Latinoamericanos/hispanos en EEUU (XVI): Desde Reies López Tijerina hasta Henry B. González,por Javier J. Jaspe

En pocas palabras. Javier J. Jaspe

Washington D.C.  

Esta es la décima sexta entrega de una serie de artículos dedicados a reseñar los nombres y una breve semblanza biográfica de latinoamericanos/hispanos relacionados con territorios que hoy corresponden o se le asocian a Estados Unidos, con posterioridad a que Cristobal Colón descubriera a América en 1492. Los nombres que se incluyen se encuentran principalmente entre los que aparecen mencionados en el interesante libro: Latino Americans (The 500 – Year Legacy That Shaped A Nation), by Ray Suarez. El material usado para la semblanza biográfica ha sido seleccionado de entre textos publicados en Internet, en español o inglés, según sea el caso, los cuales se transcriben en itálicas. Sobre las características y propósitos de esta serie remitimos al primer artículo (http://latinoamericansintheunitedstates.blogspot.com/2017/05/latinoamericanoshispanos-en-eeuu-i-de.html). Este décimo sexto artículo se refiere a nombres de personas que van desde Reies López Tijerina (nacido en 1923 y fallecido en 2015) hasta Henry B. González (nacido en 1916 y fallecido en 2000). Veamos:

Reies López Tijerina: “Reies Tijerina, in full Reies Lopez Tijerina, (born September 21, 1923, Fall City, Texas, U.S.—died January 19, 2015, El Paso, Texas)”… (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Reies-Lopez-Tijerina). “Reies López Tijerina, un paladín de las exigencias de derecho a tierra de los chicanos y líder de un grupo que invadió un palacio de Justicia en el norte de Nuevo México hace casi 50 años, murió el lunes. Tenía 88 años. Estela Reyes López, representante de la familia, dijo que el prominente activista murió en un hospital de El Paso, Texas, por causas naturales. Su sobrino Luis Tijerina también confirmó el fallecimiento. En 1967, Tijerina y algunos seguidores invadieron el Palacio de Justicia en Tierra Amarilla para intentar realizar un arresto ciudadano del fiscal de distrito después de que ocho miembros del grupo de Tijerina fueron detenidos por manifestaciones debido a tierras entregadas por el gobierno. Durante la invasión, el grupo disparó y lesionó a un policía estatal y a un carcelero, golpeó a un agente y tomó al alguacil y a un reportero como rehenes antes de escapar al Bosque Nacional Kit Carson. La invasión al edificio de tribunales agitó a estudiantes universitarios mexicano-estadounidenses que se identificaron con el mensaje de Tijerina sobre desplazamiento de latinos, y llevó a años de litigios por reclamaciones sobre las tierras entregadas por el gobierno. Reyes, vocera del grupo defensor de la justicia social Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe, dijo que Tijerina perteneció a la organización. Al igual que otros activistas defensores de los derechos civiles en la década de 1960, Tijerina dejó a un lado el riesgo personal cuando encabezó esfuerzos para movilizar a los chicanos sobre el asunto de posesión de la tierra, señaló Reyes. Hacer eso era muy impopular y muy peligroso, señaló. "Él es considerado en gran medida una figura importante en la defensa de los derechos chicanos, pero no sólo de los chicanos, sino de los derechos civiles de esta nación", agregó. El abogado Rees Lloyd dijo que vio por primera vez a Tijerina cuando Martin Luther King Jr. invitó al activista a hablar en una manifestación en 1968 en Washington, D.C. contra la pobreza. "El hombre era un gigante", comentó Lloyd, quien se convirtió en amigo y asesor de Tijerina. "El hombre era un orador de tremendo poder porque hablaba desde el corazón", agregó respecto a Tijerina. A Tijerina le sobrevive quien fuera su esposa durante 22 años, Esperanza, y ocho de sus 10 hijos, dijo Reyes” (https://www.20minutos.com/noticia/b63932/fallece-activista-chicano-reies-lopez-tijerina-a-los-88-anos/). También puede verse: (http://www.sinembargo.mx/20-01-2015/1224208); (http://borderzine.com/2011/10/reies-lopez-tijerina-%E2%80%93-el-rey-tigre-del-movimiento-chicano-sigue-rugiendo/).

