Celebrate true tradition of Cinco de Mayo

http://tucson.com/news/opinion/column/guest/celebrate-true-tradition-of-cinco-de-mayo/article_85850170-3a67-5599-86e6-59c6d82e8836.html

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Roberto Rodriguez -- Credit: submitt

54 minutes ago  •  By Roberto Rodriguez Special to the Arizona Daily Star

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Celebrate another way

For information on the Cinco de Mayo 5K sobriety walk/run and healthy food festival Saturday, email run4cincodemayo@gmail.com

Virtually every Mexican with any sense of pride cringes this time of the year because, once again, the Cinco de Mayo season is upon us. It is that time of the year in which society gives itself permission to gratuitously insult Mexicans.

For this, we can thank the alcohol and liquor industries that have converted this most special of days into what has become a monthlong drinking advertising campaign.

Yet, we are now beginning to see a different way of celebrating Cinco de Mayo, a way that honors, rather than dishonors Mexican people and their culture.

Talk to most anyone taking part in these “ Drinko de Mayo festivities” at one of the Mexican-theme parties and you will get someone wearing a sombrero, a serape, huaraches, and of course, a fake mustache — standing next to cactus or a donkey (piñata) — to say the celebration has something to do with Mexican Independence. This usually is part of the media interview that we all have become accustomed to.

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day; that is Sept. 16. Instead, May 5 celebrates the defeat by a ragtag army of indigenous forces — led by Texas-born, general Ignacio Zaragoza — of a much larger and invading French army in the battle at Puebla, Mexico, in 1862. If one actually wants to learn about this celebration, read “El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition” by UCLA Professor David Hayes Bautista (University of California Press).

For many years, it was a genuine holiday on both sides of the border, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s in the United States. But it has degenerated into drinkfests. As such, people have been protesting this hijacking for a generation, but to no avail … until now.

One reason for this protest is that when this hijacking took place, the education component was dropped. At the same time, in many communities where this “celebration” is most heavily promoted and exploited by these industries, this is also where alcoholism is rampant.

There is another reason why people object to this commercialization. It is when these industries also most promote negative stereotypes. In Google Images, if one Googles the term Cinco de Mayo or Mexican party costumes, the results will confirm this. In addition to the stereotypical images already alluded to, for such theme parties, gangbangers or immigration officers are now also part of the standard repertoire.

These industries are comprised of multibillion-dollar corporations and they have a vested interest in cashing in on what often becomes a two-weekend affair, and when you consider the promotion behind it, an entire month. So it does not seem realistic the situation will self-correct anytime soon.

At the University of Arizona, students from several of the Mexican American studies classes have found a different way to celebrate: they are putting on the second annual Cinco de Mayo 5k sobriety walk/run and healthy food festival at the Valenzuela Youth Center, 1550 S. Sixth Ave, on Saturday. This year, similar runs are also taking place in Denver and Denton, Texas.

The objective of the event is threefold: 1) to protest that linkage between this special day with liquor and alcohol; 2) to protest the commercialization of this day; and 3) to protest the annual mocking of Mexicans. The event also seeks to educate, celebrate and promote healthy living, while learning about and celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

Roberto “Dr. Cintli” Rodriguez is an assistant professor in Mexican American Studies at the University of Arizona. Contact him at XColumn@gmail.com

Letter of support re write-in candidacy

I write this letter in regards to  Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriguez for the position of Chair of the NACCS Board of Directors. Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriquez is and has been  a strong community activist, advocate for the Chicano community, Chicano studies and  has made important major and historical  contributions to the Chicano Movement, Raza community, fight for justicia  and continues to be a great example to others as an hombre who does not lie down to injustice on the streets, on the media, or as a powerful Chicano studies educator. Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriquez is a major leader and historical figure in our movimiento and nuestro comunidad, and I would strongly encourage to consider Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriquez for  Chair of the NACCS Board of Directors.

