An examination of the U.S. immigration system through the lives of two…
Willie Velasquez: Your Vote is Your Voice
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Political empowerment for Latinos in the U.S. has always been difficult. A Mexican-American butcher's son from Texas, Willie Velasquez questioned the lack of Latino representation in city government, propelling him into a lifelong battle to gain political equality for Latinos. This film examines obstacles Latinos had to overcome to obtain representation and addresses issues facing Latinos today.
Citation
Main credits
Galán, Hector (television producer)
Galán, Hector (screenwriter)
Galán, Hector (television director)
Ledesma Galán, Evelyn (television producer)
Valdez, Luis (narrator)
Other credits
Cinematography, Tom Taylor; editor, Justin Netti; original music by Joseph Julian Gonzalez.
Distributor subjects
Culture + Identity; Race + Ethnicity; Political Science; History; SociologyKeywords
00:00:03.999 --> 00:00:07.975
-For decades, Latinos had
no political power.
00:00:07.999 --> 00:00:10.918
Willie Velasquez
would change that.
00:00:10.999 --> 00:00:14.975
With an army of volunteers
and with a battle cry
00:00:14.999 --> 00:00:17.643
of, "Your vote is your voice,"
they set off
00:00:17.667 --> 00:00:20.476
to register millions
of new Latino voters
00:00:20.500 --> 00:00:23.226
and change the American
political landscape.
00:00:23.250 --> 00:00:26.518
-That party that ignores
that vote
00:00:26.542 --> 00:00:28.560
is gonna be
punished at the polls,
00:00:28.584 --> 00:00:29.975
no question about it.
00:00:29.999 --> 00:00:31.250 line:20%
-Willie Velasquez --
your vote is your voice.
00:00:33.500 --> 00:00:34.959
-For decades, Latinos in America
had no political power.
00:00:39.999 --> 00:00:43.999
In the 1960s, a new generation
of Latinos emerged.
00:00:44.584 --> 00:00:48.435
-It is a time when people
of Hispanic descent
00:00:48.459 --> 00:00:51.018 position:20%
are beginning
to mobilize their strength
00:00:51.042 --> 00:00:53.143 line:20%
and are beginning to have impact
00:00:53.167 --> 00:00:55.476 line:20%
in the American
political process.
00:00:55.500 --> 00:00:57.975 line:20%
-Willie Velasquez
and a grassroots army
00:00:57.999 --> 00:01:00.918 line:20%
of volunteers began
a voting revolution.
00:01:01.083 --> 00:01:05.083 line:20%
Today there are over
55 million Latinos in America.
00:01:06.417 --> 00:01:10.059 line:20%
28 million are
registered to vote.
00:01:10.083 --> 00:01:12.976 line:20%
The Latino voting bloc
has been called
00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:15.975 line:20%
"the sleeping giant."
00:01:15.999 --> 00:01:17.894 line:20%
-That party that ignores
that vote
00:01:17.918 --> 00:01:19.935 line:20%
is gonna be punished
at the polls --
00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:21.143 line:20%
no question about it.
00:01:21.167 --> 00:01:22.894 line:20%
Latina and Latino voters
00:01:22.918 --> 00:01:24.667 line:20%
actually can make
and break those candidates.
00:01:30.584 --> 00:01:34.435 line:20%
-The road towards Latino
political empowerment
00:01:34.459 --> 00:01:37.351 line:20%
has been a difficult one.
00:01:37.375 --> 00:01:39.476 line:20%
William Velasquez,
better known as Willie,
00:01:39.500 --> 00:01:42.268 line:20%
knew this.
00:01:42.292 --> 00:01:43.751 position:20% line:20%
-He was looking for a voice
in government for Latinos,
00:01:44.209 --> 00:01:47.975 line:20%
and I think
Willie was in a hurry
00:01:47.999 --> 00:01:49.727 line:20%
and I don't blame him
for being in a hurry.
00:01:49.751 --> 00:01:51.975 line:20%
I'm glad he was.
00:01:51.999 --> 00:01:53.768 position:20% line:20%
And as life would have it,
00:01:53.792 --> 00:01:55.727 line:20%
his life ended
at a very young age.
00:01:55.751 --> 00:01:57.975 line:20%
Can you imagine
if he hadn't been in a hurry?
00:01:57.999 --> 00:02:00.976 line:20%
-Willie died at age 44,
00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:03.852 line:20%
but not before he left
an indelible stamp
00:02:03.876 --> 00:02:06.602 line:20%
on the American
political landscape.
00:02:06.626 --> 00:02:09.018 line:20%
-Willie started with
a couple of concepts.
00:02:09.042 --> 00:02:12.042 line:20%
One of them was that Mexican-
Americans were underregistered,
00:02:12.751 --> 00:02:16.727 line:20%
and we wouldn't be a force
until we were reflected
00:02:16.751 --> 00:02:20.059 line:20%
in the vote
as we were in the population.
00:02:20.083 --> 00:02:24.292 line:20%
It was a very patriotic idea --
unassailably patriotic idea.
00:02:25.626 --> 00:02:29.792 line:20%
And Willie then kind of grew
that into a larger philosophy,
00:02:30.417 --> 00:02:34.101 line:20%
which he captured
in the simple phrase
00:02:34.125 --> 00:02:36.334 line:20%
"su voto es su voz --"
00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:39.975 line:20%
Your vote is your voice.
00:02:39.999 --> 00:02:43.667 line:20%
-I think we make a contribution,
and that, I feel,
00:02:44.334 --> 00:02:48.059 line:20%
is what all immigrant
groups have done.
00:02:48.083 --> 00:02:49.894 line:20%
They are new blood --
00:02:49.918 --> 00:02:51.975 line:20%
new blood that revitalizes
the democratic process,
00:02:51.999 --> 00:02:55.852 line:20%
and I think that's what's gonna
happen in the next 30 years,
00:02:55.876 --> 00:02:58.101 line:20%
that the Mexicans,
00:02:58.125 --> 00:02:59.476 line:20%
although they are
cotton-pickers
00:02:59.500 --> 00:03:01.810 line:20%
and they are laborers,
00:03:01.834 --> 00:03:03.143 line:20%
they are making this country
true to its ideals.
00:03:03.167 --> 00:03:06.935 line:20%
And that means that even
the humblest of its citizens
00:03:06.959 --> 00:03:09.999 line:20%
have a right to elect
their representation.
00:03:10.918 --> 00:03:14.435 line:20%
-The thing about Willie is that
00:03:14.459 --> 00:03:16.643 line:20%
if you had a chance to listen
to what he had to say,
00:03:16.667 --> 00:03:20.334 line:20%
you would walk home
feeling empowered.
00:03:21.209 --> 00:03:25.334 position:20% line:20%
-On a shoestring budget and with
big dreams, Willie started
00:03:26.626 --> 00:03:30.667 line:20%
the Southwest Voter Registration
and Education Project
00:03:30.999 --> 00:03:34.792 line:20%
here on the West Side
of San Antonio.
00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:38.975 line:20%
-As I walked in,
there was a folding table
00:03:38.999 --> 00:03:41.727 line:20%
and a phone, and that was it.
00:03:41.751 --> 00:03:43.643 line:20%
And the first thing
that went through my head was,
00:03:43.667 --> 00:03:45.975 line:20%
"What am I getting myself
into here?"
00:03:45.999 --> 00:03:48.018 position:20% line:20%
-I got a call from Willie.
00:03:48.042 --> 00:03:49.975 line:20%
He says, "Hey,
I hear you're back in Texas."
00:03:49.999 --> 00:03:52.059 line:20%
"Yeah, yeah."
00:03:52.083 --> 00:03:53.351 line:20%
And he says, "I'm looking
for a field director.
00:03:53.375 --> 00:03:57.101 line:20%
You think you might
be interested?"
00:03:57.125 --> 00:03:59.018 line:20%
-"Yeah, that's what
we're gonna do, Andy."
00:03:59.042 --> 00:04:00.894 line:20%
He said, "We're gonna build
the biggest voter-registration
00:04:00.918 --> 00:04:02.976 position:20% line:20%
effort Mexicans ever seen."
00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:05.975
He said, "We're gonna be around
at least 10 years,"
00:04:05.999 --> 00:04:08.810
and he said,
"When we're finished,
00:04:08.834 --> 00:04:11.435
every politician will respect
and fear our vote."
00:04:11.459 --> 00:04:15.101 position:20%
-And he has a map of the
United States on his wall,
00:04:15.125 --> 00:04:18.185
and he says, "Look,
here's what we're gonna do.
00:04:18.209 --> 00:04:20.435
We need to build
these little committees
00:04:20.459 --> 00:04:22.975 position:20%
all across the Southwest."
00:04:22.999 --> 00:04:25.101
I'm standing behind him,
00:04:25.125 --> 00:04:27.476
and I'm saying,
"This guy's crazy.
00:04:27.500 --> 00:04:29.975 position:20%
How are we gonna do this?"
00:04:29.999 --> 00:04:31.351
And he says, "And we need
someone to go out on the road
00:04:31.375 --> 00:04:33.975
and organize
all these projects."
00:04:33.999 --> 00:04:37.059
And he's looking at me.
00:04:37.083 --> 00:04:38.999 line:20%
♪♪
00:04:42.083 --> 00:04:45.810
I plotted West Texas for two
or three months, New Mexico,
00:04:45.834 --> 00:04:49.417
Colorado, Arizona,
southern part of California --
00:04:49.792 --> 00:04:52.975
on the road,
00:04:52.999 --> 00:04:53.976
without coming back
to San Antonio.
00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.435
-It was communities
where we knew nobody.
00:04:56.459 --> 00:04:59.560
So what do you do?
00:04:59.584 --> 00:05:01.209
You go and you find the first
Mexican restaurant you can find.
00:05:03.751 --> 00:05:05.959
-One city limit to the next,
I would organize in one town,
00:05:07.999 --> 00:05:11.768
and then I said,
"So, do you guys know
00:05:11.792 --> 00:05:13.975
who the leadership
is over here in Eloy?"
00:05:13.999 --> 00:05:17.894
"Yeah, go talk to so-and-so
and so-and-so."
00:05:17.918 --> 00:05:20.310
Okay.
00:05:20.334 --> 00:05:21.834
-You knew that, one,
you were not paid very well.
00:05:22.584 --> 00:05:26.101
You knew, two, that the mission
00:05:26.125 --> 00:05:28.292
was for people
that were very committed,
00:05:28.459 --> 00:05:32.268
and, three, that your life
was gonna change.
00:05:32.292 --> 00:05:36.018
Willie was on the road
all the time.
00:05:36.042 --> 00:05:38.975
I mean, for Jane and the family,
it was hard.
00:05:38.999 --> 00:05:42.334 line:20%
-People sacrificed --
not just us, not just my family,
00:05:42.792 --> 00:05:46.268 line:20%
but whoever worked for Willie,
00:05:46.292 --> 00:05:49.560 line:20%
they worked just as hard.
00:05:49.584 --> 00:05:51.226 line:20%
-We worked in 132 cities.
00:05:51.250 --> 00:05:53.935 line:20%
-Willie had created
a committee of local leaders.
00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:56.852 position:20% line:20%
He had them on his Rolodex.
00:05:56.876 --> 00:05:59.375 line:20%
Well, multiply that 25 times,
50 times, 100 times,
00:06:02.918 --> 00:06:06.667 position:20% line:20%
and you got
a damn impressive Rolodex.
