Go Tejano Day Equity, Not Entitlement
June 4, 2008 7:56 am Tejano Day at the 2008 Houston RodeoGood ole Leroy Shafer – COO for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, publicly rejected and stated in the Houston Chronicle it would be pointless to mediate any issues raised by minority groups and the U.S. Justice Department as sought by the Houston chapter of the American GI Form. This same old-fashioned tone of resistance is a strategy of denial, which does not allow diversity to be part of the Houston Rodeo. …“Houston Control” we still have problem here!
How can a non-profit group operating about a $100 million organization, channel revenues, partly raised through year long fund raising efforts of the Go Tejano Committee, not address the obvious transparent need for diversity transparently in their scholarships identity, and procurement contracts to one of the nation’s largest minority segments of the population in Harris County? Hispanics make up the largest group per ca-pita in the county.
We applaud the efforts of minority leaders from the Hispanic, Tejano and African-American communities for utilizing every avenue to serve justice for all in reference to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo unwillingness to address the real issues. Sure there are differences but to ignore the facts of these issues returns minorities, with Tejanos in particular, to a chapter of American history no group is willing to relive again. Let‚Äôs move forward and find a balance in what each minority group has contributed to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Equity, diversity, and tradition built the Houston Rodeo to a profitable entity, not a private club of elites or for ‚Äúthe good ole boys‚Äù! For those not well versed with the facts, it was the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo who determined earlier this year to devalue the Tejano community by not featuring Tejano performers on its main stage after establishing a seventeen year; a day of family tradition ‚Äî Go Tejano Day. This fact never stopped the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from accepting the volunteer services of the Tejanos leaders or Go Tejano Committee in fundraising scholarship revenues. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo shouldn‚Äôt be allowed to have it both ways — Tejano music is good enough for the small community fund raisers, but not popular enough to maintain it‚Äôs long built tradition on the main stage in the large stadium? The issues at hand run deeper than just a music genre though. The music issue is only the tip of the iceberg of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo‚Äôs one sided, narrow mindedness.
There is more to this imbalance then meets the eye. The Tejano community challenged the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for it’s devaluation of Tejano music, its culture and it’s people. This fallout manifested itself after a 17-year partnership in which Tejanos have helped raise millions of dollars because of their unselfish efforts consistently. If education is power, we must take from those lessons of common sense and listen to the collective voice of those minority constituents in Houston. While not all Hispanic groups are the same and one size does not fit all, the undeniable truth remains, that the Tejano community, in particular, has been serving and continues to serve in a volunteer capacity with the scholarship fundraising efforts of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It is this tradition that helped establish “Go Tejano Day” and even before that through the Reata Association— which has established precedence thus giving Tejanos generational equity. That means one or more generations are ready to sit on the Executive Board for their long established years of service — yet still we see nothing? The business of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo through its contracts, vendors and supply services, support only a small number of minorities which include: women, Hispanics, African-Americans, and Tejanos — why? Why no executives at the top? From top to bottom the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo looks like it’s servicing only a comfortable few with financial gain and empowerment. Why?
The time has come to put all of these issues on the table again! Let the chips fall where they may, but this time bringing in all of the stakeholders. Stakeholders include those likely to surrender to the table scraps of the “Rodeo Hideout” and merge them side by side with Tejano leadership made up of courageous individuals, organizations, coalitions and groups willing to stand up and make the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo accountable to all of the communities that play a big role in their revenue stream. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo financial sponsors are also interested in the questions/requests being positioned:
1. Award a greater number of scholarships to Tejanos/Hispanics (Largest group per capita)
2. Incorporate (Tejano/Hispanic) individual (s) at the Executive Committee Level of the governing body (equal representation including women)
3. Retain traditional event title, as is “Go Tejano Day” and build greater awareness of Tejano music & culture
4. Expand role of “Go Tejano Committee” in the entertainment selection process – obtain empowerment
5. Pay parity for Tejano music artists
6. Increase Hispanic themed days/events at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
7. Identify current minority contracts and participating vendors doing business with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and award greater number of opportunities to minorities
There’s plenty of room for discussing minority differences and enough minority goodwill to reach the middle ground through mediation. “No Tejano, No Rodeo” is a rally cry no minority group should not be forced to VOICE next year!
Orale Se?±or Shaffer, loosen up the bolo tie, get out of your luxury Reliant sky box, and plant your feet on terra firma. The time for change is ahora!