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    Espinosa - 1999 - The Federation of Michoacan Clubs in Illinois

    Uploaded by

    Víctor M. Espinosa

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 35
    THE FEDERATION OF MiICHOACAN CLUBS IN ILLINOTS aI Ke eee IC erecta ass Caen it ‘An initiative cf Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights Supported by the Chicago Community Trust Se enisag rs) ‘The Federation of Michoacén Clubs in linos:_the Chicago-Michoacén Project Report ‘An iniaive of Heardand Allance for Human Needs & Human Rights Supported by the Chicago Comminiy Tit Executive Summary In this repr, Vieor Espinosa, an iumigraton researcher educated atthe Colegio de Michoacén, ecounts the development and orpniaton ofthe Federation of Michoaen Clubs in Minot. The report has much to offer to US. community leaders and others interested in understanding US. Mexico elation through the eyes ofthe leadership of dynamic philanthropic orgatzation composed of and organized by Mexican ‘migra, Each yer, Mexican immigrants in the US. send berween $4 and 6 billion dlls home, demonstrating & faith in Mexico fr deeper than investors and speculators who keep thei sets outside ofthe country ard lack vision ofa better ftw for Mexico. While most immigrant remittances goto individual fails, 4 certain percentage i channeled through Mexican hometown clubs and federations - growing organizations of Mexican immigrans involved in inrastracrre and economic development project in their communities of origin. There ace curently more than 400 Mexican hometown clubs and associations in the Unite States. The Federation of MichoacSin Clu in Ilinos is composed of fourteen hometown clubs of Micheacanos who live in and round Chicago lino. ‘The report as five major findings: 1. Theformaton of Mexican hometown astociation inthe US gras oot response tothe testes, placed on communities undergoing rapid change i a loblising society. Minis Michoacanos have an ethic of community esponsibility tha transcends national boundaries 2. The fourteen Mexican hometown asoclations which make up the nos Federation of Michoscén (Clubs depend ently on volunteer work and voluntary contaibuslons froma their members. They have developed high standards of accountbiliry and serve asa model of international, gat ots palanehopy. 3. Merican immigrants who form hometown ssccatons ate often fom nial communities which have lostjobs and population uring the economie restructuring of Mico over the patttwo decades, The Projects they underakein thee communities of origin are intended ro mitigate thove problems and ‘reserve community if. Projects completed by contributions from Ilinoi- based Michoaen clubs {include constrction and repair of brides, roads, schoo and churches os well as water stems and recreational facilities in their communities of riin. The Chicago Michoacin rojet Report Seprenber 1999 “4. The Michoacén hometown asocatons inthis study have develope slong smile paths, which key ler a common experience among Mexican immigrant hometown asncatons across the US, a follows “The intial motivations ae nostalgia forthe home community, a desi to retum, and a quest for ‘community in the US. “The principal organizational base forthe Ilinois Michoacanos hasbeen the hometowr-level sociation; immigrants fom a single town often work together or Ie in the same community Hometown clubs start as soccer cabs of as organizations that raise money to support town specie religious festival im the hometowns of in the US, and are ran entsely by volunteer labor, Hometown clubs ater take on social and economic development projects in her communities of ‘rain, working in conjunction with Mexican local, ate or federal gvernment entities ehh ‘various "natching” programs and Homecown clubs form state-wide federations (Leal of the hometown cabs from Micha ‘operating in Ilincis) to increase their coordination, the scale of th projects which they «in undertake, and their leverage with Mexican goverment officials 5 In order to prosper and grow, Mexican hometown association sre forming larger organizations (watewide federations) and seeking relationships with other entities in the US. and. Mexicn Which share common interests in community anc job development in albalisng economy. Tie Ching Mchoatn Pres Reps Sipe 1999 in {fer more than ten yeas inthe U.S, Salar Ballo became a legal permanent resident, He Michoacin Projet Bere ‘Sepeonbor 1099 aolesence, pefect thelr Spanish, and learn ‘Mexicn-eastoms and values. Others have simply resigned themselves oliving in the US. and watt for the day to ative when they can retire and «enjoy their old age in their beloved hometowns in Mexico [Nostalgia forthe quiet life oftheir hometowne reinforced