JoAnn Larra Trujillo and Gloria Hugues Rodriguez are making a naked appeal:
The League of Mexican-American Women, which for 50 years has helped nurture and mold Tucson teenage girls, and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for educational scholarships, is on the brink of disappearing. It is low on members, low on girls and their families willing to participate in the annual coming-of-age event, and low in optimism that it will reach 51.
βWe want to continue,β said Trujillo, a League member since 1979.
But because of the lack of interest, changing societal attitudes and the mounting costs of organizing the gala ball in which the debutantes are presented, the League is running on fumes and out of time.
βItβs sad,β said Rodriguez, a 35-year member.
Born in the mid-1960s, when the winds of social and political change were beginning to whip across the country, the League was formed by a small group of Mexican-American women to promote education and provide college scholarships to Tucsonβs high school students. Its centerpiece was the September fundraiser, Fiesta en Xochimilco, based on the social tradition of the quinceaΓ±era. But unlike the quinceaΓ±era in which the 15-year-old girl is the center of everyoneβs attention, the Leagueβs Florecitas look outward to community, family and culture.
The girls engage in community service projects, such as feeding the hungry, cleaning up a park, volunteering with Benβs Bells, their church or school. They take classes in etiquette and participate in the annual La Fiesta de los Vaqueros parade. They are asked to enhance their personal and family values. They are encouraged to become full participants in their community, to give back.
Now the League is asking the many Florecitas and others to support the League, become active members and to reinvigorate the groupβs mission.
βNo one objects to raising money for education,β said Rodriguez, βbut what else can we do to raise money?β
At its height, the League had more than 80 members, and each year upwards of 40 teen girls were Florecitas and an equal number of Botoncitos, 14-year-old girls, were Florecitas-in-waiting.
Currently the League has about 40 members with about a fourth who do the heavy lifting. And this yearβs Xochimilco dance, celebrating the Leagueβs golden anniversary, has only six Florecitas and two Botoncitos.
In 1980, the League gave out more than $20,000 in scholarships; last year it was slightly more than $18,000. However, with the dramatic increase in college costs, that $18,000 didnβt go far.
Rodriguez and Trujillo said the League has never been exclusive to Mexican-American women and girls. It is open to any woman and girl.
The Fiesta ball has been especially a multi-generational tradition for League members. Trujilloβs two daughters and one granddaughter were Florecitas while Rodriguezβs daughter and four granddaughters were presented at the gala. Other membersβ daughters and granddaughters have been Florecitas but none of the Leagueβs membersβ family have received a League scholarship, Rodriguez said.
When the two joined the League, it offered them a chance to get out of their daily routine of taking care of home, family and work. Rodriguezβs family was in the wholesale fish and restaurant business, and Trujillo worked in her family restaurant.
League members would meet Wednesday nights, talk business and then socialize. They made friends and discovered mentors.
βIt was a comadre setting. You felt that,β Rodriguez said. Trujillo said it was a lot of work but βit was girlsβ night out.β
But as the years passed, the group was unable to attract enough new members to replace members who left or passed away. Getting younger women was a challenge. While both Rodriguez and Trujillo each have a daughter who has joined the League, they are baffled why more women have not followed.
Maybe the explosion of smart phones and social media has played an inverse role, discouraging women from having face-to-face relationships, they conjectured. Or maybe the League has more competition among other organizations and groups, they said.
Whatever the reasons, Rodriguez said, it is imperative that more women become involved. The League will welcome you.
The League will hold a reunion for former Florecitas on Sept. 2. This yearβs Florecitas will have their annual Mass celebrated Sept. 3 at St. Augustine Cathedral and the Fiesta en Xochimilco will be held Sept. 9 in the Grand Ballroom at the Tucson Convention Center.
Former Florecitas and future League members can call Trujillo at 520-327-3740. Or visit the groupβs website, http://leagueofmexicanamericanwomen.org
