MexicoCrystal City (Tex.)CaliforniaWashington (D.C.)Zavala County (Tex.)Longhorn Radio Network (creator)Gutiérrez, Armando (host)Martínez, María Elena (interviewee)6/7/1979The 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: Maria Elena Martinez, chair of the Texas branch of La Raza Unida Party, discusses the party's background, accomplishments and recent difficulties. Maria Elena Martinez, chair of the Texas branch of La Raza Unida Party, discusses the party's background, accomplishments and recent difficulties. She explains that the party began in Crystal City in 1970 to address Chicano issues and has now spread to several states. Since then, the party has experienced several setbacks as its candidates have faced discrimination and retaliation in their personal and work lives. Some have even faced exaggerated charges and received draconian sentences for minor offenses. She discusses the trials of Ramsey Muñiz, the party's former gubernatorial candidate, who is in jail for marijuana possession. She also talks about the media's portrayal of the party and its emphasis on the negative incidents. Finally, in cities where the party has been successful, state and federal-level politicians have worked to block their access to funds and courts have denied the electoral victories. Martinez then discusses the party's relations with other Chicano organizations, like LULAC. She believes there is more communication between then now than in the past. She explains that while these groups have focused on voter registration, the Raza Unida Party believes that there is little room for change within the two party system. They also worry that mainstream minority politicians absorb the same political philosophies that have ignored the problems affecting minority communities. She explains that the Raza Unida Party most work to change the attitudes of Chicanos disillusioned by the political process and to do so they focus on the basic issues affecting the Chicano community, including health, police brutality, the cost of living and education. Keywords: American GI Forum, Backlash, Bilingual Education, California, Chicano Health, Chicano Movement, Chicano Voter Turn-out, Chicanos in Latin America, Coastal States Gas Company, Cost of living, Crystal City, Democrats, Dolph Briscoe, Education, Electoral Politics, Employment, Environmental Justice, Judicial System, Luis Echeverria Alvarez, LULAC, Media, Medical School, Mexico, Minority Co-optation, Minority politicians, New Mexico, Police brutality, Political apathy, Political Leadership, Political Repression, Ramsey Muñiz, Raza Unida Party, Relations among Chicano organizations, Republicans, Rio Grande Valley, Scholarship programs, Social Movements, South Texas, Texas Governor, The media and la Raza Unida party, Third Party politics, Two party system, Utilities, Vietnam, Voter registration drives, Washington D.C., Zavala County. Broadcast date: 1979-06-07.utblac:bd9e30f1-aade-4f36-aec7-c7245df6e9aeEnglishhttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/Mexican American Programs of the Longhorn Radio Network24 minutes, 52 secondsMexican Americans--Politics and governmentMexicano americanos--Política y gobiernoMexican Americans--Political activityTexas--Politics and governmentMexico--Foreign relations--United StatesMinority Party Politicssound recordingsgrabaciones sonorasradio programsprogramas de radioAudio