Spanish-Speaking Organization for Community Integrity and Opportunity, 1968
Patricia Oliver and Mary Hernandez
The Spanish-Speaking Organization for Community Integrity and Opportunity (SOCIO) was founded in December of 1967 in Salt Lake City; the Ogden chapter was organized June 1968. The first meeting was organized by Rev. Jerald H. Merrill, pastor of the Guadalupe Mission, after Spanish-speaking citizens complained about discrimination and the need for equal employment, housing, and education opportunities.
Shortly after SOCIO’s founding, Clearfield City officials wanted to condemn and redevelop the Anchorage housing community, a military housing development that the city had neglected after World War II. Anchorage was home to many Spanish-speaking workers who also struggled with poverty. Leaders from SOCIO and the NAACP protested the city’s action, saying that residents needed more time and assistance to relocate.
The groups marched on the state capitol and met with government leaders. Eventually all of the Anchorage residents were able to relocate. Because of this incident, many Utahns became aware for the first that housing problems existed in the state, and the legislature soon drafted a bill creating the Utah Housing Authority. In their petition to the governor, the Anchorage protestors said that discrimination was as bad in Utah as in other areas of the country and needed to be addressed. “Open housing is not a gift to the American minority from the dominant majority, but a right,” they said.
SOCIO continued their work to curb poverty, encourage education and economic independence, and preserve pride and cultural heritage. They helped organize ethnic studies at Weber State and advocated for the hiring of more Chicanos in all levels of education. In 1968 they sponsored a state-wide symposium on migrant labor issues, including housing, welfare, health, and education. In the 1970s SOCIO helped organize a health clinic for migrant workers and their families. They also lobbied for better support for Spanish-speakers navigating the criminal justice system.
Dr. Isabelle Evenchick, Jose Luis Alvarez, Jr. and Martha Quintana
Alberto Jarmillo and Maria Martinez
Alex Hurtado