00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:30.292
-We used to count
Latino voters manually.
00:06:30.626 --> 00:06:34.602
-Literally, we'd get the list
of registered voters
00:06:34.626 --> 00:06:37.975
and just count
every Spanish surname,
00:06:37.999 --> 00:06:39.351
"One, two, three."
00:06:39.375 --> 00:06:40.935
That's how we did it before
the days of computers and stuff.
00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:44.059
I remember the big leap forward
00:06:44.083 --> 00:06:45.975
was a Texas Instrument
hand calculator.
00:06:45.999 --> 00:06:47.976
Like, we thought, "Whoa!"
00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:49.834 line:20%
-We had the first computer,
a TRS-80.
00:06:50.083 --> 00:06:53.975 line:20%
They called them
Trash-80s after that.
00:06:53.999 --> 00:06:56.518 line:20%
-Big old IBM processing
operations with all,
00:06:56.542 --> 00:06:59.584 line:20%
you know, the cards,
and you'd load the cards,
00:06:59.999 --> 00:07:03.685 line:20%
but back then,
it was state-of-the-art.
00:07:03.709 --> 00:07:05.685
-And the disk --
00:07:05.709 --> 00:07:06.975
these big disks only had 64k,
00:07:06.999 --> 00:07:09.059
but we had one of the first ones
in town,
00:07:09.083 --> 00:07:11.143
and that's what we were using
to crank out these reports.
00:07:11.167 --> 00:07:14.059
-Look, the computer tells us
the registration rate
00:07:14.083 --> 00:07:17.185
and it tells us the turnout rate
00:07:17.209 --> 00:07:18.975
and tells us the rate
for the rest.
00:07:18.999 --> 00:07:20.602
-You have to remember,
this is all, you know,
00:07:20.626 --> 00:07:23.351
at the time, very high-tech.
00:07:23.375 --> 00:07:25.975
-That's an IBM.
It isn't a Mexican computer.
00:07:25.999 --> 00:07:28.975
And we use that information.
We decide where to go.
00:07:28.999 --> 00:07:31.894
-Willie didn't know
how to use any of this.
00:07:31.918 --> 00:07:33.975
You know, we were
the ones using it.
00:07:33.999 --> 00:07:35.975 position:20%
But he would get excited
when we'd press the button
00:07:35.999 --> 00:07:38.976
and this report starts
being printed.
00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:41.101
You know, he says, "Oh!"
00:07:41.125 --> 00:07:42.584
like it was like magic,
you know?
00:07:42.999 --> 00:07:46.476 position:20%
-San Antonio in the 1950s.
00:07:46.500 --> 00:07:50.310
Willie grew up in
a Mexican-American barrio
00:07:50.334 --> 00:07:52.975
on the West Side.
00:07:52.999 --> 00:07:54.310
He was the oldest
of five children.
00:07:54.334 --> 00:07:57.018 line:20%
-My dad was a butcher,
00:07:57.042 --> 00:07:58.435 line:20%
and he worked at Swift & Company
on San Marcos Street
00:07:58.459 --> 00:08:01.975 line:20%
and my mom worked
in the sweatshop
00:08:01.999 --> 00:08:03.810
over at Fine Silver,
00:08:03.834 --> 00:08:05.018
and my grandmother worked
at the cigar company,
00:08:05.042 --> 00:08:07.976
and that was all
in the same barrio.
00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.560 position:20%
-Weekend family gatherings
00:08:10.584 --> 00:08:12.518
were a tradition
on the West Side.
00:08:12.542 --> 00:08:15.685
Unlike the other kids
that wanted to play,
00:08:15.709 --> 00:08:17.976
Willie would sit with the men
00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:20.268 position:20%
and listen to their stories
00:08:20.292 --> 00:08:22.999
and got his first taste
of local politics.
00:08:23.999 --> 00:08:27.560
-They would sit around outside
00:08:27.584 --> 00:08:29.560
in the backyard
of my grandmother's house
00:08:29.584 --> 00:08:31.018 line:20%
and talk about what was
happening in the community,
00:08:31.042 --> 00:08:34.226 line:20%
what was happening
in San Antonio.
00:08:34.250 --> 00:08:36.935 line:20%
They're the ones that
got Willie interested in
00:08:36.959 --> 00:08:39.417 line:20%
what's going on
in the community.
00:08:39.834 --> 00:08:41.209 line:20%
-San Antonio
had long been segregated.
00:08:43.542 --> 00:08:47.185 line:20%
The West and South Side of town
00:08:47.209 --> 00:08:49.476 line:20%
were among the poorest
in the country.
00:08:49.500 --> 00:08:52.975 line:20%
-We really saw the Latino vote
suppressed
00:08:52.999 --> 00:08:55.560 line:20%
throughout the early part
of the 20th century.
00:08:55.584 --> 00:08:58.476
Mexicans lived on one
part of town
00:08:58.500 --> 00:09:00.975
and Anglos lived on another,
00:09:00.999 --> 00:09:02.975
and they didn't mix,
politics included.
00:09:02.999 --> 00:09:06.292
-In 1929, the League of United
Latin American Citizens, LULAC,
00:09:07.167 --> 00:09:10.975
was organized to protect
Mexican-Americans
00:09:10.999 --> 00:09:13.975
from rampant discrimination.
00:09:13.999 --> 00:09:16.602
-Latinos were ignored
politically.
00:09:16.626 --> 00:09:19.018
During those times,
00:09:19.042 --> 00:09:20.518
we had this emotional barrier
of "you don't count.
00:09:20.542 --> 00:09:23.560
You don't matter.
You're not American."
00:09:23.584 --> 00:09:25.292
And in addition to that,
in Texas, you had the poll tax.
00:09:29.751 --> 00:09:33.310 position:20% line:20%
-Imagine all the disincentive
to vote that exists today,
00:09:33.334 --> 00:09:36.727 line:20%
like it's too hard
or you can't get there,
00:09:36.751 --> 00:09:39.059 line:20%
but add on top of that
you have to pay.
00:09:39.083 --> 00:09:41.685
It was specifically designed
to make it difficult
00:09:41.709 --> 00:09:44.852
for poor people to vote.
00:09:44.876 --> 00:09:46.476
They just didn't have the money.
00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:49.999
-After the stock market crash
in 1929, work was scarce.
00:09:50.584 --> 00:09:54.518
-The only thing we have
to fear is fear itself.
00:09:54.542 --> 00:09:57.500
-American authorities targeted
Mexicans for deportation.
00:09:57.876 --> 00:10:01.602
Between 500,000
to 2 million Mexicans
00:10:01.626 --> 00:10:04.935
were deported to Mexico.
00:10:04.959 --> 00:10:06.727
The program was
called repatriation.
00:10:06.751 --> 00:10:09.894
-The Latino community
was literally deported
00:10:09.918 --> 00:10:13.143
during the Great Depression.
00:10:13.167 --> 00:10:15.560
Whether you were a citizen
or not,
00:10:15.584 --> 00:10:17.185
they didn't check your papers.
00:10:17.209 --> 00:10:19.125
Raids happened,
and it is devastating.
00:10:24.959 --> 00:10:28.768
-When World War II
broke out in the 1940s,
00:10:28.792 --> 00:10:31.542
William Velasquez Sr.
was ready to fight.
00:10:32.999 --> 00:10:36.975
Although Latinos were
segregated at home,
00:10:36.999 --> 00:10:39.393
they were not segregated
in the war
00:10:39.417 --> 00:10:41.999
and fought side-by-side
with their Anglo countrymen.
00:10:43.999 --> 00:10:45.000
-After World War II,
00:10:47.375 --> 00:10:49.393
we saw Latinos come back
from fighting the war.
00:10:49.417 --> 00:10:53.626
They had this newfound political
awareness, where they go,
00:10:54.167 --> 00:10:57.975
"We are over there
risking our lives,
00:10:57.999 --> 00:11:01.476
fighting against fascism,
00:11:01.500 --> 00:11:03.643
fighting against Nazism,
00:11:03.667 --> 00:11:05.852
and we come back home
to South Texas
00:11:05.876 --> 00:11:08.975
and we have to use
a different water fountain?"
00:11:08.999 --> 00:11:11.894
So there was this awakening.
00:11:11.918 --> 00:11:15.018 line:20%
-You have the returning GIs.
00:11:15.042 --> 00:11:18.310 line:20%
They're getting jobs, you know,
because they're veterans,
00:11:18.334 --> 00:11:22.292 line:20%
and that's the basis
of a rising middle class.
00:11:22.751 --> 00:11:26.185
-We moved to the North Side.
00:11:26.209 --> 00:11:27.999
That's as far north
as Mexicans can move.
00:11:29.999 --> 00:11:34.018
-When we first moved in there,
we didn't have hot water.
00:11:34.042 --> 00:11:37.768
We definitely didn't
have air conditioning.
00:11:37.792 --> 00:11:40.250
When it rained,
it would flood terribly.
00:11:40.999 --> 00:11:44.685
My dad belonged
to the old school.
00:11:44.709 --> 00:11:48.310
He wanted to take us
to be migrant farm workers,
00:11:48.334 --> 00:11:51.602
and my mother put her foot down
and she said,
00:11:51.626 --> 00:11:53.226
"No, these children
are gonna get an education."
00:11:53.250 --> 00:11:56.435
-Willie, along with
his brothers and sister,
00:11:56.459 --> 00:11:58.852
attended Catholic school,
00:11:58.876 --> 00:12:00.876
a financial burden
for the family.
00:12:01.042 --> 00:12:05.167
-When we were able to work,
then we paid the rest of it.
00:12:05.792 --> 00:12:09.643
We paid our own way
from freshman year on up,
00:12:09.667 --> 00:12:12.852
because there was no way
they could pay it.
00:12:12.876 --> 00:12:16.667
-In 1962, Willie enrolled
at at St. Mary's University.
00:12:18.999 --> 00:12:22.476
He still lived at home
00:12:22.500 --> 00:12:24.393
and worked long hours
to put himself through school.
00:12:24.417 --> 00:12:27.709
His free time was devoted
to his fixation with politics.
00:12:29.083 --> 00:12:33.209 position:20% line:20%
-Willie took part in all kinds
of in-the-field exercises,
00:12:33.751 --> 00:12:37.518 line:20%
working with candidates
and the campaigns
00:12:37.542 --> 00:12:39.185 line:20%
and so on when
he was studying here.
00:12:39.209 --> 00:12:41.643
-Willie became a member
of the Young Democrats
00:12:41.667 --> 00:12:43.975
and volunteered on
Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez's
00:12:43.999 --> 00:12:47.226
re-election campaign.
00:12:47.250 --> 00:12:48.810
Congressman Gonzalez saw
potential in Willie.
00:12:48.834 --> 00:12:52.018
In his second year
at St. Mary's,
00:12:52.042 --> 00:12:54.435
he received a telegram
offering him
00:12:54.459 --> 00:12:57.000
a summer internship
in Washington, D.C.
00:12:57.167 --> 00:13:00.667
The year was 1964.
00:13:03.042 --> 00:13:07.185
Mexican-American youth were
entering a cultural renaissance,
00:13:07.209 --> 00:13:10.751
finding their voice
in American society.
00:13:11.375 --> 00:13:15.143
Across America,
the Civil Rights Movement
00:13:15.167 --> 00:13:17.975
was at its pinnacle.
