DR. HECTOR P. GARCIA: A STUDY IN CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION LEADERSHIP A Thesis by ROSANA VANESSA GOMEZ PACHON MBA, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 2015 BS, Santo Tomas University-Colombia, 2007 Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in COMMUNICATION Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas May 2020 © Rosana Vanessa Gomez Pachon All Rights Reserved May 2020 DR. HECTOR P. GARCIA: A STUDY IN CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION LEADERSHIP A Thesis by ROSANA VANESSA GOMEZ PACHON This thesis meets the standards for scope and quality of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and is hereby approved. Anantha Babbili, PhD Michelle M. Maresh-Fuehrer, PhD Chair Co-Chair May 2020 ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate the communication leadership styles of Dr. Hector P. Garcia, a Mexican American leader in the United States. Dr. Garcia is best known for founding the American G.I. Forum social movement with a mission to protect and defend veterans’ and Hispanic Americans’ civil rights by providing access to education, health, and employment. Trait, skills, and emotional intelligence leadership styles are applied using a critical rhetorical approach. Dr. Garcia’s leadership style is a reference to analyze, understand, and apply the different concepts, theories, and approaches concerning effective leadership. The results of this study demonstrate that Dr. Hector P. Garcia was a transformational and servant leader who used charismatic and authentic communication to build a relationship with followers. These findings illustrate how Dr. Garcia used different tools of persuasion such as ethos, logos, pathos, and civic spaces to deliver and engage in communication with his followers. Dr. Garcia’s rhetoric resonated with followers by creating a shared cultural identity due to similitudes such as cultural background, and experiences with racism and discrimination. Dr. Garcia’s leadership may be used as a model for today’s Mexican American leaders that are trying to generate change in society. Keywords: cross-cultural leadership; neo-Aristotelian criticism; servant leadership, transformational leadership, Mexican American studies, social movements v DEDICATION To my parents and family, who have inspired me every day to work hard to achieve my professional and personal dreams. A mis padres y familia quienes me han inspirado cada día para trabajar duro, para poder alcanzar todos mis sueños tanto personales como profesionales. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Anantha Babbili, and co-chair Dr. Michelle M. Maresh-Fuehrer, for their guidance and support throughout the course of this research. I would like to thank Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation for selecting me as the first recipient of Dr. Hector P. Garcia Fellowship 2019. This prestigious fellowship is a huge contribution to students like me to pursue and achieve their academic achievements. Thanks also go to the Archives and Special Collections Department of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi for their support and guidance in accessing to Dr. Garcia’s papers located in the library Mary and Jeff Bell of TAMUCC. Thanks to their support, I was able to access critical information that is incorporated throughout this study. And last but not least, thanks also go to my love that has supported me since I started this thesis, to my friends Bobby and Sebastian who helped me with professional support and friendship, colleagues and the department faculty and staff for making my time at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi an enjoyable experience. Specially, I want to thank Dr. Stephanie Rodriguez for her support and guidance in all the paperwork involved every semester for this thesis. I also want to extend my gratitude to my parents for their support and for encouraging me to keep working in finishing this thesis research. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................ viii LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER I .................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 Dr. Garcia’s Background ............................................................................................................ 5 Dr. Garcia’s Contributions to Education in South Texas ......................................................... 10 Dr. Garcia’s Leadership in Texas ............................................................................................. 10 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................. 12 CHAPTER II ................................................................................................................................. 13 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................. 13 Trait Approach to Leadership ................................................................................................... 15 Emotional Intelligence (EI) Approach to Leadership ............................................................... 19 Skills Approach to Leadership .................................................................................................. 23 Transformational Leadership .................................................................................................... 28 Servant Leadership ................................................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER III ............................................................................................................................... 41 viii ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................. 41 Neo-Aristotelian Criticism ........................................................................................................ 41 Artifacts .................................................................................................................................... 45 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 46 CHAPTER IV ............................................................................................................................... 49 ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................... 49 Dr. Garcia’s Rhetorical Agency ................................................................................................ 49 Dr. Garcia’s Leadership Style ................................................................................................... 67 CHAPTER V ................................................................................................................................ 74 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................... 74 Limitations of the Study ........................................................................................................... 82 Suggestions for Future Research .............................................................................................. 82 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 82 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 85 LIST OF APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 94 Appendix A: Biography, Awards and Honors for Dr. Hector P. Garcia 96 Appendix B: Hate letter sent to Dr. Garcia 101 Appendix C: Urgent Notice to the American GI Forum 102 Appendix D: English-Only Movement Poster 103 Appendix E: Corpus Times Newspaper Abuse by Law Enforcement 104 Appendix F: Back to School Flyer and Rally Poster 105 ix Appendix G: Vacate and School Segregation Newspaper 106 Appendix H: Poster to Register to Vote 107 Appendix I: Viva Kennedy Newspaper Article 108 Appendix J: Photos of Dr. Garcia in a Civic Protest 109 Appendix K: Viva Kennedy Club Letter (radio station) 110 Appendix L: Martin Luther King Jr. Telegram 111 Appendix M: Cesar Chavez Thank You Letter 112 Appendix N: Passionate Letter of Education Written by Dr. Garcia 113 Appendix O: Junior GI Forum Letter 114 Appendix P: A Letter written in Spanish sent by one of Dr. Garcia’s Patient 115 Appendix Q: Response Letter in Spanish written by Dr. Garcia 117 Appendix R: Letter to President Frank McGee about Evelyn Miller Statement 118 Appendix S: Felix Longoria’s Telegram to President Lyndon B. Johnson 119 Appendix T: P.A.S.O Flyer 120 Appendix U: Viva Johnson