Chicano While Mormon: Activism, War, and Keeping the Faith (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press Mormon Studies Series)

This is a memoir of the early years of a well-known Chicano scholar whose work and activism were motivated by his Mormon faith. The narrative follows him as an immigrant boy in San Antonio, Texas, who finds religion, goes to segregated schools, participates in the first major school boycott of the modern era in Texas, goes to Viet Nam where he heads an emergency room in the Mekong Delta, and then to college where he becomes involved in the Chicano Movement. Throughout this time he juggles, struggles, and comes to terms with the religious principles that provide him the foundation for his civil rights activism and form the core of his moral compass and spiritual beliefs. In the process he pushes back against those religious traditions and customs that he sees as contrary to the most profound aspects of being a Mormon Christian. This memoir is about activism and religion on the ground and reflects the militancy of people of color whose faith drives them to engage in social action that defies simple political terminology. Coming to America -- Growing up brown in Texas -- El grito : becoming Mexican -- Mormonismo : a home for my spiritual yearnings -- Sidney Lanier High School : la garra -- La vida (not too) loca of high school -- El army -- Going to el norte : entering the homefront -- Going to Viet Nam : the brown warrior -- Romance, buddies, and disillusionment -- Providing mercy and finding death again -- Flying back to the barrio -- Another part of Texas : another part of the spirit -- Steps back into a Chicano world -- The college life : beyond the activist trenches -- United we win : politics in the time of Chicanos -- El final : politics of self-destruction -- Final thoughts on this phase of my life This is a memoir of the early years of a well-known Chicano scholar whose work and activism were motivated by his Mormon faith. In this book, readers will learn about how Ignacio Garcia and other Latino Mormons navigate their religion and gain insight into what motivates people of faith in their social action.