4th Annual National Raza Youth Liberation Conference:

Editorial Note - This summation of the 4th Annual Raza Youth Liberation Conference is directed more towards offering a critique of the struggles that came down during and after its organization. This analysis is provided to as a criticism of the problems we came across and to highlight the victories in order for us to learn and advance our work as Unión del Barrio membership. For a summation of the conference itself please refer to the December 1996 issue of Voz Fronteriza.

4th Annual National Raza Youth Liberation Conference (NRYLC) Was An Historic Event

On Saturday November 16, 1996 the Brown Berets de Aztlán, the National Chicano Moratorium Committee, Mexicanos Unidos en Defensa del Pueblo and Somos Raza/Unión del Barrio organized the 4th Annual National Raza Youth Liberation Conference (NRYLC) in Oxnard, Califas. This conference was brought together under the banner of self-determination and national liberation for the Mexicano people. A true spirit of resistance appeared in all facets of the conference - from the theatrical groups, to the cultural displays, the informative workshops, and in the different presentations by speakers and solidarity statements from throughout Occupied México. This historic gathering of over 200 youth began with an homenaje to the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN) and the Ejército Popular Revolucionario (EPR). The armed resistance being waged south of the imposed border was present, not only with the images of Sub-Comandante Marcos from the EZLN and Comandante Francisco from the EPR, but with the spirit of struggle present in the participants and in the message of the conference.

The participants of the NRYLC gathered to listen to the truly inspiring speeches from Chairman Xenaro Ayala of the historical La Raza Unida Party, from the MEChA chapter from the University of Texas-El Paso, as well as El Congreso Chicano de la Comunidad - El Paso region of the NCMC. The presence of these camaradas from Texas, shows the real unity that exists throughout the occupied territories in carrying forth a Raza Youth Movement. Seferino García from the Brown Berets de Aztlán; Camarada Hector Muro from Mexicanos Unidos en Defensa del Pueblo; and Camarada José Moreno, National Secretary of the National Chicano Moratorium Committee, made excellent presentations; Jasmin Perez, a young member of Somos Raza, also addressed the audience by describing the struggle of Mexicano youth. The African Peoples Socialist Party was also present at the NRYLC, as compañera Ufeoma Odemouso made it clear that the enemy of Africans and Mexicanos was the same - US. imperialism.

The Issues Discussed At The Conference Are What Made It A Truly Revolutionary Conference

The conference proceeded to break-up into workshops addressing various issues which are important to our Raza; the workshops included: The Chicano Power Movement; Adelante Mujer Revolucionaria Por La Liberación Nacional; Organizing Our Gente For Mexicano Power; Cultura, Identidad y Educación; and Chota, Migra, & Prisons: Key Issues.

The last workshop of the conference made the entire event real in the eyes of Raza youth in Ventura County. This workshop dealt with the intense struggle of the juventud from Fillmore, Califas. Fillmore is a small town in Ventura County in which the old style gringo-power system openly oppresses our gente with no regret. The sin-verguenza gringo ruling class in Fillmore had recently (during the 1996 "presidential elections") intensified its attacks on the majority Raza population there, and our gente resisted. This resistance opened up a new period of struggle in Fillmore and this workshop was designed to offer whatever assistance and support the compañeros from Fillmore needed to lead their struggle forward. (For more information about the struggle in Fillmore please refer to the October 1996 issue of Voz Fronteriza.)

Political Advancement And Growth Of Unión Del Barrio Activists In Oxnard And Ventura County Was A Central Victory Of The NRYLC Process

We understand clearly that the real victory of this event occurred in Oxnard and Ventura County. For the first time in recent history the National Raza Youth Liberation Conference brought to Oxnard/Ventura County Raza liberation struggle. In other words, for the last twenty plus years the Raza community of Oxnard had been rocked to sleep by hispanic vendido B.S. and gringo style colonial politics. On November 16th the youth of Oxnard and Ventura County were exposed for the first time to Mexicano National Liberation Struggle. The Mexicano working class in Ventura County was introduced to a new and liberating form of struggle outside of the hispanic-gringo framework, which our gente could define in our own interests. This was especially true in Fillmore, where the pansón gringo power structure got slapped in the face. The anti-Raza politicos of Fillmore found out that the Mexicano community they had for so long controlled and kicked around "Ya no se iba a dejar..." - Raza youth in Fillmore stood up and defended themselves.

Raza youth from Ventura County and throughout the occupied territories left the Conference's main lecture hall with the questions of struggle and national liberation on their minds. The 4th National Raza Youth Liberation Conference provided a foundation for heightened struggle in Ventura County - a new period of struggle has been opened up here. Unión del Barrio salutes the youth of Oxnard, Fillmore, and Ventura County for the brave step they have taken towards bringing "Orgullo, Dignidad, Unidad, y Poder Mexicano" to our gente.

