[Archive] Student bring gubernatorial candidates to forum: Tragic family event sparks political activism by GCC journalist

The Glendale Star
April 18, 2002                
By CAROLYN DRYER
Editor

Gabriel Cruz did not intend to become politically active, at least not during his senior year at Glendale High School. What Cruz intended to do was get a high school diploma and think about his future.

Instead, Cruz dropped out a month before he was scheduled to graduate, but later earned his diploma at Chris-Town Academy. In the meantime, tragedy struck, when his cousin’s infant daughter was killed last September.

Cruz said he looked up to his cousin and was devastated by the death of 21 month-old Liana Sandoval. Liana’s mother confessed to police the toddler had been beaten to death, and she and her boyfriend had weighted the girl’s body with a rock and dumped it into a canal.

The pair was arrested and is awaiting trail on first-degree murder charges. The couple was also charged with child abuse, and the mother also was charged with failure to protect her child.

There was something wrong with the system Cruz said, and he began to question Child Protection Services agency and the people supposed to protect his young cousin.

Cruz was enrolled at Glendale Community College, and he had become involved with the college’s M.E.Ch.A (Movimento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán) organization, a Hispanic student group dedicated to promoting high education among Hispanics. The group offers opportunities to young Hispanics for leadership development, community service, political activism, cultural awareness and educational enrichment.

Cruz wrote a commentary for the GCC Voice, the campus newspaper in which he said, “Before this news and event unfolded, there were warning signs.

“Months before, Liana’s father Anthony Sandoval and his family were noticing signs of abuse on his two daughters Isabella and Liana. Neighbors also claimed that Liana and her older sister, Isabella, were often left alone. This information was reported to Child Protective Services; yet, CPS was unable to come up with any hard substantial evidence of neglect or abuse.”

Cruz began to consider how he could affect change in a system he believes does not offer workers adequate pay, nor incentives to do a better job of looking after Arizona’s youngest citizens. Cruz concluded that change starts at the top, with the governor.

Bringing the candidates for governor together in a forum on the GCC campus, however, proved to be a challenge. Cruz said he was told that gubernatorial candidates would only appear on a state university campus, not a community college.

Gary Sievers, one of Cruz’s instructors at GCC said the 22-year-old refused to accept that, and he called each candidate. Democrat Alfredo Gutierrez was the easiest candidate to talk with, Cruz said, and agreed to participate in the forum, which is scheduled for noon April 24 at the GCC gym.

Other who have agreed to participate is: Independent candidate Richard Mahoney; Democrat Mike Newcomb; Republic Carol Springer, the state treasurer and representatives of Republicans Betsey Bayless and Matt Salmon.

Democrats Mark Osterloh and Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano have declined M.E.Ch.A’s invitation.

Cruz said Napolitano is waiting for a better opportunity to push her own agenda, but he and his fellow M.E.Ch.A members plan to wait until after the forum to decide which candidate deserves their backing.

While M.E.Ch.A cannot endorse a candidate, individual members can come together and register people to vote and actively campaign.

That is what Cruz plans to do – get out the vote and make sure each one counts.

The GCC gym is at 6000 West Olive Avenue.