The Strength of la Chicana

There were Chicanas that held significant positions within the movement. Some female brown berets who played a significant role in the movement are Viola Correa, Alicia Escalante, and Gloria Arellanes. Viola Correa was a poet who is well known for her poem, La Nueva Chicana in which she states, “See that lady protesting against injustice, es me mama, that girl in the brown beret, the one teaching the children, she’s my Hermana.” Alicia Escalante founded the East Los Angeles Welfare Rights Organization (ELAWRO) which is one of the earliest Chicana advocacy organizations of the period to challenge public policies and address their negative impact on women. Escalante’s program was publicized and adopted by the brown berets and placed in their newspaper La Causa as a way to provide the Spanish speaking community with assistance. Gloria Arellanes was one of the only women to hold a major leadership position within the organization. As the Minister of Finance and Correspondence for the founding chapter, Arellanes wrote press releases, penned letters, and edited the group’s newspaper, La Causa. Arellanes stated, "I understand my power as a woman because I give life, I am a teacher, I am a nurturer, I provide spirituality teachings, and when we collectively come together as women, it's such a powerful thing." However, Gloria Arellanes' most important part in the Brown Berets was operating and managing the Barrio Free Clinic. David Sanchez (the Prime Minister of the Brown Berets) placed Arellanes in charge of the clinic as he felt that she would take charge and make an excellent leader. He had trust in her as she had played a significant role in the movement. The Barrio Free clinic operated from May 1968 to December 1970 and is one of the Brown Berets’ most important accomplishments. The building served, in part, as a headquarters for the Brown Berets, as well as a location for community members to receive health services. The clinic was so successful because she along with other Chicanas who worked in the clinic were able to reach and assist individuals who were in need of health services but could not afford to go to public health facilities. Unfortunately, the disrespect and mistreatment of Chicanas from their male counterparts prevailed. It ultimately resulted in Chicanas eventually calling the male leadership out.