La Voz de Aztlan · La Voz de Aztlan, October 16 1989

Title

La Voz de Aztlan, October 16 1989

Creator

Associated Students of Fresno State

Relation

La Voz de Aztlan (Daily Collegian, California State University, Fresno)

Coverage

Fresno, California

Date

10/16/1989

Format

PDF

Identifier

SCUA_lvda_00184

extracted text

.

Twenty years of La Raza pride continues
Volume XX Number V

California State University, Fresno

Monday, October 16, 1989

Cardenas to
visit Fresno
for the nationalization of the oil
companies.
Cuauhtemoc
Cardenas
has
Staff Writer
followed in his father's footsteps. In
Cuauhtemoc
Cardenas,
the 1982 he was elected governor of the
controversial
former
Mexican state of Michoacan where he gained
presidential candidate, will speak popularity as a leader 'for the
at CSUF Nov. 15 at 10 a.m. in either people.'
It was because of his
many Mexican
the Satellite Student Union or Room popularity that
101 of the industrial arts building.
people revolted against what was
considered blatant fraud in the 1988
elections.
Mostly from Michoacan and
neighboring states, they rallied in
Mexico City to voice their support
for Cardenas and to oppose the
ruling party candidate, President
Salinas
of the PRI (Partido
Revolucionario Institucional).
Cuauhtemoc Cardenas will be
visiting San Francisco, Fresno and
Los Angeles. Some of the goals
Cardenas has regarding his visit
throughout
California
are
to
promote the exercise of human and
civil rights for Mexican immigrants
in the United States, to promote a
more cooperative and consciencious
attitude of the North American
Cuauhtemoc Cardenas
public, when deciding over politics
that have a direct impact over
Cardenas' stop in Fresno is part of a Mexico. and to tie cultural,
California tour where he will speak educational, social, and economic
about
improving
U.S-Mexico projects between Mexico and the U.S.
Students from MEChA will hold a
relations by bringing out common
threads between the two countries breakfast for Cardenas at La Fonda
such as culture, education, and Restaurant at 9 a.m. on Nov. 15,
before his 10 a.m. presentation at
economics.
Cardenas is the son of the late the university.
A room had not been secured for
Lazaro Cardenas who is regarded by
historians as one of Mexico's best the speech at the time La Voz went
to press, but once it is confirmed, it
presidents since Juares and Lerdo,
His father, was interested in the will be publicized.
While in Fresno, Cardenas will
welfare of
the common people,
ByAIRobles
factory workers and farmers. Support also speak to the farm workers at
Staff Writer
Radio
was demonstrated by pushing the Plaza Chihuahua, to
agrarian program and always Bilingiie at 5 p.m., appear live on
A new dimension has been added
expressing sympathy to the wave of KFIV-TV channel 21 at 6p.m., and to the cancer cluster epidemic
strikes.
Lazaro
Cardenas' will conclude his visit with a public afflicting many San Joaquin Valley
administration is well-remembered assembly at 7 p.m. at Cine Mexico.
towns in recent years. The latest has
been discovered in Earlimart where
six children have been diagnosed
with cancer in the last five years,
including one child who died last
spring. State health officials have
confirmed the latest cluster as being
regarding their respective graduat four to eight times the normal rate
,.:By Yol.inda Murillo;'
schools, financial aid, arid any othe relative to
the
town's size.
Sta Writer
.
questions students may hav Earlimart has a population of 5,500.
if. .,A:iworkshop designed,:to·encou.rage. reg*ding. . .· .. .,P~~J-p?.ccalaurea~. Earlimart is located in Tulare
\G~~~a110 anfii C?,ther\md~.iiiepresentec:i . education. . ... . . . . •· .
.. County about 20 miles north of
:' sfu.dents to ~onsid,er d,~cforafstucUes, .....}1i\l~ "a .great opportunity, Ybarr" McFarland where 16 children have
for 'Chi~·m os ·interested· .. •· been diagnosed with cancer since
1983 eight of whom have died.
McFarland has about 6,000 residents,
1
mostly Chicano/Mexicano farmworkers.
.c~eiit·g~aduate stud~n~,
mike stµd~nts .t~: ~tt~in .fu~#(4octot,~te.s
The United Farm Workers union
. resen·tations and answer u·estlons" due to the.national disparities.
·· was the first to announce Earlimart's
By Hector Amezcua

Photo courtesy of Victor Almum, UFW

Earlimart stricken by
new cancer cluster

;:11~~fi'if~if,t1t~~fe3r~l11S'
·iwfif~fheJ4/(?°~(•2~·,• ~tiz;3pp~~/}Ipi: sa'fa)t•·

!l\i~~l!it~i!~i~~t1:,~{fi:,!~~~~t;~: ;~
wtµ

cancer cluster during a press
conference held in Delano on Sept.
14. According to Dr. Marion Moses, an
environmental specialist and UFW
consultant, the union became aware
of the Earlimart cancers in August
when they were contacted by one of
the town's parents.
She was later contacted by UFW'
president Cesar Chavez who has
interviewed the parents of the
afflicted
children.
The
UF\V
attributes the cause of the cancers to
the use of toxic pesticides on
California table grapes which the
UFW' has boycotted nationwide,
since 1984.
The UFW has been criticized by
grower organizations who claim that
the causes of valley-wide cancers
have not been determined, and that
no proof exists to link them with
pesticides. Growers_ have also
accused the union of exploiting the

See UFW, pa e 7

.

Page2

Monday, October 16, 1989

La Voz de Aztlan

• EDITORIALS • OPINIONS • LETTERS • EDITORIALS • OPINIONS • LETTERS •
There were a few events that occured
last week that have La Voz de Aztlan
concerned.
It started on Monday when The Daily
Collegian
Editor-in-Chief Michael S.
Green came out with an editorial which
said, in essence, that the minority student
newspaper editions, including our paper,
Hye Sharzoom and Uhuru Na Umoja,
were created at a time of "racial tension,
and social unrest," and that now that
"times have changed," a reevaluation of
the newspaper's existence was necessary.
That was only Monday.
On Tuesday, we learned that most of
the Reality senators came out as a block
against the ASI committee appointments
of several people of color claiming that
these people were too unqualified to be
involved with student government.
Then came Wednesday. The Collegian
Editor Green decided to rewrite his
opinion, clear it up as it were, so that
those against him would be able to more
easily articulate their grievances, and
those in support of his position could be
more vehemently so.
Then he went on to explain that he
never actually meant to imply that he
was not in support of the minority
newspaper ¢itions, but rather he feels
that it is hi~ time they go out on their
own, and that other students, like
fraternities ave as much right to have a
newspaper . Chicanos, and African
Americans, \the two most under
represented groups on campus.

He further stated that La Voz and the other
newspapers, though they have come a long way, are
not up to the standards, to the truth, that the
Collegian responsibly reports.
This revised or clarified opinion of Green,
ironically enough, was on page two of a pap~r that
had as it's two top stories, the controversy m the
ASI concerning the blocking of the personnel
committee appointments. These two story's were on
the front page.
In one of the articles, the Collegian did not once

little better.
What La Voz questions, is why they
were separate articles. In doing that the
Collegian takes a stand by saying that the
charges of racism from Unity-SRG
members, were only that, charges.
Because if it were true, if it were a
question of racism, why did they need two
separate stories on the same event? Why
leave out the charges of racism that UnitySRG claimed on one, but on both include
the charges Reality made?
Could Green's opinion and editorial
decision to have two separate stories
reflect the attitude of a cartoon that
appeared in it's editorial page on Oct. 3?
In this cartoon several different members
of various ethnic gruops are standing
together. The caption reads, "one solution
to the naming problem," and all the
individual names are crossed out and are
replaced by one "American."
Why can't we all just be Americans?
Well, this would be possible if every one
in the world were Mike S. Green.

mention the fact that the issue was racism. It stated
thoroughly the arguments of the Reality senators,
but it did not accurately report the counter
arguments.
The other top story ~./'!;;~dnesclay in the Collegian
covered the charges of radsm and repeated the
Reality charges of biased appointments. It was a

Then we could all lov~ each other. But
that's just ~.1ot the way it is. There are real
people and real policies that are racist.
Thursday was quiet, but on Friday we
learned of the GLBSA booth, and we knew
that the attacks were real.