00:13:17.999 --> 00:13:20.459
LBJ would sign the controversial
Civil Rights Bill.
00:13:22.250 --> 00:13:25.975
Events were escalating
in Indochina.
00:13:25.999 --> 00:13:28.918
Soon, Latinos would be drafted
in disproportionate numbers
00:13:29.999 --> 00:13:33.435
to fight the war in Vietnam.
00:13:33.459 --> 00:13:37.143
Willie and a handful
of Latino students
00:13:37.167 --> 00:13:39.976
would spend the summer of 1964
00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:42.975
as government interns
in Washington, D.C.
00:13:42.999 --> 00:13:46.685
Willie got
the coveted opportunity
00:13:46.709 --> 00:13:48.975
thanks to his mentor,
Henry B. Gonzalez,
00:13:48.999 --> 00:13:51.417
the first Latino congressman
from Texas.
00:13:53.167 --> 00:13:56.602
-In the mid-'50s,
00:13:56.626 --> 00:13:58.059 line:20%
he was leading the fight
against segregation.
00:13:58.083 --> 00:14:00.685 position:20% line:20%
You know, San Antonio
desegregated in large part
00:14:00.709 --> 00:14:03.518
because of his actions
on city council.
00:14:03.542 --> 00:14:05.727
And then when he goes
to the state senate,
00:14:05.751 --> 00:14:07.975
he leads a famous filibuster
00:14:07.999 --> 00:14:09.975
where he's able to block
the segregationist
00:14:09.999 --> 00:14:12.435
legislation that
the Texas senate had passed.
00:14:12.459 --> 00:14:14.975
You have to remember,
this is all in reaction
00:14:14.999 --> 00:14:17.518
to Brown v. Board
at the time, 1954.
00:14:17.542 --> 00:14:19.643
So in '56,
00:14:19.667 --> 00:14:21.185
a lot of Southern states,
including Texas,
00:14:21.209 --> 00:14:23.101
are passing laws to say,
"You know what?
00:14:23.125 --> 00:14:25.143
We're gonna even
make it tougher.
00:14:25.167 --> 00:14:26.727
We're gonna pass laws
that reinforce segregation."
00:14:26.751 --> 00:14:29.393
Henry B. made sure that most
of those bills were defeated.
00:14:29.417 --> 00:14:32.959
So that is heroic.
00:14:33.751 --> 00:14:34.999
-Willie was assigned to work
in the U.S. State Department.
00:14:37.918 --> 00:14:41.810
He wasted no time
in taking in the sights
00:14:41.834 --> 00:14:44.935
and sounds of the city.
00:14:44.959 --> 00:14:47.894
Willie would spend
a great deal
00:14:47.918 --> 00:14:49.435
of his free time
with his mentor,
00:14:49.459 --> 00:14:51.560
Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez.
00:14:51.584 --> 00:14:53.999
They would talk about
new ideas and politics.
00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:57.975
-I think any politicized
young Latino coming out
00:14:57.999 --> 00:15:00.643 line:20%
of the West Side
in that generation
00:15:00.667 --> 00:15:03.584 line:20%
came up through Henry B.,
and Henry provided a pathway
00:15:04.209 --> 00:15:07.975
for a lot of Latinos
like Willie.
00:15:07.999 --> 00:15:10.810
-Willie successful
completed his internship,
00:15:10.834 --> 00:15:13.975
packed up his old beater,
00:15:13.999 --> 00:15:15.560
and headed home to finish
the year at St. Mary's.
00:15:15.584 --> 00:15:19.542
In early 1966,
the poll tax was eliminated.
00:15:20.083 --> 00:15:23.643
To spread the good news,
00:15:23.667 --> 00:15:25.852
Willie and other student
volunteers took to the streets,
00:15:25.876 --> 00:15:27.975
knocked on doors,
informing the people
00:15:27.999 --> 00:15:31.226
they did not have
to pay to vote anymore.
00:15:31.250 --> 00:15:33.768 line:20%
-Generally, you know,
we did everything
00:15:33.792 --> 00:15:36.518 line:20%
that folks would do
for campaigns --
00:15:36.542 --> 00:15:39.975
bumper-stickering, door to door,
registering people.
00:15:39.999 --> 00:15:43.059
And you also look at the fact
00:15:43.083 --> 00:15:44.476
that there weren't many
Latinas involved in politics
00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:47.667
because many folks
thought that, you know,
00:15:48.250 --> 00:15:52.268
politics was a man's game
and it was rough and tumble.
00:15:52.292 --> 00:15:55.417
And so it was hard
for Latinas to be involved.
00:15:56.250 --> 00:16:00.375
-Willie began voter drives
using classmates, volunteers,
00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:05.975
and even family members.
00:16:05.999 --> 00:16:07.685 line:20%
-We'd go out, and just
like a bunch of kids,
00:16:07.709 --> 00:16:09.894 line:20%
you know, put up signs,
just knocking on doors --
00:16:09.918 --> 00:16:13.059 line:20%
"Can I put this sign up?"
you know?
00:16:13.083 --> 00:16:15.643
-I think the first
voter-registration drive
00:16:15.667 --> 00:16:19.185
that he had,
he talked to me
00:16:19.209 --> 00:16:21.959
about how important it was
for me to go with him.
00:16:22.459 --> 00:16:25.976
I remember knocking on one door
00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:27.643
and talking to a woman,
and I asked her
00:16:27.667 --> 00:16:30.975
if she was registered to vote,
00:16:30.999 --> 00:16:32.810
and she said, "No."
00:16:32.834 --> 00:16:33.975
And I said,
"Would you like to register?"
00:16:33.999 --> 00:16:36.059
And she said, "Well,
you have to ask my husband.
00:16:36.083 --> 00:16:37.976
He's the one that decides that."
00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:39.810
And I asked him
if we was registered,
00:16:39.834 --> 00:16:41.935
and he said, "No.
Pa' que?
00:16:41.959 --> 00:16:44.518
It doesn't make
any difference."
00:16:44.542 --> 00:16:46.685
And I realized how unconcerned
a lot of the Hispanic people
00:16:46.709 --> 00:16:49.975
were about voting.
00:16:49.999 --> 00:16:51.268
-In May of 1966,
00:16:51.292 --> 00:16:53.959
Willie graduated from St. Mary's
with honors.
00:16:56.125 --> 00:16:57.792
2,000 miles away,
in Delano, California,
00:16:59.999 --> 00:17:03.435
events were unfolding that would
have a profound effect on Willie
00:17:03.459 --> 00:17:06.667
and those of his generation.
00:17:09.250 --> 00:17:12.976
Each year, entire
Latino families travel
00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:16.185
all across America
00:17:16.209 --> 00:17:17.975
to pick fruits and vegetables.
00:17:17.999 --> 00:17:20.602 line:20%
-What makes it really difficult
living the life of a farm worker
00:17:20.626 --> 00:17:23.976 line:20%
is that, one, it's a hard life.
00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:26.435 line:20%
It beats you down.
00:17:26.459 --> 00:17:27.852
It's hard working
under the elements,
00:17:27.876 --> 00:17:29.976
and you're mistreated.
00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:31.602
I saw my parents being
mistreated in front of me
00:17:31.626 --> 00:17:34.542
because of who they were and
because of the work they did.
00:17:35.667 --> 00:17:39.143
And then it doesn't pay much.
00:17:39.167 --> 00:17:40.999
My parents never experienced
what a sick day was
00:17:41.125 --> 00:17:45.292
or sick leave or health benefits
or vacation days or a 401(k)
00:17:46.709 --> 00:17:50.685
till the day he left,
his last day in the fields.
00:17:50.709 --> 00:17:54.310
-We would take off
in the summer,
00:17:54.334 --> 00:17:56.059
and we would go state-to-state
00:17:56.083 --> 00:17:58.685 line:20%
and clean the sugar beets,
take out all the weeds.
00:17:58.709 --> 00:18:01.935 line:20%
And then we did tomatoes.
00:18:01.959 --> 00:18:04.975
[ Speaks Spanish ]
00:18:04.999 --> 00:18:06.976
He had a big truck,
and every family would get,
00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:09.810
like, a little piece
of the back of the truck,
00:18:09.834 --> 00:18:13.143
and you would take
your blankets
00:18:13.167 --> 00:18:14.685
and some clothes
and things like that.
00:18:14.709 --> 00:18:17.351
When you're a migrant worker,
you live
00:18:17.375 --> 00:18:19.209
wherever they give you to live.
00:18:19.999 --> 00:18:23.602 position:20% line:20%
My dad said that, you know,
00:18:23.626 --> 00:18:25.810 line:20%
there wasn't enough work here
in San Antonio.
00:18:25.834 --> 00:18:28.810
You know, like, he wanted us
to be on the road all the time,
00:18:28.834 --> 00:18:31.351
wherever there was
some kind of crop.
00:18:31.375 --> 00:18:33.975
So we ended up in Kansas.
00:18:33.999 --> 00:18:36.602
We were, like,
the people from Texas
00:18:36.626 --> 00:18:39.143 position:20%
and we still spoke Spanish,
00:18:39.167 --> 00:18:41.310
and none of them spoke Spanish,
00:18:41.334 --> 00:18:43.393
because it was mostly
Anglos that lived there.
00:18:43.417 --> 00:18:47.059
I had a lot of problems
living in Kansas
00:18:47.083 --> 00:18:50.226
because I was ashamed
of being a Mexican.
00:18:50.250 --> 00:18:54.626
I even bleached my hair blonde.
I have pictures of me blonde.
00:18:55.667 --> 00:18:59.435
In Kansas,
I really felt discrimination,
00:18:59.459 --> 00:19:01.709
I really felt
how it was to be non-white.
00:19:02.876 --> 00:19:06.560
And that's why
I wanted to be white,
00:19:06.584 --> 00:19:08.042
because maybe I wouldn't be
discriminated against.
00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:12.375
-In 1964, a temporary
worker bracero program
00:19:15.834 --> 00:19:19.602
created by Congress
during World War II
00:19:19.626 --> 00:19:22.059
comes to an end.
00:19:22.083 --> 00:19:23.727
U.S. farm workers
were now demanding
00:19:23.751 --> 00:19:26.975
the same wage of $1.40 an hour
00:19:26.999 --> 00:19:29.375
that was paid to the
government-sponsored braceros.
00:19:30.334 --> 00:19:33.685
In May 1965,
00:19:33.709 --> 00:19:35.518
80 flower pickers
in McFarland, California,
00:19:35.542 --> 00:19:38.667
went on strike led by
Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.
00:19:39.083 --> 00:19:42.975
6 months later,
over 1,000 grape pickers
00:19:42.999 --> 00:19:46.143
would walk off the fields
in Delano.
00:19:46.167 --> 00:19:48.975
A wildcat strike
in Texas followed.
00:19:48.999 --> 00:19:51.810
Willie, returning from
his second summer internship,
00:19:51.834 --> 00:19:54.975
joined the farm-worker cause.
00:19:54.999 --> 00:19:58.143
The farm workers' strike
00:19:58.167 --> 00:19:59.975
inspired alienated
Mexican-American youth
00:19:59.999 --> 00:20:02.852
in their own fight for justice.