The Gringo System Was Against The National Raza Youth Liberation Conference From The Beginning

From the very beginning of our organizing efforts for the NRYLC the gringo system tried to put obstacles in our way. At an event in San Bernardino organized by MUDP to build the NRYLC, several police agencies showed up and tried to connect our conference to the African rebellion that was coming down in St. Petersburg, Florida. It was incredible to us as organizers of the NRYLC that the gringo is so arrogant and/or stupid to think that we need something in Florida to make us want to organize ourselves for Mexicano Power.

Later, in Oxnard the "law enforcement authorities" began to ask questions about our conference and its goals. In reality they couldn't care less what we were about, they just knew that we were against them oppressing us, and this was enough for them to harass us. Rumors were spread about "counter-demonstrations" against the conference at Oxnard Community College, the conference was labeled as "pro-violence," the "legal status" of our organizers was questioned by local government "officials", harassment of the Fillmore activists was intensified, and during the conference we had at least ten "official" and "unofficial observers." (Uniformed and "undercover" police were all around the conference area, and school administration "officials" showed up to "observe.")

These chicken-shit attempts at intimidation and harassment were not affective, and the work continued forward. The Compañeras and Compañeros of Oxnard displayed political maturity and seriousness and were not shaken by these attempts by the gringo system to stop the conference.

This Conference Provided Members Of Unión The Space To Work Together And Grow As Never Before

Within Unión del Barrio, the National Raza Youth Liberation Conference opened up an arena in which our members could struggle in ways that we had never experienced. In particular, the Compañeras and Compañeros from the Oxnard unit matured politically in several ways. In practical terms they took the leadership of organizing a national conference, resolved logistical questions, struggled around ideological questions, and consolidated a more clear understanding regarding what liberation struggle is all about. It was also through this process that the National Raza Youth Liberation Conference developed a new character which provided more focus to the conference process in general. This conference was the first to take the lead on a specific burning issue in the community at a local level - the struggle in Fillmore. This transformed the nature of the conference towards focusing on the building of a base, or center of liberation struggle in Ventura County - something that had never been attempted before. All the other issues addressed in the conference were brought to life. Those of us that participated in the organizing of this conference can see clearly the power of taking the NRYLC in this direction - the conference itself can be taken to different areas in the occupied territories to introduce a base of struggle upon which liberation organization can be built and consolidated.

The NRYLC process allowed new chapters/members to work together in a way that none of us had experienced before. This was sharpened by the reality that this conference was organized totally by secondary leadership from different Unión del Barrio chapters and units. Principled struggle, liberalism, organizational accountability, and democratic centralism were issues that were intensely struggled around up until the night before the conference. This advanced and mature form of struggle had never before been addressed within the NRYLC framework, and this struggle exposed and sharpened the many contradictions that we have to resolve as Unión del Barrio members. Of course, this was all constructive and will provide a good ideological and practical base for those involved to go into the Unión del Barrio congress with.

For example, this year the NRYLC brought clarity to our role in the movement in general, and the difference between mass based coalition work versus building revolutionary organization. As we tried to define and build the Raza Youth Liberation Movement (RYLM) contradictions were forced to the surface and it became clearer to us that the leadership and physical organizing of the Raza Youth Liberation process in general and of the conference in particular, rested solely on the collective lap of Unión del Barrio cadres. This struggle forced us to look at our responsibilities in an open and honest fashion, and in the end made us recognize our liberalism and lack of leadership in general.

Overall, it was a difficult struggle, and at times emotions ran hot and discussions were not as productive as they could have been. These lessons were well taken and will serve to build and consolidate our organization in the future. Key points that could be observed and should be internalized by all Unión del Barrio members are as follows:

1. Revolutionary organization is not achieved by decree but by intense struggle. When contradictions arise we have to deal with them in a scientific, non-emotional way that builds the unity and capacity of struggle of our organization, and the movement in general.
2. When we struggle and different ideas contradict, it is a positive thing. In other words, it is healthy when we recognize contradictions because it advances us as Unión del Barrio members and makes our political understanding more solid. Struggle becomes unhealthy when we don't direct it constructively and don't offer solutions.
3. Criticism-Self-criticism must not be allowed to sink down to an ego-driven struggle. In the movement there are many strong personalities, but we must never forget that the revolution is not won by individuals. If an analysis or a struggle is not building and/or advancing the organization you can bet that it is wrong and should be studied more clearly or dropped entirely.
4. Organization is not something that can be quoted out of a book or can be stored in a bottle. Organization is the highest form of unity - political, ideological, practical, and revolutionary unity are fundamental to organization. Revolutionary organization is lead by revolutionary principles, but revolutionary principles do not always equal revolutionary organizations. This is important, and we see what misunderstanding this can do: i.e. - the "white left" of the U.S., in China, the former Soviet Union, etc.

The 4th Annual National Raza Youth Liberation Conference was a victory for the movement in general and Unión del Barrio in particular. We will struggle to internalize the lessons learned from this year's conference to insure that next year will be more successful in the building of our movement for Mexicano National Liberation. For a copy of the resolutions from the conference or for more information write to: Somos Raza, Post Office Box 620095, San Diego, Califas 92162.

¡Orgullo, Dignidad, Unidad, Y Poder Mexicano!