Metropolitan Community College is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a screening of the video, ”No Mas Bebes,” tomorrow at 12:10.
Translated, the title means “No More Babies.” Barbara Velazquez, Coordinator of International Intercultural Education at Metro, says the film features some unfortunate history.
She says it specifically looks at Los Angeles County Hospital in the 70s when Mexican immigrant women were sterilized while giving birth.
Velazquez says one of the primary reasons this happened was due to the fear of overpopulation.
"And I believe at that time the only place they might have to go was the county hospital. They were overcrowded, didn’t’ have enough room for the babies and predicted things would become much much worse. And at the height of labor pain, these women were asked to sign. Many didn’t know what they were signing.”
Velazquez says the video shows interviews of women who were victims of that. The celebration continues next month with four additional events, including two programs featuring the Hispanic Flamenco Ballet.
For more information, the phone number is 531-MCC-2253.