Intro to Chicano Studies 1A Midterm

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41 Terms

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Settler Colonialism

The specific form of colonialism whereby an imperial power seizes Native territory, eliminates the original people by force, and resettles the land with a foreign, invading population. The process is never complete and the colonial state’s methods for gaining access to new territories change over time…(including) sacrificing Indigenous lands for resource extraction. Indigenous elimination is the organizing principle of settler society” Nick Estes, Our History is the Future (2019, pg. 89, emphasis added)

-involves some kind of stealing of land, land theft is at the heart of settler colonialism and genocide is not far from it.

Settler colonialism also associated with sexual violence and rape. Indigenous women victimized by soldiers and priests (like that one article)

Missions operated like prisons. Spatial confinement, constant surveillance, corporal punishment, virtual slavery.
-Mass incarceration today comes from this. Many of them came from the 1980s and 1990s. One UC was built in this time as well
-Virtual slavery, said they operated these missions like what was going on in Nazi Germany

Settler colonialism extends into Santa Barbara—Old Spanish Days (Fiestas), street names (Indio Muerto).

EXAMPLES:

Salt of the Earth starts with her chopping some wood and trying to boil water. They don't have warm water. Sanitation problem. \n -Being stripped of heritage, the very land that they are on (like even the rain). Same thing with UCSB, the colonizer gets to name the land. Or even Ontario California. \n \n This is a prime example of SETTLER COLONIALSM which the key thing is THEFT OF LAND \n -Like finders keepers, they don't care if your grandfather owned the land. \n \n Only the white folks have the warm water. Even if some white people are getting pushed around, they have warm water. She is chopping wood to warm up the water because that's all they have \n -The husband then asks what she's been doing all day and that the water is cold. \n \n Her story starts with her remembering a time she is free. You have to have this kind of imagination of remembering when your land was free. She didn't want her child to be born into this world where there will be nobody and they will just be abused and exploited

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Genocide

Even the Rain is very graphic, intense, real. Columbus, Cortes, Pizarro and others committed genocide. What is genocide?

-genocide is a big word. Raphael Lemkin writes though that genocide has the following parts to it:

Killing members of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.

Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.

Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or part.

Imposing measures to prevent births from within the group.

Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

EXAMPLES:

8 million people lived in Haiti and the Dominican Republic when in 1492. In 1650, there were none (de las Casas).

Cortes and Pizarro killed millions in Mexico and Peru. Pedro Alvarado in Central America (especially Guatemala).

12-18 million Indigenous people in North America in 1492. In 1890, 250,000. 95-98% extermination rate. Genocide occurred.

Black activists and scholars stated that U.S. also committed genocide against Black community (1951). Filed charges with United Nations.

Chicanas were forcibly sterilized in LA in 1970s. Children separated from parents 2017-19. Settler colonialism often produces genocide.

Chicanx History starts in 1492 with genocide. England colonizes North America, relying on enslaved Africans. 1619 Project.

-Beginning of chicanx history. Columbus is still talked about today. People used to not really think about it too much because it was just a day off of school. \n -There are many indigenous groups in Mexico, but then you start to see a mixed race group of people that are Europeans, african (because they were also enslaved and brought to the US) and asian. there are people of every racial group in Mexico. \n -1619: saying that that was not the beginning of US history when we gained our freedom from the British in 1776. It was in 1619, when slavery began. Very controversial in 2019, 400th anniversary.

Genocide is often associated with physical violence, but it can be cultural too

Slavery follows genocide. Our two original sins. As Indigenous people are exterminated and forced onto reservations, plantations expand. U.S. imperialism proceeds. (Monroe Doctrine, 1820s)

-Still proceeds. Who is going to do the stuff that we need to create the US without indigenous people there? So that's why they take these "inferior" groups of people. Even after the declaration and everything, we still do this

Louisiana Purchase (1803), Florida (1819), and of course, the U.S.-Mexico War (1846-1848).

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Hatuey

Settler colonialism is widespread—UCSB, Santa Barbara, California, United States, world. Sparks resistance!

Toypurina, Tongva woman leads Mission San Gabriel uprising (1780s); Chumash revolt in Santa Barbara (1824).

Hatuey, Taino resistance leader. Iconic martyr. Resurrection. His spirit lives in Daniel. Presente!

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Bolivia Water Protest

The Cochabamba Water War, also known as the Bolivian Water War, was a series of protests that took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia's fourth largest city, between December 1999 and April 2000 in response to the privatization of the city's municipal water supply company SEMAP

The wave of demonstrations and police violence was described as a public uprising against water prices

The tensions erupted when a new firm, Aguas del Tunari was required to invest in construction of a long-envisioned dam, so they had drastically raised water rates.

Protests, largely organized through the Coordinadora (Coalition in Defense of Water and Life), a community coalition, erupted in January, February, and April 2000, culminating in tens of thousands marching downtown and battling police. One civilian was killed.

On 10 April 2000, the national government reached an agreement with the Coordinadora to reverse the privatization. A complaint filed by foreign investors was resolved by agreement in February 2001.

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Dakota Access Pipeline Protest

Father Junipero Serra statue, SB Mission

Protestors decapitate and pour red paint over statute (2017)

Serra canonized as saint by Pope Benedict (2015)

Protests parallel Black Lives Matter movement, pulling down Confederate statues.

Corporations still extracting natural resources from Indigenous communities. Water. Liquid gold. Dam projects (Guatemala).

Indigenous women leaders. Berta Caceres (Honduras) key environmental justice activist, assassinated in 2016.

Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), oil project (2016). Crosses several states, threatens water supply, life itself.

Indigenous women led fight against DAPL. Tear-gassed, repressed, but continued. Trump approves project (2017).

Locally, Chumash elders and allies fought to replace Indio Muerto with Hutash Street.

-Chumash community also fighting for Native American Studies, faculty hires approved. LAND BACK.

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Toypurina

Settler colonialism is widespread—UCSB, Santa Barbara, California, United States, world. Sparks resistance!

