Their agreement was simple and to the point. Double signage would appear on the street signs running the length of the East Grand River. In addition to the double signage a City Lot #56 would be renamed Cesar Chavez Plaza. The important thing about City Lot #56 is that OTCA spends $40k a year publicizing events that happen there. Now they will publicize them as Cesar Chavez Plaza.
Overall, I think the collaboration between OTCA and the Chavez Committee is a perfect example of how groups of people can work across class and 'ethnic' interests to make positive contributions to their overall community.
Overall, I think the collaboration between OTCA and the Chavez Committee is a perfect example of how groups of people can work across class and 'ethnic' interests to make positive contributions to their overall community.
The compelling issue in this story is that is is a multigenerational struggle. The original Cesar Chavez Avenue was removed a special city election in 1995 after a year of being in existence. This happened as the result of a serious and public race baiting attack on the Xicano/Latino community by a prominent local radio DJ named Tim Barron (who is still on the airwaves in Lansing) and a now retired attorney named Fred Stackable.
A Quick History
In March of 1994, after 10 months of campaigning by Lansing resident Paulo Gordillo the
Lansing City Council voted to change the name of Grand Avenue to Cesar Chavez Avenue. The scheduled renaming was slated for September 16, of that same year.
On May 5, 1994 local radio personality Tim Barron played the following on air skit. This skit ignited a firestorm in the Lansing Hispanic community.
A Quick History
In March of 1994, after 10 months of campaigning by Lansing resident Paulo Gordillo the
Lansing City Council voted to change the name of Grand Avenue to Cesar Chavez Avenue. The scheduled renaming was slated for September 16, of that same year.
On May 5, 1994 local radio personality Tim Barron played the following on air skit. This skit ignited a firestorm in the Lansing Hispanic community.
“Some are giving away trips to Mexico City but, we are bringing Mexico to you, that’s right, we’re giving away Mexican’s, real live Mexicans. Ay Caramba. We’ll be smuggling illegal aliens across the border in the wheel well of a station wagon then we’ll give them to you. Imagine, your own personal Mexican, they’ll wash your car, clean your house, pick your crops, anything you want because if they don’t, you’ll have them deported. Adios Amigos. Be the fifth caller when you hear this sound (mooing cow) and win a Mexican. Members of this station and their families are not eligible to own Mexicans, bathing and delousing of Mexicans is the winner’s responsibility. Station (Q106) assumes no liability for infectious diseases carried by Mexicans. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in your own home everyday, with your own Mexican.”On July 20, 1994 the State News ran an article about Fred Stackable a local lawyer who was starting a petition “to undo what the city council has done,” and change Cesar Chavez Avenue back to Grand Avenue. Stackable’s petition drive for a ballot question was floundering at the time.
On July 22, 1994 Tim Barron, then the host of the Q106's morning show, brought Stackable on the air for the first time to talk about the petition and supply them to people to stop the renaming of Grand Avenue to Cesar Chavez Avenue. Stackable continued to be regular guest on Barron's morning show over the course of the next year.
On September 16, 1994 Lansing city workers took down Grand Avenue signs and replaced them with Cesar Chavez Avenue signs. Those signs would remain up for the next year.
Because of the daily barrage, during 1994 and 1995, of anti Chavez Avenue sentiment Xicano community members working on the Q106 issue also began working to prove Q106 was taking a position on a political campaign without fair representation for the other side.
Through daily monitoring and taping of the Breakfast Club these community members were able to prove their allegations to the FCC after which Q106 received a hefty fine from the FCC and were eventually forced to sell their license.
One piece of evidence that convinced the FCC to rule against Q106 was the fact they were handing out giveaways at the window of the station as incentive to get people to come in and sign the petition. The FCC ruled they were in effect launching a hate campaign against a very specific ethnic group.
On Monday June 12, 1995 approximately 17.24 percent of the registered voters in the city turned out to vote ‘yes’ on Proposal A and change Cesar Chavez Avenue back to Grand Avenue.
The street signs were taken down shortly afterward. For many years Lansing bore the dubious distinction of being the only city in the country where something like this had happened.There were several attempts over the years the start up community campaigns to redress this issue.
Congratulations to the 2010 organizers of this successful effort. A heavy burden has been lifted from the Xicano community in Lansing, MI.
Congratulations to the 2010 organizers of this successful effort. A heavy burden has been lifted from the Xicano community in Lansing, MI.
