¡Adelante! Airs Video of 40th UW-Milwaukee Chapman Hall Takeover Anniversary and Commemoration Banquet

The late Marla O. Anderson
UWM 1970 instrumental takeover leader and a 1978 UWM Bachelor of Science Graduate

¡Adelante! First TV program to air historical event commemorating the 1970 UWM Takeover of Chapman Hall by the Hispanic community.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 20, 2011

Milwaukee - On Tuesday, the ¡Adelante! MPTV TV 10-36 show hosted by Patricia Gomez became the first actual program to air a segment of the 40th Anniversary and Commemoration of the the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) takeover of Chapman Hall by the Hispanic community in 1970 to gain access to higher education. Gomez and her TV crew beat any other main stream news media TV channel throughout the Milwaukee area in covering the historical event. ¡Adelante! shows the banquet at the UWM Ballroom and the vintage news footage of the actual takeover of Chapman Hall and UWM on August 27, 1970.
The Hispanic community and higher educational activists marched, fought, struggled and took over UWM for higher education access. Their endeavers succeeded to over turn the discriminatory UWM policy that kept Latinos and minorities from enrolling at the urban university. 
The ¡Adelante! show interviews actual participants and instrumental leaders of the 1970 UWM takeover, Jesus Salas and Ernesto Chacon. Both Salas and Chacon headed the steering committee for the 40th Anniversary and Commemorative Committee established by the Roberto Hernandez Center at UWM (RHC).
Members of the committee included, Carmen C. Cabrera, Gloria Gonzalez, Fela Salinas, Rose Landero-Ferrar, Graciela de la Cruz, Leticia Ledesma-Keltz, Rita Renteria Valenzuela, Dr. Enrique Figueroa, director of the Roberto Hernandez Center UWM formerly the SSOI, Lupe Martinez, Jose Ruano, Oscar Tovar, Salvador Sanchez, and H. Nelson Goodson.
The interview also shows Marla J. Possell, who spoke about her mother. Possell is the proud daughter of the late Marla O. Anderson, an instrumental leader of the UWM Takeover as well. Anderson's decision to join Salas and Chacon in 1970 led to the actiive participation of hundreds of families to back, join and march in support of the UWM takeover to gain access to higher education for Latinos and their children.
Anderson originally from Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico is well known for her leadership and instrumental role in the August 27, 1970 University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM) takeover of Chapman Hall, where she along with four men, Jesus Salas, Dante Navarro Gregorio "Goyo" Rivera and Jose Luis Huerta-Sanchez were arrested in a peaceful protest. They were protesting UWM's discriminatory policy that prevented Latinos from enrolling.
In 1970, only 14 Hispanic students were enrolled compared to 25,000 White students and there were no Latino faculty at UWM. Anderson's role helped open the doors of education for thousands of Latinos in the state of Wisconsin UW-System. Their success in 1970 helped create the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute (SSOI) at UWM which focus on recruitement, advicing and retention of Hispanic students. The SSOI was later renamed in 1996 the Roberto Hernandez Center and since 1970 thousands of Hispanics have graduated.
Anderson enrolled at UWM and later graduated from the School of Education with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 1978, while raising six children. Today about 1,400 Hispanic students are enrolled per semester and at least 30 Latino faculty work at UWM.

Check out ¡Adelante! video link at: http://www.mptv.org/video/watch/?id=621

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UW-Milwaukee to commemorate 40th Anniversary of the takeover of Chapman Hall in 1970 http://bit.ly/5AX35

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Día De Los Muertos Display Opens At Walker's Point Center Of The Arts

Claudia Elena Guzman, one of the Co-Chairs for Latinas en Acción helped coordinate the ofrenda for Anderson, McNulty and Medina. On Friday, Guzman (left) poses with Marla J. Possell, the proud daughter of the late Marla O. Anderson at Walker's Point Center of the Arts. Photos by HNG

Latinas en Acción honor three women for their legacies during the Day of the Dead celebrations.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 29, 2010

Milwaukee - On Friday, the traditional Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) displays opened in several South side community arts centers. One of the displays called ofrendas or alters showcased at the Walker's Point Center of the Arts (WPCA), 839 South 5th Street, where their annual Día de los Muertos Ofrenda Arts can be seen by the public, family members and friends of the honored dead.
The second displayed opened at the Latino Arts, Inc., at the United Community Center (UCC), 1028 South 9th Street. A parade where people dressed up, wear designs of the dead and masks began at 4:30 p.m. at the UCC and ended up at the Walker's Point Center of the Arts.
One of the displays at the WPCA was sponsored by Latinas en Acción, which features their ofrenda and honors the legacies of three women, Marla O. Anderson, Mary Anne McNulty and Genevieve Medina who help make Milwaukee a better place to live.
Claudia Elena Guzman, one of the Co-Chairs for Latinas en Acción helped coordinate the ofrenda for Anderson, McNulty and Medina.
Also, Latinas en Acción of the Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee in hosting a reception next November 18th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Walker's Point Center of the Arts to honor the three women at no cost to the public, but donations will be accepted.
Anderson originally from Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico is well known for her leadership and instrumental role in the August 27, 1970 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) takeover of Chapman Hall, where she along with four men, Jesus Salas, Dante Navarro, Gregorio "Goyo" Rivera and Jose Luis Huerta-Sanchez were arrested in a peaceful protest. They were protesting UWM's discriminatory policy that prevented Latinos from enrolling.
In 1970, only 14 Hispanic students were enrolled compared to 25,000 White students and there were no Latino faculty at UWM. Anderson's role helped open the doors of education for thousands of Latinos in the state of Wisconsin UW-System. Their success helped create the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute (SSOI) at UWM, which focus on recruitement, advicing and retention of Hispanic students. The SSOI was later renamed in 1996, the Roberto Hernandez Center and since 1970, thousands of Hispanics have graduated.
Anderson enrolled at UWM and later graduated from the School of Education with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 1978, while raising six children. Today, about 1,400 Hispanic students are enrolled per semester and at least 30 Latino faculty work at UWM.
McNulty a native of Chicago also participated in the 1970 UWM takeover and later became an Alderwoman in 1983 representing the 12th Aldermanic District in Milwaukee until she retired in 1992.
Medina was one of the first women coordinators at United Migrant Opportunity Services, Inc. (UMOS) in Milwaukee. She was instrumental ensuring migrants were able to get benefits such as housing, medical assistance, food services, job preparation skills and educational services through UMOS.
Día de los Muertos is a traditional festival that dates back to pre-Colombian times in the Americas that celebrates the lives of those who have passed and moved on to the afterlife. Colorful masks, costumes, dancing and music are a part of the pageantry of this vibrant ancient festival. Milwaukee's South side celebrated the traditional holiday with a community-based parade and several displays to honor the dead. 
Latinas en Acción (LEA) is a program dedicated specifically to supporting programs that enhance the lives of Latina women and girls in the Greater Milwaukee area. In partnership with the Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee, LEA works to build a community where Latinas thrive in a supportive, just environment that promotes health, education and the opportunity to succeed in life.

Update: Members of the Latinas en Acción posed for a group shot during their reception on November 18, 2010. Photo by HNG

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