Toypurina, Tongva woman leads Mission San Gabriel uprising (1780s); Chumash revolt in Santa Barbara (1824).

Hatuey, Taino resistance leader. Iconic martyr. Resurrection. His spirit lives in Daniel. Presente!

HOODsisters

Chicana/Latina artists collective

Pacoima, CA

Mural honors Toypurina

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Santa Barbara Missions, Fiestas, Hutash Street

Settler colonialism also associated with sexual violence and rape. Indigenous women victimized by soldiers and priests (like that one article)

Settler colonialism extends into Santa Barbara—Old Spanish Days (Fiestas), street names (Indio Muerto).

Old Spanish Days/Fiestas Posters
-Called Old Spanish Days because it comes from Europeans with conquest and colonialism, ignoring all of the genocide and violence that happened because it brings in a lot of money

Spanish flags on Mission

Glorifies conquest and settler colonialism

Ignores genocide, violence, and trauma

Major tourist attraction in August.

Parades, rides, food, dancing, drinking

Fun—right? All just seems fun with all the fun activities they have

Santa Barbara had a different name before becoming part of the UC system. Still had this spanish architecture and was close to the mission

UCSB and settler colonialism. Campus originally located near Mission. Moved here after World War II ends.

Temporary buildings, Building 406. El Centro Arnfulo Casillas (Named after one of the founders now. The only building named after someone that is Chicano and is a small buidling). Only building on campus named after Chicanx/Latinx person. Students saved it twice from being destroyed (1994, 2017).

Chumash remains stored at HSSB. Have not been returned to family members. Native American Studies Department?

-UCSB was supposed to document it and then return it, but they say it's too expensive, despite them benign directed to \n -We also do not have a Native American Studies Department, despite some students going on a hunger strike before

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Zoot Suit/Sailor Riots

“They stripped me.” What does that mean? Hank's brother is stripped of his clothes and is heartbroken saying they stripped him. What does it mean?

-Could be something blatantly obvious. The end of the movie implies that they all got out and lived happily ever after, but life does not really end like that. There is ambiguity at the end as to what happened to all of them

What did the Pachuco mean when he asked Henry, “Is this 1942 or 1492?” What has changed since 1942?

-The Pachuco in the film is not a real person, duality with Henry. He was the one to put on the suit

-He wears red and black because they are revolutionary colors, what farmers wore \n -Trying to trace this resistance period back to the 1940s, seeing the mexicans fight back

-They are getting arrested and convicted for something they did not do. So he asks this because he is it 1942 (now) or 1492 (when colombus came and changed things)

-Related to Even the Rain like when the actors took the girl's gold earrings and were yelling at her for it, stripping something from her \n -Also Chavez Ravine and what was stripped from those people

Aren’t racial profiling and police violence still present in 2023?

-Think mexican zoot suitors are not real men and more feminine.

-Men and women could be zoot suitors and both were castrated and sexually violated.

What were the main issues? Racial profiling. Unfair arrest, police violence, farcical trial.

-Lots of things going on at this time. Then a guy is found dead and pretty much anyone who was wearing a zoot suit and brown was suspicious. 600 arrested. 24 on trial.

Defendants facing death penalty. Given life sentences (some). Press manufactures/frames Mexicans as “criminals.” Generates public support for harsh measures. “State of exception” (Agamben)

-State of exception. Like after 9/11, they did the patriot act of helping the nations constitutional rights. So a lot of people were thinking bad about the zoot suitors and believed they should not have a fair trial

Sleepy Lagoon Map

-This was a thing because mexican americans and folks of colors were not allowed to go to public places like a swimming pool

-If they did go in there, then the pool would be drained the next day because the whites did not want to catch a disease

Reservoir key swimming location for MA youth

Williams Ranch, fight breaks out (August 1, 1942).

Jose Diaz found dead

-22 years old, farm worker, found dead (Aug. 1, 1942)Was going to report to the Army on August 3, 1942. Death is still unresolved. LAPD never fully investigated. Why? They could have reopened the case, but they chose not to. 80 years after his death and still nothing, just because he was mexican

Mass trial, not individual trials. January 13, 1943

Defendants not allowed to confer with attorneys.
-If something was going on and the defendants wanted to ask the attorney what was going on, they weren't allowed to.

Not allowed to change clothes or get haircuts.

Jury confers 6 days. Guilty.

Guys are released, happy ending? Girls are still incarcerated at Ventura School—harsh conditions. Not released until 1945-46.

SLDC shuts down. Red Scare commences. Archival records destroyed. LA City leaders decide to build public housing project in multi-racial, mostly Mexican working-class neighborhood.

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Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee

Activists form two committees: Citizens Committee for Defense of Mexican American Youth (Formed during and before the trial) and Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee (Formed after the trial)

Confusing. CCDMAY formed before and during trial. SLDC during appeal. Who was active in these committees? Mexican Americans only? How do we tell the story? Controversy.

-Can be confusing with all these people involved. Like the white women seemed like the savior and turned the table when there were other people involved

Assigned articles show that Black and Latina women were crucial (Bass and Moreno) but so too was a Syrian lawyer (Shibley).

-All not really talked about

How about Alice McGrath (Bloomfield). White Jewish woman. Communist Party member. Coalition, coalition, coalition. Inspiring figure. Active in Central American solidarity movement (1980s).

-This was Alice's line- coalition. She would hold up these signs where they would eb fighting for 8 hour labor days and they won. They did it every May 5th

-She survived a life threatening disease and they wanted her to be the president

Parents fled anti-Semitic pogroms in Russia (Canada)

Went to LA City College. Joined CP in 1930s. Nearly died in 1942.

Joined the SLDC as Executive Secretary. Tireless organizer. Active into 1980s and 2000s.

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Josefina Fierro de Bright

Josefina Fierro very active with CCDMAY, but later during the appeal, she steps back. Mexican American families remain active. Lupe Leyvas, Hank’s sister, crucial. Rita Hayworth/Hollywood.

