Week 2 Blog Response

Blog Response 2


Maylei's "Chicana Power!" discusses much of the history behind Chicana actvism and specifically the story of youth Chicana educational activism in LA colleges. It talks about how Chicanas had trouble getting their voices heard because in a lot of Chicana/Chicano organizations, the males dominated, assumed all the leadership positions, and in many cases harassed and belittled female members. MEChA is an example of a prominent activism organization that helped fight for Chicano rights in general, but denied the women in its organization their rights and what they were fighting for as women. Women therefore organized on their own: "Because their political needs were not being addressed, they organized on their own behalf. Yet they also remained in MEChA, often carrying out the day-to-day work that keeps an organization running" (Maylei 89). Some of the struggles faced in activism are shared by Alice Bag, who recounts her experience with marches turned dark and ugly. Her description of injustice and the hardships of activism agree with Maylei's descriptions and show how truly difficult and often met with tragedies that Chicana activism was in the 60s and 70s. Many Chicana groups that were influential in the 60s and 70s in LA were rap groups that emerged: "Rap and study groups were part of the student movement's consciousness-raising efforts" (Maylei 83). As Maylei described, art-making practices were often key parts of social movements, her example being rap groups raising consciousness of the movement and relevant issues. This furthers the examples of art as activism we have studied already from Maya Jupiter and Amelia Mesa-Baines. 

- Lucas