La Voz de Aztlan, April 23 1990
Item
Title
La Voz de Aztlan, April 23 1990
Creator
Associated Students of Fresno State
Relation
La Voz de Aztlan (Daily Collegian, California State University, Fresno)
Coverage
Fresno, California
Date
4/23/1990
Format
PDF
Identifier
SCUA_lvda_00188
extracted text
Semana de la Raza schedule
- See page 3
Volume XXL Number 3
Monday April 23, 1990
California State University, Fresno
3 represent group in court this week
Daves, Guerra, and Miller pursue trial despite 'judges offer of 'no contest' plea
I
Sara Soria
LA- VOZ STAFF WRITER
,
(1-r) Don Daves Lawrence Guerra and Darren Miller retrun to the student government offices
nearly a year after they were arrested with 21 other sit-in protesters. The three will face misdemeanor charges in court April 28.
Perla to share
Salvadoran
women's plight
I
Three out of the 24 students arrested last May for their participation
in the sit-in in the ASI offices will go to
trial this Thursday, said attorney John
Moore.
Don Daves, Lawrence Guerra and
Darren Miller, along with 21 other students, were arrested for their sit-in
against by-law changes initiated by
then-executives and senators of the
Reality party on campus.
"The university has a legal obligation to protect against racial attacks.
These students were spit on! They
shouldn't be subjected to these ugly
racial slurs," said Moore, one of three
attorneys for the case, in reference to
anonymous phone calls that were made
to the ASI offices during the sit-in.
Scott Stark, spokesman for the defendants, said, "The administration is
making it as hard as possible to set a
trial date. They're using tactics to stall.
We set a trial date for Jan. 29 and
approximately two weeks before, President Haak decides to take a vacation to
Korea. The university is more concerned
with winning basketball games than
See SIT IN, page 7
Huerta's visit aiined to educate
UFW vice president will discuss the effects of pesticides
I
Sylvia Castro
Sostenes Infante Jr.
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
For Chicanos everywhere, the daily struggle for justice
in an unjust society occupies a major portion of their time
and energy. The situation for women of color has historically been harder than the rest, and for Salvadoran
women it is threefold.
·
Anna Perla, Director of the Institute for Research,
Training and DevelopmentofSalvadoran Women, U.S.A,
is a person who knows first-hand what it is to fight
gender and race injustice. She will address CSUF students and faculty April 30 at 7 p.m. in Industrial Arts
101.
In an effort to bring constructive change to a situation
where women have suffered disproportionately at the
hands of U.S. political policy, Perla has taken up the
plight of Salvadoran women.
The socio-political and economic conflict which continues to rip El Salvador apart affects women more acutely.
The men who once provided an outside income to the
family have been killed or driven into exile. The women
are n6w faced with the double burden of sustaining the
family with little or no income.
Economic realities that are thrust upon American
women, namely earning considerably less than their
male counterparts, are a far cry from the basic social
See PERLA, page 8
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Dolores Huerta, vicepresidentofthe United Farmworkers Union, will speak on campus May 3 during
the celebration of Semana de la Raza.
Her speech titled "Pesticides and The
Environment:The Impact on Farmworkers and the
Consumer,"will begin at 7 p.m. in the Satellite Union.
Huerta suffered serious injury in September 1988
when she was attacked by San Francisco police officers during an election-year campaign appearance by
then Vice-president George Bush.
Since the issue of pesticides use is a heated one in
the Valley, her visit will help inform the public of
pesticides dangers, said Richard Delgado, chairman
of the Semana de La Raza committee.
"We're looking forward to having her here during
community night to let people know how pesticides
affect the environment and farmworkers," said
Delgado, "There are a lot ofpeople out there that don't
really understand the bad effects of pesticides. We
hope she will open a lot of eyes."
Huerta, like UFW President Cesar Chavez, is cofounder of the farm laborers union. She and Chavez
were the mainstays of the union, in 1963, when it had
See ~RTA, page 8
UFW Vice President Dolores Huerta
PAGE2
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZDEAZTLAN
B
APRIL, 1990
,
NuESTRA OPINION • OUR OPINION
English only rule:
feeble attenipt to
save Ainerican niyth
ASI Election Results
I
Eloy Garcia
LA VOZ ASSISTANT EDITOR
I was walking through the Free Speech If full incorporation of immigrants was
Area last month when I saw something their true intention then it would be an
very ignorant on the"All-American," Bull- admirable one.
But how are we to believe this when
dog Republican booth. Except for the conservative paraphanalia that sometimes English speaking White Americans have
decorates it, the little red, WHITE and prevented English speaking African
blue booth is usually kept nice and clean. Americans and Chicanos from being equal
On this particular occasion however, members of this society for some 500
there happened to be a bumper sticker years? It's obvious that they don't want
that that boldly stated English First. to incorporate us into their society but
rather strip us of our own separate cul- English has actively opposed literacy
Someone's feeling a little insecure.
The English First bumper sticker is ture. And the best way to do this is by programs for new immigrants. They have
opposed the spending of any money for
propaganda by U.S. English, a political taking away our language.
bilingual
education.
If
they
were
really
trying
to
make
organization whose sole purpose is t make
In addressing the U.S. Senate S. I.
English the official language of the United immigrants more proficien t in the EngStates. According to Geoffrey Nunberg of lish language then they should not be Hayakawa,former U.S. Senator from
Stanford University's Center for the opposed to bilingual education. If this is California and founder of U.S. English
Study of Language and Information, the the way they feel, then why deny them said that people would not learn a second
goals of U.S. English also include oppos- access to an education? Why make it ille- language so long as their native language
gal that immigrant children to be taught is kept available as a crutch. He was baing bilingual education in
sically asking for legisthe private and public seclation that would do
tor. In other words, Engaway
with cultural ties.
lish First is really "English
And that is exactly the
Only."
intention of English
Supposedly, the attempt
Only, Hayakawa's legto make English the offiacy.
cial language is an attempt
Current demographic
to make immigrants more
trends show that minorproficiente in the English
ity groups will soon surlanguage and assimipass White, English only
latethem into the social,
speaking people in
political and economic asAmerica. This was the
pects of the American socisubject of the cover story
ety.
In one of their propa- ""/,..
\,""'\"""\;\f""
.;.; ) ""
f ""t""
? ""
t """"=.;.;....:.."'--"-....;_.;_;___ _.;.;....:..:.===-'-""'..;;;;.....;;;;;;~==~:....J in Time magazine April
9. The report titled
ganda brochures it was
"America's Changing
written about immigrants that, "They in their native language until they are
Colors; The Browning of America," said
never become productive members of able to learn in English?
that
Asians grew some 55 percent in the
American society. They remain stuck in
And still it is 0.1{. to ask a student to
a linguistic and economic ghetto, many learn English but it is not right to ask a '80s and Latinos grew some 35 percent
living on welfare and costing working student to forget his native language. If while Whites increased at a rate smaller
Americans millions of tax dollars every keeping their language will help them in than 5 percent. Sosa said that English
year."
their learning process and make · Only is simply a reaction to the growing
They feel that proficiency in a second them"productive" American citizens then population and influence of Latinos.
Their attempt to make English the
language means ineptness in English. why deny them of that?
With these idiotic beliefs, they are trying
Their purpose is clearly not what they official language of the United States is a
to fool unaware citizens of their inten- say it is. According to Mary Sosa of the paranoid reaction by White, English only
tions and the intentions of English Only. National Education Association, U.S. speaking law makers. Latinos as well as
most Asian groups have not surrendered
their language like all other immigrant
groups did upon arrival in the United
States.
Because it is such an important link
with our culture, we and Asians have our
native languages. This is threatening to
See OPINION, page 4
NosOTROS ... LA
Voz
DE .AZTI.AN
Editor in Chief- Chrts Heredia
Assistant Editor-Eloy Garcia
Copy Editor-Celeste Saldivar
Graphics Editor -Oscar G. Ramirez
Calendario Editor-Marta Villasenor
Staff Artist- Ralph Avitia
Staff Writers-Sylvia Castro, Michaela
Diez-Lopez. Sellene Flores. Sostenes
Infante Jr., Krista Lemos, Rosemary
Lopez, Sandra D. Ortiz, Matthew
Polanco, Brooke Primero, Al Robles, JUI
Soltero, Sara Soria, Joseph M. Torres.
Photographers- Laura Hernandez,
Jose Luis Gil, Angel De Jesus.
• Flag designed by Ralph Avitia •
The La Voz staff would like to thank
Erle Burney, Teny Pierson, Dave Tellez,
and Lisa McKinney of The Daily
Collegian Staff.
Special thanks to Leslie Cunning of
The Fresno Bee and Tom Uribes of
CSUF University Outreach Services.
I.a Voz de Aztl.an Is published monthly by the Assoc!·
ated Students, Inc. of California State University.
Fresno. 'Ihe newspaper office ts located 1n the Keats
Campus Building. Fresno, Calif., 93740--0042. 'Jhe
opinions publ!shed on this page an, not nccessartly
those of the Associated Studen ts. Inc.. The Daily
Collegtan or I.a Vaz De Aztlan and tis staff. Unsigned
editorials an, the majority opinion of the paper's editorial board.
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EYE ON
BY JOSEPH M.
ASI
TORRES
APRIL,1990
CSU, FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
PAGE3
CSUF pianist perfects the art of classical lllusic
I
Sonya Quintana
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
At age 11 in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, Hector Reynoso began
studying the piano. Little did he know that the piano might some
day become his career.
At a seminary in Mexico, Reynoso's father who was a pastor,
asked his son if he would like to study piano with the seminary's
m'usic instructor. The younger Reynoso agreed but it was three
years and two piano teachers later before he developed a serious
interest in music. Reynoso came to can his second instructor Cesar
Sosa "el abuelito [the grandfather], because he was very old," said
Reynoso.
Sosa encouraged the 13-year-old Reynoso to pursue a career in
music. Reynoso studied for two years at a music school in Mexico
City where he advanced quickly.
His studies in music, however, became stagnant for three years
when his family moved to the United States when he was 15.
"I think those were the three most wasted years of my life," For
what some believe to be the most formative years of a pianist's
career, Reynoso didn't have the encouragement or the instruction
needed for his technical advancement.
At one point during this time, a high school music instructor
discour aged him by questioning whether or not h e could make a
living with music.
Reynoso didn't let his high school instructor stop him. Today, he
is 21 and majoring in performance piano at CSUF. Reynoso studies
under world-known pianist and CSUF professor Phillip Lorenz.
Together they are perfecting Reynoso's playing technique.
Reynoso's relationship with Lorenz is unique in that they come
from a generation ofstudents descendingfrom Ludwigvon Beethoven.
The history started with Beethoven and was passed to Czerny
(famous for his exercises in technique) to Franz Lizst (considered by
many to be the greatest interpreter of Beethoven) to Claudio Arrau
(who was considered the greatest pianist alive) to Lorenz and finally
to Reynoso. He is extremely proud of this.
Lorenz said the experience has passed musical and technical
ideas through generations.
Piano student Hector Reynoso wants to earn a doctorate in music.
See REYNOSO, page 8
SEMANA DE LA RAZA
A week of ways to ·c elebrate Cinco de Mayo
I
Mathew Polanco
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
La Semana de la Raza, commemorating the Mexican
Army's defeat of the French at Puebla on Cinco de Mayo,
1862, will be held from Monday, April 30 through Saturday, May 5.
The Semana de la Raza committee, a committee of
MEChA, will be hosting different themes that deal with
various Chicano issues on the different days of the week.
The committee will be bringing some of the top educators, poets, activists, and performers from across the
United States to CSUF to help celebrate La Semana de
la Raza.
On Monday, April 30, opening day, a parade lead by
Mariachi Zapopan will be held at 10:30 a.m. starting at
the amphitheater and moving to the Free Speach Area.
At 11:30 a.m., Sal Castro, a Chicano educator and
activist from Los Angeles, wi11 give an opening speech
about the history of the Battle at Puebla.
That evening at 7 p.m., in the Satellite Student Union,
a professor from the University of Iowa, Juan FelipeHerrera along with his wife Margarita Robles-Herrera
will be giving a poetry and literature reading.
On Tuesday Mayl, May Day, Marina Judith Pena, of
the FMLN, will discuss the history of struggle in El
Salvador. She will speak in the Free Speech Area.
Rick Chacon, former CSUF MEChA President and
current MAPAdel Valle President, will speak in the Free
Speech Area on political issues facing the Chicano community.
For Children's Day, Wednesday, May 2, Jose Rendon
will put on a puppet show for children from various
schools from the Fresno area. There will also be piiiatas
donated for the children by the student organization
Mex-Tech.
In the evening, Community Night will take place in
~1r~r~t?! lr~;~~:J~E:J·•
.
< SatCastro,
Lo$AngelesActiyist,
Free Speech Area
.
· "Integrating Race, Class and Gender ·
in the Curriculum"
Dr. Mary Romero, Margarita Luna Robles
Upstairs Cafcrteria, Room 200 ·
Noche de Floricanto
A presentation of music and poetry
Juan Felipe Herrera, Margarita Luna Robles
Satellite Student Union
TUE.S DAY,MAYl
. . .. . .
.. w
.
.12:00 pm .· . $istoryof Struggle in EfSalvador-FMLN7
.. .
. .. · MarinaJudithPeiia
/ \ .. ·
.
:"Political IssrieS:and the Chi~ano
t~:~~~:: n:•
''li:~$~~:A#i#. ?
,~::t~•~t;n~i~;:~ni
11:Q(}am• ·=·
'
La Conquista de Mexico ·
Jose Rendon • Puppet show .
11:30.pm
Pi.fiatas/Celebration for Children
Sponsored by Mex-Tech Students
2 pm
"Being the Best you Can Be:Ove:rcoming
Obstacles and Moving Ahead"
Dr. Lea Ybarra
Re-Entry Office
COMMUNITY NIGHT
Mariachi
6pm
7 pm
"Pesticides and the 'Enviroment:
The Impact on Fal"Dlworkers and the
Con sumer" ·
Dolores Huerta, Vice President, U;FW
8pm
Danzantes ~~. Aztlanat SSU
.
the Satellite Student Union. A Mariachi band will open
up the night at 7 p.m. followed by UFW Vice-president
Dolores Huerta (see story page one). She will speak on
the current issues facing farm workers in the San Joaquin
Valley. LosDanzantesdeAztlan. will follow at8o'clock.
Thursday, May 3, the Latin Jazz band ESP, featuring
Felix Contreras a former CSUF student and La Voz
editor, will perform in the SSU at noon.
On Friday, May 4, the annual Tardeada will take
place on the lawn area in front of the SSU. Different
Chicano student groups from campus will have food
booths along with performances by the Clovis High
Marimba band,LosNinos deAztlan .. Mariachi Zapopan
will open the Tardeada at 11 a.m.
At 8 p.m. that evening, a Modem Latino Ballet group
from New York, Ballet Hispanico, will perform at the
SSU and again on Saturday evening, at 8 p.m., May 5.
All events are free of charge.
Thursday,May3 • \
..
12pm
"ESP"LatinJazzBand ,
The Pit-Universtiy Student Union
Friday, May 4
TARDEADA
Satellite Student Union, Lawn Area
11 :30 am
Mariachi Zapopan
12:30 pm
Clovis High School Marimba
Pat Gutierrez, Director
Los Ninos de Aztlan
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES•
May 4 & 5 Friday & Saturday
8 pro Ballet H.ispanico From New York
. ~SU, General Admission $8.
PAGE4
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
APRIL,1990
Arte y Entretenimiento
FILM REVIEW •••
Chavez plays LA's Spanish radio pioneer
Pedro Jose Gonzalez in 'Break of Dawn'
I
AlRobles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
The history of Chicano radio broadcasting and its
community-based context provides the setting for
"Break OfDawn," a dramatic film that chronicles the
career of Pedro Jose Gonzalez the talented, charismatic pioneer of Spanish language radio in Los Angeles during the '20s and '30s. Gonzalez is played by
Oscar Chavez.
Gonzalez, a veteran of the 1910 Mexican Revolution, fought with General Pancho Villa's army when
he was 14. He migrated to the United States with
Marfa, his wife, in 1928 and settled in Los Angeles
where he soon began his career in radio broadcasting.
Although originally refused a job because the management said they had no use for Mexican music, he
offered to translate commercials into Spanish in order
to convince the station manager of his viability.
Immediately recognizing the marketability of
Gonzalez' talent, the management of radio station
KMPC gave him a job as an advertizer. Despite the
station's prohibition on Mexican music, Gonzalez
decided to squeeze in a song between adverticements,
a move which cost him his job until the station realized that Gonzalez was an instant hit with a Chicano
audience eager to hear thier musica on the air.
The popularity of Gonzalez's morning radio show,
"Los Madrugadores" (the early risers) increased at a
phenomenal rate. Gonzalez had a special talent for
broadcasting expressed through the warmth of his
demeanor and his performance of vivid and
sentimental corridos. His passion and commitment
to his community earned him trust and prestige
throughout the barrios. He soon lent his voice to the
defense of his gente during a time of rising antiMexican hysteria.
A society reeling from the effects of the Great Depression of the '30s racialized its economic turmoil by
making the Mexi.canos scapegoats. Deportations of
thousands of Mexi.canos y Chicanos soon became
commonplace.
Gonzalez conducted on-air interviews with Consul
Davila, a progressive official with the Mexican Consulate who compelledraza to know their rights and to
fight against the repressive deportation laws.
The show provoked a backlash from the local District Attorney, Kyle Mitchell, who earlier campaigned
with a racist anti-Mexican platform. Gonzalez was in
the process ofexposing Mitchell's corruption and lack
oflegitimacy as a public official when he was arrested
and convicted on trumped-up assault charges and
sentenced to 50 years at San Quentin Prison.
The alleged victim later confessed to giving false
El Movimiento
we wear old faded pants that expose our scarred knees;
they wear new faded jeans with ready or self-made holes to show off
their skin.
we drive '63 Ford Falcons that drip oil, take 15 minutes to warm up,
die at every stop light, and lose their brakes every now and then;
they drive premeditated and abstract cars that never seem to break
down: '73 VW Beetles speckled with primer and bumper stickers that read
"El Salvador is Spanish for Vietnam."
we buy hot furniture from the bad homeboy, Loco;
they buy theirs from the good home decorator, Ethan Allen.
we eat tortillas with mayonnaise and drink water to fill our
stomachs;
they get burritos at Taco Bell and drink cheap wine to buy their
humility.
our parents ask us for money so they can buy beans, rice, flour (for
tortillas), gas for the Falcon, patches for Papi's pants, and to pay Loco for the color TV;
they ask their parents for money so they can pay monthly expenses
and have spending money to buy "Free Nelson Mandela" T-shirts.
we pick oranges all day in poisonous orchards;
they picket at college for half an hour with signs that read "Boycott
Grapes."
When we hear about our hermanos in Mc Farland,
we weep and wipe away the tears that pour from our hearts;
they cry and clean the water that drips from their sympathetic eyes.
we write about our pregnant sister that dropped out of high school, our
mother and brother with cancer, the bald tires of the Falcon, and the
four big blisters on our palms from hoeing weeds in 106 degree heat for minimum wage·
they write about oppression.
'
they receive awards and other forms ofrecognition for their
leadership and commitment to the movement;
we stand up and we clap "hard," then we sit down and wipe the water
from our blistered palms.
Frank Pancho Aviles
"Hijo del SoZp.s. ( we don't need to pull anymore knives out of our backs, especially
those with brown and black fingerprints. When we try to get involved in
the movement don't oppress or try to destroy us 'cause without us there
would be no movement and you would have to look for another extracurricular activity.)
testimony under pressure from the district attorney's
office in order to convict Gonzalez. Despite her testimony the court refused to overturn his conviction and
he remained in prison for six years until he was paroled
and deported to Mexico in 1940. A grassroots support
campaign mounted on Gonzalez's behalf as "Break of
Dawn's" popularity drew to a tense climax.
Pedro and Maria Gonzalez now live in San Ysidro,
Calif. His conviction continues, to this day. However,
there is currently a public campaign to seek a formal
pardon from Gov. Deukmejian.
"Break OfDawn" carries forth a narrative style and
plot element in a tradition similar to "The Ballad of
Gregorio Cortez." An innocent Mexicano is persecuted
by a ruthless power structure in a story recounted
through flashbacks by the central character. The film
is a powerful and compe11ing portrayal of Chicano
history that is thoughtfully arranged by its director
Isaac Artenstein.
The Fresno premier of "Break of Dawn" will be
Friday, April 27 at the Warnors Theatre, 1400 Fulton
St., in downtown Fresno at 7:30 p.m.A reception will be
held at 6:30 p.m. for one of the film's featured actors,
Tony Plana. The film's showing is sponsored by Arte
Americas. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at Arte
Americas, 1412 Fulton St., located next to the Warnors
Theatre. For further information, contact Arte Americas at 266-2623.
Santana's
back!
I
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Santana will appear at the Warnors
Theatre Tuesday, April 24 as part ofhis
West Coast tour. Fresno fans will witness the performance of a band
that was propelled to national
fame at Woodstock in 1969 and
has staked its
longevity on a
standard of performing excellence and some
23albums.
The last local
appearance by
Santana was in
1988 at the
Fresno
Fair
where he provided his audience with an
electrifyingperformance.
The dynamics of Santana's performances have, over the years, evolved with
a temperament wielded by solo arrangements and improvisational instrumental segue ways that counterbalance his
play list of timeless classics such as "Evil
Ways," "Black Magic Woman," "Everybody's Everything," and "Europa: Earth's
Cry, Heaven's Smile" to name but a few.
Even though extensive airplay has
eluded Santana in the '80s, his songwriting
and showmanship has garnered him a
wealth of acclaim by rock and jazz critics,
several Bay Area
Music awards and
repeated praise
from Guitar Player
Magazine.
The following of
Santana
fans
worldwide has
remained as solid
as ever to the point
of transcending
generations. Eighteen and 19-yearold fans who weren't alive when "Evil
Ways" climbed up
American
pop
charts in '69 regard Carlos Santana as a
man and musician ahead of his time.
Fans can also look forward to the latest
Santana album which is scheduled for release this summer. Tickets for the show
are available at local Ticketron outlets.
IN FRESNO
Tuesday, April 24
Warnors Theater
Call Ticketron
for tickets
APRIL,1990
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
PAGES
Art and Entertainment
ON COMPACT DISC
Sanchez cooks with 'Chile Con Soul'
I
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
In a truly magnificent display of his
seasoned virtuoso talent as a musician,
bandleader, and arranger, Poncho Sanchez's latest release, "Chile Con Soul"
brings forth a musical synthesis of jazz,
blues, salsa, and the relentless heart of
soul.
Congruent with the title, the cover
photo shows Sanchez holding two dinner
plates, one with soul food and the other
Mexican, and the music definitely lives up
to the image.
In a manner surpassing his previous
releases - all on the Concord/Picante label
- "Chile Con Soul" explores the relationships between the above mentioned styles
with an appreciation of all they have to
offer. The panoramic interplay of everything that Latin Jazz is, or should be,
becomes defined in this release in a manner
unique to Sanchez's talents.
The liner notes include a review by
retired NBA superstar and long-time jazz
fan,KareemAbdul-Jabbar, whoremarks,
"Poncho's band plays the music of the
Americas. That is to say, any tune may
have its feet in the Caribbean, its heart in
Brazil, and its mind in New Orleans. But
Sanchez's band brings all these elements
together in the most appropriate ways."
The opening track, "Song For Cal,"
pays tribute to the late Cal Tjader who
was one of the greatest inspirations of
Sanchez's career. Cal Tjader was also one
of the most influential artists in Latin
Jazz and served as Sanchez's artistic
mentor when he joined Tjader's band in
1975.
The song kicks off with the dance hall
swing style, characteristic of many of
Sanchez's previous releases, while sustained by his unrelenting conga rhythms.
"A Night In London" embarks on a
similar course with the horn section accentuated by Sal Cracchiolo's signature
trumpet solo until Sanchez lets loose on
the congas in a manner that almost defies
the law of gravity.
