Countywide : Mexican American Group Elects Leaders

Six Santa Ana residents and community leaders were elected this week to represent the newly formed Orange County chapter of the Mexican American Political Assn.

The group’s president is Rueben Martinez, who organized the local chapter and is the owner of the Martinez-Hernandez Bookcase in downtown Santa Ana.

Martinez, 53, was designated by Gov. Pete Wilson as Orange County’s “Small Businessman of the Year” in 1992. He serves as a volunteer in schools throughout the county, where he speaks and reads to children in an effort to motivate them to learn and stay in school.

He was chairman of the Orange County Leukemia Society in 1988 and has worked on numerous Democratic presidential, mayoral, senatorial and gubernatorial campaigns.

He said that as MAPA president, his goal is to stand up for the rights of immigrants, push voter registration and speak out against hate crimes.

“We want to work for progress” and promote Latino activism in politics, education and civil rights, he said.

Nativo V. Lopez, the executive director of Hermandad Mexicana of Orange County, is MAPA’s first vice chairman and M. Esther Fonseca, an attorney in the county public defender’s office, is second vice chairwoman.

Enriqueta Ramos, a Rancho Santiago Community College District trustee and Spanish and Chicano studies professor at Cypress College, was chosen treasurer. Judy Perry, a community activist and employee in the counseling and financial aid offices at Cal State Fullerton, is the secretary.

Alfonso Alvarez, a Rancho Santiago College student, was elected as MAPA’s youth organizer.

“We’ve got the community pretty much covered,” Ramos said. “I’m very excited about this group.”

Martinez said more than 70 people have already joined the organization.

One of MAPA’s main goals will be to get Latinos registered to vote and “learn that we can make a difference,” Ramos said.