by a temendous deste wo return howe, and the need to create community in a foreign and sometimes homie society are the forces which have motivated the Michoacanos to ‘organize. In dhe majoiey of cases, the clube sare in two very basic form of organization: the formation of spors teams and creation of committes to cary out religious activities in Michoacén and Chicago. As will become apparent, very few of the clubs originated with the central goal of earring out community evelopment projects in their hometowns. This activity has come about as the resule of a combination of factors over and above their original organizational initiatives. Soccer Clubs: a Base for Immigrant Organizations Playing sport an forming steam i one ofthe most basic forms of voluntary asocation that lmlgrans cea. For the Michoacanos, paying soccer in Chicago isnot the sme as it wasin heir Thome towns, In the context of life in a new socier, something as simple as geting together to play soccer has entirely diferent implications. Tr Chicag, sports serves the immigrants both at an escape fom the oppresive rouine of manwal labor and as a means of staying in contac with fiends, relatives, and others fom their home towns. Ie sal a way of clalming a space inthe city and beginning to conract a public sense of When playing sports becomes 2 consistent practice, i keep young people away Som vies and bring the generations born here into contact with those who have recently rived fiom Mexico, thus sinfrcing thie entiation with Mexico and, more specifically, with thee pent homezours “The history of each of the clubs tha form part of the Federation could ealy illustrate thie point Allof che clubs ae involved in either plying ot organising seer clubs. This process i very cleat In the case of Clb Huago. Luis Soco and sme of his fend and relatives from Ciudad Hidalgo tho lived on the North sd of Cicago began to get together co play soccer in the park nese Montrose Harbor. At chat time, Luis wat a cook fina hotel where thete were many workers fom his home town. One day Luis and compny challenged che workers fom another hotel to a fame of soccer, The news of the informal challenge spread through the communi and the layer wives, children, and Bend nine out to suppor their eam. This game became che fie mar socal gathering of slot al ofthe people fiom Ciudad Hidalgo in Chicago. At this event ‘the ides arose to sata team made up of players fiom Chutad Hidalgo to play in the cisy-wide league. Ando the Club Deportivo Tajimorca wat born known today a6 “Taj,” the second Mexican ‘eam wo rege inthe Chicago Park District adult soccer Teague. For many yeats, che teams practices and epectallydheir Sanday ares were Importan socal evens each weck fo the people of Ciudad Hidalgo in Chicago. Thanks to the support ofthe fans and the enthasiaem of the The Che Mihoacn Prot Report Sepenber 1999, player, the team won its lague championship tnd moved wo higher category. ‘Bur a competitive team needs nancial resources +o pay Teague dues, torent apace to en ding ‘he winer, and to buy uniforms and equipment. ‘The manages ofthe Tajimoroa had to learn how to organise dances and other events ‘0 rate smoney to support che tam. The dances, cu, required more sophisticated organizing than the team itself because the group needed cash advances torent a all, buy food and drinks, end contact musicians. Organising the dances, therefore, helped form a Teadesihip group and 2 reinforced a sense of community or the people of Ciudad Hidalgo in Chicago. Eventual, word of the soccer team and the organization behind ic seached all che way to Michoacén. The club had ‘o expand ts objectives when the town pris, and Inter the Civdad Hidalgo municipal president, visited Chicago to ak for help with ‘projects ack in Michoacén. ‘The soccer experience is something repeated in hundeeds of immigrant communities, chough many never get 10 the pone of carrying out projects their hometowns. Some group simply lappear due to “burn out inceral conflicts, the ile of che nest generation to takeover: In other instances, at was the cise of the Michoscanos fom La Lar who lived in Waukegan, Minis, socer serly divided an Simmigrant community, There were two soccer teams made up of men fiom La Luz in the ‘Waukegan league. The games turned into ‘portunities to vent bad feling, even among sen from the same family who played on diferent The Chicago Michoactn Project Report teams, [ewan unt the formation ofthe United Community of La Liz, a club designed 0 do projects in the community of origin, that the Aivisions within the Waukegan community of La ‘Ls residents ended. The origina dea behind the lub was to beter organize the annual festival of the pation saint of La Luz, Micheacén. However, the community