brotherhood priding itself on advocacy for identity and equity among populations, we must do our part to advocate for our communities. The cultural celebrations we would have had, were it not for COVID, would not have happened if someone did not decide to take an often violent stand against the forces of inequity. To this day, those struggles are not yet over.
Be safe.
En La Union Esta La Fuerza.”