SLDC reframed “boys.” No longer criminals but hard workers, military veterans, sons, fathers, etc. Humanizes them. Social movements still doing this today—Dreamers, not criminals.

Debate—should we focus on humanizing folks or talk about the issues? Racism and right to fair trial? SLDC did both, with big focus on fighting fascism within and outside the United States.

Public becomes sympathetic. Donations from unions, Japanese American internees. Appeals court unanimously overturns verdicts

Multi-Racial, Working-Class Neighborhood Bubonic Plague Outbreak (Los Angeles, 1924)

Japanese, Native Americans, black folks all lived here. But yet mexicans were singled out for the disease

1924 Border Patrol is established and Immigration Act is passed, based on Grant’s theory that white folks are being “replaced.”

When Depression hits, Mexicans are blamed and scapegoated. Mass deportations start in 1931. More than 1 million Mexicans were deported during this time period.

Mexicans resisted mass deportation and civil rights abuses. Formed El Congreso, the Spanish-Speaking Congress in LA in 1939.

Key leader was Josefina Fierro de Bright. Mother supported Flores Magon brothers. Attended UCLA before dropping out and dedicating her life to social justice. Married white film writer, John Bright.

-Chicano women at UCLA. there is no EOP or any of that. She had to figure things out herself. She dropped out because she wanted to join the movement. Key figure

Congreso platform: Stop deportations, worker rights, feminism (Chicanas doubly oppressed), ethnic studies class, bilingual education, stop U.S. military intervention in Mexico, inter-racial coalitions

-She started this group to try and stop these deportations, workers rights, feminism (because they were doubly oppressed, intersectionality), chicano studies classes in 1939, stop military intervention

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US-Mexico War

1846-1848

Nearly half of Mexico is taken by the US in this war.

-Texas was smaller, there was disputed territory instead. California was part of Mexico

U.S. troops cross into disputed territory. Mexico kills U.S. military officer, provides pretextual argument for war. Mexico “started” it.

-The war lasted 2 years. The boundary between the US and Mexico was up for grabs. The US payed 15 million dollars pretty much for that whole half of Mexico.

-US troops were placed in that disputed territory and give context for the democratic president at the time to then start this war. "Our folks are being killed, we have to defend ourselves and start this war"

U.S. political leaders and media had earlier claimed that it was our “Manifest Destiny” to take Mexican territory.

-Even leading up to this though, the US was saying it was their manifest destiny to take all of Mexico \n -They said Mexico was not really being used for anything and we could just take it for ourselves

Racial superiority used to justify imperialism and expansionism. Mexicans seen as backward, inferior.

-Mexicans are seen like indigenous people and that is the reaosn why they treated them so badly.

U.S. relies on “necessary illusions” to justify war (Chomsky 1989). “Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain.” Vietnam, Iraq, etc.

-We've been at war almost every year of our lives. So in doing that, we have to come up with all these justifications as to why we go to war.

-The nation was impatient and on edge, just wanting to attack Mexico and so that's why they pinned it on Mexico. The only reason they wanted to expand territory in the first place was to expand slavery

-Like we don't want to say that we want to come in and just say we want to take their natural resources, so we say they were involved in 9/11 and make them look like bad people so we can attack them

Resistance: Henry David Thoreau refuses to pay taxes to support U.S.-Mexico War. Sees war through abolitionist lens, anti-slavery.

-He refuses to pay his taxes because it was contributing to continue expanding the US

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Spanish American War

1898

Spanish American War (1898). U.S. takes control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Guam. Hawaii (1893).

-Said one of our ships in Maine was blown up. No one knows how it was blown up today though, but it gave us a reason to fight Spain.

-Slaves were also in Cuba and puerto rican. They had been fighting to get away from Spain for a long time, but then the US came in and said they were "going to help them out". They got rid of spain and then took control of all that.

-Took Hawaii from native Americans 5 years prior

White man’s burden—racial superiority invoked again, like Manifest Destiny with U.S.-Mexico War. Filipino War brutal. One million deaths. U.S. troops waterboarded and tortured Filipinos.

-It was "the white man's burden" to take these "inferior" races and raise them up

Black slaves flee North (Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman famed “conductor”) but also South, to Mexico. Little known.

30,000-100,000 slaves flee to the North and Canada, about 5,000 flee to Mexico. Mexican President Vicente Guerrero (Afro-Indigenous) abolishes slavery in 1829. 30-40 years before 13th Amendment.

-He was a mixed racial heritage himself. Ended slavery way before the US, so that's why slaves headed to the south as well

Mexico declares independence (September 16, 1810). Ten-year struggle. During Civil War, France invades Mexico. U.S. cannot block French action despite the Monroe Doctrine.

-All the way to 1821, 10 years

-Said that Latin America was our playground and if any other imperial nation invades Mexico, then we will go to war with them. We probably would have done that in the 1860s, but we were in the civil war

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Madison Grant

Despite resistance, violence continues. 1918 Porvenir massacre. Texas Rangers shot and killed 15 Mexican men. Horrible crime.

Porvenir massacre survivor, Juan Flores (12 years old), finally told his daughter what happened when he was 95 (2007). The Texas Historical Commission investigated the massacre. Memorial built in 2018.

Three years before the massacre, Mexican anarchists issued “Plan de San Diego,” armed uprising, calls for separate states for Mexicans, African Americans, Japanese Americans, and Native Americans. Mob violence ensues.

One year after the Plan de San Diego is crushed, Madison Grant (lawyer) publishes The Passing of the Great Race (1916).

-After the plan is crushed, an attorney called Madison Grant writes a book. He was a eugenicist, which was really popular back in the day. They had a field called craniology and they examined the brains of people of color compared to those of white people and those who had larger craniums were considered to be smarter like asians. Does not have to do with race, survival of the fittest.

