The Association of Raza Educators (ARE) is a far-left collective of Hispanic educators based in California. While the organization has little statewide or national structure or activity, ARE chapters operate in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and Santa Barbara.

The organization does not appear to be a registered nonprofit with the IRS as of 2023, and it has not been a licensed business or nonprofit in California since 2009. The chapters of the organization collect funds for scholarship programs and dues, with the group’s scholarships designed to benefit illegal immigrant students and recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The group has released statements supporting a variety of far-left political positions concerning immigration, labor policy, and other cultural issues. Notably, it released a statement aligning with the Black Lives Matter movement that condemned “anti-Black state-sanctioned policing.” ^{1 2 3}

Background

The Association of Raza Educators was founded in the spring of 1994 by members of Union del Barrio, a radical socialist organization located in San Diego that promotes the “liberation” of the Hispanic community. Union del Barrio makes a variety of radical far-left socialist statements on its “Political Program,” such as “We actively reject any and all governments, laws, national borders, and definitions of citizenship that deny us full enjoyment of our human and democratic rights” and calls for a “revolutionary process to the masses.” ^{4 5}

Initial membership of ARE was comprised of teachers in the San Diego area. The catalyst to the founding of the organization was the passage of Proposition 187, which limited government services provided to illegal immigrants. The goals of the organization include a focus on promoting left-wing political activism among students and teachers and the group’s principles include “Nurture student activism and develop student activists,” and “Struggle to reclaim spaces in the institution (i.e. schools) for progressive education and to develop politically active teachers.” ⁶

Activities

Activity of the Association of Raza Educators has included “Pressuring the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation to open their funds to undocumented students,” promoting “ethnic studies requirements” in school districts, and providing scholarships for illegal immigrant students. The group also reports that it has developed “critical anti-racist liberation curriculum.” The group is also a member of the Education for Liberation Network. ⁷

Statements

The Association of Raza Educators and its chapters have released statements supporting a variety of far-left political positions concerning immigration, labor policy, and other cultural issues that often employ far-left rhetoric. In 2022, the group called on three Los Angeles City Council members to resign following a leaked recording of what the group called “racist, anti-Black, anti-indigenous and anti-LGBTQ comments.” The organization further stated that the council members represented the “neo-colonial and neo-liberal models that oppress our gente.” ⁸

The group also released a statement regarding the January 6, 2021 Capitol Riot as a “manifestation of ingrown violence at the hands of white supremacists” and an effort to “further silence the voices of[ …] oppressed people of color.” ⁹

Another statement from ARE supported the Black Lives Matter movement and condemned “anti-Black state-sanctioned policing” and “acknowledg[ed] the systemic and institutional violence Black communities have experienced for over 500 years.” ¹⁰

The San Diego, Los Angeles, and Sacramento chapters of ARE all released statement supporting and expressing “solidarity” with a 2019 teacher’s strike led by the Chicago Teachers Union. ¹¹

1. “Solidarity.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/solidarity.html
2. “Home.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/
3. “Association of Raza Educators.” California Secretary of State. Query Conducted May 3, 2023.  https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business
4. “Participatory Democracy and Socialism.” Union Del Barrio. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://uniondelbarrio.org/main/4-2/about-udb/political-program/what-we-want/ii-participatory-democracy-socialism/
5. “Home.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/
6. “Home.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/
7. “Home.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/
8. “Solidarity.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/solidarity.html
9. “Solidarity.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/solidarity.html
10. “Solidarity.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/solidarity.html
11. “Solidarity.” Association of Raza Educators. Accessed May 3, 2023. http://www.razaeducators.org/solidarity.html