Point Six:
The demand for increased presence in the governing bodies of the community was at the heart of the Young Lords program. Their use of churches and empty buildings to start daycares and shelters was a way to make the community serve the people who lived in it again. The very first action of the Young Lords--the garbage riots--demonstrated the need for a revival of the community. The Party believed that, if more Puerto Ricans became involved in and had control over the day-to-day workings of the community, it would not only improve the conditions Puerto Ricans lived under, but also their pride.