Chicano Unity Festival Calls for an End to the Violence and Continued Resistance to Colonialism

On Saturday, September 10th, a variety of individuals and organizations called for an end to gang violence in Southside Modesto and all over California. Despite over 100 degree heat, people enjoyed speakers, live hip-hop, a bounce house, and graffiti walls. Former gang members of both northern and southern Chicano and Mexicano gangs gave moving speeches, addressing the need to stop gang violence from continuing in poor and working-class barrios. Many legendary speakers and elders who have been involved in revolutionary movements (past and present) for years graced the stage, including members of the Brown Berets, the Black Berets, and the Black Panther Party. Local organizers also discussed various ongoing struggles such as the battle to shut down Covanta in Patterson and Grayson and the current push by the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department to fill the county jail with captured migrant workers in order to get funds from the federal government. Members of the family of Ernest Duenez also spoke, talking about their struggle against the Manteca Police Department.