EXCERPTS FROM TWO TRIBUTES TO TOBY EMMER:
From Howie Emmer, Toby's brother and himself a longtime anti-imperialist activist:
“With Toby’s passing, movements for progressive social change have lost a lifelong fighter. Over decades she was involved in the Vietnam anti-war movement and support for Black liberation; pro-Puerto Rican Independence, women’s liberation and pro-working-class movements; freedom for US political prisoners and for collective liberation for all marginalized and oppressed people. For decades, Toby was director of the UAW Educational Fund. As part of her work, she always fought for increased educational opportunities for immigrants, people of color and other workers in her program. Toby cherished—and was cherished by—her family, friends, comrades and the many people she touched. Her spirit and determination, her joy and her smile, urge us to be just a bit more caring toward one another and to fight for a more humane world.”
From Ana Lopez, Puerto Rican independentista (and guest on this program):
“Toby left us her legacy embedded in the understanding that “solidarity work is a full-time job.” She practices this every day. She was a very special person exhibiting humanity of the best kind. She respected highly the leadership and people of the national liberation struggles and contributed plentifully to the best of her ability with love and a big smile. But she also led by incorporating others of all nationalities in the struggle for freedom and justice. Although there were times, some males (patriarchal manifestations) attempted to make her invisible and expropriated her solidarity work.
“Toby also made sure she would facilitate by driving and taking care of her comrade in struggle Elspeth Meyer. Both attended all meetings, engaged in mobilizations for marches and protests, attended many of the women’s collective “35 mujeres por Oscar” monthly rallies to Free Oscar from 2012-2017 in the arduous four-tiered campaign to Free Oscar. El Maestro, Inc. [the community center of the] Puerto Rican Nationalist Party (South Bronx, NY) in 2018 celebrated and gave a well-deserved recognition to Toby and Elspeth for their solidarity with Puerto Rico’s independence. They also participated in the centennial celebration for national heroine Lolita Lebron.
“We met Toby in the 1980s when she was the spokesperson for Italian-national and political prisoner Silvia Baraldini (May 19th Communist Organization), imprisoned in the U.S. for her solidarity activities with the Black and Puerto Rican liberation struggle ‘within the belly of the beast’ – U.S. imperialism.”
Toby was born and raised in the Midwest to a radical and progressive family. Her grandparents were communist and persecuted. Her parents supported the freedom of the 5 Puerto Rican Nationalist and were involved in that struggle from the 1950’s to [their release in] 1979. Her brother Howie was involved in the [1980s] campaign to free the 11 Puerto Rican POWs. During her college years, Toby was an anti-Viet Nam War resister and a member of Students for Democratic Society. She even ran for sheriff in her local town in the Midwest as a defender of her community. She was an educator for 50 years for a predominantly immigrant community in her job at the United Auto Workers (UAW) union in NYC. She was also on the Board of Directors for the Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience Committee.
For more about the Toby memorial show click HERE
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