I

Letters to the editor
Editors,
Combattng racism and sexism is
beyond tlte-:--intellectual grasp of
many people. The tack is, "Ignore it,
it will go away." This is the cry of
the coward. Still, it's offensive to
have someone who isn't like them in
an influential position. Scott Vick is
this type of coward. He can't handle
the concept that there might be
someone who isn't white and male
and have a constructive idea. Would
he have gotten himself arrested for
something he believed in? No,
cowards never do. But is he really
the villian?
Harold Haak is. Vick is just a cog
in the racist/ sexism machine, never
challenging his own thoughts.
Harold Haak isn't. He is in charge.
He is to make sure that CSUF is the
best it can be. What has he done? He

Mr. Chacon [contributing editor],
This letter is concerning [Daniel
Chacon's column that appeared in La
Voz de Aztlan
Sept. 19, 1989]
entitled, "Do you have the blood?"
I was disgusted reading your very
charming phrase in the very first
paragraph, "much like a baby white
seal being killed in the snow." Do
you know that you just blew your
whole article to pieces with that one
phrase? Who in the hell do you
think you are talking about noble
causes such as - the United Farm
Workers, when you trivialize the
issue of animal sufferings and
massacres?
Coming originally from Indian
ancestry, you should have studied up
on the Indian philosphy on living in
harmonyy with nature. Intelligent
and sensitive people respect all
living beings. You obviously are not
one of the intelligent and sensitive.
Tell me, what is the difference
between Dolores_ Huerta being
clubbed bloody by policeman and an

allows Vick to teach there!
Racism/ sexism isn't just occasional
stupid remarks, it's a way of
thinking, and teachers influence how
their students think. A task force is
worthless if racism/ sexism is
sanctiolied by the powers that be.
Maybe it isn't literally Haak's job to
hire or fire people, but he is still the
person ultimately responisble. H he
was really intent on fighting racism
and sexism, he wouldn't just appoint
a task force, he would act, and Vick
would be looking for another job. Has
he?
Who is more dangerous, the
unthinking racist/ sexist, or the
thinking racist/sexist. Would Haak
get arrested for what he believed in.
Probably. Governor George Wallace
almost did.

A Vigil of Unity
MONDAY• OCTOBER 16TH
11 AM
FREE SPEECH AREA
Show your support for all civil rights by attending this vigil.
Speakers from campus organizations concerned with
discriminiation, harassment, intimidation and violence
toward students will speak. A repainting of the G. L. B.S.A
booth will take place immediately following the vigil.

Douglas Miller
innocent harp seal being clubbed
bloody by the fur and leather
industries? Answer: one is just as
disgustingly
inhumane
and
thoughtless as the other. Besides
animals have the original right to
inhabit this planet. They were here
millions of years before man (who in
turn is leaving his mark by polluting
rivers and the air, destroying species
faster than they can be counted, even
turning on himself in the forms of
war, racism and sexism). You should
brush up on your evolution.
Finally, someone as unenlightened
and ignorant as you shouldn't even be
writing for this paper. If you really
cared about human rights, you
wouldn't be against our other
companions and inhabitants of this
earth. However, you are definitely
in the minority (Thank God). People
are finally taking an active interest
in the environment, and the
movement
has
become
~
widespread.
Kristi Hutchison

Sponsored by G.L.B.S.A., Unity/SRG, MECHA., LASC, Women's
Alliance, and University Democrats

r~::=~::!:~;!:::::::;1:;::~\f iWf afa\iteWif'i
Staff Writers - Hector Amezcua, James I. Carrasco, Daniel Chacon,
Eloy Garcia, Laura Hernandez, Lisa Moreno, Al Robles and Jill Soltero
Photo Editor - Hector Amezcua
Photographer - Laura Hernandez
Staff Artist- Jim Marquez
The staff of Ia Voz de Aztlan would like to thank: Mark Mirko, Todd
Heth, Devin Swisher, Thor Swift, Alita Loe, and Michael S. Green,
all of The Daily Collegian. La Voz de Aztlan welcomes reader
response. Please send letters of no more than 250 words to: Ia Voz de

l__

:.,:_:_t_;_i.:,:_:_:_!_;,:

~==~-

~;::~;;I~~~;

Building: Fresno, Calif., 93740. The opinioos published on this page are not necessarily
those of the Aseociated Students, Inc, Tht Daily Colkgum or IA Voz ~ Azt14n and its
staff. Unsigned editorials are the majority opinion of the paper's editiorial board.

=:::::::-------------------L_a_Vi_oz_d_e_A_z__t__Ia~'n~---

Monday, October 16, 1989

Page 3

GLBSA members come out for a day
By Louis Cazares

(ASI) by unanimous voice vote took a
step
themselves
by
officially
recognizing and endorsing NCOD and
GLBSA.
The ASI also recognizes that
homophobia exists on our campus.
You _might ask 'Why do Gays and
Lesbians need a special day?" The
answer to that question came, not for
the first time, on Oct. 13, when the
GLBSA booth was attacked with
spray-painted, anti-gay epithets.
The paint on the booth can be
covered, but the ignorant remarks
about gays spreading AIDS reminds
us that homophobia continues to
plague CSUF. In 1987, the booth was
burned to the ground creating a
threatening environment for Gay ,
Lesbians, their friends, and families
here at CSUF.
Homophobia is partly responsible
for keeping 90 percent of the gay
population
in
the
closet.
Homophobia not only affects Gays
and Lesbians, but also their friends
and families, as well as those
perceived to be Gay or Lesbian.
With only 10 percent of the gay
population (which is 10 percent or
more of the U.S. population) openly
gay, this weakens our visibility on

Guest Columnist
This year the Gay Lesbian
Bisexual Student Alliance (GLBSA)
has taken a more social direction
with the club providing social events
for members and all other students as
well.
The GLBSA also promotes
AIDS awareness (Education and
Prevention) and provides free
pamphlets to all students.
On Oct. 11, students of the GLBSA
celebrated National Coming Out
Day (NCOD) celebration similar
to that of the Cinco De Mayo or the
Fourth of July. Along with a bake
sale and meeting that night,
members of GLBSA and its supporters
wore pink or lavender shirts to show
support for Lesbian and Gay presence

a

atCSUF.
This visibility represents a step
out of the closet - the primary goal
of NCOD which provides a vehicle
for closeted gay men and lesbian
women to take one step further in
revealing their sexual orientation.
This step could be a small one, such
as checking out gay and lesbian
literature from the library, or it
could be as great a step as "coming
out" to family and friends.
On Tuesday, Oct.
10, the
Associated Student Incorporated

GLBSA members Carmen Thomas, Dean Ellensbuch, and Davey
distribute information at their booth, hours after it was spraypainted with homophobic epitephs.
Hector Amezcua/La VozdeAztlan

See Cazares, page 7

let's call it what it really is: ugly and smelly
something other than racism. They
By Daniel Chacon

Contributing Editor

call it politics or something else.

