So You Want to Take Introduction to Chicana/o Studies?

This is part of a longer blog series, which you can find links to the previous as well as the next blog posts at the bottom of this blog. 

From my work in my capstone project, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the bigger picture and discuss why the birth of the Chicana/o Studies Department at Loyola Marymount Univesity is so important.

Consider being in history class and taking some time to learn about the Chicano movement so all you get is a couple of passages on the United Farm Workers Movement. Now this was part of the Chicano history but not the whole story. In other words, sometimes we not only want to learn HIStory but also our story. As stated in Mythohistorical Interventions where we not only hear the demand “that our side of the story be told,” as Lydia R. Aguirre, an activist of the time, retells but also asserts the need for more equal education and curricular equality.

Back in 1968, when high school students were walking out, this was one of the demands they had, curriculum reform. Departments like the one found at LMU or similar programs and departments across the nation can trace their roots back to students who wanted a say in their education. They wanted an equal education, which encompasses the telling of their side of the story but also an opportunity to tell the story. Thus driving many Chicano student activists to fight for the creation of Chicano studies programs and cultural centers in universities and colleges. Within this environment, now the Chicanos had an avenue to prosper in thus a dramatic increase in academic recognition in Chicano-produced work as seen over the years that followed. The creation of departments like LMU’s Chicana/o Studies department developed a professional organization in which a better dialogue across educational communities was born.

In a country that finds many great leaders in those who want change, it is sad to not recognize these sudents’ merits who worked towards the educational equality and curriculum reform . Their hard work and devotion to the programs that now exist across the nation starts to get devalued as the program they help set up get questioned and in some cases even banned. I hope I can now at least shine a light on why they are so important and need to be preserved.

 

Read more:

The Birth of the Chicana/o Studies DepartmentSetting the StageStudents Propose a New ProgramFrom Chicano Studies Department to Mexican- American Studies Degree Program, Capstone Project Gone BlogSo Let’s Put Some of the Pieces Together

From Chicano Studies Department to Mexican-American Studies Degree Program

 

This is part of a longer blog series, which you can find links to the previous as well as the next blog posts at the bottom of this blog. 

Back in 1968 the United Mexican American Students (UMAS) of Loyola-Marymount presented a proposal for the development and implementation of a Chicano Studies Department on nothing more than white paper and a typewriter. But after looking in the Chicana/o Studies Department’s archives in the University’s Archives found in the library’s Archives and Special Collections, I found a very interesting document. I found the Mexican-American Studies Degree Program description.

Finding this document comes at a shock for many reasons. One of which is simply at just looking at this document versus the proposal presented by UMAS. One of the big visual differences include the letterhead this document has. Not only does it have an official Loyola Marymount of Los Angeles letterhead but it also has a sort of seal for the program itself. This shows us that this document although not stated anywhere is not brought up by the students.Through its presentation, we know it means business because it is a formal document  that a faculty or even staff member might of worked on.

Aside from the way it looks, the language used is sophisticated and formal. It does not present an attitude or voice like the UMAS proposal did, to the contrary it presents itself very politically and states its desire in a way that it remains neutral yet confident in what it wants. The only thing that is left unclear though is what gave rise to this and why did it take 5 years for it to appear, as this document is dated from February 14, 1973. Since for the moment those questions remained unanswered we can review it so as to share its contents and try to answer the questions.The document is comprised of 5 different areas. It starts of with the rationale behind the program, then continues into the proposed program of studies which is followed by the class list for humanities and social sciences and ends with the costs of the program.

The rationale begins by first stating the demographics and then gives points as to why the program is vital to an university education. The author behind the document brings the reader’s awareness around the issue that there exist irrelevant issues to the minorities of color, which includes the nation’s second largest minority, the Mexican-Americans. A minority whose unique situation “necessitates academic attention from interdisciplinary perspectives” which would encompass analysis of their historical, social, economical, psychological, cultural and political aspects. It continues on by stating that a degree in such a program not only would develop a student but also “fulfill one of the most important goals of Loyola University” as stated by Father Merrifield in his address on the goals of liberal education which says that there must exist an understanding of social -political realities and awareness of and sensitivity to the deep social problems in America. At the core of it stood the University’s goal  to serve the community which included the presence of the largest population of Mexican descent outside of Mexico City and Guadalajara, including the presence of Mexican-American students whose presence is eluded from the 11% of Spanish surname population at Loyola. (Only to be compared to the approximate 21% currently found now at LMU.) These students need to be well prepared to pursue advanced degrees and strong foundations that a degree or double degree in Mexican-American Studies would provide them with.

