Becoming Chicano
Sydney Gallegos was born in New Mexico and came to Seattle
in 1969 to attend UW. One of the
founders of MEChA, after earning his degree in dentistry, Dr. Gallegos helped found the Seattle chapter of
the National Chicano
Health Organization. (1.4 min)
In the
late 1960s young activists began using the term
“Chicano” to denote their cultural heritage. Originally a negative
label used to demean Mexican Americans, young
people turned “Chicano” into a symbol of empowerment
and pride.