For decades Mexican people in the United States struggled to realize the "American Dream". And some--a few--have. But the cost, the ultimate cost of assimiliation, required turning away from el barrio and la colonia. In the meantime, due to the racist structure of this society, to our essentially different life style, and to the socioeconomic functions assigned to our community by Anglo-American society--as suppliers of cheap labor and dumping ground for the small-time capitalist entrepreneur--the barrio and colonia remained exploited, impoverished, and marginal.
As a result, the self-determination of our community is now the only acceptable mandate for social and political action; it is the essence of Chicano commitment. Culturally, the word Chicano, in the past a pejorative and class-bound adjective, has now become the root idea of a new cultural identity for our people. It also reveals a growing solidarity and the development of a common social praxis. The widespread use of the term Chicano today signals a rebirth of pride and confidence. Chicanismo simply embodies an ancient truth: that a person is never closer to his/her true self as when he/she is close to his/her community.
Chicanismo draws its faith and strength from two main sources: from the struggle of our people and from an objective analysis of our community's strategic needs. We recognize that without a strategic use of education, an education that places value on what we value, we will not realize our destiny. Chicanos recognize the central importance of institutions of higher learning to modern progress, in this case, to the development of our community. But we go further: we believe that higher education must contribute to the information of a complete person who truly values life and freedom.
The destiny of our people will be fulfilled. To that end, we pledge our efforts and take as our credo what Jose Vasconcelos once said at time of crisis and hope: "At this moment we do not come to work for the university, but to demand that the university work for our people."
Commitment to the struggle for Chicano liberation is the operative definition of the ideology here. Chicanismo involves a crucial distinction in political consciousness between a Mexican-American (or Hispanic) and a Chicano mentality. The Mexican-American (or Hispanic) is a person who lacks self-respect and pride in one's ethnic and cultural background. Thus, the Chicano acts with confidence and with a range of alternatives in the political world. He is capable of developing an effective ideology through action.
Mexican-Americans (or Hispanics) must be viewed as potential Chicanos. Chicanismo is flexible enough to relate to the varying levels of consciousness within La Raza. Regional variations must always be kept in mind as well as the different levels of development, composition, maturity, achievement, and experience in political action. Cultural nationalism is a means of total Chicano liberation.
As of present, wherever one travels throughout the Southwest, one finds that there are different levels of awareness on different campuses. The student movement is to a large degree a political movement and as such must not elicit from our people the negative responses that we have experienced so often in the past in relation to politics, and often with good reason. To this end, then we must re-define politics for our people to be a means of liberation. The political sophistication of our Raza must be raised so that they do not fall prey to apologists and vendidos whose whole interest is their personal career or fortune. In addition, the student movement is more than a political movement, it is cultural and social as well. The spirit of MEChA must be one of "hermandad" and cultural awareness. The ethic of profit and competition, of greed and intolerance, with the Anglo society offers must be replaced by our ancestral communalism and love for beauty and justice. MEChA must bring to the mind of every young Chicano that the liberation of his people from prejudice and oppression is in his hands and this responsibility is greater than personal achievement and more meaningful than degrees, especially if they are earned at the expense of his identity and cultural integrity.
MEChA, then, is more than a name; it is a spirit of unity, of brotherhood, and a resolve to undertake a struggle for liberation in society where justice is but a word. MEChA is a means to an end.
Function of MEChA--To the Student
To socialize and politicize Chicano students on their particular campus
to the ideals of the movement. It is important that every Chicano student
on campus be made to feel that he has a place on the campus and that
he/she has a feeling of familia with his/her Chicano brothers and
sisters. Therefore, the organization in its flurry of activities and
projects must not forget or overlook the human factor of friendship,
understanding, trust, etc. As well as stimulating hermandad, this
approach can also be looked at in more pragmatic terms. If enough trust,
friendship, and understanding are generated, then the loyalty and support
can be relied upon when a crisis faces the group or community. This
attitude must not merely provide a social club atmosphere but the
strengths, weaknesses, and talents of each member should be known so that
they may be utilized to the greatest advantage. Know one another. Part of
the reason that the student will come to the organization is in search of
self-fulfillment. Give that individual the oppurtunity to show what he/she
can do. Although the Movement stresses collective behavior, it is
important that the individual be recognized and given credit for his/her
efforts. When people who work in close association know one another well,
it is more conducive to self-criticism and re-evaluation, and this every
MEChA person must be willing to submit to. Periodic self-criticism
often eliminates static cycles of unproductive behavior. It is an
opportunity for fresh approaches to old problems to be surfaced and aired;
it gives new leadership a chance to emerge; and must be recognized as a
vital part of MEChA. MEChA can be considered a training
ground for leadership, and as such no one member or group of members
should dominate the leadership positions for long periods of time. This
tends to take care of itself considering the transitory nature of
students.