The preparation would be coming from the proposed program of studies that included a focus on humanities and social sciences. The proposed program required the student to either take or test out of Spanish, a course in Race, Political Power in America, an Introduction to Mexican-American Studies and a course from one of the Research Methods list of classes. Then they would continue by pursuing one of two paths. One path required the students to take 4 courses from each section III and IV of the document course which are the list of Humanity and social science courses, respectively. Or if they preferred to develop a specialized skill in a particular area they could take any 4 courses in their area and any 4 courses in the other major section, e.i. 4 in history and 4 in social science. The student had some degree of liberty to what they wanted to take as section III and IV list of 33 classes to chose from.

The final section of the document is more at the administration level. As this section deals with the salary of the Director of the program and cost of the program as a whole.

This document seems to fit the needs of the population but still does not give us much to grasp on as to the change in the demand over the course of 5 years.

 

Sources:

Loyola University. Bellarmine College Record Group. Mexican-American Studies Degree Program, February 14, 1973. RG 12, Record Series D:  Departments and programs, Box 14. Loyola Marymount University Archives, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, LMU, Los Angeles.

Photo:

Special Collections Entrance, Los Angeles. Personal photograph by Carmen Castañeda. 2012.

Read more:

The Birth of the Chicana/o Studies DepartmentSetting the Stage, Students Propose a New Program, Capstone Project Gone BlogSo You Want to Take Introduction to Chicana/o Studies?So Let’s Put Some of the Pieces Together

Graciela Limon: An Inspiration to Younger Authors in Hispanic Literature

Just last month, Loyola Marymount University had the opportunity to host a very important figure and pride to the LMU Chicano/a Studies Department, Graciela Limon. Today her work is a very strong voice in contemporary American Hispanic Literature. A Mexican-America native to East Los Angeles, Graciela Limon earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. in Spanish American Literature.
As a child, Graciela Limon’s favorite pastime was reading. She really liked reading the newspaper because that is what was easily accessible to her. As she grew older and began reading novels, Limon dreamed of becoming a novelist someday. After earning her graduate degree, she tried submitting a collection of essays for publication to a few different editors, she was always told that her writing was “more creative than scholarly” and became discouraged (Arte Publico Press Author of the Month: Graciela Limon). “After some time in depression, the word ‘creative’ began to take shape in my thoughts. It sparked the memory of a long-ago dream,” says Graciela Limon. Hence, she decided to take this creativity and become an author of fiction novels based on her experience and emotions that she had encountered in life.
Her first published work titled, In Search of Bernabe (1993), became a Notable Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review. This novel is based on her collection of stories and historical information she learned through volunteer work in Los Angeles with a Salvadoran immigrant community of refugees and a trip she made herself to El Salvador in the late 70’s. The stories and history of El Salvador and other Central American countries whose populations travel up north in search of the “American dream” also had a great influence in one of her later novels, the River Flows North published in 2009 (Arte Publico). Scholar Ellen McCracken says: “Limón’s novels represent one of the most important contributions to the renaissance of Chicana fiction in the United States in the late 1980s and [the] 1990s. Her work is situated in a transborder experience of the Americas in which the women and men of Central America, Mexico, and Los Angeles come together in political and gender struggles, re-examine their historical past, and narratively employ their future” (Authors and Literary Works).
Among her other novels are The Memories of Ana Calderon (1994), and Song of the Hummingbird (1996), which really focus on the woman’s traditional role in society both in a tradition-bound rural Mexico and in the United States as well. These novels touch on the oppression that women face and how they choose to overcome this through their strength and their “resolve” as Limon likes to call it. “Her novels explore Mexican cultural heritage, focusing on the world of Mexicans and Mexican Americans, and are peopled with characters grappling with issues of cultural and personal identity and sexual autonomy” (Authors and Literary Works). During her visit to LMU Graciela Limon mentioned the importance of writing in her life because to her this is a form of expression through which she can reveal her personal experiences. She can exhibit her life encounters in a very creative way and through fictional characters that others have found they can relate to. She shared the story of a young lady that once contacted her telling Dr. Limon that The Memories of Ana Calderon was the story of her life and that in this novel she found encouragement and inspiration to be a stronger woman.
Graciela Limon is a very inspiring woman, her life story and the novels that she writes are really a combination of the reality with fictional characters faced by the Hispanic and Latin American cultures. Graciela Limon was a faculty at Loyola Marymount University, where she taught U.S. Hispanic Literature and chaired the Department of Chicano Studies and is currently teaching at the University of California Santa Barbara. Her work continues to inspire many other young authors and represent an essential part of Chicana fiction literature.