00:20:02.876 --> 00:20:05.101 position:20%
-Resistance has many forms,
00:20:05.125 --> 00:20:07.810 line:20%
and the resistance
to our exclusion in society,
00:20:07.834 --> 00:20:10.685 line:20%
the denial of our
just rights included
00:20:10.709 --> 00:20:14.059 line:20%
redefining ourselves
and renaming ourselves.
00:20:14.083 --> 00:20:17.059
-They tell us,
"Oh, you're a Spaniard,"
00:20:17.083 --> 00:20:19.268
you know, because to be
a Spaniard means
00:20:19.292 --> 00:20:21.393
you're closer to be
a white man, you know,
00:20:21.417 --> 00:20:23.393
and we're not white, you know,
and we're not Spaniards,
00:20:23.417 --> 00:20:25.810
because we're mestizos,
00:20:25.834 --> 00:20:27.226
we're Chicanos,
we're mixed people.
00:20:27.250 --> 00:20:29.975
-Because we'd never been
taught our history,
00:20:29.999 --> 00:20:31.975
suddenly we started looking back
00:20:31.999 --> 00:20:33.894
at all the history
of prejudice, discrimination,
00:20:33.918 --> 00:20:36.792
and brutality
against our people.
00:20:43.834 --> 00:20:47.476
-I think there
was two sentiments.
00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:49.018
Anger was certainly one of them.
00:20:49.042 --> 00:20:50.999 line:20%
But the other one was a passion
to lift up our people
00:20:52.542 --> 00:20:56.185 line:20%
based on the belief
that we could.
00:20:56.209 --> 00:20:58.101
What that showed was
you could act and do something
00:20:58.125 --> 00:21:01.810 position:20%
and make something happen.
00:21:01.834 --> 00:21:02.975
Everything from California
to Chicago to Texas --
00:21:02.999 --> 00:21:06.975
influenced by the African-
American Civil Rights Movement,
00:21:06.999 --> 00:21:10.393
influenced by antiwar movement,
00:21:10.417 --> 00:21:13.226
influenced
by the Chicano movement.
00:21:13.250 --> 00:21:15.959
All of that came together
at that moment.
00:21:16.999 --> 00:21:17.999 position:20%
-Our parents,
when they saw us Chicanos,
00:21:20.834 --> 00:21:23.768 line:20%
you know,
out on the street,
00:21:23.792 --> 00:21:24.975 line:20%
the idea of protesting
was sort of like, "What?"
00:21:24.999 --> 00:21:28.351
Men saw that
as an embarrassment,
00:21:28.375 --> 00:21:30.560 position:20%
that we'd go out
on the street and protest.
00:21:30.584 --> 00:21:32.310
"Why are you putting
yourself down
00:21:32.334 --> 00:21:33.975
by calling yourself Chicano?"
You know?
00:21:33.999 --> 00:21:36.476
That was the first time
I had heard "viva la raza."
00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:39.560 position:20%
-Viva la raza!
-And it was all new to me.
00:21:39.584 --> 00:21:41.518
I felt, you know,
like an outsider
00:21:41.542 --> 00:21:43.268
because I hadn't been
exposed to it yet,
00:21:43.292 --> 00:21:46.310
but it was very exciting.
00:21:46.334 --> 00:21:48.975
-There was a gulf,
a generational gulf
00:21:48.999 --> 00:21:51.975
between our parents'
generation and us.
00:21:51.999 --> 00:21:55.602
You know, the idea of become
part of this society,
00:21:55.626 --> 00:21:58.643
assimilate, learn English,
and so forth.
00:21:58.667 --> 00:22:01.018
So here we are, the generation,
and we're saying,
00:22:01.042 --> 00:22:03.018
"Hey, man, we want
to learn Spanish.
00:22:03.042 --> 00:22:05.018
We want to be bilingual.
We want to preserve our culture.
00:22:05.042 --> 00:22:07.935
There's nothing wrong with that.
00:22:07.959 --> 00:22:09.542
We're Americans, but we don't
have to give up Mexican culture.
00:22:09.999 --> 00:22:13.435 position:20%
We don't have to do that."
00:22:13.459 --> 00:22:16.435
-We were
a very unique generation.
00:22:16.459 --> 00:22:18.310 position:20%
We were the first ones
who didn't think we needed
00:22:18.334 --> 00:22:19.975 line:20%
to be assimilated,
unlike everybody else.
00:22:19.999 --> 00:22:22.643 line:20%
And we didn't think we had
to be grateful to Anglos.
00:22:22.667 --> 00:22:24.476 line:20%
We didn't owe them a damn thing.
00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:25.975 line:20%
And so we had
all that resentment.
00:22:25.999 --> 00:22:27.560
Now, mind you, we're also
the first generation
00:22:27.584 --> 00:22:29.542
that is, in large numbers,
graduating from college.
00:22:29.918 --> 00:22:33.727
We'd gather at Woodlawn Lake
and sit there
00:22:33.751 --> 00:22:35.351
on Sunday afternoons
or Saturday afternoons,
00:22:35.375 --> 00:22:37.143
kind of like
a little study circle.
00:22:37.167 --> 00:22:39.393
There were a lot of things
that we were aware of,
00:22:39.417 --> 00:22:42.310
but the most horrible thing
was that we felt
00:22:42.334 --> 00:22:44.975
we couldn't make any change
until we became active.
00:22:44.999 --> 00:22:47.518
"How do we do this?
00:22:47.542 --> 00:22:48.602
How do we become
active and effective?"
00:22:48.626 --> 00:22:51.727
At St. Mary's University,
00:22:51.751 --> 00:22:53.018
they're all getting together
to talk about SNCC,
00:22:53.042 --> 00:22:55.393
the Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee.
00:22:55.417 --> 00:22:57.476
They're aware of SNCC.
00:22:57.500 --> 00:22:59.268
At the time, we're all students,
00:22:59.292 --> 00:23:00.975
you know, reading about what
00:23:00.999 --> 00:23:02.768
the African-American
community's doing.
00:23:02.792 --> 00:23:04.999
So the black Civil Rights
Movement is very important.
00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:08.975
-It wasn't the easiest thing
in the world
00:23:08.999 --> 00:23:10.852
to be politically active.
00:23:10.876 --> 00:23:11.935
You paid a price.
00:23:11.959 --> 00:23:13.167
You paid a price with your job
or beatings and jailing.
00:23:15.375 --> 00:23:19.334
-In 1963, Latino political gains
were put to a test
00:23:19.542 --> 00:23:23.602 position:20%
when five Mexican-Americans
won all city-council seats
00:23:23.626 --> 00:23:27.185
in the small Texas town
of Crystal City,
00:23:27.209 --> 00:23:30.226 position:20%
They soon faced a backlash
00:23:30.250 --> 00:23:32.709
from the Anglo
political establishment.
00:23:33.918 --> 00:23:35.209
-In the smaller towns,
you had the Texas Rangers
00:23:37.834 --> 00:23:40.975
that would come and stand
there for the election.
00:23:40.999 --> 00:23:43.560 line:20%
You had people who couldn't vote
00:23:43.584 --> 00:23:45.518 line:20%
because their chief
source of income,
00:23:45.542 --> 00:23:48.393 line:20%
their employer had already said,
00:23:48.417 --> 00:23:50.310
"You either won't go
to the polls
00:23:50.334 --> 00:23:51.518 position:20%
or you will vote this way,"
00:23:51.542 --> 00:23:53.185
and people didn't have options.
00:23:53.209 --> 00:23:55.768
-Didn't you lose your job
00:23:55.792 --> 00:23:57.685
just after the election results
were announced?
00:23:57.709 --> 00:23:59.560
-Yes, sir, I sure did.
00:23:59.584 --> 00:24:01.643 position:20%
The Texas Rangers refused
to recognize the election.
00:24:01.667 --> 00:24:05.185
Governor John Connally
forced the Rangers
00:24:05.209 --> 00:24:07.560
to hand over the keys
to city hall
00:24:07.584 --> 00:24:09.351
to the newly elected
city council members.
00:24:09.375 --> 00:24:12.476 position:20%
-The Rangers were
especially brutal relative
00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:15.351
to Latinos and Latinas
in South Texas.
00:24:15.375 --> 00:24:18.935 line:20%
My first face-to-face encounter
00:24:18.959 --> 00:24:21.626 line:20%
was when Willie Velasquez
and José ángel Gutiérrez
00:24:22.999 --> 00:24:26.560
went down to Rio Grande City
00:24:26.584 --> 00:24:29.310
to defy the injunction
on the farm workers.
00:24:29.334 --> 00:24:33.101
Before we got there,
one of the organizers,
00:24:33.125 --> 00:24:35.975
Magdaleno Dimas,
00:24:35.999 --> 00:24:37.602
had been beaten
badly by Rangers.
00:24:37.626 --> 00:24:40.975
That was my first encounter,
again, face-to-face
00:24:40.999 --> 00:24:43.810
with something
the Rangers had done.
00:24:43.834 --> 00:24:46.042
-All five council members,
facing constant intimidation,
00:24:46.876 --> 00:24:50.334 position:20%
were eventually forced out.
00:24:50.751 --> 00:24:54.393
After years of
educational neglect,
00:24:54.417 --> 00:24:56.975
Mexican-American youth began
walking out of high schools
00:24:56.999 --> 00:25:00.101
and cities
throughout the Southwest,
00:25:00.125 --> 00:25:02.476
protesting the inferior
education.
00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:05.602 position:20% line:20%
-My dad, when he came home,
00:25:05.626 --> 00:25:07.975 line:20%
and he was watching
the television,
00:25:07.999 --> 00:25:10.310
and they showed the news
and they showed Willie,
00:25:10.334 --> 00:25:13.560
when he got him, he told him,
he says, "Why did you do that?"
00:25:13.584 --> 00:25:15.976 position:20%
He said,
"Just leave things alone."
00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:19.143
Willie kept explaining to him,
00:25:19.167 --> 00:25:20.852
"No, we have to demand
better rights.
00:25:20.876 --> 00:25:23.476
We have to demand
better education,"
00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:25.975
and it was a big,
big argument at home,
00:25:25.999 --> 00:25:28.685
'cause we had two entirely
different points of view.
00:25:28.709 --> 00:25:31.935 line:20%
-This was a sign of
the times in the moment.
00:25:31.959 --> 00:25:34.268 line:20%
We all felt the same way,
that rage.
00:25:34.292 --> 00:25:37.018 line:20%
We analyzed the world
the same way.
00:25:37.042 --> 00:25:38.727 line:20%
We need to find openings.
00:25:38.751 --> 00:25:40.476
And we couldn't find any,
so we then created our own.
00:25:40.500 --> 00:25:42.999
-José ángel Gutiérrez,
Ignacio "Nacho" Pérez,
00:25:43.500 --> 00:25:46.975 position:20%
Juan Patlán, Mario Compean,
00:25:46.999 --> 00:25:50.476
and Willie Velasquez
00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:51.852
became known
as Los Cinco -- the five.
00:25:51.876 --> 00:25:54.852
Together, they founded
and created MAYO,
00:25:54.876 --> 00:25:57.975
the Mexican American
Youth Organization.
00:25:57.999 --> 00:26:01.560
MAYO would grow to become one
of the most important
00:26:01.584 --> 00:26:04.975
activist student organizations
00:26:04.999 --> 00:26:06.894
throughout Texas
and the Southwest.
00:26:06.918 --> 00:26:09.602
-We're not focused anymore
on farm worker issues.