The controversy of last week's
senate meeting was one of racism.
One may not have realized this by
reading the recent Collegian article
"Calls
Unmade:
Reality
Feels
slighted" by Johanna Munoz. The
article, for some reason, probably a
strained attempt to be objective, left
out what the controversy was about.
The entire meeting was about racism.
For the first time in CSUF history,
people
of
color
and
other
traditionally
under-represented
students, are becoming involved in
student government (ASI). In the
past, there have been Chicano and
African American senators and
committee members, but never in
proportion to their numbers on
campus. Rarely have there ever been
any non-white and non-conservative
students
appointed
to
the
"important" ASI committees, like
finance and budget.
In the past, . students who have
been interested in becoming active in
student govPmment, would fill out an
application for a committee, and
+-hen set up a meeting with the ASI
personnel committee. They would be
recommended to the senate for a
certain committee and the senate
would confirm the appointments. No
problem. It went smoothly cv~ry
year.
This year, however, many people
of color, encouiaged by the election of
two Chicana women to the top
executive spots, president and vke
president, have been trying to join
committees. And this year, for
reasons they say have nothing to do

I want to talk about racism. I'm not
going to speak out against it, and
explain why it's bad. I'm just.going to
assume that you already know that,
and I will further assume that
anyone who doesn't feel that racism
is destructive, would be far too
myopic to read La Voz, unless of
course you are an actual practicing
racist and are reviewing the
literature of your enemy, for
intelligence purposes. In that case:
screwyou!
What I want to say about racism is
not that it's bad, but rather that it is
widely spread, or as Harold Haak
said, it permeates our society and our
campus. It becomes part of our social
landscape, and somehow we neglect
to recognize it for what it really is.
Racism can be subtle or blatant.
When it's subtle, it hides behind
such euphemisms as "good" schools,
meaning white schools, and bad
schools, meaning minority schoo s; or
a "safe" neighborhood, meaning a
white neighborhood. TI1ose who use
these descriptions are not necessarily
racist (we find ourselves using them
too). They are at most, racially
insensitive.
Racism can be subtle. Well hidden.
So much so, that when it is pointed
out. you still may not be able to
recognize 1t for what it is.
Fine.
Let's talk about blatant racism.
Racism that stands out like a big
dead fish, bloated red and purple on
a white, sandy beach. It's ugly and it
smells, but for some reason, those
who impose it and those who with racism, 10 members of the
maintain it, and even those who senate, nine of them white and one of
witness and report it, call it them the possible voice and vote of

the

administration,

have

unilaterally
decided
that
the
personnel committee was letting
through a few too many dark faces the faces that have been locked out
in the past, either by intimidation or
outright
refusal
by
white
conservative students to appoint
minorities to key positions.
Of course, these 10 senators use a
euphemism too. They say that it's
not because there are a lot of
minorities being appointed to
committes this year. That's not why
they
want
to
block
the
appointments. They say rather, that
it is because they are appointing too
many "unqualified" students.
What does "unqualified" mean?
The people who have been
appointed in the past were
presumably qualified enough. There
was never any problem. Not only
were they qualified, they were
white, they were conservative, and
they were members of the Reality
party.
Their logic apparently follows
that they are not racist because they
do appoint minorities, as long as
they are "qualified," which means
they do not care about the social ills
and that they are, like Mike Espino,
members of Reality.
Students at last week's meeting
were concerned with the decision by
these 10 senators to block the
committee appointments, so they
packed the senate gallery. They are
unwilling
to
further
tolerate
exclusive policies; policies that keep
them alienated; policies that shut
them out; policies that say they are
not "qualified" enough to be
involved; policies that say their
budget has to be cut while others are
being increased;
policies
that
tolerate an environment of racism by
turning a blind eye to KKI<

gatherings on campus, and pejorative
slogans being hung on booths; policies
that are, in fact, racist.
I don't know The Collegian didn't
mention this in thier article. They
reported that 10 senators accused
the personnel committee of violating
the bylaw codes set out for them fo
follow. But as senator Stacy Green
pointed out, not one of the
accusations could be supported in
fact.
Even though it is so blatant, the 10
senators who are making deliberate
attempts to block the personnel
committee appointments, can it
something else other than racism. Is
it possible that they don't really
know?
Nicole Kasabian: Do you know ) ou
are supporting racists policies? 1 he>
single most far-reach 'ng effect cf
your
decision
to
block
:i
appointments,
is
to
le, ve
traditionally
under-represer ted
groups of students out of the P c.:1.
Period.
Kathi Machado; Do you know :ou
are supporting racist policies? 0
are, I am sure, not a racist, and /.,
are deserving of the respect of yo r
peers. But it is time for you to st
that the policies you dvance are, d£
facto, racist. It's leaving minori J
students out, just like last year'
attempt by Reality members to tak
the power away from the ASI
president-elect and vice presidentelect.
Jeff Anderson: Did you know you
are ..., oh never mind. I'm sure you
know what you're doing.
But for the rest of you, it's time to
wake up. How can you let students be
excluded from the ASI, or witness it,
and not call it anything but what it

is?

Racism. Uglyandsmelly.

Pa e4

Monda ,October 16, 1989

rom
By George Martinez
Special to I.a Voz de Azt14n
In the last issue of La Voz, I told
of the Sister City Project's efforts to
build a school in Telpaneca and an
encounter with an FSLN
reprnentative. The following is the
secmul part of a three part series,
whett five CSUF students talk with
Sandinista soldiers, a Telpanecan
elementary school teacher, and
members of the local government.
11re five of us were invited and
participate in the inauguration of
the newly-built school.
The soldiers camped on the top of
a mountain overlooking the
community, ready to reix:}
encroachments from the Contras. We
were told that there had not been
any war-related activity for three
years. On another occasion though,
we heard mention of an attack that
took place not more than a year ago,
which ended in several fatalities.
Reminders of Contra invasions
were visible from the school site. On
the opposite mountainside stood
many houses inhabited by displared
local civilians whose homes and
villages had been destroyed by the
Contras.
There were 15 Sandinista soldiers
standing guard, including 10 from the
surrounding community. We asked
about their service in the army.
~y served for two years, first in
the mountains where the Contras
attack. Thereafter each soldier
rotated every three months in the
urban areas of Nicaragua.
Sandinista soldiers who defend
the Nicaraguan "pueblo" or people
are referred to as the "vanguardia."
To the vanguardia, service in the
army is a social responsibility- a
definite contibution to the
advancement of the revolutionary

process.
While in Managua, I remember
many proud young men displayed Tshirts asserting '1 have served in the
army." They had loyally protected
the sovereignty of their "patria," or
fatherland.
The soldiers we talked with told
of atrocities committed by the
Contras, fonner members of Somoza's
brutally repres.5ive National Guard.
They also described weaknesses
inherent in the counterrevolutionary forces.
The Contras, we wei:e told,
castrated male captives, raped
female civilians, and displayed the
heads of decapitated leaders.
Along with commanders of the
Sandinista army, teachers, doctors,
community development
coordinators, and other key
community members were targets for
the most atrocious methods of
destruction by the Contras.
Moreover, they mutilated bodies, as
a threat to others, and they forcibly
"recrmt" physically fit men and
women into their death squads.
Those who did not fall into this
catego y were literally disposed of,
according to the Sandinista soldier
we spoke with.
It felt strange listening to this
testimony knowing that my US. tax
dollars were funding the so called
"freedom fighters" much lauded by
the Reagan and Bush
administrations.
One soldier told us of a ''mission"
to propagandize the Contra-waged
war. A journalist from the United
States, he explained, was to travel

