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The Lede
Dolores Huerta is Still Knocking on Doors and Registering Voters at 88
The iconic labor activist spoke to the Observer about the Latino vote, Howard Zinn and the ‘year of the woman.’
“If we’re going to talk about Texas we should talk about Arizona, where they banned ethnic studies,” Huerta said. “I think it’s a question of the people in power that don’t want our stories to be told. … There’s a powerful line from one of the teachers in Arizona: He says stories can empower or stories can enslave. So when people’s stories are not told, kids don’t see the stories that reflect them. These are liberation stories.”
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From the archives
Lining Up a Conviction
A suggestive photo lineup put Juan Balderas on death row. Experts say he may have been wrongfully convicted, but will he get a new trial in time?
From the 2017 story: “At first glance, the photo lineup that helped send Juan Balderas to death row doesn’t look too unusual. It shows six young Latino men staring blankly ahead. Balderas, in the bottom middle position, looks calm, almost as if he’s daydreaming. But according to judges and experts, this lineup is deeply prejudicial. Two small details — the black hoodie Balderas is wearing and the mark on his left cheek — may have singled him out to the witness who viewed this lineup. Balderas was sentenced to death for a 2005 Houston murder based on the testimony of a single eyewitness, and he’s maintained his innocence ever since.”
What’s Happening at the Observer
We’re happy to extend an invitation to hear reporter Melissa del Bosque discuss “Checkpoint Nation” with Harper’s associate editor Rachel Poser in Austin at the North Door on Tuesday, October 30. The event is free and open to the public. Space is limited, so please RSVP.
The Observer will be at the Texas Book Festival! Stop by our table to chat with staff, check out the magazine, and grab some merch. Headed to the LitCrawl? We are too! Join the Observer, 2018 Short Story Contest finalist Jenny Staff Johnson and winner Heath Dollar for readings of their work on Saturday, 10/27 at Gelateria Gemelli, 1009 E 6th St here in Austin. The event starts at 9:30 p.m.
The Texas Observer has a revamped merch store! Here you can find all kinds of new ways to show your support for the work we do. Show the world your love for independent investigative journalism, and help pay for it all at the same time!
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