Grant is a eugenicist, worried that Eastern European immigrants, Mexicans, and other POC are “flooding” the United States. He fears that white Anglo-Saxon people are being “replaced.”

-So he write this book that was an argument against immigration coming from eastern europe (people of color) were flooding the US and feared the white anglo saxian people were being replaced.

The so-called Great Replacement theory is quite popular today. FOX host Tucker Carlson repeats it as do many on the far-right.

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Repatriation and Great Depression

Early Mexican immigrants mostly settle in Los Angeles. Thought that they would return when things calmed down, but they stayed.

-Most that came to the US during the revolution stayed. Many to LA. They thought they would go back when things died down, but they usually stayed and got married, had kids, and just settled down.

Their children were part of the Mexican American generation. Some even called themselves “Chicanos” in 1930s.

-Not the first group of people who came here, but when they did and had kids, it was now Mexican American. Started to call themselves Chicano too

In 1920s, Mexicans were blamed for a bubonic plague outbreak in Los Angeles. Mexicans seen as dirty and backward, don’t practice hygiene like White folks. Real culprit is poverty.

-Mexicans were blamed for the plague because their housing was bad, they were pushed to the margins and living in these overcrowded tenants and diseased spread quickly. They were just put down for this

Multi-Racial, Working-Class Neighborhood Bubonic Plague Outbreak (Los Angeles, 1924)

Japanese, Native Americans, black folks all lived here. But yet mexicans were singled out for the disease

1924 Border Patrol is established and Immigration Act is passed, based on Grant’s theory that white folks are being “replaced.”

When Depression hits, Mexicans are blamed and scapegoated. Mass deportations start in 1931. More than 1 million Mexicans were deported during this time period.

Mexicans resisted mass deportation and civil rights abuses. Formed El Congreso, the Spanish-Speaking Congress in LA in 1939.

Key leader was Josefina Fierro de Bright. Mother supported Flores Magon brothers. Attended UCLA before dropping out and dedicating her life to social justice. Married white film writer, John Bright.

-Chicano women at UCLA. there is no EOP or any of that. She had to figure things out herself. She dropped out because she wanted to join the movement. Key figure

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Bracero Program

Focus on the Bracero Program (1942-1964). 5 million Braceros came to the U.S. Horrible conditions. Treated like slaves. Harvest of Loneliness (2010).

-Very important. This documentary film captures that whole history

Intense history. Hard. Emotional. 1.3 million Mexicans deported during “Operation Wetback” (1954).

Ironic since Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Case relied on Mendez v. Westminster (1946) case.

Mexicans attended segregated schools in California, even though classified as “white.” Multi-racial coalition fought back and won. Documentary film. Sylvia Mendez honored by President Obama.

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Operation Wetback

Intense history. Hard. Emotional. 1.3 million Mexicans deported during “Operation Wetback” (1954).

Ironic since Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Case relied on Mendez v. Westminster (1946) case.

Mexicans attended segregated schools in California, even though classified as “white.” Multi-racial coalition fought back and won. Documentary film. Sylvia Mendez honored by President Obama.

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Salt of the Earth Strike

Made in 1953, height of the red scare. Classic movie, was blacklisted for decades, shown again in the 80s.

-House Un-American Committee (HUAC) (1938-75). Hollywood Ten banned in late 1940s. Cold War (Red Scare).

-Some of the people banned from Hollywood back in this time were Jews. Not all, but some, so some antisemitic stuff going on. Race issue, but also this issue that caused the red scare

Salt of the Earth producer (Jarrico), director (Biberman), and writer (Wilson) were all banned from Hollywood.

Worked with International Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers Union to make a film about a strike in Bayard, New Mexico (1950).

-They got wind that this demonstration was going on in Mexico that was being let on by the International union in Mexico. Trying to stand up for people who were powerless, George Shibley and some other people from zoot suit took part in this as well

True story. Film includes real workers and union organizers. Few professional actors. Low budget. Radical message/amazing

-All these characters were real. Everyone in the film is not someone who went to film school or anything, but still a radical message

Film starts with Esperanza Quintero (hope). “Who can say when my story begins? This day was the beginning of the end.”

-What we want to know is when you story begins; your waking up to the world

The film starts with her chopping some wood and trying to boil water. They don't have warm water. Sanitation problem. \n -Being stripped of heritage, the very land that they are on (like even the rain). Same thing with UCSB, the colonizer gets to name the land. Or even Ontario California. \n \n This is a prime example of SETTLER COLONIALSM which the key thing is THEFT OF LAND \n -Like finders keepers, they don't care if your grandfather owned the land. \n \n Only the white folks have the warm water. Even if some white people are getting pushed around, they have warm water. She is chopping wood to warm up the water because that's all they have \n -The husband then asks what she's been doing all day and that the water is cold. \n \n Her story starts with her remembering a time she is free. You have to have this kind of imagination of remembering when your land was free. She didn't want her child to be born into this world where there will be nobody and they will just be abused and exploited

Her story begins on her 35th birthday. The day she said no, no to what exactly? What was her primary concern or demand?

She beings to say no on this day. Doesn't always work like x and y, sometimes things go all over the place. When she says no, her primary concern is hot drinking water, he wants sanitation \n -Like even the rain

What was her husband’s primary demand? Why didn’t he understand Esperanza’s concerns?

-He wants to not work alone in the mines because he is more likely to die working alone. So he wants to be in this negotiation with his bosses about work place safety, his wife wants clean drinking water

-He didn't understand because he was never home to see. Take a walk in my shoes and see what happens. He realizes later when they switch roles. She also does not understand what he goes through too since she does not go to the mines

What finally sparked the strike? How did the company try to stop it? Talk about the legal injunction and how Esperanza responded.

The workplace accident is what sparked the strike.

-This is about her movie. Mexican working class women standing up for working class equality and gender equality. As the film progresses, she is agitated and angry and sad about her child being born into this world

-When she peaks at the union meeting, you can barely hear her because she is scared. She has never stood up for something like that before and scared about her husband hurting her at home, etc

What lessons can we draw from this specific scene? How can workers fight back when laws are invoked to stop them?

