I wrote the article below last Wednesday during a MEChA meeting in response to what has been occurring on campus for the last week.

Below are some articles to put the past week in to some sort of context:
February 3, op-ed piece
February 3, news article
February 4, news article
February 6, letter to the editor

It is no secret. MEChA de UCLA is a strong, active, and busy chapter. Busy indeed. Thousands of dollars from your self-assessed student fees go to support programs initiated and run by students in MEChA de UCLA.

Although its extremely unlikely, the de-sponsorship and subsequent freeze on funding to MEChA de UCLA programs would have serious repercussions to both the on- and off-campus community. The goal of the Bruin Republicans is clear, they wish to pressure MEChA de UCLA to denounce El Plan Espiritual de Aztlan and the so-called racist language it contains. C-------er M----z and his cronies in BR demand that MEChA denounces El Plan, if they refuse, then MEChA�s �funding must be frozen and its official status revoked.�

In case you are not familiar with Undergraduate Students Association Council (USAC) and sponsorship guidelines, only officially recognized student organizations (ORSOs) are eligible to receive funding from student fees allocated by USAC.

So, who would de-sponsorship really hurt?

� The 400 students who use MEChA Calmecac � a 15 year old program � services. What is MEChA Calmecac�s goal? To increase the graduation rates of students at UCLA through holistic peer counseling, mentorship, and additional services.

� The 360 students in the Xinachtli program at Venice High School, Santa Monica High School and Pico Youth and Family Center. What is Xinachtli�s aim? For the last six years, Xinachtli has sought to encourage students to pursue a higher education through peer advising, tutoring, workshops and fieldtrips.

� The 1,200 high school and middle school students and 150 parents who will attend the 11th annual Raza Youth Conference and Parent Conference. These student and parents would miss out on an empowering day. They would not get to hear Dolores Huerta, a respected Chicana labor leader and activist; nor would they get to attend dozens of cultural, academic, political, and career-based workshops encouraging students to pursue a higher education.

� The 1,000 college and high schools students from around California expected to participate in the MEChA Statewide Conference this spring. Mechistas from around the state will strategize and form a plan of action to maintain funding for outreach programs, keep students fees and financial aid at their current levels, and advocate against enrollment caps among other things.

� The 1,400 K-12 students who participate in the various aspects of the Raza Youth Empowerment Project such as college tours, People of Color tours of the UCLA campus, leadership retreats with high school students, and high school presentations.

� The 225 newly admitted Chicana/o and Latina/o students expected to attend the 5th annual Raza Day. Current MEChA members will interact with the students, and about 50 of their parents. These high school seniors will be encouraged to attend UCLA, a campus where we make up only 14% of the population even though we�re in a city in which we consist of 47% of the population (2000 Census).

� The 300 graduating seniors participating in the 31st annual Raza Graduation ceremony to celebrate their accomplishments in the face of adversity amongst family and friends in a bilingual and culturally relevant setting.

Undoubtedly, those who would suffer most if the Bruin Republicans were successful in their push for de-sponsorship would be the nearly 5,000 students and community members who currently participate in one of MEChA de UCLA�s many programs. These programs seek to create a community of empowered and college-educated Chicanas and Chicanos who will use the tools of their education and community organizing to challenge the status quo and foster social change.

The members of BR are quick to admit their admiration for such programs; and equally swift to assert that their attacks are against El Plan Espiritual de Aztlan and not the Chicana/o community.

Either the Bruin Republicans are lying or the numbers are; I�ll leave it to you to decide for yourself.

Me siento: good
Escuchando: nada

M�s reciente:
Searches - 09.16.05
the big move - 07.29.05
mother and daughter: a comparative analysis - 07.28.05
jardineros y dom�sticas - 07.27.05
tough question - 07.25.05

antes // despu�s