From Garbage Offensives to Occupying Churches, Actions of the Young Lords Continue to Inspire

We look back at the Young Lords, a radical group founded by Puerto Ricans modeled on the Black Panther Party. In late July 1969, the group staged their first action in an effort to force the City of New York to increase garbage pickup in East Harlem. The Young Lords would go on to inspire activists around the country as they occupied churches and hospitals in an attempt to open the spaces to community projects. The group called for self-determination for all Puerto Ricans; independence for the island of Puerto Rico; community control of institutions and land; freedom for all political prisoners; and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam, Puerto Rico and other areas. The Young Lords would also play a pivotal role in spreading awareness of Puerto Rican culture and history. While the group disintegrated in the mid-1970s, its impact is still felt today. The Young Lords is the focus of a new art exhibit organized by The Bronx Museum of the Arts called "¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York." It is on view at three different cultural institutions in New York. We speak to our very own Juan González, who served as the group’s first minister of education, and Johanna Fernández, co-curator of "¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York" at The Bronx Museum of the Arts.

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