reponse was much lage and more enthusiastic than the founders had sqwelpaed, prompting the club 10 raise its expectations Religious Festivals: a Catalyst pagar chr Similar to organised spors, the formation of commites linked to religious activities has been «basic form of community organising for ‘migrants fom Michosc dn. Ie is important to note that among Mexican immigrants, chere 3 tradition to recur to Mexico (usally during the wie) tobe present atthe most important social event ofthe year in their communities of origin: the festival in honor of the town's patron saint, the protector of the entire community. The fesval are the perfect occasion for migrants to Alipay what they eared in the US, lok for love, propose marriage, buy land, and develop closer relations berween those who stayed inthe town and thore whole forthe US. ‘These homecomings have grown in many aes of Michoacin especialy since the 1986 imigration amnesty La a lawful permanent evidence has ‘made traveling between Chicago and Michoacén mach let risky for many miggant. Since chen, certain festivals in Michoscin have become ‘Sepeber 1999 famons forthe amount of ere) that community rmembess who lve and workin the US. spend on thei organisation, reworks, and music. The United Community of La Las in Waukegan, line's, the youngest club in the Michoacén Federation, came together with the specific go of expanding and improving the annual festa in The festivals are the perfect cccasion for migrants to display what they eared in the U.S., look for love, propose marriage, buy land, and develop closer relations between those who stayed in the town and the town of La Lu, Michoucén. Before the club existed, one ofthe migrants get together once they aeived in La Law 10 help pay fF the fireworks and a aa fo the January fica. However, Rogelio Fajardo and would those tho left forthe U.S, Rawle Fad and the festival could be much beter if they started organising and collecting money back in ‘Waukegan. In 1996, Rogelio Fajardo anda smal up of ftceds in Waukegan convened the ist planning meeting forthe feta of La Lut in Michoacén. With just afew shone calls, forty people met at Rogliss house. The organizes explained their idea form cub like others in Waukegan made up of people from one hometown, As Rogelio explained ie, “since so many other Mexican communities have organised succesful events back home, why not form a club to improve and enlarge the fsa in La Lan” ‘The community response was greater chan the founders ever imagined, Thre months later, the same group held «meting n'a Waukegan church to dlecea commie; nearly 200 people artended, Tn a secret ballot election, the participants eleted 2 directorate of four peopl from among fifteen candidates. After few wock, hanks tothe help of profesional within the communi, the cb registered asa non-profit organization and opened atbank account, After a couple of meetings, the ‘orginal ides began to grom. If they really wanted to have a beautiful fertival in the village, more than jute Ginancing che event ine, they should fx up the central plan and the church. Clb members began to collect money to paint the trunks of the eres in the plaa, install a fence oud the pa, install lights onthe Fron ofthe church, and buy 2 good sound system for the church 0 that everyone would beable to hear the ies during was. The organizational energy was so great that one ofthe club’ meetings took pace in the Waskegan City Hall (the only loa large ‘enough to hold the 300+ attendees) and included 4 vist fom a. tepresenatve of the Mexican CCoalate in Chiago, two candidates for the 1d officials from the ‘Waukegan ety government. In 199, the United Wey of Lake County presented she Club with an svar as one of the best volunteer organisations in the coun Minos state Senate, In onder to understand how an initiative like this could so gavanie a community, i empotan reat thatthe church is the center of socal, clu, and religious Mle in towns in roa Michoacén, Because of this and despite the lrge umber of Catholic churches in Chicago, eatly iramigrans from Michoacsn suffered a great social and spisiual void because they were not carly accepted by Chicago press. In many parishes it took some time before Michoacén and The Oage Micha Proves Report Sepenber 199 other Mexican immigrants were really welcomed, In adtion to the lack of mastes in Spanish, Mexican immigranes fund sls to which they vere nor accustomed. Fer their part, some Catholic pies in Chicago found i aifielt to accept « population that demanded asses in another language and rested dropping thei “pagan customs." 