Vida Newspaper, Volume 4, Issue 6 - May 1977

May, 1977 VIDA Page 5 M.E.Ch.A. Statewide Conferences рог Rosa Swanson These past two months there have been two statewide MEChA conferences held at Claremont Colleges on March 12th and at Cal State Sacramento on April 16th and 17th in order to mobilize, educate and politicize Raza students against the racist Bakke decision. Delegations from LMU MEChA have attended both conferences and have partici¬ pated actively within the L.A. MEChA Central at these confer¬ ences. L.A. MEChA Central has been represented by about eleven campuses at these past confer¬ ences. There are presently twelve Centrales statewide which make up a network of MEChA chapters which are connected on a reg¬ ional level. The objectives of the confer¬ ence at Claremont were: 1) To utilize information which was obtained at the U.S.C. Bakke Con¬ ference in February, (which con¬ sisted of lauching a petition drive by both students and community people and for students to mobilize through their MEChA’s and Third World Coalitions on coordinating rallies and forums locally, regionally and statewide against the Bakke decision), and to continue devising and imple¬ menting an appropriate strategy against the Bakke decision; 2) to continue the development of a statewide MEChA communica¬ tion network; and 3) to construct a process by which devisive поп interests will be stopped from presenting their basically opportunist programs. The conference began with a review of the U.S.C. Bakke con¬ ference and conference work¬ shops and campus reports. It was decided to follow the Berkeley precident, which was established after the Berkeley conference in January in order to keep struc¬ ture, discipline and progressive work present at all consequent conferences. The Berkely preci¬ dent goes as follows: 1) Only one person from each MEChA will be recognized as the spokesperson. 2) Each MEChA will have only one vote to be cast by the recog¬ nized spokesperson. 3) Only MEChistas can present proposals or make motions. 4) Only one spokesperson will be recognized from each поп organiza¬ tion. 5) Anyone wishing to ad¬ dress a motion must go through their respective organization’s spokesperson, and 6) Non- MEChA organizations can ad¬ dress the issues but cannot make any proposals, motions or vote. The campus reports revealed that throughout the state progres¬ sive work against Bakke was be¬ ginning with rallies and forums being conducted to inform people on the issue and on what can be done to combat it. On completion of these reports the delegates broke up into three separate workshops: 1) Bakke: Further Statewide Action, 2) Bakke: Petition and other Prop¬ aganda, and 3) Statewide Struc¬ ture and Communication Net¬ work. Summary of Workshops Resolu¬ tions Bakke: Further Statewide Action The major issue at this work¬ shop was initial preparations for a massive statewide demonstra¬ tion. A motion was presented that L.A. Central be co-ordinating body for a statewide demonstra¬ tion and march on May 7th at 10:00 a.m.; starting at Olvera St. and ending at the Federal build¬ ing. That a policy be discussed for the criteria used to form committees concerning the statewide demonstration. That the MEChA statewide communi¬ cation structure be used as a net¬ work for co-cordination and input for the May 7th demonstra¬ tion. And that each MEChA Cent¬ ral select one speaker from the following categories: labor, judi¬ cial, legislation and education, to speak at the demonstration. Bakke: Petition and other Prop¬ aganda L.A. Central’s petitions were adopted with revisions in sen¬ tence structure but no revisions in actual content. It reads as fol¬ lows: We the undersigned, wish to bring to your attention our sen¬ timents concerning the Bakke de¬ cision. We feel that the Decision is not only unjust, but a fatal blow to minority communities at large. If upheld, this decision could re¬ sult in the elimination of Affirma¬ M.E.Ch.A. Commentary por David Sosa It is that time of year when we must all reflect on what we have done as individuals and as a group. M.E.Ch.A. has become edu¬ cated and it has outgrown it’s past with new faces, a new direc¬ tion, у una nueva causa. In the past year M.E.Ch.A. has worked to preserve its mobility in la causa de los campesinos, in edu¬ cation with speakers, tutoring sessions and seminars, and with films focusing on nuestra cultura. On campus we have fought to preserve our rights to have an of¬ fice, Resource center, Folklorico, our own newspaper, Vida, and Cinco de Mayo. M.E.Ch.A. has pushed for a better educational service for Chicanos in all the col¬ leges by requesting an educa¬ tional supportive service. It has pushed for orientation for incom¬ ing freshmen with an emphasis on academics as well as suppor¬ tive services so that yext year we will not have a 50% drop out rate nor a 20% probationary rate. We also want a Chicano wing in the dormitories so that Chicanos will not face the same reality as did David Gomez as chronicled in Somos Chicanos: Strangers in our Own Land. We have taken a stand against racist issues such as Bakke so that in the upcoming years we will still have Chicanos here at L.M.U. We have have ex¬ panded our horizons by working with other M.E.Ch.A. ’s in the L.A. area through M.E.Ch.A. Central. This has been ac¬ complished by dedicated Chicanos. It is this dedication that I salute and I say “thank you.” All of us can hold our heads up high and say to ourselves, “I’m proud to be a Chicano.” The pride that we as Chicanos must have, is that we have mobilized for a better chance for education among our camarados, a better chance in ob¬ taining jobs, and a greater respect for our people. However, graduat¬ ing from this institution is not enough because it is only a self¬ ish, individualistic trip. Never think, “I did it on my own,” be¬ cause in 1969 alot of