Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán

MEChA is one of the oldest Chicana/o /Latina/o student organizations in UC Davis.

M.E.Ch.A. de UC Davis is a grassroots, non-profit student organization that strives for political, social, and educational consciousness.

Some of the great things we as MEChA de UCD participate in annually include:

• Raza Youth Empowerment Conferences
• Chicana Conferences (for mujeres)
• Cuauhtémoc Run for LRCD
• Tutoring/Mentoring with High School and Middle School
• U.Y.A. (United Youth of Aztlán)
• Anti-Military Campaigning
• Oscar E. Gomez Scholarship
• Study Buddies
• Retreats
• National M.E.Ch.A. Conference
• Bi-annual Statewide Conferences
• Monthly Regional Meetings w/ Alta Califas Norte

We also:

• work with AB 540 issues and campaigns
• try to promote health
• fight for immigrant rights
• work to recruit students in to college and work to RETAIN them here!
• many more things...whatever our community needs us to work on, we're there!

Si Se Puede!

2008-04-12 16:45:27   According to this article, Mecha is a "Latino" organization. However, in their official documents, they say that they are a Chicano org, and that Chicanos are Indigenous to this continent (i.e. they are "Native Americans"). So shouldn't Mecha be described as a Native American club/organization? Or have the Mechistas sold out and bought into the whole "Latino/Hispanic" agenda that tries to deny, hide and downplay the indigenous heritage of "Mexicans"? On that note, also, what has Mecha ever done to promote indigenous culture and identity? They should be encouraging the Chicano community to learn about their true Anahuaca heritage and history, but I don't ever hear of them doing that. —Maitl

• I'm not sure that the community at large knows the difference between the connotation of hispanic, latino, chicano, or even Mexican. I know I can't really tell the difference between the first three. Maybe you could explain more? Considering what I know about the Native American/American Indian community, I'm somewhat doubtful really sure there actually is a compromise on what those terms actually mean. —BrentLaabs

2008-11-18 20:11:12   I'm not sure who originally wrote this article, nor why they would add the word "hispanic" into the description, but most Mechistas would know the difference between the terms, and correctly use them. I just edited that term out. The term Latina/o is still left in there because although the papeles do say that it is a Chicano/a movement, we would not exclude anyone who is of our raza from the circle for simply not considering themselves a Chicana/o. Although most new members eventually turn to the term after learning about and identifying with the term. And for the record we are working on workshops and educationals and other projects incorporating the promotion of our indiginous roots for the community. —Lalo