La Voz de Aztlan

resno
with a platoon of Contras and record,
in writing and with photographs,
the victories of the troops. After the
many losses sustained by this
platoon of Contras, the journalist
began taking pictures of the slain
Contra troops, to later depict them
as defeated Sandinista troops.
The journalist sent the photos and
stories back as "evidence" that the
Contra effort was indeed effective.
This testimony came from one of the
soldiers in the troop who was
incorporated into ~e Sandinista
struggle after escaping, as many
others had, the much hated and
unpopular Contras. This is a clear
example of the misinformation
call)paign waged by the U.S.
government to purge support for the
Contras.
The people of Telpaneca
expressed hatred for the Contras. I
was told by one of the campesinos
(farm workers) "that the Contras are
waging war from outside of our
country is proof of their non-existent
support from the people here."
Historically, popular wars have
been waged from within the mother
country and with support from the
masses. Neither of these conditions
exist for the Contras.
He continued, "the brutal
repression suffered at the hands of
the Guardia," Contras, formerly
members of Somoza's now-exiled
National Guard, '1eft a legacy of
hatred for them which will never
dissapear." The National Guard, or
"Guardia," was established in 1927,
under the leadership of Anastasio
Somoza Garcia. Since then, they
were utilized as an instrument by the
Somozan dictators to suppress
civilian uprisings.
July 13wewere invited to dinner
by one of the teachers in Telpaneca.
She expressed the gratitude members
from the community extended to us
and introduced us to her parents,
sisters, and children. We were
served sweet bread and rich
Nicaraguan coffee, and then chicken
and rice as the main dish. She asked
us how the project was started in
Fresno and we asked her about the
local school system. She told us she
enjoyed teaching elementary school
children. Her patience for our
muddled Spanish and her charm
were indicative of the reasons she
chose to teach.
We asked her how governmentsponsored educational reforms were
implemented in Telpaneca. She told
us that Popular Education
Collectives, or "CEPs," exist, where
one person coordinates and supervises
the implementation of study groups
in the community, others train to
te~ch, and neighborhood study
groups meet at a specified house
where they are taught how to read
and write.
In 1980, one year after the
Sandinista revolution, Nicaragua
launched the National Literacy
Crusade, the most successful
educational reform effort in the
Western Hemisphere, inc.i--easing the
literacy rate from 12.96 percent to
50.37 percent in the first year alone.
The literacy rate now stands at 80
percent, boosted by the involvement
of high school and college students in
this national effort to eradicate
illiteracy.
She stated, however, that for
many children, especially those in
rural areas of Nicaragua, the high
cost of pencils and notebooks keeps
many from going to school. The

economic boycott sponsored by the
United States, which includes the
blocking of Nicaragua's loan
applications to international
lending institutions, has struck a
severe blow to the educational
reform effort, making it difficult to
acquire such basic materials as
pencils, notebooks and printing
supplies.
Saturday evening there was to be
a special dinner in honor of the
solidarity work that the Sister City

·.

-....

i

I

_.# 1A!i

'-(

r
~

Municipal," a plan for communiry
development. Other members of
community agreed with the plan
which included increased prod
of coffee (which had lagged intte
past five years), more livestock
irrigation equipment to produ~
grains, and vehicles to transport
foodstuffs from the crops to
the community and to the
marketplace.
Many of the workers eagerly
described the process of the

\

." .

('kDUt-~~

·,

I

......:....~

OCEANO PACIFICO

project was undertaking. We had
been told that this would be an
opportunity to acquaint ourselves
with the leaders of the community,
including FSI.N representatives,
local councilmembers, agricultural
cooperative coordinators, the
minister of education, and other key
indivudals.
Ramon, the mayor of Telpaneca,
and "Blackbird," a candidate for
mayor, were there, along with other
leaders and members of the
community.
While we had dinner, we
discussed the functions of the local
government. In Telpaneca there are
10 councilmembers, including the
mayor.Weleamedthatonce
elected, this body identifies 10
projects to improve the community,
and resolves to implement the five
most needed and attainable.
Blackbird told us about the
''Pedimientos del Consejo

agricultural cooperatives and t!-f
struggle of increasing production
with worn out, obsolete fann
equipment. This was another ,
crippling blow inflicted by the U
economic embargo imposed on
Nicaragua, preventing the pur
of better equipment to increase
agricu ltura] production.
After dinner we were taken to
"Balkanes," a restaurant with a
dance floor. We were follow€<H,
parade of people ·who had seen u
five "Norte-americanos," for the
first time in their community. .
were many children dancing· .
We were amazed at the uninhib1
joy displayed by the children of
Telpaneca. We joined the festi~e
crowd, others continually making
their way toward the dance floor,
After awhile the music stopped
Ramon addressed an attentive
audience.
He spoke about the value of~

La VozdeAztlan

aneca,
new school we had helped build. He
said to the crowd, "our compafieros
and compaii.eras from Fresno have
realized their solidarity with
Nicaragua by helping to build a new
school for our children."
He continued, ''Many people
express their solidarity through
words alone, but words vanish like
the wind. Our devoted brothers and
sisters from Fresno have completed a
concrete deed, they have lent their
labor of love to assist in the

the complete liberation of
Nicaragua. I stated that Nicaragua
is a shining example of liberation to
be followed by other countries in
Central America who suffer the rule
of propped up puppet-dictatorships.
After all the speeches were given,
we drank, danced and shared more
time with our new friends.
Our last day in Telpaneca, July 16,
was the day to inaugurate the newlybuilt elementary school. At about 3
p.m. that Sunday, we set up a table

,,
/

OCEANO A TLANTJCO

development of our community. For
this we owe them our heart felt
gratitude."
He further stated, 'This is a
brave deed, in view of the fact that
the U.S. government detests the type
of support that our friends from
Fresno have provided. This is a clear
indication that popular sentiment in
the population of the United States
is that our cause is just and that
peace shall prevail in Nicaragua."
Members from the local
government tnelc askPd me to say cl
i~w words on behalf of our
delegation. I told the audience that
the construction of the school, by
itself, was not as important as the
potential force that will be derived
from the structure. I stressed the
importance of education in the
development of the revolution.
In the schools, I said, exists the
opportunity for future leaders to
emerge and continue the struggle for

inside the school with punch and
sweet bread. As the children
gathered around, we poured punch
and handed out the sweet bread.
Once the children were served,
two teachers spoke of their gratitude
for the new school and led the
children and parents in singing the
FSLN hymn. After that, children
performed dances and one girl, Sonia,
recited a poem dedicated to "mis
hermanos de Fresno cm, todo carifto/'
entitled 10 Aniversario,
commemorating the 10th
anniversary of Nicaragua's day of
liberation, July 19,1979.
After the children performed, the
"politicos" of Telpaneca, Ramon and
Teodoro, the minister of education,
recited speeches praising the work
we had accomplished. Teodoro was
especially moving, speaking almost
with tears in his eyes, possibly
expressing that words were not
enough to convey his and the

Monday, October 16, 1989

Page 5

■

1cara
community's appreciation for our
worthwhile endeavor. Afterward
we ate dinner, danced, and said .
goodbye to the people of Telpaneca,
Nicaragua.
The next morning we traveled to
Managua, Nicaragua's capital,
where we spent the following week.
We arrived in Managua,
Nicaragua's capital, on Monday,
July 17, two days before the 10th
anniversary of Nicaragua's day of
liberation. While in Managua, we
participated in the celebration of
the 10th anniversary of the
Sandinista revolution and attended
a convention held for international
solidarity workers.
Daniel Ortega, commander in
chief and president of Nicaragua,
spoke at both events. We also
visited the Museo de La Revolucion,
the National Palace, the PlazaParque Carlos Fonseca Amador, and
the International Book Fair,
Everywhere there were murals of
Augusto Sandino, Carlos Fonseca,
and the various symbols used for
every year of the revolution. The
1989 symbol for the revolution is the
number 10 with the zero shaped like
a heart. Beneath the symbol was a
patriotic proclamation, "Jamas hubo
tanta patria en un corazon," or never
has there been so much fatherland in
one heart.
On Tuesday we visited the Museo
de La Revolucion. We learned about
Augusto Cesar Sandino, Carlos
Fonseca Amador, and other leaders
of the revolutionary vanguard who
waged war against the Somozan
dictators. The history of Nicaragua
was revealed through documents,
photographs, weapons and clothing.
One graph showed a long pattern
of foreign intervention in Nicaragua,
while another listed the
accumulated wealth of an early
Somoz.an dictator, including jewelry
stores, large estates, and bloated
bank accounts.
Their were brief histories of the
many martyrs of the revolution,
describing their incorporation into
the Sandinista struggle, tracing the
decisive role each of them played in
strategic battles.
The more detailed exhibits were
of Sandino and Fonseca, displaying
numerous photographs of the two
heroic martyrs of the Sandinista
revolution. Included in this
collection was the famous
revolutionary pose of Sandino, with
guerilla uniform and visible
ammunition belts-a picture
transposed onto many houses and
buildings throughout Nicaragua.
Inside a glass display case stood a
leather jacket once worn by Sandino,
another showed a suit once worn by
Commandante Carlos Fonseca
Amador.
We learned much about Sandino
and Fonseca. Anyone professing
knowledge of the plight of
Nicaragua should begin with the
history of these two fascinating
individuals in order to comprehend
the reverance Nicaraguan's have for
them and the "frente," as ma..'1.v
commonly refer to Nicaragua's
governing political party, the FSLN.
Augusto Cesar Sandino, father of
the popular, anti-imperialist
revolution, led successful efforts,
along with other leaders of the
Guerra Constitucionalista and the
Army in Defense of Sovereign
Nicaragua, to repel invasions from
the United States from 1926 until
February 21,1934, when he was

