Community Victory in Humboldt Park Advisory Committee ends in Replacement of Racist Chair

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By Charlie Billups

Tonight a victory of enormous proportions has been won in Humboldt Park. This is a very sobering victory because we had to expose a fellow human being that for reasons known to her has had a misinformed and misguided opinion about who we are in the Puerto Rican community and our history and the struggles that many of us on daily basis fight to survive and to achieve significance.
My heart is filled with joy as many members of our community were there, some with their little flags that somebody else had criticized as being cheap.
Their smile tonight was as big as their hearts and believe me tonight some felt that they were important and that their opinions counted.
The room was tense and the expectation that something nasty was about to happen never materialized, at the end the joy of victory was swift and the embraces and the love was heartfelt.
With this victory, we chart a new day in Humboldt Park, a new day in which many recognized our pain and realized that we need to be dealt with respect as fellow human beings. I recognize Jessie Fuentes, Janeida L. Rivera,Xavier Nogueras, Catherine Mueller Serpa, Carol Ann, Michele Miner, Mikey, Jesus the park district supervisor, Alderman Maldonado, Nilda Montanez, Raquel Torres, Pastor Rubรฉn Escobar Pepรญn Juanita Irizarry, Carl the garden guy, My mentor Maggie Martinez (You are an inspiration to me) Nancy Diaz, Marilyn Morales, the Park District Department Head and finally Amy Vega who I recognized has tried to bring and respect diversity in area that is difficult because of the realities of our changing communities in Chicago.
Lorena B Billups Sarah and Pachi your joy and your smiles when we are feeding the geese and ducks live constantly in my heart.
To the Corillo of Humboldt Park you bring me joy and you might not think I see you, but I do and I love you.
Tonight I extend a hand of fellowship to those that don’t see things as we do. Inside our hearts there is forgiveness for the insults that we have received, we ask you to walk in our shoes and join us in the fellowship known as Humboldt Park.
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