English:
Omar N. López was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico and has lived in Chicago since 1958.
In 1966, he was the founding member of LADO (Latin American Defense Organization) which organized campaigns for
the rights of labor unions, tenants and inoculation drives for students living in low-income neighborhoods. He
also advocated for the rights of families on public assistance in the Puerto Rican community in Humboldt Park,
Chicago.
As a teacher, Omar founded the Mexican Teachers Organization in 1973, and was a leader in the fight for quality
bilingual education for students and for the recruitment of trained bilingual teachers.
In 1984, Omar López was instrumental in the acquisition deal with the Chicago Park District for the building
that now houses the National Museum of Mexican Art in Harrison Park in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. He negotiated
on behalf of the then emerging Mexican Fines Arts Center, to have the old boat house facility leased to the Mexican
Fine Arts Center for 99 years!
In 1986, Omar Lopez helped facilitated and processed the legal residency of thousands of undocumented workers and
was vigilant to ensure that agencies and individuals could not abuse Latino families by charging exorbitant prices
for processing their legalization applications.
Mr. Lopez has been the director of C.A.L.O.R. for the past 14 years; C.A.L.O.R. is an organization that provides
services to Latinos impacted by HIV / AIDS and other diseases.
Omar Lopez was the principal convenor and leader of the historic mega- marches of March 10 and 1 May, 2006, in
defense of the rights of undocumented immigrant workers and all of our human and Constitutional rights, which were
then under attack by the Sensenbrenner House Bill HR 4437. These initial Chicago mega-marches, were (then) the
biggest mass mobilizations in the history of the United States and were the catalyst for similar mega-marches throughout
the USA.
Omar Lopez remains active in the leadership of the Chicago March 10th Movement and is now the leading candidate
for Congress in the 4th district of Illinois. |
Español:
Omar N. López, nació en San Luis Potosí, México y ha vivido en Chicago desde
1958.
Fué miembro fundador de LADO (Latin American Defense Organization) Organización de Defensa Lationoamericana
la cual organizaba Uniones de Inquilinos, campañas de inoculaciones para estudiantes de bajos recursos y
abogaba por las familias en el programa de bienestar público en la comunidad puertorriqueña de Humboldt
Park.
Como maestro fundó la Organización de Maestros Mexicanos en 1973, y luchó por educación
bilingüe de calidad para nuestros estudiantes y por el reclutamiento de maestros bilingües capacitados.
En 1984, Omar López fue clave en tramitar la adquisición con el Distrito de Parques de Chicago del
edificio que hoy alberga al Museo Nacional de Arte en Harrison Park
En 1986, Omar López ayudó a tramitar su residencia legal a miles de trabajadores indocumentados asegurándose
que agencias e individuos no abusaran de nuestras familias cobrando precios exorbitantes.
El señor López ha sido director de CALOR por los últimos 14 años; CALOR es una
organización que da servicios a Latinos impactados por el VIH/SIDA y otras discapacidades
Omar López fue quién convocó a nuestra comunidad en Chicago a salir a marchar el 10 de marzo
y el 1º de mayo por los derechos de los trabajadores inmigrantes, las cuales han sido las demostraciones mas
grandes en la historia de los Estados Unidos y las cuales deberán de influenciar la solución migratoria
de 12 millones de trabajadores. Omar López sigue activo en el liderazgo del Movimiento 10 de Marzo y ahora
se postula como candidato para el Congreso en el distrito número 4 en Illinois. |