Notice Esperanza’s facial expression when she comes home. Let’s focus on another scene and Esperanza’s transformation.

-She’s beaming! She’s no longer resigned, depressed, sad. She’s chingona, a fierce Chicana like so many who preceded her!

The “woman question.” Wage slavery and domestic slavery. Double oppression—gender and class.

-Women are jailed, she is jailed with her infant son. They say they want the formula, but the guys don't know because they are never home. Even after they take the child away from her, the camera pans on her and she says she is not giving up

But Esperanza and her comrades face triple oppression—race, gender, and class. Intersectional injustice. El Congreso/Fierro

Most unions and radical political organizations focus on one issue—class. Civil rights groups focus on race. What about all 3? ; Multiplicity of oppression

Film’s Climax:

Domestic violence (old way). Esperanza resists. “I want to rise up and push up everything as we go.”

-The guy talk about things and ask what they should do and when he comes back home, Esperanza says she wants to win, not just fight and wait. They used to always tell women and folks of color to wait. She wants to rise up and push everything as they go, wants everything because she wants to be free

Intersectional justice. Pushing for racial, gender, and economic justice. Not one single issue, but for all oppressed people. Radical.

Esperanza’s transformation is incredible. Depressed, anxious, scared, but starts moving on her birthday. New person is born.

-Starts on her birthday, the day a new person is born. She is like a new baby fighting for these things

Why do you suppose Salt of the Earth was blacklisted?

-Why did they ban it? This movie inspired people and showed people how to win- through solidarity worries and people of color

-Anything that might inspire people and show them how to fight back and win, they will ban it

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Red Scare and House un-American Activities Committee

Mass trial, not individual trials. January 13, 1943

Defendants not allowed to confer with attorneys.
-If something was going on and the defendants wanted to ask the attorney what was going on, they weren't allowed to.

Not allowed to change clothes or get haircuts.

Jury confers 6 days. Guilty.

Guys are released, happy ending? Girls are still incarcerated at Ventura School—harsh conditions. Not released until 1945-46.

SLDC shuts down. Red Scare commences. Archival records destroyed. LA City leaders decide to build public housing project in multi-racial, mostly Mexican working-class neighborhood.

Made in 1953, height of the red scare. Classic movie, was blacklisted for decades, shown again in the 80s.

-House Un-American Committee (HUAC) (1938-75). Hollywood Ten banned in late 1940s. Cold War (Red Scare).

-Some of the people banned from Hollywood back in this time were Jews. Not all, but some, so some antisemitic stuff going on. Race issue, but also this issue that caused the red scare

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Luisa Moreno

Luisa Moreno, Guatemalan-born, upper-class, light-skinned, woman was a key Congreso activist too.

-Another important key activist from central america. Light skinned, but wanted a different life for herself. She didn't want to be attached to a man (already had an arranged marriage).

Moreno was a labor organizer in Florida, Texas, and California. Critical Central American voice. Faced government repression after World War II and went back to Guatemala.

She moved to mexico city where she met a lot of people and learned from people. Then moved to Harlem where kids were working 10-12 hours a day and became a labor organizer herself and one of the founders of Congreso. She faced government oppression and then went back to Guatemala

Bert Corona as well. Life-long activist, trade unionist, formed La Casa, focused on organizing undocumented workers in 1960s. Challenged Cesar Chavez who took different position.

-Formed another organization where they tried to help undocumented workers

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Charlotta Bass

South Carolina native, moves to LA in 1910.

Becomes publisher and editor of California Eagle.

Black-owned newspaper, very progressive.
-They had to make their own newspapers and stuff since they weren't allowed to be in the normal ones

Ran for LA City Council, Congress, and Vice-President

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Sal Castro

Blowout: Sal Castro and the Chicano Struggle for Educational Justice (2011)

Co-authored book, Sal Castro and UCSB CHST Professor M. Garcia

Book includes extensive oral history interviews with Castro and many East LA student leaders

Does it still focus too much on iconic Chicano male leader?

Born in East LA

Father repatriated in 1930s

Korean War Army veteran

Legendary Chicano high school history teacher

Ran Chicano Youth Leadership Conference, Camp Hess

Worked with 1968 walk-out leaders, influential mentor

Arrested, later released

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Gay Latino Alliance (GALA)

GALA forms in 1975. Gay Latino men feel alienated from Chicano movement and Gay/Lesbian movement. Both are not intersectional.

-This is the focus today, GALA. A lot of people think the movement stopped in 1975 wen this organization was just getting started?

-Who is writing this story? Gay Latino men felt alienated because there was a extreme focus on race regardless of their gender or class or whatever. They were also facing problems because of their sexuality and felt alienated from the main gay white movement as well. \n -They were focused only on one thing, not intersectional. We are not just one thing, we are all more things.

Rodrigo Reyes places advertisement in Bay Area Reporter (10/30/ 1975). “Chicano and Gay?” Organization emerges.

-Reyes was one of the main people that was interviewed in the article.

-Chicano and Gay got some people to realize that was them and get involved

Diane Felix, key organizer. GALA includes Chicanas and Chicanos, but name is Gay Latino. What about lesbians and bi-sexual folks?

-Based on her quote, the article became named, "That's my place!" Something so meaningful that it stands out.

-The name too. It is Gay, latino, alliance. Very masculine, not including chianca, lesbian, bi sexual people. A step forward, but not enough.

GALA issues: Central America (Nicaragua), gender equality (ERA), affirmative action, Puerto Rican liberation, racial justice.

GALA’s focus is local and global. Far-reaching, but group eventually falls apart. Chicana lesbians are not fully embraced. Focus turns towards Esta Noche bar, entertainment, not social justice.

