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A Pastor for Peace brings his message to UWM
Caravans bringing aid, supplies to the needy
By Kevin Lessmiller
Rev. Lucius Walker, a Prominent Civil Rights activist, and executive director of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organizing (IFCO), spoke about discrimination and his tireless work in the community last Thursday in Bolton Hall.
The presentation, in honor of Black History Month, was titled “Linking the Struggle for Justice at Home to a Humane Foreign Policy Abroad”.
Walker, who has been awarded both the Gandhi Peace Award and the Thomas Merton Award, began his presentation with a 35-minute video called Who’s afraid of the little yellow school bus?
The short film depicted Walker and his missionaries’ efforts in a 1993 hunger strike to protest the U.S. blockade on Cuba. Their stand-off with U.S. Immigration and Customs officials took place inside a traditional yellow school bus.
In addition, Walker was given recognition by two Wisconsin politicians. Assistants of both Congresswoman Gwen Moore and State Senator Lena Taylor read letters written by them honoring Walker during Black History Month.
Finally, a presentation was given by UWM Africology Professor Ahmed Mbalia. Mbalia spoke of the dangers of capitalism, calling it “a gentleman’s form of slavery”, and of efforts to solve global problems.
“The message of change needs to be heard,” he said. “Lucius has a history of being on the frontlines of struggle.”
Mbalia formally introduced Walker and he took the stage amongst a loud, standing ovation by the crowd.
“I’m very deeply moved, and I want to say thank you to Milwaukee and Wisconsin,” said Walker, in appreciation of the warm welcome.
A banner behind Walker’s podium read “Support Our Right to Travel”. His Pastors for Peace organization has been regularly carrying out caravans to Cuba since Nov.1992. The “caravanistas” bring simple humanitarian aid items to Cuba, such as medicine, milk, and school supplies.
“If you don’t stand up for your rights, the rights will be lost,” said Walker to the audience. “Let’s talk honest about the controls within our own society.”
Walker calls these aid caravans “friendshipments”. Every time Pastors of Peace have challenged the U.S. blockade of Cuba, the Immigration and Customs department has backed down and allowed the aid through. In the case of the 1993 “school bus” demonstration, the caravanistas went without food for 23 days before the U.S. government let them through.
“Is the strongest nation in the world truly afraid of the little yellow school bus?”, Walker asked in the 1993 hunger strike documentary.
Walker founded Pastors for Peace in 1988 after being shot and wounded in a Nicaraguan terrorist attack on innocent civilians while he was with an IFCO study delegation there. Since, the group has provided caravans of aid to Cuba, Chiapas, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.
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