26 some priests called the popular and festive Catholicse of rural Mexico, However, daring the 1970s, the people frm Michoacén who established themselves in the heart of Chicago were finally able to get mases in their naive tongue, de in rare ta the exodus of Tralian and Ish communities 0 the sibrbe Which obligated dhe Chicago clergy to better amend to more recently arrived Catholic However, in communities ouside the inner ety Mexican neighborhood as in Aurora, Hino (sixy nile from downtown Chicago), the Michoocanos had to organize co ful thei own religous needs, In Aurora, the Michoseanos got together with other groups of Mexican national and formed the Atociaciéa Guadalupana dedicated othe cleeation ofthe fae day of the Viegin of Guadalpe in onder bring pists frm Mexico to give masses in Spanish. Ie wis only thvough organization and constant reste that Mexican immigrants were ale to influence local churches to provide masses in Spanish Tn the 19708 in Aurora, he uncles of current Federation president Gonzdo Arroyo were the chit promoters of the movement fr Catholic relgiour servicesin Spanish and the founders of hometown association called Comité San Miguel Epején, More than js collaborating each year to ‘organize the fsival in San Miguel Epejsn, they bepan the constuction of a new church there However, forthe founders of Comité San Miguel Epeién it was dificult to go beyond activities secifially ied tothe church in both countries. ‘They knew that it would be necessary fora ew ‘generation of leaders to take over what their uncles and fathers had started, in onde to make the leap to larger projects and broader, nore ermcratic participation. IIL. The Formation of the Federation ‘of Michoacén Clubs in Ilinois: ‘More Sophisticated Organizing to Accomplish Greater Goals ‘The Mexican Government's “Program for ‘Mexican Communities Abroad” For a number of year, the existence of multiple hometown associations from Michoscén in linois was no suficent reason foe the formation of a united federation. In Los Angeles, for example, where there ate sixteen known, hometown clubs ffom Michoaefin, the community does not appear interested in creating federation. In Minis, for many years, the Michoacdn clubs concentrated solely cn work in thes particular towns and vilages. Before 1996, the majoiy ofthese clubs were not aware ofthe cxitence of the other clubs which now comprie the federation. le was only dough the mediation of the Mexican Consulate thatthe club leaders, Fase mec each other 10 The Chizage-Midhaacn Proje: Report ‘Sepemer 1990 u “The Consul, for its pat, developed an interest ‘in eatalishig moce intimate relationships wich this type of community organisation due to -changes in Mexican foreign policy with respect to Mexican natonale residing in the US. Before 1988, aside Fom normal adainisrative services, the Mexican consulates inthe US. had very lle ‘contact with Mexican immigrane worker. ‘Consular pesca had cultivated relationships with the Mesican-Aresian elt of professional sand businesmnen in the US., but withoue any clear plan ‘Official atention to the wider Mexican limmigrane community inthe US. changed at 3 result of the Mexican federal elections of 1988 ‘After widelyacknowledged electoral faud put ‘Carlos Salinas de Gortati ip the office of Presiden, California supporter of the defeated ‘candidate Comuhtémoc Citdenas protexed in front of Mexican consulates, attracting the srtenion ofthe goverment in Mexico Ci. The protest moverent was initiated in lage part by ‘nmigrans fom Michoacéa. Alo in Califor evo years eater, the federation of hometown ssacatons fom the sate of Zacatecs in Lot Angeles had begun jit work with the sate fgovemment of Zacatecas for improvements in their homercens: These ewo situations, coupled With the beinning of discussions ofthe North ‘American Fee Trade Agreement, prompted the “Mexican goverment to ces within che Foreign ‘Ministry the Program fr Mexican Communities Abvoad, 0 be cari out dough the consular ‘network in the United State ‘The central goal ofthis program hasbeen to bring the Mexican ovemment and the population of Mexican ovgin ving inthe US. cloxer togecher by way of educational nd cultural activities One of che fst tasks ofthe program was to establish contact with aleady existing hometown clube ia the US, to facilitate communication berween Mexican local oficial and state governors ard the hometown clubs in the US, and to promote ‘he formation ofnew statewide federations. Inthe beginning, Loe Angeles was the principal stage of the progam. Between 1991 and 1994, as a consequence of the viss of state governors, federations of hometown clubs from the states of Jalisco, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Aguascalientes, San [Luis Poros, Guanajuato, and Tlaxcala emerged in seater Los Angeles Given the relative success of dhe program and peesstenepresue fom the Zacatecas Federation in Les