Two other tracks, "Lover Come Back
To Me" and "Ti Pon Pa" (the later combining the nicknames ofTito Puente, Poncho
Sanchez, and Papo Rodriguez) are highlighted by percussion solos from the guest
artist, none other then "El Rey del Timbal," Tito Puente. Puente has been a
phenomenon in Latin music for decades
and his presence on this release inspires
the excellence of Sanchez's band to new
heights.
"Con Migo" gives it up with a stylized
salsa flavor that is New York in its roots
and LA in its delivery. Charlie Otwell's
piano provides the drive while Gene Burkert's flute solo pierces the harmony with a
free floating pitch that entices the listener
to a sensual bliss.
If none of the other tracks will get you
up and on your feet, and it's hard to stay
still to almost any of these tunes, then try
James Brown's combined classics, "Cold
Sweat/ Funky Broadway" done up with a
distinct L.A. Latin Funk flavor.
Poncho's voice takes command on this
track with a granite like texture that does
justice to the "Godfather of Soul" (even if
the state of Georgia hasn't.)
"Chile Con Soul" can appropriately be
seen as a culmination of Poncho's life as a
West Coast Chicano jazz artist paying
tribute to the giants of the East Coast,
pioneers of the Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican
sound that has put the juice in American
popular music for over 50 years.
Artists such as Tito Puente, Perez
Prado, Machito, Chano Pozo, Dizzy
Gillespie, Horace Silver, Mongo Santamaria, Lester Young, and Cal Tjader
continue to inspire Sanchez's love ofmusic.
Sanchez, in turn, continues to define
the LA jazz sound in a truly hip fashion.
"Chile Con Soul" definitely breaks new
ground in this direction. Escucheconsabor.
Manos Morenas
by Joe M. Torres
"Pobre la gente"
She looked around,
uncertain of herself
hands golden brown
withered with pain
"La mujer mexicana
cada dia"
Her eyes brown as the earth
Skin soft and filled with sores
Brought from work
Her youth remains silent
"El mundo es bueno" but
her world lies lonely and still.
I
Sara Soria
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Marga Gomez, comica Chicana lives in a San
Francisco apartment once occupied by Janice Joplin. She said she inherited her father's comedy but
not his Spanish language.
Que lastima No?, she said.
Gomez's alter ego, Filumena, was named by her
father in her early childhood years. "I remember
my dad calling my mom and I Filumena." Gomez
incorporated her alter ego into her act by putting
on dark shades, puckering her lips and talking
Golllez ties
Herstory
n1onth off
-with laughter
with a deep Spanish accent.
The San Francisco comedian's performance
was the last event commemorating Women's
Herstory Month at CSUF.
Gomez said both her parents were entertainers; her mother was a dancer and her father was
a comedian. "My dad used to do Cantinfias
impressions." Cantinflas, a popular comedian to
many in the Mexican cinema, has acts going back
to the early '40s.
Gomez's audience filled the seats in Industrial
Arts, Room 101. The room filled with laughter as
Gomez made chistes about campus political parties, mentioning Reality.
Marga also picked on the actores in the novelas.
"Don't you think these actors overdramatize?" she
said. "When a woman is emotionally distraught
about a lover in a novela, she just doesn't plead
with him to stay by saying, "I love you." Gomez
bent at the waist, clenched her fists, squinted her
eyes and grunted: "Te quiero!"
She said non Spanish-speaking }'eople can flip
through the Spanish stations and actually understand the storylines through the actors exaggerated mannerisms.
Gomez joked about nights of discomfort from
Hector Ama.cv.a/SPEClAI. TO Lil VOZ
Marga Gomez entertained a capacity crowd
March 31.
wearing pantyhose. She said "Have you ever gone through
nights of saggy crotches just to look pretty?"
Late-comers to the event couldn't get by Gomez without
being thoroughly embarrassed by her acknowledgement of
their tardiness. "Don't worry, we can start over for you."
The Bay area comica entertained and humored the audience with her charm and wit throughout the hour.
Marga Gomez has received the "1989 Entertainer of the
Year" award for the San Francisco area, aired in "Comedy
Tonight," and worked with Linda Ronstadt and Whoopi Goldberg.
Gomez
incorporated
her alter ego
into her act
by putting
on dark
shades,
puckering
her lips and
talking with
a deep
Spanish
accent.
iJ
11:11
PAGE6
LA VOZDEAZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
APRIL, 1990
Teatro Campesino founder visits
I
Sostenes Infante Jr.
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
When faced with social and economic discrimination the natural
tendency for the victim is to become angry. However the method
by which that anger manifests itself is directly related to whether
circumstances improve or get
worse.
In a speech before a crowded
Satellite Student Union packed
with brown faces, Luis Valdez,
writer, playwright and director of
films such as "La Bamba" and
"Zoot Suit" said we must first look
deep inside ourselves if we hope to
initiate change.
"The ticket to success is in yourself, you have to be able to take
the conditions of your life and convert them into something," said
Valdez.
In speaking about racial discrimination, Valdez said, " Any
kind of pressure produces a certain kind of power, racial discrimination produces a certain kind of
power." The trick, Valdez said, is
turning something negative or
'La Bamba'
something that could be perceived as negative such
as a physical disability into something positive.
People who have physical disabilities have
changed the way they and other people think about
them by changing their reference first from crippled
to physically handicaped to physically challenged.
Finding out who we are is a prerequisite to dodging obstacles that confront each and every one of us
throughout our lives.
One of Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s early themes, "Be
careful of who and what you pretend to be because
in the long run that's what you end up with," rings
true when one analyzes human nature.
Dreams and thoughts of who we are, who we
want to be and what our society tells us we are, are
Hector Amezcua/SPEOAf. TO Lt\
voz
director Luis Valdez talks about refocusing energies during a talk in the Satellite Union.
in fact all interrelated and combine to make up our
conscious life experience, said Valdez.
Much of what mass media promulgates is nothing
more than lies and distortions.
"I am particularly concerned about what Hollywood movies say about minorities, women and history
if anything at all." said Valdez.
Citing facts and figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and other record-keeping agencies, Valdez
pointed out that most of the population in the United
States is under 25 and a member of an ethnic minority.
How mass media portrays the American minority
male and female is mainly in negative, stereotypical
roles which in turn reinforce social problems in everyday life such as drugs, gangs and prostitution, said
Valdez.
Using films such as "Colors," "Born on the Fourth
of July" and a host of other recent Hollywood blockbusters, Valdez said, "There are certain images that
are coming through both film and T. V. that are laying
a trip on youth. They're not telling you the tnith
about yourself."
Change won't come until each and every one ofus
wakes up to what's going on, said Valdez.
"The important word is involvement we must become involved in our lives, our destinies and in our
dreams," said Valdez.
Day for migrant youth offers alternatives
I
Sophomore political science major
Gloria Samaniego coordinated Migrant
LA VOZ EDITOR IN CHIEF
You~h Day this year under the direction
•
of Diaz.
ClaudiaChing,anAtwaterHighSchool
Samaniego said she enjoys helping
senior, is not sure that she will be able to economically disadvantaged students get
go to college. She has the support of her into college and will probably change her
parents in her goal of becoming a bilin- majortocounseling.Sheaddedthatmany
gualteacherbutshesaidsheisneededat migrant students are in situations that
home to help raise her brother and sister. are similar to Chi_ng's.
Chingwasoneofmorethan150high
"I'vespokenWithmanystudentswho
schoolstudentsfrom throughout the San are like that. But she will make it. We
Joaquin Valley who attended the second have a file on her and we're doing a follow
annual Migrant Youth Day with the up. If she has the determination, she'll
theme, "Prepare for the future: you are work something out.
the master of your fate" last month at
"I can relate to some students. My
CSUF.
parents never asked me to stay home.
"The people were talking about differ- They always supported me in going to
ent things about college experiences.
college," Samaniego said regarding
Knowing these will help us in the fu. Ching's situation.
ture," said Ching.
For others like Rosendo Vega, a senior
Director of University Migrant Serv- at Livingston High, who attended Miices(UMS)Rau1Diazsaidthat25percent grant Youth Day, plans for attending
of the student volunteers in this year's college wouldn't be any surprise to his
Migrant Youth Day were participants family. Two of his older sisters have atthemselves last year.
tended CSU, Stanislaus.
Chris Heredia
OPINION
Continued from page 2
the conservative "good old boys" who feel everyone
must shed all cultural ties the minute they cross the
border onto American soil. And so they need to attempt
to control us and limit our growth.
They originally attempted to pass this English Only
rule on the federal level but it went nowhere in the legislature. U.S. English then initiated their linguistic
He hopes to attend CSUF and wants to
be an engineering major. His father is a
field worker and his mother works at a
sweet potato packing house.
"By coming to school, you can learn
more and live better and not work in the
fields," Vega said.
Vegawillbethethirdofeighttoattend
college. He said he hopes more young
people from migrant farm working families will be able to take advantage of
events like Migrant Youth Day. "There
are ways to get to college and be better
prepared and have a better life."
Samaniego said that Vega's situation
where older siblings are making it to college is becoming more common. "There
are more programs thatarehelpingthem."
Educational workshops ranged from
"testwiseness" to "how to make effective
presentations and improve your oral
communications."
General interest workshops ranged
from "building your self esteem through
teatro" to "youth and the law."
The conference also featured seven
suppression on the state level. There are now 17 states
that have declared English as their official language.
Ridiculously enough, California is one of the states
that has declared English its official language - a state
in which non-white elementry school pupils make up
51.3 percent of all students.
So are kids speaking their native Spanish on the
playgrounds going to be put on detention? What's the
plan U.S. English? We ask the same question of those
at CSUF who subscribe to the English First confusion.
The English Only or English First rule has had no
careerworkshopsrangingfrom "computer
sciencesandrelatedfields"to"radio, television, andjournalism opportunities."
Samaniego said the students were able
to relate to the presenters because so
many of them came from migrant backgrounds and they have succeeded.
SamaniegobecameinvolvedinMigrant
Youth Day last year as a volunteer. "In
high school, I was part of a teatro group
whowenttojuniorhighandelementary
schools. We spoke to the students about
how important education is."
Samaniego said that the UMS office
calls students on admission and financial
aid deadlines and if applications aren't
returned, they make calls home to assist
the students and parents. Some students
who had completed an information card
with UMSbeforecomingtotheconference
find out their admission and financial aid
status.
"Imettwogirlswhowerenotplanning
on going to college. Now one has applied to
CSUF, theothertoCSU,Stanislaus. This
an example of the work we do at UMS."
real impact in California. Voting ballots are still printed
in Spanish and driving tests are still given m Spanish.
Such a law is simply unenforcable in a stateso diverse.
Anglo America is fearing change. Instead of America
changing its immigrants, America is being changed by
them. If you're not the majority I guess it's nice to know
that your language is still the "best" or at least the
"official" language ofthe United States.
Ponganse trucha. Don't let this decreasing White
majority pass anymore of their prejudicial laws disguised
as well-intended and in our best interest.
APRIL,1990
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
PAGE7
Author Mendez inspired by fieldw r
Now-honorary doctorate had six years of formal education
At age five, with his mother's help, he learned how to
read. "I loved to dance, sing, and read," said Mendez. At
11, he began writing poems without his parents knowledge. "In Mexico, I was told I was lazy because I wanted
to write," said Mendez. "The inspiration to me, is a
strong enthusiasm and courage to write," added Mendez.
I
Michaela Diez-Lopez
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
One hot day, picking cotton in the fields ofArizona, 14year-old Miguel Mendez decided to write his first novel.
Mendez, now 60 and an honorary Doctor of Humanities and Letters at the University of Arizona, Tucson,
spoke on campus April 19 about how his life has influenced his writing.
Mendez didn't have the support of his friends who
called him lazy for his desire to write. Nonetheless, he
began writing his first novel, Peregrinos de Aztlan. "I
saved this novel for 7 years because I did not know ifit
was good or not," said Mendez.
Mendez was awarded the doctorate by the university
in 1984 though his previous education includes six years
of primary school.
Mendez spoke to Spanish professors and students
about his life and writing style. Born in Bisbee, Arizona,
heis ofMestizo and Yaqui decent. His family moved back
to Sonora, Mexico where he spent the first 14 years ofhis
life.
Mendez said that after sixth grade, he was a selftaught person. "I always had thedesiretoreadand write.
"I don't feel sorry for not going to school, because I
always had the desire, the dreams [to] learn and write
and I learned myself," said Mendez.
He shared his desire to write with his fellowfieldworkers. "They laughed atme and made fun ofme every day."
After "Peregrinos de Aztlan,,. he started writing
poems, novels, and stories.
Cristina Corchado found nothing to ridicule about
Mendez's work. Corchado, a 37-year-old liberal studies
major said after listening to Mendez that, she liked "the
oral, traditional delivery and the touch on Mexican
origins" in his speech.
Mendez had obviously developed his ability with words
at an early age. At 13, he was reading Don Quixote and
other Spanish Literature. Mendez's works include a
collection of poems, novels and stories like: "Tata CaStJhuayotroscuentos" ( Tata Casehuaand other stories), "La
Literatura Chicana" (Chicano literature), "El Sueno de
Santa Maria de las Piedras" (The Dream of Santa Maria
of the Stones), and "De la vida Y del Folklore de la Frontera" (On the Life and Folklore of the Border).
He was invited as a full-time instructor to Pima
Community College in Tucson, Arizona. He teaches a
class at the university that analyzes the life and culture
of Mexican Americans and he does research and wri .s
when he's not teaching.
His next book is "El Circo que se perdio en el
Desierto"(The Lost Circus in the Desert). Mendez's goal
for the future is to have his works read throughout the
world and to contribute more to Chicano literature written in Spanish.
MichaelaDi ez.Lopez, 23, is an exchange student
from Durango, Mexico. She came to the United
States in 1983. A/fer a ;year of intensive English
courses, she attended Fresno City College for two
years, before coming to CSUF in 1987. She ia majoring in Journaliam and Spanish. She lives with a
host family here in Fresno along with her brother,
28, who ia also an exchange student.
"!,i!~-S;Rf''. ~i~~;r~ -,JJr~le:-~~laHs
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gent funds on out-of-state conferences to Caren Tho> w reserve request thafp~sed the ASI t~Srf;emester. , / pr by having jnfltl"'nce on our SIWmembers9r e.\'eP
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gays and people ofcolor to her constituents in the.. conferences,Avil.es~iµd;"'JJ'iefsh9illdusetheirmoI1eyof
taught." . . .
~ ,:
; i· ..·
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·· . Jhey should rai~m,()liey~.p§t.u~Jl}e student's money/ ·.. Go!Jzalez plans.to make hef face and herpolitie
•: ' .."First of a11, social work students need so much • . Montoya, who won the ll;§JJJ.3o~d No'. 2 from:Reak . : , kr1.Awn on campus~·S~e said OI'.ie, of her mostakea n
•~ducation." Thomas, the first open lesbian elected to . .itis Rupinde:r.. Gill;by ,226 \,~tes~ s~id OJ.ltf ()f.hi~ main }:JhJsyear's campaign·~~the fact that $he di~)~ r.
..·\be.senate, said. She said she's heard fellow social goals for the next~ca~~rnicW'4-J~ ~expand t~e
)~y department mee~gs in he.r.SchooL :.·•· ... ·
' ans,
>to.be
daycare:.•·
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low income - willhav~ a clihli~ at)heday care ceiiter.f ·· alternate soui-c~s offunding. . .
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not ·the :elay •. care / ,/· ~I .-.yant
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' tia~s and gays and lesbfans ...(SoutheastAsians, gays . services on campuseipandis.Senator.at large;postNo. Jhere.f Gon.ialez, wh~hasmigran.t farmwol'.kinh
:11n)i lesbians] are so oppresed that the social workers •. 2-elect Genoveva ,Islas, mothe,r of +year-old.Richard. . .• =JJ~kgroun~, was p~ofCSUF's lJniversity ¥igra,1t
peed to lift aUofus up and say these people are okay," .
Islassaidday¢{lr~ needsJoooexpanded<>ncampust<> . \ Seryices (UM~!,,8::11-d ispresidentofM~ants~1(> 1
J . :Part ofThomas's plan to improve gender relations
"allow accesibilitytoituden.i:$focQme and be educated." : :{\lµance.
· ·. . ,
...
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campus works in with her involvement on a com·
Islas'sattitud~aboutl"eJiitionsbetweenfoet'\Vcipoliti;..
i~pMSwasn't:.a ware tha1. they could.getlllAUn. #.utt.ee to establish a wogien's center on campus.
cal parties fa office is; l<BecausewEi ran on opposingsides stNctionalRe.la,t.e<i4£tMµe s] or lottex:tm<>~Y;~J..was
'fpomas hopes the cen~r· will be a p1ace where . doesn't mean that w~lre·goin;gto.b e on opposing sidesfor:} :,$le to !:>tin.git ~JJ.ien: atten~ioo. and Jbey aj:~.~ . g
j }f9men can come. togeth~rtobe;)Y.ith other.women.She. .~ltstudent}ssiie~},h?ffull~~?ll)>~ iwle.t9re#c,b. ~µie,}
<
•w~~her 'or
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ti
senators were a direct threat to this republican, predominantly fraternity grip
on the ASL
Continued from page 1
"It was the only way to get a response,"
said Daves as he explained why he and 23
with racism on campus."
other students participated in a sit-in
The Mexican American Political Assoduring Spring 1989.
ciation and the National Association for
One event preceding ASI's by-law
the Advancement of Colored People are
changes was the attempt to cut the foodtwo local Fresno organizations that are
line item from the Chicano Youth Conferassisting the defendants with attorney
ence budget.
and court costs.
George Martinez, then-Chicano Youth
"The administration knows we're a
Conference representative for the Finance
bunch of poor students, so they're trying
and Budget Committee said he was reto stall until summer hoping we'll lose
peatedly being quieted at the meetings for
interest, graduate, or run out of money,"
being too aggresive. He said, "Everytime
Stark said. "These racial attitudes still
I would raise my hand they would shake
exist. The problem still continues."
their heads."
Bill White, then-Administrative Vice
Martinez confronted Bill White after
President and Bulldog Republican memthe meeting about White's efforts to siber, said in last May that the intent.of the
lence his comments. White then said,
changes were to preserve the republican
"You're paranoid." White commented to
"dynasty" the Reality senators and execuMartinez that the food policy for recruittives had created to that point.
ment programs had been deleted, when in
The Unity-SRG victories by Karen fact it had not.
CogleyandKathleenSolanoandfourother
"Through this whole thing, the com-
SIT IN
w·
•>
:t?~t~l,1,~~p.~f.r,gprJpe~ m~pi,~t:7-
mittee lied, insulted me and questioned
my professionalism," Martinez said.
Daves said of the changes that "They
were trying to restructure the democratic
system, " Daves said, "It was the last
straw."
Police handcuffed and escorted the 24
students to the campus police station in
patrol cars. Supporters outnumbered
hecklers outside University Student Union as sit-in participants filled out at the
basement level of USU.
The hecklers hollered "What do we
want? Cavity check. When do we want it?
Now!"mockingthe sit-in participants who
were videotaped chanting "What do we
want? Justice. When do we wantit?Now!"
The 24 were cited at the police station.
Nineteen of them pleaded "no contest" to
the charges, which, is this case, meant a
six-month probation instead ofentering a
plea of guilty or not guilty.
Five chose to represent the 24 on trial
but two of them later chose to plead no
contest later, leaving Daves, Guerra and
Miller to represent the group April 26.
.
When ask d why he decided to go on
with the trial, Guerra said,"We didn't
want to give u 1 what we had started J 's
not just the p inciple, we want the administration and the people responsible
for the by-law changes to be held accountable. It's going to be the administratJOn
going to trial, not us."
Guerra said of possible consequences
that "We've always known what the consequences wouldbe ofthetrialnotco ing
out in our favor."
Moore said, "The defendants have a
good case sine~ they are protected by the
first amendment."
March 15, the six month probation
period was dropped for the 19 who initially pleaded "no contest." Stacy Green
and Roxana Zapata have yet to complete
their six-month probations as they pleaded
"no contest" later.
Arrest warrants went out for four students who didn't show up on March 15,
but were later dismissed and only two
students paid$50 and$100 fines for their
failiure to appear.
PAGES
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
jueves, 4/26
lunes, 4/23
CJSA works on magazine
The Chicano Journalism Student
Association will meet today at 6 p.m. in the JAd,
Room 203. CJSAis workingon amagazineDestinos
for the 1990 Chicano Commencement.
APRIL,1990
6725.
Chicano health students meet
The Chicano Health Organization will meet
today in San Ramon 4, Room 220 at 5 p.m. All
majors are welcome.
viernes, 5/4
Support group starts with Luncheon
martes, 4/24
miercoles, 4/25
Plans for Semana de La Raza
The Semana de la Raza committee welcomes
everyone to help finalize Cinco de Mayo activities
during the week of April 30 to May 5. Semana
meetings are every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in San
Ramon 4, Room 242.
Migrant Student Alliance meets today for a
gf:neral meeting at 4:00 p.m. in the USU. Check the
glass case at the south entrance for room number.
'Chuntara' celebrates 23rd!
La Voz staff writer and former ad production
m>'ln~er celebrates 23 longyears.Feliz Cumpleaiios
Gil, we mean Jill, Jill Soltero.
uitti:!~ 9riit11ike your organization~s meetings in\ form~tion in Calendario,
send date; time and place
of m~~iing and name of
contaet>person to Calen•dario, La Voz de Aztlan,
Keats Campus Bldg., Mail
stop #42.
<
Chicano Commencement Committee meets
today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Joyal Administration
Room203
African American Educators hold last general meeting for the semester. For meeting place
and room number contact Adrian Brown at 226-
Chicano commencement more personal
I
Manuel Olgin, coordinator-of student
services at the CSUF-College of the Sequoias satellite center in Visalia, got the
idea from San Jose State University's
Chicano Commencement helJ in 1972.
Chicano students at CSUF, Olgin said,
should have an opportunity to say goodbyeto their friends, loved ones and, most
importantly, to say •gracias" to their
familia for the moral and financial support they provided.
This year's celebration, sponsored by
the Chicano Alumni Association and fi-
nancially supported by the Academic Affairs and Dean of Students offices, will
takeplaceatCSUF'samphitheater.More
than 120 Chicano students are expected
to participate.
"The celebration," Olgin said, "is a
special way of showing appreciation to
parents, friends, faculty and staff
during their years at school."
Financial restraints prevent many
Chicanos from pursuing higher education. Sending a child to college is difficult,
particularly in working-class households
where children are needed for additional
income to purchase the basic necessities
for the family.
At a time when Chicano youth are
being pushed out of high school at an
alarming 50 percent-rate, it is imperative that our gente be exposed to
Chicanos and Chicanas graduating from
universities and colleges throughout the
Southwest.
REYNOSO
HUERTA
Continued from page 6
Continued from page 1
Reynoso mo1;tly enjoys the Romantic
el'a of music and specifically Chopin. He
practices five to six hours each day saying
itismostimportantto"betruetothecomposer."
Reynoso's persistence in learning has
earned him the Rose Pollock Memorial
Scholarship in a competition sponsored
by the Fresno Musical Club. Along with
second and third place winners, Tina Lai,
18, and Pin-Ju Wu, 26, both CSUF students, Reynoso will be presented in a
recital May 4 at the home of Dorothy
Renzi.
Lorenz said receiving the award and
competition is proof that the Reynoso's
talent is being recognized and he is being
rewarded.
its beginnings in Delano, a small, agricultural town in the southern San Joaquin
Valley.
She traveled worldwide during the
Grape Boycott ofl 965 to bring attention
the poor working and living conditions of
the farmworkers in the Valley. The boycott was recognized internationally and
brought about a victory for the campesinos when the profits ofthe grape industry
took a sharp drop in answer to the boycott.
Semana de la Raza is a committee of
Movimeinto Estudiantil Chicano de
Aztlan. MEChA has been in stiff opposition to pesticide use and is a strong supporter of the UFW and its efforts.