00:26:09.626 --> 00:26:12.935 line:20%
We're still concerned
about that,
00:26:12.959 --> 00:26:14.852 line:20%
but now we're focused on
a whole range of other things --
00:26:14.876 --> 00:26:18.250 position:20%
political representation,
conditions of the schools.
00:26:20.542 --> 00:26:24.393
-We were a little army.
We were ready to go.
00:26:24.417 --> 00:26:27.351
The minute that the call went
out from the central leadership,
00:26:27.375 --> 00:26:30.975
people would respond.
00:26:30.999 --> 00:26:33.435
We were thousands,
so it didn't matter
00:26:33.459 --> 00:26:34.975 position:20%
if the Rangers came
with a company of 8 or 10.
00:26:34.999 --> 00:26:37.476
When you're facing thousands,
00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.727
doesn't matter how many
bullets you got.
00:26:38.751 --> 00:26:41.975
That took a lot
of political courage,
00:26:41.999 --> 00:26:43.768
but we did those things.
00:26:43.792 --> 00:26:47.560
It was Willie's final summer
internship in Washington.
00:26:47.584 --> 00:26:51.310
On his last day,
as he said goodbye
00:26:51.334 --> 00:26:53.935
to his mentor,
Congressman Gonzalez,
00:26:53.959 --> 00:26:56.518
he was shocked to learn
00:26:56.542 --> 00:26:57.975
the congressman disapproved
of his activism
00:26:57.999 --> 00:27:01.059
and would not help
the farm workers in any way.
00:27:01.083 --> 00:27:04.143
-The breakup between Henry B.
00:27:04.167 --> 00:27:06.059
and Willie was like a breakup
between father and son.
00:27:06.083 --> 00:27:09.417 position:20%
It was not just
a generational difference.
00:27:09.999 --> 00:27:13.310
You know, Henry B.
00:27:13.334 --> 00:27:15.542
was training Willie
to essentially take his place.
00:27:17.209 --> 00:27:20.810
-From that day forward,
00:27:20.834 --> 00:27:22.334
Willie and Congressman Gonzalez
would never see eye to eye.
00:27:24.542 --> 00:27:28.393
Along with his hectic MAYO
activities and now
00:27:28.417 --> 00:27:30.975
with a full-time job
00:27:30.999 --> 00:27:32.393
running the Mexican
American Unity Council,
00:27:32.417 --> 00:27:35.226
a new self-help organization
he and a MAYO colleague started,
00:27:35.250 --> 00:27:38.393
Willie was quickly becoming
overextended.
00:27:38.417 --> 00:27:41.975
He was alarmed
with the growing nationalistic
00:27:41.999 --> 00:27:44.643
and militant rhetoric
at the MAYO rallies.
00:27:44.667 --> 00:27:47.976
The establishment
political machine
00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:50.167
also took notice,
especially Henry B. Gonzalez,
00:27:50.834 --> 00:27:54.602
who began a steady
attack against Willie
00:27:54.626 --> 00:27:56.975
and his activist colleagues.
00:27:56.999 --> 00:27:58.975 position:20%
-I picture my own role
as having a responsibility
00:27:58.999 --> 00:28:02.602
to smoke out
and to expose these false
00:28:02.626 --> 00:28:06.143
and mistaken voices of hatred.
00:28:06.167 --> 00:28:08.975
-He went after everybody.
00:28:08.999 --> 00:28:10.768
So, Willie wasn't
just his only target.
00:28:10.792 --> 00:28:12.727
The whole movement,
he went after.
00:28:12.751 --> 00:28:14.727
-On their march toward
self-determination, José ángel
00:28:14.751 --> 00:28:17.643
and his MAYO colleagues
00:28:17.667 --> 00:28:19.185
pushed for a third
political party.
00:28:19.209 --> 00:28:21.584
Willie was against the idea.
00:28:22.417 --> 00:28:23.459 line:20%
José ángel and MAYO prevailed.
00:28:25.999 --> 00:28:28.643 line:20%
A third political party,
La Raza Unida --
00:28:28.667 --> 00:28:31.101
the united people --
was finally a reality
00:28:31.125 --> 00:28:33.727
and began running candidates
00:28:33.751 --> 00:28:35.059
throughout Texas
and the Southwest.
00:28:35.083 --> 00:28:38.435
-Willie didn't believe
that a third party
00:28:38.459 --> 00:28:40.685
could make an impact
on the nation or the state,
00:28:40.709 --> 00:28:43.810 position:20%
because he felt
that the United States had
00:28:43.834 --> 00:28:45.643
always been a two-party system
00:28:45.667 --> 00:28:47.518
and that that was not
ever gonna change.
00:28:47.542 --> 00:28:51.602
-When MAYO transforms itself
into a political party,
00:28:51.626 --> 00:28:54.727
that's really when Willie left.
00:28:54.751 --> 00:28:56.143
I mean, he did not believe
in the Raza Unida party.
00:28:56.167 --> 00:28:59.560
-The Raza Unida party
00:28:59.584 --> 00:29:00.975
had an eight-year
run in Texas and California.
00:29:00.999 --> 00:29:04.018
Initially successful
in small communities,
00:29:04.042 --> 00:29:06.935
it did poorly
in statewide elections.
00:29:06.959 --> 00:29:10.518
Facing constant attacks
from Congressman Gonzalez
00:29:10.542 --> 00:29:13.643
and enduring harsh criticism
from his MAYO colleagues,
00:29:13.667 --> 00:29:17.059
Willie had reached
his breaking point
00:29:17.083 --> 00:29:19.310
and submitted his letter
of resignation
00:29:19.334 --> 00:29:21.975
to the Unity Council.
00:29:21.999 --> 00:29:24.000
As 1970 approached, Willie,
beaten down, was without a job.
00:29:25.959 --> 00:29:29.709
Then, Jane Sarabia,
a VISTA volunteer,
00:29:30.209 --> 00:29:33.768
came into Willie's life.
00:29:33.792 --> 00:29:36.810
-We started dating.
Everything that we did --
00:29:36.834 --> 00:29:40.143
we went to meetings,
00:29:40.167 --> 00:29:41.768
and then you always
ended up at a bar,
00:29:41.792 --> 00:29:45.018
you know,
and listened to music,
00:29:45.042 --> 00:29:46.584
and all you ever talked
was what was going on.
00:29:47.042 --> 00:29:50.935
I remember the first time
we danced.
00:29:50.959 --> 00:29:54.101
I was a crazy dancer,
00:29:54.125 --> 00:29:55.976
I loved to dance,
00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:57.975
and he was just really,
like, stiff.
00:29:57.999 --> 00:30:01.435
And so I would just dance
around him while he was,
00:30:01.459 --> 00:30:04.975
you know, just doing his thing.
00:30:04.999 --> 00:30:08.518
-A year later, Willie
and Janie got married,
00:30:08.542 --> 00:30:12.000
and they would eventually
have three children, Carmen,
00:30:12.542 --> 00:30:15.999
Catarina, and Guillermo.
00:30:16.334 --> 00:30:18.250
The next two years
would take a toll on Willie.
00:30:20.250 --> 00:30:22.975
He took a job
at the Southwest Council
00:30:22.999 --> 00:30:24.975
of La Raza in Phoenix
in hopes of building
00:30:24.999 --> 00:30:27.810
a nonprofit voter-registration
program.
00:30:27.834 --> 00:30:31.226
-We were blocked
in the early years,
00:30:31.250 --> 00:30:33.435 line:20%
and there was
a tremendous amount of pressure
00:30:33.459 --> 00:30:36.059 line:20%
against all
the Latino organizations
00:30:36.083 --> 00:30:39.083 line:20%
from Henry B., from the IRS.
00:30:41.626 --> 00:30:45.476
The national institutions
were very concerned
00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:47.685
about the left politics
of the Chicano movement.
00:30:47.709 --> 00:30:50.975
A move to Washington
didn't get Willie
00:30:50.999 --> 00:30:52.975
any closer
in receiving his permit.
00:30:52.999 --> 00:30:55.602
Willie and Jane, with a heavy
heart, returned to San Antonio.
00:30:55.626 --> 00:30:59.393
-The FBI had all
the protest movements
00:30:59.417 --> 00:31:01.894
of the day infiltrated.
00:31:01.918 --> 00:31:03.435 position:20%
They were destabilizing us.
00:31:03.459 --> 00:31:05.685
It's no accident, in my view,
00:31:05.709 --> 00:31:08.125 position:20%
that when Willie Velasquez tries
to create Southwest Voter,
00:31:08.542 --> 00:31:12.018
his organization was delayed.
00:31:12.042 --> 00:31:14.584
No one waits five years
for a 501(c)(3) authorization.
00:31:15.792 --> 00:31:19.876 position:20%
-In 1973, the future looked
bleak for Willie and Jane.
00:31:20.709 --> 00:31:24.393
They moved in
with Willie's parents
00:31:24.417 --> 00:31:26.059
to save the little money
they had.
00:31:26.083 --> 00:31:27.975
On July 24, 1974,
like a miracle,
00:31:27.999 --> 00:31:31.975
The Southwest Voter Registration
and Education Project
00:31:31.999 --> 00:31:35.268
was now a legitimate national
nonprofit organization.
00:31:35.292 --> 00:31:38.894
The battle to empower Latinos
had begun.
00:31:38.918 --> 00:31:41.999 position:20%
-We are going to try to
consciously make an effort
00:31:43.250 --> 00:31:47.417
to really make this country
stay true to its basic ideals.
00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:52.417
-By 1975, Southwest Voter
did what most thought
00:31:52.751 --> 00:31:56.435
was impossible
in such a short time,
00:31:56.459 --> 00:31:58.894
having a presence
in five states.
00:31:58.918 --> 00:32:01.476
But the fruits of their labor
had still not paid off.
00:32:01.500 --> 00:32:05.476 line:20%
-He said, "Look,
I'm doing all this registration.
00:32:05.500 --> 00:32:07.975 line:20%
People are getting registered,
they come out to vote,
00:32:07.999 --> 00:32:09.935 line:20%
but they don't win."
00:32:09.959 --> 00:32:11.185 line:20%
-When LBJ signed into law
the Voting Rights Act in 1965,
00:32:11.209 --> 00:32:15.292 line:20%
Latinos were not explicitly
included until 1975.
00:32:16.584 --> 00:32:20.059 line:20%
So in 1975, we see the inclusion
00:32:20.083 --> 00:32:22.975 line:20%
of Latinos in addition
to African-Americans.
00:32:22.999 --> 00:32:25.310 line:20%
And what this did,
it brought safeguards
00:32:25.334 --> 00:32:27.975 line:20%
against any abnormalities
in voting procedures.
00:32:27.999 --> 00:32:31.727 line:20%
-Even with a new law,
many of the 254 counties
00:32:31.751 --> 00:32:35.876 line:20%
that make up Texas had illegal
gerrymandered voting districts.
00:32:36.250 --> 00:32:40.268 line:20%
-Not only did they have
total disregard for the law,
00:32:40.292 --> 00:32:43.584 position:20% line:20%
but then they had purposely
taken the Latino community
00:32:45.999 --> 00:32:49.476 position:20%
and cut them in four pieces
00:32:49.500 --> 00:32:52.268
and create their own districts.
00:32:52.292 --> 00:32:54.975
You were never going to win.
00:32:54.999 --> 00:32:56.018
It was designed for you to lose.