assassinated by the order of
Anastasio Somoza Garcia, then
commander in chief of the National
Guard, the "Contras" of the present.
In July of 1927, Sandino set forth
the ''Manifesto" for the liberation of
Nicaragua, proclaiming: "To
Nicaragua, to all of Central
America, to all of the Mestizo
people, before the country and before
history, with my sword, I vow to
defend the honor of my homeland
and to liberate the oppressed." In
another declaration, Sandino said
'We will progress toward the
shining light of liberty or to our
death; and if we fall, our struggle
will continue. There will be others
who will follow our path."
Sandino's deeds served as
inspiration for those who have
waged war against the historical
legacy of repression by the Somozan
dictators. His battle cry ''Patria
Libre O Morir" (''Free Homeland or
Death") has been adopted by the
Nicaraguan vanguardia, who
continue to wage war against foreign
intervention. The people there
express, with pride, that they are
the children of Sandino.
Carlos Fonseca Amador was one of
the founding fathers of the FSLN,
established in 1961. In the
beginning, many of the FSLN
organizers sought to consolidate the
revolutionary forces under the
auspices of the National Liberation
Front. But Fonseca, well known for
his charisma, tenacity, and
revolutionary zeal, asserted that
the legacy of Sandino must not be
forgotten. Fonseca claimed that
Sandino's name should be expressed
in the new organization if they
hoped for popular support and
eventual triumph. He was able to
convince the others to forge a
coalition of fighters under the new
banner of liberty, the Frente
Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional.
Sandino's revolutionary ideas
were evident in Carlos Fonseca
Amador's declaration: "Only the
workers and laborers have the
capacity to struggle until the end
against imperialism and its local
political representatives." Fonseca
crystallized the tenet for revolution,
that the workers and the laborers
are the fundamental driving force
from which the struggle to liberate
Nicaragua shall be launched. This
idea, Fonseca claimed, must be
adopted by the revolu tionary
movement for popular support.
Fonseca's strategy for victory was
capsuled in his historic statement:
"In the economic, social, and
political conditions of Nicaragua,
armed struggle is the only vehicle to
progress towards the revolutionary
transformation of a new society."
Fonseca echoed Sandino's idea that
"Liberty is not conquered with
flowers but with bullets." The
initial offensives would be directed
by guerrilla columns, fighting for
national liberation, buil ing a solid
base of support, suffic
from
which to defend natir· .a.I
sovereignty.
Nicaraguans have made
exhaustive efforts to peacefully
resolve social problems in their
country, however, the violent
reaction these efforts provoked
forced many civilians to take up
w

,

See Telpaneca, page 8

P~ge 6

Monday, October 16, 1989

La Voz de Aztlan

CLAS chair is woman of the year
By Eloy Garcia

Staff Writer
Dr. Lea Ybarra, coordinator of the
Chicano and Latin American Studies
Program, was named Fresno's 1989
Business/Professional Woman of the
Year . The annual award,which is
based on professional accomplishments, community contributions and
service as a role model, was awarded
Oct.10.
''I felt really excited because the
list
of
finalists
was
really
impressive." Out of the 160 women
that were nominated for the award,
ten were chosen as semi-finalists.
"Anybody on that list would have
been really good," said Ybarra. "So
many of us have had
to
struggle...over
difficult
obstacles...As long as we struggle
successfully to try to combine family
and careers and we survive, th~n I
think we're all winners."
The Woman of the Year award,
sponsored by the Youth Women's
Christian Association (YWCA) and
The Fresno Bee, is only the latest of
numerous awards that Ybarra has
earned during her 17-year teaching
career. Others include, the 1983
Hispanic of the Year Award for
Outstanding Service in Education,
and the CSU Exceptional Merit

Service Award for
Excellence
in
Teaching
and
Community Service
for 1984, and 1987.
"I feel
fulfilled
doing a
lot of
different
things,"
said Ybarra. Along
with
being
the
assistant to the dean
for the school of
social sciences as
well as chair of the
Chicano and Latin
American
Studies
Program, she is the
mother of two.
"It's difficult. My
daughter demands a
lot of attention right
now, because she's
three
years
old.

Laura Hernandez/LA Vaz ru Aztldn

Lea Ybarra credits a su

Sometimes she says, 'Mommy, read
me this book.' I have to remind
myself- I say, you know what, she's
little, and I'm only going to have her
little for awhile, so I put away my
work and I read her a story. Anyone
who has children can relate to the
fact that when a child says 'read me
a story, they mean four, five or six
books."
Ybarra spoke of her tradition of
family support. "My parents always

for her success.

let us know that they were very
poor ...but we always knew that
regardless of whatever sacrifices
they had to make, we were going to
go on to school," she said.
Ybarra also credits activism for
her success. She has been an activist
since the late '60s, when she was a
sociology student at U.C. Berkeley.
Whether in the community or at
school, she said she has always felt
a need to get involved. "If you stand

up for your beliefs, people may not
necessarily like you, and many of
them really don't agree with you,
but they're at least going to respect
you.
Ybarra said, "I've never been
afraid to speak up when I thought
there was a wrong that had been
commited, either as a student or as a
professor. I know I heard some
people say, 'Well, no if you're not
tenured, you shouldn't speak up. You
may not get tenure.' And I always
thought, well, if I speak up and I
don't get tenure then I don't want to
be on this campus, if the only way I
can do it is to be quiet and assume the
status quo."
Activism, she explained, has
helped her to be more perceptive and
a better person.
"I really cannot understand how
people can go to a job or to school and
then go back home at five o'clock or
six o'clock and not worry about
what's happening in the world
around them.
'1 mean everything is political the air we breath, the kind of
education our children get, whether
our streets are swept once a week by
the city or whether you're in a poor
barrio where the streets are never
swept, whether there's lighting in

See YBARRA, page 8

Keeping tradition alive at the Met
'Noche de Muertos," which pictures
a Mexican woman and her small
child, sleeping at the foot of the
Contributing Editor
alter she erected in her home,
presumably
welcoming the spirit of
Artes Americas celebrated the
opening of the fifth annual Dia de her dead husband and father to her
los Muertos art exhibit at the Fresno child. The painting is by Esperanza
Martinez of Los Angeles.
Metropolitan Museum on Oct 12.
Other displays included the little
The exhibit, which will run now
through Nov. 8, includes authentic skeleton figures, or calacas, playing
Mexican alters erected for the visits mucical instuments and dancing.
'The day blends Indian and
of the dead, as well other Chicano
art, such as the noted painting, Spanish religious tradition," said
By Daniel Chacon

David Rodriguez, president of Artes
Americas and director of Teatro de
Las Cucarachas. ''It's suppose · to
reunite the soul of your lost ancestors,
so you can do high energy things for
your family," said Rodriguez.
Pedro Guzman, who has been in
the United States for 10 years said
that his family never celebrated it
back in Mexico. "I don't really know
that much about it. Most of what I
know I'm learning here."
Fresnan Mary Lou Martinez said

that the day is important for it's
cultural value, and will probably
always be celebrated.
"Hispanic people," said Martinez,
"don't let their traditions die."
Nancy Marquez, coordinator of
last week's opening, said that Artes
Americas takes advantage of this
cultural
tradition
to
display
Chicano art. 'There's just not enough
Chicano artists being viewed," she
said.

