In a 13-Point Program and Platform, the Young Lords Party declared their fight for self-determination for Puerto Ricans inside and outside the United States. This program highlights the Young Lords’ dedication to an interconnected liberation of Black, Indians, Indigenous, Asian, and Latinos. Additionally, they demand community control of institutions, land, and education. They reject the American military and capitalism and urge the creation of a socialist society.
In August 1981, the Boricua Health Organization called upon Latino health professional workers in a consciousness-raising effort to discuss the healthcare of the Latino community in the United States. The goal of the unity meeting is to establish healthcare structures for Latino people by Latinos, and to influence Latino students to become leaders in this innovative healthcare movement.
The Black Panther Party established the CATF committed to protecting Black folks as a way to “challenge both crime and pervasive police violence.” Black folks recognized that the police force was committed to “oppression, not protection” of Black bodies and communities. Therefore, they created their own alternative space and self-institutions where Black individuals learn to protect themselves and others from police violence.
The Black Panther Party created the Mark Clark Free Medical Clinic to assist Black families with gaining access to proper medical facilities. The newspaper article argues Philadelphia’s state-provided medical care is haphazard at best, often resulting in the death and slaughter of Black folks. Those who work at the Clinic are volunteers dedicated to serving the people. The Free Medical Clinic is an example of space redefined- medical care created for Black folks by Black folks, intending to redefine the healthcare system on the terms of the Black Panther Party.
“The federal and local governments are long overdue in recognizing the needs of the people and moving to eliminate the problems. People in ameriKKKa have been sick and broken continuously”
Mark Clark
The Black Panther Party organized a self-run, community-based institution to mitigate the devastating impacts of Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty,” where healthcare services previously provided to Black families became non-existent. The Malcom-X Center for Black Survival created Black-controlled institutions to improve living conditions and create new opportunities for Black folks to be reliant on their own communities rather than falling victim to the negligence of the white government.
