The Founding Documents

The foundation of MEChA's ideology is rooted in two pivotal documents created during the Chicano Movement's height in 1969. These manifestos provided the philosophical and practical blueprints that would guide the organization and the broader struggle for Chicano self-determination.

El Plan Espiritual de Aztlán

This document, drafted at the First National Chicano Youth Liberation Conference in Denver, Colorado, in March 1969, served as a powerful political and cultural manifesto. It was written to unite Chicanos by invoking the concept of "Aztlán," the mythical homeland of the Aztec people, believed to be in the Southwestern United States. By reclaiming this ancestral land, the plan aimed to foster a sense of cultural nationalism and collective identity.

Significance: El Plan Espiritual de Aztlán declared that Chicanos were a unique "bronze people" with a distinct identity and history. It called for social, economic, and political independence, rejecting the assimilationist "American Dream" in favor of a new, self-determined path. The plan's powerful rhetoric and emphasis on spiritual and cultural unity made it a rallying cry for activists across the country.

El Plan de Santa Bárbara

A month after the Denver conference, in April 1969, the Chicano Coordinating Council on Higher Education convened at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The result was El Plan de Santa Bárbara, a comprehensive blueprint for Chicano higher education. It was created to address the systemic exclusion and marginalization of Chicanos within universities.

Importance: This document provided the practical steps for creating change within academic institutions. It called for the establishment of Chicano Studies departments to legitimize and teach Chicano history and culture. It also outlined the need for recruitment and support programs for Chicano students and faculty, recognizing that a more diverse student body was essential for true educational equity. Most notably, El Plan de Santa Bárbara formally proposed the formation of a single, nationwide student organization—the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA)—to lead these efforts.