Marta Villasenor
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
A dance was held to raise funds for the
first Chicano Commencement in 1976. A
total of$358 was made for the ceremony,
which, since then, has been celebrated
annually at CSUF for the past fourteen
years.
More importantly, Chicano graduates -who have fought with much
sacrifice and hardship- must return to
their communities to assist and organize the disenfranchised sectors, largely
composed of farm-laborers and working-class Mexicano and Chicano
families, in efforts to acquire political
power, economic independance and
social equality.
Many Chicano graduates are the first
in their family who have attended college. The Chicano Commencement ceremony plays a pivotal role in providing
our youth the necessary motivation to
continue the struggle to break through
the institutional barriers of higher education imposed on raza.
During the ceremony -held outdoors
at the CSUF Amphitheater every May
amongst family and friends in a festive,
communal atmosphere- Chicano graduates are called individually and given a
E.'.: . •..,.·. R
.·.··.•••·•··.•...
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certificate ofacademic achievement. The
names of the graduate's parents are
announced, in Spanish or English, along
with the graduate's hometown, high
school and career goals.
From beginning to end the diversity
and uniqueness of the bilingual/bicultural ceremony is vividly expressed by the
music of Mariachi's, the dancing of
CSUF's Danzantes de Aztla.n, a university-coordinated folkloric dance troupe,
and the singing of the traditional Mexican song •De Galores" by participating
graduates, family and friends in attendance.
Afterward, the crowd, accompanied
by Mariachi's, walks over to the Vintage
Room for finger foods, beverages, more
music and a dance to round out the festive evening.
See calendario above for Chicano
Commencement committee meeting
times.
·.·.·. .··.· ... ·
.•.··
·
ti~'i5-1985).,;
·, , ?
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•hlUdefines M_ua}ity as tlle 'rjght
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p~icipationin tlleJ8cio"eepnonucand
}politiciallife ofthe.cotmtry. . <
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irtgconditidns o(employm~ri.f!Uldlife
withthe.!3J)eCjfie:intent to combat these
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:'w,qn1e#i#n9riitradition1:1t~patioiiaJ ·.
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- See page 3
Volume XXL Number 3
Monday April 23, 1990
California State University, Fresno
3 represent group in court this week
Daves, Guerra, and Miller pursue trial despite 'judges offer of 'no contest' plea
I
Sara Soria
LA- VOZ STAFF WRITER
,
(1-r) Don Daves Lawrence Guerra and Darren Miller retrun to the student government offices
nearly a year after they were arrested with 21 other sit-in protesters. The three will face misdemeanor charges in court April 28.
Perla to share
Salvadoran
women's plight
I
Three out of the 24 students arrested last May for their participation
in the sit-in in the ASI offices will go to
trial this Thursday, said attorney John
Moore.
Don Daves, Lawrence Guerra and
Darren Miller, along with 21 other students, were arrested for their sit-in
against by-law changes initiated by
then-executives and senators of the
Reality party on campus.
"The university has a legal obligation to protect against racial attacks.
These students were spit on! They
shouldn't be subjected to these ugly
racial slurs," said Moore, one of three
attorneys for the case, in reference to
anonymous phone calls that were made
to the ASI offices during the sit-in.
Scott Stark, spokesman for the defendants, said, "The administration is
making it as hard as possible to set a
trial date. They're using tactics to stall.
We set a trial date for Jan. 29 and
approximately two weeks before, President Haak decides to take a vacation to
Korea. The university is more concerned
with winning basketball games than
See SIT IN, page 7
Huerta's visit aiined to educate
UFW vice president will discuss the effects of pesticides
I
Sylvia Castro
Sostenes Infante Jr.
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
For Chicanos everywhere, the daily struggle for justice
in an unjust society occupies a major portion of their time
and energy. The situation for women of color has historically been harder than the rest, and for Salvadoran
women it is threefold.
·
Anna Perla, Director of the Institute for Research,
Training and DevelopmentofSalvadoran Women, U.S.A,
is a person who knows first-hand what it is to fight
gender and race injustice. She will address CSUF students and faculty April 30 at 7 p.m. in Industrial Arts
101.
In an effort to bring constructive change to a situation
where women have suffered disproportionately at the
hands of U.S. political policy, Perla has taken up the
plight of Salvadoran women.
The socio-political and economic conflict which continues to rip El Salvador apart affects women more acutely.
The men who once provided an outside income to the
family have been killed or driven into exile. The women
are n6w faced with the double burden of sustaining the
family with little or no income.
Economic realities that are thrust upon American
women, namely earning considerably less than their
male counterparts, are a far cry from the basic social
See PERLA, page 8
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Dolores Huerta, vicepresidentofthe United Farmworkers Union, will speak on campus May 3 during
the celebration of Semana de la Raza.
Her speech titled "Pesticides and The
Environment:The Impact on Farmworkers and the
Consumer,"will begin at 7 p.m. in the Satellite Union.
Huerta suffered serious injury in September 1988
when she was attacked by San Francisco police officers during an election-year campaign appearance by
then Vice-president George Bush.
Since the issue of pesticides use is a heated one in
the Valley, her visit will help inform the public of
pesticides dangers, said Richard Delgado, chairman
of the Semana de La Raza committee.
"We're looking forward to having her here during
community night to let people know how pesticides
affect the environment and farmworkers," said
Delgado, "There are a lot ofpeople out there that don't
really understand the bad effects of pesticides. We
hope she will open a lot of eyes."
Huerta, like UFW President Cesar Chavez, is cofounder of the farm laborers union. She and Chavez
were the mainstays of the union, in 1963, when it had
See ~RTA, page 8
UFW Vice President Dolores Huerta
PAGE2
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZDEAZTLAN
B
APRIL, 1990
,
NuESTRA OPINION • OUR OPINION
English only rule:
feeble attenipt to
save Ainerican niyth
ASI Election Results
I
Eloy Garcia
LA VOZ ASSISTANT EDITOR
I was walking through the Free Speech If full incorporation of immigrants was
Area last month when I saw something their true intention then it would be an
very ignorant on the"All-American," Bull- admirable one.
But how are we to believe this when
dog Republican booth. Except for the conservative paraphanalia that sometimes English speaking White Americans have
decorates it, the little red, WHITE and prevented English speaking African
blue booth is usually kept nice and clean. Americans and Chicanos from being equal
On this particular occasion however, members of this society for some 500
there happened to be a bumper sticker years? It's obvious that they don't want
that that boldly stated English First. to incorporate us into their society but
rather strip us of our own separate cul- English has actively opposed literacy
Someone's feeling a little insecure.
The English First bumper sticker is ture. And the best way to do this is by programs for new immigrants. They have
opposed the spending of any money for
propaganda by U.S. English, a political taking away our language.
bilingual
education.
If
they
were
really
trying
to
make
organization whose sole purpose is t make
In addressing the U.S. Senate S. I.
English the official language of the United immigrants more proficien t in the EngStates. According to Geoffrey Nunberg of lish language then they should not be Hayakawa,former U.S. Senator from
Stanford University's Center for the opposed to bilingual education. If this is California and founder of U.S. English
Study of Language and Information, the the way they feel, then why deny them said that people would not learn a second
goals of U.S. English also include oppos- access to an education? Why make it ille- language so long as their native language
gal that immigrant children to be taught is kept available as a crutch. He was baing bilingual education in
sically asking for legisthe private and public seclation that would do
tor. In other words, Engaway
with cultural ties.
lish First is really "English
And that is exactly the
Only."
intention of English
Supposedly, the attempt
Only, Hayakawa's legto make English the offiacy.
cial language is an attempt
Current demographic
to make immigrants more
trends show that minorproficiente in the English
ity groups will soon surlanguage and assimipass White, English only
latethem into the social,
speaking people in
political and economic asAmerica. This was the
pects of the American socisubject of the cover story
ety.
In one of their propa- ""/,..
\,""'\"""\;\f""
.;.; ) ""
f ""t""
? ""
t """"=.;.;....:.."'--"-....;_.;_;___ _.;.;....:..:.===-'-""'..;;;;.....;;;;;;~==~:....J in Time magazine April
9. The report titled
ganda brochures it was
"America's Changing
written about immigrants that, "They in their native language until they are
Colors; The Browning of America," said
never become productive members of able to learn in English?
that
Asians grew some 55 percent in the
American society. They remain stuck in
And still it is 0.1{. to ask a student to
a linguistic and economic ghetto, many learn English but it is not right to ask a '80s and Latinos grew some 35 percent
living on welfare and costing working student to forget his native language. If while Whites increased at a rate smaller
Americans millions of tax dollars every keeping their language will help them in than 5 percent. Sosa said that English
year."
their learning process and make · Only is simply a reaction to the growing
They feel that proficiency in a second them"productive" American citizens then population and influence of Latinos.
Their attempt to make English the
language means ineptness in English. why deny them of that?
With these idiotic beliefs, they are trying
Their purpose is clearly not what they official language of the United States is a
to fool unaware citizens of their inten- say it is. According to Mary Sosa of the paranoid reaction by White, English only
tions and the intentions of English Only. National Education Association, U.S. speaking law makers. Latinos as well as
most Asian groups have not surrendered
their language like all other immigrant
groups did upon arrival in the United
States.
Because it is such an important link
with our culture, we and Asians have our
native languages. This is threatening to
See OPINION, page 4
NosOTROS ... LA
Voz
DE .AZTI.AN
Editor in Chief- Chrts Heredia
Assistant Editor-Eloy Garcia
Copy Editor-Celeste Saldivar
Graphics Editor -Oscar G. Ramirez
Calendario Editor-Marta Villasenor
Staff Artist- Ralph Avitia
Staff Writers-Sylvia Castro, Michaela
Diez-Lopez. Sellene Flores. Sostenes
Infante Jr., Krista Lemos, Rosemary
Lopez, Sandra D. Ortiz, Matthew
Polanco, Brooke Primero, Al Robles, JUI
Soltero, Sara Soria, Joseph M. Torres.
Photographers- Laura Hernandez,
Jose Luis Gil, Angel De Jesus.
• Flag designed by Ralph Avitia •
The La Voz staff would like to thank
Erle Burney, Teny Pierson, Dave Tellez,
and Lisa McKinney of The Daily
Collegian Staff.
Special thanks to Leslie Cunning of
The Fresno Bee and Tom Uribes of
CSUF University Outreach Services.
I.a Voz de Aztl.an Is published monthly by the Assoc!·
ated Students, Inc. of California State University.
Fresno. 'Ihe newspaper office ts located 1n the Keats
Campus Building. Fresno, Calif., 93740--0042. 'Jhe
opinions publ!shed on this page an, not nccessartly
those of the Associated Studen ts. Inc.. The Daily
Collegtan or I.a Vaz De Aztlan and tis staff. Unsigned
editorials an, the majority opinion of the paper's editorial board.
. ..Tlie Se11ateCapprovajfb.i<:ampds./~de bridg;( ~ •. • •: ·•.' •:',•·. gr
. :. !:a'.••_!p{e•.•.•.f,:s·•.a•_.',=,=i..:,1.:.. a•.;nt.d'·•o·'••,•tl•~hec
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· •eerste
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the
Children's Ce11#rteceived$84;174; the
· ,University Lectur~ Series received $40,000, Oyer~ ❖ campesiJios<
work. No wherein their beautiful Vin. view,a publi.c ition i>ftbe Office ofAdvismgarid :0ri
Days hri>chrire does 'i.t .rnen.tion that M~icanos
Ca,mpils
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• entation.xeceiv~d $1;1~0 aii<l Vin~geDays received ;· · '.~ ,~~~:r::h1i1'ti!;~t~!;::~~d:ib~~~t::
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bgs~rjng heatJnd :µn.san1ta,JY~nditions by.wealthy
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tl.tI.i~ :if.ii j t i::~i.iJ]•,·~ ,• ;ppr~~riate' ·~ es-·;•••••'•.:
EYE ON
BY JOSEPH M.
ASI
TORRES
APRIL,1990
CSU, FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
PAGE3
CSUF pianist perfects the art of classical lllusic
I
Sonya Quintana
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
At age 11 in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, Hector Reynoso began
studying the piano. Little did he know that the piano might some
day become his career.
At a seminary in Mexico, Reynoso's father who was a pastor,
asked his son if he would like to study piano with the seminary's
m'usic instructor. The younger Reynoso agreed but it was three
years and two piano teachers later before he developed a serious
interest in music. Reynoso came to can his second instructor Cesar
Sosa "el abuelito [the grandfather], because he was very old," said
Reynoso.
Sosa encouraged the 13-year-old Reynoso to pursue a career in
music. Reynoso studied for two years at a music school in Mexico
City where he advanced quickly.
His studies in music, however, became stagnant for three years
when his family moved to the United States when he was 15.
"I think those were the three most wasted years of my life," For
what some believe to be the most formative years of a pianist's
career, Reynoso didn't have the encouragement or the instruction
needed for his technical advancement.
At one point during this time, a high school music instructor
discour aged him by questioning whether or not h e could make a
living with music.
Reynoso didn't let his high school instructor stop him. Today, he
is 21 and majoring in performance piano at CSUF. Reynoso studies
under world-known pianist and CSUF professor Phillip Lorenz.
Together they are perfecting Reynoso's playing technique.
Reynoso's relationship with Lorenz is unique in that they come
from a generation ofstudents descendingfrom Ludwigvon Beethoven.
The history started with Beethoven and was passed to Czerny
(famous for his exercises in technique) to Franz Lizst (considered by
many to be the greatest interpreter of Beethoven) to Claudio Arrau
(who was considered the greatest pianist alive) to Lorenz and finally
to Reynoso. He is extremely proud of this.
Lorenz said the experience has passed musical and technical
ideas through generations.
Piano student Hector Reynoso wants to earn a doctorate in music.
See REYNOSO, page 8
SEMANA DE LA RAZA
A week of ways to ·c elebrate Cinco de Mayo
I
Mathew Polanco
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
La Semana de la Raza, commemorating the Mexican
Army's defeat of the French at Puebla on Cinco de Mayo,
1862, will be held from Monday, April 30 through Saturday, May 5.
The Semana de la Raza committee, a committee of
MEChA, will be hosting different themes that deal with
various Chicano issues on the different days of the week.
The committee will be bringing some of the top educators, poets, activists, and performers from across the
United States to CSUF to help celebrate La Semana de
la Raza.
On Monday, April 30, opening day, a parade lead by
Mariachi Zapopan will be held at 10:30 a.m. starting at
the amphitheater and moving to the Free Speach Area.
At 11:30 a.m., Sal Castro, a Chicano educator and
activist from Los Angeles, wi11 give an opening speech
about the history of the Battle at Puebla.
That evening at 7 p.m., in the Satellite Student Union,
a professor from the University of Iowa, Juan FelipeHerrera along with his wife Margarita Robles-Herrera
will be giving a poetry and literature reading.
On Tuesday Mayl, May Day, Marina Judith Pena, of
the FMLN, will discuss the history of struggle in El
Salvador. She will speak in the Free Speech Area.
Rick Chacon, former CSUF MEChA President and
current MAPAdel Valle President, will speak in the Free
Speech Area on political issues facing the Chicano community.
For Children's Day, Wednesday, May 2, Jose Rendon
will put on a puppet show for children from various
schools from the Fresno area. There will also be piiiatas
donated for the children by the student organization
Mex-Tech.
In the evening, Community Night will take place in
~1r~r~t?! lr~;~~:J~E:J·•
.
< SatCastro,
Lo$AngelesActiyist,
Free Speech Area
.
· "Integrating Race, Class and Gender ·
in the Curriculum"
Dr. Mary Romero, Margarita Luna Robles
Upstairs Cafcrteria, Room 200 ·
Noche de Floricanto
A presentation of music and poetry
Juan Felipe Herrera, Margarita Luna Robles
Satellite Student Union
TUE.S DAY,MAYl
. . .. . .
.. w
.
.12:00 pm .· . $istoryof Struggle in EfSalvador-FMLN7
.. .
. .. · MarinaJudithPeiia
/ \ .. ·
.
:"Political IssrieS:and the Chi~ano
t~:~~~:: n:•
''li:~$~~:A#i#. ?
,~::t~•~t;n~i~;:~ni
11:Q(}am• ·=·
'
La Conquista de Mexico ·
Jose Rendon • Puppet show .
11:30.pm
Pi.fiatas/Celebration for Children
Sponsored by Mex-Tech Students
2 pm
"Being the Best you Can Be:Ove:rcoming
Obstacles and Moving Ahead"
Dr. Lea Ybarra
Re-Entry Office
COMMUNITY NIGHT
Mariachi
6pm
7 pm
"Pesticides and the 'Enviroment:
The Impact on Fal"Dlworkers and the
Con sumer" ·
Dolores Huerta, Vice President, U;FW
8pm
Danzantes ~~. Aztlanat SSU
.
the Satellite Student Union. A Mariachi band will open
up the night at 7 p.m. followed by UFW Vice-president
Dolores Huerta (see story page one). She will speak on
the current issues facing farm workers in the San Joaquin
Valley. LosDanzantesdeAztlan. will follow at8o'clock.
Thursday, May 3, the Latin Jazz band ESP, featuring
Felix Contreras a former CSUF student and La Voz
editor, will perform in the SSU at noon.
On Friday, May 4, the annual Tardeada will take
place on the lawn area in front of the SSU. Different
Chicano student groups from campus will have food
booths along with performances by the Clovis High
Marimba band,LosNinos deAztlan .. Mariachi Zapopan
will open the Tardeada at 11 a.m.
At 8 p.m. that evening, a Modem Latino Ballet group
from New York, Ballet Hispanico, will perform at the
SSU and again on Saturday evening, at 8 p.m., May 5.
All events are free of charge.
Thursday,May3 • \
..
12pm
"ESP"LatinJazzBand ,
The Pit-Universtiy Student Union
Friday, May 4
TARDEADA
Satellite Student Union, Lawn Area
11 :30 am
Mariachi Zapopan
12:30 pm
Clovis High School Marimba
Pat Gutierrez, Director
Los Ninos de Aztlan
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES•
May 4 & 5 Friday & Saturday
8 pro Ballet H.ispanico From New York
. ~SU, General Admission $8.
PAGE4
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
APRIL,1990
Arte y Entretenimiento
FILM REVIEW •••
Chavez plays LA's Spanish radio pioneer
Pedro Jose Gonzalez in 'Break of Dawn'
I
AlRobles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
The history of Chicano radio broadcasting and its
community-based context provides the setting for
"Break OfDawn," a dramatic film that chronicles the
career of Pedro Jose Gonzalez the talented, charismatic pioneer of Spanish language radio in Los Angeles during the '20s and '30s. Gonzalez is played by
Oscar Chavez.
Gonzalez, a veteran of the 1910 Mexican Revolution, fought with General Pancho Villa's army when
he was 14. He migrated to the United States with
Marfa, his wife, in 1928 and settled in Los Angeles
where he soon began his career in radio broadcasting.
Although originally refused a job because the management said they had no use for Mexican music, he
offered to translate commercials into Spanish in order
to convince the station manager of his viability.
Immediately recognizing the marketability of
Gonzalez' talent, the management of radio station
KMPC gave him a job as an advertizer. Despite the
station's prohibition on Mexican music, Gonzalez
decided to squeeze in a song between adverticements,
a move which cost him his job until the station realized that Gonzalez was an instant hit with a Chicano
audience eager to hear thier musica on the air.
The popularity of Gonzalez's morning radio show,
"Los Madrugadores" (the early risers) increased at a
phenomenal rate. Gonzalez had a special talent for
broadcasting expressed through the warmth of his
demeanor and his performance of vivid and
sentimental corridos. His passion and commitment
to his community earned him trust and prestige
throughout the barrios. He soon lent his voice to the
defense of his gente during a time of rising antiMexican hysteria.
A society reeling from the effects of the Great Depression of the '30s racialized its economic turmoil by
making the Mexi.canos scapegoats. Deportations of
thousands of Mexi.canos y Chicanos soon became
commonplace.
Gonzalez conducted on-air interviews with Consul
Davila, a progressive official with the Mexican Consulate who compelledraza to know their rights and to
fight against the repressive deportation laws.
The show provoked a backlash from the local District Attorney, Kyle Mitchell, who earlier campaigned
with a racist anti-Mexican platform. Gonzalez was in
the process ofexposing Mitchell's corruption and lack
oflegitimacy as a public official when he was arrested
and convicted on trumped-up assault charges and
sentenced to 50 years at San Quentin Prison.
The alleged victim later confessed to giving false
El Movimiento
we wear old faded pants that expose our scarred knees;
they wear new faded jeans with ready or self-made holes to show off
their skin.
we drive '63 Ford Falcons that drip oil, take 15 minutes to warm up,
die at every stop light, and lose their brakes every now and then;
they drive premeditated and abstract cars that never seem to break
down: '73 VW Beetles speckled with primer and bumper stickers that read
"El Salvador is Spanish for Vietnam."
we buy hot furniture from the bad homeboy, Loco;
they buy theirs from the good home decorator, Ethan Allen.
we eat tortillas with mayonnaise and drink water to fill our
stomachs;
they get burritos at Taco Bell and drink cheap wine to buy their
humility.
our parents ask us for money so they can buy beans, rice, flour (for
tortillas), gas for the Falcon, patches for Papi's pants, and to pay Loco for the color TV;
they ask their parents for money so they can pay monthly expenses
and have spending money to buy "Free Nelson Mandela" T-shirts.
we pick oranges all day in poisonous orchards;
they picket at college for half an hour with signs that read "Boycott
Grapes."
When we hear about our hermanos in Mc Farland,
we weep and wipe away the tears that pour from our hearts;
they cry and clean the water that drips from their sympathetic eyes.
we write about our pregnant sister that dropped out of high school, our
mother and brother with cancer, the bald tires of the Falcon, and the
four big blisters on our palms from hoeing weeds in 106 degree heat for minimum wage·
they write about oppression.
'
they receive awards and other forms ofrecognition for their
leadership and commitment to the movement;
we stand up and we clap "hard," then we sit down and wipe the water
from our blistered palms.
Frank Pancho Aviles
"Hijo del SoZp.s. ( we don't need to pull anymore knives out of our backs, especially
those with brown and black fingerprints. When we try to get involved in
the movement don't oppress or try to destroy us 'cause without us there
would be no movement and you would have to look for another extracurricular activity.)
testimony under pressure from the district attorney's
office in order to convict Gonzalez. Despite her testimony the court refused to overturn his conviction and
he remained in prison for six years until he was paroled
and deported to Mexico in 1940. A grassroots support
campaign mounted on Gonzalez's behalf as "Break of
Dawn's" popularity drew to a tense climax.
Pedro and Maria Gonzalez now live in San Ysidro,
Calif. His conviction continues, to this day. However,
there is currently a public campaign to seek a formal
pardon from Gov. Deukmejian.
"Break OfDawn" carries forth a narrative style and
plot element in a tradition similar to "The Ballad of
Gregorio Cortez." An innocent Mexicano is persecuted
by a ruthless power structure in a story recounted
through flashbacks by the central character. The film
is a powerful and compe11ing portrayal of Chicano
history that is thoughtfully arranged by its director
Isaac Artenstein.
The Fresno premier of "Break of Dawn" will be
Friday, April 27 at the Warnors Theatre, 1400 Fulton
St., in downtown Fresno at 7:30 p.m.A reception will be
held at 6:30 p.m. for one of the film's featured actors,
Tony Plana. The film's showing is sponsored by Arte
Americas. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at Arte
Americas, 1412 Fulton St., located next to the Warnors
Theatre. For further information, contact Arte Americas at 266-2623.
Santana's
back!
I
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Santana will appear at the Warnors
Theatre Tuesday, April 24 as part ofhis
West Coast tour. Fresno fans will witness the performance of a band
that was propelled to national
fame at Woodstock in 1969 and
has staked its
longevity on a
standard of performing excellence and some
23albums.
