Arizona
100 años de influencia méxico-americana en arizona
Viernes 10 de febrero del 2012
SP17
Arizona through our eyes In this story about the Latino experience in Arizona, more than one dozen veterans of the movement that organized the Chicano community, won better working conditions, improved education and medical services, and registered many thousands of new voters, talk about their experiences. Arizona may be celebrating 100 years of statehood. But the history of Hispanics in the state goes back at least 350 years when the land was a distant outpost of Spanish colonial Mexico. Spanish explorers ventured as far north as the Grand Canyon. Eventually Spanish missionary priests founded missions in Native American homelands around which settlements grew. Arizona became part of the United States as a result of the MexicanAmerican War of 1846-48 and the subsequent Gadsden Purchase of souther-
nmost Arizona 6 years later. Anglo settlers employed Mexicans as ranch hands, miners, road builders, and in their homes. Sometimes, these Latino residents of Arizona were mistreated or exploited as they were subjected to prejudice. The roots of the Chicano movement of the 1960s and 1970s to demand equal opportunities go back to early labor struggles when Mexican-Americans attempted to protect themselves or give voice to their concerns. Some Mexican-Americans founded mutualista, or mutual aid societies, to provide help financial and moral support to sick or out-of-work miners and laborers. One of the oldest Latino mutualista organizations, founded in the 1920s and still existing, is located in the border city of Douglas, southeast of Tucson. Later, Latino veterans of World War
II returning to their Arizona homes decided they were not going to stand for discrimination. They had served their country with distinction and had served side by side with soldiers, sailors, Marines and air crews and had seen the world for what it was – and what it could be – outside the confines of Arizona. They had some success challenging prejudice. After all, they had done their share in the war like other Americans. An American Legion post they founded in Phoenix gave them an opportunity to not only socialize, but to exchange opinions and talk about developing their community. The national civil rights movement which involved all ethnic groups, prompted students at schools and universities to stage walk outs and try tom organize themselves. These efforts came at the same time organizers in states like
los símbolos de Arizona • Incorporación: 14 de febrero de 1912. Arizona fue el estado número 48 que se unió a los Estados Unidos. • Bandera del estado: incorporada en 1917, la mitad inferior de la bandera es un campo azul. La mitad superior se divide en trece segmentos iguales, seis amarillo claro y siete rojos. En el centro de la bandera se ubica una estrella de cinco puntas de color cobre. Los colores rojo y azul tienen los mismos tonos que los de la bandera de los Estados Unidos de América, y mide cuatro pies de alto y seis de ancho. • Sello del estado: las actividades y atracciones principales de Arizona están representadas en el sello, que se incorporó en 1911. En el segundo plano del sello se encuentra una cadena montañosa con el sol elevándose detrás de los picos. A la derecha de las montañas se visualiza un embalse de almacenamiento de agua y una represa, con huertos y campos de regadío. A la derecha se observa pastoreo de ganado, así como una mina de cuarzo y un minero con un pico y una pala a la izquierda. Población y geografía
• Población Total: 6.5 millones
• Población Hispana: 30% • Capital del estado: Phoenix • Ciudades más importantes: Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Glendale y Scottsdale. • Estados limítrofes: California, Colorado, Nevada, Nuevo México, Utah. • Superficie del estado: 113,909 millas cuadradas. Símbolos del estado • Lema del estado: Ditat Deus (“Dios enriquece”). • Apodo del estado: Estado del Gran Cañón. • Canciones del estado: "Arizona March Song" y "Arizona". • Flor del estado: Flor del saguaro • Piedra del estado: Turquesa • Árbol del estado: Palo verde • Pájaro del estado: Zenzontle del desierto. • Fósil del estado: Madera petrificada • Mamífero del estado: Cacomixtle • Reptil del estado: Víbora de cascabel • Pez del estado: Trucha apache • Anfibio del estado: Rana arbórea • Prenda oficial para usar en el cuello: Corbata de cordón (Bola Tie). Fuente: Oficina de Turismo de Arizona
California and Texas began unionizing farm workers and other groups with many Latino members. An effort at regional organizing came in the 1960s when the Southwest Council of La Raza established itself in Phoenix. It had funding from the Ford Foundation and some church groups. It began working on a strategy to effect change that would improve Latino work, education and housing. As a result of the Council’s work, local activists founded Chicanos Por La Causa which focused first on activism and later on community development. The Southwest Council moved its headquarters to Washington DC and became the National Council of La Raza. Many of the men and women active in behalf of the Latino community in those days were interviewed for this story.