Rodolfo “Corky” González: “Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales nació el 18 de junio 1928. Tenía él una personalidad muy ardiente en su juventud, lo que causó que un tío suyo dijera de él que “siempre explotaba como el tapón (“cork”) de una botella.” De ahí, el apodo “Corky.” En 1949, Gonzales se casó con Geraldine Romero y el matrimonio tuvo ocho hijos. Gonzales estudió la ingeniería en la universidad, pero, después de su primer semestre, vio claramente que no tendría el dinero necesario para seguir estudiando. Abandonó sus estudios y se hizo boxeador. Boxeó setenta y cinco veces en la división de peso lijero y, en 1988, se le nombró a la Galería de Fama de los Deportes de Colorado. Después de una carrera como boxeador, Gonzales se postuló como candidato para la Casa de Representantes de Colorado, pero perdió. Trabajó para inscribir votantes durante la campaña presidencial de John F. Kennedy e inscribió más votantes mexicoamericanos que nunca antes en la historia de Colorado. Su último intento de alcanzar un puesto político fue cuando se postuló como candidato para ser alcalde de la ciudad de Dénver, pero perdió de nuevo. Corky se hizo líder en el Movimiento Chicano. Fundó La Cruzada por la Justicia, encabezó un grupo en la Marcha de los Pobres en Washington y organizó una manifestación en la secundaria West High School después que un profesor hizo comentarios racistas. Ayudó a crear el Ballet Chicano de Aztlán y El Teatro Pachuco. En 1969, estableció un colegio de verano y, en 1970, fundó la Escuela Tlatelolco para niños y niñas chicanos. Durante toda su vida, Rodolfo Gonzales escribió trabajos creativos. Su poema más famoso fue “Yo soy Joaquín” (“I am Joaquín”), que se publicó en 1967. Este poema se convirtió en una inspiración para el Movimiento Chicano. Se ha citado en la literatura de protesta, se ha publicado en obras dramáticas y se ha reimprimido en varias ediciones. El 12 de abril de 2005, murió Corky de un paro cardíaco a la edad de 76 años”(https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2017/rodolfo_gonzales_spanish.pdf). También puede verse: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodolfo_Gonzales); (https://elpais.com/diario/2005/04/19/agenda/1113861609_850215.html); (http://www.umich.edu/~mechaum/Aztlan.html); https://icaadocs.mfah.org/icaadocs/THEARCHIVE/FullRecord/tabid/88/doc/803398/language/en-US/Default.aspx); (https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rodolfo-%E2%80%9Ccorky%E2%80%9D-gonzales).

