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Second Place Winner Division II – 10-12 Grades Sal Castro: the Face

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Second Place Winner Division II – 10-12 Grades Sal Castro: the Face Second Place Winner Division II – 10-12th Grades Sal Castro: The face of Change by Jose Palacios East High School, Denver, Colorado Mexican Americans faced a lot of struggles in the 60s.Students were not allowed to speak Spanish on campus, they were discouraged from pursuing a college education and they were even placed in secretary classes (Precious Knowledge).It is heartbreaking to know that the problems students faced in the real world followed them in the classroom. Mexican American youth had little support from their guidance counselors. The youth were not given the opportunity to exceed their limitations. It was as if they were expected to fail. That is what led to the uprising. Sal Castro, a teacher in the LA school district was the one who proposed the idea that would start it all. This idea brought thousands of people together; activist, ex-cons, students and non-students alike. The movement started primarily in California but also spread to states like Colorado, Texas, Arizona, and parts of the United States where Mexican Americans received similar treatment. The Chicano movement was said to be, “The first loud cry for Chicano Power and self-determination” and would eventually bring some changes for the Latino Community (Munoz 66). Six schools in LA walked out on March 6, 1968. Thousands of students took the streets and shouted demands for a better education system. They wanted more Mexican American teachers, to learn about Mexican history and simply be acknowledged as equal. They protested on several occasions. Students were ready to succeed. The youth held signs that said “Viva La Raza” and “Chicano Power”. It must have been empowering to see the youth take the streets. Little did they know that many would be jailed and some even killed. Proud, dedicated and well spoken, Sal Castro embodied the leadership skills needed to make change. A war veteran and co-founder of Association of Mexican American Education, Sal had many supporters, however society saw him differently. Sal Castro was fighting for minorities, fighting for what he believed in and somehow that portrayed him as a threat. Sal and twelve other activists faced conspiracy charges. “Each of the thirteen activist faced a total of sixty six years in prison if found guilty (Munoz 68)”. I doubt the evidence they had supported the claim they made. I feel like their statement was based on fear: the fear of seeing Mexican Americans get educated and stand up for their rights. The only thing this young activist did was encourage the students to speak up and fight for justice. Sal was willing to risk it all for the movement, not only because he felt compassion towards the students but because he realized it was time for a change. Fear was not in his vocabulary. He put everything on the line and that is what truly inspires me. I want to find something that I am truly passionate about, so passionate that I am willing to die for it. Last year I was part of la Raza Youth leadership program. This program opened my eyes to many things. I met great people, learned the history of Mexican Americans, and participated in many workshops that made me aware of what is going on in the real world. It truly was a great experience. This program got me interested in Chicano History. I started reading books like Youth Identity Power, Chicano Politics: Reality and Promise, and several other books about past and present struggles Mexican Americans face. From what I read it is apparent that little has changed since the 60s. Many of the issues are still present, which is truly upsetting because we are still in La Lucha to this day. There needs to be change in the Latino Community. Immigration, discrimination and poverty are issues that Mexican Americans currently face. I want to live in a world where my father can have a job that does not put stress on his aching body, a world where Dreamers are given the opportunity to pursue a college education, where language discrimination does not exist and Mexican Americans are treated equally and not labeled as “Illegal aliens”. There is many issues and areas of studies that could greatly benefit the Latino community, but as of now I am keeping my options open and thinking about what area I want to focus on. In order to make a change in our community I feel like we should follow the ideas of Sal Castro and other activist of that time. We need to take a peaceful approach and primarily focus on spreading awareness and empower the youth. I might not be doing what Sal Castro did, but I am volunteering every Sunday at catechism, trying to set a good example for the younger kids. I am a member of LSU(Latino Students United), I will be the first in my family to go to college. I know I am a great role model for my younger siblings and I hope that one day they follow my footsteps and keep moving forward. Sal Castro inspired many activists to take a stand. His drive, heart and soul are embodied in modern leaders. They take the streets and fight for what is right. They are educators who spread their knowledge. They are artist, poets, role models who come together and become one. We are the face of change. .
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