00:32:56.042 --> 00:32:59.393
-To protect the rights
of Latino voters,
00:32:59.417 --> 00:33:01.975
Willie teamed up with lawyers
00:33:01.999 --> 00:33:03.975
from the nonprofit civil rights
organization MALDEF --
00:33:03.999 --> 00:33:07.999
the Mexican American Legal
Defense and Education Fund.
00:33:08.709 --> 00:33:12.143 position:20%
-When the Voting Rights Act
00:33:12.167 --> 00:33:13.476
is extended
to language minorities,
00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:15.976
that's when, essentially,
00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:18.250
the lion's share
of voting-rights lawsuits occur.
00:33:19.417 --> 00:33:23.125 line:20%
That creates a new wave
of activity.
00:33:23.792 --> 00:33:27.518 line:20%
-The first county
that I went to speak to,
00:33:27.542 --> 00:33:30.667 line:20%
they had not redistricted
since 1898.
00:33:31.999 --> 00:33:35.476 position:20% line:20%
-They don't want you there.
00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:37.143 line:20%
They don't want
to draw the district.
00:33:37.167 --> 00:33:38.975 line:20%
The law's very clear.
00:33:38.999 --> 00:33:40.975 line:20%
Then you tell them,
"Then I'm gonna sue you."
00:33:40.999 --> 00:33:44.876 line:20%
-Threats were always lurking
for this risky work.
00:33:52.459 --> 00:33:56.185
-"If you know what's good
for you, boy,
00:33:56.209 --> 00:33:57.852
you'd be out of town
by sundown."
00:33:57.876 --> 00:34:00.685
-I was coming down the stairs.
00:34:00.709 --> 00:34:02.059
I saw these two men
in a pickup truck,
00:34:02.083 --> 00:34:05.975
and one of them was running
his hand through a rifle.
00:34:05.999 --> 00:34:09.792
So when I got right next
to his door, I told him,
00:34:09.999 --> 00:34:13.518
"That sure is a pretty rifle.
00:34:13.542 --> 00:34:15.209
I think my daddy would love
to have one of those.
00:34:15.417 --> 00:34:18.768
Excuse me."
00:34:18.792 --> 00:34:20.125
And I got in my car
and I backed off very calmly,
00:34:20.709 --> 00:34:24.018
I turned very calmly,
00:34:24.042 --> 00:34:25.476
and I'm telling you,
when I hit the next street,
00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:28.709
I stepped on that pedal so fast.
00:34:28.959 --> 00:34:32.602
-We went from
zero representation
00:34:32.626 --> 00:34:34.975
to three, four, five,
to six elected local officials
00:34:34.999 --> 00:34:38.685
immediately after the lawsuits
were settled.
00:34:38.709 --> 00:34:41.975 line:20%
-It was the first time
we had ever elected anybody
00:34:41.999 --> 00:34:43.852 line:20%
to anything,
not even dog catcher --
00:34:43.876 --> 00:34:45.976 line:20%
you know, anything.
00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:47.435 line:20%
So there was a lot of firsts --
first city councilperson,
00:34:47.459 --> 00:34:49.727 line:20%
first person on the school
board, first mayor.
00:34:49.751 --> 00:34:52.975 position:20% line:20%
Yeah, over and over again.
00:34:52.999 --> 00:34:55.435 line:20%
-Willie looked
at those small places
00:34:55.459 --> 00:34:58.018 line:20%
where there was an overwhelming
majority of Latinos,
00:34:58.042 --> 00:35:01.435 line:20%
but they had
no representation whatsoever.
00:35:01.459 --> 00:35:04.894 line:20%
-One of those communities
was Rosenberg, Texas,
00:35:04.918 --> 00:35:07.894 line:20%
in Fort Bend County,
00:35:07.918 --> 00:35:09.792 line:20%
known as the home to
the Ku Klux Klan in the 1930s,
00:35:10.709 --> 00:35:14.560 position:20% line:20%
and discrimination
against Latinos was common
00:35:14.584 --> 00:35:17.975 line:20%
by both businesses
and Anglo residents.
00:35:17.999 --> 00:35:20.976 line:20%
-We could buy our medications,
we could buy our snacks,
00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:23.976 line:20%
but we couldn't sit
at the counter.
00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:26.768 line:20%
It was just understood --
We could not sit there.
00:35:26.792 --> 00:35:29.351 line:20%
-We thought, "Okay,
that's how it is."
00:35:29.375 --> 00:35:32.101 line:20%
You know, they tell us
not to stay in here,
00:35:32.125 --> 00:35:34.834 line:20%
we won't,
and we accepted it
00:35:34.999 --> 00:35:38.810
because I don't think
we knew better.
00:35:38.834 --> 00:35:41.975
It didn't feel right,
but we didn't know what to do.
00:35:41.999 --> 00:35:44.975
-Through the years,
Mexican-Americans
00:35:44.999 --> 00:35:47.393
running for office
had failed miserably.
00:35:47.417 --> 00:35:50.185
Southwest Voter answered
their call for help.
00:35:50.209 --> 00:35:53.518
-I remember Willie went in
and just started asking around,
00:35:53.542 --> 00:35:55.975
"Who's doing something?"
00:35:55.999 --> 00:35:57.935
and Dora Olivo's name came up
and literally went to her house,
00:35:57.959 --> 00:36:00.268
knocked on her door.
00:36:00.292 --> 00:36:01.602
-People come into your life,
00:36:01.626 --> 00:36:02.975 line:20%
and Willie was one of them,
clearly one of the ones
00:36:02.999 --> 00:36:05.975 line:20%
that came in
through this community,
00:36:05.999 --> 00:36:07.435
like a lot of other communities
that he went to, to teach us
00:36:07.459 --> 00:36:10.975
about being effective
in the political process.
00:36:10.999 --> 00:36:14.876
-We were looking for people like
her that we could build off of
00:36:15.209 --> 00:36:18.975
and that was part
of our strategy
00:36:18.999 --> 00:36:20.268
and that was part of offering
the best our people
00:36:20.292 --> 00:36:22.226
could provide and offering
the best the voters could get.
00:36:22.250 --> 00:36:25.792 position:20%
-Right here, this was our first
voter-registration office.
00:36:25.999 --> 00:36:29.852
We actually had a base
to work from.
00:36:29.876 --> 00:36:32.226
-There were so many
who had never registered.
00:36:32.250 --> 00:36:34.685 position:20%
They just never thought
that it made a difference.
00:36:34.709 --> 00:36:37.226
They thought that their
votes didn't count.
00:36:37.250 --> 00:36:40.685
They just thought that,
"Why bother?"
00:36:40.709 --> 00:36:43.560
-Like an old-fashioned hoedown,
00:36:43.584 --> 00:36:45.602
the Fort Bend County
Coalition was born.
00:36:45.626 --> 00:36:48.268
Folklore dancing, plays,
00:36:48.292 --> 00:36:50.975
and popular bands
00:36:50.999 --> 00:36:52.268
were used to entice
residents to register and vote.
00:36:52.292 --> 00:36:55.975
-At one point,
we were all so energized,
00:36:55.999 --> 00:36:58.685
I don't think
we could've been stopped.
00:36:58.709 --> 00:37:02.101
-A lot of the people
that came together,
00:37:02.125 --> 00:37:03.685
the ones that made the tamales,
00:37:03.709 --> 00:37:04.975
that helped us
with the fund raisers
00:37:04.999 --> 00:37:06.975
just to bring people together.
00:37:06.999 --> 00:37:08.999
-I mean, it was just
a tremendous registration drive.
00:37:09.042 --> 00:37:12.975
-Women worked very hard
in those drives.
00:37:12.999 --> 00:37:16.560
The role that women
played was instrumental
00:37:16.584 --> 00:37:19.976
in making this thing happen.
00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:22.643
-Once you create a system
where the minority community
00:37:22.667 --> 00:37:25.975
can realize their vote,
00:37:25.999 --> 00:37:28.975
they get excited,
and they come out and vote.
00:37:28.999 --> 00:37:32.310
-And their efforts
finally paid off.
00:37:32.334 --> 00:37:35.143
The first Mexican-American
in Rosenberg's history
00:37:35.167 --> 00:37:38.810
was elected to city council.
00:37:38.834 --> 00:37:40.768 line:20%
-That's what Willie did in a lot
of these little communities.
00:37:40.792 --> 00:37:42.918 line:20%
He started that snowball that
then gathers its own momentum.
00:37:43.999 --> 00:37:47.975 line:20%
-We've gotten Hispanics
elected to the city council,
00:37:47.999 --> 00:37:51.226 line:20%
to the county court,
00:37:51.250 --> 00:37:53.393 line:20%
we've got judges
now that are Hispanic.
00:37:53.417 --> 00:37:56.810
It's all better now.
00:37:56.834 --> 00:37:59.059
-Eventually, Dora threw her
hat in the ring
00:37:59.083 --> 00:38:01.999
and ran for state representative
and won.
00:38:02.125 --> 00:38:05.975
From teacher
to state representative,
00:38:05.999 --> 00:38:08.810
Dora spent 14 years
00:38:08.834 --> 00:38:10.476
in the Texas House
of Representatives.
00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:13.602
What comes to me is, "Okay,
what was it all these years?"
00:38:13.626 --> 00:38:16.542 position:20%
And for me, it changed me.
00:38:18.751 --> 00:38:21.975
It changed me.
00:38:21.999 --> 00:38:23.935
That's what Willie did for us.
00:38:23.959 --> 00:38:25.101
He gave us hope.
00:38:25.125 --> 00:38:26.999
If you have hope,
everything else comes.
00:38:27.125 --> 00:38:29.751
-Presidential campaigns
had ignored
00:38:30.999 --> 00:38:33.018
the Latino vote in the past.
00:38:33.042 --> 00:38:35.059
By the 1960s,
with the numbers growing,
00:38:35.083 --> 00:38:37.975
they started to take notice.
00:38:37.999 --> 00:38:39.935
[ Speaking Spanish ]
00:38:39.959 --> 00:38:41.542 position:20%
...Senator John F. Kennedy.
00:38:43.209 --> 00:38:45.584
-The Kennedy campaign
was the first generalized
00:38:45.751 --> 00:38:48.975
national effort
00:38:48.999 --> 00:38:50.351
of reaching Latinos
in presidential politics.
00:38:50.375 --> 00:38:53.375
In 1956, we saw
the same thing --
00:38:53.626 --> 00:38:57.059 position:20%
Eisenhower-Nixon mobilizing
00:38:57.083 --> 00:38:58.976
middle-class Latinos
in California,
00:38:59.000 --> 00:39:00.768
but it never went
beyond California.
00:39:00.792 --> 00:39:03.667
In looking at
the Nixon campaign in 1960,
00:39:03.999 --> 00:39:07.852
he had to come to a fork
in the road,
00:39:07.876 --> 00:39:10.768
and he had to decide,
00:39:10.792 --> 00:39:12.542
"Am I going to keep cultivating
this Latino relationship
00:39:12.959 --> 00:39:16.268
I've had for decades,
00:39:16.292 --> 00:39:18.768
or am I gonna
break away from it?"
00:39:18.792 --> 00:39:20.727
So he seriously considered that,
00:39:20.751 --> 00:39:22.935
but ultimately he said,
00:39:22.959 --> 00:39:24.459
"I can't go with this
ethnic angle in the campaign."
