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https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/905976ce9a35f82d2e308b9ef122aeeb.pdf
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Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: America “Mecca” Sorrentini
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 5/11/2012
Biography and Description
America Sorrentini was born in Puerto Rico. She moved first to Boston and then to Chicago, arriving in
the 1970s. Ms. Sorentini’s parents were prominent organizers and activists in the struggle for Puerto
Rican self-determination, working primarily in and around Santurce, Puerto Rico. Ms. Sorrentini, or
“Mecca” as she is known, began her own community activism in Boston working on a variety of issues
including housing. She became active with Movimiento Pro Independencia and FUPI (Federación
Universitaria Pro-Independencia), the student university equivalent, in the late 1960s. These groups that
was proactive in occupations and strikes especially at the Rio Piedras branch of the University of Puerto
Rico. By the time Ms. Sorrentini arrived in Chicago she was already aware of the work of the Young
Lords, as word of their actions in Chicago had spread throughout cities along the east coast and into
Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico there were jealousies among some pro-independence groups but in Chicago
the movement was young and groups sought unity with each other. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez met with
her and she describes witnessing how the Young Lords developed and grew without minimal funds,
were constantly fighting city hall, and how they remained firm in their commitment to Latinos and the
poor, as well as to their principles. Ms. Sorrentini organized a Chicago branch of the Puerto Rican
Socialist Party. They joined up with Rev. Jorge Morales and Rev. María Lourdes Porrata of the West
Town Concerned Citizens Coalition and organized in Wicker Park and in Humboldt Park. One of their
�primary locations was San Lucas United Church of Christ that was across the street from Humboldt Park.
Ms. Sorrentini always remained in solid contact with the Young Lords. She, and the Chicago Puerto Rican
Socialist Party, assisted with the Jiménez aldermanic campaign and later the Harold Washington
campaign. When the Young Lords celebrated their official founding date, which is September 23rd the
same day as the Grito de Lares or Puerto Rican Independence Day, they selected Ms. Sorrentini to be
their keynote speaker. More recently, Ms. Sorrentini has fought with city inspectors who want to tear
down the house in Santurce, Puerto Rico where she and her parents grew up. She has converted it into a
museum that has continuous exhibitions by artists displaying their works. She lives in Puerto Rico but
continues to maintain contact with Chicago. In 2000, she was a featured speaking at the Lincoln Park
Camp in Lakeview, Michigan – a meeting organized to support the displaced Puerto Ricans and poor of
Lincoln Park, bring attention to the displacement of families from Humboldt Park, and in support of
protesters who wanted to evict the U.S. Navy from Vieques.
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/66065eb46de59a730b2c0d3fbeb611d5.mp4
95fff37b9575a9056f642f47c724314a
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
America Sorrentini vídeo entrevista y biografía
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Puertorriqueños--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Puerto Rico--Autonomía y movimientos independentistas
Chicago (Ill.)--Política y gobierno--1951-
Puerto Rico--Política y gobierno
Puertorriqueños--Vida social y costumbres
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Sorrentini_America
Title
A name given to the resource
America “Mecca” Sorrentini inerview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Sorrentini, America
Description
An account of the resource
America Sorrentini was born in Puerto Rico. She moved first to Boston and then to Chicago, arriving in the 1970s. Ms. Sorentini's parents were prominent organizers and activists in the struggle for Puerto Rican self-determination, working primarily in and around Santurce, Puerto Rico. Ms. Sorrentini, or “Mecca” as she is known, began her own community activism in Boston working on a variety of issues including housing. By the time Ms. Sorrentini arrived in Chicago she was already aware of the work of the Young Lords and remained in solid contact with the Young Lords. She, and the Chicago Puerto Rican Socialist Party, assisted with the Jiménez aldermanic campaign and later the Harold Washington campaign. When the Young Lords celebrated their official founding date, which is September 23rd the same day as the Grito de Lares or Puerto Rican Independence Day, they selected Ms. Sorrentini to be their keynote speaker.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Puerto Ricans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Puerto Rico--Autonomy and independence movements
Chicago (Ill.)--Politics and government--1951-
Puerto Rico--Politics and government
Puerto Ricans--Social life and customs
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-05-11