Willie Velásquez: “William C. Velásquez Jr. Born: May 9, 1944 (Orlando, Florida). Died: June 15, 1988 (San Antonio Texas)” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Velasquez)....“William C. Velásquez: 1944-1988. William C. Velásquez was the founder of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project in 1974. He envisioned a time when Latinos would play an important role in the American Democratic process. His legacy began in Texas.
Velásquez was one of the founding members of the Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO); a Chicano youth organization aimed at social action. His role in MAYO led to becoming Texas' first statewide Coordinator of El Movimiento Social de la Raza Unida, the precursor of La Ram Unida Party. His involvement with Latino organizations was extensive. In 1968 as Boycott Coordinator for the United Farm Workers (UFW), he organized strikes at the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. After leaving the UFW he became the founder and director of the Mexican American Unity Council in San Antonio, Texas. In 1970 he was named Field Director of the Southwest Council of La Raza. From 1972 to July 1974, he concentrated his efforts on building the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP). Little notice was taken when Velasquez opened the doors to SVREP in 1974, seated on a folding chair; behind a small desk calling from a borrowed rotary telephone to spur Mexican Americans into politics.
He enlisted the aid of Community organizers, together they launched hundreds of voter registIaIion and get-the-vote-out (GOTV) campaigns throughout the southwest. The legacy of Velásquez is apparent-since its inception, SVREP has cultivated 50,000 community leaders, successfully litigated 85 voting rights law suits and has conducted 2,300 non-partisan,voter registration and GOTV campaigns. Consequently, voter registration has grown over the years from 2.4 million registered Latinos in 1974 to 7 million nationwide in 1998. But his vision involved more than just getting Latinos to the ballot box, Velásquez sought to bring into the democratic process an active and informed Latino electorate. Charted in 1984, the Southwest Voter Research Institute was established to seek the opinions of the Latino electorate and to make those findings known. He felt Latino leaders should be held accountable to their constituencies. As part of the institute, he set out to collect and distribute information on public policy issues ranging from income and poverty to U.S. and Latin America relations.
In 1995 President Bill Clinton awarded Velásquez The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor any civilian can receive - and only the second Latino ever to earn that honor. In 1997, the Southwest Voter Research Institute was changed to the William C Velásquez Institute (WCVI) as a way to honor and perpetuate Velásquez' vision and legacy. But Velásquez did not get to see the fruits of his dreams, he passed away on June 15, 1988 of complications from kidney cancer. The ongoing activities of SVREP and WCVI serve as proof of the continued strength and merit of Velásquez. To learn more about Willie Velasquez.....(see)  his biography entitled The Life & Times of Willie Velasquez 
‘Our Challenge Is to Keep Willie’s Memory Alive’
An interview with Antonio Gonzalez, President of the Southwest Voter Education Project”” (https://wcvi.org/wcvbio.htm). También puede verse: (http://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/16/obituaries/willie-velasquez-44-hispanic-leader-dies.html); (https://www.efe.com/efe/america/ame-hispanos/el-poder-del-voto-latino-documental-recupera-la-figura-de-willie-velasquez/20000034-3056842); (http://www.pbs.org/video/willie-velasquez-your-vote-your-voice-official-trailer/); (http://www.expressnews.com/news/local/politics/article/Recognition-day-set-for-Willie-Vel-squez-5384004.php).

