Generally, M.E.Ch.A. must approach coalitions with outside organizations carefully.  El Plan De Santa Barbara warns us never to compromise M.E.Ch.A. principles, goals, and objectives in forming coalitions.  Coalitions with outside organizations should always be limited to work around issues that affect our community directly.  Therefore, involvement in issue coalitions
must be based on the benefit that our community will derive from working on such a coalition.

 An important consideration in forming coalitions is M.E.Ch.A.’s working relationships with Chicano grass-roots community organizations.  As Mechistas, we recognize that Chicano nationalist organizations based in the community are a logical extension of our Movement beyond our years in school.  Such coalitions assist M.E.Ch.A. in developing close ties with the community.  Yet, M.E.Ch.A. should only enter such a coalition with the understanding that both organizations must respect each other’s autonomy.

 Understanding that coalitions must be based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, M.E.Ch.A. has also learned from its history that we must be cautious and not liberal in dealing with organizational opportunism when it threatens M.E.Ch.A.  As Mechistas we have a responsibility to protect our organization’s autonomy (which includes EPA, EPSB, and the Philosophy of M.E.Ch.A. ).  El Plan de Santa Barbara urges various student groups (MAYA, MASC, UMAS, etc.) to adopt one unified name (M.E.Ch.A.) as a symbol of unified philosophy with a common objective: LA UNION HACE LA FUERZA!  We reaffirm our common force (M.E.Ch.A. creating solidarity for the Movement).