Benavidez elected new state MAPA president
In early August, the statewide
Mexican
American
Political
Association
(MAPA)
held
its
convention in Sacramento to ele('t its
new board of officers. Fresno's MAPA
Del Valle president, Be Ber
Jez,
was elected state MAPA preside tin
a run-off election against Julio
Calderon. Bena·ridez has long been
active in ocal politics and an
advocate
of
e ucational
development.
In defining the significance of his
election, Benavidez saw it as a
victory for the winning slate which
represents "the progressive element"
within the MAPA statewide body.
''The issues regarding education
and empowerment of Raza," said
Benavidez, "ha re
-von in thjs
£.lectio1 •. The slat tl at came u~ of
this election is made up of very good
people who are now positioned to
make some sweeping changes in the
'business as usual' stance which has
held back the organization."
Benavidez was also confident that
the new board will set an important
direction in MAPA for the next 10
years in light of the "rollback of

Reagan/Bush years.
The campaign steering committee
was made up of present and past
MEChistas who've done some great
work lobbying on my behalf."
Benavidez
described
MEChA's
support as "decisive" in securing the
margin of victory for himself and
others on the slate.
The new statewide MAPA board
includes Genaro Valdez, first vice
president; Teresa Montano, second
vice president; and Oscar Delao,
treasurer.
Benavidez identified educational
development and reform throughout
the state as one of the prime areas of
importance for MAPA to address.
"There's a great deal of work that
needs to be done to make California's
educational system more accountable
to the needs of its students. Cultural
pluralism is a reality that our
school~ have yE>t to catch up with in
aus srale. ·rnere's a great deal that
can be done to make its delivery more
equitable in this area, not the least
of which includes affirmative
action," Benavidez said.
Other issues MAPA Del Valle has
dealt with include immigration
reform, farm worker rights, pesticide
poisonings, and the cancer cluster
· tragl'dies that have stricken many

dvil rights legislation" during the

valley towns such as McFarland,

By Al Robles

Staff Writer

Fowler,
and
Earlimart,
which
Benavidez defined as "very real
human rights issues that will
continue to demand our attention
throughout the '90s."
As co-chair of the Fresno Rainbow
Coalition Benavidez saw his new
role in MAPA as an opportunity to
assert a Rainbow agenda at an
enhanced level.
"I think my position in the
Rainbow is much more significant
now because I have the base of power
from which to advance the politics
at a substantial level and that adds
up to real people power," said
Benavidez. He also credited the
Rainbow philosophy as a foundation
for his activist life.
"Networking and coalescingwith
other organizations with similar
grass roots politics and objectives are
necessary for building a powerful
community ½ase which is tl-e
foundation to advancing one's issues.
This ultimately makes progress in
our
communities
possible,"
Benavidez said.
Despite the presence of a vocal,
conservative faction within MAPA

and international issues.
'The strength of the winning
slate," Benavidez said "provides a
good base of coordination among the
activist forces throughout MAPA
which allows us to advance a strong
leadership agenda."
He went o to say that ''The
strength of the Rainbow Coalition is
crucial in this regard as it c· allenges
Chicano leaders to broaden their
scope and perception of Chicano
issues."
"Rainbow politics is where it's at
when it comes to taking ou,
communities forward and ma ing the
world a better pJace to live. It
worked
when
Ll-te
Southern
Christian Leadership Conference
and SNCC (Student !'-Ton-Violent
Coordinating Committee) brought
together black and white brothers
and sic;ters.
''These were important forces in
the New South Coalition back in the
sixties. Martin Luther King publicly
supported Cesar Chavez and the
grape boycott back the_n too. That's
the kind of unity that works. I think
we can make it work again," he said.
The new state board will be
inaugurated
during
a formal

statewide, Benavidez saw a more
activist character emerging within
the organization as it takes on a ce.semony on
range of local, regiorial, national, Hacienda Inn.

rJov. 1t at Fresno's

La VozdeAztlan

Monday, October 16, 1989

Page 7

Chayanne wows them at Fresno Fair
By Lisa Moreno

Staff Writer
Award winning, Latin American
singing sensation Chayanne awed
his audience with his unique style of
dance and musical energy at both his
evening performances at the Fresno
Fair Oct. 10.
Chayanne, born Elmer Figueroa
Arce, is a 20-year-old Puerto Rican
idol, who used both English and
Spanish in Thursday's performances.
When he was born, his mother
decided
to
nickname
him
"Chayanne" after a TV series that
featured the Cheyenne Indians.
In an interview with Ia: Voz de
Aztlan, Chayanne said that his
career began at the age of five when
he participated in the school's
theatre class to increase his grade.
At the age of 10, he began his
musical career as a member of "Los
Chicos," a popular youth singing
group. After recording five albums
with Los Chicos, Chayanne said
that one of the most difficult
experiences of his life was their
disbanding.
"There was a time span of about a
year and a half that I was
undecisive as to whether or not I
should continue my career," he said.
"I moved to Mexico for about nine
months and got a role in a soap opera

CAZARES
continued from page 3
campus, as well as in society.
~
Closer to home, this means one out
of every 10 brothers and sisters are
subjected to verbal and emotional
abuse while growing up. For some,
this abuse continues throughout their
lives.
So before you speak negatively
about Gays and Lesbians, remember
one of them could be a· friend,
brother, sister, uncle, aunt, or even
one of your parents.

UFW
continue from page 1

cancer cluster tragedy to pursue its
own interests, namely, the grape
ooycott.
The California Farm Bureau
responded to the UFW effort to
address the cancer-cluster problem,
with sharp criticism. "The effort by
the UFW is a smoke screen, an
attempt to prop up a failing
boycott," stated bureau spokesperson,
Mike Henry, in an interview with

The Fresno Bee.
Most Health experts agree that
more studies need to be conducted
before the causes to the cancers can be
determined. Dr. Lynn Goldman, the
specialist in charge of cancer cluster
investigations for the state has said
that the state is trying to evaluate
cancer clusters with complete
scientific study which takes time to
conduct. She said that the situation
in Earlimart has caused her to
consult a
panel of leading
toxicologists,
and
that
epidemiologists have convened to
study McFarland.
Moses felt that the situation has
already been "studied to death" and
that it was time for the state to take
more direct action. 'We do not need
any more studies," she said. "We do
not need any m9re experts or
committees. All use of known and

