The Chicano Movement is alive and well.

We have infiltrated the bowels of the beast and infected it with salsa picante.

Look around you - we are winning. We have a homie as Mayor of Los. We have an ex-Prez of Mecha as Lt. Governor. We have George Lopez on a sit-com. We have a Prez that has little brown nephews and nieces.

We still have a long ways to go on this Chicano road. But, if you don't vote, we won't get anywhere.

Chicanos have the freedom to be Democrats, Republicans, La Raza Unida or even Communists.

We have to infiltrate all the ranks of society, not limit ourselves to one exclusive niche - that would certainly be the death of the movement.

Our freedom lies in the books, we must be educated, intellectual and people of action. By action, I do not necessarily mean joining a picket line, but aggressively infusing society with Chicanismo.

Get those positions of power in major corporations, in politics and your community.

We need to be metiches (nosey). We need to get in each other’s faces and demand accountability on a myriad of issues: Are your children finishing school? Are they headed for college? Are you working or living off the bones that the government throws you? Are you selling poison to our youth in the barrio?

This is the time to put our house in order.

Many have contended that there is a Reconquista, that Chicanos will throw non-Chicanos out of Aztlan. This is not true.

Aztlan is an attitude of empowerment needed to bring about sociopolitical and economic change for Chicanos.

The Chicano Movement is all-inclusive. We do not support racism or segregation. We understand and embrace multiculturalism and view it as the power that unites us as Americans.

We believe in La Raza Cosmica, the universal race - humanity.

We thank our brothers and sisters that have supported the united resistance against those that would oppress us.

Your brother in united resistance,

Ernesto