Mexican American Political Association

Template:TOCnestleft Mexican American Political Association is highly influential in Southern California politics.

Founding

In 1959 Ed Roybal, Communist Party USA member Bert Corona and Eduardo Quevedo met in Fresno to form the Mexican American Political Association.

MAPA\Rainbow

In 1988 Mexican American Political Association endorsed Jesse Jackson for president.

Two Mexican American Political Association leaders Ben Benavidez and Jenaro Valdez were Jesse Jackson delegates to the the Democratic Party convention in Atlanta Georgia..

1991 conference

At the 1991 MAPA conference Ben Benavidez defeated Sacramento attorney Steve Ybarra, to secure another two year term as state and national president. Mario Obledo, board chair of the National Rainbow Coalition, said "Ben Bienvidez is one of the great leaders of our time".

Also elected to the executive board were Israel Chavez (youth organizer), Enrique Vela (state organizer), and Nellie Trujillo, Oscar de la O, Hortensia Solis and Jenaro Valdez.

Israel Chavez worked through a youth center in Fresno, organizing high school MEChA chapters.

John Palafox of MAPA de Valle was also present.

1992 MAPA endorsement meeting

Over 130 delegates to the Mexican American Retro Region Primary Endorsing Convention in Los Angeles April 25, 1992 voted to endorse those Congressional, State Senate, Assembly, and county supervisor candidates who took the strongest pro labor and pro immigrant stands.

Guest speakers were Maria Elena Durazo, President of Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 11, Gilbert Cedillo of Service Employees Local 660, and Alfredo Pascoy of the Mexico's Revolutionary Democratic Party.

State Assemblyman Xavier Becerra won the Mexican American Political Association's support to be the Democratic candidate for the 30th District after he pledged support for extending unemployment benefits for the full length of joblessness.

Communist official

In 1992 Communist Party USA member David Trujillo was Chair of Los Angeles' Northeast Chapter of the Mexican American Political Association

Martinez Jobs Bill

The April 9 1994 Los Angeles state wide convention of the Mexican American Political Association, unanimously approved a public works jobs resolution.

Jose Chacon, MAPA's metro region organizer told the People's World "Mexican-Americans have every reason to go all out, hand-in-hand with labor to support this bill. its a matter of survival"

Addressing MAPA's convention banquet Rep. Matthew Martinez said that he was looking at the Works Progress Administration legislation passed in 1935 as a guide for the public works bill - popularly known as the Martinez Jobs Bill.

Current president

Nativo Lopez is currently the National President of the Mexican American Political Association and Hermandad Mexicana Latinomamericana (, which requires of him full-time advocacy for the civil, human, labor, and immigrant rights of Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and Latinos throughout the United States.

He has dedicated his life to these causes since his years as a high school student where he founded the first student movement organization, United Mexican American Students . He was born in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles in 1951 to Mexican American parents, and is of both eighth-generation native U.S. born and immigrant stock. Nativo Lopes met the legendary immigrant organizer, leader, and advocate, Humberto “Bert” Corona, in 1971 and worked with him in various capacities for thirty years with the organizations Center for Autonomous Social Action , Hermandad Mexicana, and MAPA. He was a lead organizer in the 2006 pro-immigrant marches and was part of the creation of the National Alliance for Immigrant’s Rights (NAIR) in Chicago, Illinois.

References

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