Patricia Zavella: Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies, UC Santa Cruz Interviewed by Susy Zepeda Edited by Irene Reti and Susy Zepeda Santa Cruz University of California, Santa Cruz University Library 2014 This oral history is covered by a copyright agreement between Patricia Zavella and the Regents of the University of California dated May 31, 2014. Under “fair use” standards, excerpts of up to six hundred words (per interview) may be quoted without the University Library’s permission as long as the materials are properly cited. Quotations of more than six hundred words require the written permission of the University Librarian and a proper citation and may also require a fee. Under certain circumstances, not-for-profit users may be granted a waiver of the fee. For permission contact: Irene Reti
[email protected] or Regional History Project, McHenry Library, UC Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064. Phone: 831-459-2847. Table of Contents Interview History 1 Early Life 5 Chaffey Community College 17 Early Chicano Movement 18 Pitzer College 26 Graduate School at UC Berkeley 30 First Years Teaching 39 Coming to UC Santa Cruz 44 Chicano and Latino Research Center [CLRC] 52 The Formation of Latin American and Latino Studies at UC Santa Cruz 54 Launching the Doctoral Program in Latin American and Latino Studies 62 More on the Chicano Latino Research Center 71 Research Interests: Women of Color Organizing for Reproductive Justice 87 UC Systemwide Committee on Latino Research 88 Faculty Equity 91 Spanish for Spanish Speakers 94 Diversity Work and Ethnic Studies 97 Scholarship and Teaching as Activism 104 Sustenance at UC Santa Cruz 114 Patricia Zavella: Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies 1 Interview History Patricia Zavella was born in Tampa, Florida in 1949, the oldest of twelve children in a working-class family and often cared for her siblings.