The last local
appearance by
Santana was in
1988 at the
Fresno
Fair
where he provided his audience with an
electrifyingperformance.
The dynamics of Santana's performances have, over the years, evolved with
a temperament wielded by solo arrangements and improvisational instrumental segue ways that counterbalance his
play list of timeless classics such as "Evil
Ways," "Black Magic Woman," "Everybody's Everything," and "Europa: Earth's
Cry, Heaven's Smile" to name but a few.
Even though extensive airplay has
eluded Santana in the '80s, his songwriting
and showmanship has garnered him a
wealth of acclaim by rock and jazz critics,
several Bay Area
Music awards and
repeated praise
from Guitar Player
Magazine.
The following of
Santana
fans
worldwide has
remained as solid
as ever to the point
of transcending
generations. Eighteen and 19-yearold fans who weren't alive when "Evil
Ways" climbed up
American
pop
charts in '69 regard Carlos Santana as a
man and musician ahead of his time.
Fans can also look forward to the latest
Santana album which is scheduled for release this summer. Tickets for the show
are available at local Ticketron outlets.
IN FRESNO
Tuesday, April 24
Warnors Theater
Call Ticketron
for tickets
APRIL,1990
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
PAGES
Art and Entertainment
ON COMPACT DISC
Sanchez cooks with 'Chile Con Soul'
I
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
In a truly magnificent display of his
seasoned virtuoso talent as a musician,
bandleader, and arranger, Poncho Sanchez's latest release, "Chile Con Soul"
brings forth a musical synthesis of jazz,
blues, salsa, and the relentless heart of
soul.
Congruent with the title, the cover
photo shows Sanchez holding two dinner
plates, one with soul food and the other
Mexican, and the music definitely lives up
to the image.
In a manner surpassing his previous
releases - all on the Concord/Picante label
- "Chile Con Soul" explores the relationships between the above mentioned styles
with an appreciation of all they have to
offer. The panoramic interplay of everything that Latin Jazz is, or should be,
becomes defined in this release in a manner
unique to Sanchez's talents.
The liner notes include a review by
retired NBA superstar and long-time jazz
fan,KareemAbdul-Jabbar, whoremarks,
"Poncho's band plays the music of the
Americas. That is to say, any tune may
have its feet in the Caribbean, its heart in
Brazil, and its mind in New Orleans. But
Sanchez's band brings all these elements
together in the most appropriate ways."
The opening track, "Song For Cal,"
pays tribute to the late Cal Tjader who
was one of the greatest inspirations of
Sanchez's career. Cal Tjader was also one
of the most influential artists in Latin
Jazz and served as Sanchez's artistic
mentor when he joined Tjader's band in
1975.
The song kicks off with the dance hall
swing style, characteristic of many of
Sanchez's previous releases, while sustained by his unrelenting conga rhythms.
"A Night In London" embarks on a
similar course with the horn section accentuated by Sal Cracchiolo's signature
trumpet solo until Sanchez lets loose on
the congas in a manner that almost defies
the law of gravity.
Two other tracks, "Lover Come Back
To Me" and "Ti Pon Pa" (the later combining the nicknames ofTito Puente, Poncho
Sanchez, and Papo Rodriguez) are highlighted by percussion solos from the guest
artist, none other then "El Rey del Timbal," Tito Puente. Puente has been a
phenomenon in Latin music for decades
and his presence on this release inspires
the excellence of Sanchez's band to new
heights.
"Con Migo" gives it up with a stylized
salsa flavor that is New York in its roots
and LA in its delivery. Charlie Otwell's
piano provides the drive while Gene Burkert's flute solo pierces the harmony with a
free floating pitch that entices the listener
to a sensual bliss.
If none of the other tracks will get you
up and on your feet, and it's hard to stay
still to almost any of these tunes, then try
James Brown's combined classics, "Cold
Sweat/ Funky Broadway" done up with a
distinct L.A. Latin Funk flavor.
Poncho's voice takes command on this
track with a granite like texture that does
justice to the "Godfather of Soul" (even if
the state of Georgia hasn't.)
"Chile Con Soul" can appropriately be
seen as a culmination of Poncho's life as a
West Coast Chicano jazz artist paying
tribute to the giants of the East Coast,
pioneers of the Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican
sound that has put the juice in American
popular music for over 50 years.
Artists such as Tito Puente, Perez
Prado, Machito, Chano Pozo, Dizzy
Gillespie, Horace Silver, Mongo Santamaria, Lester Young, and Cal Tjader
continue to inspire Sanchez's love ofmusic.
Sanchez, in turn, continues to define
the LA jazz sound in a truly hip fashion.
"Chile Con Soul" definitely breaks new
ground in this direction. Escucheconsabor.
Manos Morenas
by Joe M. Torres
"Pobre la gente"
She looked around,
uncertain of herself
hands golden brown
withered with pain
"La mujer mexicana
cada dia"
Her eyes brown as the earth
Skin soft and filled with sores
Brought from work
Her youth remains silent
"El mundo es bueno" but
her world lies lonely and still.
I
Sara Soria
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Marga Gomez, comica Chicana lives in a San
Francisco apartment once occupied by Janice Joplin. She said she inherited her father's comedy but
not his Spanish language.
Que lastima No?, she said.
Gomez's alter ego, Filumena, was named by her
father in her early childhood years. "I remember
my dad calling my mom and I Filumena." Gomez
incorporated her alter ego into her act by putting
on dark shades, puckering her lips and talking
Golllez ties
Herstory
n1onth off
-with laughter
with a deep Spanish accent.
The San Francisco comedian's performance
was the last event commemorating Women's
Herstory Month at CSUF.
Gomez said both her parents were entertainers; her mother was a dancer and her father was
a comedian. "My dad used to do Cantinfias
impressions." Cantinflas, a popular comedian to
many in the Mexican cinema, has acts going back
to the early '40s.
Gomez's audience filled the seats in Industrial
Arts, Room 101. The room filled with laughter as
Gomez made chistes about campus political parties, mentioning Reality.
Marga also picked on the actores in the novelas.
"Don't you think these actors overdramatize?" she
said. "When a woman is emotionally distraught
about a lover in a novela, she just doesn't plead
with him to stay by saying, "I love you." Gomez
bent at the waist, clenched her fists, squinted her
eyes and grunted: "Te quiero!"
She said non Spanish-speaking }'eople can flip
through the Spanish stations and actually understand the storylines through the actors exaggerated mannerisms.
Gomez joked about nights of discomfort from
Hector Ama.cv.a/SPEClAI. TO Lil VOZ
Marga Gomez entertained a capacity crowd
March 31.
wearing pantyhose. She said "Have you ever gone through
nights of saggy crotches just to look pretty?"
Late-comers to the event couldn't get by Gomez without
being thoroughly embarrassed by her acknowledgement of
their tardiness. "Don't worry, we can start over for you."
The Bay area comica entertained and humored the audience with her charm and wit throughout the hour.
Marga Gomez has received the "1989 Entertainer of the
Year" award for the San Francisco area, aired in "Comedy
Tonight," and worked with Linda Ronstadt and Whoopi Goldberg.
Gomez
incorporated
her alter ego
into her act
by putting
on dark
shades,
puckering
her lips and
talking with
a deep
Spanish
accent.
iJ
11:11
PAGE6
LA VOZDEAZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
APRIL, 1990
Teatro Campesino founder visits
I
Sostenes Infante Jr.
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
When faced with social and economic discrimination the natural
tendency for the victim is to become angry. However the method
by which that anger manifests itself is directly related to whether
circumstances improve or get
worse.
In a speech before a crowded
Satellite Student Union packed
with brown faces, Luis Valdez,
writer, playwright and director of
films such as "La Bamba" and
"Zoot Suit" said we must first look
deep inside ourselves if we hope to
initiate change.
"The ticket to success is in yourself, you have to be able to take
the conditions of your life and convert them into something," said
Valdez.
In speaking about racial discrimination, Valdez said, " Any
kind of pressure produces a certain kind of power, racial discrimination produces a certain kind of
power." The trick, Valdez said, is
turning something negative or
'La Bamba'
something that could be perceived as negative such
as a physical disability into something positive.
People who have physical disabilities have
changed the way they and other people think about
them by changing their reference first from crippled
to physically handicaped to physically challenged.
Finding out who we are is a prerequisite to dodging obstacles that confront each and every one of us
throughout our lives.
One of Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s early themes, "Be
careful of who and what you pretend to be because
in the long run that's what you end up with," rings
true when one analyzes human nature.
Dreams and thoughts of who we are, who we
want to be and what our society tells us we are, are
Hector Amezcua/SPEOAf. TO Lt\
voz
director Luis Valdez talks about refocusing energies during a talk in the Satellite Union.
in fact all interrelated and combine to make up our
conscious life experience, said Valdez.
Much of what mass media promulgates is nothing
more than lies and distortions.
"I am particularly concerned about what Hollywood movies say about minorities, women and history
if anything at all." said Valdez.
Citing facts and figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and other record-keeping agencies, Valdez
pointed out that most of the population in the United
States is under 25 and a member of an ethnic minority.
How mass media portrays the American minority
male and female is mainly in negative, stereotypical
roles which in turn reinforce social problems in everyday life such as drugs, gangs and prostitution, said
Valdez.
Using films such as "Colors," "Born on the Fourth
of July" and a host of other recent Hollywood blockbusters, Valdez said, "There are certain images that
are coming through both film and T. V. that are laying
a trip on youth. They're not telling you the tnith
about yourself."
Change won't come until each and every one ofus
wakes up to what's going on, said Valdez.
"The important word is involvement we must become involved in our lives, our destinies and in our
dreams," said Valdez.
Day for migrant youth offers alternatives
I
Sophomore political science major
Gloria Samaniego coordinated Migrant
LA VOZ EDITOR IN CHIEF
You~h Day this year under the direction
•
of Diaz.
ClaudiaChing,anAtwaterHighSchool
Samaniego said she enjoys helping
senior, is not sure that she will be able to economically disadvantaged students get
go to college. She has the support of her into college and will probably change her
parents in her goal of becoming a bilin- majortocounseling.Sheaddedthatmany
gualteacherbutshesaidsheisneededat migrant students are in situations that
home to help raise her brother and sister. are similar to Chi_ng's.
Chingwasoneofmorethan150high
"I'vespokenWithmanystudentswho
schoolstudentsfrom throughout the San are like that. But she will make it. We
Joaquin Valley who attended the second have a file on her and we're doing a follow
annual Migrant Youth Day with the up. If she has the determination, she'll
theme, "Prepare for the future: you are work something out.
the master of your fate" last month at
"I can relate to some students. My
CSUF.
parents never asked me to stay home.
"The people were talking about differ- They always supported me in going to
ent things about college experiences.
college," Samaniego said regarding
Knowing these will help us in the fu. Ching's situation.
ture," said Ching.
For others like Rosendo Vega, a senior
Director of University Migrant Serv- at Livingston High, who attended Miices(UMS)Rau1Diazsaidthat25percent grant Youth Day, plans for attending
of the student volunteers in this year's college wouldn't be any surprise to his
Migrant Youth Day were participants family. Two of his older sisters have atthemselves last year.
tended CSU, Stanislaus.
Chris Heredia
OPINION
Continued from page 2
the conservative "good old boys" who feel everyone
must shed all cultural ties the minute they cross the
border onto American soil. And so they need to attempt
to control us and limit our growth.
They originally attempted to pass this English Only
rule on the federal level but it went nowhere in the legislature. U.S. English then initiated their linguistic
He hopes to attend CSUF and wants to
be an engineering major. His father is a
field worker and his mother works at a
sweet potato packing house.
"By coming to school, you can learn
more and live better and not work in the
fields," Vega said.
Vegawillbethethirdofeighttoattend
college. He said he hopes more young
people from migrant farm working families will be able to take advantage of
events like Migrant Youth Day. "There
are ways to get to college and be better
prepared and have a better life."
Samaniego said that Vega's situation
where older siblings are making it to college is becoming more common. "There
are more programs thatarehelpingthem."
Educational workshops ranged from
"testwiseness" to "how to make effective
presentations and improve your oral
communications."
General interest workshops ranged
from "building your self esteem through
teatro" to "youth and the law."
The conference also featured seven
suppression on the state level. There are now 17 states
that have declared English as their official language.
Ridiculously enough, California is one of the states
that has declared English its official language - a state
in which non-white elementry school pupils make up
51.3 percent of all students.
So are kids speaking their native Spanish on the
playgrounds going to be put on detention? What's the
plan U.S. English? We ask the same question of those
at CSUF who subscribe to the English First confusion.
The English Only or English First rule has had no
careerworkshopsrangingfrom "computer
sciencesandrelatedfields"to"radio, television, andjournalism opportunities."
Samaniego said the students were able
to relate to the presenters because so
many of them came from migrant backgrounds and they have succeeded.
SamaniegobecameinvolvedinMigrant
Youth Day last year as a volunteer. "In
high school, I was part of a teatro group
whowenttojuniorhighandelementary
schools. We spoke to the students about
how important education is."
Samaniego said that the UMS office
calls students on admission and financial
aid deadlines and if applications aren't
returned, they make calls home to assist
the students and parents. Some students
who had completed an information card
with UMSbeforecomingtotheconference
find out their admission and financial aid
status.
"Imettwogirlswhowerenotplanning
on going to college. Now one has applied to
CSUF, theothertoCSU,Stanislaus. This
an example of the work we do at UMS."
real impact in California. Voting ballots are still printed
in Spanish and driving tests are still given m Spanish.
Such a law is simply unenforcable in a stateso diverse.
Anglo America is fearing change. Instead of America
changing its immigrants, America is being changed by
them. If you're not the majority I guess it's nice to know
that your language is still the "best" or at least the
"official" language ofthe United States.
Ponganse trucha. Don't let this decreasing White
majority pass anymore of their prejudicial laws disguised
as well-intended and in our best interest.
APRIL,1990
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
PAGE7
Author Mendez inspired by fieldw r
Now-honorary doctorate had six years of formal education
At age five, with his mother's help, he learned how to
read. "I loved to dance, sing, and read," said Mendez. At
11, he began writing poems without his parents knowledge. "In Mexico, I was told I was lazy because I wanted
to write," said Mendez. "The inspiration to me, is a
strong enthusiasm and courage to write," added Mendez.
I
Michaela Diez-Lopez
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
One hot day, picking cotton in the fields ofArizona, 14year-old Miguel Mendez decided to write his first novel.
Mendez, now 60 and an honorary Doctor of Humanities and Letters at the University of Arizona, Tucson,
spoke on campus April 19 about how his life has influenced his writing.
Mendez didn't have the support of his friends who
called him lazy for his desire to write. Nonetheless, he
began writing his first novel, Peregrinos de Aztlan. "I
saved this novel for 7 years because I did not know ifit
was good or not," said Mendez.
Mendez was awarded the doctorate by the university
in 1984 though his previous education includes six years
of primary school.
Mendez spoke to Spanish professors and students
about his life and writing style. Born in Bisbee, Arizona,
heis ofMestizo and Yaqui decent. His family moved back
to Sonora, Mexico where he spent the first 14 years ofhis
life.
Mendez said that after sixth grade, he was a selftaught person. "I always had thedesiretoreadand write.
"I don't feel sorry for not going to school, because I
always had the desire, the dreams [to] learn and write
and I learned myself," said Mendez.
He shared his desire to write with his fellowfieldworkers. "They laughed atme and made fun ofme every day."
After "Peregrinos de Aztlan,,. he started writing
poems, novels, and stories.
Cristina Corchado found nothing to ridicule about
Mendez's work. Corchado, a 37-year-old liberal studies
major said after listening to Mendez that, she liked "the
oral, traditional delivery and the touch on Mexican
origins" in his speech.
Mendez had obviously developed his ability with words
at an early age. At 13, he was reading Don Quixote and
other Spanish Literature. Mendez's works include a
collection of poems, novels and stories like: "Tata CaStJhuayotroscuentos" ( Tata Casehuaand other stories), "La
Literatura Chicana" (Chicano literature), "El Sueno de
Santa Maria de las Piedras" (The Dream of Santa Maria
of the Stones), and "De la vida Y del Folklore de la Frontera" (On the Life and Folklore of the Border).
He was invited as a full-time instructor to Pima
Community College in Tucson, Arizona. He teaches a
class at the university that analyzes the life and culture
of Mexican Americans and he does research and wri .s
when he's not teaching.
His next book is "El Circo que se perdio en el
Desierto"(The Lost Circus in the Desert). Mendez's goal
for the future is to have his works read throughout the
world and to contribute more to Chicano literature written in Spanish.
MichaelaDi ez.Lopez, 23, is an exchange student
from Durango, Mexico. She came to the United
States in 1983. A/fer a ;year of intensive English
courses, she attended Fresno City College for two
years, before coming to CSUF in 1987. She ia majoring in Journaliam and Spanish. She lives with a
host family here in Fresno along with her brother,
28, who ia also an exchange student.
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senators were a direct threat to this republican, predominantly fraternity grip
on the ASL
Continued from page 1
"It was the only way to get a response,"
said Daves as he explained why he and 23
with racism on campus."
other students participated in a sit-in
The Mexican American Political Assoduring Spring 1989.
ciation and the National Association for
One event preceding ASI's by-law
the Advancement of Colored People are
changes was the attempt to cut the foodtwo local Fresno organizations that are
line item from the Chicano Youth Conferassisting the defendants with attorney
ence budget.
and court costs.
George Martinez, then-Chicano Youth
"The administration knows we're a
Conference representative for the Finance
bunch of poor students, so they're trying
and Budget Committee said he was reto stall until summer hoping we'll lose
peatedly being quieted at the meetings for
interest, graduate, or run out of money,"
being too aggresive. He said, "Everytime
Stark said. "These racial attitudes still
I would raise my hand they would shake
exist. The problem still continues."
their heads."
Bill White, then-Administrative Vice
Martinez confronted Bill White after
President and Bulldog Republican memthe meeting about White's efforts to siber, said in last May that the intent.of the
lence his comments. White then said,
changes were to preserve the republican
"You're paranoid." White commented to
"dynasty" the Reality senators and execuMartinez that the food policy for recruittives had created to that point.
ment programs had been deleted, when in
The Unity-SRG victories by Karen fact it had not.
CogleyandKathleenSolanoandfourother
"Through this whole thing, the com-
SIT IN
w·
•>
:t?~t~l,1,~~p.~f.r,gprJpe~ m~pi,~t:7-
mittee lied, insulted me and questioned
my professionalism," Martinez said.
Daves said of the changes that "They
were trying to restructure the democratic
system, " Daves said, "It was the last
straw."
Police handcuffed and escorted the 24
students to the campus police station in
patrol cars. Supporters outnumbered
hecklers outside University Student Union as sit-in participants filled out at the
basement level of USU.
The hecklers hollered "What do we
want? Cavity check. When do we want it?
Now!"mockingthe sit-in participants who
were videotaped chanting "What do we
want? Justice. When do we wantit?Now!"
The 24 were cited at the police station.
Nineteen of them pleaded "no contest" to
the charges, which, is this case, meant a
six-month probation instead ofentering a
plea of guilty or not guilty.
Five chose to represent the 24 on trial
but two of them later chose to plead no
contest later, leaving Daves, Guerra and
Miller to represent the group April 26.
.
When ask d why he decided to go on
with the trial, Guerra said,"We didn't
want to give u 1 what we had started J 's
not just the p inciple, we want the administration and the people responsible
for the by-law changes to be held accountable. It's going to be the administratJOn
going to trial, not us."
Guerra said of possible consequences
that "We've always known what the consequences wouldbe ofthetrialnotco ing
out in our favor."
Moore said, "The defendants have a
good case sine~ they are protected by the
first amendment."
March 15, the six month probation
period was dropped for the 19 who initially pleaded "no contest." Stacy Green
and Roxana Zapata have yet to complete
their six-month probations as they pleaded
"no contest" later.
Arrest warrants went out for four students who didn't show up on March 15,
but were later dismissed and only two
students paid$50 and$100 fines for their
failiure to appear.
PAGES
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
jueves, 4/26
lunes, 4/23
CJSA works on magazine
The Chicano Journalism Student
Association will meet today at 6 p.m. in the JAd,
Room 203. CJSAis workingon amagazineDestinos
for the 1990 Chicano Commencement.
APRIL,1990
6725.
Chicano health students meet
The Chicano Health Organization will meet
today in San Ramon 4, Room 220 at 5 p.m. All
majors are welcome.
viernes, 5/4
Support group starts with Luncheon
martes, 4/24
miercoles, 4/25
Plans for Semana de La Raza
The Semana de la Raza committee welcomes
everyone to help finalize Cinco de Mayo activities
during the week of April 30 to May 5. Semana
meetings are every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in San
Ramon 4, Room 242.
Migrant Student Alliance meets today for a
gf:neral meeting at 4:00 p.m. in the USU. Check the
glass case at the south entrance for room number.
'Chuntara' celebrates 23rd!
La Voz staff writer and former ad production
m>'ln~er celebrates 23 longyears.Feliz Cumpleaiios
Gil, we mean Jill, Jill Soltero.
uitti:!~ 9riit11ike your organization~s meetings in\ form~tion in Calendario,
send date; time and place
of m~~iing and name of
contaet>person to Calen•dario, La Voz de Aztlan,
Keats Campus Bldg., Mail
stop #42.
<
Chicano Commencement Committee meets
today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Joyal Administration
Room203
African American Educators hold last general meeting for the semester. For meeting place
and room number contact Adrian Brown at 226-
Chicano commencement more personal
I
Manuel Olgin, coordinator-of student
services at the CSUF-College of the Sequoias satellite center in Visalia, got the
idea from San Jose State University's
Chicano Commencement helJ in 1972.
Chicano students at CSUF, Olgin said,
should have an opportunity to say goodbyeto their friends, loved ones and, most
importantly, to say •gracias" to their
familia for the moral and financial support they provided.
This year's celebration, sponsored by
the Chicano Alumni Association and fi-
nancially supported by the Academic Affairs and Dean of Students offices, will
takeplaceatCSUF'samphitheater.More
than 120 Chicano students are expected
to participate.
"The celebration," Olgin said, "is a
special way of showing appreciation to
parents, friends, faculty and staff
during their years at school."
Financial restraints prevent many
Chicanos from pursuing higher education. Sending a child to college is difficult,
particularly in working-class households
where children are needed for additional
income to purchase the basic necessities
for the family.
At a time when Chicano youth are
being pushed out of high school at an
alarming 50 percent-rate, it is imperative that our gente be exposed to
Chicanos and Chicanas graduating from
universities and colleges throughout the
Southwest.
REYNOSO
HUERTA
Continued from page 6
Continued from page 1
Reynoso mo1;tly enjoys the Romantic
el'a of music and specifically Chopin. He
practices five to six hours each day saying
itismostimportantto"betruetothecomposer."
Reynoso's persistence in learning has
earned him the Rose Pollock Memorial
Scholarship in a competition sponsored
by the Fresno Musical Club. Along with
second and third place winners, Tina Lai,
18, and Pin-Ju Wu, 26, both CSUF students, Reynoso will be presented in a
recital May 4 at the home of Dorothy
Renzi.
Lorenz said receiving the award and
competition is proof that the Reynoso's
talent is being recognized and he is being
rewarded.
its beginnings in Delano, a small, agricultural town in the southern San Joaquin
Valley.
She traveled worldwide during the
Grape Boycott ofl 965 to bring attention
the poor working and living conditions of
the farmworkers in the Valley. The boycott was recognized internationally and
brought about a victory for the campesinos when the profits ofthe grape industry
took a sharp drop in answer to the boycott.
Semana de la Raza is a committee of
Movimeinto Estudiantil Chicano de
Aztlan. MEChA has been in stiff opposition to pesticide use and is a strong supporter of the UFW and its efforts.
Marta Villasenor
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
A dance was held to raise funds for the
first Chicano Commencement in 1976. A
total of$358 was made for the ceremony,
which, since then, has been celebrated
annually at CSUF for the past fourteen
years.
