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Sergio Reyes

Sergio Reyes' birthday and fund-raising event -- From Punta Arenas to Boston: 60 years of struggle

A benefit for the Sacco and Vanzetti Commemoration Society

Friday, February 14, 2014 – 6:30PM – 10:30PM
Community Church of Boston
565 Boylston Street, Boston, MA
More info: 617-290-5614 or sreyes1@yahoo.com

As Reyes was born on February 14, 1954 in the southernmost city of Punta Arenas, Chile, inflation had reached 71% under the presidency of former General Carlos Ibañez del Campo. The situation for the Chilean working class was harsh yet workers didn't take it sitting down and communists, socialists and anarchists organized unions from North to South and confronted capitalism. Clearly serving the interests of the wealthy, Ibañez managed to get support from sectors of the left by repealing the Democracy Defense Law that had banned the Communist Party. Reyes' father, a carpenter who migrated from Chiloe to Punta Arenas joined the Communist Party and his son Sergio accompanied him to Party meetings at the age of 5 and happily distribute the Party's newspaper El Siglo from house to house on his neighborhood. Reyes' father died when he was only 11 years old. As a boy, Reyes committed himself to continuing his father struggle for workers liberation. The military coup lead by General Pinochet in 1973 found Reyes organizing students and workers and landed him in jail for 3 years. In 1976 Reyes arrived in Massachusetts as a political refugee and his struggle for social change has not stopped since. Reyes not only worked against the dictatorship in his own country but has worked in solidarity with all peoples in struggle the world over and workers rights in the U.S.

Reyes is not one to favor trivial birthday celebrations, particularly his own. However, he would like to publicly mark his 60 years of struggle on earth for the emancipation of workers of the world and the elimination of capitalism. He is inviting all friends and comrades to join him to recount his long life of organizing, transforming this event into a fund-raising for his current effort with the Sacco and Vanzetti Commemoration Society.

Friends and comrades are encouraged to make a contribution to the Sacco and Vanzetti Commemoration Society in lieu of personal gifts.

Live music including a set of his own work, possibly a presentation of an original video of Howard Zinn on Sacco and Vanzetti, and other political presentations will take place. Food and drinks will be provided.