TACHE - ABOUT

TACHE

TACHE Presidents

Presidents from 1975-1999

75-77 Dr. Leonard Valverde

77-78 Dr. Michael Saenz *

78-79 Dr. Ernesto Ramirez

79-80 Margaret Garza

80-81 Neptali Garcia

81-82 Frank A. Longoria

82-83 Dr. Max Castillo

83-84 Dr. Baltazar Acevedo

84-85 Dr. Jude Valdez

85-86 Sylvia Ramos

86-87 Mary Helen Padilla

87-88 Joel Vela

88-89 Dr. Ramon Dovalina

89-90 Dr. Adriana Barrera

90-91 Linda Rodriguez

91-92 Sylvia Rodriguez

92-93 Rosario Torres Raines

93-94 R. Yvette Clark

94-95 Gil Castillo *

95-96 Felix Zamora

96-97 Daniel Hernandez

97-98 Dr. Juan Maldonado

98-99 Ed Apodaca

99-00 Dr. Jude Valdez

00-01 Felix Zamora

Presidents from 2000-Present

01-02 Dr. Rudy Rodriguez*

02-03 No Conference Held This Year

03-04 Dr. Ana Guzman

04-05 Dr. Elias Villarreal

05-06 Dr. Arturo Vega

06-07 Rosario Martinez Castillo

07-08 Gustavo Cedillo

08-09 Dr. Magdalena de la Teja

09-10 Gustavo Cedillo

10-11 Julie Arias

11-12 Dr. Criselda Leal

12-13 Linda Contreras Bullock

13-14 George Reyes

14-15 Julie Arias

15-16 Mauricio Rodriguez

16-17 Maria Aguirre

17-18 Belinda Saldaña Harmon

18-19 Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Palacios

19-20 Dr. Daniel Rodriguez

20-21 Daniel Villanueva Jr.

21-22 Dr. Mayra Olivares-Urueta

22-23 Dr. Florencio U. Aranda III

*Deceased

The idea of establishing a statewide organization of Chicanos in higher education originated in September 1974, with the Chicano Faculty Association of the University of Texas at Austin.

*Professors Teresa H. Escobedo, Efraim Armendariz, and Leonard A. Valverde wrote a proposal that was funded by the National Education Task Force de La Raza, Southwest Regional Office, then directed by José Cárdenas.

At a February 1975 Education of Mexican Americans conference held in Austin and sponsored by the Chicano Faculty Association, the Mexican American School Board Members Association, the Texas Association of Mexican American Educators, and the Texas Association for Bilingual Education, a steering committee was selected to plan and implement the association. Out of over 700 Chicanos in professional staff positions in higher education in Texas identified by the steering committee, 156 attended the Mexican Americans in Higher Education Conference held in San Antonio, where the constitution was approved on August 9, 1975.

Today, past presidents are encouraged to continue to serve TACHE in an advisory board capacity. This is done to ensure TACHE not only preserves its past, but that it remains current, strong and a formidable player in the higher education arena and matters of policy impacting Chicanos and the community at-large.

TACHE Seal

Approved in 1974 the TACHE seal is designed as two concentric circles. The outside circular border contains the name of the Association and the date it was established. The inside circle contains the symbol of Quetzalcoatl, the patron god of the Aztec priesthood, of learning and knowledge.

Quetzalcoatl was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates in Nahuatl, a feathered serpent. He also had anthropomorphic forms as in the TACHE logo where two forms are portrayed.

Left, Official Logo circa 1974. Right, Official Registered Logo circa 2015

Defining Chicano

Since 1974 TACHE has been committed to the improvement of educational and employment opportunities for Chicanos in higher education, and believes in diversity and inclusion regardless of background. As an association the interchangeable term "Chicano" is used to include all of a Latino or Hispanic background, as well as those who support us, however we understand that there can be many interpretations of the term.

The following excerpts shows an interpretation from three of our past Presidents.

Dr. Magdalena de la Teja (President 2008-2009)

The term Chicano is one that signifies the history and legacy of a period of racism, discrimination, and segregation in the U.S. that required a civil rights movement by Mexican Americans and others. That movement included litigation, political activism, scholarship, and other forms of resistance. TACHE is an organization that is part of that movement which remains significant today. TACHE was formed to improve the higher educational opportunities for Mexican Americans/Chicanos and support those professionals within higher education. TACHE continues to be critical since access to higher education and degree attainment for Mexican Americans/Chicanos/Hispanics/Latinos still lags that of Whites. Additionally, we need more of that group represented in the leadership of our higher education institutions. We must also be consumers of the scholarship increasingly being written by Latinos about our history and struggles, including in the form of poetry, music, and art. Inclusivity of Latinos (e.g. Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, etc.) is very important as we need to raise the higher education attainment of all these groups. Mexican Americans comprise about two-thirds of the U.S. Latinos and will continue to be a significant portion of the Latinos we serve. At this point in our history, systemic racism still exists and micro-aggressions occur. TACHE provides us with the opportunity to teach others and ourselves about advocacy, social justice, and inclusion. Additionally, TACHE provides professional development through its annual conferences and makes accessible Latino scholars and leaders who validate us and affirm that our history (including the Chicano movement), culture, and traditions are an integral part of the American experience. TACHE has also made it a high priority to provide fellowships to honor outstanding graduate students and higher education faculty and staff for their contributions in support of TACHE’s mission. TACHE has encouraged the formation of chapters on university and college campuses which has spread its influence throughout Texas and the awarding of scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students. The term Chicano as part of TACHE will forever remind us of how we started, where we’ve been, and the journey we still need to travel together into the future.