More importantly, Chicano graduates -who have fought with much
sacrifice and hardship- must return to
their communities to assist and organize the disenfranchised sectors, largely
composed of farm-laborers and working-class Mexicano and Chicano
families, in efforts to acquire political
power, economic independance and
social equality.
Many Chicano graduates are the first
in their family who have attended college. The Chicano Commencement ceremony plays a pivotal role in providing
our youth the necessary motivation to
continue the struggle to break through
the institutional barriers of higher education imposed on raza.
During the ceremony -held outdoors
at the CSUF Amphitheater every May
amongst family and friends in a festive,
communal atmosphere- Chicano graduates are called individually and given a
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certificate ofacademic achievement. The
names of the graduate's parents are
announced, in Spanish or English, along
with the graduate's hometown, high
school and career goals.
From beginning to end the diversity
and uniqueness of the bilingual/bicultural ceremony is vividly expressed by the
music of Mariachi's, the dancing of
CSUF's Danzantes de Aztla.n, a university-coordinated folkloric dance troupe,
and the singing of the traditional Mexican song •De Galores" by participating
graduates, family and friends in attendance.
Afterward, the crowd, accompanied
by Mariachi's, walks over to the Vintage
Room for finger foods, beverages, more
music and a dance to round out the festive evening.
See calendario above for Chicano
Commencement committee meeting
times.
·.·.·. .··.· ... ·
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Semana de la Raza schedule
- See page 3
Volume XXL Number 3
Monday April 23, 1990
California State University, Fresno
3 represent group in court this week
Daves, Guerra, and Miller pursue trial despite 'judges offer of 'no contest' plea
I
Sara Soria
LA- VOZ STAFF WRITER
,
(1-r) Don Daves Lawrence Guerra and Darren Miller retrun to the student government offices
nearly a year after they were arrested with 21 other sit-in protesters. The three will face misdemeanor charges in court April 28.
Perla to share
Salvadoran
women's plight
I
Three out of the 24 students arrested last May for their participation
in the sit-in in the ASI offices will go to
trial this Thursday, said attorney John
Moore.
Don Daves, Lawrence Guerra and
Darren Miller, along with 21 other students, were arrested for their sit-in
against by-law changes initiated by
then-executives and senators of the
Reality party on campus.
"The university has a legal obligation to protect against racial attacks.
These students were spit on! They
shouldn't be subjected to these ugly
racial slurs," said Moore, one of three
attorneys for the case, in reference to
anonymous phone calls that were made
to the ASI offices during the sit-in.
Scott Stark, spokesman for the defendants, said, "The administration is
making it as hard as possible to set a
trial date. They're using tactics to stall.
We set a trial date for Jan. 29 and
approximately two weeks before, President Haak decides to take a vacation to
Korea. The university is more concerned
with winning basketball games than
See SIT IN, page 7
Huerta's visit aiined to educate
UFW vice president will discuss the effects of pesticides
I
Sylvia Castro
Sostenes Infante Jr.
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
For Chicanos everywhere, the daily struggle for justice
in an unjust society occupies a major portion of their time
and energy. The situation for women of color has historically been harder than the rest, and for Salvadoran
women it is threefold.
·
Anna Perla, Director of the Institute for Research,
Training and DevelopmentofSalvadoran Women, U.S.A,
is a person who knows first-hand what it is to fight
gender and race injustice. She will address CSUF students and faculty April 30 at 7 p.m. in Industrial Arts
101.
In an effort to bring constructive change to a situation
where women have suffered disproportionately at the
hands of U.S. political policy, Perla has taken up the
plight of Salvadoran women.
The socio-political and economic conflict which continues to rip El Salvador apart affects women more acutely.
The men who once provided an outside income to the
family have been killed or driven into exile. The women
are n6w faced with the double burden of sustaining the
family with little or no income.
Economic realities that are thrust upon American
women, namely earning considerably less than their
male counterparts, are a far cry from the basic social
See PERLA, page 8
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Dolores Huerta, vicepresidentofthe United Farmworkers Union, will speak on campus May 3 during
the celebration of Semana de la Raza.
Her speech titled "Pesticides and The
Environment:The Impact on Farmworkers and the
Consumer,"will begin at 7 p.m. in the Satellite Union.
Huerta suffered serious injury in September 1988
when she was attacked by San Francisco police officers during an election-year campaign appearance by
then Vice-president George Bush.
Since the issue of pesticides use is a heated one in
the Valley, her visit will help inform the public of
pesticides dangers, said Richard Delgado, chairman
of the Semana de La Raza committee.
"We're looking forward to having her here during
community night to let people know how pesticides
affect the environment and farmworkers," said
Delgado, "There are a lot ofpeople out there that don't
really understand the bad effects of pesticides. We
hope she will open a lot of eyes."
Huerta, like UFW President Cesar Chavez, is cofounder of the farm laborers union. She and Chavez
were the mainstays of the union, in 1963, when it had
See ~RTA, page 8
UFW Vice President Dolores Huerta
PAGE2
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZDEAZTLAN
B
APRIL, 1990
,
NuESTRA OPINION • OUR OPINION
English only rule:
feeble attenipt to
save Ainerican niyth
ASI Election Results
I
Eloy Garcia
LA VOZ ASSISTANT EDITOR
I was walking through the Free Speech If full incorporation of immigrants was
Area last month when I saw something their true intention then it would be an
very ignorant on the"All-American," Bull- admirable one.
But how are we to believe this when
dog Republican booth. Except for the conservative paraphanalia that sometimes English speaking White Americans have
decorates it, the little red, WHITE and prevented English speaking African
blue booth is usually kept nice and clean. Americans and Chicanos from being equal
On this particular occasion however, members of this society for some 500
there happened to be a bumper sticker years? It's obvious that they don't want
that that boldly stated English First. to incorporate us into their society but
rather strip us of our own separate cul- English has actively opposed literacy
Someone's feeling a little insecure.
The English First bumper sticker is ture. And the best way to do this is by programs for new immigrants. They have
opposed the spending of any money for
propaganda by U.S. English, a political taking away our language.
bilingual
education.
If
they
were
really
trying
to
make
organization whose sole purpose is t make
In addressing the U.S. Senate S. I.
English the official language of the United immigrants more proficien t in the EngStates. According to Geoffrey Nunberg of lish language then they should not be Hayakawa,former U.S. Senator from
Stanford University's Center for the opposed to bilingual education. If this is California and founder of U.S. English
Study of Language and Information, the the way they feel, then why deny them said that people would not learn a second
goals of U.S. English also include oppos- access to an education? Why make it ille- language so long as their native language
gal that immigrant children to be taught is kept available as a crutch. He was baing bilingual education in
sically asking for legisthe private and public seclation that would do
tor. In other words, Engaway
with cultural ties.
lish First is really "English
And that is exactly the
Only."
intention of English
Supposedly, the attempt
Only, Hayakawa's legto make English the offiacy.
cial language is an attempt
Current demographic
to make immigrants more
trends show that minorproficiente in the English
ity groups will soon surlanguage and assimipass White, English only
latethem into the social,
speaking people in
political and economic asAmerica. This was the
pects of the American socisubject of the cover story
ety.
In one of their propa- ""/,..
\,""'\"""\;\f""
.;.; ) ""
f ""t""
? ""
t """"=.;.;....:.."'--"-....;_.;_;___ _.;.;....:..:.===-'-""'..;;;;.....;;;;;;~==~:....J in Time magazine April
9. The report titled
ganda brochures it was
"America's Changing
written about immigrants that, "They in their native language until they are
Colors; The Browning of America," said
never become productive members of able to learn in English?
that
Asians grew some 55 percent in the
American society. They remain stuck in
And still it is 0.1{. to ask a student to
a linguistic and economic ghetto, many learn English but it is not right to ask a '80s and Latinos grew some 35 percent
living on welfare and costing working student to forget his native language. If while Whites increased at a rate smaller
Americans millions of tax dollars every keeping their language will help them in than 5 percent. Sosa said that English
year."
their learning process and make · Only is simply a reaction to the growing
They feel that proficiency in a second them"productive" American citizens then population and influence of Latinos.
Their attempt to make English the
language means ineptness in English. why deny them of that?
With these idiotic beliefs, they are trying
Their purpose is clearly not what they official language of the United States is a
to fool unaware citizens of their inten- say it is. According to Mary Sosa of the paranoid reaction by White, English only
tions and the intentions of English Only. National Education Association, U.S. speaking law makers. Latinos as well as
most Asian groups have not surrendered
their language like all other immigrant
groups did upon arrival in the United
States.
Because it is such an important link
with our culture, we and Asians have our
native languages. This is threatening to
See OPINION, page 4
NosOTROS ... LA
Voz
DE .AZTI.AN
Editor in Chief- Chrts Heredia
Assistant Editor-Eloy Garcia
Copy Editor-Celeste Saldivar
Graphics Editor -Oscar G. Ramirez
Calendario Editor-Marta Villasenor
Staff Artist- Ralph Avitia
Staff Writers-Sylvia Castro, Michaela
Diez-Lopez. Sellene Flores. Sostenes
Infante Jr., Krista Lemos, Rosemary
Lopez, Sandra D. Ortiz, Matthew
Polanco, Brooke Primero, Al Robles, JUI
Soltero, Sara Soria, Joseph M. Torres.
Photographers- Laura Hernandez,
Jose Luis Gil, Angel De Jesus.
• Flag designed by Ralph Avitia •
The La Voz staff would like to thank
Erle Burney, Teny Pierson, Dave Tellez,
and Lisa McKinney of The Daily
Collegian Staff.
Special thanks to Leslie Cunning of
The Fresno Bee and Tom Uribes of
CSUF University Outreach Services.
I.a Voz de Aztl.an Is published monthly by the Assoc!·
ated Students, Inc. of California State University.
Fresno. 'Ihe newspaper office ts located 1n the Keats
Campus Building. Fresno, Calif., 93740--0042. 'Jhe
opinions publ!shed on this page an, not nccessartly
those of the Associated Studen ts. Inc.. The Daily
Collegtan or I.a Vaz De Aztlan and tis staff. Unsigned
editorials an, the majority opinion of the paper's editorial board.
. ..Tlie Se11ateCapprovajfb.i<:ampds./~de bridg;( ~ •. • •: ·•.' •:',•·. gr
. :. !:a'.••_!p{e•.•.•.f,:s·•.a•_.',=,=i..:,1.:.. a•.;nt.d'·•o·'••,•tl•~hec
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· •eerste
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the
Children's Ce11#rteceived$84;174; the
· ,University Lectur~ Series received $40,000, Oyer~ ❖ campesiJios<
work. No wherein their beautiful Vin. view,a publi.c ition i>ftbe Office ofAdvismgarid :0ri
Days hri>chrire does 'i.t .rnen.tion that M~icanos
Ca,mpils
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• entation.xeceiv~d $1;1~0 aii<l Vin~geDays received ;· · '.~ ,~~~:r::h1i1'ti!;~t~!;::~~d:ib~~~t::
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EYE ON
BY JOSEPH M.
ASI
TORRES
APRIL,1990
CSU, FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
PAGE3
CSUF pianist perfects the art of classical lllusic
I
Sonya Quintana
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
At age 11 in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, Hector Reynoso began
studying the piano. Little did he know that the piano might some
day become his career.
At a seminary in Mexico, Reynoso's father who was a pastor,
asked his son if he would like to study piano with the seminary's
m'usic instructor. The younger Reynoso agreed but it was three
years and two piano teachers later before he developed a serious
interest in music. Reynoso came to can his second instructor Cesar
Sosa "el abuelito [the grandfather], because he was very old," said
Reynoso.
Sosa encouraged the 13-year-old Reynoso to pursue a career in
music. Reynoso studied for two years at a music school in Mexico
City where he advanced quickly.
His studies in music, however, became stagnant for three years
when his family moved to the United States when he was 15.
"I think those were the three most wasted years of my life," For
what some believe to be the most formative years of a pianist's
career, Reynoso didn't have the encouragement or the instruction
needed for his technical advancement.
At one point during this time, a high school music instructor
discour aged him by questioning whether or not h e could make a
living with music.
Reynoso didn't let his high school instructor stop him. Today, he
is 21 and majoring in performance piano at CSUF. Reynoso studies
under world-known pianist and CSUF professor Phillip Lorenz.
Together they are perfecting Reynoso's playing technique.
Reynoso's relationship with Lorenz is unique in that they come
from a generation ofstudents descendingfrom Ludwigvon Beethoven.
The history started with Beethoven and was passed to Czerny
(famous for his exercises in technique) to Franz Lizst (considered by
many to be the greatest interpreter of Beethoven) to Claudio Arrau
(who was considered the greatest pianist alive) to Lorenz and finally
to Reynoso. He is extremely proud of this.
Lorenz said the experience has passed musical and technical
ideas through generations.
Piano student Hector Reynoso wants to earn a doctorate in music.
See REYNOSO, page 8
SEMANA DE LA RAZA
A week of ways to ·c elebrate Cinco de Mayo
I
Mathew Polanco
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
La Semana de la Raza, commemorating the Mexican
Army's defeat of the French at Puebla on Cinco de Mayo,
1862, will be held from Monday, April 30 through Saturday, May 5.
The Semana de la Raza committee, a committee of
MEChA, will be hosting different themes that deal with
various Chicano issues on the different days of the week.
The committee will be bringing some of the top educators, poets, activists, and performers from across the
United States to CSUF to help celebrate La Semana de
la Raza.
On Monday, April 30, opening day, a parade lead by
Mariachi Zapopan will be held at 10:30 a.m. starting at
the amphitheater and moving to the Free Speach Area.
At 11:30 a.m., Sal Castro, a Chicano educator and
activist from Los Angeles, wi11 give an opening speech
about the history of the Battle at Puebla.
That evening at 7 p.m., in the Satellite Student Union,
a professor from the University of Iowa, Juan FelipeHerrera along with his wife Margarita Robles-Herrera
will be giving a poetry and literature reading.
On Tuesday Mayl, May Day, Marina Judith Pena, of
the FMLN, will discuss the history of struggle in El
Salvador. She will speak in the Free Speech Area.
Rick Chacon, former CSUF MEChA President and
current MAPAdel Valle President, will speak in the Free
Speech Area on political issues facing the Chicano community.
For Children's Day, Wednesday, May 2, Jose Rendon
will put on a puppet show for children from various
schools from the Fresno area. There will also be piiiatas
donated for the children by the student organization
Mex-Tech.
In the evening, Community Night will take place in
~1r~r~t?! lr~;~~:J~E:J·•
.
< SatCastro,
Lo$AngelesActiyist,
Free Speech Area
.
· "Integrating Race, Class and Gender ·
in the Curriculum"
Dr. Mary Romero, Margarita Luna Robles
Upstairs Cafcrteria, Room 200 ·
Noche de Floricanto
A presentation of music and poetry
Juan Felipe Herrera, Margarita Luna Robles
Satellite Student Union
TUE.S DAY,MAYl
. . .. . .
.. w
.
.12:00 pm .· . $istoryof Struggle in EfSalvador-FMLN7
.. .
. .. · MarinaJudithPeiia
/ \ .. ·
.
:"Political IssrieS:and the Chi~ano
t~:~~~:: n:•
''li:~$~~:A#i#. ?
,~::t~•~t;n~i~;:~ni
11:Q(}am• ·=·
'
La Conquista de Mexico ·
Jose Rendon • Puppet show .
11:30.pm
Pi.fiatas/Celebration for Children
Sponsored by Mex-Tech Students
2 pm
"Being the Best you Can Be:Ove:rcoming
Obstacles and Moving Ahead"
Dr. Lea Ybarra
Re-Entry Office
COMMUNITY NIGHT
Mariachi
6pm
7 pm
"Pesticides and the 'Enviroment:
The Impact on Fal"Dlworkers and the
Con sumer" ·
Dolores Huerta, Vice President, U;FW
8pm
Danzantes ~~. Aztlanat SSU
.
the Satellite Student Union. A Mariachi band will open
up the night at 7 p.m. followed by UFW Vice-president
Dolores Huerta (see story page one). She will speak on
the current issues facing farm workers in the San Joaquin
Valley. LosDanzantesdeAztlan. will follow at8o'clock.
Thursday, May 3, the Latin Jazz band ESP, featuring
Felix Contreras a former CSUF student and La Voz
editor, will perform in the SSU at noon.
On Friday, May 4, the annual Tardeada will take
place on the lawn area in front of the SSU. Different
Chicano student groups from campus will have food
booths along with performances by the Clovis High
Marimba band,LosNinos deAztlan .. Mariachi Zapopan
will open the Tardeada at 11 a.m.
At 8 p.m. that evening, a Modem Latino Ballet group
from New York, Ballet Hispanico, will perform at the
SSU and again on Saturday evening, at 8 p.m., May 5.
All events are free of charge.
Thursday,May3 • \
..
12pm
"ESP"LatinJazzBand ,
The Pit-Universtiy Student Union
Friday, May 4
TARDEADA
Satellite Student Union, Lawn Area
11 :30 am
Mariachi Zapopan
12:30 pm
Clovis High School Marimba
Pat Gutierrez, Director
Los Ninos de Aztlan
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES•
May 4 & 5 Friday & Saturday
8 pro Ballet H.ispanico From New York
. ~SU, General Admission $8.
PAGE4
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
APRIL,1990
Arte y Entretenimiento
FILM REVIEW •••
Chavez plays LA's Spanish radio pioneer
Pedro Jose Gonzalez in 'Break of Dawn'
I
AlRobles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
The history of Chicano radio broadcasting and its
community-based context provides the setting for
"Break OfDawn," a dramatic film that chronicles the
career of Pedro Jose Gonzalez the talented, charismatic pioneer of Spanish language radio in Los Angeles during the '20s and '30s. Gonzalez is played by
Oscar Chavez.
Gonzalez, a veteran of the 1910 Mexican Revolution, fought with General Pancho Villa's army when
he was 14. He migrated to the United States with
Marfa, his wife, in 1928 and settled in Los Angeles
where he soon began his career in radio broadcasting.
Although originally refused a job because the management said they had no use for Mexican music, he
offered to translate commercials into Spanish in order
to convince the station manager of his viability.
Immediately recognizing the marketability of
Gonzalez' talent, the management of radio station
KMPC gave him a job as an advertizer. Despite the
station's prohibition on Mexican music, Gonzalez
decided to squeeze in a song between adverticements,
a move which cost him his job until the station realized that Gonzalez was an instant hit with a Chicano
audience eager to hear thier musica on the air.
The popularity of Gonzalez's morning radio show,
"Los Madrugadores" (the early risers) increased at a
phenomenal rate. Gonzalez had a special talent for
broadcasting expressed through the warmth of his
demeanor and his performance of vivid and
sentimental corridos. His passion and commitment
to his community earned him trust and prestige
throughout the barrios. He soon lent his voice to the
defense of his gente during a time of rising antiMexican hysteria.
A society reeling from the effects of the Great Depression of the '30s racialized its economic turmoil by
making the Mexi.canos scapegoats. Deportations of
thousands of Mexi.canos y Chicanos soon became
commonplace.
Gonzalez conducted on-air interviews with Consul
Davila, a progressive official with the Mexican Consulate who compelledraza to know their rights and to
fight against the repressive deportation laws.
The show provoked a backlash from the local District Attorney, Kyle Mitchell, who earlier campaigned
with a racist anti-Mexican platform. Gonzalez was in
the process ofexposing Mitchell's corruption and lack
oflegitimacy as a public official when he was arrested
and convicted on trumped-up assault charges and
sentenced to 50 years at San Quentin Prison.
The alleged victim later confessed to giving false
El Movimiento
we wear old faded pants that expose our scarred knees;
they wear new faded jeans with ready or self-made holes to show off
their skin.
we drive '63 Ford Falcons that drip oil, take 15 minutes to warm up,
die at every stop light, and lose their brakes every now and then;
they drive premeditated and abstract cars that never seem to break
down: '73 VW Beetles speckled with primer and bumper stickers that read
"El Salvador is Spanish for Vietnam."
we buy hot furniture from the bad homeboy, Loco;
they buy theirs from the good home decorator, Ethan Allen.
we eat tortillas with mayonnaise and drink water to fill our
stomachs;
they get burritos at Taco Bell and drink cheap wine to buy their
humility.
our parents ask us for money so they can buy beans, rice, flour (for
tortillas), gas for the Falcon, patches for Papi's pants, and to pay Loco for the color TV;
they ask their parents for money so they can pay monthly expenses
and have spending money to buy "Free Nelson Mandela" T-shirts.
we pick oranges all day in poisonous orchards;
they picket at college for half an hour with signs that read "Boycott
Grapes."
When we hear about our hermanos in Mc Farland,
we weep and wipe away the tears that pour from our hearts;
they cry and clean the water that drips from their sympathetic eyes.
we write about our pregnant sister that dropped out of high school, our
mother and brother with cancer, the bald tires of the Falcon, and the
four big blisters on our palms from hoeing weeds in 106 degree heat for minimum wage·
they write about oppression.
'
they receive awards and other forms ofrecognition for their
leadership and commitment to the movement;
we stand up and we clap "hard," then we sit down and wipe the water
from our blistered palms.
Frank Pancho Aviles
"Hijo del SoZp.s. ( we don't need to pull anymore knives out of our backs, especially
those with brown and black fingerprints. When we try to get involved in
the movement don't oppress or try to destroy us 'cause without us there
would be no movement and you would have to look for another extracurricular activity.)
testimony under pressure from the district attorney's
office in order to convict Gonzalez. Despite her testimony the court refused to overturn his conviction and
he remained in prison for six years until he was paroled
and deported to Mexico in 1940. A grassroots support
campaign mounted on Gonzalez's behalf as "Break of
Dawn's" popularity drew to a tense climax.
Pedro and Maria Gonzalez now live in San Ysidro,
Calif. His conviction continues, to this day. However,
there is currently a public campaign to seek a formal
pardon from Gov. Deukmejian.
"Break OfDawn" carries forth a narrative style and
plot element in a tradition similar to "The Ballad of
Gregorio Cortez." An innocent Mexicano is persecuted
by a ruthless power structure in a story recounted
through flashbacks by the central character. The film
is a powerful and compe11ing portrayal of Chicano
history that is thoughtfully arranged by its director
Isaac Artenstein.
The Fresno premier of "Break of Dawn" will be
Friday, April 27 at the Warnors Theatre, 1400 Fulton
St., in downtown Fresno at 7:30 p.m.A reception will be
held at 6:30 p.m. for one of the film's featured actors,
Tony Plana. The film's showing is sponsored by Arte
Americas. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at Arte
Americas, 1412 Fulton St., located next to the Warnors
Theatre. For further information, contact Arte Americas at 266-2623.
Santana's
back!
I
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Santana will appear at the Warnors
Theatre Tuesday, April 24 as part ofhis
West Coast tour. Fresno fans will witness the performance of a band
that was propelled to national
fame at Woodstock in 1969 and
has staked its
longevity on a
standard of performing excellence and some
23albums.
The last local
appearance by
Santana was in
1988 at the
Fresno
Fair
where he provided his audience with an
electrifyingperformance.
The dynamics of Santana's performances have, over the years, evolved with
a temperament wielded by solo arrangements and improvisational instrumental segue ways that counterbalance his
play list of timeless classics such as "Evil
Ways," "Black Magic Woman," "Everybody's Everything," and "Europa: Earth's
Cry, Heaven's Smile" to name but a few.
Even though extensive airplay has
eluded Santana in the '80s, his songwriting
and showmanship has garnered him a
wealth of acclaim by rock and jazz critics,
several Bay Area
Music awards and
repeated praise
from Guitar Player
Magazine.
The following of
Santana
fans
worldwide has
remained as solid
as ever to the point
of transcending
generations. Eighteen and 19-yearold fans who weren't alive when "Evil
Ways" climbed up
American
pop
charts in '69 regard Carlos Santana as a
man and musician ahead of his time.
Fans can also look forward to the latest
Santana album which is scheduled for release this summer. Tickets for the show
are available at local Ticketron outlets.
