One Blood/Una Sangre
Una Sangre, or One Blood, began as part of Esperanza Unida's efforts to offer youth in the community an alternative to the destructive lifestyle of drugs, crime, and violence against each other. The One Blood concept is based on two realities and two promises:
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WE ARE ALL FROM ONE BLOOD, HUMAN BEINGS CONNECTED TOGETHER.
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PROBLEMS THAT PLAGUE OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY, SUCH AS DRUGS AND VIOLENCE, ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO ECONOMICS.
1. WE PROMISE NOT TO TAKE OUR FRUSTRATION AND ANGER OUT ON OURSELVES OR THOSE AROUND US.
2. WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY AND OURSELVES.
A person agrees to become part of Una Sangre/One Blood by taking an oath and wearing a T-shirt, sweatshirt, or jacket, or working/volunteering at Esperanza Unida. Students who graduate from Esperanza Unida's programs are given one of these items with the One Blood logo. Others from the community have either received them as gifts from the organization or purchased them. In choosing to wear the One Blood logo, people make the promise not to take their anger and frustration out on themselves or on those around them. Rather, they agree that they will organize together to create an environment in which people from diverse backgrounds can work together toward the common purposes of education and empowerment.
The One Blood concept has visibly caught on around Esperanza Unida's community and the city of Milwaukee. The widespread nature of the logo serves as a unifying factor for those associated with the organization, as well as a reminder of the pledge to avoid violence and to seek unity and organization.
"You can't just preach to youth that they've got to get rid of those angry feelings. They usually have very good reasons for being angry. You need to offer them a real way to re-direct those feelings," says Esperanza's Executive Director, Richard Oulahan, about the One Blood concept.
You can purchase your One Blood/Una Sangre jacket,
t-shirt, patch, or coffee mug through the mail or at our cahier's office
at 1329 W. National Avenue. Please note that One Blood/Una Sangre Coffee
mugs are now available at ¿Qué Pasa? Coffee and Books, located in the
International Building - 611 W. National Avenue
Jacket: $39.95 + Tax and Shipping & Handling*
T-shirt: $10.00 + Tax and Shipping & Handling*
Patch: $2.50 + Tax and Shipping and Handling*
Coffee Mug: $6.00 + Tax and Shipping and Handling*
*Costs of Shipping and Handling will vary according to the weight and
size of the item(s)