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Urzua, Louis (audio interview #1 of 1)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This short interview was conducted by a student. 5/1/1972
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- 2020-03-20
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- *** File: mamlurzua1.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-3:20)... Louis Urzua was born and raised in the west side of Santa Barbara. He grew up in a neighborhood with only few other Mexican families. When he was growing up, there was no Chicano movement. There were Mexican American organizations and some young people that rebelled against things such as the segregated schools he attended in both Carpenteria and Goleta. (3:20-7:08)... When Urzua was growing up, there were gangs in Santa Barbara. He was a pachuco in the 1940s. Pachucos rebelled against discrimination and against members of their own families who had become Americanized. Pachuco were the precursors of the Chicano movement. Mexican Americans didn't exactly fit into either Mexican or American society. (7:08-12:09)... Urzua was involved in organizations, such as the GI Forum and the American Legion. The GI Forum was started to fight discrimination but, in Urzua's opinion, turned into a social club. A lot of good things have been done by organizations like MEChA and the Brown Berets. They emphasized education and were important in spreading awareness. La Raza Unida Party could be an alternative to Republicans and Democrats who don't deal with issues that are important to Chicanos, but it will take a long time for it to develop. Urzua says that older people are not interested in change and only the younger people fight for progress. (12:09-17:17)... Urzua says that bilingual education is important for both current Chicano students and for those preparing to become teachers for the next generation of Chicanos. Teaching kids to be bilingual helps them in both English and Spanish speaking students, giving them an advantage and allowing them to serve as communicators between cultures. Understanding Spanish allows Chicanos to fully appreciate and understand their own culture. (17:17-21:41)... Urzua marched in the Chicano Moratorium demonstration against the war in Vietnam in East Los Angeles. Before the demonstration began, he saw helicopters and several busloads of riot police, It was a peaceful march of 20,000 people over a six mile route, ending with a rally in a park. That's where the trouble started. The Brown Berets had a Junior Beret Drill Team and they sent them home in a bus, but those who stayed got caught in the riot that followed. Law enforcement officers just started hitting everyone. And Urzua believes the police murdered Ruben Salazar. (21:41-27:35)... Although there was some division among Chicano groups, Urzua says that this was part of the process of organizing the Chicano community. There was a division between the younger generation of Chicanos and the older generation. The Brown Berets and MEChA, he says, were the most effective groups in the Santa Barbara area. (27:35-33:00)... Some Mexicans put down the Chicano movement because they have already improved their lives by emigrating to the US. Chicanos, on the other hand, were not content with just a few improvements. Instead, they demanded equal rights and opportunities. And Chicanos didn't only fight for their own rights, but also for rights for Mexicans as well. (33:00-34:42)... Urzua says that the larger society sometimes encouraged fighting between Mexicans and Chicanos to create divisions and competition among workers. The Chicano movement struggled again these divisions by trying to create awareness of common goals among members of minority communities and encouraging people to never give up. End of tape
- SUBJECT BIO - Louis Urzua participated in the Chicano movement. He grew up in Santa Barbara and, as a young man, became a pachuco. He believes the pachucos were precursors of the Chicano movement and were rebelling again discrimination such as the segregated schools he attended. Later he became involved in the Brown Berets and marched in the Chicano Moratorium against the Vietnam War. He believes Chicanos and Mexican immigrants should work together and even when elements in the large society try to play them off against each other. This short interview was conducted by a student. TOPICS - Topics on this side of the tape include, growing up in Santa Barbara, segregated schools, pachucos, GI Forum, La Raza Unida Party, Brown Berets, MEChA, bilingualism and Chicano Moratorium;
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