UCSB Chican@ Studies Newsletter, Fall 2010, No. 3
News Nepantlfrom a LITERARY GREATS VISIT UCSB
The 8th annual Luis Cisneros’s Leal Award for forthcoming book, Distinction in Writing in Your Chicano/Latino Pajamas. She Literature was introduced selected awarded on October readings from the 28, 2010 to Jimmy work‐in‐progress Santiago Baca. with comments on Named after her community Professor Luis Leal service work, who died in early encouraging 2010 at the age of everyone to pick up a 102 and who was pen and paper and one of the pioneers engage the art of in the study of literature. ‘Write the Chicano literature, first draft as if you the award honors a Jimmy Santiago Baca and Sandra Cisneros give talks co‐sponsored by the are talking to your writer on Chicano/ Department of Chican@ Studies. best friend. Latino subjects who Completely honest. literacy and of writing and has Her slippers shuffling across has achieved national and Like you were comfortable become one of the major the stage, Sandra Cisneros international acclaim through talking to them even wearing poets and writers in the approached the podium in a substantial body of work. pajamas.’ United States. bright blue pajamas sporting Jimmy Santiago Baca, a The audience was Baca has written more than multi‐colored polka dots. native of New Mexico, is a enthralled as Cisneros read a eleven volumes of poetry. In Hundreds of students powerful and courageous short story following the 2001 he published his accompanied by community voice as a poet, short story narrator through her gripping and powerful members (one stating in the writer, memoir writer, community in search of both a autobiography A Place to Q&A session that he traveled essayist, and novelist. His lost cat and the company of Stand. In 2009, he published from Los Angeles), staff, and subjects are his people of her recently deceased his first novel A Glass of faculty filled Campbell Hall New Mexico, the mestizos, mother. The audience was Water. Tuesday evening, November Indo‐Hispanos of that region also treated to a fictional For his outstanding work, 17, 2010 to hear “Writing in who trace their ancestry to window into the life of Frida Baca has won numerous the Time of Mexiphobia, or that land for several Kahlo and her relationship prestigious awards and Packing Your Papers.” generations but who are as with Diego Rivera. Cisneros’s honors including a National Cisneros didn’t focus heavily new as those Mexican voice was melodic and inviting Endowment for the Arts on immigration themes, immigrants who crossed the (continued on Page 5) Literary Fellowship, the polling the audience, border today. Baca writes American Book Award for identifying very young from his own experiences as a Poetry, the Wallace Stevens members, and continuing survivor amongst a people too inside: Endowed Chair at Yale with a “G‐Rated” version of long marginalized in American University, and the her thoughts (to the partial Chair’s Message society. His is a voice that we International Hispanic disappointment of some who very much need and Gloria Anzaldua Heritage Award. came to hear Cisneros on appreciate. From Devoted not only to his something related to her 199X Faculty Spotlight impoverished conditions to an writing, Baca established collection of poetry, Loose orphanage to the Graduate Corner Cedar Tree, Inc., a nonprofit Women). penitentiary, Baca survived foundation that conducts Her less‐than‐formal attire Mayan Sudoku and learned the power of (continued on Page 2) reflected the title of
There are two present‐ Hispanic Achievement Council ations in particular I would in Santa Barbara, and a like to highlight. The first is representative from Santa UCSB the presentation by Jimmy Barbara 1st District Supervisor CHICANA/O STUDIES Santiago Baca, this year’s Salud Carabajal’s Office. Department Faculty recipient of the annual Luis Our goal through all of
Leal Award for Distinction in these related activities is for Gerardo Aldana Chicano/Latino Literature. Chicana and Chicano Professor Mario Garcia chairs intellectual production to Ralph Armbruster- the award committee. In touch young people’s lives to Sandoval addition to Sr. Baca’s plática inspire them to become the at the department’s next generation of leaders in Edwina Barvosa colloquium, he spoke to an all fields. We want to open Dolores Inés audience of over 600 the university’s doors to invite Casillas students, faculty, staff, and those who have gone through MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR community members. It was a its halls to come back to help Mario Garcia
wonderful experience to us with our mission. We María Herrera- Como decia mi papá, “pareces witness young people’s believe that the spirit of disco rayado,” whenever I inspiration fueled to use their Chicana and Chicano Studies Sobek found myself so overly excited own lives and communities to is in the blurring of Aída Hurtado about a project that I could become the next generation boundaries so that knowledge not restrain myself from of writers. The second can benefit all. It was a good Francisco Lomelí talking about it. As we end presentation was by Sandra quarter. Horacio Roque another quarter, my Chair’s Cisneros, the renowned Ramirez message continues to be the Chicana writer who also spoke In solidarity, same—this is a great to an audience of close to 800 Aída Hurtado Chela Sandoval department with urging young people to “write Chair