Overview

Behind the success of every great politician, inspiring activist, or business titan, there is a staffer; Jorge B. Haynes was that staffer for some of the most influential leaders in Texas, Florida, and California. Jorge B. Haynes had a knack for finding his way into the rooms where history was being made. From his work boycotting farmworker conditions alongside Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta as a young man in California to his role in President Bill Clinton's NAFTA war room in the 1990s, he was the man advising some of the country's most influential leaders and he left an imprint on the monumental moments that defined their time. His career spanned almost five decades, beginning with his decision to leave home in Laredo to serve in the US Air Force. But his service to the country took many different forms. Haynes worked for the Bureau of the Census the first year Latinos were allowed to declare their Hispanic heritage. He wrote speeches and orchestrated pivotal meetings for top political leadership in Texas and later Florida. In the final years of his career, he fought to make college a more accessible path for under-represented students in California. As his paternal grandmother used to say, ""Cuando vas a un lugar donde nunca has estado, finge que has estado allí,"" which means, ""When you go somewhere that you've never been, pretend like you've been there before."" By the end of his career, there weren't many places that Haynes hadn't been.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jorge B. Haynes ,  Denise Gamino ,  Benton Graham
Publisher:   University of Texas Press
Imprint:   University of Texas Press
Weight:   0.454kg
ISBN:  

9781477333655

ISBN 10:   1477333657
Pages:   216
Publication Date:   05 May 2026
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available  
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Table of Contents

Foreword by Dolores Huerta Preface: Who Am I? 1. A Capitol Command: Working Under a Dome Again 2. Border Childhood: My Youth in Two Worlds 3. Becoming Jorge: The Top-Secret Military Job That Changed My Life 4. Lessons from the Chicano Movement: Supporting the Work of Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Other Inspiring Chicano Leaders 5. Chicanos on the Rise at Sacramento State 6. Allies United: A Legendary Chief Justice Backs Down 7. Counting Heritage: The 1980 Census and Its Historic Latino Surge 8. Back to Texas: A Maquiladora Matchmaker 9. Putting Words in the Lieutenant Governor's Mouth 10. Politics in the Sunshine State 11. Live From Capitol Hill: Running a Congressional Office for Environmental and Economic Justice 12. Back Home, Briefly: Still a Border Advocate 13. Doors of Opportunity: Bringing a Diverse Student Body to California State Universities Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes

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Author Information

Now retired, Jorge B. Haynes, Jr. is a Vietnam-era veteran who worked for leaders in politics, education and business. Denise Gamino is the coauthor of Around the World with LBJ: My Wild Ride as Air Force One Pilot, White House Aide, and Personal Confidant and was a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. Benton Graham has written for The Guardian and Texas Monthly, among other publications.

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