Joel Arredondo on CHIP

In Joel Arredondo's oral history interview for the Latino Lorain Project, he reflects on his memories and involvement with CHIP. According to Arredondo, CHIP was formed in 1984 as a result of the school busing program. He calls Juanita Senquiz, Elba Rosario Armstrong, and Cel Rivera "pioneers of CHIP." In his interview, he states, "They came up with a plan at the time. A way to advocate and integrate the schools without busing the kids all over Lorain. So that was the foundation of this organization." (More information on the busing plan can be found in Part 1 and 2 of Elba Rosario Armstrong's oral history interviews.)

Arredondo recalls that 15-16 years after the formation of CHIP, the organization came to an "impasse" and there was a meeting held at the Puerto Rican Home with 30+ individuals to discuss the continuation of the organization. A few days after community members voted to continue CHIP, Arredondo says that he got a call from his mentor Frank Jacinto asking him to serve as vice president of the organization under Armstrong. 

After Armstrong resigned due to a promotion in the Lorain City Schools, Arredondo says that he served as president of CHIP for five terms. From his time with CHIP, he specifically remembers that female members of the organization advocated for a referendum to remove a U.S. navy base from Vieques, Puerto Rico. Arredondo recalls that because of the base, harmful experiments were being done on Puerto Rican women and bombings were affecting the people there. Ultimately, CHIP was successful in having the base removed from the island. 

In his interview, Arredondo also explains that when he first became a member of CHIP, members who were not Latino were not allowed to vote on issues related to the organization. Once president, Arredondo says that he advocated for all members of CHIP to be able to vote. According to Arredondo: "If we're gonna be diverse, we have to be inclusive also."