George Reyes (President 2013-2014)

Chicano - a person who identifies with Indigenous Americans who have been treated as little (Chico) or lesser than, due to discrimination, racism, and exclusion; and supports efforts to create equity in education, cultural and historic relevance and prosperity.

Dr. Leonard A. Valverde (Founding TACHE President, Chair, 1974 Steering Committee)

Why Chicano is in the name of TACHE

The original thirteen steering committee members proposed the use of the term “Chicano” based on its historical and political meaning. Additionally, in our thinking, Chicano best represented the purpose of what TACHE was designed to stand for: fair treatment and proper representation of students, staff, faculty and administrators of Mexican descent in Texas institutions of higher education, K-12 schools and society. The 1974 conference attendees voted for the name, TACHE.

The term Chicano has been used since the early 20th Century in the United States. When first used, it simply identified an individual living in the U.S. whose parents or grandparents came from Mexico. However, as time went by, the label grew to have a negative meaning. Chicano was used to describe persons who were “pocho”; someone who spoke broken English, lacked fluency in Spanish, and mixed their language by adopting slang or “galo.”

Politically, being called a Chicano meant you were low class and uneducated. Chicanos did not fit into the American melting pot scheme because they did not assimilate into a WASP society. The gringo establishment wanted “Mexican-Americans” to accept the consequences of the acculturation process, i.e., not speak Spanish, not identify with Mexican culture, and accept the Anglo Saxon version of History.

However, with the start of the 1960s, the self styled “Chicano Movement” began with events like the LA City Schools student walkouts led by Sal Castro, the Crystal City Texas school protests led by Jose Angel Gutierrez, the Cesar Chavez farm labor efforts, and the political organization of La Raza Unidad Party. These groups and leaders adopted the terms “Chicano” or “Raza” instead of Mexican-American, Latino or Hispanic.

These groups took “Chicano” and gave it a new and positive meaning. Its use reflected our beliefs. We are not “disadvantaged”, instead we are bilingual, talented and skilled. We are able to navigate two cultures and lead within our own community. We are capable of proposing solutions to problems. We will not remain silent but instead be active. We will embrace our dark skin and Indian blood line over “Spanish-European” ancestry. We stand against discrimination of all people, advocate for inclusion, justice for all, and equal opportunity.

The spirit of being Chicano was best captured by Rudy “Corky” Gonzales in his 1970 poem, “I am Joaquin.” The two following excerpts from the poem are of particular significance. The first speaks to why we chose to call ourselves Chicanos:

Here I stand

Poor in money

Arrogant with pride

Bold with Macismo

Rich in courage

Wealthy in spirit and faith.

The second excerpt is particularly apt today given the recent social and political climate. The discrimination of the 1960’s has been reborn as Mexico has been falsely blamed for sending criminals to take U.S. jobs and the desire for mass deportation of all “undocumented” immigrants, the non-violent criminal “aliens”, and innocent “dreamers.”

The odds are great

But my spirit is strong

My faith unbreakable

My blood is pure

I am Aztec Prince and Christian Christ

I SHALL ENDURE!

I WILL ENDURE!

Chicanos, now more than ever, means people who stand up and challenge those who want to eliminate the hard fought and legitimate gains of groups like TACHE. Our leaders and members must continue to support groups and institutions who want to protect the progress made by Chicanos everywhere.

Order

THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF CHICANOS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Author(s): Jose Angel Gutierrez, Natalia Verjat GutierrezISBN: 9781467130820# of Pages: 128Publisher: Arcadia PublishingOn Sale Date: 12/02/2013Binding: Softcover
# of Images: 200 Black and White

About the TACHE book

Book Description:

For the past 40 years, the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) has been on the forefront of advocacy to improve opportunity in higher education for US persons of Mexican origin. Chicano faculty at the University of Texas, together with a few Chicano students, organized the group’s first gatherings in 1974, and since then, TACHE has held thematic annual conferences that signal its mission and program focus and allow professional networking. Chicano faculty and students in colleges and universities have increased, but much still remains to be done. Although funding for education is drastically being cut, Chicano and Latino students are at the front door of higher education, and the number of college-ready students is reaching significant levels across the nation. The official designation of Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), for schools with Chicano and Latino student enrollment in excess of 25 percent, has become a badge of honor among colleges and universities.

Author Bio:

Authors and TACHE members José Angel Gutiérrez and Natalia Verjat Gutiérrez have researched numerous records and combed the archives at the University of Texas–Austin to help tell the TACHE story. They are thankful for other TACHE members who have shared their photographs to document and preserve the organization’s history.

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