Severita lara biography

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JOSÉ ANGEL GUTIÉRREZ is the author of a memoir for young adults The Making of a Civil Rights Leader: José Angel Gutiérrez (Piñata Books, 2005); two works of social commentary, A Chicano Manual on How to Handle Gringos (Arte Público Press, 2003) and A Gringo Manual on How to Handle Mexicans (Arte Público Press, 1998); and a memoir for adults, The Making of a Chicano Militant (University of Wisconsin Press, 1998). He is the editor and translator of Reies López Tijerina’s autobiography, They Called Me King Tiger (Arte Público Press, 2000). The founder and former director of the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington, he is a professor of Political Science at the University of Texas at Arlington. He also practices law in Dallas, Texas, where he lives with his family.

ATOS Interest Level: Upper Grades
Category: Young Adult

Mexican-American political activist (born 1952)

Severita Lara (born February 6, 1952) is a Mexican-American political activist from Crystal City, Texas. She is known as a leader of the 1969 Crystal City High School student walkout.^[1] She ran for county judge in 1986 and was elected into the city council of Crystal City in 1992.^[2]

Early life

Lara grew up speaking Spanish and was enrolled in a preschool program in which she had to write, speak, and read in Spanish. She attended Zavala Elementary School in a zero bola program, which was comparable to being in a grade below zero that was created for all Mexicans, regardless of their English proficiency.^[3] During her junior high school days, her father continued to object speaking Spanish in school, with the assistance of the principal, and was punished by being sent to the library. However, this helped develop a love for literature.^[4] Lara attended Crystal City High School, a school with a predominantly Chicano student body.

Crystal City High School walkout