The Mexican American Experience, a radio program produced by the Longhorn Radio Network, includes interviews, music, and informational programs related to the Mexican American community and their concerns. Program summary: Host Alejandro Saenz interviews Dr. Jose Angel Gutierrez discusses on the current state and future of Chicano politics and La Raza Unida party. Dr. Gutierrez founded the party in 1970 in Crystal City, Texas. Since then, the party has run candidates for several major local, state, and federal elections. Despite government harassment and sabotage, Dr. Gutierrez explains that they continue organizing around Chicano issues, and have successfully lobbied for a lower voting age and a bilingual ballot, among other issues. In Crystal City, and other cities where Mexican Americans are a majority, the party has made significant gains, including lowering the dropout-rate, increasing the number of students going to college, and organizing urban renewal programs. Dr. Gutierrez explains that the Democratic and the Republican party both support the same economic and social structures that exclude Mexican Americans. He says that Chicanos need to be able to control their own affairs and strategy and he believes La Raza Unida provides that political space. He hopes that La Raza Unida will be able to move from local victories to regional ones. Moreover, they are working to form contacts with other minority groups, separatist groups and progressive organizations. Dr. Gutierrez also explains the party's relations with the Mexican Government, which has provided scholarships and moral support for La Raza's project. Dr. Gutierrez says that Chicanos need to take resources and services wherever they can get them, including from the federal government, with the understanding that those funds will increase the quality of life, but will not lead to community liberation. He also discusses the party's relations with historically more conservative Mexican American organizations, such as LULAC and the GI Forum. Keywords: American GI Forum, Angel Moreno, Anthony, Texas, Antonio Morales, Basic Utilities, Bilingual Ballots, Black Power, Blacklisting, California, Carlos Falcon, Carter Administration, Chicago, Chicano Democrats, Chicano Music Cooperative, Chicano Politicians, Chicano Republicans, CIA, Committee for Rural Democracy, Connections between La Raza Unida and the Mexican Government, Cotulla, Counter Intelligence Program, Crystal City, Cuba, Democratic Party, Detroit, Dolph Briscoe, Domestic spying, Dropout Rates, East Los Angeles, Eduardo Morga, Eduardo Valenzuela, Ethnic Solidarity, Farm Workers, FBI, Federal Funds, Frank Shafer-Corona, Frio County, Gays, Gerrymandering, Government Surveillance, Hebbronville, Texas, Hector Flores, Immigration Policy, IRS, John Hill, Jose Angel Gutierrez, La Raza Unida, La Raza Unida Party Accomplishments, Latino Council, Little Joe Hernandez, Luis Deleon, LULAC, Manuel Lopez, MAPA, Medina Rural Electrical Cooperative, Mexico City, Minority organizing, Mohair Cooperative, National Council of La Raza, Palestine, Palestinian Liberation Organization, Panama, Police brutality, Political repression, population growth, Progressive politics, Quebec, Raul Ruiz, Red-Baiting, Reies Lopez Tijerina, Republican Party, Ricardo Zazueta, S.E.R., San Juan, Texas, Scholarship programs, Separatist Movements, Signing the stub, Southwest Voter Registration Educational Drive, Starr County, Texas, Texas Cooperatives, Third party politics, Transnational activism, Voting age. Broadcast date: 1978-02-16.
Creator/Contributor:
Longhorn Radio Network (creator), Saenz, Alejandro (host), and Gutiérrez, José Angel (interviewee)
Date Created/Date Issued:
2/15/1978
Owning Repository:
Benson Latin American Collection, LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies and Collections, The University of Texas at Austin