Francisco JimZnez is Fay Boyle Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, and author of several books on Mexican and Mexican American literature and culture. Alma Garc'a is professor of sociology at Santa Clara University and the author of numerous books on the Mexican-American community includingNarratives of Second Generation American Women(AltaMira).Richard A. Garcia is professor of history at California State University at Hayward and the author of numerous books and articles.

By documenting the oral accounts of experiences of Mexican-Americans across the American West, Ethnic Community Builders provides an original perspective of the struggles, successes, and challenges of Hispanics in urban centers. Too often, written accounts can obscure the character of important people and events. Ethnic Community Builders goes straight to the source and harmoniously captures the voices of these diverse groups of people tied together with a common bond—their unique ethnicity.

• Part 1 IntroductionPart 2 Leadership and PowerChapter 3 Victor GarzaChapter 4 Blanca AlvaradoChapter 5 Ron GonzalesPart 6 Politics and SocietyChapter 7 Esther MedinaChapter 8 Sofía MendozaChapter 9 Ernestina GarcíaPart 10 Education and Social ChangeChapter 11 Fernando ZazuetaChapter 12 Juan OlivérezChapter 13 Yolanda ReynoldsPart 14 Culture and the ArtsChapter 15 Adrian VargasChapter 16 Rigo ChacónChapter 17 Mary AndradePart 18 Religion and CommunityChapter 19 Sal ÁlvarezChapter 20 Gloria Loya, PVBM