Rosie Castro ... Mother of the Texas Democratic Twins, Julian and Joaquin. An amazing Senora.

[libdem4life]

It's a great story...from beginning into the future. Leading into the future for the national Hispanic voting block and more to come. (the Democrat's answer to Cruz and Rubio et al)

"The segregated barrios of the city's West Side (San Antonio) a half-century ago were an unlikely inspiration for Maria del Rosario Castro, the daughter of an orphaned Mexican immigrant who as a girl picked ticks from white families' cocker spaniels.

She grew into a firebrand, the matriarch of a new political generation, from the broken streets of her youth that flooded when it rained.

The neighborhood starkly contrasted the picturesque Alamo Heights homes that her mother cleaned while “Rosie” tended to the dogs in the backyard.

Her neighbors lacked decent city services and a strong voice to say so. Blacks and Hispanics were missing from the clergy and the classrooms, from white-collar jobs and from City Hall.

In her growing awareness, Rosie noticed a dearth of politicians willing to advocate for the causes of her community.

“Very early on,” she said, “I just had to ask, ‘Why?'”


http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/From-political-matriarch-the-sons-also-rise-3905913.php

Julian Castro...Mayor of San Antonio
http://www.sanantonio.gov/Mayor/castrobio.aspx

Joaquin Castro...Texas 20th District
http://www.castroforcongress.com/about.php

[rpannier]

1. Great story

Thanks for sharing

[brer cat]

2. A wonderful life story...well worth the read.

I would like to lift this part out:

“We believed in trying to make a difference by getting involved politically,” Rosie, 65, said of her work with La Raza Unida, a third political party born of racial tensions in 1970s Southwest Texas, and of her City Council bid with a slate of candidates backed by the Committee for Barrio Betterment. She registered voters, identified candidates, block walked, ran campaigns and served as La Raza's Bexar County chairwoman.

“That wasn't radical — that was the promise of America,” she said.

Grassroots. She started local and now has two sons on the national stage.

[libdem4life]

3. I worked with La Raza Unida just a bit in LA County back in the 70's working in a disadvantaged,

Mexican suburb about 20 miles outside of LA. They were considered on the radical left, but other organizations grew out of them. The twins had a bit of an uphill battle, as you may assume, bridging such a populist history. But they are household names in Texas now.

This was back in the day when it was not popular to be "Mexican", in fact it was a perjorative word, and this organization was likely considered radical because they did not...at all...agree with the Anglocization and apologetic position demanded by the dominant culture.

I'm a huge fan, needless to say. Wendy Davis has teamed up with them as part of the Blue Texas political network.