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Columnas, 1970-1971
1971-05-28 ""La Raza"" Page 5
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-5- in Corpus Christi and Kingsville employ 833 persons, only eight of whom are Mexican Americans. The report also states that of the 345 workers employed at the Suntide Refining Co. the United Carbon Co. at Aransas Pass, None is Mexican American. Since the San Antonio conference, the Texas and California LA RAZA movements have received a Ford Foundation grant totaling $630,000. Of that sum, almost half has been alloted for research and for further finding. LA RAZA in Texas has involved itself in several projects designed to alter socioeconomic institutions. For example, in San Antonio it has organized the Mexican American neighborhood Civic Organization, composed of organizations from eight barrios. Also, it has funded the Edgewood School District Parents Association, located in the poorest school district of San Antonio, in hope of upgrading the caliber of school personnel. LA RAZA groups have been organized and existing structures have been furthered in Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, Webb, Val Verde, Klieberg and Uvalde Counties. Their primary purpose is to try to pressure public institutions into becoming more responsive to the needs of Mexican American citizens and to enlist private institutions in the struggle. On still another front, Texas LA RAZA has lent its support to the Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO), which has chapters in nine communities in the Rio Grande Valley and in several areas in the San Antonio region. MAYO is currently attempting to change the Texas school system, especially the traditional policy of not allowing Spanish to be spoken on school grounds. Though this issue is a rallying point, the organization has other concerns, among them the lack of courses dealing with Spanish history and culture, and the Anglo community's built-in assumption that Mexican Americans are capable of doing only menial jobs. MAYO also believes that greater effort should be made to prepare Mexican American youths for the professional disciplines. In the spring of 1968 the organization helped lead a student revolt at Burbank High School in San Antonio, a revolt which culminated in curriculum changes designed to aid Mexican Americans in college preparation. Youth such as those to be found in MAYO are proud of their history and sensitive to socioeconomic discrepancies; they are committed to what they see as their task and will not be "put off". Before the 1968-69 school year is over, many south Texas communities are likely to encounter pressure from these young people. LA RAZA's political sophistication is impressive. Centuries of Anglo dominance have taught the Mexican Americans the "wisdom of the world." As anyone with experience in social movents knows, success can be measured only in terms of mobilization of the masses. In order to provide the necessary structure for such mobilization, the Texas LA RAZA is establishing a University of the Barrios, to be located in three key areas of San Antonio: La India, Ghost Town and the Lake. The curriculum will include courses relating to ethnic history and culture, and the development of neighborhood barrio organizations will be stressed. Finally, a pending LA RAZA lawsuit will attempt to force the city of San Antonio to equalize distribution of tax ependitures. LA RAZA UNIDA is important indeed if understood in the context of years of Mexican American submission in the Southwest. Mexican American cheap labor has been the primary drawing card for Chamber of Commerce organizations throughout Texas history, if not throughout the history of the Southwest as a whole. It is also noteworthy that the Raza movement is free of white liberal leadership. The movement is authentically for, of, and by the Mexican Americans. There are, however, some fundamental issues involved in the emergence of the Mexican Americans in Texas. For one thing, the Texas Mexican American is uniquely different from the Mexican in New or Old Mexico. A number of North American Indian tribes were situated in Texas during its frontier days; all of these intermigled with the Mexicans, the result being the "mestizo." The mestizo forms the large middle group of a definite caste system. The upper caste consists primarily of the lighter skinned Spanish; the lower caste, of the darker skinned Indian remnant. The Mexican national and the New Mexico Mexican American are products of different Indian and Spanish cultures from that of the Texas Mexican American, a fact which perhaps accounts for part of the problems the Mexican Americans have --Continued on page 6. Plan to attend The Issues Conference When: Saturday, June 5 (8 a.m. -5 p.m.) Where: ST. AMBROSE COLLEGE 518 W. Locust Street Davenport, Iowa
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-5- in Corpus Christi and Kingsville employ 833 persons, only eight of whom are Mexican Americans. The report also states that of the 345 workers employed at the Suntide Refining Co. the United Carbon Co. at Aransas Pass, None is Mexican American. Since the San Antonio conference, the Texas and California LA RAZA movements have received a Ford Foundation grant totaling $630,000. Of that sum, almost half has been alloted for research and for further finding. LA RAZA in Texas has involved itself in several projects designed to alter socioeconomic institutions. For example, in San Antonio it has organized the Mexican American neighborhood Civic Organization, composed of organizations from eight barrios. Also, it has funded the Edgewood School District Parents Association, located in the poorest school district of San Antonio, in hope of upgrading the caliber of school personnel. LA RAZA groups have been organized and existing structures have been furthered in Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, Webb, Val Verde, Klieberg and Uvalde Counties. Their primary purpose is to try to pressure public institutions into becoming more responsive to the needs of Mexican American citizens and to enlist private institutions in the struggle. On still another front, Texas LA RAZA has lent its support to the Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO), which has chapters in nine communities in the Rio Grande Valley and in several areas in the San Antonio region. MAYO is currently attempting to change the Texas school system, especially the traditional policy of not allowing Spanish to be spoken on school grounds. Though this issue is a rallying point, the organization has other concerns, among them the lack of courses dealing with Spanish history and culture, and the Anglo community's built-in assumption that Mexican Americans are capable of doing only menial jobs. MAYO also believes that greater effort should be made to prepare Mexican American youths for the professional disciplines. In the spring of 1968 the organization helped lead a student revolt at Burbank High School in San Antonio, a revolt which culminated in curriculum changes designed to aid Mexican Americans in college preparation. Youth such as those to be found in MAYO are proud of their history and sensitive to socioeconomic discrepancies; they are committed to what they see as their task and will not be "put off". Before the 1968-69 school year is over, many south Texas communities are likely to encounter pressure from these young people. LA RAZA's political sophistication is impressive. Centuries of Anglo dominance have taught the Mexican Americans the "wisdom of the world." As anyone with experience in social movents knows, success can be measured only in terms of mobilization of the masses. In order to provide the necessary structure for such mobilization, the Texas LA RAZA is establishing a University of the Barrios, to be located in three key areas of San Antonio: La India, Ghost Town and the Lake. The curriculum will include courses relating to ethnic history and culture, and the development of neighborhood barrio organizations will be stressed. Finally, a pending LA RAZA lawsuit will attempt to force the city of San Antonio to equalize distribution of tax ependitures. LA RAZA UNIDA is important indeed if understood in the context of years of Mexican American submission in the Southwest. Mexican American cheap labor has been the primary drawing card for Chamber of Commerce organizations throughout Texas history, if not throughout the history of the Southwest as a whole. It is also noteworthy that the Raza movement is free of white liberal leadership. The movement is authentically for, of, and by the Mexican Americans. There are, however, some fundamental issues involved in the emergence of the Mexican Americans in Texas. For one thing, the Texas Mexican American is uniquely different from the Mexican in New or Old Mexico. A number of North American Indian tribes were situated in Texas during its frontier days; all of these intermigled with the Mexicans, the result being the "mestizo." The mestizo forms the large middle group of a definite caste system. The upper caste consists primarily of the lighter skinned Spanish; the lower caste, of the darker skinned Indian remnant. The Mexican national and the New Mexico Mexican American are products of different Indian and Spanish cultures from that of the Texas Mexican American, a fact which perhaps accounts for part of the problems the Mexican Americans have --Continued on page 6. Plan to attend The Issues Conference When: Saturday, June 5 (8 a.m. -5 p.m.) Where: ST. AMBROSE COLLEGE 518 W. Locust Street Davenport, Iowa
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