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photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)

Lpez: Past deeds pave our way to the future
Last Updated: August 10, 2014
By Jos Antonio Lpez

SAN ANTONIO, August 10 - As the crown jewel of our blended Hispanic and
Native American family roots in Texas, the Tejano Monument in Austin shines
bright on the south lawn of the state capitol building.
Since its unveiling in March 2012, Austin residents, government officials,
tourists, and school children visiting our state capital are now able to see for the
very first time, a memorial dedicated to the true founding of this great place we
call Texas.
All Texans should be proud of the efforts led by Cayetano Barrera, M.D.,
McAllen, and carried out most ably by the Tejano Monument, Inc. Committee
members, Dr. Andrs Tijerina, Renato Ramirez, Homero Vera, Richard
Snchez, Jaime Beaman, and so many others, such as Estella and William
Zermeo, Benny Martnez, and dedicated working group members. Armando
Hinojosa, Laredo, deserves special credit for his gifted artistic creation. In
bronze and stone, he expresses the dignity that Tejano descendants feel in their
hearts.
Helping to tell our incredible early Texas story, the following list of deeds keeps
growing, considering that the concerted effort began just a few short years ago:
1. Our Native American kin has relentlessly tried to dispel undignified movie
myths about cultures originating in whats now the U.S. There are plenty of sites
on the internet featuring each groups goal to preserve their heritage. This is
crucial learning for Mexican Americans because being Native American is what
makes us Mexican-descent people of the Southwest.
2. For years, Mr. Dan Arellano has organized tribute events to remember the 1st
Texas Revolution (1810-1813); First President of Texas Don Bernardo Gutirrez
de Laras reading of the 1st Texas Declaration of Independence and 1st
Constitution (1813); Battle of Medina (BOM) memorial and archeological digs.
3. An Austin school district has already set up Tejano history lessons as part of
its school curriculum. The Laredo ISD has added a block of early Laredo history
in the curriculum at my alma mater Martin High School. Others are in the
process of doing the same.
4. Dr. Andrs Tijerina is part of an effort by the Texas State Historical
Association to identify and record long-forgotten early Texas Spanish Mexican
historical sites.
5. More recently, Dr. Tijerina and Dr. Emilio Zamora plus others are also
putting together what will be a Tejano History segment of Texas Handbook of
History Online.
6. Mr. Bill Millet has produced a long-awaited PBS film entitled Texas before
the Alamo.
7. Thanks to Texas State Representative Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin), a
proclamation (H.R. 1411) was read honoring the 200th Anniversary of the first
Texas Constitution (1813-2013).
8. The Texas State Hispanic Genealogy/History Societies (Austin, Dallas, Corpus
Christi, El Paso, East Texas, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, Victoria, and
Zapata) continue to spread the word regarding our early Texas pioneer families.
Also, Laredos Webb Co. Heritage Foundation; Edinburgs Museum of South
Texas History, and Zapata County Museum of History preserve early Texas
history via their unique memorabilia and displays.
9. Mr. Renato Ramirez, Chairman of the Board/CEO, IBC-Zapata, continues to
promote mariachi bands at UT-Austin, Texas A&M Kingsville, and Texas A&M
College Station. His efforts are designed to raise funds to assure awareness of
mariachi musics vital influence in Texas history. In enthusiastically pursuing his
goal, he aims for complete understanding by the general public as to why it was
proper for young Sebastien de la Cruz to sing our national anthem for the San
Antonio Spurs attired in formal Mexican vaquero dress. Truly, Texas Mariachi
style roots are much older than other music genres in Texas that came after
1836.
10. Last but certainly not least, in the information management arena, Mimi
Lozano (Somos Primos) has spent great amounts of her energy, time, and talents
to provide a one-stop shop online web site for a worldwide audience learning
about Hispanic history; Armando Rendn does as well with Somos En Escrito;
there is also Beto Calderon; Foro de Comunicacin; as well as the online
LARED-L list server; Steve Taylor, Rio Grande Guardian; Dr. Lino Garcia,
Jr.s FESTIBA events at UTPA; LareDos, Mr. Rudi Rodriguez of Texas Tejano
is pressing on with plans for a Williamsburg-style Tejano Village permanent
interactive exhibit in downtown San Antonio; and my own web site
www.TejanosUnidos.org.My apologies if Im forgetting someone.
Yet, our Tejano heritage is under attack. The threats are constant. The most
recent immigration-related situation at the border is cause to worry. Certain
politicians and media are raising the temperature of the immigration debate by
questioning our Spanish Mexican heritage and Spanish language on this side of
the border. To ensure we reach our goal to educate others about our rich story,
the best defense is a good offense. Lets combine our hard work.
As such, I make three appeals. (1) To our Native American brethren, join us in
our quest. The wicked border fence impacts Navajo and Apache Nations much
more than it does Mexican-descent Borderlands families. Its time to reaffirm
our bloodline ancestral family ties.
(2) To Early Texas history aficionados mentioned above. All of our worthy
efforts will be for naught unless we push together. At every turn, lets reject any
attempt to diminish our heritage.
(3) To our extended family living in the Rio Grande Valley. You are now center
stage due to the on-going immigration debate. Critics of your way of life who are
just recently becoming aware of the border dont understand why there are so
many Mexican-descent Texans who choose to speak Spanish as their language of
choice. Only through learning of early Texas history will they discover why it is
we are not immigrants in the U.S. To learn more, make plans to attend the 35th
Annual Texas State Hispanic Genealogy Conference in McAllen, TX on Sept 25-
27.
n closing, our past deeds do pave our way to the future. How do we fulfill our
future? By speaking with one voice under an Aztln-Euro Alliance umbrella
or something similar. Individually, we represent a small group and cause a small
ripple in the ocean of public opinion. However, as a combined force, we will
orchestrate millions of voices causing an impact of tsunami proportions. Bottom
line: If we dont do it ourselves, no one else is going to do it for us.
Jos Antonio Joe Lpez was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, and is a USAF
Veteran. He now lives in Universal City, Texas. He is the author of three books:
The Last Knight (Don Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara Uribe, A Texas Hero,, Nights
of Wailing, Days of Pain (Life in 1920s South Texas), and The First Texas
Independence, 1813. Lopez is also the founder of the Tejano Learning Center,
LLC, and www.tejanosunidos.org, a web site dedicated to Spanish Mexican people
and events in U.S. history that are mostly overlooked in mainstream history books.




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