Chicago PWW banquet to hear Fernando Suarez del Solar

CHICAGO — Fernando Suarez del Solar will be the featured speaker at the annual People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo banquet here Sunday, Jan. 16. The banquet theme, “We’ve just begun! Forging unity to block the Bush agenda,” will hail the tremendous 2004 people’s electoral movement as the basis for a renewed fight against the Bush policies of unending war, ruthless attack on labor and civil rights, and destruction of social services and the environment.

The event will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo and the Rev. Martin Luther King’s birthday.

Suarez del Solar’s son, U.S. Marine Jesus Alberto Suarez del Solar Navarro, was one of the first U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq in March 2003. Since then his father has been an outspoken opponent of the war. He has traveled the country and world to confront the Bush administration and expose the lies underpinning its war policies.

Suarez del Solar is a founder of Military Families Speak Out and has established a foundation in his son’s honor called the Guerrero Azteca Project to reach young people about the harsh reality of military service, particularly in the Spanish-speaking communities where large numbers are being forced into the military because of the “green card” and poverty draft.

The Chris Hani/Rudy Lozano Award will be presented to organizations and coalitions that participated in the historic electoral mobilization during the 2004 elections, including those who helped to register thousands of new voters, participated in the historic Barack Obama campaign and who sent thousands to canvass door to door in the Midwest battleground states.

The event will begin at 2 p.m. and take place at the New Furama Restaurant, 2828 S. Wentworth Ave. in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood. Tickets are $40 and proceeds will benefit the People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo Fund Drive. For reservations or more information, please call 773-991-7930 or 773-667-5154.

The author can be reached at jbachtell@rednet.org.