El Paso Elected Officials Unable to Find Any Latino-Chicano(a) "Community Leaders"

Above, once El Paso's elected officials leave the room, El Paso's "community leaders" meet

El Paso Elected Officials Unable to Find Any Latino-Chicano(a) "Community Leaders"

"If you ain't look'n, you ain't finding nuttin."

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I was surprised to see a letter from many local elected office holders last week. See El Paso Times article "El Paso leaders send open letter to EPISD board asking for accountability." Although I'll say for the record that I agree with the content of the letter, it is the appearance of the letter that shook me.

I'm all shook up, ahu.

Last week, elected official jointly sent an open letter to the El Paso Independent School District. Although their message was on point and good, what the message they gave to El Paso is that there are no Latino/Chicano “community leaders.”

See Copy of Letter

The fact that the El Paso Times called them a group of “diverse leaders” shows where reporter Hayley Kappes head is.

The letter featured 11 elected officials, one appointed one, 8 of them Latino-Chicano and the rest White. 

What is strikes me is the lack of people of color after the elected officials are listed. If the drafter was trying to put more white space onto the letter, pretty much after the elected officials are listed, the drafter succeeded.

In fact, the drafters lists several prominent Republicans who through their Super PACS are working to get El Paso Latino/Chicano incumbents out of office.

Furthermore on an economic level, this letter sends the message that there are no poor or middle class “community leaders” in El Paso.

Where were the leaders of LULAC, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, La Red, and other Hispanic-oriented groups?

Then there are the organizations with members whose children are mostly effected by the Bowie High School scandal, like the Chamizal Neighborhood Association, Familias Unidas del Barrio, La Mujer Obrera, Los De Abajo, Sin Fronteras, the Southside Neighborhood Association, and the Chihuahuita Neighborhood Association.

Sure it is likely that some of these groups were asked and chose not to sign on, but I find this unlikely as some of these elected officials, especially Steve Ortega, are always more likely to go to and side with Whites in El Paso.