Angele, i 1993, the Mexican Ministry of Social Development created a program to promote development projects that the hometown club had been doing since the 1960. In a meeting between the director of the Zacatecas federation and Luis Donald Cols, then Secretary of Social Development, the Mexican goverment created 2 program called "Two for One.” The agreement was that the federal goverment and the government of Zaeateca woud each contnbute a dolla for every dollar raised by the Zacatecas federation. ‘Through coordination between the Ministry of Social Development and the Program for Mexican Communities Abroad, the Mexican government applied the agreement to ater sates in Mexico. Between 1993 and 1995, the dration ‘ofthe program, the Zacatecas Federation was by far the great benefice. In 1995 fr example, the Zacatecas Federation raised $600,000 dollars “The Chicago Micon Prop Report Sepeber 1999 ‘which mule to $1.8 lion, and which was sens suppor 6 projects in 34 communities in the tat. |n 1995 the federally coordinated “Two for One” program disppeared under a decentralization ‘rogram to give greater decion-making power td autonomy to local governments. From tht point on the hemetoun associations have had to ea decly withthe local and state governments regueding nancial sport for community projects, exeedy as things were before the creation of the Program for Mexican Communities Abroad. Focus on Chicago: the Role ofthe Mexican Consulate Jn. Chicago thanks othe ceation ofthe Program for Mexican Communities Abroad, Consul General Leons-do Ffench contacted Mariano Zermefio, a Mescan immigrant who was the alee manager at @ Mexican food company, to help Joeate Mexican immigrant organizations in the Chicago atea. When Zermefio began his work, the consulate had only been in contact with four hometown clubs. Thanks to his knowledge of the Mexican communities in Chicago from his prio work, and the repect he won fiom the Jamigrans,by 1995, che number had ese vo 34 and when he finshed his work, the number of cxganizations in contact with the consulate had reached 120. Zermef also played an imporcant role in the fomation of federations fom the states of Zacatecas, Guertero, Jalisco, Dutengo, ‘San Luis Potos, Guanajuato, and Michoacén In the Chicago area. In some cases, in onder vo convince the cls of the benefits tobe realied fom fomingsat-wide federations, he invited leaders ofthe federations {in Los Angeles to Chicago. In Chicag some of the federations, like the one fom Zacatecas, merged very quickly due to che enormous impact ‘thatthe example of the federation in Lov Angeles tad on them In the ease of Michoacén, the proces was much slower. Some of the clu leaders as war the case ofthe Comité San Miguel Ege, bgan to work With the consulate through the Program for Mexican Communities Abroad, but only in the area of education. At this tine, the current president of the Michoacén Federation was a charge ofan asocaton of bilingual parents in ‘Aurora. He inially established 2 elaonship with the consulate in order to get donation of books for adults, technical support, and an exchange program for teachers i bth countries. ‘The work of hometown clubs dds interest him, at this poine because the group fiom hie hometown was amidst a generational change and did noc have plans for any lage project Inthe cas ofthe Club de La Purina, some of ts leaders were invited wo the int meeting between the govemor ofthe sate of San Las Pots with the San Luis Poros federation in Chicago. As Pablo Vivanco decribed it, “a this point in time we did't realy want to get mixedap in politics, ‘bu we attended becaute we wanted to find the ‘est way to atk the Michoacn vate goveminent for suppor for project." According to Vivanco, when they founded the Club de La Parsi, the leaders thought that chey could habiltate thee n The Chicago Michoacin Project Repor Sepenier 1999 a hometown on their own in five years and then dlshand bi wasn that ey, For ths reason, alter meeting with the governor of San Luis Pot, Vivanco and his tociates asked the consulate foe astance fn iviting the goverror of Michoacén to. vist Chicago. However, Mariano Zermefo told the leaders of the Club de La Purina chat they needed to for 2 federation oe bring together a number of homer associations fom thelr sae, and nly then could they ater the governor to Chicago. ‘This didn sem practical at the time, so instead they applied with che consulate ro takepart nthe “Two for One" program to construct new well in their homezown. However in 1995, the “Two for (One rogram was ending. ‘The Clb de La Pura decided to proceed ofits ‘own accord and in a meeting with the parallel ‘commie ip Michoacn twas decided thatthe community in Mexico would solicit sate government funding