because of the firm education he had
and began my solo career."
''I feel that helping financially
Since
then,
Chayanne
has that he is the person he is today.
isn't as important as helping
During the little spare time he morally. It's that smile and that
appeared in many soap operas. His
first role in a soap opera called has he enjoys going to the beach and glowing look that children get when
"Sombras del Pasado" (Shadows of spending time with his family. they sing and dance along with you.
the Past) has his first single Other interests include Marine It's worth more than anything else
released from his new album 'Tu Biology and shopping for clothes.
you could give them."
Pirata Soy Yo" (I Am Your Pirate) as
Chayanne's concerts have been
a theme song.
well received everywhere from
Brazil and Chile to his native
Chayanne is one of the most
Puerto Rico.
After his first
recognized Latin-American singers in
performance here in Fresno he
the world. He is currently recording
cleared the stage along with his
in Spanish and Portuguese. His first
band and dancers only to return
album was recorded in Mexico and
minutes later at the request of the
the second was recorded in Spain.
enthusiastic audience.
Chayanne said he has plans to
Chayanne said he has had to
record in Italian, French and
work very hard to attain his success.
English. He expects his new album
He has had to leave his family and
to be on the shelves by next spring.
friends for long periods of time.
Chayanne earned "Male Artist of
Setting high goals and never giving
the Year," at the A.CE. Awards in
up on attaining them is one of the
New York and in Puerto Rico he won .
ideas he firmly believes in.
"Singer of the Year," and "Most
Internationally Important Puerto
During his concert Chayanne
Rican Artist."
stressed the importance of never
Chayanne was signed _by Pepsi to
forgetting where you come from,
star in his first English-crossover
regardless of who you become or how
television
commercial,
which
much you accomplish in life.
broadcasted for the first time during
Chayanne said, "It is very
the 1989 Grammy Awards Ceremony.
important
for Latinos to communicate
Chayanne
The commercial features his hit
amongst
ourselves
because it
is
single "Este Ritmo Se Baila Asi,"
Chayanne
takes
advantage
of
any
through
unity
that
there
is
(You Dance That Beat Like This).
opportunities
he
has
to
participate
strength,"
he
said.
He
quoted
a
"I felt butterflies in my stomach. I
in
campaigns
such
as
those
for
saying
that
he
firmly
believes
in,
felt very good," Chayanne said.
Chayanne said that education is children with cancer, and to stop the ''Stars are in the sky and all of us
here on earth are all equal."
very important. He stated that it is use of drugs.
Homophobia is ignorance about a
segment of our population. Much of
our college experience is to challenge
ideas and misconceptions - all part
of a mind-set handed down to us by
our parents and society. It is time to
challenge that way of thinking, and
find out for yourself just what our
segment of society is all about. If you
don't have any Gay and Lesbian
friends, the members of GLBSA
welcome all your questions. Don't
rely on hand-me-down fears, come by
our booth and you might discover
something new.
supect carcinogenic pesticides in
agriculture must be stopped and it
must be stopped now."
Meanwhlle state officials have
acknowledged the possible existence
of a seventh childhood cancer case in
Earlimart.
Parents in Earlimart and
McFarland live in constant fear for
the safety of their children. In
McFarland, parents led a petition
drive early in the year to demand
that the local school district
provide bottled water in all the
town's schools.
Marta Salinas, who lives in
McFarland with her three children,
said that more than 13 children were
diagnosed with cancer in her
neighborhood alone. Along with the
cancers she described incidences of
birth defects, miscarriages, tumors,
cysts, liver and kidney diseases, and
other health problems affecting
virtually all of the more than 100
homes in the neighborhood.
Salinas felt that the residents of
many
towns
with
similar
environmental and health problems
are reluctant to speak out for fear of
employer
and/ or
government
reprisals, including deportation.
While noting that nearly half of the
town's Latino population are noncitizens, she said that "in towns like
McFarland you have to bury your
children in silence or else run the risk
of almost certain deportation."

Two
El
Teatro
.
actors shot,
wounded in S.F.
of the building with the two actors.

By Jill Soltero

Staff Writer
Two celebrated actors from El
Teatro Campesino were shot in San
Francisco's Mission District early in
September, after attempting to stop
a beating.
Ricardo "Slic Ric" Salinas, 29, of
the comedy troupe Culture Clash,
and George Galvan, 35, one of the
leads in Teatro Campesino's recent
production 'The Rose of the
Rancho," both suffered shotgun
wounds Sept. 7 and are recovering
satisfactorily.
Salinas performed with Culture
Clashat CSUF in May for Semana de

Police said one assailant crossed the
street, drew a shotgun from under his
coat, and fired into the doorway
shouting, 'Now you're involved."
Salinas was seriously wounded by
the spray of pellets to his chest, and
underwent major surgery. Galvan
received superficial wounds in the
face, scalp, and chest.
The assailants escaped and no
arrests have been made.
According to Andres V. Gutierrez,
press director for El Teatro
Campesino, both Galvan and Salinas
are now recovering satisfactorily.
El Teatro Campesino will host a
fundraising performance to help
defray medical expenses for Ric

Police said one assailant crossed the street,
drew a shotgun from under his coat, and fired
[at Salinas and Galvan] shouting, "Now you're
involved!"
la Raz.a but did not accompany the
group Sept. 16 when they appeared
at the Chicano and Latin American
Studies' 20th anniversary celebration. Police said Salinas and Galvan
came out of a residence at 25th and
Harrison Streets and saw four men
beating a man.
Salinas reportedly yelled at the
assailants to stop and then walked
back to the doorway of the residence
where Galvan was standing.
The beating victim then crossed
the street and sat down on the steps

Salinas on Oct. 22 in San Juan
Bautista.
Heading the Caberet performance
bill will be Esperanza del Valle
dance company, Public Nusance
comedy troupe, Al Reyes, singer and
guitarist, and other "surprise"
guests, according to Gutierrez.
General admission for the 7 p.m.
benefit is $12. For advance tickets ormore information call (400) 623-2444.
The playhouse and box office are
located at 705 Fourth St. in the old
mission pueblo of San Juan Bautista.

·

Pages

Monday, October 16, 1989

La VozdeAztlan

TELPANECA
• CALENDARIO • CALENDARIO • CALENDARIO •
110,16 1
The Re-entry Students Association meets
today and every Monday this semester from
noon to 1 p.m. in the Re-entry lounge, Main
Cafeteria West. For more information call
a@) 294-3046
The Hispanic Business Student
Association will hold a Career
Development and Internship Workshop
TODAY, Oct.16, at 6p.m. in the Leon S.
Peters Building, Room 192. Topics will
indude: resume writing, interview
techniques, internship program,
cooperativeeducation,andstipend
program. HBSA meetings take place every
other Monday this fall at 6 p.m. in Room
192 of the Peters Building.

r~~11,

f 101i9 1
MEChA meetings are held every Thursday
at 4 p.m. except on the last Thursday of the

month in Music buiding, Room 156.
MEChA has a booth in the free speech
area. Meetings room numbers and other
information are posted regularly on the
booth.

I ' 10,20 ·• 1

National Hispanic Scholarship Fund Banquet
The Fresno Friends of the National Hispanic
Scholarship Fund cordially invite you to
attend a black tie dinner on This year's
theme is"An Evening to Invest in the Future":
To Promote Hispanic Higher Education. The
banquet will be at the Centre Plaza Holiday
Inn at 2333 Ventura Ave. Cocktails will be
served at 5:30 p.m., dinner will served at 7:00
p.m.,and theprogram will begin at8:00p.m.
For more information on the dinner, call 2252337 or write 547 W. Shields, Fresno, Calif.
93706.

Oh L'Amour and a special style show by

Zero the store will be at the Fresno Express on
October 20. The ca;t is $5 in advance and $7 at
the door. Proceeds will benefit the
F.P.L.W.A.A. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the
show
· sat llp.rn.

:-, 1

Don't miss your ASI senate meeting. Be
involved with your student government
every Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Room 312 of the

usu.

MEO\A's Chicano Youth Conference
Committee meets every Tuesday at 5 p.m. in
Room 203 of the Joyal Administration
building. The committee needs your ideas as
they plan the annual conference which
brings over 1,500 Central Valley high
school sh.ldents to CSUF for a day of career
and general information workshops.
Telpaneca, Nicaragua Slide Show. The
Fresno/Telpaneca Sister Gty Project will
present a slide show to give donors and
others an opporh.lnity to see the results of
the efforts made for the school's
construction. The show will talce place on
Tues., Oct.17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian
church, 4144 N. Millbrook.

The next Gay Lesbian Bisexual Srudent
Alliance meeting will be held on Saturday,
Oct. 21 at 12 p.m. Meetings are held at the
University Student Union. Interested persons
should check the glass case at the south
enterance of Student Union.
That same weekend, the 20th through the
22nd, the Western States
Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual_Sh.ldent 1,Jnit~
Retreat will be happening m San Lws Obispo.
Staffing the Booth
The booth must be staffed at least six hours
a week. If you are interested in helping out
please stop by the booth for more
information.

