Weird shit. It was, like twenty years ago that a group of young chicano activists put forward a proposal for a social, cultural, educational institution for chicanos on the Stanford University campus. Who knows, maybe it was the fact that the last liberal president of the century was in office, maybe it was massive amounts of cocaine, but that proposal was approved. From that point on, El Centro Chicano at Stanford University, for better and worse, became a fixture on the edge of White Plaza.

Usually, when normal people commit a heinous crime, forensic psychologists are employed to investigate, and explain why something like this could happen. Unfortunately, the activist element of the chicana/o student community, myself included (during my wasted youth) are and were rarely introspective, or self-critical.

Until now. On the eve of El Centro's twentieth anniversary, we are witnessing a spectacular attempt at lionizing and celebrating twenty years of Chicana/o student activism on the Stanford campus. The kick-off began last weekend. It was homecoming weekend. How sweet. Hundreds of alumni strutted, staggered and sauntered around the school. I had a really pleasant conversation with a woman from the class of 1948. She was proudly wearing her "Still an Indian" button. That racist sack of shit, she'll probably outlive me, too, just to add insult to injury.

Anyway, I had heard from a student that a "historical" exhibit of posters and other memorabilia were currently on display at El Centro. I tried to resist, but I just had to look. I waited until the evening, when I thought most of the alumni would be away, and I could look and laugh in peace.

Well, I guess I could look, but I'll never be in peace. It was strange, really, seeing bits and pieces of my life photocopied, excerpted, quoted, stuck on a wall like a bug in a museum. I could see a photocopy of the front page of the Stanford Daily, complete with a quote from yours truly as the Co-Chair of Stanford MEChA. I saw myself listed as a student staff member at El Centro Chicano, even when I wasn't anywhere close to being enrolled in any classes! I could see a picture of myself in some random wedding that had nothing and everything to do with the chicana/o "community" at Stanford.

It was also interesting to note all the political editing that took place as well. Events that people wanted to forget were left out. Gone was any mention of the ferocious battle that took place during the late 1980's over the political direction of the Chicana/o community. Gone was any mention of the way MEChA used and totally sold out the more progressive elements of their own community during the three day hunger strike that took place in 1994. Gone was any mention of the complete and utter heart-break over the resignation of a popular director of the Black Community Services Center after he was caught videotaping women while they were changing clothes.

Instead, we see photographs of Dia de los Muertos celebrations, orientation receptions, photo-ops for Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, Zoot Suit parties, Menudo Bowls, you name it, we had it.

I could tell you stories.

I will.