Henry B. González: “GONZÁLEZ, Henry B., (1916 - 2000). GONZÁLEZ, Henry B., (father of Charles A. Gonzalez), a Representative from Texas; born in San Antonio, Bexar County, Tex., May 3, 1916; attended the University of Texas, Austin, Tex.; graduated from San Antonio College, San Antonio, Tex., 1935; graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law, San Antonio, Tex., 1943; business consultant; chief probation officer of Bexar County, Tex., 1945-1947; member of the San Antonio, Tex., city council, 1953-1956; member of the Texas state senate, 1956-1961; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-seventh Congress by special election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of United States Representative Paul J. Kilday and reelected to the eighteen succeeding Congresses (November 4, 1961-January 3, 1999); chairman, Select Committee on Assassinations (Ninety-fifth Congress), Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs (One Hundred First through One Hundred Third Congresses); was not a candidate for reelection to the One Hundred Sixth Congress in 1998; died in San Antonio, Tex., on November 28, 2000; interment at San Fernando Cemetery II, San Antonio, Tex. Bibliography: ”Henry B. González” in Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1822-2012. Prepared under the direction of the Committee on House Administration by the Office of the Historian and the Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Washington: Government Printing Office, 2013 “( http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=g000272).... “Henry B. Gonzalez — a life lived well, in service. Henry B. spent his life in service to the country he loved. Charles Gonzalez, For the Express-News. Updated 4:50 pm, Sunday, May 1, 2016. “….My father, Henry B. Gonzalez, was the third of six children, all but the eldest having been born in Texas. He and his siblings were raised in what must have been confusing times. Parents talking about returning to Mexico, coupled with widespread discrimination against Mexicans, must have made for a very conflicted world for my father, his older sister and younger brothers, who were all American citizens. Yet I believe it produced in my father a love and appreciation for the United States that inspired him to devote his life to public service. In the early years of my grandparents’ lives in San Antonio, it was clear that the proposition of moving back to Mexico had not been abandoned. My father often told the story of his elementary school teacher, Miss Mason, informing her students that if they were born in the United States, then they were Americans. At home, my father was being raised as a Mexican since, any day, the family would be moving to Mexico. He decided he would make the announcement that he was an “American” at the dinner table while his aunt and cousins were visiting from Mexico. He carefully explained what Miss Mason had told his class. Dad’s aunt immediately interjected, “Well, if that’s so, if a cat is born in an oven, does that make him bread?” Everyone at the table roared with laughter, except my father. It would be hard to find someone as well-read as my father. Though he enjoyed a wide-range of interests, which covered music, math, art, culture and history, his enduring study was that of the law and government. From the great philosophers and statespersons, he read voraciously and applied the lessons he learned throughout his career. He wanted to do everything within his abilities to assure that the pronouncements in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were not mere words, but promises to be kept to all who were fortunate to live in this country. His compass had been set and it pointed him in the direction of justice and equality for all. As a member of the San Antonio City Council, he worked to integrate local swimming pools. He filibustered for 22 hours on the Texas Senate floor against segregationist legislation. He championed abolishing the poll tax, and voted for the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act when he was in Congress. From his first day as an elected official in the early 1950s to his last day in Congress in 1998, he never lost sight that our democracy would always be a work in progress. My father was exceedingly proud of his Mexican ancestry, customs and language. His Spanish was impeccable, and his familiarity with the works of Mexican writers, composers and artists was astonishing. He never lost his love and admiration for Mexico. He did not see that this pride was inconsistent with being an American citizen, and he often stated, “I am an American without prefix, suffix, apology or any other kind of modification.” Some people misinterpreted his statement as somehow an abandonment of one’s heritage, but that wasn’t the case. What my father was saying was that one should honor his ancestral home, appreciate his familial roots, practice wonderful customs and traditions that enrich our lives and do so as a fully engaged American. He would tell people, young and old, “I never believed that the way to win equality is through separation.” For Dad, it was always about “inclusion,” that no person or group should ever exclude itself, or allow anyone to exclude them, from the wonderful opportunities this country presents. A week doesn’t go by that people don’t approach me and tell me a “Henry B. story.” Oftentimes it involves a kind or thoughtful gesture that my father expressed, or his help with a Social Security, veterans, immigration, employment or housing issue. The stories are heartfelt with observations of how he personally cared about being of assistance. Though my father understood the importance of the work he had to do legislatively to guarantee civil rights, make education affordable, provide health care and promote economic development, his real success would be measured by the difference he personally made in an individual’s life. After all, that’s why he entered politics: not just to pass laws but to follow through and make sure the laws served his constituents. My father was the consummate public servant. As a family, my mother and my sisters and brothers understood that we had to share his time, energy and attention with his other family: the public. So many people would come up to us and share the times that Dad attended a wedding, baptism, graduation, civic event, dedication ceremony, grand openings or threw out the first pitch at a Little League game. I recall my younger brother once exclaiming to my mother after hearing about Dad being at an event, “So that’s where Dad was!”. The family sacrificed much, but with the understanding that Dad was doing something he loved dearly and was helping people. He was a man of simple taste. A Chevrolet station wagon was his limousine, a trip to Port Aransas or a camping trip to the Madla ranch in Helotes were his dream vacations, and his greatest indulgence was to spend what little extra time he had in a bookstore. He was most fortunate to have found someone special like my mother. She raised eight children, for many years on a budget that was more appropriate for a family of four, without the physical presence and assistance of Dad. I am not sure my parents had agreed on my father’s career choice, but families of politicians learn early that they are part of a team and that it’s your family name that appears on every yard sign and bumper sticker. Though there were times the family wished Dad had been home more often and had spent more time with us, I have never heard anyone in our family say they wished he had never chosen public service. My father would have celebrated his 100th birthday Tuesday. As a child I thought he would live forever. As I grew older, I thought he would live until he was 100. That didn’t happen either. All children just want their parents to live a good and happy life a little longer. My father ended his political career at the age of 82, and he died less than two years later. I am hopeful that people remember the good he accomplished and the difference he made, and continues to make, in improving the lives of thousands in our city, state and nation. This is my birthday wish for my father.”