for a well to support ivigation, Ie was easier to get state suppor for 3 project linked eo agecuere than for dinking water, The sate government approved the project and the community used the money to construc the well that they realy needed in the fit pace. (Other chs, like the United Community of La Lax, afer registering as non-profi organisations inthe US. alo repsteed with the consulate to inform the government of thei exitence and sctivt. Buc apart fom these experiences, the Michoscin hometown clubs maintained contact with the consulate and atended meetings only in "The cag Micha Proje Rep oder tobe epe informal on matters that had 1 do withthe Mexican community i Chicago ‘The Governor of Michoacén Visits Chicago: Bringing Commsunity Leaders Together Everything changed when Mariano Zermefo told the clubs thatthe governor of Michoacén had scheduled a vst wo Chicago to patcipte inthe Mexican Independence Day parade on September 15,1986 and that ic would be posible to get a meeting with the leader: of the hornetown cls to discus the projects thar they were caryng out in their homerowns. The Consulate farther ‘epleined co the club leaders that while the federal government had canceled he “Two for One” program each state could reach similar agreements with Mexican community organisations fm the US. according to the projects tha the member wanced to carry ot. News of this vist greatly motivated the ‘organizations of Michoacano in Chicago because their hometown clubs had grown to the point where they could consider undertaking much larger and more expersive projects than ever ‘before ike roads and parks. The fst meting of allofehe hometown clubs tht ae curently kn the federation to discus the governor's iit took place in Aurora. For dhe ft time, the possibilty arose tha the clubs could unite to have mote leverage when aking the goverment for support, For ics par, the state goverment of Michoscén, ‘before the governor’ vist, ent che director ofthe ‘Commission fo the Development ofthe State of Sept 1999 Michoacin to Chicago so gnther information bout the Michosedn hometown clube and their impact in Chicago. Michoacén governor Vitor Manvel Tinoco Rubi had been invited by the Chicago Asociacén Civica Mexicana: he aricipate in the Independence Day pane and sfterwards held a meeting in is hoel with de Michoscanos. Approximately flty_ people sazended the meeting. Each ofthe cla leaders made an individual presentation of his club ‘Projects which needed government collaboration and tamed ina writen proposal. The governor promised to review each project and then sead cach group aesponse ‘The Comité San Miguel Epejn, for example, had already begun bulding a park in thelr howe community. They had purchased the land and developed a propor that ineleded profesional suchitectural planning, so they decided vo present so the governor. When negouations began in Michoacin wo eary out the project and determine financial convibutions, urban development specialists helped che club leaders to impreve their orginal idea bu the new plan required more land, When everything was finally in place to begin construction, the chi decked to poupene the project and take advantage of the soe governments interest in building 2 road that ‘would connect San Miguel pejin to the county seat nd the repional market. The cl decided that the road was more important to the community than a new park and they voted to Invest $125,000 in the project. At of April 199, the road is nearly finished and ready to be Inaugurated by the governor and the club leads. ‘The United Community of La Lut ao asked the overnment for ai in the construction ofa road, to repair an abandoned clinic, and asieance in paving some sucets, The governors vst was in September, and by October they already had a response: the government approved the road bullding project. However, the financial details remained ro be settled, In January of the following year, club lenders met with the governor ln Michoacén and both pates agreed that the ‘government would assume 2/3 and the cub 13 of the total cost. The club accepted the deal, but they had not realied how big the project was: the read would cost more than $1 aallion to complete. After several rounds of nepoistions, the club’ share would be 1/10 of the cost, or $112,000. Club member in Chicago and people {nthe town each were co provide half. In the case ofthe health cents, the club in Chicago got te repaited with help fom dhe town, and the goverment assigned doctor to work in the clinic ‘The Club de La Parsi asked the governor 89 repair a decrepit highway, at well a aking for sssistnce to prevent teacher absenteeism in the loeal school, to do something so that the

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