Why A Woman’s Group?

As a perfunctory courtesy, I always ask women members of the American GI Forum if they are interested in joining a woman’s chapter; or better yet, in starting their own woman’s chapter.  I usually get the same response, and those of you whom I’ve asked will recognize it: “Oh, no.  We always meet together with the men, and we do everything together.” The underlying implication being: “Why would we need (or want) a woman’s group?”

And, then, I also get another type of question from friends who are not members of the American GI Forum.  They want to know how our organization differs from other Veterans’ organizations.  Especially as it relates to non-Veteran women: “How are you different from the American Legion or VFW?  They have Women Auxiliaries too.” Their underlying implication being: “Aren’t all women’s auxiliaries alike?”  

Perhaps the answer to both questions can be found in the intent that Dr. Hector P. García had for women when he founded the American GI Forum in 1948.  A visionary, far ahead of his time, Dr. Hector P. Garcia laid the groundwork for an organization that would make great inroads in the areas of civil rights, education and other issues directly affecting Veterans AND their families.

In 1948, Hispanics were dealing with harsh discrimination, common in their largely segregated communities, but deemed intolerable toward discharged Veterans returning from serving their country honorably.  Dr. García saw the need to organize Veterans and their families, in the Senior (Men’s) Forum, and a Women’s and Youth Forum, so that everyone was involved in learning how to organize, how to work within the institutions that had harbored bias for so long, how to rise above intimidation and achieve success.  In short, he set out to prove his motto for the organization: “Education is our Freedom, and Freedom Should be Everybody’s Business.” This Freedom, Dr. García believed, not only included formal, academic education, but the education learned only through active involvement in an organization that would develop leadership skills and place people in a position to change public policy.

Yes, women can participate in the Senior Forum and still be an integral part of change.  In fact, most of the women’s chapters in California do meet together with the men to plan and implement activities for their chapter.  We do this because it’s more efficient, and we are all truly working for the same objectives outlined in our By-Laws.

So, why have Women’s chapters at all?  Until recently, there were very few women Veterans.  Since the AGIF’s Constitution states that only Veterans can hold most Officers’ positions,that excluded most women from holding those positions of leadership.  However, in the Women’s chapter, women are eligible to hold all positions, and thus develop their leadership skills. Another benefit is that having a women’s chapter makes that chapter eligible for HEF matching funds, a huge advantage for increasing a chapter’s scholarship funds.

But aside from those two reasons, women have always played a pivotal role in the development of the American GI Forum, and in maintaining the mission of the organization, working alongside the Senior Forum.  Thus, it can be said that whatever the AGIF has accomplished, it has been accomplished through a joint venture of both men and women members.

It is time to celebrate that joint venture and rededicate our efforts to continuing this partnership.  We can do this by recognizing that any one of the Women’s chapters are capable and ready to help move this organization forward.  And it is also time to recognize all of the women in the local chapters whose names most of us do not know.  Those are the women who have been the backbone of the organization, who have worked tirelessly for many decades, and who truly believe that the Education they have learned along the way has given them the Freedom to act on behalf of their beliefs of how best to help Veterans and their families.

As the AGIF/CA moves forward through more collaboration within the organization and with other organizations and corporations that believe in our mission, the Women of California stand proudly to continue the legacy that Dr. Hector P. Garcia left.  It IS our Business to advocate for Education to assure and protect our Freedom. Helen Galvan, Chairwoman American GI Forum California-Women