Mexican American Political Association
Encyclopedia
Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) is an organization that promotes the interests of Mexican-Americans, Mexicans, Latinos, Chicanos, Hispanics and Latino Economic Refugees in the United States
.
, later elected to the United States House of Representatives
, served as its first chair/president. Throughout the 1960s, MAPA was active in the Civil Rights Movement and the Chicano political movement
. MAPA members also aided Cesar Chavez
and the United Farm Workers
in political and labor negotiations. They also realized their first electoral victories that year. During the 1970s, MAPA saw more successful campaigns by Mexican American candidates, but also won important appointments in the administration of California Governor
Jerry Brown
. The 1980s were characterized by continued efforts to elect Mexican American candidates, and in the 1990s MAPA was a co-filer of the suit against California Proposition 187 (1994)
.
MAPA is officially a non-partisan organization and welcomes members of any political affiliation. Currently, members partake in various parties including Democrat, Republican, Green, Peace and Freedom as well as others. The association is composed of members of Mexican, Chicano, Latino and Meso-Native American Heritage. Although the majority of members are Democrats as it is the case with most Latinos in the United States, all members understand the common issues that must be tackled to ensure a healthy and strong future for all Latinos in the Nation.
MAPA is a civil and Human rights organization that fights against the discrimination and political disenfranchisement of Latinos in particular and low-income people of color in general.
Originally founded to create political empowerment of Mexican-Americans and defend against exploitation and abuses of farm workers in Central California's San Joaquin Valley
as well as to remedy the lack of political representation. MAPA continues to be dedicated to the constitutional and democratic principle of political freedom and representation for the Mexican and Hispanic people of the United States of America.
MAPA was instrumental in carrying the democratic Latino vote for John and Robert Kennedy in California, as well as Governor Jerry Brown
and has been instrumental in the election of MOST Mexican-Americans in elected office at all levels from U.S. Congress to small-town City council.
MAPA opposed any laws in effect, proposed or otherwise it deems discriminatory in nature against, not only, Hispanic
s; but the population in general and has succeed in overturning laws proven unconstitutional in court.
MAPA opposes racist entities and the existence of organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan
, National Alliance, Neo-Nazis and other such criminal racist groups and individuals.
In recent years it has created alliances with several Civil rights Organization such as American Civil Liberties Union
, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
, NAHR, National Council of La Raza
and various Asian-American groups and has strived to strengthen ties with Indian tribal communities and other ethnics groups.
MAPA is a progressive organization which advocates for the advancement of the Mexican-American people and Latinos of the United States, first and foremost, but also advocates for the civil and human rights of disenfranchised people of color in general. MAPA has advised other ethnic groups like the Hmong community in the U.S. on the process of political empowerment for their peoples. In 1995, under the leadership of Mr. Ben Benavidez and Toulu Tou, the Hmong American Political Association (HAPA) is born, sister organization to MAPA. It also challenges laws and legislation that it considers to be racist and discriminatory in nature.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) was organized by 150 volunteer delegates at Fresno in April 1960 as a means to elect Mexican American candidates to public office. Edward R. RoybalEdward R. Roybal
Edward Ross "Ed" Roybal was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council for thirteen years and of the U.S. House of Representatives for thirty years.-Biography:...
, later elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, served as its first chair/president. Throughout the 1960s, MAPA was active in the Civil Rights Movement and the Chicano political movement
Chicano Movement
The Chicano Movement of the 1960s, also called the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, also known as El Movimiento, is an extension of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement which began in the 1940s with the stated goal of achieving Mexican American empowerment.-Origins:The Chicano Movement...
. MAPA members also aided Cesar Chavez
César Chávez
César Estrada Chávez was an American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers ....
and the United Farm Workers
United Farm Workers
The United Farm Workers of America is a labor union created from the merging of two groups, the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee led by Filipino organizer Larry Itliong, and the National Farm Workers Association led by César Chávez...
in political and labor negotiations. They also realized their first electoral victories that year. During the 1970s, MAPA saw more successful campaigns by Mexican American candidates, but also won important appointments in the administration of California Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
. The 1980s were characterized by continued efforts to elect Mexican American candidates, and in the 1990s MAPA was a co-filer of the suit against California Proposition 187 (1994)
California Proposition 187 (1994)
California Proposition 187 was a 1994 ballot initiative to establish a state-run citizenship screening system and prohibit illegal aliens from using health care, public education, and other social services in the U.S. State of California...
.
Structure
MAPA is a grass roots based coalition with an organizational structure that functions as a collective of communal circles working together, at different levels, towards political empowerment, self determination and sustainability of the Latino community’s future.MAPA is officially a non-partisan organization and welcomes members of any political affiliation. Currently, members partake in various parties including Democrat, Republican, Green, Peace and Freedom as well as others. The association is composed of members of Mexican, Chicano, Latino and Meso-Native American Heritage. Although the majority of members are Democrats as it is the case with most Latinos in the United States, all members understand the common issues that must be tackled to ensure a healthy and strong future for all Latinos in the Nation.
