Propositions Rally Community Perseverance and resiliency were evident in the surge of protests against social inequities with the continued presence of student movements on high school and college campuses.
and public assistance programs to immigrants—or anyone suspected of being an undocumented immigrant.
“The year 1994 marked a life journey of social justice for me,” – Guadalupe Corona
Because the proposed law would require state and local agencies to “report persons who are suspected illegal aliens…” to state and federal authorities, many in the Latino activists community regarded it as potentially detrimental to all Latinos. “The year 1994 marked a life journey of social justice for me,” explained Southwestern College academic advisor Guadalupe Corona. “For us, it was not just community, but [Proposition 187] was also our friends who were being under attack, and their families.” At the time, Corona was a San Diego State college student involved in campus government, the Associated Student Body, and used that platform to bring attention to defeat Proposition 187. “We did pass legislation in our student government to vote against Proposition 187, and that was like a call for us to be diligent and involved in this work. We ran for student government and in the history of San Diego State, it was the first time three Latinos got elected to the student body to represent over 28,000 students. And that was unheard of in the history of our campus. And we took a lot of pride because that let us know that if we can organize the students, we can organize our community.”
State Ballot Measure Proposition 187. Passed, 58.9% of Vote, November 9, 1994
During the 1990s, numerous political ballot measures targeted the Latino community in California. None rallied students and community activists more than the November 9, 1994, passage of Proposition 187, the so-called “Save Our State” initiative that sought to deny public services, admission to schools and hospitals,
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San Diego Latino Legacy – Timeline • Milestones • Stories
Chapter 6 – Perseverance
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