Oscar Ramos '01, a member of RAZA and Ballet Folklorico de Aztlan, says if the group were only for Mexican-American students, "only so many Chicanos would show up at Mesa."
"It gives us the chance to interact with other students," Ramos said.
And Cristina M. Delgadillo '99 says RAZA is one of few options for Latino students looking for a sense of unity and broader community.
"Because of the increasing number of Latino students and because they don't have other groups to go to, it's best for RAZA to do that," Delgadillo says.
Still, both Ramos and Delgadillo say RAZA's broader mission poses problems for Mexican-American students looking for a Mexican-American community and Latino students who join a primarily Mexican-American organization with Mexican-American roots.
"You can't exclude them from the group, and you can't disrespect the wishes of the founders of the groups," says Delgadillo, who is Chicana. "Those are the two issues you have to address."
Ramos says RAZA's leadership has to make a conscious effort to incorporate Latino cultures and concerns into the group's activities.
"They definitely make an attempt," says Ramos, who is Chicano. "It's just natural that the point of view people take come from who they are and where they came from."
Campos says the group tries to supplement celebrations for holidays like Cinco de Mayo and El Dia de los Muertos--two uniquely Mexican traditions--with events that have a broader appeal.
Last term, RAZA sponsored roundtable discussions on bilingual education and affirmative education. Next week there will be a roundtable discussion on recruiting more Latino and Mexican-American students to Harvard.
Always try to aim for a larger scope," Campos says. "Our discussions are about Latino issues that many people would want to talk about. We don't get down to nitty-gritty specifics."
The Future
If RAZA proves capable of walking the fine line between Latino and Mexican-American heritages and succeeds in building a united community, RAZA's leaders says the group will enjoy another 25 years on Harvard's campus.
"It is of the utmost importance to keep on trying, to constantly question ourselves, and to ask who it is we represent," Gonzalez wrote in his e-mail message.
"If [RAZA] is to be the voice of the Latino community at Harvard, as many believe it to be, then it must also acknowledge its responsibilities to those numerous communities it hopes to represent--perhaps more now than we ever did before," he added. "A daunting task, but nonetheless one that it has handled well at many times."
For Campos, RAZA will continue to thrive as long as the organization continues to provide the same welcoming environment former members remember.
"You talk to alumni and you end up swapping stories about basically the same things--hanging out at Mesa and spending time with friends," Campos says. "RAZA has always been a great community, and it's always developed great friendships and produced great moments in their College life."
"This has been a constant part of RAZA's history that we hope will continue," he adds.