Additional Sources:

Authors and Literary Works
http://www.learner.org/workshops/hslit/session5/aw/author2.html

You can also find a phone interview on the following website where she mentions her experiences around El Salvador and some of her novels:
Classical 91.7-Arte Público Press Author of the Month: Graciela Limón
Graciela-Limon.html

Social Media is My New Best Friend

SmallBiz technology
Image from the article Young Women: The Power Users of Social Media

The Academic year is almost coming to an end and so is my junior year. However, my senior year will be filled with memorable moments followed by big decisions to take and more changes in my life. My time at Loyola Marymount University is progressing at a very fast pace but I’m truly enjoying every single moment inside and outside the classroom. Classes are very intimate and students never feel that they are just a number to the professor because they want and hope to get to know every single student by the end of the semester either on a professional or personal level.  However, it always depends on the student and how much they want to invest in the class but also in creating relationships with professors who are always open to students. Further my double major, Spanish and Women’s Studies, has given me a lot of flexibility to take a diverse number of classes but still be able to meet the requirements for the department without having to sacrifice creativity and my own interests.

Reflecting upon my experience in Latina Feminist Traditions, the course I am currently enrolled in and consistently contributing to the blog, has been a very unique and invigorating experience. I’ve never had a class incorporate social media or use it as a teaching tool.  In my opinion, it is a very innovative method and probably predicts what future classes will look like.  Today about the majority of college students own a personal laptop and engage with social media, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, blogs, on a regular basis. I am always on the computer either surfing newspaper columns, on Facebook or reading magazines but prior to the class I had no experience with Twitter or blogs, which were a requirement for the course. When I was informed about it, I was very nervous because it sounded very new and unorthodox. I could not wrap my mind around the idea that school and using the Web could somehow interconnect but in addition be conducive to the learning process. Thinking about it, I was already familiar with technology and possessed the basic skills therefore, doing it would not be an obstacle. Although I did notice the Internet has a language of it’s own and a culture, it’s very learnable especially for college students who were raised around it.

The benefits of using the Internet are that it makes our work more visible, accessible and open to the public. Also it can be disseminated a lot quicker unlike print media that also requires funding and circulation is limited. The word free resonates among college students who are constantly saving or living on a budget. Reading things online are in fact free and don’t require a subscription which most people appreciate. Readers are also free to visit pages on their own without the obligation therefore, making it more enticing for people because they get to choose what they want to read. Plus the Internet makes it possible to build an online community between students and professors, to create more global connections, and to make students feel a sense of ownership about what they are writing or creating. Since students comprehend that their work is out in the open, they become more aware of the audience they are writing to and conscious about their writing. Subsequently, it improves overall reading, writing, and analytical skills, which are crucial for any field of study or profession. On the other hand, like anything else there are some drawbacks to using social media such as being vulnerable to unwanted or offensive comments, privacy issues, etc., because when you put yourself on the Web you create a persona that is subjected to criticism. Also information can be misconstrued by readers, which can cause stress and other related problems. Sometimes it can be very challenging but negative feedback can help the blogger improve their argument and work on their weaknesses because it’s a reality about life that not everyone will share the same views, values, and ideology. However, being part of the online community and our freedom of speech is protected by the 1st amendment therefore, we should utilize the Web responsibly, for a good cause and with good intent.

I have overcome many fears about publishing materials online but I realized I love the autonomy and being part of a movement that’s occurring worldwide. Also it gives me the opportunity to use my voice and to share my story. I get to be the narrator of my own experiences which can possibly help someone who needs it and to build solidarity with others especially with other women. Furthermore my generation depends a lot on the Web thus, using it can only further enhance skills. If used correctly and wisely, social media can be revolutionary in anything that one is trying to achieve. Also it can be useful in creating a space or platform for anyone’s personal causes because as a Women’s Studies major I always want to know what is happening to women in the world and what I can do to reach them. It is a very powerful tool and rather than fearing it I am embracing it as a resource. Maintaining a healthy relationship with the Web is very important because it can be addicting at times. Without a doubt Chicana Feminists could have greatly benefited from using social media, but each generation has its own style and tools of empowerment.