Charles Gonzalez, a San Antonio lawyer, is a former congressman and state district judge (http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Henry-B-Gonzalez-a-life-lived-well-in-7384230.php). También puede verse: (http://history.house.gov/People/Detail/13906); (http://biography.jrank.org/pages/3372/Gonz-lez-Henry-B-1916-2000-Congressman--Henry-B.html); (http://www.expressnews.com/150years/leaders/article/Henry-B-Gonzalez-Always-the-fighter-6139622.php); (https://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/1381/Henry%20B%20Gonzalez%20Biography%20SP.pdf).

Apéndice

National Council of La Raza Changes Name to UnidosUS

By Suzanna Gamboa/Jul.10.2017/ 4:26 PM ET (NBC News)

PHOENIX — “The National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino advocacy organization, is changing its name to UnidosUS. The change was announced by NCLR during its annual conference in Arizona, where it traces its roots. NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía was expected to officially announce the change in a speech Monday night. "We've been working really hard on this process for some time. It was our own community that led us to the UnidosUS name," Murguía told NBC Latino. Unidos, which translates to united, is meant to show unity among Latino communities but also help NCLR transform into a group that joins all communities, according to Murguía. "I believe in unity there is strength and in strength, there is power. We see 'unidos' as call to action, but it also does signal a message to join us and come together and do what is best for our country," she said. She said the name is meant to be "dual." The Spanish word with US attached was intended to make sure "people understand we are an American institution." If people don't know Spanish, once they learn its meaning, it will be resonant, she said. The rebranding also is an effort to make the organization relevant to millennials and changes going on within the community, she said. "Not only are six-in-10 Hispanics millennials or younger, we as a community marry outside of our community more than any other ethnic or racial population ... We are changing," she said. The name change comes after years of the organization defending itself against right wing groups that applied a literal translation to “la raza” as “the race” and said the advocacy group for Latinos was pushing a racist agenda.But Murguía said that didn't weigh into the name change at all. "We know defending ourselves is something we are going to do and we are happy to do. We are making sure we are resonant as an organization," she said. Murguía said the name change was backed by one of the group's original founders Herman Gallegos who has been attending the conference and by NCLR's first executive and CEO Raul Yzaguirre, who she said gave it his verbal and "visual" blessing. As far back as 2008, after NCLR’s conference was protested in San Diego, Murguia had said there were discussions about a name change. While the word can translate to the race, in the context of its origins in the 1960s, the group’s name has meant the people or the community. NCLR actually was preceded by the Southwest Council of La Raza, until it became a national organization in 1972. According to NCLR, the group began looking into a name change three years ago to make a decision in time for its 50th anniversary next year. Community focus groups, meetings with individuals and a national online survey of U.S. Latinos were done. The work showed the NCLR name was outdated and did not resonate in the community. Also the research showed it was turning some off, particularly young and more diverse people. Murguía said the name change will begin at midnight, with the name to its Washington, D.C. office happening Tuesday and other changes, such as to the web site etc. being phased in over coming months” (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/national-council-la-raza-changes-name-unidosus-n781261). También puede verse: (https://www.unidosus.org/); (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/opinion-national-council-la-raza-s-rebranding-unidosus-smart-inclusive-n781856); ( https://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/national-council-of-la-raza).

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