IN FRESNO
Tuesday, April 24
Warnors Theater
Call Ticketron
for tickets
APRIL,1990
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
PAGES
Art and Entertainment
ON COMPACT DISC
Sanchez cooks with 'Chile Con Soul'
I
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
In a truly magnificent display of his
seasoned virtuoso talent as a musician,
bandleader, and arranger, Poncho Sanchez's latest release, "Chile Con Soul"
brings forth a musical synthesis of jazz,
blues, salsa, and the relentless heart of
soul.
Congruent with the title, the cover
photo shows Sanchez holding two dinner
plates, one with soul food and the other
Mexican, and the music definitely lives up
to the image.
In a manner surpassing his previous
releases - all on the Concord/Picante label
- "Chile Con Soul" explores the relationships between the above mentioned styles
with an appreciation of all they have to
offer. The panoramic interplay of everything that Latin Jazz is, or should be,
becomes defined in this release in a manner
unique to Sanchez's talents.
The liner notes include a review by
retired NBA superstar and long-time jazz
fan,KareemAbdul-Jabbar, whoremarks,
"Poncho's band plays the music of the
Americas. That is to say, any tune may
have its feet in the Caribbean, its heart in
Brazil, and its mind in New Orleans. But
Sanchez's band brings all these elements
together in the most appropriate ways."
The opening track, "Song For Cal,"
pays tribute to the late Cal Tjader who
was one of the greatest inspirations of
Sanchez's career. Cal Tjader was also one
of the most influential artists in Latin
Jazz and served as Sanchez's artistic
mentor when he joined Tjader's band in
1975.
The song kicks off with the dance hall
swing style, characteristic of many of
Sanchez's previous releases, while sustained by his unrelenting conga rhythms.
"A Night In London" embarks on a
similar course with the horn section accentuated by Sal Cracchiolo's signature
trumpet solo until Sanchez lets loose on
the congas in a manner that almost defies
the law of gravity.
Two other tracks, "Lover Come Back
To Me" and "Ti Pon Pa" (the later combining the nicknames ofTito Puente, Poncho
Sanchez, and Papo Rodriguez) are highlighted by percussion solos from the guest
artist, none other then "El Rey del Timbal," Tito Puente. Puente has been a
phenomenon in Latin music for decades
and his presence on this release inspires
the excellence of Sanchez's band to new
heights.
"Con Migo" gives it up with a stylized
salsa flavor that is New York in its roots
and LA in its delivery. Charlie Otwell's
piano provides the drive while Gene Burkert's flute solo pierces the harmony with a
free floating pitch that entices the listener
to a sensual bliss.
If none of the other tracks will get you
up and on your feet, and it's hard to stay
still to almost any of these tunes, then try
James Brown's combined classics, "Cold
Sweat/ Funky Broadway" done up with a
distinct L.A. Latin Funk flavor.
Poncho's voice takes command on this
track with a granite like texture that does
justice to the "Godfather of Soul" (even if
the state of Georgia hasn't.)
"Chile Con Soul" can appropriately be
seen as a culmination of Poncho's life as a
West Coast Chicano jazz artist paying
tribute to the giants of the East Coast,
pioneers of the Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican
sound that has put the juice in American
popular music for over 50 years.
Artists such as Tito Puente, Perez
Prado, Machito, Chano Pozo, Dizzy
Gillespie, Horace Silver, Mongo Santamaria, Lester Young, and Cal Tjader
continue to inspire Sanchez's love ofmusic.
Sanchez, in turn, continues to define
the LA jazz sound in a truly hip fashion.
"Chile Con Soul" definitely breaks new
ground in this direction. Escucheconsabor.
Manos Morenas
by Joe M. Torres
"Pobre la gente"
She looked around,
uncertain of herself
hands golden brown
withered with pain
"La mujer mexicana
cada dia"
Her eyes brown as the earth
Skin soft and filled with sores
Brought from work
Her youth remains silent
"El mundo es bueno" but
her world lies lonely and still.
I
Sara Soria
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Marga Gomez, comica Chicana lives in a San
Francisco apartment once occupied by Janice Joplin. She said she inherited her father's comedy but
not his Spanish language.
Que lastima No?, she said.
Gomez's alter ego, Filumena, was named by her
father in her early childhood years. "I remember
my dad calling my mom and I Filumena." Gomez
incorporated her alter ego into her act by putting
on dark shades, puckering her lips and talking
Golllez ties
Herstory
n1onth off
-with laughter
with a deep Spanish accent.
The San Francisco comedian's performance
was the last event commemorating Women's
Herstory Month at CSUF.
Gomez said both her parents were entertainers; her mother was a dancer and her father was
a comedian. "My dad used to do Cantinfias
impressions." Cantinflas, a popular comedian to
many in the Mexican cinema, has acts going back
to the early '40s.
Gomez's audience filled the seats in Industrial
Arts, Room 101. The room filled with laughter as
Gomez made chistes about campus political parties, mentioning Reality.
Marga also picked on the actores in the novelas.
"Don't you think these actors overdramatize?" she
said. "When a woman is emotionally distraught
about a lover in a novela, she just doesn't plead
with him to stay by saying, "I love you." Gomez
bent at the waist, clenched her fists, squinted her
eyes and grunted: "Te quiero!"
She said non Spanish-speaking }'eople can flip
through the Spanish stations and actually understand the storylines through the actors exaggerated mannerisms.
Gomez joked about nights of discomfort from
Hector Ama.cv.a/SPEClAI. TO Lil VOZ
Marga Gomez entertained a capacity crowd
March 31.
wearing pantyhose. She said "Have you ever gone through
nights of saggy crotches just to look pretty?"
Late-comers to the event couldn't get by Gomez without
being thoroughly embarrassed by her acknowledgement of
their tardiness. "Don't worry, we can start over for you."
The Bay area comica entertained and humored the audience with her charm and wit throughout the hour.
Marga Gomez has received the "1989 Entertainer of the
Year" award for the San Francisco area, aired in "Comedy
Tonight," and worked with Linda Ronstadt and Whoopi Goldberg.
Gomez
incorporated
her alter ego
into her act
by putting
on dark
shades,
puckering
her lips and
talking with
a deep
Spanish
accent.
iJ
11:11
PAGE6
LA VOZDEAZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
APRIL, 1990
Teatro Campesino founder visits
I
Sostenes Infante Jr.
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
When faced with social and economic discrimination the natural
tendency for the victim is to become angry. However the method
by which that anger manifests itself is directly related to whether
circumstances improve or get
worse.
In a speech before a crowded
Satellite Student Union packed
with brown faces, Luis Valdez,
writer, playwright and director of
films such as "La Bamba" and
"Zoot Suit" said we must first look
deep inside ourselves if we hope to
initiate change.
"The ticket to success is in yourself, you have to be able to take
the conditions of your life and convert them into something," said
Valdez.
In speaking about racial discrimination, Valdez said, " Any
kind of pressure produces a certain kind of power, racial discrimination produces a certain kind of
power." The trick, Valdez said, is
turning something negative or
'La Bamba'
something that could be perceived as negative such
as a physical disability into something positive.
People who have physical disabilities have
changed the way they and other people think about
them by changing their reference first from crippled
to physically handicaped to physically challenged.
Finding out who we are is a prerequisite to dodging obstacles that confront each and every one of us
throughout our lives.
One of Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s early themes, "Be
careful of who and what you pretend to be because
in the long run that's what you end up with," rings
true when one analyzes human nature.
Dreams and thoughts of who we are, who we
want to be and what our society tells us we are, are
Hector Amezcua/SPEOAf. TO Lt\
voz
director Luis Valdez talks about refocusing energies during a talk in the Satellite Union.
in fact all interrelated and combine to make up our
conscious life experience, said Valdez.
Much of what mass media promulgates is nothing
more than lies and distortions.
"I am particularly concerned about what Hollywood movies say about minorities, women and history
if anything at all." said Valdez.
Citing facts and figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and other record-keeping agencies, Valdez
pointed out that most of the population in the United
States is under 25 and a member of an ethnic minority.
How mass media portrays the American minority
male and female is mainly in negative, stereotypical
roles which in turn reinforce social problems in everyday life such as drugs, gangs and prostitution, said
Valdez.
Using films such as "Colors," "Born on the Fourth
of July" and a host of other recent Hollywood blockbusters, Valdez said, "There are certain images that
are coming through both film and T. V. that are laying
a trip on youth. They're not telling you the tnith
about yourself."
Change won't come until each and every one ofus
wakes up to what's going on, said Valdez.
"The important word is involvement we must become involved in our lives, our destinies and in our
dreams," said Valdez.
Day for migrant youth offers alternatives
I
Sophomore political science major
Gloria Samaniego coordinated Migrant
LA VOZ EDITOR IN CHIEF
You~h Day this year under the direction
•
of Diaz.
ClaudiaChing,anAtwaterHighSchool
Samaniego said she enjoys helping
senior, is not sure that she will be able to economically disadvantaged students get
go to college. She has the support of her into college and will probably change her
parents in her goal of becoming a bilin- majortocounseling.Sheaddedthatmany
gualteacherbutshesaidsheisneededat migrant students are in situations that
home to help raise her brother and sister. are similar to Chi_ng's.
Chingwasoneofmorethan150high
"I'vespokenWithmanystudentswho
schoolstudentsfrom throughout the San are like that. But she will make it. We
Joaquin Valley who attended the second have a file on her and we're doing a follow
annual Migrant Youth Day with the up. If she has the determination, she'll
theme, "Prepare for the future: you are work something out.
the master of your fate" last month at
"I can relate to some students. My
CSUF.
parents never asked me to stay home.
"The people were talking about differ- They always supported me in going to
ent things about college experiences.
college," Samaniego said regarding
Knowing these will help us in the fu. Ching's situation.
ture," said Ching.
For others like Rosendo Vega, a senior
Director of University Migrant Serv- at Livingston High, who attended Miices(UMS)Rau1Diazsaidthat25percent grant Youth Day, plans for attending
of the student volunteers in this year's college wouldn't be any surprise to his
Migrant Youth Day were participants family. Two of his older sisters have atthemselves last year.
tended CSU, Stanislaus.
Chris Heredia
OPINION
Continued from page 2
the conservative "good old boys" who feel everyone
must shed all cultural ties the minute they cross the
border onto American soil. And so they need to attempt
to control us and limit our growth.
They originally attempted to pass this English Only
rule on the federal level but it went nowhere in the legislature. U.S. English then initiated their linguistic
He hopes to attend CSUF and wants to
be an engineering major. His father is a
field worker and his mother works at a
sweet potato packing house.
"By coming to school, you can learn
more and live better and not work in the
fields," Vega said.
Vegawillbethethirdofeighttoattend
college. He said he hopes more young
people from migrant farm working families will be able to take advantage of
events like Migrant Youth Day. "There
are ways to get to college and be better
prepared and have a better life."
Samaniego said that Vega's situation
where older siblings are making it to college is becoming more common. "There
are more programs thatarehelpingthem."
Educational workshops ranged from
"testwiseness" to "how to make effective
presentations and improve your oral
communications."
General interest workshops ranged
from "building your self esteem through
teatro" to "youth and the law."
The conference also featured seven
suppression on the state level. There are now 17 states
that have declared English as their official language.
Ridiculously enough, California is one of the states
that has declared English its official language - a state
in which non-white elementry school pupils make up
51.3 percent of all students.
So are kids speaking their native Spanish on the
playgrounds going to be put on detention? What's the
plan U.S. English? We ask the same question of those
at CSUF who subscribe to the English First confusion.
The English Only or English First rule has had no
careerworkshopsrangingfrom "computer
sciencesandrelatedfields"to"radio, television, andjournalism opportunities."
Samaniego said the students were able
to relate to the presenters because so
many of them came from migrant backgrounds and they have succeeded.
SamaniegobecameinvolvedinMigrant
Youth Day last year as a volunteer. "In
high school, I was part of a teatro group
whowenttojuniorhighandelementary
schools. We spoke to the students about
how important education is."
Samaniego said that the UMS office
calls students on admission and financial
aid deadlines and if applications aren't
returned, they make calls home to assist
the students and parents. Some students
who had completed an information card
with UMSbeforecomingtotheconference
find out their admission and financial aid
status.
"Imettwogirlswhowerenotplanning
on going to college. Now one has applied to
CSUF, theothertoCSU,Stanislaus. This
an example of the work we do at UMS."
real impact in California. Voting ballots are still printed
in Spanish and driving tests are still given m Spanish.
Such a law is simply unenforcable in a stateso diverse.
Anglo America is fearing change. Instead of America
changing its immigrants, America is being changed by
them. If you're not the majority I guess it's nice to know
that your language is still the "best" or at least the
"official" language ofthe United States.
Ponganse trucha. Don't let this decreasing White
majority pass anymore of their prejudicial laws disguised
as well-intended and in our best interest.
APRIL,1990
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
PAGE7
Author Mendez inspired by fieldw r
Now-honorary doctorate had six years of formal education
At age five, with his mother's help, he learned how to
read. "I loved to dance, sing, and read," said Mendez. At
11, he began writing poems without his parents knowledge. "In Mexico, I was told I was lazy because I wanted
to write," said Mendez. "The inspiration to me, is a
strong enthusiasm and courage to write," added Mendez.
I
Michaela Diez-Lopez
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
One hot day, picking cotton in the fields ofArizona, 14year-old Miguel Mendez decided to write his first novel.
Mendez, now 60 and an honorary Doctor of Humanities and Letters at the University of Arizona, Tucson,
spoke on campus April 19 about how his life has influenced his writing.
Mendez didn't have the support of his friends who
called him lazy for his desire to write. Nonetheless, he
began writing his first novel, Peregrinos de Aztlan. "I
saved this novel for 7 years because I did not know ifit
was good or not," said Mendez.
Mendez was awarded the doctorate by the university
in 1984 though his previous education includes six years
of primary school.
Mendez spoke to Spanish professors and students
about his life and writing style. Born in Bisbee, Arizona,
heis ofMestizo and Yaqui decent. His family moved back
to Sonora, Mexico where he spent the first 14 years ofhis
life.
Mendez said that after sixth grade, he was a selftaught person. "I always had thedesiretoreadand write.
"I don't feel sorry for not going to school, because I
always had the desire, the dreams [to] learn and write
and I learned myself," said Mendez.
He shared his desire to write with his fellowfieldworkers. "They laughed atme and made fun ofme every day."
After "Peregrinos de Aztlan,,. he started writing
poems, novels, and stories.
Cristina Corchado found nothing to ridicule about
Mendez's work. Corchado, a 37-year-old liberal studies
major said after listening to Mendez that, she liked "the
oral, traditional delivery and the touch on Mexican
origins" in his speech.
Mendez had obviously developed his ability with words
at an early age. At 13, he was reading Don Quixote and
other Spanish Literature. Mendez's works include a
collection of poems, novels and stories like: "Tata CaStJhuayotroscuentos" ( Tata Casehuaand other stories), "La
Literatura Chicana" (Chicano literature), "El Sueno de
Santa Maria de las Piedras" (The Dream of Santa Maria
of the Stones), and "De la vida Y del Folklore de la Frontera" (On the Life and Folklore of the Border).
He was invited as a full-time instructor to Pima
Community College in Tucson, Arizona. He teaches a
class at the university that analyzes the life and culture
of Mexican Americans and he does research and wri .s
when he's not teaching.
His next book is "El Circo que se perdio en el
Desierto"(The Lost Circus in the Desert). Mendez's goal
for the future is to have his works read throughout the
world and to contribute more to Chicano literature written in Spanish.
MichaelaDi ez.Lopez, 23, is an exchange student
from Durango, Mexico. She came to the United
States in 1983. A/fer a ;year of intensive English
courses, she attended Fresno City College for two
years, before coming to CSUF in 1987. She ia majoring in Journaliam and Spanish. She lives with a
host family here in Fresno along with her brother,
28, who ia also an exchange student.
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senators were a direct threat to this republican, predominantly fraternity grip
on the ASL
Continued from page 1
"It was the only way to get a response,"
said Daves as he explained why he and 23
with racism on campus."
other students participated in a sit-in
The Mexican American Political Assoduring Spring 1989.
ciation and the National Association for
One event preceding ASI's by-law
the Advancement of Colored People are
changes was the attempt to cut the foodtwo local Fresno organizations that are
line item from the Chicano Youth Conferassisting the defendants with attorney
ence budget.
and court costs.
George Martinez, then-Chicano Youth
"The administration knows we're a
Conference representative for the Finance
bunch of poor students, so they're trying
and Budget Committee said he was reto stall until summer hoping we'll lose
peatedly being quieted at the meetings for
interest, graduate, or run out of money,"
being too aggresive. He said, "Everytime
Stark said. "These racial attitudes still
I would raise my hand they would shake
exist. The problem still continues."
their heads."
Bill White, then-Administrative Vice
Martinez confronted Bill White after
President and Bulldog Republican memthe meeting about White's efforts to siber, said in last May that the intent.of the
lence his comments. White then said,
changes were to preserve the republican
"You're paranoid." White commented to
"dynasty" the Reality senators and execuMartinez that the food policy for recruittives had created to that point.
ment programs had been deleted, when in
The Unity-SRG victories by Karen fact it had not.
CogleyandKathleenSolanoandfourother
"Through this whole thing, the com-
SIT IN
w·
•>
:t?~t~l,1,~~p.~f.r,gprJpe~ m~pi,~t:7-
mittee lied, insulted me and questioned
my professionalism," Martinez said.
Daves said of the changes that "They
were trying to restructure the democratic
system, " Daves said, "It was the last
straw."
Police handcuffed and escorted the 24
students to the campus police station in
patrol cars. Supporters outnumbered
hecklers outside University Student Union as sit-in participants filled out at the
basement level of USU.
The hecklers hollered "What do we
want? Cavity check. When do we want it?
Now!"mockingthe sit-in participants who
were videotaped chanting "What do we
want? Justice. When do we wantit?Now!"
The 24 were cited at the police station.
Nineteen of them pleaded "no contest" to
the charges, which, is this case, meant a
six-month probation instead ofentering a
plea of guilty or not guilty.
Five chose to represent the 24 on trial
but two of them later chose to plead no
contest later, leaving Daves, Guerra and
Miller to represent the group April 26.
.
When ask d why he decided to go on
with the trial, Guerra said,"We didn't
want to give u 1 what we had started J 's
not just the p inciple, we want the administration and the people responsible
for the by-law changes to be held accountable. It's going to be the administratJOn
going to trial, not us."
Guerra said of possible consequences
that "We've always known what the consequences wouldbe ofthetrialnotco ing
out in our favor."
Moore said, "The defendants have a
good case sine~ they are protected by the
first amendment."
March 15, the six month probation
period was dropped for the 19 who initially pleaded "no contest." Stacy Green
and Roxana Zapata have yet to complete
their six-month probations as they pleaded
"no contest" later.
Arrest warrants went out for four students who didn't show up on March 15,
but were later dismissed and only two
students paid$50 and$100 fines for their
failiure to appear.
PAGES
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
jueves, 4/26
lunes, 4/23
CJSA works on magazine
The Chicano Journalism Student
Association will meet today at 6 p.m. in the JAd,
Room 203. CJSAis workingon amagazineDestinos
for the 1990 Chicano Commencement.
APRIL,1990
6725.
Chicano health students meet
The Chicano Health Organization will meet
today in San Ramon 4, Room 220 at 5 p.m. All
majors are welcome.
viernes, 5/4
Support group starts with Luncheon
martes, 4/24
miercoles, 4/25
Plans for Semana de La Raza
The Semana de la Raza committee welcomes
everyone to help finalize Cinco de Mayo activities
during the week of April 30 to May 5. Semana
meetings are every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in San
Ramon 4, Room 242.
Migrant Student Alliance meets today for a
gf:neral meeting at 4:00 p.m. in the USU. Check the
glass case at the south entrance for room number.
'Chuntara' celebrates 23rd!
La Voz staff writer and former ad production
m>'ln~er celebrates 23 longyears.Feliz Cumpleaiios
Gil, we mean Jill, Jill Soltero.
uitti:!~ 9riit11ike your organization~s meetings in\ form~tion in Calendario,
send date; time and place
of m~~iing and name of
contaet>person to Calen•dario, La Voz de Aztlan,
Keats Campus Bldg., Mail
stop #42.
<
Chicano Commencement Committee meets
today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Joyal Administration
Room203
African American Educators hold last general meeting for the semester. For meeting place
and room number contact Adrian Brown at 226-
Chicano commencement more personal
I
Manuel Olgin, coordinator-of student
services at the CSUF-College of the Sequoias satellite center in Visalia, got the
idea from San Jose State University's
Chicano Commencement helJ in 1972.
Chicano students at CSUF, Olgin said,
should have an opportunity to say goodbyeto their friends, loved ones and, most
importantly, to say •gracias" to their
familia for the moral and financial support they provided.
This year's celebration, sponsored by
the Chicano Alumni Association and fi-
nancially supported by the Academic Affairs and Dean of Students offices, will
takeplaceatCSUF'samphitheater.More
than 120 Chicano students are expected
to participate.
"The celebration," Olgin said, "is a
special way of showing appreciation to
parents, friends, faculty and staff
during their years at school."
Financial restraints prevent many
Chicanos from pursuing higher education. Sending a child to college is difficult,
particularly in working-class households
where children are needed for additional
income to purchase the basic necessities
for the family.
At a time when Chicano youth are
being pushed out of high school at an
alarming 50 percent-rate, it is imperative that our gente be exposed to
Chicanos and Chicanas graduating from
universities and colleges throughout the
Southwest.
REYNOSO
HUERTA
Continued from page 6
Continued from page 1
Reynoso mo1;tly enjoys the Romantic
el'a of music and specifically Chopin. He
practices five to six hours each day saying
itismostimportantto"betruetothecomposer."
Reynoso's persistence in learning has
earned him the Rose Pollock Memorial
Scholarship in a competition sponsored
by the Fresno Musical Club. Along with
second and third place winners, Tina Lai,
18, and Pin-Ju Wu, 26, both CSUF students, Reynoso will be presented in a
recital May 4 at the home of Dorothy
Renzi.
Lorenz said receiving the award and
competition is proof that the Reynoso's
talent is being recognized and he is being
rewarded.
its beginnings in Delano, a small, agricultural town in the southern San Joaquin
Valley.
She traveled worldwide during the
Grape Boycott ofl 965 to bring attention
the poor working and living conditions of
the farmworkers in the Valley. The boycott was recognized internationally and
brought about a victory for the campesinos when the profits ofthe grape industry
took a sharp drop in answer to the boycott.
Semana de la Raza is a committee of
Movimeinto Estudiantil Chicano de
Aztlan. MEChA has been in stiff opposition to pesticide use and is a strong supporter of the UFW and its efforts.
Marta Villasenor
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
A dance was held to raise funds for the
first Chicano Commencement in 1976. A
total of$358 was made for the ceremony,
which, since then, has been celebrated
annually at CSUF for the past fourteen
years.
More importantly, Chicano graduates -who have fought with much
sacrifice and hardship- must return to
their communities to assist and organize the disenfranchised sectors, largely
composed of farm-laborers and working-class Mexicano and Chicano
families, in efforts to acquire political
power, economic independance and
social equality.
Many Chicano graduates are the first
in their family who have attended college. The Chicano Commencement ceremony plays a pivotal role in providing
our youth the necessary motivation to
continue the struggle to break through
the institutional barriers of higher education imposed on raza.
During the ceremony -held outdoors
at the CSUF Amphitheater every May
amongst family and friends in a festive,
communal atmosphere- Chicano graduates are called individually and given a
E.'.: . •..,.·. R
.·.··.•••·•··.•...
,•••.u .··.•.••.....:•.·•.·.~.•.·•.•.·•.,.·.•~··•.,•.••,.••.<.•••••••••••••••
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certificate ofacademic achievement. The
names of the graduate's parents are
announced, in Spanish or English, along
with the graduate's hometown, high
school and career goals.
