By Daniel Borunda \ El Paso Times
Posted: 09/01/2012 12:00:00 AM MDT


Dallas-area lawyer Jose Angel Gutierrez speaks a panel discussing the future of Hispanic political empowerment during the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of La Raza Unida Party national convention in El Paso in 1972. He served as the party's first national chairman. (Ramon Renteria / El Paso Times)

Founders of La Raza Unida Party said the need for the Hispanic community to harness its political power is greater now than 40 years ago when the party had its first national convention in El Paso.

Former leaders of the party and a new generation of political activists are celebrating the 40th anniversary of an independent party that was a high point of the Chicano Movement.

Poverty, anti-immigration policies and the influence of big money in politics are among reasons there is still a need for an independent political party, said ex-party members during a panel discussion Friday evening at Mercado Mayapán.

Chicano activists said the question remains the same as in 1972: whether the two-party system can represent a growing Hispanic community that has yet to awaken to its power.

"Today, there is a big group (of people) who no longer believe the electoral process is the way to go because brown faces in high places have not dramatically changed conditions in our communities," said Maria Jimenez, a former La Raza Party organizer from the Houston area.

Jimenez, who was on the panel, said there is a need for new social movements because the influence of money in politics has made it more difficult for activists today than it was for activists who in the 1970s had faith in the U.S. political system.

In 1970, La Raza Unida Party was created by activists fighting discrimination in Crystal City, Texas. In 1972, more than 3,000 delegates attended the party's first national convention at the El Paso County Coliseum.

Chicano activist and a party founder José Angel Gutiérrez said during the panel discussion that Mexican-Americans were being taken for granted by the Democratic Party, although Mexican-American Democrats back then sought to destroy La Raza Unida Party.

There is a need to have a global view, communicate and organize, Gutiérrez said. "Let's work with what we've got," he said.

The panel discussion on Friday evening was attended by about 50 people. Organizers said about 300 people attended other events at the University of Texas at El Paso.

The anniversary commemoration continues with panels, poetry readings and other events today and Sunday at Mercado Mayapán, 2101 Myrtle.

The older, gray-haired Chicano activists said the biggest problems are a lack of political activism and organization and the need for more people to become involved. In recent years, some of the advances of the Chicano Movement, such as ethnic studies classes and bilingual education, have come under fire.

"We are on the one-yard line with 99 yards to go," said panelist Juan José Peña of New Mexico. He added that the opposition has almost made a safety.

"In 2012, we are confronted with the same historical question: Do we stay in the Democratic and Republican party plantation?" activist Hermán Baca said.

"We need to divorce ourselves from the two-party system," Baca said. "There is no other alternative. In order to do that, we need to understand. We need to educate. We need to politicize. And we need to organize our people. The biggest problem we have is la falta de conciencia politica y social para desarollar poder (the lack of political and social conscience to develop power)."

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Activists: Hispanics must harness political power - El Paso Times