Gay Latino Alliance (GALA) Float

1976 Pride Day, San Francisco

Equal Rights Amendment Now

Gay Latinos Against Somoza
-Supporting a family dynasty that was in leadership back in the day. A huge thing happened in Nicaragua, huge earthquake that devasted many, so they got a lot of assistance at that time. All the money that was supposed to go to the people though when to the Somoza dynasty and they stole it.
-So many people came to the US and went to the bay rea which had a different dynamic to the chicano community. Salvadorians, hondurans, and chilean came too. The US had helped overthrow a Marxist government at some time as there was a horrible dictator there and many people had fled to the US.

Political, social justice organization

GALA is/isn’t intersectional. Focus on race and sexuality, but ignores gender (critiques U.S. imperialism).

-They focused on racial discrimination and queer people, but not gender.

-Many women had left the movement because they could not move forward

Esperanza and Paula—Chicana working-class women, push against racism, sexism, and capitalism (economic inequality).

-Many of these women are chicana working class women. Focused on three major forms of inequality- racism, sexism, and capitalism.

-Like Esperanza said about pushing everything up, not just one thing. \n -Or like with Paula when they were trying to use the bathroom and they were asked, "Why don't you just wait?". Dr King wrote a book called "Why we can't wait". He said listen, we have been waiting for 300 years, no more waiting.

Most say that the Chicano Movement was heterosexist and patriarchal. True. But we must not forget Paula, Sylvia Rivera, Diane Felix, and GALA. The Movement was many things, as it is today!

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Diane Felix

Diane Felix, key organizer. GALA includes Chicanas and Chicanos, but name is Gay Latino. What about lesbians and bi-sexual folks?

-Based on her quote, the article became named, "That's my place!" Something so meaningful that it stands out.

-The name too. It is Gay, latino, alliance. Very masculine, not including chianca, lesbian, bi sexual people. A step forward, but not enough.

GALA issues: Central America (Nicaragua), gender equality (ERA), affirmative action, Puerto Rican liberation, racial justice.

GALA’s focus is local and global. Far-reaching, but group eventually falls apart. Chicana lesbians are not fully embraced. Focus turns towards Esta Noche bar, entertainment, not social justice.

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Paula Cristosomo

Walkout! East Los Angeles high school protests. March 1968. 20,000 students. Historic action.

Born in Boyle Heights

Lincoln High School

Joined Young Citizens for Community Action (Berets)

Attended Camp Hess

Walkout leader

Lifelong activist and leader

Occidental College administrator

All connecting to settler colonialism. Definition- involves some kind of stealing of land, land theft is at the heart of settler colonialism and genocide is not far from it. \n \n There have always been these systems of genocide in 1492 and has continued like with the US Mexican War in 1848, Dodger stadium behind stripped away from the chicano community, Sleepy lagoon case, etc. \n -They should have been classified as white and treated fairly, but they were treated like 2nd class citizens and this system of institutional racism \n -Paula relates it to them being in the back of the bus, like the African Americans \n \n Injustice generates resistance. Labor organizing. Multi-racial coalitions. Books/teatro/music. Direct action—protests.

1965—United Farm Workers (UFW) forms. Filipino and Mexican workers. Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Larry Itilong.

--Started with Filipino and Mexican workers. They came together to form on mexican independence day and Dolores and Cesar were some fo the main people of it. Larry Itilong was the leader of the flipinos. 50 years prior to this there were japanese and mexican workers that came together as well. Asians and mexicans coming together. So it did not necessarily start in 1865, but there are long histories before that.

Despite Mendez, Mexican youth still attend segregated schools. Conditions harsh. What injustices do they face (use film)?

But can she fight? Traditional, patriarchal working-class home. Father restricts her freedom. Mother quietly resists.

-She's ready to fight, but can she? Her father restricts her, head of the household, his word is the law and this is seen after she asks about the field trip and he turns her down. Her mother signs it for her though, resisting in a slight way.

Gradually gains courage and confidence. Attends Camp Hess Chicano Youth Conference in Malibu. Key turning point.

-She eventually gains confidence to speak out in Mailibu. Many chicano youth came to this conference and learned chicano history, had music there , poetry there, their conscious began to raise.

Becomes a grass-roots leader. Grass-roots leaders organize, raise consciousness, network with allies, speak out, and run for office.

-She slowly became a grass roots leader, consisting of 5 things.

-Organize, hold meetings \n -Raise consciousness by writing letters and publishing articles and stuff. Like when they go to another school and see how much better it is, she decides to write an article about that and the difference between their schools \n -Work with allies knowing that they cannot do this just by themselves. Feminist groups, queer groups, etc \n -Also speak out as active spokesperson \n -And run for office. Paula was on her prom committee. (Paula has a diversity to who she is, she did many things)

Why do Paula and other Chicana/o students take this dramatic action? Walkout is a form of “spectacular speech.”

-This evolution of Paula's character. When the bell hits 9, she is the one who sort of organizes and starts it. She starts off saying walkout really soft and then her voice builds up. It's scary because she has a lot on the line like her father's opposition, her teacher's opposition, etc. But then at the end she gets on a car and is fighting for their rights.

-Just like Esperanza who has her baby taken away from her and she is supposed to be sad, she still fights for her rights for their sanitation \n \n Why do they have to resort to this in the first place? Why couldn't they get their grievances hear in some other way? What did they do before the walkout- they surveyed the students and asked how they had felt about the conditions, went to the principal and school board to try and make changes and were ignored. When you are repeatedly ignored, you have to do something big to get heard. \n -they don't want to have to pee outside, have to be ignored in the textbooks, get swatted for speaking spanish, being portrayed negatively

Dr. King “A riot is the language of the unheard.” No justice, no peace. How can you make the powerful hear your cries/demands?

How will you be heard unless you do something dramatic

Gandhi “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Police repression/infiltration.

-Then day 2 of the walkout, they do it again. Teachers are desperate and losing control, trying to keep the students under control. they even pull the fire alarm to get everyone out. Push against the locked gates. Police then start attacking and beating them with clubs. So much brutality, arresting students.