From beginning to end the diversity
and uniqueness of the bilingual/bicultural ceremony is vividly expressed by the
music of Mariachi's, the dancing of
CSUF's Danzantes de Aztla.n, a university-coordinated folkloric dance troupe,
and the singing of the traditional Mexican song •De Galores" by participating
graduates, family and friends in attendance.
Afterward, the crowd, accompanied
by Mariachi's, walks over to the Vintage
Room for finger foods, beverages, more
music and a dance to round out the festive evening.
See calendario above for Chicano
Commencement committee meeting
times.
·.·.·. .··.· ... ·
.•.··
·
ti~'i5-1985).,;
·, , ?
>
,,•.
•hlUdefines M_ua}ity as tlle 'rjght
i9men havetotrru~fng, ed~cationand
p~icipationin tlleJ8cio"eepnonucand
}politiciallife ofthe.cotmtry. . <
;.
/ :J)eyelopmentfor1Ml1meansiinpr.ov"'
irtgconditidns o(employm~ri.f!Uldlife
withthe.!3J)eCjfie:intent to combat these
l,:1€1i~)=
:'w,qn1e#i#n9riitradition1:1t~patioiiaJ ·.
ra:11•,
- See page 3
Volume XXL Number 3
Monday April 23, 1990
California State University, Fresno
3 represent group in court this week
Daves, Guerra, and Miller pursue trial despite 'judges offer of 'no contest' plea
I
Sara Soria
LA- VOZ STAFF WRITER
,
(1-r) Don Daves Lawrence Guerra and Darren Miller retrun to the student government offices
nearly a year after they were arrested with 21 other sit-in protesters. The three will face misdemeanor charges in court April 28.
Perla to share
Salvadoran
women's plight
I
Three out of the 24 students arrested last May for their participation
in the sit-in in the ASI offices will go to
trial this Thursday, said attorney John
Moore.
Don Daves, Lawrence Guerra and
Darren Miller, along with 21 other students, were arrested for their sit-in
against by-law changes initiated by
then-executives and senators of the
Reality party on campus.
"The university has a legal obligation to protect against racial attacks.
These students were spit on! They
shouldn't be subjected to these ugly
racial slurs," said Moore, one of three
attorneys for the case, in reference to
anonymous phone calls that were made
to the ASI offices during the sit-in.
Scott Stark, spokesman for the defendants, said, "The administration is
making it as hard as possible to set a
trial date. They're using tactics to stall.
We set a trial date for Jan. 29 and
approximately two weeks before, President Haak decides to take a vacation to
Korea. The university is more concerned
with winning basketball games than
See SIT IN, page 7
Huerta's visit aiined to educate
UFW vice president will discuss the effects of pesticides
I
Sylvia Castro
Sostenes Infante Jr.
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
For Chicanos everywhere, the daily struggle for justice
in an unjust society occupies a major portion of their time
and energy. The situation for women of color has historically been harder than the rest, and for Salvadoran
women it is threefold.
·
Anna Perla, Director of the Institute for Research,
Training and DevelopmentofSalvadoran Women, U.S.A,
is a person who knows first-hand what it is to fight
gender and race injustice. She will address CSUF students and faculty April 30 at 7 p.m. in Industrial Arts
101.
In an effort to bring constructive change to a situation
where women have suffered disproportionately at the
hands of U.S. political policy, Perla has taken up the
plight of Salvadoran women.
The socio-political and economic conflict which continues to rip El Salvador apart affects women more acutely.
The men who once provided an outside income to the
family have been killed or driven into exile. The women
are n6w faced with the double burden of sustaining the
family with little or no income.
Economic realities that are thrust upon American
women, namely earning considerably less than their
male counterparts, are a far cry from the basic social
See PERLA, page 8
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Dolores Huerta, vicepresidentofthe United Farmworkers Union, will speak on campus May 3 during
the celebration of Semana de la Raza.
Her speech titled "Pesticides and The
Environment:The Impact on Farmworkers and the
Consumer,"will begin at 7 p.m. in the Satellite Union.
Huerta suffered serious injury in September 1988
when she was attacked by San Francisco police officers during an election-year campaign appearance by
then Vice-president George Bush.
Since the issue of pesticides use is a heated one in
the Valley, her visit will help inform the public of
pesticides dangers, said Richard Delgado, chairman
of the Semana de La Raza committee.
"We're looking forward to having her here during
community night to let people know how pesticides
affect the environment and farmworkers," said
Delgado, "There are a lot ofpeople out there that don't
really understand the bad effects of pesticides. We
hope she will open a lot of eyes."
Huerta, like UFW President Cesar Chavez, is cofounder of the farm laborers union. She and Chavez
were the mainstays of the union, in 1963, when it had
See ~RTA, page 8
UFW Vice President Dolores Huerta
PAGE2
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZDEAZTLAN
B
APRIL, 1990
,
NuESTRA OPINION • OUR OPINION
English only rule:
feeble attenipt to
save Ainerican niyth
ASI Election Results
I
Eloy Garcia
LA VOZ ASSISTANT EDITOR
I was walking through the Free Speech If full incorporation of immigrants was
Area last month when I saw something their true intention then it would be an
very ignorant on the"All-American," Bull- admirable one.
But how are we to believe this when
dog Republican booth. Except for the conservative paraphanalia that sometimes English speaking White Americans have
decorates it, the little red, WHITE and prevented English speaking African
blue booth is usually kept nice and clean. Americans and Chicanos from being equal
On this particular occasion however, members of this society for some 500
there happened to be a bumper sticker years? It's obvious that they don't want
that that boldly stated English First. to incorporate us into their society but
rather strip us of our own separate cul- English has actively opposed literacy
Someone's feeling a little insecure.
The English First bumper sticker is ture. And the best way to do this is by programs for new immigrants. They have
opposed the spending of any money for
propaganda by U.S. English, a political taking away our language.
bilingual
education.
If
they
were
really
trying
to
make
organization whose sole purpose is t make
In addressing the U.S. Senate S. I.
English the official language of the United immigrants more proficien t in the EngStates. According to Geoffrey Nunberg of lish language then they should not be Hayakawa,former U.S. Senator from
Stanford University's Center for the opposed to bilingual education. If this is California and founder of U.S. English
Study of Language and Information, the the way they feel, then why deny them said that people would not learn a second
goals of U.S. English also include oppos- access to an education? Why make it ille- language so long as their native language
gal that immigrant children to be taught is kept available as a crutch. He was baing bilingual education in
sically asking for legisthe private and public seclation that would do
tor. In other words, Engaway
with cultural ties.
lish First is really "English
And that is exactly the
Only."
intention of English
Supposedly, the attempt
Only, Hayakawa's legto make English the offiacy.
cial language is an attempt
Current demographic
to make immigrants more
trends show that minorproficiente in the English
ity groups will soon surlanguage and assimipass White, English only
latethem into the social,
speaking people in
political and economic asAmerica. This was the
pects of the American socisubject of the cover story
ety.
In one of their propa- ""/,..
\,""'\"""\;\f""
.;.; ) ""
f ""t""
? ""
t """"=.;.;....:.."'--"-....;_.;_;___ _.;.;....:..:.===-'-""'..;;;;.....;;;;;;~==~:....J in Time magazine April
9. The report titled
ganda brochures it was
"America's Changing
written about immigrants that, "They in their native language until they are
Colors; The Browning of America," said
never become productive members of able to learn in English?
that
Asians grew some 55 percent in the
American society. They remain stuck in
And still it is 0.1{. to ask a student to
a linguistic and economic ghetto, many learn English but it is not right to ask a '80s and Latinos grew some 35 percent
living on welfare and costing working student to forget his native language. If while Whites increased at a rate smaller
Americans millions of tax dollars every keeping their language will help them in than 5 percent. Sosa said that English
year."
their learning process and make · Only is simply a reaction to the growing
They feel that proficiency in a second them"productive" American citizens then population and influence of Latinos.
Their attempt to make English the
language means ineptness in English. why deny them of that?
With these idiotic beliefs, they are trying
Their purpose is clearly not what they official language of the United States is a
to fool unaware citizens of their inten- say it is. According to Mary Sosa of the paranoid reaction by White, English only
tions and the intentions of English Only. National Education Association, U.S. speaking law makers. Latinos as well as
most Asian groups have not surrendered
their language like all other immigrant
groups did upon arrival in the United
States.
Because it is such an important link
with our culture, we and Asians have our
native languages. This is threatening to
See OPINION, page 4
NosOTROS ... LA
Voz
DE .AZTI.AN
Editor in Chief- Chrts Heredia
Assistant Editor-Eloy Garcia
Copy Editor-Celeste Saldivar
Graphics Editor -Oscar G. Ramirez
Calendario Editor-Marta Villasenor
Staff Artist- Ralph Avitia
Staff Writers-Sylvia Castro, Michaela
Diez-Lopez. Sellene Flores. Sostenes
Infante Jr., Krista Lemos, Rosemary
Lopez, Sandra D. Ortiz, Matthew
Polanco, Brooke Primero, Al Robles, JUI
Soltero, Sara Soria, Joseph M. Torres.
Photographers- Laura Hernandez,
Jose Luis Gil, Angel De Jesus.
• Flag designed by Ralph Avitia •
The La Voz staff would like to thank
Erle Burney, Teny Pierson, Dave Tellez,
and Lisa McKinney of The Daily
Collegian Staff.
Special thanks to Leslie Cunning of
The Fresno Bee and Tom Uribes of
CSUF University Outreach Services.
I.a Voz de Aztl.an Is published monthly by the Assoc!·
ated Students, Inc. of California State University.
Fresno. 'Ihe newspaper office ts located 1n the Keats
Campus Building. Fresno, Calif., 93740--0042. 'Jhe
opinions publ!shed on this page an, not nccessartly
those of the Associated Studen ts. Inc.. The Daily
Collegtan or I.a Vaz De Aztlan and tis staff. Unsigned
editorials an, the majority opinion of the paper's editorial board.
. ..Tlie Se11ateCapprovajfb.i<:ampds./~de bridg;( ~ •. • •: ·•.' •:',•·. gr
. :. !:a'.••_!p{e•.•.•.f,:s·•.a•_.',=,=i..:,1.:.. a•.;nt.d'·•o·'••,•tl•~hec
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· •eerste
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the
Children's Ce11#rteceived$84;174; the
· ,University Lectur~ Series received $40,000, Oyer~ ❖ campesiJios<
work. No wherein their beautiful Vin. view,a publi.c ition i>ftbe Office ofAdvismgarid :0ri
Days hri>chrire does 'i.t .rnen.tion that M~icanos
Ca,mpils
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• entation.xeceiv~d $1;1~0 aii<l Vin~geDays received ;· · '.~ ,~~~:r::h1i1'ti!;~t~!;::~~d:ib~~~t::
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EYE ON
BY JOSEPH M.
ASI
TORRES
APRIL,1990
CSU, FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
PAGE3
CSUF pianist perfects the art of classical lllusic
I
Sonya Quintana
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
At age 11 in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, Hector Reynoso began
studying the piano. Little did he know that the piano might some
day become his career.
At a seminary in Mexico, Reynoso's father who was a pastor,
asked his son if he would like to study piano with the seminary's
m'usic instructor. The younger Reynoso agreed but it was three
years and two piano teachers later before he developed a serious
interest in music. Reynoso came to can his second instructor Cesar
Sosa "el abuelito [the grandfather], because he was very old," said
Reynoso.
Sosa encouraged the 13-year-old Reynoso to pursue a career in
music. Reynoso studied for two years at a music school in Mexico
City where he advanced quickly.
His studies in music, however, became stagnant for three years
when his family moved to the United States when he was 15.
"I think those were the three most wasted years of my life," For
what some believe to be the most formative years of a pianist's
career, Reynoso didn't have the encouragement or the instruction
needed for his technical advancement.
At one point during this time, a high school music instructor
discour aged him by questioning whether or not h e could make a
living with music.
Reynoso didn't let his high school instructor stop him. Today, he
is 21 and majoring in performance piano at CSUF. Reynoso studies
under world-known pianist and CSUF professor Phillip Lorenz.
Together they are perfecting Reynoso's playing technique.
Reynoso's relationship with Lorenz is unique in that they come
from a generation ofstudents descendingfrom Ludwigvon Beethoven.
The history started with Beethoven and was passed to Czerny
(famous for his exercises in technique) to Franz Lizst (considered by
many to be the greatest interpreter of Beethoven) to Claudio Arrau
(who was considered the greatest pianist alive) to Lorenz and finally
to Reynoso. He is extremely proud of this.
Lorenz said the experience has passed musical and technical
ideas through generations.
Piano student Hector Reynoso wants to earn a doctorate in music.
See REYNOSO, page 8
SEMANA DE LA RAZA
A week of ways to ·c elebrate Cinco de Mayo
I
Mathew Polanco
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
La Semana de la Raza, commemorating the Mexican
Army's defeat of the French at Puebla on Cinco de Mayo,
1862, will be held from Monday, April 30 through Saturday, May 5.
The Semana de la Raza committee, a committee of
MEChA, will be hosting different themes that deal with
various Chicano issues on the different days of the week.
The committee will be bringing some of the top educators, poets, activists, and performers from across the
United States to CSUF to help celebrate La Semana de
la Raza.
On Monday, April 30, opening day, a parade lead by
Mariachi Zapopan will be held at 10:30 a.m. starting at
the amphitheater and moving to the Free Speach Area.
At 11:30 a.m., Sal Castro, a Chicano educator and
activist from Los Angeles, wi11 give an opening speech
about the history of the Battle at Puebla.
That evening at 7 p.m., in the Satellite Student Union,
a professor from the University of Iowa, Juan FelipeHerrera along with his wife Margarita Robles-Herrera
will be giving a poetry and literature reading.
On Tuesday Mayl, May Day, Marina Judith Pena, of
the FMLN, will discuss the history of struggle in El
Salvador. She will speak in the Free Speech Area.
Rick Chacon, former CSUF MEChA President and
current MAPAdel Valle President, will speak in the Free
Speech Area on political issues facing the Chicano community.
For Children's Day, Wednesday, May 2, Jose Rendon
will put on a puppet show for children from various
schools from the Fresno area. There will also be piiiatas
donated for the children by the student organization
Mex-Tech.
In the evening, Community Night will take place in
~1r~r~t?! lr~;~~:J~E:J·•
.
< SatCastro,
Lo$AngelesActiyist,
Free Speech Area
.
· "Integrating Race, Class and Gender ·
in the Curriculum"
Dr. Mary Romero, Margarita Luna Robles
Upstairs Cafcrteria, Room 200 ·
Noche de Floricanto
A presentation of music and poetry
Juan Felipe Herrera, Margarita Luna Robles
Satellite Student Union
TUE.S DAY,MAYl
. . .. . .
.. w
.
.12:00 pm .· . $istoryof Struggle in EfSalvador-FMLN7
.. .
. .. · MarinaJudithPeiia
/ \ .. ·
.
:"Political IssrieS:and the Chi~ano
t~:~~~:: n:•
''li:~$~~:A#i#. ?
,~::t~•~t;n~i~;:~ni
11:Q(}am• ·=·
'
La Conquista de Mexico ·
Jose Rendon • Puppet show .
11:30.pm
Pi.fiatas/Celebration for Children
Sponsored by Mex-Tech Students
2 pm
"Being the Best you Can Be:Ove:rcoming
Obstacles and Moving Ahead"
Dr. Lea Ybarra
Re-Entry Office
COMMUNITY NIGHT
Mariachi
6pm
7 pm
"Pesticides and the 'Enviroment:
The Impact on Fal"Dlworkers and the
Con sumer" ·
Dolores Huerta, Vice President, U;FW
8pm
Danzantes ~~. Aztlanat SSU
.
the Satellite Student Union. A Mariachi band will open
up the night at 7 p.m. followed by UFW Vice-president
Dolores Huerta (see story page one). She will speak on
the current issues facing farm workers in the San Joaquin
Valley. LosDanzantesdeAztlan. will follow at8o'clock.
Thursday, May 3, the Latin Jazz band ESP, featuring
Felix Contreras a former CSUF student and La Voz
editor, will perform in the SSU at noon.
On Friday, May 4, the annual Tardeada will take
place on the lawn area in front of the SSU. Different
Chicano student groups from campus will have food
booths along with performances by the Clovis High
Marimba band,LosNinos deAztlan .. Mariachi Zapopan
will open the Tardeada at 11 a.m.
At 8 p.m. that evening, a Modem Latino Ballet group
from New York, Ballet Hispanico, will perform at the
SSU and again on Saturday evening, at 8 p.m., May 5.
All events are free of charge.
Thursday,May3 • \
..
12pm
"ESP"LatinJazzBand ,
The Pit-Universtiy Student Union
Friday, May 4
TARDEADA
Satellite Student Union, Lawn Area
11 :30 am
Mariachi Zapopan
12:30 pm
Clovis High School Marimba
Pat Gutierrez, Director
Los Ninos de Aztlan
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES•
May 4 & 5 Friday & Saturday
8 pro Ballet H.ispanico From New York
. ~SU, General Admission $8.
PAGE4
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
APRIL,1990
Arte y Entretenimiento
FILM REVIEW •••
Chavez plays LA's Spanish radio pioneer
Pedro Jose Gonzalez in 'Break of Dawn'
I
AlRobles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
The history of Chicano radio broadcasting and its
community-based context provides the setting for
"Break OfDawn," a dramatic film that chronicles the
career of Pedro Jose Gonzalez the talented, charismatic pioneer of Spanish language radio in Los Angeles during the '20s and '30s. Gonzalez is played by
Oscar Chavez.
Gonzalez, a veteran of the 1910 Mexican Revolution, fought with General Pancho Villa's army when
he was 14. He migrated to the United States with
Marfa, his wife, in 1928 and settled in Los Angeles
where he soon began his career in radio broadcasting.
Although originally refused a job because the management said they had no use for Mexican music, he
offered to translate commercials into Spanish in order
to convince the station manager of his viability.
Immediately recognizing the marketability of
Gonzalez' talent, the management of radio station
KMPC gave him a job as an advertizer. Despite the
station's prohibition on Mexican music, Gonzalez
decided to squeeze in a song between adverticements,
a move which cost him his job until the station realized that Gonzalez was an instant hit with a Chicano
audience eager to hear thier musica on the air.
The popularity of Gonzalez's morning radio show,
"Los Madrugadores" (the early risers) increased at a
phenomenal rate. Gonzalez had a special talent for
broadcasting expressed through the warmth of his
demeanor and his performance of vivid and
sentimental corridos. His passion and commitment
to his community earned him trust and prestige
throughout the barrios. He soon lent his voice to the
defense of his gente during a time of rising antiMexican hysteria.
A society reeling from the effects of the Great Depression of the '30s racialized its economic turmoil by
making the Mexi.canos scapegoats. Deportations of
thousands of Mexi.canos y Chicanos soon became
commonplace.
Gonzalez conducted on-air interviews with Consul
Davila, a progressive official with the Mexican Consulate who compelledraza to know their rights and to
fight against the repressive deportation laws.
The show provoked a backlash from the local District Attorney, Kyle Mitchell, who earlier campaigned
with a racist anti-Mexican platform. Gonzalez was in
the process ofexposing Mitchell's corruption and lack
oflegitimacy as a public official when he was arrested
and convicted on trumped-up assault charges and
sentenced to 50 years at San Quentin Prison.
The alleged victim later confessed to giving false
El Movimiento
we wear old faded pants that expose our scarred knees;
they wear new faded jeans with ready or self-made holes to show off
their skin.
we drive '63 Ford Falcons that drip oil, take 15 minutes to warm up,
die at every stop light, and lose their brakes every now and then;
they drive premeditated and abstract cars that never seem to break
down: '73 VW Beetles speckled with primer and bumper stickers that read
"El Salvador is Spanish for Vietnam."
we buy hot furniture from the bad homeboy, Loco;
they buy theirs from the good home decorator, Ethan Allen.
we eat tortillas with mayonnaise and drink water to fill our
stomachs;
they get burritos at Taco Bell and drink cheap wine to buy their
humility.
our parents ask us for money so they can buy beans, rice, flour (for
tortillas), gas for the Falcon, patches for Papi's pants, and to pay Loco for the color TV;
they ask their parents for money so they can pay monthly expenses
and have spending money to buy "Free Nelson Mandela" T-shirts.
we pick oranges all day in poisonous orchards;
they picket at college for half an hour with signs that read "Boycott
Grapes."
When we hear about our hermanos in Mc Farland,
we weep and wipe away the tears that pour from our hearts;
they cry and clean the water that drips from their sympathetic eyes.
we write about our pregnant sister that dropped out of high school, our
mother and brother with cancer, the bald tires of the Falcon, and the
four big blisters on our palms from hoeing weeds in 106 degree heat for minimum wage·
they write about oppression.
'
they receive awards and other forms ofrecognition for their
leadership and commitment to the movement;
we stand up and we clap "hard," then we sit down and wipe the water
from our blistered palms.
Frank Pancho Aviles
"Hijo del SoZp.s. ( we don't need to pull anymore knives out of our backs, especially
those with brown and black fingerprints. When we try to get involved in
the movement don't oppress or try to destroy us 'cause without us there
would be no movement and you would have to look for another extracurricular activity.)
testimony under pressure from the district attorney's
office in order to convict Gonzalez. Despite her testimony the court refused to overturn his conviction and
he remained in prison for six years until he was paroled
and deported to Mexico in 1940. A grassroots support
campaign mounted on Gonzalez's behalf as "Break of
Dawn's" popularity drew to a tense climax.
Pedro and Maria Gonzalez now live in San Ysidro,
Calif. His conviction continues, to this day. However,
there is currently a public campaign to seek a formal
pardon from Gov. Deukmejian.
"Break OfDawn" carries forth a narrative style and
plot element in a tradition similar to "The Ballad of
Gregorio Cortez." An innocent Mexicano is persecuted
by a ruthless power structure in a story recounted
through flashbacks by the central character. The film
is a powerful and compe11ing portrayal of Chicano
history that is thoughtfully arranged by its director
Isaac Artenstein.
The Fresno premier of "Break of Dawn" will be
Friday, April 27 at the Warnors Theatre, 1400 Fulton
St., in downtown Fresno at 7:30 p.m.A reception will be
held at 6:30 p.m. for one of the film's featured actors,
Tony Plana. The film's showing is sponsored by Arte
Americas. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at Arte
Americas, 1412 Fulton St., located next to the Warnors
Theatre. For further information, contact Arte Americas at 266-2623.
Santana's
back!
I
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Santana will appear at the Warnors
Theatre Tuesday, April 24 as part ofhis
West Coast tour. Fresno fans will witness the performance of a band
that was propelled to national
fame at Woodstock in 1969 and
has staked its
longevity on a
standard of performing excellence and some
23albums.
The last local
appearance by
Santana was in
1988 at the
Fresno
Fair
where he provided his audience with an
electrifyingperformance.
The dynamics of Santana's performances have, over the years, evolved with
a temperament wielded by solo arrangements and improvisational instrumental segue ways that counterbalance his
play list of timeless classics such as "Evil
Ways," "Black Magic Woman," "Everybody's Everything," and "Europa: Earth's
Cry, Heaven's Smile" to name but a few.
Even though extensive airplay has
eluded Santana in the '80s, his songwriting
and showmanship has garnered him a
wealth of acclaim by rock and jazz critics,
several Bay Area
Music awards and
repeated praise
from Guitar Player
Magazine.
The following of
Santana
fans
worldwide has
remained as solid
as ever to the point
of transcending
generations. Eighteen and 19-yearold fans who weren't alive when "Evil
Ways" climbed up
American
pop
charts in '69 regard Carlos Santana as a
man and musician ahead of his time.
Fans can also look forward to the latest
Santana album which is scheduled for release this summer. Tickets for the show
are available at local Ticketron outlets.
