"The Che, which is a worker-owned collective residing on the University of California campus in San Diego, is being threatened with eviction," Chris Burnett, a former collective member, said on
Indymedia on Air. "The Che Cafe has been run by students since its foundation in 1980. Many will likely have heard of the Che Cafe as a music venue, which has hosted artists from all over the world; some may have eaten there their famous all-you-can-eat vegetarian dinners; while others may have gone to a political solidarity event.
"During the 1980s, the Che hosted countless events in solidarity with the people all over Central America and worked to bring down Apartheid. In the '90s the Che served as an organizing hub for those in solidarity with the Zapatistas and hosted countless events to oppose the first Gulf War. Today it continues in that tradition, still hosting artists [and] events and is still run collectively. For many of the hundreds of people who have joined the collective, it introduced them to the concepts of collectivity and consensus decision-making.
"The Che to this day serves as a model for a new society, teaching the building blocks of organizing and working together outside of traditional capitalist relations, specifically, the soul-sucking existence of a top-down boss-worker relationship. . . ."
Discussion with collective members (past and present): Indymedia On Air - Che Cafe show by Chris Burnett
More: Save the Che: Letter from Zack de la Rocha by Chris Burnett
Calls for action: Save the Che (Facebook) | Petition
Resources: Che Cafe website | Blogspot
The Che Cafe Lease Terminated July 13; May Face Eviction