The Fight for Latino Studies Will Continue

In response to Mr. Dan Connelly of Santa Ana (Letters, Sept. 26): It is unfortunate that (he) feels that the Fullerton march for Chicana and Chicano studies was a waste and should have been directed toward “a solution to the havoc brought by the Latino street gangs.”

If he only knew, if only all of the Orange County conservatives said “time-out, let’s understand why gang violence persists and what is to be done.”

Three hundred of Orange County’s brightest Latino college students could turn into 30,000 college students only if we have a curriculum that includes us and our struggles and the education we deserve.

With this education we bring back our knowledge of history, culture, language, and our belonging here in order to move these youths, who happen to be in a gang. The resolutions come hand in hand with education of our past, present, and future as Chicanas and Chicanos.

Understand this Orange County/Santa Ana conservatives: In a city that is largely Chicano and Latino, we get a grip on all avenues of reality, these places being the schools, street, family, inhabitants, culture, history, problems, and the changes that have to occur in order to produce these changes.

This is about backing up that motto of Santa Ana--Education First!

We’re going to be sure to keep on demanding Chicana and Chicano studies. This fight is meaningful in halting gang violence and becoming proactive in the communities where years from now, young Chicano or Chicana “gang bangers” may be your city official or mayor.

RENEE RODRIGUEZ

Santa Ana