Daisy Hernandez

Back to School And the Racist Parties

Remember when “back to school” was just about the sales at the mall and how you were going to handle so many credits and work full-time?

Those days are so over.

I was at UTAustin last week where a fraternity is rushing its newbies with a “cholo party.” Yep. So white boys are dressing up as cholos. What does a “white boy gone cholo” wear in Austin? Apparently jeans and yellow tennis shoes.

A young Latina student told me a white boy defended the practice of cholo parties by saying that some black kids are wearing KKK hoods. Right. That makes sense.

Can we refrain from seeing these parties as isolated college incidents? They’re another part of the attacks happening nationwide on immigrants and Black Americas. The same day I got to Austin, I was reading more about the Jena 6 and then watching a video clip of an old white guy tear down a Mexican flag from a business.

For some deeper thinking on the subject of the parties though check out the issue of ColorLines that on stands now. C. Richard. King and David Leonard took a close look at the rise of these racist parties.

Posted at 9:36 AM, Oct 10, 2007 in Education | Permalink | View Comments