Hundreds of long-time activists gathered in San Antonio to celebrate 50 years of activist work. The Chicano movement first swept through Texas and then many states pushing young people to take a stand against racism and oppression.
Change was in the air in the late 1960s. A virus of freedom infected anti-war activists, Black Panthers, civil rights movements, farm workers, and Chicanos. As in many movements around the world, the foundation of change was in the hands and hearts of the youth. Those historic, seasoned activists at this gathering shared their continued work in their communities over the years on critical issues such as the environment, gay rights, prison reform, and women’s rights. All these movements have been fueled by young people standing up to oppression.
Credit: Leno Roe-Avila
The Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO) sprang up in the impoverished Barrios of south Texas about 1968-69. It seems that this was the springboard José Ángel Gutiérrez and others needed to form the framework of what some called an independent political party known as La Raza Unida. While this effort had major strong branches in many states such as Colorado, the success of the party was felt more directly in Texas where they did win elected offices such as in Crystal City. But in reality, this was more than an election machine. It was a movement that explored all avenues for social change such as school walkouts by students against racism.
In August 1972, La Raza Unida gathered 3,000 members from across the country at a conference in El Paso, Texas. Two of the major branches fighting for the presidency were from Colorado, led by Corky González of the Crusade for Justice, and from Texas, led by José Ángel Gutiérrez. In the end, it was Gutiérrezwho prevailed. This was a historic gathering with conflicts that seemed at times to engulf the conference.
You had strong and courageous leaders coming together to fight for freedom. This was the first time there had been such a monumental event in the Chicano community. Chicanos had little or no experience in forming a national party and it was by most accounts a most exciting experiment.
One of the panel presenters in San Antonio was a young activist named Rosie Castro, who is the mother of twins Joaquín and Julián Castro. Joaquín is a member of the House of Representatives from Texas and Julián is a former mayor of San Antonio and a former candidate for president.
Many national leaders attended, including Reis López Tijerina of the Land Grant Movement of New Mexico. Cesar Chávez, who was leading the United Farmworkers in California, was unable to attend.
On the way to the 1972 convention, a carload of young Chicanos from Colorado stopped at a gas station in Orogrande, New Mexico, and were confronted by employee Perry Brunson. Ricardo Falcon, 27, a young and vibrant leader, was called racist names by Brunson who pulled a gun on Falcon and shot him to death. Brunson was later found innocent in spite of overwhelming evidence against him. Many felt that had Falcon not been killed, he would have been a major voice within the Chicano Movement.
Those who were involved with La Raza Unida in those early days were the dreamers who saw a vision of a better world and were willing to fight for it and make whatever sacrifice was necessary.
On this national 50th anniversary this fall we heard the voices and stories of so many who risked their lives to give Brown people a chance in America.
The two major political parties at first ridiculed this new effort while Hispanics who had gained some recognition (but not respect) within the system also opposed the term Chicano.
Chicano/Chicana was a name the youth chose after being called Hispanic, wetbacks, beaners, chili lips, and other derogatory names. If you were Chicano, you were a warrior for freedom and justice for La Raza (the people).
By the end of 1972, the political parties began to notice the energy and power of La Raza Unida and its umbrella Chicano Movement. Those Chicano youth began knocking down doors so that they could get good jobs, get into college and training schools and obtain funding to run their own community organizations.
That time in history pushed everyone into tomorrow with higher expectations and demands and it allowed many new leaders to stand up and flourish.
Credit: Leno Rose-Avila
Whenever youth stand up and demand change, we should stand with them as they spread their wings and fly higher than we thought possible.
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