 

 

 

 

Students Propose a New Program

This is part of a longer blog series, which you can find links to the previous as well as the next blog posts at the bottom of this blog. 

Now the question was whether those expectations were going to be met.

Chicano Students protest.

The students knew they had to do their own research and put some work into the developing of the program so that is why within the Proposal for a Chicano Studies Department presented by the United Mexican American Students (UMAS) of Loyola-Marymount, they also include a preface to the actual program they wanted, an introduction and justification to the department and then even a description of the courses, and a suggested outline and bibliography cited from an introductory survey course at USC.

The Preface explains where UMAS did their reasearch and got their information from. It says that UMAS’s course proposal was taken from the proposal submitted at Valley State College (VSC), the precursor to California State University Northridge . The introduction was applied to Loyola University because of the inner-city environment it is also found in. While “the bibliography and the introductory La Raza course are borrowed from Professor de Ortega”, who is mentioned in the proposal but I did not find any information on. Although he is quoted to say that “there is no better environment for a Mexican American Studies Program than the humanist traditions of Loyola University… especially with the Jesuit influence in Latin American and Southwest History,” (page 12). Showing promise and someone who believed in what the students were doing. Through their work the students hoped that “a substantial portion of this proposal must be implemented by the fall of the 1970-71 session with core courses and introductory survey courses being implemented in the winter quarter of the 1969-70 session,” (page 12-13). The students had submitted something they hoped would ease the development because when you see the document as a whole you are taken back by how much thought and work was put into it. No wonder the students were expecting a quick turn around. And they knew it too, because they mention that “although the program is subject to revision, we [the UMAS students] do not consider it subject to extermination or delay” (page 13). They knew immediate implementation was unrealistic but demanded immediate action toward implementing the program. If the system failed, they even went on to state that it would cause Chicanos to continue to drop out and go somewhere else where the curriculum seemed more relevant. Additionally, UMAS states that they would discourage Chicanos from coming to Loyola-Marymount, if their demands were not taken seriously.

After such bold statements the department begins to develop with the introduction and justification coming from VSC and then we see the course proposal.

The course proposal has a four page long course list, broken into lower and upper division requirements. For upper division, the student has to choose a focus and thus gets the options to take humanities, social sciences, or education focused courses. It also has a course outline for a minor. Then it is followed by the outline and bibliography for an introductory survey course at USC which they hoped would serve as an example of the same basic structure that should be used at Loyola-Marymount.

And so it was left to the hands of those in charge because the students had done all that they could within the proposal.

Sources:

Loyola University. Student Affairs Record Group. UMAS Proposal, 1968. RG 7, Record Series E:  Student Organizations, Box 5. Loyola Marymount University Archives, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, LMU, Los Angeles.

Picture: http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/mecha_intro.htm

Read more:

The Birth of the Chicana/o Studies DepartmentSetting the Stage,From Chicano Studies Department to Mexican-American Studies Degree ProgramCapstone Project Gone BlogSo You Want to Take Introduction to Chicana/o Studies?,  So Let’s Put Some of the Pieces Together

Setting the Stage

This is part of a longer blog series, which you can find links to the previous as well as the next blog posts at the bottom of this blog. 

Forty four years ago students were walking out from schools in a reaction to the racism they faced in school and as a way to demand educational equity.

At the same time, being in the middle of all the excitement of the Chicana/o Movement, at Loyola-Marymount University, before the formal merger of Loyola University and Marymount College to today’s LMU, we find the United Mexican-American Students (UMAS) of Loyola- Marymount , precursors to today’s Moviemiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Atzlan (MEChA) de LMU, coming together working towards the development and establishment of a Chicano Studies Department at Loyola-Marymount.

Looking through the university’s archives, I came across the original Proposal for a Chicano Studies Department presented by the UMAS of Loyola-Marymount. In this document, there is a letter addressed to the Loyola Faculty, a suggested structure and recommendations for the department, as well as the students’ rationale behind the kind of department they wanted.

In the letter to the faculty, the UMAS community addressd the lack of progress made towards the creation of the program which has brought them to suggest and propose the program based on research they have made. In the letter, we find the students expressing that “the need [for the program] is recognized by some, ignored by others, opposed by others and disguised by the rest.” So from this we can already get an idea of what kind of reaction they were getting from faculty and the Loyola-Marymount Community as a whole. Some were supporting the students and what they wanted while others were against or neutral to their wants and the situation created on campus. With that in mind, I wonder who were their allies and how did they go about in showing their support.

