Chicanas of 18th Street

List of Illustrations ix Preface xi List of Abbreviations, Organizations, and Programs xvii Chicago Movement Time Line xxi Introduction: Second City Mexicans 1 Leonard G. Ramirez Homecoming, 1997 17 Leonard G. Ramirez A Legacy of Struggle 29 Yenelli Flores Living the Life I Was Meant to Lead 54 Isaura Gonzalez Una Chicana en la lucha 76 Maria Gamboa A Woman of My Time 101 Cristina Vital Defending My People and My Culture 118 Victoria Perez A Proud Daughter of a Mexican Worker 137 Magda Ramirez-Castaneda Social Action 166 Leonard G. Ramirez Women of 18th Street: Our Preliminary Assessment 201 Yenelli Flores, Maria Gamboa, Isaura Gonzalez, Victoria Perez, Magda Ramirez-Castaneda, Cristina Vital References 205 Contributors 213 Index 219

''Women's oral history enthusiasts will find this book a treasure trove of ideas and experiences that is brimming with details about the events, organizations, and cultural work of women in the Chicano movement.'' Dionne Espinoza, co-editor of Enriqueta Vasquez and the Chicano Movement: Writings from El Grito Del Norte ''A fascinating account of Latina activists during the height of the Chicano Movement in Chicago. The personal testimonies allow readers to see the dynamics that transform community members into activists. This engaging study appeals to students and scholars of women's studies, political science, sociology, and Latina studies.'' Mary S. Pardo, author of Mexican American Women Activists: Identity and Resistance in Two Los Angeles Communities