Gracias,
Armando Lawrence,
Director
Los Angeles Indigenous Peoples Alliance
armandolawrence13@yahoo.com
2168 S. Atlantic Blvd #247
Monterey Park, CA 91754

FINAL 24 HOURS: INSURGENT WRITE-IN CANDIDACY FOR CHAIR ELECT

PLEASE SHARE. INSURGENT WRITE-IN CANDIDACY FOR CHAIR ELECT (Roberto Rodriguez) for the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies. If you want to know why I have been remanded to a write-in candidacy, please go to: http://drcintli.blogspot.com/

I am running because I believe:

• we are in a critical time in the movement to spread Raza/Ethnic/Indigenous Studies nationwide, particularly at the community college and K-12 level. Scholars within the organization should be at the complete service of our communities, including developing and creating the curriculum for this nationwide boom.

• the Raza Studies community, as we have learned in Arizona (by being attacked collectively), is one large family. As such, our organization should reflect this, opening up membership to all who are part of this large family. This includes community educators, K-16 students, parents, teachers and scholars.

• the organization should also widen its scope, akin to what Tucson’s UNIDOS youth organization proposed in 2013; that we should teach Mexican American Indigenous Studies, and within it, all the other Ethnic Studies disciplines, including Gender and Women’s Studies, LGBT Studies and Middle Eastern Studies…. so that we can learn about each other as we struggle together. (http://drcintli.blogspot.com/…/a-call-for-mexican-american-…)

• the focus of next year’s conference should examine the relationship between the organization, our communities and Indigeneity, locally, nationally and internationally. As part of this, the organization, along with MEChA, MALCS and all the Calpolis (Kalpulis) and Peace and Dignity should hold a summit to examine the Census Bureau’s attempt to force a Hispanic [racial] identity upon us in 2020.

• the organization should be a full-fledged human rights organization, at the service of our communities. For example, we as a body should be at the forefront of producing the research that will be helpful in mounting legal challenges to stem the epidemic violence against the Black-Brown-Indigenous communities of this nation, including along the 2,000-mile border. (http://truth-out.org/…/28921-not-counting-mexicans-or-india…)

• the organization should always be open, transparent and democratic and always accountable and responsive to the membership. It should always have open and competitive elections, always with choices as opposed to hand-picked unopposed candidates. The membership should lead and decide whereas the leadership should carry out the wishes of the body. The organization should be moved in this direction, beginning with changes to the by-laws this year, and going fully into effect in 2017.

• The organization should also be at the forefront of scholarship promoting discussion and dialogue within the discipline via its own top-notch, refereed academic journal.

* The election goes through 9 a.m. pst. Tues April 14.

Re ELECTIONS FOR THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHICANA AND CHICANO STUDIES

THIS LETTER WAS POSTED TO THE NACCS PAGE THIS MORNING. ELECTIONS END TOMORROW, TUES APRIL 14, 9AM PST

We are writing you with respect to the nomination of Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriguez for position of chair of the NACCS Board of Directors. Dr. Cintli has been one of the most visible and stalwart advocates for Chicana/o Studies over many years.He is visible at every event, protest, conference, meeting, seminar, and any other venue that advocates for Chicana/o Studies. Recently,Dr. Cintli has been a critical member of two California-based organizations that have been key to the advancement of ethnic studies: Raza Studies Now and Ethnic Studies Now, both organizations count AMAE members as participants. Given Dr. Cintli’s well-earned reputation in the community as a scholar, writer, professor, and activist, we respectfully ask for a response to the following questions contained in the attached letter.

Please send responses to: ExecutiveDirector@amae.org

AMAE
MALDEF Building
634 S. Spring St.
Suite 602, LA, CA90014

1. It has come to our understanding that Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriguez has been nominated as a candidate over the past years but has continually been found ineligible? We simply ask why this is so and how this
accords with the bylaws of NACCS?

2. We ask why is it that the chair-elect runs unopposed each year?

3. Finally, we ask if it could be possible to extend voting privileges to all paying members during the election cycle and to extend the cutoff date to April 14th.
We appreciate your time and consideration of these questions. We look forward to your written response.

Sincerely,
Antonio J. Camacho
Executive Director, AMAE
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at ExecutiveDirector@amae.org
AMAE
MALDEF Building
634 S. Spring St.
Suite 602, LA, CA 90014

INSURGENT CANDIDACY FOR CHAIR ELECT

For the National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies:

I continue to mount an insurgent write-in candidacy for the position of chair-elect, a position I have been nominated for 3 years in a row, but ruled ineligible or passed over 3 years in a row by the organization’s board. I don’t want to further explain or comment as to why I have had to take this course of action (go here if you do want to read why: http://drcintli.blogspot.com/), but simply to leave a reminder that the election goes through 9a.m. past, Tues April 14.  To vote, go to http://www.naccs.org/naccs/Candidate2.asp.