Function of MEChA--Education
Tying the campus to the Barrio. The colleges and univeristies
in the past have existed in an aura of omnipotence and infallability. It
is time that they be made responsible and responsive to the communities
in which they are located or whose members they serve. As has already been
mentioned, community members should serve on all programs related to
Chicano interests. In addition to this, all attempts must be made to take
the college and university to the Barrio, whether it be in form of
classes giving college credit or community centers financed by the school
for the use of community organizations and groups. Also, the Barrio
must be brought to the campus, whether it be for special programs or
ongoing services which the school provides for the people of the
Barrio. The idea must be made clear to the people of the
Barrio that they own the schools and the schools and all their
resources are at their disposal. The student group must utilize the
resources open to the school for the benefit of the Barrio at every
opportunity. This can be done by hiring more Chicanos to work as academic
and non-academic personnel on the campus; this often requires exposure of
racist hiring practices now in operation in many colleges and
universities. When functions, social or otherwise, are held in the
Barrio under the sponsorship of the college and university, monies
should be spent in the Barrio. This applies to hiring Chicano
contractors to build on campus, etc. Many colleges and universities have
publishing operations which could be forced to accept Barrio works
for publication. Many other things could be considered in using the
resources of the school to the Barrio. There are possibilities
for using the physical plant and facilities not mentioned here, but this
is an area which has great potential.
It is a fact that the Chicano has not often enough written his/her own
history, his/her own anthropology, his/her own sociology, his/her own
literature. He/she must do this if he is to survive as a cultural entity
in this melting pot society which seeks to dilute varied cultures into a
gray upon gray pseudo-culture of technology and materialism. The Chicano
student is doing most of the work in the establishment of study programs,
centers, curriculum development, and entrance programs to get more
Chicanos into college. This is good and must continue, but students must
be careful not to be co-opted in their fervor for establishing relevance
on the campus. Much of what is being offered by college systems and
administrators is too little too late. MEChA must not compromise
programs and curriculum which are essential for the total education of the
Chicano for the sake of expediency. The students must not become so
engrossed in programs and centers created along established academic
guidelines that they forget the needs of the people which these
institutions are meant to serve. To this end, Barrio input must
always be given full and open hearing when designing these programs,
when creating them, and in running them. The jobs created by these
projects must be filled by competent Chicanos, not only the Chicano
who has the traditional credentials required for the position, but one who
has the credentials of the Raza. Too often in the past the dedicated
pushed for a program only to have a vendido sharp-talker come in
and take over and start working for his Anglo administrator. Therefore,
students must demand a say in the recruitment and selection of all
directors and assistant directors of student-initiated programs. To
further insure strong if not complete control and direction and running of
programs, all advisory and steering committees should have both student
and community components as well as sympathetic Chicano faculty as
members.
MEChA in the Barrio
Obviously, every Barrio has its particular needs, and MEChA
people must determine with the help of those in the Barrio where
they can be most effective. There are, however, some general areas which
MEChA can involve itself. Some of these are: (1) policing social
and governmental agencies to make them more responsive in a humane and
dignified way to the people of the Barrio; (2) carrying out research
on the economic and credit policies of merchants in the Barrio and
exposing fraudulent and exorbitant establishments; (3) speaking and
communicating with junior high and other high school students, helping
with projects, teaching them organizational techniques, supporting thier
actions; (4) spreading the message of the movement by any media
available--this means speaking, radio, television, local newspaper,
underground papers, posters, art, theaters; in short, spreading propaganda
of the Movement; (5) exposing discrimination in hiring and renting
practices and many other areas which the student because on his/her
mobility, his/her articulation, and his/her vigor should take as his/her
responsibility. It may mean at times having to work in conjuntion with
other organizations. If this is the case and the project is one begun by
the other organization, realize that MEChA is there as a supporter
and should accept the direction of the group involved. Do not let loyalty
to an organization cloud responsiblity to a greater force--La
Causa.
Working in the Barrio is an honor, but is also a right because
we come from these people, and as, mutual respect between the
Barrio and the college group should be the rule. Understand at the
same time, however, that there will initially be mistrust and often envy
on the part of some in the Barrio for the college student. This
mistrust must be broken down by a demonstration of affection for the
Barrio and La Raza through hard work and dedication. If the
approach is one of a dilettante or of a Peace Corps volunteer, the people
will know it and act accordingly. If it is merely a cathartic experience
to work among the unfortunate in the Barrio--Stay Out.
Most colleges in the Southwest are located near or in the same town as a
Barrio. Therefore, it is the responsibility of MEChA members
to establish close working relationships with organizations in that
Barrio. The MEChA people must be able to take the pulse of
the Barrio and be able to respond to it. However, MEChA
must be careful not to overstep its authority or duplicate the efforts of
another organization already in the Barrio. MEChA must be
able to relate to all segments of the Barrio, from the middle-class
assimilationists to the vatos locos.
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