Chicanos Por La Causa

Chicanos Por La Causa Preisdent and CEO, David Adame talks about CPLC’s political empowerment and economic development efforts with Mexico.

Transcript:

JOSE CARDENAS: THE DELEGATION OF SENATORS FROM MEXICO WERE HERE TO MEET WITH OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO TALK ABOUT MEXICO-U.S. RELATIONSHIPS. JOINING ME NOW IS DAVID ADAME. PRESIDENT AND CEO AT CHICANOS POR LA CAUSAYOU HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL STUFF THE LAST FEW WEEKS. TELL US HOW THIS CAME ABOUT.

DAVID ADAME: FOR 50 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY AND I FELT WE NEEDED TO EXTEND IT BEYOND ARIZONA AND MEXICO AND TOOK ON THE ISSUE OF WORKING MORE WITH MEXICO. OUR VISION IS ECONOMICALLY EMPOWERING AND POLITICALLY EMPOWERING IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE FELT POLITICALLY NOT ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES BUT THE MEXICAN NATIONALS THAT ARE LIVING HERE, WE NEEDED TO WORK WITH MEXICO CLOSER AND MAKE THEM MORE RESPONSIBLE.

JOSE CARDENAS: THIS WAS PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE ELECTION RESULTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT THE NEW PRESIDENT WOULD BE DOING IN TERMS OF IMMIGRATION; CORRECT?

DAVID ADAME: ABSOLUTELY. OUR STAFF WENT DOWN TO MEXICO CITY, THE GROUP THAT STARTED OPERATION IMMIGRANT. THEY INVITED THE DELEGATION INCLUDING THE COUNCIL OF MEXICO CITY TO ADDRESS THE POLICY LEADERS, SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES. IT WAS PRETTY EYE OPENING THAT THEY WERE REALLY LAID INTO, I LIKE TO SAY, INTO THE LEADERSHIP OF MEXICO SAYING --

Jose: THAT WAS HERE WHEN YOU HAD THEM HERE?

DAVID ADAME: FIRST ONE WAS IN MEXICO CITY AND THEN THEY SAID WE NEED TO DO THIS IN THE UNITED STATES. WE HOUSED THE FIRST ONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAD ABOUT SIX SENATORS FROM MEXICO, SEVEN REPRESENTATIVES, FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES, AND 40 MEXICAN NATIONALS WERE BROUGHT HERE TO ADDRESS THEM DIRECTLY. THEY CHALLENGED THEM AND SAID YOU CANNOT FORGET ABOUT US. IF DEPORTATION DOES HAPPEN HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SUPPORT US? OUR CHILDREN THAT GOT EDUCATED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE YOU GOING TO ACCEPT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR IF SOMEONE HAS A SPECIAL LICENSE OF JOB TRAINING ARE YOU GOING TO ALLOW THAT RECIPROCITY. THEY WERE CONCERNED AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE BEING SUPPORTED EVEN IF THEY HAPPEN TO STAY TO SAY NO, LOOK, DON'T FORGET ABOUT US. WE ARE STILL HERE. SUPPORT US. I THINK THE OPERATION IMMIGRANTS REALLY SERVED THE PURPOSE. THERE IS PLANS TO DO ANOTHER ONE. I THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE ONE IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON AND I THINK GOOD THINGS HAPPENED ON THIS. THERE IS BILLS BEING PASSED IN THE CONGRESS OF MEXICO TO ACCEPT EDUCATION DEGREES. ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPENED IS THEY PASSED MONEY TO GO THROUGH THE CONSOLOTE COUNCILS HERE TO SUPPLY RESOURCES IF SOMEBODY NEEDS LEGAL SUPPORT.

Jose: YOU HAD SOME HIGH POWERED INDIVIDUALS WITH THE AMBASSADOR OF MEXICO TO THE UNITED STATES WAS IN ONE OF THE PANELS AS I UNDERSTAND. AND YOU HAD FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE FOX ADMINISTRATION. HIS INVOLVEMENT IS A SEPARATE GROUP, RIGHT?

DAVID ADAME: YES, IT IS A NON-POLITICAL GROUP THAT LOOK DO IS WORK WITH GROUPS LIKE US. IT IS A NON-PROFIT SO NO PARTY AFFILIATION JUST HOW WILL WE SUPPORT THE MEXICAN NATIONALS FROM MEXICO. I HAD A CHANCE TO GO BACK AND MEET WITH A COUPLE OTHER SENATORS WHO DIDN'T HAPPEN TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS. THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION OF THE UNITED STATES. THERE IS TALK ABOUT TRADE WARS. THERE HAS BEEN TALKS ABOUT WALLS. THERE HAS BEEN TALKS ABOUT STUFF THAT IS NOT POSITIVE AND THERE IS CONCERN AND UNEASINESS. THEYRE GETTING READY FOR EVERYTHING. THEYRE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IF THERE IS A TRADE WAR DO THEY NEED TO PLAN TO WORK WITH OTHER COUNTRIES? ONE BIG THING WAS MEXICO IS A BIG PURCHASING OF CORN FROM THE USAND THEY ARE MAKING PLAN B AND IF THEY SHOULD GO TO ARGENTINA WHERE THEY HAVE A BETTER MORE POSITIVE TRADE RELATION, FOR EXAMPLE.

Jose: DAVID I KNOW THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT WERE DISCUSSING BUT YOU'VE BEEN DOING SOME OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF IN MEXICO AS WELL. WE WILL PUT A PICTURE UP HERE OF ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT YOU HAD IN MEXICO CITY. NEXT TO HIM IS THE AMBASSADOR THERE.

DAVID ADAME: YES, THE AMBASSADOR, AND THEN SOME OF THE SENATORS FROM MEXICO. ONE FROM JALISCO AND I BELIEVE THE OTHER ONE FROM GUNAJUATO.

Jose: BUT OTHER THINGS YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON INCLUDING SOME DISCUSSIONS WERE ON THE OLYMPICS.

DAVID ADAME: YES, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CREATE COLLABORATION AGREEMENTS. WE HAVE ONE WITH THE BIG MEXICO CITY JUNAM, WE SIGNED ONE WITH THE OLYMPIC GROUP OF MEXICO. WAS EXCITING AND A LITTLE NERVE-WRACKING. THEY HAD ABOUT 30 DIFFERENT NEWS AFFILIATES. IT IS A WAY TO SHOW IT IS A WAY OF BUILDING BRIDGES NOT WALL. WE HAVE ONE WITH THE BIG UNIVERSITIES I MENTIONED. WE ARE STARTING TO GET SUPPORT FROM SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONS TELEVISA, ESTECA. AND MOST RECENTLY THE FOUNDATION IS TALKING TO US ABOUT SUPPORT FOLKS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP BUT NEED SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
JOSE CARDENAS: BUT THERES A LOT MORE TO TALK ABOUT, WE NEED TO HAVE YOU BACK ON THE SHOW TO DISCUSS. WE ARE OUT OF TIME BUT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "HORIZONTE."