I . 10,2( 1

"No Exit" is a play by French writer, JeanPaul Sartre about life in hell. It will be
presented November 9-12 at the Community
Link center. The opening night show on the
Nov. 9 will be at 6p.m. Two shows will follov
on Nov. 10 at 5 and 11 p.m. An additional twc
shows will be presented on Nov. 11 at 8 and
11 p.m. A 2p.m. matinee will be shown on thE
final day. Proceeds from the Nov 9 show wi
proceed the GLBSA. Proceeds from the
remanining shows will proceed the
Community Link center.

Migrant Student Alliance. The next meeting
of the Migrant Sh.ldent Alliance will be on
Tuesday, October 24 in Room 145 of the Lab
School building. Meetings are held every
other Tuesday.on the boothelds, Fresno, Calif.
93706. Volunteers are also needed. Call
Deirdre at 225-2337 for further information.

Banquet held in honor of journalists
By Jill Soltero

Staff Writer
Eight thousand dollars were
awarded to nine CSUF Chicano
journalism students, and four Chicano
media professionals spoke at the
Fifth
Annual
Ernesto
Moreno
Memorial Scholarship banquet Sept.

30.
The 1989 Fresno Bee/CCNMA
Scholarships, funaed by the Bee, are
established by CSUFs journalism
department and scholarship office.
The $25 ticket price will also build
future
CCNMA
scholarships.
Students are selected by a joint
committee
of
the
journalism
department and CCNMA.
Scholarship awards of $1,000 were
given to 18-year-old I ophomore,
James Carrasco,
radio-television
sequence; Rosa M. Hernandez, 22,
public relations sequence; Carolyn
Lopez, 21, news-editorial sequence;
H. Brooke Primero, 18, newseditorial sequence; Sonya Quintana,
22, advertising sequence; Jill Soltero,
22, advertising sequence; and David
Tellez, 22, photo communication

sequence.
Five hundred dollar scholarships
were awarded to Rosemary Lopez,
first-year telecommunications major
and Michelle Ortiz, 22, newseditorial sequence.
CCNMA also awarded the four
Chicano media profe55ionals who
spoke at the banquet: Alberto
Dominguez, Alicia Maldonado, Al
Reyes, all of Los Angeles, and Larry
Romero of San Jose -all four of whom
took part in founding the Fresno
Chicano Media Association in 1975.
They
received
CCNMA's
Community Recognition Award given
to people who have contributed to
the valley's Chicano community by

their efforts in the news media.
The late Ernesto Moreno, to whom
the annual banquet is dedicated,
also helped found the Chicano
Media Association. Moreno, a news
cameraman for KSEE-TV, Channel
24, died in 1983.
Torn Uribes was a first-year
student at then-Fresno State College
when he took part in organizing
CMA. Uribes helps organize the
annual banquet and is the director of
the Minority Journalism Workshop.
Uribes, current CSUF Outreach
public
affairs
specialist
said,
"Several
Hispanic
journalism
students now working as professional
journalists benefitted either from
the kinds of programs that the
CCNMA has developed thanks to
the pioneering efforts of these four
and others like them throughout the
state, or from the barriers knocked
down by these pioneers in the local
media."
Dominguez, a 1971 Sonoma State
University graduate, was a news
photographer
for
KFSN-TV,
Channel 30 from 1974 to 1982. He is
now a free-lance photographer for
Los Angeles area TV stations.
"You are going to find obstacles
along the way," Dominguez said.
"Always remember that someone
else had to do it for you and you
will set the path for someone else.
There are tremendous opportunities
out there.
Be prepared to take
advantage of them and make good."
Maldonado,
a
1975
CSUF
graduate, worked as a reporter for
KFSN from 1973 to 1980 and was the
first Chicana to appear on a Fresno
television news program.
She said more efforts must be
made to increase the number of
Chicanos in the media.
"Even though we have made some
progress, there is still a long way to
go for being accepted," she said.
"We still have not made enough

gains in the media. We also need to
improve the image of minorities and
to help the media move the Latino
community ahead."
Reyes, a native Fresnan and 1974
graduate of CSUF, was in 1971, the
first Chicano news reporter for
KFSN. Seven years later he moved
to KSEE-TV, Channel 24 and
remained until 1980. Reyes, now a
free-lance producer and reporter for
KFWB in Los Angeles, said that he
and the other honorees saw the need
to change the media's portrayal of
Chicanos.
'We were influenced by what was
going on and we saw the n~ fo~
better coverage of our commuruty,
he said. 'We tried to bring a more
representative view.
Our people
deserved more than just stereotypes."
Reyes
encouraged
~spiring
Chicano reporters to be sensitive to
their communities and to use the
media to help people. "Go at it with
spirit, work hard, be enthusiastic
and excited, but also remember there
is pain involved."
Romero, a court reporter for the
San Jose Mercury News, began his
career with the Fresno Bee in 1975. In
1981, he relocated to San Jose. He coedited FSC's La Voz de Aztlan in '74
and again in '75 with Ernesto
Moreno.
A native Fresnan and 1975 FSC
graduate, Romero is currently the
treasurer of the San Jose chapter of
CCNMA, which he helped found.
Dominguez, Maldonado, and Reyes
are members of the Los Angeles
chapter.
Tiris year's banquet was held at
the Fresno County Plaza and
included a cocktail social hour with
mariachi music, dinner, program,
and dance.
Approximately 350
people attended.

Continued from page S
arms to protect their very lives.
Sandino negotiated with the
national power structure in 1934, only
to be assassinated by the National
Guard. Many student leaders and
intellectuals demanding the basic
means of survival and subsistence for
the populace, food, medical care and
housing, were imprisoned, tortured or
"dissappeared" - a common term
synonomous with death, used for
many civilians who were arrested or
captured at p~otests, demonstr~tions
and village raids by the Guardia,
never to be seen again. Moreover,
many political activists became
involvoo in the electoral process to
advocate for jobs, education, and free
elections via '1egitimate" political
procedures. They were also
"dissappeared," but by more brutal
methods; since they exposed the
corrupt political machinery of
Somozan "democracy."
Fonseca fell in an insurrection in
'76, and has been lauded as one of the
most valiant leaders of the
revolution. In the Plaza-Parque
Carlos Fonseca stands his tombstone
with the inscription "Carlos will
never die, for his revolutionary
passion, his spirit, will stay with us
forever."
We also learned about the
significance of the red and black
colors of the FSLN flag. The top
half of the flag is red, the bottom
black, with white letters (FSLN),
horiwntally written across the
center.
Sandino's battle cry, "Patria Libre
0 Morir," is expressed in the FSLN
flag. The red signifies "Patria
Libre," or free homeland, while the
black symbolizes "Morir," or death.
On a more profound level, roo
signifies the blood shed from the
veins of Nicaraguan's who wish to
liberate their homeland. The black
represents death, a tragedy endured
by 50,000 Nicaraguan's during the
course of the revolution.
On July 19, we were woken by loud
noises. It was the sound of neighbors
shooting guns to commence the
celebration of the 10th anniversary
of a free Nicaragua.

In the next issue of La Voz, I will
share our experiences surrounding the
10th anniversary of the Sandinista
revolution, including a speech by
Nicaraguan President, Daniel
Ortega, a demonstration in front of
the U.S. embassy by U.S. activists
protesting aid to the Contras, and
the Third International Solidarity
Cotwention where FSLN leaders
spoke, including Tomas Borge
Martinez, only surviving founder of
theFSLN.

YBARRA
continued from page 6.
the
streets...everything
in
our
existence is political," Ybarra said.
Particularly proud of being the
first Chicana to win the Woman of
the Y.ear Award, Dr. Ybarra hopes
her accomplishments will encourage
other Chicanas. 'We need to explore
all our options ... educational
options, options to travel."
Ybarra has also won recognition
for the many articles she has
published. 'When Wives Work: The
Impact on Chicano Families," and
'The Educational and Occupational
Aspirations and Attainment of
Hispanic Youth," are two examples
of her work. Dr. Ybarra has received
requests for her articles from
universities in foreign countries such
as the Soviet Union, China, West
Germany and England.

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La Voz de Aztlan Set