Power Shift charts the rise of Latino political power and its impact, from the breakthrough election of the first Mexican American to the Los Angeles City Council in 1949 to today's leadership of California and its heavyweight role in polarized America. This inspiring story recounts the origins and development of 10 LA-based Latino and Latina leaders who transformed politics and government, forging a progressive political tradition in the process. Challenging disadvantage and discrimination, these key figures integrated the city council as well as school and county boards; established Latino collective political action in the state Legislature and in Congress; restructured the U.S. Census and how California's electoral districts are drawn; and played major roles in reforming the Democratic Party, the U.S. labor movement, and U.S.-Mexico relations. Along the way, they spearheaded critical changes in public health, law enforcement, education, housing, immigration, transportation, environmental policies, and more. Based on hundreds of hours of oral interviews and expert research, Power Shift tells a personal, gripping story that has critical relevance to our political present. As the nation faces ongoing threats to democracy and equality, these leaders continue to inspire and resist.
Power Shift: How Latinos in California Transformed Politics in America
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The book that started it all
Published in 2018, Power Shift offers a detailed account of the Latino political experience and is now a key educational resource for high schools and universities across California.
★★★★★
“MUST READ: Masterfully written, Power Shift shows how Latinos in California, in their quest for the American dream, developed the political and economic might to transform politics... Pla and Ayón's remarkable historical account will educate and engage a new generation facing one of the greatest challenges to our democracy.“
Maxine Waters
U.S. Representative for California's 43rd Congressional District
★★★★★
“Power Shift takes you inside an epic story of our times, capturing what George Pla calls 'California’s Latino political genius,' a force for progress in America that could only have arisen in Los Angeles.“
Mickey Kantor
Former Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative
★★★★★
“Here's the real story of how Latinos turned big numbers into real power.“
Jorge Ramos
Emmy Award-winning News Anchor
Introducing Los Diez: The Ten
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Richard Alatorre
Born in East Los Angeles in 1943, Richard Alatorre went on to become one of the most influential Latino politicians in California. A relentless champion of reapportionment, he led the fight to force the Census Bureau to count non-citizens, which would eventually mean more political power for Latinos, giving them their most substantial political representation in history.
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Gil Cedillo
Gil Cedillo grew up in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles and attended Roosevelt High School. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology in 1977
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Miguel Contreras
Miguel Contreras was a labor union leader who became known as a “king-maker” for both local and state politicians.
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Maria Elena Durazo
Senator María Elena Durazo was born the seventh child in a family of eleven children to migrant-worker parents.
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Gloria Molina
A native of Los Angeles, Gloria Molina grew up in the Pico Rivera area and is the eldest of ten children.
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Richard Polanco
Richard Polanco is the former California State Senate Majority Leader and Chairman of the California Latino Legislative Caucus.
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Edward Roybal
Edward Roybal was born on February 10, 1916, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the age of six,
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Art Torres
In a career spanning more than four decades, Art Torres has distinguished himself as a public servant determined
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Esteban Torres
Esteban Torres was born in Miami, Arizona on January 27, 1930. At age six, his family moved to East Los Angeles
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Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa is a respected voice in American politics and a prominent policymaker with a keen understanding of America’
About the Authors
George L. Pla
Founder and CEO of Cordoba Corporation, Pla has been in the forefront of Latino politics in California since his early days in grassroots activism. Empowering communities is the common theme in his philanthropic, business, and civic endeavors.
David R. Ayón
Coauthor of Power Shift: How Latinos in California Transformed Politics in America, Ayón has taught politics at seven universities and his work has appeared in over twenty books and other publications in the US and Mexico.