Saturday, June 4, 2022
3 pm – 5 pm
Join us for a discussion of the book Revolution Around the Corner with two of the editors, José E. Velázquez and Carmen V. Rivera.
About the book
Active from the late 1960s until the mid-1990s, the U.S. branch of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP) worked simultaneously to build support for Puerto Rican independence and to engage in radical social change within the United States.
Revolution Around the Corner chronicles this unique social movement, describing various mass campaigns and the inner workings of the organization. The editors and contributorsâall former members, leaders, and supporters of the PSPâoffer a range of views and interpretations of their experience.
Combining historical accounts, personal stories, interviews, and retrospective analysis, Revolution Around the Corner examines specific actions such as the National Day of Solidarity ( El Acto Nacional), the Bicentennial without Colonies, the Save Hostos struggle, and the Vieques campaign. Testimonies recount the pros and cons of membership diversity, as well as issues of loyalty and compañerismo. In addition, essays describe the PSPâs participation in coalitions and alliances with Left and progressive movements. The book concludes with the editorsâ reflections on the PSPâs achievements, mistakes, and contributions.
Contributors: Maritza ArrastÃa, Teresa Basilio Gaztambide, Rosa Borenstein, Ted Glick, Alfredo López, Pablo Medina Cruz, Ramón Jimenez, Lenina Nadal, José-Manuel Navarro, Alyssa Ribeiro, Olga Iris Sanabria Dávila, Digna Sánchez, América âMecaâ Sorrentini, Zoilo Torres, and the editors
About the editors
José E. Velázquez is a life-long activist for social justice and national liberation, is co-editor with Andrés Torres of The Puerto Rican Movement: Voices From the Diaspora. A retired educator and curriculum writer from the Newark Public Schools, he has a B.A. in History from Columbia University, and a M.Ed. from Montclair State University. A founding speaker at the Amistad Commission of New Jersey, he often lectures on Afro-Latino issues.
Carmen V. Rivera recently retired after having served as a Certified Life Coach and capacity building consultant for over 25 years. A public health policy advocate with a MSW and MPH from Columbia University, she held top ranking positions in New York City government and for the City of Boston. Carmen Vivianâs activism has centered on womenâs rights, national liberation and social justice movements. One of her personal passions is documenting the history of Puerto Rican political activism in the United States. from the 1960s to early 1990s. She is coordinator of the ¡Despierta Boricua! Recovering History Project and its archival collection on the Puerto Rican Socialist Party in the U.S.