Presidents
- Edward Roybal, 1960 – 1962
- Julius Castellum, 1962
- Eduardo Quevedo, 1963 – 1966
- Bert CoronaBert CoronaHumberto Noé "Bert" Corona was an American labor and civil rights leader. Throughout his long career, he worked with nearly every major Mexican-American organization, founding or co-founding several. He organized workers for the Congress of Industrial Organizations and fought on the behalf of...
, 1966 – 1971 - Armando Rodriguez, 1971 – 1973
- Margaret Cruz, 1973 – 1975
- Manuel Lopez, 1975 – 1977
- Eduardo Sandoval, 1977 – 1981
- Julio Calderon, 1981 – 1983
- Fernando Chavez, 1983 – 1985
- Beatriz Molina, 1985 – 1989
- Ben Benavidez, 1989 – 1995
- Hector Brolo, 1995 – 1997
- Ben Benavidez, 1997 – 1999
- Gloria Torres, 1999 – 2001
- Ben Benavidez, 2001 – 2003
- Nativo Lopez,– 2004 to present
MAPA is a civil and Human rights organization that fights against the discrimination and political disenfranchisement of Latinos in particular and low-income people of color in general.
Originally founded to create political empowerment of Mexican-Americans and defend against exploitation and abuses of farm workers in Central California's San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
as well as to remedy the lack of political representation. MAPA continues to be dedicated to the constitutional and democratic principle of political freedom and representation for the Mexican and Hispanic people of the United States of America.
MAPA was instrumental in carrying the democratic Latino vote for John and Robert Kennedy in California, as well as Governor Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
and has been instrumental in the election of MOST Mexican-Americans in elected office at all levels from U.S. Congress to small-town City council.
MAPA opposed any laws in effect, proposed or otherwise it deems discriminatory in nature against, not only, Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
s; but the population in general and has succeed in overturning laws proven unconstitutional in court.
MAPA opposes racist entities and the existence of organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, National Alliance, Neo-Nazis and other such criminal racist groups and individuals.
In recent years it has created alliances with several Civil rights Organization such as American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
, NAHR, National Council of La Raza
National Council of La Raza
The National Council of La Raza is a non-profit and non-partisan advocacy group in the United States, focused on improving opportunities for Hispanics. It is sometimes confused with La Raza Unida...
and various Asian-American groups and has strived to strengthen ties with Indian tribal communities and other ethnics groups.
MAPA is a progressive organization which advocates for the advancement of the Mexican-American people and Latinos of the United States, first and foremost, but also advocates for the civil and human rights of disenfranchised people of color in general. MAPA has advised other ethnic groups like the Hmong community in the U.S. on the process of political empowerment for their peoples. In 1995, under the leadership of Mr. Ben Benavidez and Toulu Tou, the Hmong American Political Association (HAPA) is born, sister organization to MAPA. It also challenges laws and legislation that it considers to be racist and discriminatory in nature.
Tactics
To accomplish the goal of political empowerment for Mexican Americans, MAPA trains campaign workers, registers voters, raises funds, lobbies officials, endorses candidates, and monitors judicial appointments. They have also used grassroots tactics, public relations, and demonstrations.See also
- NALEONALEOThe National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials is the leadership organization of the nation's more than 6,000 Latino elected and appointed Latino public officials in the United States. -History:...
- NCLRNCLRThe four-letter abbreviation may refer to:*National Center for Lesbian Rights*National Council of La Raza*National Conference of Law Reviews*National Council for Learning Resources*North Carolina Law Review...
- American GI ForumAmerican GI ForumThe American G.I. Forum is a Congressionally chartered Hispanic veterans and civil rights organization. Its motto is "Education is Our Freedom and Freedom should be Everybody's Business". AGIF currently operates chapters throughout the United States, with a focus on veteran's issues, education,...
- MALDEF
- LULAC
- Willie C. Velasquez Institute http://www.wcvi.org/
- Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) http://www.svrep.org/
- United Farm Workers Association http://www.ufw.org/
- MEChAMEChAM.E.Ch.A. is an organization that seeks to promote Chicano unity and empowerment through political action. The acronym of the organization's name is the Spanish word mecha, which means "fuse"...
- Brown BeretsBrown BeretsThe Brown Berets is a Chicano nationalist activist group of young Mexican Americans that emerged during the Chicano Movement in the late 1960s and remains active to the present day. The group was seen as part of the Third Movement for Liberation. The Brown Berets focus on community organizing...