people put there necks on the line. This didn’t get us all into Loyola, but it sure made it a hell of alot easier. It is time that Chicanos look back on their history, and realize that we must continue the struggle to insure that more Chicanos be¬ come educated and that we gain respect and move forward as a GROUP. To those of you who are not Mechistas, not socially con¬ scious, I congratulate you for making it to Loyola. I will con¬ gratulate you for graduating, for you have accomplished some¬ thing. You’ve reached a goal and I hope it brings you comfort and happiness. BUT, I ask you the next time you attend a family wedding or party with all your cousins from the barrio to please don’t feel sorry for them or laugh at them because of what they are because if you’d help you wouldn’t have to laugh. You wouldn’t have to be selfish. You wouldn’t have to worry about what you’re wearing to the $6 dinner in the Terrace room Fri¬ day. You’d be real. Those of you who will still be here next year, I hope you will remember this arti¬ cle and become involved in liberating your brother, for you will be liberating yourself! With unity, we will never be destroyed! . • Г '/Л lull!!.' NOSOTROS When one judges the acts of an organization over a period of time there must be a focus on the content and effectiveness of these ac s. Concerning the Chicano movement at Loyola it is obvious that we have entered a period when no longer can we as individuals concen¬ trate on being a follower or engaging in only selective involvement. Everyone must take the initiative and follow through in action, through the role of leader and doer. Furthermo^ ., our involvement should not concentrate solely on one aspect of the movement because the struggle entails a commitment to all aspects of our raza’s lives. Furthermore, our tenure at Loyola as committed Chicanos must not stop just because we graduate or leave the institution. In one sense it is just the beginning, for we will be facing the reality of dealing with the problems that we share on a community level. We may have worked superficially in combating those problems at Loyola but it is nothing like making a commitment to dealing with them on a full time basis. So when you graduate and seek employment remember all those who by their sacrifice ^nd hard work made it possible for you to attend college, or even for many of us high school. When you think of these people, always remember that they asked nothing in return for the time and effort they gave you. Only the satisfaction derived in seeing you accomplish some of those things they never had a chance to realize. When you see this it might be a little to give of yourself rather than take of the people who have helped you. Finally, as we look forward to new experiences as graduates, as we look forward to a new year as undergraduates, let us try to accept our companeros у companeras on the basis of what they do, rather than on any other premise. Action and results must be the key words to the future. Horale! VIDA -NOSOTROS tive Action programs that have been implemented in the past to decrease the underrepresentation of minorities in the institutions of Minority groups lack adequate access to the educational institu¬ tions which would enhance the communities’ struggle to achieve professional and technical skills. We must have the Affirmative Action programs. These services in minority communities must be increased for they are the equalizers of the social structure. The Centrales were delegated to take the responsibility of dis- ceminating, collecting, and for¬ warding the petitions. The pet¬ itions will be sent to the U.S. Supreme Court. Also, telegrams notifying President Carter, U.C. Board of Regents and Governor Brown on the existence and suc¬ cess of the drive will be sent. A slogan to appear on all MEChA propaganda was adopted: Education and Jobs are a Right, Not a Priviledge! Statewide Structure and Com¬ munications Network Each MEChA Central through¬ out the state and their respective constituent colleges were iden¬ tified. The Centrales are as fol¬ lows: San Diego, Orange County, Pomona Valley, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Joaquin Val¬ ley, South Bay Area, San Francisco/West Bay Area, East Bay Area, and Sacramento Area. The conference at Cal State Sacramento’s initial purpose was to finalize the May 7th de¬ monstration in L.A. and to begin planning for a national demonst¬ ration against Bakke around Oc¬ tober 15th in the Bay Area. The delegates broke up into workshops: 1) Intercommunica¬ tion between Centrales and Or¬ ganizing Unity; 2) Mobilization and Propaganda for May 7th; 3) Chicano Lobbying-Student Rep¬ resentation in the Capitol and 4) Bakke Information. The mobilization and prop¬ aganda workshop approved the work of L.A. Central for May 7th which included the policy on the type of literature to be distributed at the rally. Only literature that is directly related to the Bakke issue will be approved for distribution. Liasons from each Central drafted a leaflet containing gen¬ eral information on the implica¬ tions of Bakke, security, housing, first-aid, legal-aid, and bilingual information to be distributed dur¬ ing the’ march. The lobbying workshop formed a steering committee intent on utilizing legislation as a mechanism for change. For the most part the confer¬ ence was very progressive and the next conference will be held at Fresno City College in May after the rally. As students the Bakke decision affects us directly but its implica¬ tions are far-reaching. We have the opportunity to fight the deci¬ sion through massive mobiliza¬ tion. If we all stand firmly united and create a powerful movement against the decision we will overcome it! The student move¬ ment has always been the van¬ guard for progressive changes and if we organize, victory is imminent! !UNIDOS VENCE- REMOS!