Historic “Southern California Mexicano/Latino Leadership Preliminary Summit" takes place at CSU San Bernardino’s John M. Pfau Un

SAN BERNARDINO>> On Saturday, Dec. 3, the historic Southern California Mexicano/Latino Leadership Preliminary Summit session took place at California State University, San Bernardino’s John M. Pfau University Library. The purpose of the preliminary meeting was to discuss the development of a local, state, national and international unified and coordinated strategic plan of action in response to the election of President-Elect Donald Trump. The event boasted some 120 Mexicano/Latino influential leaders (representing elected officials, education, students, business, community pro-immigrant rights advocates, church, etc.) from throughout Southern California’s six counties. Participants discussed what should be the response by Mexicanos/Latinos to the onerous anticipated policy challenges of a Trump Presidency. “Come January 20 and for the next four years, the country as a whole can expect a monumental and unprecedented political crisis," said UCR Emeritus Professor Armando Navarro, pre-summit facilitator and organizer. "We face the prospects of the rise of “Trump’s Fourth Reich.” For Mexicanos, in particular, we face being targeted and scapegoated by Trump much like Jews who were persecuted by Hitler’s Nazi Germany in the 1930s and early 1940s. This is evidenced today by Trump’s incessant racist description of Mexicanos as being “criminals and rapists,” and his threat to deport 12 million undocumented migrants of which, 8 million are Mexicanos.” Navarro adds, “We are at a historical juncture that demands from Mexicanos and Latinos, among others, that we organize and strategize a response.” A local, statewide, national, and international “anti-Trump administration strategic plan of action” will be finalized at a statewide Mexicano/Latino leadership Summit on January 27 and 28, 2017.