A Letter to the National Association for Chicana & Chicano Scholars

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR CHICANA AND CHICANO STUDIES: CIVILITY, DEMOCRATIZATION & ITS NATIONAL ELECTIONS

April 3 - Day 4 of NACCS Elections

I am dumbstruck by the conference’s theme of civility and its relationship to the organization’s election. To put it mildly, in its purported quest for, or in the name of, diversity, the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies has ironically become not simply undemocratic, but uncivil toward its own membership as well. The organization has devolved to the point where candidates for the highest office(s) run unopposed. By any measure anywhere, that is not the definition, nor the hallmark of, free, fair, democratic and competitive elections. Advancing but one candidate for an election is the anti-thesis of this definition, and this is part of an intentional policy that crept into the organization’s culture over the past several years. This is especially poignant, considering that in my case, I have been nominated, but deemed to be ineligible to run for chair-elect not once, but several times, based on reasons outside of the by-laws. This is referred to as receiving “una gran patada.” Remanding me to the status of an invisible write-in candidate is folly or farce, at best. But that’s not all folks.

A second critical feature that points to the undemocratic nature of the organization is the intentional disenfranchisement of much of the membership. The cut-off date for voter eligibility was March 22. I was given the green light for a write-in candidacy on March 29. I asked the NACCS board and leadership to permit members who pay their dues during the March 31-April 14 period to be eligible to vote. I sent in that request on March 31. On April 2, I received a message from the chair, declining my request, without explanation. This creates the opposite of optimum conditions for competitive elections. Perhaps when candidates were running unopposed in the past, maybe this didn’t matter, but it does matter when the elections are competitive.

A third critical feature of a democratic election is clarity and transparency. Members have been asking the board about the above, but to no avail, receiving thank yous… but no actual explanations. On top of this, all information regarding the election was taken down March 31 and it has not gone back up. They have not explained the reason for this. My own opinion is that eliminating choices and disqualifying candidates for reasons outside the by-laws… well you can draw your own conclusions.

Please continue to write to them and ask them to respond to the questions raised here, or any question you may have by posting to the NACCS FB page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/naccs/

The minimum that should be expected is that the board respond publicly to letters from the membership on its official website or its FB page,

The letters I have posted, including this one, which includes NACCS contact info, can be found on their FB page and also at my page: (http://drcintli.blogspot.com/). Feel free to contact me if you have questions though best is to post them at the NACCS FB Page.

I do believe the era of the DEMOCRATIZATION of the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies has begun.

Thanks and Sincerely
Roberto Rodriguez (Dr. Cintli)

Mexican American Studies, University of Arizona
520-271-6796 - XColumn@gmail.com

April 2, 2015 - Day 3 of NACCS Election

DEMOCRATIZATION… That was last night’s word, but also this morning’s word…  so as to make sure people know that it was not an April Fool’s joke. I have formally asked the NACCS leadership and board to extend voting privileges to all those NACCS members that pay their annual membership dues during the election cycle which is from March 31-April 14. The conference begins April 15. At the moment, the cut-off date for eligible voters was March 22. It’s a great way to expand the electorate and membership. Please make the same or similar request of them, as it would help equalize the election. And time is of the essence. Incidentally, the info re the election went down March 31 form the NACCS (http://www.naccs.org/naccs/default.asp) website and it is not back up.

I have been posting a daily message to the NACCS FB page. I also have everything archived at (http://drcintli.blogspot.com/), in case people need a further explanation re my continued rejection of my nomination for Chair-elect, year after year. This continues to be done with reasons that do not comport with the by-laws and a practice that leads to unopposed elections, which amounts to not having an election at all. Rather than sending the board members letters via email (their contact info is on their official website), perhaps a better strategy is to write open letters to them on the NACCS FB Page for everyone to see (https://www.facebook.com/groups/naccs/). And remember, expanding the voter rolls is but the first step in DEMOCRATIZATION… it is the first step in ensuring that it is the membership that runs the organization. This upcoming conference is a great opportunity to transform all future conferences into tlahtokans or consultas, as the Zapatistas refer to them, which feature "leading by obeying." Again, thanks for the continued letters to the NACCS board and leadership.

