By
the mid-1960s, there was a growing sense of Chicano self-identity. Political movements were not far
behind. The First Chicano National Conference, held in Denver in 1969, produced
"El Plan de Aztlan.”
EL
PLAN ESPIRITUAL DE AZTLAN
In the spirit of a new people that is conscious not only of its proud historical heritage but also of the brutal "gringo" invasion of our territories, we, the Chicano inhabitants and civilizers of the northern land of Aztlan from whence came our forefathers, reclaiming the land of their birth and consecrating the determination of our people of the sun, declare that the call of our blood is our power, our responsibility, and our inevitable destiny.
We
are free and sovereign to determine those tasks which are justly called for by
our house, our land, the sweat of our brows, and by our hearts. Aztlan belongs to those who plant the seeds, water the
fields, and gather the crops and not to the foreign Europeans. We do not
recognize capricious frontiers on the bronze continent.
Brotherhood unites us, and love for our brothers makes us a people whose
time has come and who struggle against the foreigner "gabacho"
who exploits our riches and destroys our culture. With our heart in our hands
and our hands in the soil, we declare the independence of our mestizo nation. We are a bronze people with a bronze
culture. Before the world, before all of
Por La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza
nada.
El
Plan Espiritual de Aztlan
sets the theme that the Chicanos (La Raza de Bronze)
must use their nationalism as the key or common denominator for mass
mobilization and organization. Once we are committed to the idea and philosophy
of El Plan de Aztlan, we can only conclude that
social, economic, cultural, and political independence is the only road to
total liberation from oppression, exploitation, and racism. Our struggle then
must be for the control of our barrios, campos,
pueblos, lands, our economy, our culture, and our political life. El Plan
commits all levels of Chicano society-the barrio, the campo, the ranchero, the
writer, the teacher, the worker, the professional-to La Causa.
Nationalism
Nationalism as the key to organization transcends
all religious, political, class, and economic factions or boundaries.
Nationalism is the common denominator that all members of La Raza can agree upon.
Organizational
Goals
1. UNITY in the thinking of our people concerning the barrios, the pueblo, the campo, the land, the poor, the middle class, the professional-all committed to the liberation of La Raza.
2.
ECONOMY.
Economic control of our lives and our communities can only come about by
driving the exploiter out of our communities, our pueblos, and our lands and by
controlling and developing our own talents, sweat, and resources....
3.
EDUCATION must be relative to our people, i.e., history, culture, bilingual
education, contributions, etc. Community control of our
schools, our teachers, our administrators, our counselors, and our programs.
4.
INSTITUTIONS
shall serve our people by providing the service necessary for a full life and
their welfare on the basis of restitution, not handouts or beggar's crumbs. Restitution for past economic slavery, political exploitation,
ethnic and cultural psychological destruction and denial of civil and human
rights. Institutions in our community which do not serve the people have
no place in the community. The institutions belong to the people.
5.
SELF-DEFENSE of the community must rely on the combined strength of the people.
The front line defense will come from the barrios, the campos,
the pueblos, and the ranchitos. Their involvement as
protectors of their people will be given respect and dignity. They in turn
offer their responsibility and their lives for their people. Those who place
themselves in the front ranks for their people do so out of love and carnalismo....
6.
CULTURAL
values of our people strengthen our identity and the moral backbone of the
movement. Our culture unites and educates the family of La Raza
towards liberation with one heart and one mind. We must insure that our
writers, poets, musicians, and artists produce literature and art that is
appealing to our people and relates to our revolutionary culture. Our cultural
values of life, family, and home will serve as a powerful weapon to defeat the
gringo dollar value system and encourage the process of love and brotherhood.
7. POLITICAL LIBERATION can only come through indepen- dent action on our part, since the two-party
system is the same animal with two heads that feed from the same trough. Where
we are a majority, we will control; where we are a minority, we will represent
a pressure grou ; nationally, we will represent one party: La Familia de La Raza!
Action
1. Awareness and distribution of El Plan Espiritual de Aztlan. Presented
at every meeting, demonstration, confrontation, courthouse, institution,
administration, church, school, tree, building, car, and every place of human
existence.
2.
September 16, on the birthdate of Mexican
Independence, a national walk-out by all Chicanos of all colleges and schools
to be sustained until the complete revision of the educational system: its
policy makers, administration, its curriculum, and its personnel to meet the
needs of our community.
3.
Self-defense against the occupying forces of the oppressors at every school,
every available man, woman, and child.
4.
Community nationalization and organization of all Chicanos: El Plan Espiritual de Aztlan.
5.
Economic program to drive the exploiters out of our community and a welding together of
our people's combined resources to control their own production through cooperative
effort.
6.
Creation of an independent local, regional, and national political party.
A nation autonomous and free-culturally, socially,
economically, and politically--will make its own decisions on the usage of our
lands, the taxation of our goods, the utilization of our bodies for war, the
determination of justice (reward and punishment), and the profit of our sweat.
El
Plan de Aztlan is the plan of liberation!