Juan "Freddie Freak" Trujillo

How He Got Involved With UMAS

In the years since his introduction into the Chicano movement. Trujillo has tended to describe it as an epiphany. Freak also said that it was his  destiny to become a "foot-solider" in the struggle for equality for Chicanos and Chicanas everywhere. It was in the year 1970, Trujillo was first introduced to UMAS. He took part in a summer program that was offered by UMAS, and later that fall he enrolled as an undergraduate at the University of Colorado in Boulder. As an activist, Trujillo used his skills and experience while promoting free concerts to brings famous bands such as The Grateful Dead to Boulder. Freak was also involved in student government and was elected to a CU Senate position in his time as a student at the college. As more money was pumped into the university, so too was Freak's understanding of money. This made him an excellent  organizer. With his new found powers he was able to brings event such as La Fiesta de la Gente, and other notable Chicano artists to the college town. While he was at CU Boulder, the college became a place of growing Chicano culture and political awareness. This was becoming a huge problem for the people in charge of the college. They responded in force by cutting programs which enabled Chicano students to enroll at CU Boulder. This was a major blow to UMAS, at a university of 20,000 the rate of Chicano students enrolling exploded in a four year period. From 1968 with a little under 50 Chicano students to 1972 with about 1200 Chicano students. You can see why this caused such friction with UMAS and fellow Chicano activists and the top brass at CU Boulder. 

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