MOUNT
PLEASANT DISTURBANCES
ANNIVERSARY EVENTS
Two
important events for the Latino community in Washington, D.C.
have been scheduled. Both of these events are intended to allow
for reflection on the state of civil rights for Latinos in our city.
Last
year, on the tenth anniversary of the Mount
Pleasant disturbances, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil
Rights and Urban Affairs and a Civil Rights Review Panel, composed
of national and local experts on issues affecting the Latino community,
began an effort to document and analyze the civil rights issues that
face Latinos in the Washington, D.C. area today. Ten well-known area
law firms participated in this effort and conducted much of the necessary
research. The work on these studies has now been completed, and the
findings and recommendations will be presented publicly on this year’s
anniversary of the Mount Pleasant disturbances.
On
May 5, 2002, a prayer service for Latino civil rights will be held
during the midday mass at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, located
at 16th Street and Park Road. Following
the mass, at 1:45
p.m., a special
program will be held in the Gavan Center at the church to commemorate the anniversary of the
Mount Pleasant disturbances.
At that time, the reports that have been prepared over the last
year will be publicly released for the first time.
On May
7, 2002, a more extensive policy briefing will be held regarding the
civil rights barriers confronting the Latino community today. The
briefing will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Lincoln Middle School, located
at 16th and Irving Streets, N.W., Washington , D.C.
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