Eddie Canales: the Role of La Raza Unida Party in the American Political Process
Eddie Canales, Chair of the Texas Central Committee of La Raza Unida Party, discusses recent changes to the party’s structure and strategy. In 1980, Raza Unida held its first constitutional convention where they restructured the party. Now its membership would be based on community organizations instead of individual counties. Canelas explains that the change reflects the party’s desire to focus on organizing at the grassroots level so as to build and develop its local membership. The party will also have state central committees whose members are part of community organizations or Raza Unida chapters and must represent at least 25 constituents. Canales says that each member will have specific tasks that contribute to the overall organizational structure and strategy.
Canales also explains that Raza Unida will remain a third party to allow Chicanos a place to make their opinions heard and demand political changes. He explains that while the two mainstream parties have put Chicanos in political office, the overall community has yet to see any significant changes. Moreover, since voter turn out is declining, Raza Unida will now focus on making change outside of the electoral process. He believes that one day they will resurface in local, state and national elections, but that will happen when the party has established a solid base within local communities and regions.
He then discusses the upcoming Raza Unida Conference in New Mexico that will address the party’s organizational problems and develop communications between the Raza Unida Party in Texas and other states.
KEYWORDS
AlbuquerqueArizona
Boycotts
California
Chicano Representation in Politics
Community Organizations
Constitution
County Politics
Democratic Party
Eddie Canales
Education
Elections
Electoral Politics
Employment
Farm Workers
Grassroots Organizing
Health Care
Housing
Immigration Services Center of Houston, Texas
Jose Angel Gutierrez
Juan Jose Peña
Kingsville, Texas
La Raza Unida Party
League of United Latin American Citizens
LULAC
New Mexico
Police brutality
Political Party
Ramses Muñiz
Raza Unida Central Committee
Republican Party
Texas
Third Party Politics
Third World Movement
Unions
Voter Turn-out