00:39:25.500 --> 00:39:29.417
-Texas Senator John Tower
was the first Republican
00:39:29.584 --> 00:39:33.143
to actively court
the Latino vote.
00:39:33.167 --> 00:39:35.643 line:20%
-I was in the advertising
business,
00:39:35.667 --> 00:39:37.852 line:20%
and John Tower's staff calls.
00:39:37.876 --> 00:39:40.975
He wants to reach out
to the Latino.
00:39:40.999 --> 00:39:44.334
92% of all Latinos voted
as Democrats,
00:39:46.417 --> 00:39:49.975
and John Tower thought
00:39:49.999 --> 00:39:51.143
that it was gonna be a real,
real close election,
00:39:51.167 --> 00:39:54.459
and he said, "The Latino vote
may make the difference."
00:39:54.999 --> 00:39:58.435 position:20%
I didn't know where to go.
00:39:58.459 --> 00:40:00.542
Somebody said, "You got
to visit Willie Velasquez."
00:40:01.125 --> 00:40:04.975
-All kinds of people
came into that office --
00:40:04.999 --> 00:40:07.852
Democrats, Republicans --
00:40:07.876 --> 00:40:10.101 position:20%
and we welcomed everybody,
00:40:10.125 --> 00:40:11.626
because we wanted everybody
to know what we were doing.
00:40:12.167 --> 00:40:15.685
-I called on Willie,
00:40:15.709 --> 00:40:17.518
and he received me
with open arms.
00:40:17.542 --> 00:40:19.727
And we would go
to the Esquire bar,
00:40:19.751 --> 00:40:22.018
and he spent
countless hours with me.
00:40:22.042 --> 00:40:24.975
I said, "I don't know
anything about politics,
00:40:24.999 --> 00:40:27.792
but I did know
how to make a good message."
00:40:28.584 --> 00:40:31.999 line:20%
-[ Singing in Spanish ]
00:40:36.042 --> 00:40:39.975 line:20%
We came up with
"El Corrido de John Tower."
00:40:39.999 --> 00:40:42.560 line:20%
and we filmed him
00:40:42.584 --> 00:40:44.268 line:20%
in the Latino communities
all over Texas.
00:40:44.292 --> 00:40:47.393
In the end, it paid off.
00:40:47.417 --> 00:40:49.810
He got 37% of the Latino vote,
00:40:49.834 --> 00:40:53.018
which was
an amazing breakthrough.
00:40:53.042 --> 00:40:56.167
-John Tower.
[ Speaks Spanish ]
00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:03.935 line:20%
-San Antonio had not had
a Latino mayor
00:41:03.959 --> 00:41:06.542
since Juan Seguín in 1841,
who was forced out at gunpoint.
00:41:10.292 --> 00:41:11.876
In 1977, the Justice Department
forced San Antonio
00:41:14.292 --> 00:41:18.500
to create more equitable
single-member voting districts.
00:41:19.250 --> 00:41:22.810
Many political observers
00:41:22.834 --> 00:41:24.894
had their eye
on a young mayoral candidate,
00:41:24.918 --> 00:41:27.626
a Harvard-educated
West Side son, Henry Cisneros.
00:41:28.250 --> 00:41:32.143
-The moment we all thought
that Henry Cisneros
00:41:32.167 --> 00:41:35.351
could be mayor of San Antonio,
00:41:35.375 --> 00:41:37.727
Willie put together some of
the biggest voter-registration
00:41:37.751 --> 00:41:41.101
drives in San Antonio.
00:41:41.125 --> 00:41:43.584
He knew the kind of turnout
that we needed to have
00:41:44.542 --> 00:41:48.018
and the percentage of support
00:41:48.042 --> 00:41:50.185 position:20%
that Henry needed
from the Latino community.
00:41:50.209 --> 00:41:53.250
He went to work knowing that
that little organization
00:41:54.083 --> 00:41:58.185
could have an impact on who
would be the first Latino of
00:41:58.209 --> 00:42:02.083
a major metropolitan city
in the country.
00:42:02.459 --> 00:42:05.975
-It was a perfect storm.
00:42:05.999 --> 00:42:07.667
It was just right
for the perfect candidate
00:42:09.542 --> 00:42:12.975
to come out to bring out
00:42:12.999 --> 00:42:14.667
the largest percentage
of Latino vote ever.
00:42:14.999 --> 00:42:18.560
-Because of that turnout,
00:42:18.584 --> 00:42:19.999 position:20% line:20%
he was able to win that race
with over 60% of the vote.
00:42:21.417 --> 00:42:24.975 line:20%
That was quite a feat,
00:42:24.999 --> 00:42:27.000 line:20%
and we can see
from Henry's example
00:42:28.250 --> 00:42:31.810
that Latinos do care,
00:42:31.834 --> 00:42:33.975
that they do
what to participate.
00:42:33.999 --> 00:42:36.351
Willie was a big part of that.
00:42:36.375 --> 00:42:38.000
They worked together hand
in glove and created history.
00:42:38.334 --> 00:42:42.059
-I owe a lot to Willie,
Southwest Voter,
00:42:42.083 --> 00:42:44.935
and all of the activists
of that era.
00:42:44.959 --> 00:42:46.935
I owe a lot.
00:42:46.959 --> 00:42:47.975
You know, you work
the way Willie did,
00:42:47.999 --> 00:42:49.976
and then someone else
gets the spotlight.
00:42:50.000 --> 00:42:51.975
But I tried my best
never to forget
00:42:51.999 --> 00:42:54.975
and always to remind
everyone in my circle
00:42:54.999 --> 00:42:58.975
where we came from, who we had
to be accountable to --
00:42:58.999 --> 00:43:01.894
the community --
00:43:01.918 --> 00:43:03.417
and people like Willie,
who make it possible.
00:43:04.042 --> 00:43:07.560
-The following year,
00:43:07.584 --> 00:43:08.975
Willie accepted
a semester fellowship
00:43:08.999 --> 00:43:11.101
to teach at the Institute
of Politics at Harvard.
00:43:11.125 --> 00:43:14.500 position:20%
While there, he met the former
governor of Massachusetts,
00:43:14.999 --> 00:43:18.560
Michael Dukakis, not knowing
00:43:18.584 --> 00:43:20.999 position:20%
that their paths
would one day cross again.
00:43:21.999 --> 00:43:25.975 line:20%
-I think that it was
a wonderful opportunity for him,
00:43:25.999 --> 00:43:29.999 line:20%
and being in the place
where everybody wants to be
00:43:31.459 --> 00:43:34.975 line:20%
was something that,
00:43:34.999 --> 00:43:36.459 line:20%
I think, got him going again.
00:43:37.417 --> 00:43:41.476 line:20%
-A rejuvenated Willie Velasquez
returned to San Antonio,
00:43:41.500 --> 00:43:44.975 line:20%
ready for the Southwest Voter's
national debut.
00:43:44.999 --> 00:43:48.143 line:20%
He would bring in
an unprecedented
00:43:48.167 --> 00:43:50.476 line:20%
gathering of national Latino
political leaders
00:43:50.500 --> 00:43:53.226 line:20%
and kick off a major
voter-registration drive.
00:43:53.250 --> 00:43:56.810 line:20%
The nonpartisan historic event
00:43:56.834 --> 00:43:59.185 line:20%
attracts both Democrats
and Republicans.
00:43:59.209 --> 00:44:03.018
-We felt that we were ready
to do something significant,
00:44:03.042 --> 00:44:06.975
and a lot of people
were of the opinion
00:44:06.999 --> 00:44:08.975
that it was time
that we organized
00:44:08.999 --> 00:44:11.226 position:20%
one big push to demonstrate
00:44:11.250 --> 00:44:13.101
our capability
in voter registration.
00:44:13.125 --> 00:44:15.185
We're talking about
going forward.
00:44:15.209 --> 00:44:17.018
We're talking about
registering one million people.
00:44:17.042 --> 00:44:19.476
We're talking about
getting something done
00:44:19.500 --> 00:44:21.476
that had never been done before
00:44:21.500 --> 00:44:23.435
and also bringing this
to the attention of the country,
00:44:23.459 --> 00:44:25.834
and I think, to a great degree,
it was successful.
00:44:26.375 --> 00:44:29.975 position:20%
-It was a beautiful event.
00:44:29.999 --> 00:44:31.476
The Republicans were so excited
00:44:31.500 --> 00:44:33.976
about the turnout,
about Bush coming,
00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:37.018
and then you had the Democratic
event in the evening
00:44:37.042 --> 00:44:40.685
when Ted Kennedy came.
00:44:40.709 --> 00:44:42.518
There were so many people
00:44:42.542 --> 00:44:45.101
that they had to keep
on opening rooms.
00:44:45.125 --> 00:44:48.268 line:20%
-The main person that was
running the event was talking
00:44:48.292 --> 00:44:51.810 line:20%
with the advance person
from the White House.
00:44:51.834 --> 00:44:53.975
Not thinking, she says,
00:44:53.999 --> 00:44:55.268
"Oh, we'll make sure
we get him a flight.
00:44:55.292 --> 00:44:56.975
He'll make it, you know, at this
time and be able to come in."
00:44:56.999 --> 00:44:59.226
And they said, "Ma'am,
we have Air Force One.
00:44:59.250 --> 00:45:02.393
We'll be okay."
00:45:02.417 --> 00:45:04.476
-With the success
of the John Tower campaign,
00:45:04.500 --> 00:45:07.393
Lionel Sosa was attracting more
00:45:07.417 --> 00:45:09.685
and more Latinos
to the Republican party.
00:45:09.709 --> 00:45:12.602
-When Ronald Reagan hired us,
we, again,
00:45:12.626 --> 00:45:14.999
did 35%-plus
on a national basis.
00:45:15.999 --> 00:45:19.935 line:20%
-But this year,
that isn't saying much.
00:45:19.959 --> 00:45:22.101 line:20%
-We didn't want to turn them
into Republicans.
00:45:22.125 --> 00:45:24.393 line:20%
Our strategy was
let them stay Democrats,
00:45:24.417 --> 00:45:27.417 line:20%
but let them vote
for this man just this once.
00:45:28.834 --> 00:45:32.185 line:20%
-Vote my conscience, huh?
00:45:32.209 --> 00:45:33.935 line:20%
Okay.
President Reagan.
00:45:33.959 --> 00:45:36.059 line:20%
-Every year that
the Republicans reached out,
00:45:36.083 --> 00:45:39.768 line:20%
that percentage went higher
and higher
00:45:39.792 --> 00:45:42.101 line:20%
until it got to 44%
with George W. Bush.
00:45:42.125 --> 00:45:45.894 line:20%
-I've learned about the culture,
a bit about the language,
00:45:45.918 --> 00:45:49.560 line:20%
and a lot about
the Latino character.
00:45:49.584 --> 00:45:51.975 line:20%
-There was an effort
to connect with Latinos
00:45:51.999 --> 00:45:54.768 line:20%
on the fiscal responsibility
point of saying,
00:45:54.792 --> 00:45:58.768 line:20%
"Less government means
more money in your pockets.
00:45:58.792 --> 00:46:01.975 line:20%
Mexican-Americans, you guys
are hardworking folks.
00:46:01.999 --> 00:46:04.685 line:20%
Maybe we can find
common ground here."
00:46:04.709 --> 00:46:07.999 line:20%
-We are now emerging into
the arena of national politics.
