Thursday, December 1, 2016

Milwaukee Civil Rights, Farm Worker Rights And Education Activist Clementina Rocha Castro Passed Away

Rocha Castro was instrumental along with other Milwaukee Latino residents in the early 1970's in struggling for civil rights, farm worker rights and higher education for Latinos in Milwaukee and Wisconsin.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

December 1, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - On Monday, Clementina Rocha Castro, 83, was born into internal life and is remembered for her civil rights activism during the Latino community struggle for reforms in the early 1970's, that led to higher education opportunities for Latinos, jobs and enforcement of farm worker rights in Wisconsin. Rocha Castro was among a group of Latino women known as the "Adelitas" that included the late Marla O. Anderson, Maria Ortega and others who marched and put themselves in the front lines along side with Latino male activists in the civil rights movement.
Rocha Castro along with the Adelitas marched from Milwaukee to the Madison with hundreds of Latinos/as to support migrant farm worker rights and enforcement of existing migrant farm laws. Rocha Castro and the Adelitas including more than 500 educational activists were also instrumental in eliminating the discriminatory barriers that kept Latino students from enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on August 27, 1970. That historical incident is known as the "UWM Chapman Hall Takeover" which was led by the late Roberto Hernández, Ernesto Chacon, the late Dante Navarro, Armando Orellana and Jesus Salas who is still active in the struggle for Latino civil rights and immigration reform today.
Rocha Castro was a co-founder of La Causa Day Care in Milwaukee.

Funeral services: Visitation on Friday, December 2, 2016 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., remembrance at 7 p.m. at the Prasser-Kleczka Funeral Home, 3275 S. Howell Ave.
Also, visitation on Saturday, December 3, 2016 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lady of Guadalupe Church, 613 S. 4th St., following interment at the Forest Home Cemetery.


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