San Diego resident David Valladolid had just returned from Vietnam and was still healing from his war injuries when his brothers talked him into attending the Chicano Moratorium. He called it a “real miserable experience” after just coming out of a combat situation in Vietnam. It was that horrendous event in L.A. that brought David clarity about the Chicano Movement, prompting him to become an activist. Political Representation The brutal repression of the Chicano Moratorium proved instructive and became a turning point in Chicano activism. In its aftermath, some activists abandoned the struggle while others continued their quest for justice and equity and turned to electoral politics, coining a new slogan: “Su voto es su voz,” (Your vote is your voice). Educator Pete Chacon was elected in 1970 to the State Assembly, becoming the first Latino from San Diego County to be elected to the Assembly. He held the office for more than 22 years. During that time, the Air Force veteran became a champion for bilingual education, challenging decades of language suppression and discrimination.
In 1971, Gilbert Robledo ran as a candidate for San Diego Mayor under the banner of La Raza Unida Party. Although he was unsuccessful, he mobilized Chicanos to participate in the voting process. On January 23, 1975, local businessman Jess D. Haro became the first Latino to be appointed and subsequently elected to the San Diego City Council. The former Marine Corps officer held the District 8 seat until 1978. During his tenure, he advocated for removal of junkyards in Barrio Logan, supported the development of the San Diego Trolley, and challenged the City’s low levels of Latino employment. Haro became the chairman of the Chicano Federation of San Diego County and from 1980–1991 led the organization. In 1988, under the leadership of Haro, Executive Director Irma Castro and attorney Michael Aguirre, and his partner Pat Meyer, the Federation filed a federal Voting Rights Act lawsuit. Aguirre cited a U.S. Senate Judicial Committee report identifying San Diego as a likely violator of the Voting Rights law—because over decades no Latino was elected in San Diego’s at-large elections. Under tight supervision from the U.S. District Court, the City of San Diego in 1990 agreed to reapportion all city districts so that Latinos would have a fighting chance to be elected outright. Since 1993, district voters have elected Latinos to represent them.
In 1976, he co-authored the Chacon-Moscone Bilingual Bicultural Education Act and became known by Chicanos as the “Father of Bilingual Education.” The Act was credited with greatly assisting limited and non-English speaking children to learn the English language. Assemblymember Chacon was one of the founders of the Chicano Legislative Caucus in 1973, which today boasts 29 members from the Assembly and Senate.
Peter Chacon – June 3, 1970 79 th District State Assemblymember (Photo courtesy Joe Holly, The San Diego Union-Tribune )
Chairman Chicano Federation Jess D. Haro – March 3, 1981 Speaking before San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Photo courtesy The San Diego Union-Tribune )
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San Diego Latino Legacy – Timeline • Milestones • Stories
Chapter 4 – The Rise & Legacy of the Chicano Movement
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