00:46:08.209 --> 00:46:12.292 line:20%
I can tell you that if one were
to put it on the scale
00:46:12.876 --> 00:46:16.185
of who did a better job,
00:46:16.209 --> 00:46:18.435
the Republicans did
an extraordinary job
00:46:18.459 --> 00:46:20.852
targeting
the Hispanic community,
00:46:20.876 --> 00:46:22.268
designing an approach
towards getting it,
00:46:22.292 --> 00:46:24.852
and going after it,
and then doing it well.
00:46:24.876 --> 00:46:27.351
-California and Texas
alone have 28%
00:46:27.375 --> 00:46:29.310 position:20%
of all the electoral votes
00:46:29.334 --> 00:46:30.518
you need to be president
of the United States.
00:46:30.542 --> 00:46:31.975
Add on Illinois,
add on New York,
00:46:31.999 --> 00:46:35.518
and you've got a situation
where Mexican-Americans,
00:46:35.542 --> 00:46:38.393
Hispanics, Puerto Ricans,
Cubans, and all of us have,
00:46:38.417 --> 00:46:40.975
an extraordinary opportunity
to have impact.
00:46:40.999 --> 00:46:43.143
That party that ignores
00:46:43.167 --> 00:46:44.975
that vote is gonna be
punished at the polls --
00:46:44.999 --> 00:46:46.810
no question about it.
00:46:46.834 --> 00:46:47.975 position:20%
-He really believed that
at this moment in history,
00:46:47.999 --> 00:46:50.018 line:20%
it was called upon us
to do these things,
00:46:50.042 --> 00:46:53.518 line:20%
which, in his mind,
was not radical at all.
00:46:53.542 --> 00:46:56.976 line:20%
In his mind, this is
the way immigrant groups
00:46:57.000 --> 00:46:58.894
had always succeeded
in this country.
00:46:58.918 --> 00:47:01.643 position:20%
And that's the way
they lifted themselves up.
00:47:01.667 --> 00:47:04.727
-If you want to know if
we're going to be successful,
00:47:04.751 --> 00:47:07.975
then simply look
at your own ancestors.
00:47:07.999 --> 00:47:11.518
Did they do it?
Did they do it?
00:47:11.542 --> 00:47:14.768
And were they successful?
00:47:14.792 --> 00:47:15.975
Well, my God,
if they did it,
00:47:15.999 --> 00:47:17.975
and if they were successful,
we're gonna do it,
00:47:17.999 --> 00:47:20.268
and we're gonna be successful.
00:47:20.292 --> 00:47:21.959
Thank you.
00:47:22.709 --> 00:47:26.059
-For the next four years,
00:47:26.083 --> 00:47:27.894 position:20%
Southwest Voter
would be in full throttle,
00:47:27.918 --> 00:47:30.292
registering thousands upon
thousands of new Latino voters.
00:47:37.876 --> 00:47:41.560
In 1987,
Velasquez was being considered
00:47:41.584 --> 00:47:44.727
as Deputy Manager
for the Dukakis campaign.
00:47:44.751 --> 00:47:47.999
It would have been his first job
out of the nonprofit world.
00:47:50.375 --> 00:47:54.435
On his way home, a stop
was scheduled in New York City
00:47:54.459 --> 00:47:58.417
for Willie to receive an award
at a foundation conference.
00:47:59.999 --> 00:48:03.810
-The dinner was that night,
and he said,
00:48:03.834 --> 00:48:06.976
"Andy, tell these people
I can't make it.
00:48:07.000 --> 00:48:09.226 position:20%
I'm just not feeling good."
00:48:09.250 --> 00:48:10.768
And I thought,
"We're here in New York City.
00:48:10.792 --> 00:48:13.226
You just have to go
get the award."
00:48:13.250 --> 00:48:16.560
I thought, "Something's up."
00:48:16.584 --> 00:48:18.226 line:20%
-He looked bad, you know?
00:48:18.250 --> 00:48:19.685 line:20%
He said, "Man, my ulcers."
He said, "No."
00:48:19.709 --> 00:48:22.643 line:20%
Man, you know,
he looked jaundiced, you know?
00:48:22.667 --> 00:48:26.768 line:20%
-I had been waiting while the
doctor was talking to Willie,
00:48:26.792 --> 00:48:29.143 line:20%
and so then they brought me in,
00:48:29.167 --> 00:48:31.667 line:20%
and he said,
"Willie has terminal cancer."
00:48:33.500 --> 00:48:37.143
And I wanted to be brave
for Willie,
00:48:37.167 --> 00:48:39.018
so I didn't want to cry
in front of him.
00:48:39.042 --> 00:48:42.834
-Willie was diagnosed
with advanced kidney cancer
00:48:42.999 --> 00:48:46.476
and given four months to live.
00:48:46.500 --> 00:48:48.727
He lasted four weeks.
00:48:48.751 --> 00:48:50.999
He took this family picture
four days before he died.
00:48:51.959 --> 00:48:55.999
-We were at his bedside
a long time until he passed.
00:48:57.375 --> 00:49:00.975
Yeah, he died in my arms.
00:49:00.999 --> 00:49:02.209
So...
00:49:04.959 --> 00:49:08.185
-Along with family
and friends,
00:49:08.209 --> 00:49:10.975
over 2,000 mourners attended
Willie's funeral,
00:49:10.999 --> 00:49:14.185
many of them political leaders
from around the country.
00:49:14.209 --> 00:49:17.975
President Ronald Reagan
sent condolences.
00:49:17.999 --> 00:49:21.975
Democratic Presidential
Candidate Michael Dukakis
00:49:21.999 --> 00:49:25.602 position:20%
delivered Willie's eulogy.
00:49:25.626 --> 00:49:27.542 line:20%
-Willie died with
no health insurance,
00:49:28.542 --> 00:49:32.268 line:20%
because he believed
in Southwest Voter
00:49:32.292 --> 00:49:33.876 line:20%
so much that when it got into
hard times economically,
00:49:34.209 --> 00:49:37.810
he sacrificed his salary,
00:49:37.834 --> 00:49:40.143
and he sacrificed his benefits,
00:49:40.167 --> 00:49:42.560
and when he got cancer,
he had no health insurance,
00:49:42.584 --> 00:49:45.810
'cause he had put it back
into Southwest Voter.
00:49:45.834 --> 00:49:48.417 position:20%
That's how much he believed
and paid a personal price.
00:49:49.959 --> 00:49:53.602 line:20%
-It is so important
for people today
00:49:53.626 --> 00:49:56.000 line:20%
to understand the impact
that Willie's work had.
00:49:57.042 --> 00:50:00.999 position:20%
He was a visionary
who could see 40 years ago
00:50:02.167 --> 00:50:05.975
what we're still
talking about today,
00:50:05.999 --> 00:50:08.059
that you need to get out there
and register Latinos
00:50:08.083 --> 00:50:11.268
to actually vote
00:50:11.292 --> 00:50:12.975
if they're gonna have any impact
in the political process.
00:50:12.999 --> 00:50:16.975
-Willie Velasquez coined
the term "su voto es su voz."
00:50:16.999 --> 00:50:20.894
Back then, they were
working with clipboards
00:50:20.918 --> 00:50:22.768
and going door to door.
00:50:22.792 --> 00:50:24.018
We still use that method,
00:50:24.042 --> 00:50:25.476 line:20%
but we're also using
the new methods --
00:50:25.500 --> 00:50:27.185 line:20%
through cellphones,
00:50:27.209 --> 00:50:28.268 line:20%
through computers,
talking to voters,
00:50:28.292 --> 00:50:30.602 line:20%
and educating Latinos
about the issues.
00:50:30.626 --> 00:50:33.101
So while the methods
have changed,
00:50:33.125 --> 00:50:36.351
the heart
of community organizing
00:50:36.375 --> 00:50:38.768
with Latinos has not changed.
00:50:38.792 --> 00:50:40.810
-The city of Mission
in South Texas
00:50:40.834 --> 00:50:43.852
is the nerve center
for the Libre Initiative,
00:50:43.876 --> 00:50:47.518
a conservative
voter-registration organization.
00:50:47.542 --> 00:50:50.643
Their purpose --
to introduce Latinos
00:50:50.667 --> 00:50:53.185
to the Republican party.
00:50:53.209 --> 00:50:56.143 line:20%
-There are millions and millions
of conservative Latinos
00:50:56.167 --> 00:50:59.727 line:20%
who need to rise up and drive
a different conversation
00:50:59.751 --> 00:51:02.768 line:20%
and drive a different
set of ideas.
00:51:02.792 --> 00:51:05.059
We're gonna connect
with over five millions Latinos
00:51:05.083 --> 00:51:07.643
in this election cycle alone.
00:51:07.667 --> 00:51:09.393
The folks who align with us,
we want to make sure
00:51:09.417 --> 00:51:11.059 position:20%
that they're out there
getting mobilized, voting.
00:51:11.083 --> 00:51:14.310
You know, if Willie
was around today,
00:51:14.334 --> 00:51:17.894
I'm more than certain
00:51:17.918 --> 00:51:19.685
that I would have
accepted the call
00:51:19.709 --> 00:51:22.667
to collaborate
and build bridges together.
00:51:23.167 --> 00:51:26.810 position:20%
-10 years after his death,
00:51:26.834 --> 00:51:28.643
Willie is posthumously given
the Presidential Medal
00:51:28.667 --> 00:51:31.975
of Freedom by President
Bill Clinton.
00:51:31.999 --> 00:51:34.500 line:20%
-No person in modern America
who has run for public office
00:51:35.000 --> 00:51:38.975 line:20%
wherever Hispanic-Americans live
has failed
00:51:38.999 --> 00:51:41.999 line:20%
to feel the hand
of Willie Velasquez.
00:51:42.334 --> 00:51:46.018 line:20%
His appeal to
the Hispanic community
00:51:46.042 --> 00:51:47.894 line:20%
was simple, passionate,
and direct.
00:51:47.918 --> 00:51:51.000 line:20%
Su voto es su voz --
Your vote is your voice.
00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:56.999 line:20%
-It's the highest honor
a civilian can receive.
00:51:58.500 --> 00:52:02.310
After three decades,
as ideological enemies
00:52:02.334 --> 00:52:05.975
Henry B. Gonzalez finally
spoke of Willie.
00:52:05.999 --> 00:52:09.143
"He was an enormous
contribution,"
00:52:09.167 --> 00:52:10.975
said the congressman,
00:52:10.999 --> 00:52:12.500
"This presidential
recognition is well-deserved."
00:52:12.751 --> 00:52:16.626
-I have no doubt that
in the years to come,
00:52:16.918 --> 00:52:20.643
and I believe sooner
rather than later,
00:52:20.667 --> 00:52:22.667
that one day we're gonna watch
a Latino or Latina with his
00:52:23.167 --> 00:52:26.768
or her hand on the Bible,
00:52:26.792 --> 00:52:28.393
getting sworn in on
the 20th of January
00:52:28.417 --> 00:52:30.976
as president
of the United States.
00:52:31.000 --> 00:52:32.975
And when he or she does,
00:52:32.999 --> 00:52:34.626
I hope that they'll
be thinking about Willie
00:52:34.959 --> 00:52:38.125
and his work.
Distributor: Pragda Films
Length: 60 minutes
Date: 2016
Genre: Expository
Language: English
Grade: Middle School, High School, College, Adults
Color/BW:
Closed Captioning: Available
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