The Chicago Teachers Union is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and to lift up the culture, contributions and voices of the vibrant and growing Latine community in the city of Chicago! This month, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico all celebrate their independence. For our part, CTU members kicked off the month-long celebration at the beautiful Mexican Independence Day Parade, feeling the love and support from our community and current and former students along the way.
As trade unionists and union educators, it is critical that we spend this month uplifting our Latine union siblings who have made significant contributions in the fight forward for social, racial and economic justice. One of those brave individuals was Rudy Lozano, who was murdered for his push to build Black-Brown solidarity around our city’s first Black mayor. Civil rights activist Ruben Salazar was also killed for his work as a trailblazing journalist, exposing racism against Mexican-Americans.
Today, rank-and-file Latine CTU members have put their bodies on the line in fight for the schools our students deserve. We have won critical support for bilingual students and historic sanctuary language in district-run and charter school contracts. And, as thousands of migrants are callously shipped to Chicago, CTU members are providing them love and support to make Chicago their home.
This month, as we honor our Latine peoples and their immigrant experience, we cherish the melting pot that is Chicago and say: ¡Esta lucha es tuya, mía, y de nosotros!
