Woman’s Bid for Top LULAC Post Fails

A San Antonio businessman at an Anaheim convention fought off an attempt Sunday by an El Toro woman to become the first woman president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the nation’s oldest and largest Latino organization.

Oscar Moran, 40, a San Antonio insurance regulations analyst, turned back the bid by Anita Del Rio, 44, who made a concession statement near the end of voting after it became apparent that Moran had won a majority of the 600 Latino delegates.

Founded in 1929 in Texas, the league has been closely associated with civil rights causes. Membership includes 110,000 members in the United States.

Del Rio said later that she conceded “for the sake of unity. I wanted to be the person to move to elect Oscar Moran by acclamation.”

Clashed With Feminists

Del Rio, who has clashed with some Latina feminists during the year because she promotes a “traditional” woman’s role, said she purposely asked her husband, Raymundo, and her two sons to accompany her to the podium.

“I wanted everybody to see that Anita Del Rio who ran for the president’s office also has her full family at her side. They are my No. 1 priority,” she said.

Del Rio, who helped to found the Irvine LULAC chapter, said she will continue to be active in LULAC activities but also will consider running for public office, possibly for a school board or municipal water district post.

After the election, Moran said his first priority will be in education to help motivate Latino underachievers. He noted that the Latino high school dropout rate nationally is 45%, compared to 17% for Anglos. He did not elaborate on any particular plan.

Son of a Plumber

Moran, the son of a Texas plumber, is destined to become one of the most visible Latino spokesmen in the United States as the new LULAC president. Moran succeeds Mario Obledo, two-time national president, who served as director of health, education and welfare under former California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. and is now practicing law in Sacramento.

Members voted to “aggressively” oppose any constitutional amendment making English the official language in the United States and legislation by U.S. Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyoming) that would would penalize employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers.

LULAC members claim such laws would be discriminatory to U.S. citizens of Latino heritage.