Despite repression and fear, Paula and students don’t quit. They continue organizing, this time with the entire community.

-They keep organizing and finding ways to resist. They need to network and need allies, need the entire community. Like Salt of the Earth where everyone, their moms, etc, shows up. Still fighting even after the police beat them. Parents and families show up to support them (the real Paula was there in the movie).

-Later in the movie, after she had rejected her father, he asks her if she is really going to give up after all that.

Eventually Sal Castro and nearly all the key male Brown Berets leaders are arrested. Who are the Brown Berets? Black Panthers

-The LAPD arrested all of the leaders, so how could they keep organizing? They arrested all of the MALES. The women continued to organize. It is always the women. \n -Even if the schools were not really changing, they were changing as people. They believed that it was all worth it.

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Brown Berets

Berets’ ten-point program: unity, bilingual education, police reform, voting rights, stop gentrification, self-defense, etc.

Berets included Chicanas and Chicanos. Very militant, but sexist and patriarchal. Chicanas eventually leave.

Film erases this history. Why? Paula and other Chicanas continue organizing after East LA 13 arrested. LAPD thought they could stop the movement, but Chicanas never backed down.

Seem like a great movement, but many of the guys in the organization were very sexist. Not really shown in the movie, but it happened. \n \n So all of the women did their own walkout in the organization (unfortunately did not last long) and had their own newspaper.

Organized rallies, protests

La Causa, Berets paper

East LA Free Clinic, medical services

Chicanas form Las Adelitas de Aztlan, Feb. 1970.

Aug. 29 protest violence.

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Intersectionality and Intersectional Justice

Wobblies- One Big Union

-The two organizations together. All workers belong to one union, that was their philosophy (regardless of race, gender, occupation, etc).

Radical, anarchist union, formed in 1905.

Includes all workers, regardless of race, gender

Internationalist union

Strongest on West Coast, but had other places too

Mexican and Mexican American presence strong

Collapses 1920s—repression from gov’t
-Government got rid of a lot of their activists and such

Salt of the Earth

The “woman question.” Wage slavery and domestic slavery. Double oppression—gender and class.

But Esperanza and her comrades face triple oppression—race, gender, and class. Intersectional injustice. El Congreso/Fierro

Most unions and radical political organizations focus on one issue—class. Civil rights groups focus on race. What about all 3? ; Multiplicity of oppression

Domestic violence (old way). Esperanza resists. “I want to rise up and push up everything as we go.”

Intersectional justice. Pushing for racial, gender, and economic justice. Not one single issue, but for all oppressed people. Radical.

GALA

GALA forms in 1975. Gay Latino men feel alienated from Chicano movement and Gay/Lesbian movement. Both are not intersectional.

-This is the focus today, GALA. A lot of people think the movement stopped in 1975 wen this organization was just getting started?

Rodrigo Reyes places advertisement in Bay Area Reporter (10/30/ 1975). “Chicano and Gay?” Organization emerges.

-Reyes was one of the main people that was interviewed in the article.

-Chicano and Gay got some people to realize that was them and get involved

GALA/Chicano Movement:

GALA is/isn’t intersectional. Focus on race and sexuality, but ignores gender (critiques U.S. imperialism).

-They focused on racial discrimination and queer people, but not gender.

-Many women had left the movement because they could not move forward

Esperanza and Paula—Chicana working-class women, push against racism, sexism, and capitalism (economic inequality).

-Many of these women are chicana working class women. Focused on three major forms of inequality- racism, sexism, and capitalism.

Most say that the Chicano Movement was heterosexist and patriarchal. True. But we must not forget Paula, Sylvia Rivera, Diane Felix, and GALA. The Movement was many things, as it is today!

Trans Latina activist Jennicet Gutierrez (White House protest, 2015).

Intersectional activist—calling on Queer and immigrant rights movements to be inclusive, to focus on race, gender, class, sexuality.

Jennicet continuing work GALA and others started. Many immigrant rights organizers are Queer, but were not fully out. That has changed. Movement for justice for all continues today.

Walkout:

Paula is a working-class Chicana—fighting racism, sexism, and economic injustice. Intersectional fighter, like Esperanza!

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Critical Race Theory (Majoritarian Narrative vs Counter-Story Telling)

Personal story and narrative are foundational for Chicana/o/x Studies. Our studies have rarely been told and documented in higher education

When our stories are told, we are seen as “threats” (Leo Chavez): criminals, gangsters, “illegals”, “rapists, “bad hombres” (Trump)

-When their stories are told, it is usually in a bad light

Latinx people also blamed for not achieving success, must assimilate, learn English, and work hard. Biological/cultural arguments

-If they do not receive their success, it is seen as their fault. The white settlers could do it, so why can't they? Fallback on cultural arguments saying that they have to adapt to American culture and they would be fine. Or use biological arguments and say that it is something wrong with them.

Such narratives gloss over white supremacy, settler colonialism, and systemic racism. They ignore the “bigger picture”

-All these stories that are told miss all these big points. If you're only focused on biological or cultural arguments, you miss the bigger picture.

The bigger picture includes racism, sexism, capitalism, heterosexism and how these systems intersect and overlap, generating significant challenges for Chicanx/Latinx people

Chicanx/Latinx narratives show how these systems operate and how we have persisted, survived, and even thrived at times

The Circuit challenges the “majoritarian narrative;” Mexicans are criminals, thieves, gang members, etc. Bad hombres (Trump).

-The majority of people in the US usually have a negative attitude towards people are undocumented thinking they are criminals or whatever. That is the majority story

Panchito’s book turns those stories inside out; his stories counter these narratives. In essence, he is showing us these stories are a lie.

-His book counters those narratives. This is how Professor Ralph sees this book through Critical Race Theory. He is saying through his book that everything that is said about them is an absolute lie. Could you say his father is a bad man? It's upsetting to be told these lies over and over again and sometimes the only way to fight back is a pen (writing a book). \n -Esperanza fought back with her picket sign. He fights back with writing

Counter-storytelling is foundational to “critical race theory” (CRT). CRT emerges in late 1980s, very influential, but controversial as GOP legislators have banned it across the country. Books too.