As for the structure and recommendation to the program the students knew what they wanted and had some expectations they hope were going to be respected in the implementation of the program. They wanted a structure that would understand the Chicano mentality with courses in “history, sociology and literature readings for a general understanding of the Chicano’s heritage and background.” They were also fighting to be respected as students through the integrity of the work they can produce as well as the subject itself.

The United Mexican-American Students of the Loyola-Marymount wanted a Chicano Studies Program  “completely autonomous or structurally attached to an Ethnic Studies Program.” As far as the rationale they used to defend their position, the students presented both sides of the issue on whether the Chicano Studies department should be a stand alone department apart from Ethnic Studies or part of it. So in order to respect the integrity of the subject, since it was “too extensive to be squeezed into Ethnic Studies,” to avoid competition with other groups for attention, and to provided better funding to sustain itself on, were the reasons the students presented to avoid it being part of Ethnic studies. While the only reason to integrate the department into Ethnic Studies was that unity would be its outcome as it would be a “power base for continuation of program; Chicanos and Blacks are capable of sharing the program,” which goes to show the diversity present at the time, but more importantly they go on to say that the unity would leave the programs vulnerable to unhealthy competition further weakening the programs.

And so the students had expressed what they were expecting to see.

Sources:

Loyola University. Student Affairs Record Group. UMAS Proposal, 1968. RG 7, Record Series E:  Student Organizations, Box 5. Loyola Marymount University Archives, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, LMU, Los Angeles.

Photo:

top left: http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2010/03/02/english-only-policies-threaten-civil-rghts/

bottom right: http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/hb838nb5c1/

Read more:

The Birth of the Chicana/o Studies Department, Students Propose a New ProgramFrom Chicano Studies Department to Mexican-American Studies Degree ProgramCapstone Project Gone BlogSo You Want to Take Introduction to Chicana/o Studies?So Let’s Put Some of the Pieces Together

The Birth of the Chicana/o Studies Department

This year is a special year for Loyola Marymount University (LMU). It is the year marking the first 100 years for LMU, so along with it there has been a lot to to celebrate centennial year. We are rediscovering our history and everything that makes us the school we stand to be today.

However as I sit in class and listen to how if it was not for student groups, like Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan (MEChA) the demand for Chicana/o Studies would not have emerged, thus the department would not have been created. As an institution founded on social justice, LMU is very lucky to not only offer a BA in Chicana/o Studies but most importantly to actually have a Chicana/o Studies department, because through this exposure and awareness to the Chicana/o  and Latina/o culture it exposes students like myself to a history that some over look while some try to erase. History that is part of the 100 years of LMU but I have not heard a strong presence among all the centennial celebrations.

With that being said, I started to wonder how did the Chicana/o Studies department evolve here at LMU and thus began my journey. As a recently declared Chicana/o Studies minor, I took it upon myself to find this out. So I have decided to not only focus my capstone project around this topic but also compose a series of blog post to share my discoveries.

I will be conducting research by collecting data from the university’s archives. This means looking at old and even historic documents following the development of the Chicana/o Studies department as well as the student involvement in this effort. I will also be looking at old school newspapers and maybe even coverage of our local newspapers like the Los Angeles times. Depending on what I might find here, I might have to conduct interviews and thus becoming like  Maylei Blackwell, an oral historian in a sense.

From all that I hope to find out how the University handled the development of the department. I also want to find out, what was the atmosphere on campus among the student body prior to the development of the department as well as the after its creation. It would be very interesting to find out who were the first professors in these courses as well as who were the first graduates from the department. It would be cool to find out what their experiences were like and what kind of hardship they faced. After learning about the departments foundation, it would be great to find out how it has survived and possibly any sort of changes planned for the future.

I can not wait to see what I find out.

Picture credit: “human 100 planking” http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150357651391085&set=a.473141356084.282436.215120346084&type=3&theater

This is part of a longer blog series, which you can find links to the the next blog posts below. 

Read more:

Setting the Stage, Students Propose New Program, From Chicano Studies Department to Mexican-American Studies Degree ProgramCapstone Project Gone BlogSo You Want to Take Introduction to Chicana/o Studies?So Let’s Put Some of the Pieces Together