IN FRESNO
Tuesday, April 24
Warnors Theater
Call Ticketron
for tickets
APRIL,1990
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
PAGES
Art and Entertainment
ON COMPACT DISC
Sanchez cooks with 'Chile Con Soul'
I
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
In a truly magnificent display of his
seasoned virtuoso talent as a musician,
bandleader, and arranger, Poncho Sanchez's latest release, "Chile Con Soul"
brings forth a musical synthesis of jazz,
blues, salsa, and the relentless heart of
soul.
Congruent with the title, the cover
photo shows Sanchez holding two dinner
plates, one with soul food and the other
Mexican, and the music definitely lives up
to the image.
In a manner surpassing his previous
releases - all on the Concord/Picante label
- "Chile Con Soul" explores the relationships between the above mentioned styles
with an appreciation of all they have to
offer. The panoramic interplay of everything that Latin Jazz is, or should be,
becomes defined in this release in a manner
unique to Sanchez's talents.
The liner notes include a review by
retired NBA superstar and long-time jazz
fan,KareemAbdul-Jabbar, whoremarks,
"Poncho's band plays the music of the
Americas. That is to say, any tune may
have its feet in the Caribbean, its heart in
Brazil, and its mind in New Orleans. But
Sanchez's band brings all these elements
together in the most appropriate ways."
The opening track, "Song For Cal,"
pays tribute to the late Cal Tjader who
was one of the greatest inspirations of
Sanchez's career. Cal Tjader was also one
of the most influential artists in Latin
Jazz and served as Sanchez's artistic
mentor when he joined Tjader's band in
1975.
The song kicks off with the dance hall
swing style, characteristic of many of
Sanchez's previous releases, while sustained by his unrelenting conga rhythms.
"A Night In London" embarks on a
similar course with the horn section accentuated by Sal Cracchiolo's signature
trumpet solo until Sanchez lets loose on
the congas in a manner that almost defies
the law of gravity.
Two other tracks, "Lover Come Back
To Me" and "Ti Pon Pa" (the later combining the nicknames ofTito Puente, Poncho
Sanchez, and Papo Rodriguez) are highlighted by percussion solos from the guest
artist, none other then "El Rey del Timbal," Tito Puente. Puente has been a
phenomenon in Latin music for decades
and his presence on this release inspires
the excellence of Sanchez's band to new
heights.
"Con Migo" gives it up with a stylized
salsa flavor that is New York in its roots
and LA in its delivery. Charlie Otwell's
piano provides the drive while Gene Burkert's flute solo pierces the harmony with a
free floating pitch that entices the listener
to a sensual bliss.
If none of the other tracks will get you
up and on your feet, and it's hard to stay
still to almost any of these tunes, then try
James Brown's combined classics, "Cold
Sweat/ Funky Broadway" done up with a
distinct L.A. Latin Funk flavor.
Poncho's voice takes command on this
track with a granite like texture that does
justice to the "Godfather of Soul" (even if
the state of Georgia hasn't.)
"Chile Con Soul" can appropriately be
seen as a culmination of Poncho's life as a
West Coast Chicano jazz artist paying
tribute to the giants of the East Coast,
pioneers of the Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican
sound that has put the juice in American
popular music for over 50 years.
Artists such as Tito Puente, Perez
Prado, Machito, Chano Pozo, Dizzy
Gillespie, Horace Silver, Mongo Santamaria, Lester Young, and Cal Tjader
continue to inspire Sanchez's love ofmusic.
Sanchez, in turn, continues to define
the LA jazz sound in a truly hip fashion.
"Chile Con Soul" definitely breaks new
ground in this direction. Escucheconsabor.
Manos Morenas
by Joe M. Torres
"Pobre la gente"
She looked around,
uncertain of herself
hands golden brown
withered with pain
"La mujer mexicana
cada dia"
Her eyes brown as the earth
Skin soft and filled with sores
Brought from work
Her youth remains silent
"El mundo es bueno" but
her world lies lonely and still.
I
Sara Soria
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Marga Gomez, comica Chicana lives in a San
Francisco apartment once occupied by Janice Joplin. She said she inherited her father's comedy but
not his Spanish language.
Que lastima No?, she said.
Gomez's alter ego, Filumena, was named by her
father in her early childhood years. "I remember
my dad calling my mom and I Filumena." Gomez
incorporated her alter ego into her act by putting
on dark shades, puckering her lips and talking
Golllez ties
Herstory
n1onth off
-with laughter
with a deep Spanish accent.
The San Francisco comedian's performance
was the last event commemorating Women's
Herstory Month at CSUF.
Gomez said both her parents were entertainers; her mother was a dancer and her father was
a comedian. "My dad used to do Cantinfias
impressions." Cantinflas, a popular comedian to
many in the Mexican cinema, has acts going back
to the early '40s.
Gomez's audience filled the seats in Industrial
Arts, Room 101. The room filled with laughter as
Gomez made chistes about campus political parties, mentioning Reality.
Marga also picked on the actores in the novelas.
"Don't you think these actors overdramatize?" she
said. "When a woman is emotionally distraught
about a lover in a novela, she just doesn't plead
with him to stay by saying, "I love you." Gomez
bent at the waist, clenched her fists, squinted her
eyes and grunted: "Te quiero!"
She said non Spanish-speaking }'eople can flip
through the Spanish stations and actually understand the storylines through the actors exaggerated mannerisms.
Gomez joked about nights of discomfort from
Hector Ama.cv.a/SPEClAI. TO Lil VOZ
Marga Gomez entertained a capacity crowd
March 31.
wearing pantyhose. She said "Have you ever gone through
nights of saggy crotches just to look pretty?"
Late-comers to the event couldn't get by Gomez without
being thoroughly embarrassed by her acknowledgement of
their tardiness. "Don't worry, we can start over for you."
The Bay area comica entertained and humored the audience with her charm and wit throughout the hour.
Marga Gomez has received the "1989 Entertainer of the
Year" award for the San Francisco area, aired in "Comedy
Tonight," and worked with Linda Ronstadt and Whoopi Goldberg.
Gomez
incorporated
her alter ego
into her act
by putting
on dark
shades,
puckering
her lips and
talking with
a deep
Spanish
accent.
iJ
11:11
PAGE6
LA VOZDEAZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
APRIL, 1990
Teatro Campesino founder visits
I
Sostenes Infante Jr.
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
When faced with social and economic discrimination the natural
tendency for the victim is to become angry. However the method
by which that anger manifests itself is directly related to whether
circumstances improve or get
worse.
In a speech before a crowded
Satellite Student Union packed
with brown faces, Luis Valdez,
writer, playwright and director of
films such as "La Bamba" and
"Zoot Suit" said we must first look
deep inside ourselves if we hope to
initiate change.
"The ticket to success is in yourself, you have to be able to take
the conditions of your life and convert them into something," said
Valdez.
In speaking about racial discrimination, Valdez said, " Any
kind of pressure produces a certain kind of power, racial discrimination produces a certain kind of
power." The trick, Valdez said, is
turning something negative or
'La Bamba'
something that could be perceived as negative such
as a physical disability into something positive.
People who have physical disabilities have
changed the way they and other people think about
them by changing their reference first from crippled
to physically handicaped to physically challenged.
Finding out who we are is a prerequisite to dodging obstacles that confront each and every one of us
throughout our lives.
One of Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s early themes, "Be
careful of who and what you pretend to be because
in the long run that's what you end up with," rings
true when one analyzes human nature.
Dreams and thoughts of who we are, who we
want to be and what our society tells us we are, are
Hector Amezcua/SPEOAf. TO Lt\
voz
director Luis Valdez talks about refocusing energies during a talk in the Satellite Union.
in fact all interrelated and combine to make up our
conscious life experience, said Valdez.
Much of what mass media promulgates is nothing
more than lies and distortions.
"I am particularly concerned about what Hollywood movies say about minorities, women and history
if anything at all." said Valdez.
Citing facts and figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and other record-keeping agencies, Valdez
pointed out that most of the population in the United
States is under 25 and a member of an ethnic minority.
How mass media portrays the American minority
male and female is mainly in negative, stereotypical
roles which in turn reinforce social problems in everyday life such as drugs, gangs and prostitution, said
Valdez.
Using films such as "Colors," "Born on the Fourth
of July" and a host of other recent Hollywood blockbusters, Valdez said, "There are certain images that
are coming through both film and T. V. that are laying
a trip on youth. They're not telling you the tnith
about yourself."
Change won't come until each and every one ofus
wakes up to what's going on, said Valdez.
"The important word is involvement we must become involved in our lives, our destinies and in our
dreams," said Valdez.
Day for migrant youth offers alternatives
I
Sophomore political science major
Gloria Samaniego coordinated Migrant
LA VOZ EDITOR IN CHIEF
You~h Day this year under the direction
•
of Diaz.
ClaudiaChing,anAtwaterHighSchool
Samaniego said she enjoys helping
senior, is not sure that she will be able to economically disadvantaged students get
go to college. She has the support of her into college and will probably change her
parents in her goal of becoming a bilin- majortocounseling.Sheaddedthatmany
gualteacherbutshesaidsheisneededat migrant students are in situations that
home to help raise her brother and sister. are similar to Chi_ng's.
Chingwasoneofmorethan150high
"I'vespokenWithmanystudentswho
schoolstudentsfrom throughout the San are like that. But she will make it. We
Joaquin Valley who attended the second have a file on her and we're doing a follow
annual Migrant Youth Day with the up. If she has the determination, she'll
theme, "Prepare for the future: you are work something out.
the master of your fate" last month at
"I can relate to some students. My
CSUF.
parents never asked me to stay home.
"The people were talking about differ- They always supported me in going to
ent things about college experiences.
college," Samaniego said regarding
Knowing these will help us in the fu. Ching's situation.
ture," said Ching.
For others like Rosendo Vega, a senior
Director of University Migrant Serv- at Livingston High, who attended Miices(UMS)Rau1Diazsaidthat25percent grant Youth Day, plans for attending
of the student volunteers in this year's college wouldn't be any surprise to his
Migrant Youth Day were participants family. Two of his older sisters have atthemselves last year.
tended CSU, Stanislaus.
Chris Heredia
OPINION
Continued from page 2
the conservative "good old boys" who feel everyone
must shed all cultural ties the minute they cross the
border onto American soil. And so they need to attempt
to control us and limit our growth.
They originally attempted to pass this English Only
rule on the federal level but it went nowhere in the legislature. U.S. English then initiated their linguistic
He hopes to attend CSUF and wants to
be an engineering major. His father is a
field worker and his mother works at a
sweet potato packing house.
"By coming to school, you can learn
more and live better and not work in the
fields," Vega said.
Vegawillbethethirdofeighttoattend
college. He said he hopes more young
people from migrant farm working families will be able to take advantage of
events like Migrant Youth Day. "There
are ways to get to college and be better
prepared and have a better life."
Samaniego said that Vega's situation
where older siblings are making it to college is becoming more common. "There
are more programs thatarehelpingthem."
Educational workshops ranged from
"testwiseness" to "how to make effective
presentations and improve your oral
communications."
General interest workshops ranged
from "building your self esteem through
teatro" to "youth and the law."
The conference also featured seven
suppression on the state level. There are now 17 states
that have declared English as their official language.
Ridiculously enough, California is one of the states
that has declared English its official language - a state
in which non-white elementry school pupils make up
51.3 percent of all students.
So are kids speaking their native Spanish on the
playgrounds going to be put on detention? What's the
plan U.S. English? We ask the same question of those
at CSUF who subscribe to the English First confusion.
The English Only or English First rule has had no
careerworkshopsrangingfrom "computer
sciencesandrelatedfields"to"radio, television, andjournalism opportunities."
Samaniego said the students were able
to relate to the presenters because so
many of them came from migrant backgrounds and they have succeeded.
SamaniegobecameinvolvedinMigrant
Youth Day last year as a volunteer. "In
high school, I was part of a teatro group
whowenttojuniorhighandelementary
schools. We spoke to the students about
how important education is."
Samaniego said that the UMS office
calls students on admission and financial
aid deadlines and if applications aren't
returned, they make calls home to assist
the students and parents. Some students
who had completed an information card
with UMSbeforecomingtotheconference
find out their admission and financial aid
status.
"Imettwogirlswhowerenotplanning
on going to college. Now one has applied to
CSUF, theothertoCSU,Stanislaus. This
an example of the work we do at UMS."
real impact in California. Voting ballots are still printed
in Spanish and driving tests are still given m Spanish.
Such a law is simply unenforcable in a stateso diverse.
Anglo America is fearing change. Instead of America
changing its immigrants, America is being changed by
them. If you're not the majority I guess it's nice to know
that your language is still the "best" or at least the
"official" language ofthe United States.
Ponganse trucha. Don't let this decreasing White
majority pass anymore of their prejudicial laws disguised
as well-intended and in our best interest.
APRIL,1990
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
CSU,FRESNO
PAGE7
Author Mendez inspired by fieldw r
Now-honorary doctorate had six years of formal education
At age five, with his mother's help, he learned how to
read. "I loved to dance, sing, and read," said Mendez. At
11, he began writing poems without his parents knowledge. "In Mexico, I was told I was lazy because I wanted
to write," said Mendez. "The inspiration to me, is a
strong enthusiasm and courage to write," added Mendez.
I
Michaela Diez-Lopez
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
One hot day, picking cotton in the fields ofArizona, 14year-old Miguel Mendez decided to write his first novel.
Mendez, now 60 and an honorary Doctor of Humanities and Letters at the University of Arizona, Tucson,
spoke on campus April 19 about how his life has influenced his writing.
Mendez didn't have the support of his friends who
called him lazy for his desire to write. Nonetheless, he
began writing his first novel, Peregrinos de Aztlan. "I
saved this novel for 7 years because I did not know ifit
was good or not," said Mendez.
Mendez was awarded the doctorate by the university
in 1984 though his previous education includes six years
of primary school.
Mendez spoke to Spanish professors and students
about his life and writing style. Born in Bisbee, Arizona,
heis ofMestizo and Yaqui decent. His family moved back
to Sonora, Mexico where he spent the first 14 years ofhis
life.
Mendez said that after sixth grade, he was a selftaught person. "I always had thedesiretoreadand write.
"I don't feel sorry for not going to school, because I
always had the desire, the dreams [to] learn and write
and I learned myself," said Mendez.
He shared his desire to write with his fellowfieldworkers. "They laughed atme and made fun ofme every day."
After "Peregrinos de Aztlan,,. he started writing
poems, novels, and stories.
Cristina Corchado found nothing to ridicule about
Mendez's work. Corchado, a 37-year-old liberal studies
major said after listening to Mendez that, she liked "the
oral, traditional delivery and the touch on Mexican
origins" in his speech.
Mendez had obviously developed his ability with words
at an early age. At 13, he was reading Don Quixote and
other Spanish Literature. Mendez's works include a
collection of poems, novels and stories like: "Tata CaStJhuayotroscuentos" ( Tata Casehuaand other stories), "La
Literatura Chicana" (Chicano literature), "El Sueno de
Santa Maria de las Piedras" (The Dream of Santa Maria
of the Stones), and "De la vida Y del Folklore de la Frontera" (On the Life and Folklore of the Border).
He was invited as a full-time instructor to Pima
Community College in Tucson, Arizona. He teaches a
class at the university that analyzes the life and culture
of Mexican Americans and he does research and wri .s
when he's not teaching.
His next book is "El Circo que se perdio en el
Desierto"(The Lost Circus in the Desert). Mendez's goal
for the future is to have his works read throughout the
world and to contribute more to Chicano literature written in Spanish.
MichaelaDi ez.Lopez, 23, is an exchange student
from Durango, Mexico. She came to the United
States in 1983. A/fer a ;year of intensive English
courses, she attended Fresno City College for two
years, before coming to CSUF in 1987. She ia majoring in Journaliam and Spanish. She lives with a
host family here in Fresno along with her brother,
28, who ia also an exchange student.
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on the ASL
Continued from page 1
"It was the only way to get a response,"
said Daves as he explained why he and 23
with racism on campus."
other students participated in a sit-in
The Mexican American Political Assoduring Spring 1989.
ciation and the National Association for
One event preceding ASI's by-law
the Advancement of Colored People are
changes was the attempt to cut the foodtwo local Fresno organizations that are
line item from the Chicano Youth Conferassisting the defendants with attorney
ence budget.
and court costs.
George Martinez, then-Chicano Youth
"The administration knows we're a
Conference representative for the Finance
bunch of poor students, so they're trying
and Budget Committee said he was reto stall until summer hoping we'll lose
peatedly being quieted at the meetings for
interest, graduate, or run out of money,"
being too aggresive. He said, "Everytime
Stark said. "These racial attitudes still
I would raise my hand they would shake
exist. The problem still continues."
their heads."
Bill White, then-Administrative Vice
Martinez confronted Bill White after
President and Bulldog Republican memthe meeting about White's efforts to siber, said in last May that the intent.of the
lence his comments. White then said,
changes were to preserve the republican
"You're paranoid." White commented to
"dynasty" the Reality senators and execuMartinez that the food policy for recruittives had created to that point.
ment programs had been deleted, when in
The Unity-SRG victories by Karen fact it had not.
CogleyandKathleenSolanoandfourother
"Through this whole thing, the com-
SIT IN
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:t?~t~l,1,~~p.~f.r,gprJpe~ m~pi,~t:7-
mittee lied, insulted me and questioned
my professionalism," Martinez said.
Daves said of the changes that "They
were trying to restructure the democratic
system, " Daves said, "It was the last
straw."
Police handcuffed and escorted the 24
students to the campus police station in
patrol cars. Supporters outnumbered
hecklers outside University Student Union as sit-in participants filled out at the
basement level of USU.
The hecklers hollered "What do we
want? Cavity check. When do we want it?
Now!"mockingthe sit-in participants who
were videotaped chanting "What do we
want? Justice. When do we wantit?Now!"
The 24 were cited at the police station.
Nineteen of them pleaded "no contest" to
the charges, which, is this case, meant a
six-month probation instead ofentering a
plea of guilty or not guilty.
Five chose to represent the 24 on trial
but two of them later chose to plead no
contest later, leaving Daves, Guerra and
Miller to represent the group April 26.
.
When ask d why he decided to go on
with the trial, Guerra said,"We didn't
want to give u 1 what we had started J 's
not just the p inciple, we want the administration and the people responsible
for the by-law changes to be held accountable. It's going to be the administratJOn
going to trial, not us."
Guerra said of possible consequences
that "We've always known what the consequences wouldbe ofthetrialnotco ing
out in our favor."
Moore said, "The defendants have a
good case sine~ they are protected by the
first amendment."
March 15, the six month probation
period was dropped for the 19 who initially pleaded "no contest." Stacy Green
and Roxana Zapata have yet to complete
their six-month probations as they pleaded
"no contest" later.
Arrest warrants went out for four students who didn't show up on March 15,
but were later dismissed and only two
students paid$50 and$100 fines for their
failiure to appear.
PAGES
CSU,FRESNO
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
jueves, 4/26
lunes, 4/23
CJSA works on magazine
The Chicano Journalism Student
Association will meet today at 6 p.m. in the JAd,
Room 203. CJSAis workingon amagazineDestinos
for the 1990 Chicano Commencement.
APRIL,1990
6725.
Chicano health students meet
The Chicano Health Organization will meet
today in San Ramon 4, Room 220 at 5 p.m. All
majors are welcome.
viernes, 5/4
Support group starts with Luncheon
martes, 4/24
miercoles, 4/25
Plans for Semana de La Raza
The Semana de la Raza committee welcomes
everyone to help finalize Cinco de Mayo activities
during the week of April 30 to May 5. Semana
meetings are every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in San
Ramon 4, Room 242.
Migrant Student Alliance meets today for a
gf:neral meeting at 4:00 p.m. in the USU. Check the
glass case at the south entrance for room number.
'Chuntara' celebrates 23rd!
La Voz staff writer and former ad production
m>'ln~er celebrates 23 longyears.Feliz Cumpleaiios
Gil, we mean Jill, Jill Soltero.
uitti:!~ 9riit11ike your organization~s meetings in\ form~tion in Calendario,
send date; time and place
of m~~iing and name of
contaet>person to Calen•dario, La Voz de Aztlan,
Keats Campus Bldg., Mail
stop #42.
<
Chicano Commencement Committee meets
today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Joyal Administration
Room203
African American Educators hold last general meeting for the semester. For meeting place
and room number contact Adrian Brown at 226-
Chicano commencement more personal
I
Manuel Olgin, coordinator-of student
services at the CSUF-College of the Sequoias satellite center in Visalia, got the
idea from San Jose State University's
Chicano Commencement helJ in 1972.
Chicano students at CSUF, Olgin said,
should have an opportunity to say goodbyeto their friends, loved ones and, most
importantly, to say •gracias" to their
familia for the moral and financial support they provided.
This year's celebration, sponsored by
the Chicano Alumni Association and fi-
nancially supported by the Academic Affairs and Dean of Students offices, will
takeplaceatCSUF'samphitheater.More
than 120 Chicano students are expected
to participate.
"The celebration," Olgin said, "is a
special way of showing appreciation to
parents, friends, faculty and staff
during their years at school."
Financial restraints prevent many
Chicanos from pursuing higher education. Sending a child to college is difficult,
particularly in working-class households
where children are needed for additional
income to purchase the basic necessities
for the family.
At a time when Chicano youth are
being pushed out of high school at an
alarming 50 percent-rate, it is imperative that our gente be exposed to
Chicanos and Chicanas graduating from
universities and colleges throughout the
Southwest.
REYNOSO
HUERTA
Continued from page 6
Continued from page 1
Reynoso mo1;tly enjoys the Romantic
el'a of music and specifically Chopin. He
practices five to six hours each day saying
itismostimportantto"betruetothecomposer."
Reynoso's persistence in learning has
earned him the Rose Pollock Memorial
Scholarship in a competition sponsored
by the Fresno Musical Club. Along with
second and third place winners, Tina Lai,
18, and Pin-Ju Wu, 26, both CSUF students, Reynoso will be presented in a
recital May 4 at the home of Dorothy
Renzi.
Lorenz said receiving the award and
competition is proof that the Reynoso's
talent is being recognized and he is being
rewarded.
its beginnings in Delano, a small, agricultural town in the southern San Joaquin
Valley.
She traveled worldwide during the
Grape Boycott ofl 965 to bring attention
the poor working and living conditions of
the farmworkers in the Valley. The boycott was recognized internationally and
brought about a victory for the campesinos when the profits ofthe grape industry
took a sharp drop in answer to the boycott.
Semana de la Raza is a committee of
Movimeinto Estudiantil Chicano de
Aztlan. MEChA has been in stiff opposition to pesticide use and is a strong supporter of the UFW and its efforts.
Marta Villasenor
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
A dance was held to raise funds for the
first Chicano Commencement in 1976. A
total of$358 was made for the ceremony,
which, since then, has been celebrated
annually at CSUF for the past fourteen
years.
More importantly, Chicano graduates -who have fought with much
sacrifice and hardship- must return to
their communities to assist and organize the disenfranchised sectors, largely
composed of farm-laborers and working-class Mexicano and Chicano
families, in efforts to acquire political
power, economic independance and
social equality.
Many Chicano graduates are the first
in their family who have attended college. The Chicano Commencement ceremony plays a pivotal role in providing
our youth the necessary motivation to
continue the struggle to break through
the institutional barriers of higher education imposed on raza.
During the ceremony -held outdoors
at the CSUF Amphitheater every May
amongst family and friends in a festive,
communal atmosphere- Chicano graduates are called individually and given a
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certificate ofacademic achievement. The
names of the graduate's parents are
announced, in Spanish or English, along
with the graduate's hometown, high
school and career goals.
From beginning to end the diversity
and uniqueness of the bilingual/bicultural ceremony is vividly expressed by the
music of Mariachi's, the dancing of
CSUF's Danzantes de Aztla.n, a university-coordinated folkloric dance troupe,
and the singing of the traditional Mexican song •De Galores" by participating
graduates, family and friends in attendance.
Afterward, the crowd, accompanied
by Mariachi's, walks over to the Vintage
Room for finger foods, beverages, more
music and a dance to round out the festive evening.
See calendario above for Chicano
Commencement committee meeting
times.
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