-16 states have banned Critical Race Theory (2022). These attacks on CRT are pretty broad. Why would they want to ban it? Do they want people to think Mexicans are bad people?

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Flores Magon Brothers and PLM

Mexican General Porfirio Diaz defeats French Army during Battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862. David versus Goliath struggle.

-Not Mexican independence day. Was the day that Mexico beat the French in this battle. French was one of the strongest armies and Mexico was not really strong (maybe the reason they lost the war with us. Some people wanted to take all of Mexico, but the racists said we should not take it all because we don't want the Mexicans to be American and ruin the "white")

France still exercises control over Mexico until 1867. Supports Confederacy. Ousted after Civil War ends. Diaz becomes president.

-he led the battle in 1862 and then became President

Diaz passes legislation that benefits U.S. corporations. Railroads, mines, agriculture, mostly in U.S. hands. Diaz crushes all dissent, rules as dictator, 1876-1910. Debt slavery exists on plantations.

-Starts some democracy, but it was a lie because he always won the elections by a landslide

Resistance sharply increases in early 1900s. Ricardo and Enrique Flores Magon form the Partido Liberal Mexicano (PLM).

-They start this organization called the PLM in the early 1900s. They wanted free open elections. Diaz was also president for way longer than one term, against the law.

Anarchist political party. Forms ties with Mexican American workers and white radicals in United States. Industrial workers of the world (IWW). “One Big Union.” Labor internationalism, bi-national.

-Formed ties with them and became one big labor

PLM favors abolishing private property, the state, and the Catholic Church. Favors women’s rights, Indigenous rights, but also initially supports ban on Chinese immigrants.

Ricardo and Enrique Flores Magon

Mexican anarchists, oppose Diaz regime

Exiled and live in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Toronto

Ricardo imprisoned and dies in 1922.

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Mendez vs Westminister

Intense history. Hard. Emotional. 1.3 million Mexicans deported during “Operation Wetback” (1954).

Ironic since Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Case relied on Mendez v. Westminster (1946) case.

Mexicans attended segregated schools in California, even though classified as “white.” Multi-racial coalition fought back and won. Documentary film. Sylvia Mendez honored by President Obama.

Born in Santa Ana, CA (1936)

8 years old when case filed.

Life-long activist

Elementary school named after parents

Received Medal of Freedom from Pres. Obama (2011)

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Grassroots Leadership (Women centered) Model

Paula Becomes a grass-roots leader. Grass-roots leaders organize, raise consciousness, network with allies, speak out, and run for office.

-She slowly became a grass roots leader, consisting of 5 things.

Five types of grassroots leadership activities in the 1968 Blowouts: networking, organizing, developing consciousness, holding office, and being a spokesperson.

-These activities aren't rigidly defined and don't cover every aspect of grassroots leadership. Not every leader must be involved in all areas of leadership.

There is no hierarchy among the dimensions, each is equally important and can be seen as locations on a carousel.

Organizing involves meetings, planning, and activities related to the Blowouts.

Another key aspect of leadership is raising awareness

-This involves guiding others to recognize issues of inequality within the school and the wider community through discussions or print media.

Networking in leadership involves building a support base.

-This was crucial during the Blowout, as community and external support legitimized student efforts.

-Networking transformed social ties into political power and created a supportive front by reaching beyond familiar networks.

Holding public office is a dimension of leadership.

They focused on discussing private tasks related to networking, organizing, and developing consciousness in relation to their role in the Blowouts, rather than their elected or appointed positions.

The fifth leadership dimension is being a spokesperson.

-Men typically fulfilled this role during the Blowouts, speaking to the media and crowds.

-Sometimes, active female students took on the role of spokesperson, such as Rosalinda Mendez Gonzalez and Paula Crisostomo who shared their experiences as Mexican American students in education.

By studying the oral history of eight women, I reveal an alternative history of the 1968 East Los Angeles School Blowouts that sheds light on the role of women's grassroots leadership.

-This challenges us to rethink how we study and participate in community activism.

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Necessary Illusions

US-Mexico War:

U.S. relies on “necessary illusions” to justify war (Chomsky 1989). “Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain.” Vietnam, Iraq, etc.

-We've been at war almost every year of our lives. So in doing that, we have to come up with all these justifications as to why we go to war.

-Like we don't want to say that we want to come in and just say we want to take their natural resources, so we say they were involved in 9/11 and make them look like bad people so we can attack them

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George Shibley

One of the main attorneys for the zoot suit case

Syrian/Lebanese family background. Born in NYC

Moved to Long Beach. Stanford Law School (1935). Progressive attorney (people’s lawyer).
-Called a people's lawyer in the film. but they never mention his racial and ethnic background in the film

Regularly objected during trial. Drafted, Margolis does appeal. Shibley on far left—forgotten.
-He thought ahead and knew that they would probably lose and they would have to do an appeal
-Drafted to the war shortly after the trial
-Margolis does the appeal instead for George

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Ruben Salazar

Chicano Anti War Protest:

Seattle, Washington

October 31, 1970

Our fight is at home, not in Vietnam

Raza Si, Guerra no!

Remember Ruben Salazar, LA Times reporter (see mural, next slide). Assassination?

-He was shot and killed at a bar, drinking with his buddies. Police were outside since there was a protest going on and a projectile flicked off and killed him. Assassination?

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Chicano Anti War Moratorium

Seattle, Washington

October 31, 1970

Our fight is at home, not in Vietnam

Raza Si, Guerra no!

Remember Ruben Salazar, LA Times reporter (see mural, next slide). Assassination?

-He was shot and killed at a bar, drinking with his buddies. Police were outside since there was a protest going on and a projectile flicked off and killed him. Assassination?

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Cultural Nationalism and Chicano Movement