After reading in ¡Chicana Power! the section “From Barrio to University: The Promise and Challenge of the College Experience for Chicanas in the Late 1960s,” it led me to reflect on my own experiences as a first generation college student and as a student leader at Loyola Marymount University (LMU). The members of the Hijas de Cuauhtémoc came from very diverse households showing that even within a community women’s experiences are not homogeneous. The majority of them were completely unprepared and unaware about the culture on college campuses. The young group of college women not only faced external, but also internal and personal struggles. Feelings of guilt, inferiority, and alienation were some shared experiences between Las Hijas de Cuauhtémoc, like Anna NietoGomez, Leticia Hernandez, Corinne Sanchez, but those experiences unified them as sisters and also increased their political consciousness. Meeting other students from their own community was also a shock because some wanted to fit into mainstream culture for a variety of reasons, thus hid their Chicano identity. The entire Latino population especially, women dealt with many struggles to adjusting to college life.
Even though these women entered college around the 1960s, I can still relate to their stories 52 years later. Classes, professors, dorm room life, etc., were many issues that I did not have any knowledge about. My parents could not give a forewarning because they didn’t have the same opportunities or challenges. However, I found hope when I discovered Chicano Latino Student Services (CLSS) which caters to the roughly 20.7% Latino population that composes the undergraduate class. CLSS falls under the department of Ethnic and Intercultural Services, which “engages and empowers students to participate fully in campus life and achieve personal success, with a special focus on helping first year students of color transition to university life.” The reality is that one of the primary reasons the office exists is due to the efforts of Chicano men and women who united, mobilized, and fought to raise awareness about their struggles in all aspects of society. Personally, I was drawn to the mission of the department because they offered guidance and a home away from home for students of color. I worked at CLSS for a year and a half as a Fellow, which entailed working with a team of Latino students to create programs that educate our Latino community and the LMU campus about the diversity that exists within the Latino community, serious issues that affect it and to further promote solidarity. I had a unique opportunity to be a voice for the student population and to serve as a liaison to other departments at LMU. My experience at CLSS has been critical to my development. One of the privileges I had was to be an assistant to Rigoberta Menchu, a Guatemalan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, when she visited LMU in November of 2010. Also I developed and conducted a cultural student exchange with a University from Buffalo, New York.
However, I’ve also encountered difficult moments working as a Fellow at CLSS. There’s been mixed reactions from Latino Students who don’t feel strongly about their culture and prefer not reach out. Other students question why the office still exists and whether it’s relevant. In my opinion it definitely is because for some it is a safe haven because the truth is that LMU continues to still be predominantly white populated. CLSS can keep serving as another resource open for all students. It exists to cater to the needs of LMU students and to further support the academic and personal success of its Latino students. It is very inclusive which is what the Chicano Movement strove for, but never division. Issues on all colleges campuses will always exist around the nation, but that is why student activism and participation is important to create a environment of tolerance and support.
I feel that the best way I can lead is by example. Even though academics are my top priority, participation in student life has enhanced my college experience and also serves as an extension to my learning. I am member of the Committee on the Status of Women that is composed of female students and faculty members who gather to discuss how women are being represented at LMU. My presence in the committee is important because it increases diversity within our group and I get to provide input on my experiences as a Latina on campus. I’m also in Student Alumni Association, which connects students and Alumni for networking opportunities. This is very important because as a first generation college student I need those connections and resources when I work as a professional.
Another huge opportunity was participating in the First Latino Summit at LMU held on March 31, Cesar Chavez day. It was a pivotal moment in LMU history because members from all levels of campus, students, staff, and faculty, focused and discussed strategies to improve Latino Student and faculty retention and the growth of the Latino population on campus. People were broken up into different discussion groups in which they discussed a variety of issues such as the first- generation college student experience. After very fruitful conversations they came back to the main group to report to everyone what was said and to open it up for further discussion. The conversations and presentations were documented to create a body of information for future generations to use and for the President and his office to review to create and implement programs that can offer solutions to the problems.
I have learned through my leadership roles that communication is key. There’s need to be more alliances between all groups and communities on campus because our struggles are also similar to other communities of color. Also that change will not happen by chance because it requires commitment, work, and perseverance, but most of all solidarity. There will be hard times but in those times it’s when you turn to your community and peers for strength. Also it’s important to remember that change happens over time. As a student leader, I get to contribute to the occurrence of change because my story can have an impact on someone which refers to the oral histories discussed in Blackwell’s book. The best person to tell my story is myself that’s why I am taking initiative to share with others what I know. Lastly, whenever people ask if I identify as a student leader, a Latina student leader or a woman student leader, I say all the above. I cannot separate my gender or race from my identity. To do so would be a lie because I represent many communities not just one single group. It is something I found very important to the majority of Chicana Feminist women.
Book Source:
- Blackwell, Maylei. ¡Chicana Power!: Contested Histories of Feminism in the Chicano Movement. Austin: University of Texas, 2011. Print.
- Image: http://atuva.student.virginia.edu/organization/latinostudentalliance