The Political Association of Spanish-Speaking Organizations (PASSO) was formed as an outgrowth of the success of the Viva Kennedy Clubs in the 1960 United States Presidential Election.
In the 1950s, Mexican Americans endured chronic unemployment, limited upward mobility, segregated education and surging rates of illiteracy.
Savvy politicians such as United States Senator Dennis Chávez and then-Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Roybal saw potential for increasing civic engagement, political participation and most importantly, electoral turnout by Mexican Americans.
[3] Previously, the national Democratic Party wrote off Mexican Americans as solid liberals who did not need special attention in the quest for the White House.
Additionally, in the letter, Garcia and other Forum members requested the inclusion of civil rights for Mexican Americans, especially those in the middle class in an effort to appeal to a major tenant of the Democratic Party agenda.
[5] Shortly after the convention in which John F. Kennedy was nominated, Councilman Roybal, then-Texas State Senator Henry Gonzalez and their mentor Senator Chavez, who like Garcia was concerned about the lack of federal government participation by Mexican Americans, met with Robert F. Kennedy to discuss strategy for the involvement of Mexican Americans in the general election.
At their 1960 convention, Forum leaders spoke of the importance of electing Kennedy as President of the United States to desegregate schools, lift up the middle class and assist migrant workers, which are issues that appeal to Mexican American voters.
Rallies featuring national allies of Kennedy and Spanish language advertisements helped to mobilize and spread support for the campaign.
Godinez was the national president of LULAC and was a World War II veteran; because of his background, many Viva Kennedy members believed he was appointed.
After the electoral success, McCormick, Peña and Garcia met in Victoria, Texas to discuss the future of Viva Kennedy.
The newly formed group espoused the policies of onetime LULAC President George I. Sanchez, which included more federal funding for education in Hispanic communities, a living wage for migrant workers, stricter control along the Texas-Mexican border and increased welfare for Mexican Americans.
In 1965, PASSO waged a campaign against La Casita Farms, one of the largest agribusinesses in Texas and in doing so, employed more radical tactics, which alienated the middle class members and caused many of them to depart the organization.
At the height of the Chicano Movement that swept Texas, the remaining members of PASSO joined the Raza Unida Party, effectively abolishing the organization.