Since the beginning of last semester, we have been setting up weekly—and sometimes biweekly—literature tables on campus with members of the Socialist Workers Party. Steady political work at Rutgers is at the heart of building the YS in Newark.

Last October, we organized a meeting for Martín Koppel, the editor of the Spanish-language magazine Perspectiva Mundial. Koppel spoke on the fight for Puerto Rican independence, and on his recent visit to Puerto Rico and to the island of Vieques. Four student groups co-sponsored the event, including the Puerto Rican Organization and the Organization of Black Students. Ten Rutgers students attended the meeting.

Following up on that meeting, we helped sponsor a speaking engagement for Norberto Codina, a Cuban poet and editor of La Gaceta de Cuba. Five student groups, ranging from the English Graduate Student Association to Latino United Association, as well as several professors, sponsored the event. Some 70 students packed the art gallery where the meeting was located. After Codina's talk, a lively political discussion ensued.

The YS has a noticeable political presence on campus, and the work we do at Rutgers is the axis of our weekly political rhythm. "Doing political work on campus gives me a new perspective on campus life," explained Negrón. "I look forward to going to campus because I see the opportunities to build the YS there through meetings and tables."

Members of the Young Socialists and Socialist Workers Party have sold two copies of Capitalism's World Disorder at literature tables at Rutgers. In addition, several Rutgers students attend Militant Labor Forums and classes on Capitalism's World Disorder at the local Pathfinder bookstore.

We plan on sponsoring a class series on campus next semester on Making History: Interviews with Four Generals of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces. This idea comes out of the real interest in learning the truth about the Cuban revolution expressed by many of our contacts. We will also use these classes, in addition to our steady sales efforts, to build an East Coast regional socialist educational conference at Rutgers on women's liberation at the end of February.

"The work the party and YS have done on campus gave me a better definition of who we are," Negrón said. "When I first came into contact with party members at a literature table on campus last October, I wondered where they came from. But now I know the background and how much importance there is in doing political work on campus, so we can recruit other students, like me."

Olympia Newton is the YS Northeast regional organizer.  
 

The April 1-4 meeting is open to all students and youth organizations interested in defending the rights of students and fighting imperialism. "We have gotten a good response in all 28 countries we have visited," said Juan Carlos Frómeta, the UJC's director of the Department of International Relations in a phone interview.

The UJC is hosting the conference of the Continental Latin America and Caribbean Students Organization (OCLAE), which was established more than 30 years ago by numerous youth and student organizations in order to join forces and better organize the fight against a common enemy, U.S. imperialism.

Some of the places UJC leaders have toured are Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Canada. "We plan on organizing tours to eight more countries in January and February," said Frómeta. "One of our more successful ones was in Canada, where we received a positive response in all three cities we visited. We may plan a second visit to consolidate that success, as well as a possible trip to the United States."

"OCLAE's principle objective over the last five years has been to begin reorganizing the student movement in Latin America, which is uneven in development. This requires experience and discussion," said Frómeta. "This is the first time the congress is open to individuals and groups who are not affiliated to OCLAE. This means more students and youth will get to take part in this important discussion."

Students on strike from Chile, Argentina, and Mexico have been invited to take part.

The opening ceremony of the congress will take place on April 1. Discussions will be organized on topics such as "Gender, Culture, and National Identity," "Environment and Development," and "Neoliberalism and its Application in Latin America." The final session will be a plenary entitled, "Student Movement Strategy Facing the Neoliberal Offensive."

A flyer for the conference says there will also be space for presentations of books and magazines, art exhibits, and video showings. Visits to the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution and to the Latin American Medicine School will be organized for participants.

The brochure states, "Three decades ago a large number of organizations understood the imperious need of joining forces at a continental level to face the common enemy of 'Our America': the imperial American policy." Today, "old and new challenges have emerged for mankind, especially for students and youth."

OCLAE leaders announced the conference last August in Havana, at a meeting entitled "Seminar on Youth and Neoliberalism."

Since then, organizations throughout the Americas, including in the United States, have expressed interest in sponsoring and sending delegations. In December, the National Network on Cuba (NNOC), a coalition of organizations in the United States that oppose Washington's embargo against Cuba, voted to support organizing a delegation. NNOC member groups Global Exchange, the July 26th Coalition in Boston, and the Young Socialists each expressed interest in building a broad youth delegation.

The U.S.-Cuba Labor Exchange agreed to organize travel to Cuba, which is not included in the $70 cost of the conference. Youth and organizations interested in participating in the OCLAE conference can get more information by contacting the July 26 Coalition at P.O. Box 1279, Cambridge, MA 02238, or at the July 26 Coalition website: www.july26.org; or by calling or e-mailing the national office of the Young Socialists at (415) 824-1429 or 105162.605@compuserve.com  
 
 
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