“They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.” Popul Vuh

Thanks and Sincerely
Roberto Rodriguez (Dr. Cintli)

Mexican American Studies, University of Arizona
520-271-6796 - XColumn@gmail.com

Here is the NACCS contact info. If you write a letter, ask questions, be respectful and please also post it on their FB page: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/naccs/).

Julia E. Curry Rodriguez, Ph.D. - San Jose State University
office: 408.924.5310
julia.curry@naccs.org

General Information
NACCS@naccs.org or kathy@naccs.org]
408-808-2097 - Kathryn Blackmer Reyes

NACCS Board
Carlos Guerrero, Chair - Los Angeles City College
carlos@naccs.org

Nelia Olivencia, Chair Elect
University Wisconsin-Whitewater
nelia@naccs.org

Ed Muñoz, Secretary
University of Utah
ed@naccs.org

Ann Marie Leimer, Treasurer
Midwestern State University
annmarie@naccs.org

At Large Representatives
Irene Mata - Wellesley University
Irene@naccs.org

Armando Ibarra
University Wisconsin - Extension
Armando@naccs.org

Aureliano DeSoto
Metropolitan State University
aureliano@naccs.org

APRIL 1, DAY 2 OF NACCS ELECTION - PLEASE SHARE

UNA LLAMADA A TODO INSURGENTE

APRIL 1, DAY 2 OF NACCS ELECTION - PLEASE SHARE

OPEN LETTER TO STUDENTS, SCHOLARS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS RE INSURGENT NACCS CHAIR-ELECT CANDIDACY

Saludos

I am writing to you to ask for a letter of support re my insurgent candidacy for Chair Elect for the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS). I have been nominated for chair-elect 3 years in a row, and each time, I have been passed over or ruled ineligible by the board. The reason given to me this year was one having to do with geography… that because there’s a representative on the NACCS board in the same region that I live in, that that somehow makes me ineligible.

This is not part of the bylaws, but I am bothered more by the fact that the organization spends much time and energy to ensure that the election for chair-elect is unopposed, conducting elections with single nominees. This has been the case in recent memory. I want to put a stop to this practice. I am hoping you will write a letter to the NACCS leadership and to the board to ask about these issues:

1) Why am I continually found ineligible, especially considering that I have never nominated myself?

2) Why does NACCS continue to hold elections for chair-elect without choices?

3) Additionally, because I have no recourse, but to mount an insurgent write-in candidacy, please ask the board to extend voting privileges to all those that pay their dues during the election cycle which is from March 31-April 14. The conference begins April 15. At the moment, the cut-off date for eligible voters was March 22.

You don’t have to support my candidacy or to vote for me; just ask the board and the leadership to answer the above questions. Here are their addresses and please CC me (XColumn@gmail.com) when you write them. My suggestion is to read the two letters that I have posted to the NACCS FB page, my own FB Page and my blogsite (http://drcintli.blogspot.com/):

That will give you all the info you need, though if you have questions, feel free to call or write me. If you are part of an organization, please share and if possible, a letter from organizations is also welcome.

Thanks and Sincerely
Roberto Rodriguez (Dr. Cintli)
520-271-6796 - XColumn@gmail.com

Here is the NACCS contact info:

Julia E. Curry Rodriguez, Ph.D. - San Jose State University
office: 408.924.5310
julia.curry@naccs.org

General Information
NACCS@naccs.org or kathy@naccs.org]
408-808-2097 - Kathryn Blackmer Reyes

NACCS Board
Carlos Guerrero, Chair - Los Angeles City College
carlos@naccs.org

Nelia Olivencia, Chair Elect
University Wisconsin-Whitewater
nelia@naccs.org

Ed Muñoz, Secretary
University of Utah
ed@naccs.org

Ann Marie Leimer, Treasurer
Midwestern State University
annmarie@naccs.org

At Large Representatives
Irene Mata - Wellesley University
Irene@naccs.org

Armando Ibarra
University Wisconsin - Extension
Armando@naccs.org

Aureliano DeSoto
Metropolitan State University
aureliano@naccs.org