of the Department of Tara Yosso extraordinary accomplish‐ like you are in your pajamas, Chicana/o Studies and Luis ments and every quarter we at your kitchen table, talking Leal Endowed Chair keep raking in new and to your best friend and then Department Staff exciting developments. For edit, edit, and then edit BACA, cont. from Page 1 Sonya Baker this quarter I want to highlight again.” Earlier in the day of literacy workshops in prisons the intellectual and research Ms Cisneros’ presentation, a and detention centers and at Joann Erving activities of our faculty and group of our graduate schools for at‐risk youth. Katherine Morales graduate students. students presented at the The Leal Award was co‐ First of all, I would like to department’s colloquium sponsored by various entities thank Professor Mario Garcia series exploring the at UCSB including the Office Department Office and our ace graduate significance of Ms Cisneros’ of the Chancellor, the 1713 South Hall assistants Jessica Lopez Lyman work. Associate Vice Chancellor for University of and Eddy Alvarez who worked The department is also Diversity, Equity, and California as a team to organize an linking its intellectual Academic Policy, the Office of outstanding colloquium Santa Barbara, CA activities to our local Equal Opportunity & Sexual 93106 series. The “colloquium community. On her first day Harassment, the Chicano team,” as they call on campus, Ms Cisneros Studies Institute, the Luis Leal (805) 893-3012 themselves, coordinated a attended a dinner with Endowed Chair, and the (805) 893-4076 distinguished panel of supporters of our depart‐ Department of Chicana and ucsbchstnews speakers that included ment. The event was Chicano Studies. @gmail.com historians, community organized by Professor Maria (by Mario Garcia) activists, political scientists, Herrera‐Sobek, Associate Vice www.chicst.ucsb.edu creative writers, members of Chancellor of Diversity, Equity UP‐COMING EVENTS: our faculty, and graduate and Academic Policy, and by Don’t miss our students. Every Wednesday Michael Miller, Director of we took a “Sip of Knowledge” Development. In attendance CHST COLLOQUIUM SERIES Newsletter Editors: (yo mas diria, un jarrote de were Paula Lopez, local news 3:30 – 5 pm Gerardo Aldana sabiduría) in the company of anchor and reporter, Dolores Huerta Gathering Dolores Inés faculty, graduate students Honorable Frank Ochoa Jr., Room, 1623 South Hall Casillas from across campus, staff, as Santa Barbara Superior Court Every Wednesday during Aída Hurtado well as visitors from outside Judge, Al Pizano, Chair of the Winter Quarter. the campus.
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Representatives from the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies attended El Mundo Zurdo : An International Conference on the Life and Work of Gloria E. Anzaldúa ‐ Art & Performance, organized by the Society for the Study of Gloria Anzaldúa and the Women's Studies Institute at the University of Texas at San Antonio in collaboration with Trinity University and The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center on November 4‐6, 2010.
Department Chair Aída Hurtado participated in the round table discussion titled “Bridging: How Gloria Anzaldúa’s Work Transformed us (A Conversation between Humanities and Social Sciences)” with AnaLouise Keating, Suzanne Bost, Elisa Facio, and Gloria González‐López. She moderated a panel called “Anzaldúa's Borderlands, Nepantla, and Conocimiento in Action” in which she also presented with Mrinal Sinha. The presentation was called “The Transformative Power of Anzaldúa‘s Borderlands.”
Finally, Dr. Hurtado moderated a panel of our department’s graduate students called “Inner Work/Public Acts: Anzaldúa and Cultural Production.” The panelists included Amber Rose González who presented “Inner Work/Public Acts: Students on the Path of Conocimiento,” Jessica López Lyman who presented “Witnessing Performance Poetry in the Classroom,” Nicholas Centino who presented “Aang‘s Arrebato: World Traveling and Conocimiento in the World of Avatar: The Last Airbender” and Adrianna M. Santos who presented “Chicana Writers and the Mestiza Way: Steps Toward Ending Violence.”
Professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies Edwina Barvosa, also participated on a panel moderated by Norma Alarcón, “Pláticas and Analysis of Gloria Anzaldúa's Thought.” The title of the presentation was “Beyond Unity to Solidarity in Gloria Anzaldúa‘s Thought: Exploring the Relationship between Mestiza Consciousness & Sustained Cohesion in Social Movements.”
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restricting access and GRADUATE CORNER Griest's Mexican Enough: My opportunity for African Life Between the Borderlines American and Chicana/o We’ve turned over this space (2008) for the Spring 2011 youth. to Department of Chican@ edition of Aztlan: A Journal of Studies graduate students. Chicano Studies. CHST: Who were two unique This is their news corner, and contributors to your will likely change from quarter Adrianna Michelle Santos academic aspirations and to quarter. taught her first class, Chicana formation? Writers, over the summer. TY: As a sophomore at UCLA, She went ABD in the Fall and I took an upper division Thomas Carrasco, Nicholas is writing her dissertation and course “Mexican Americans Centino, Sara Hinojos, Marla working as an intern at the and the Schools,” and the Ramirez, and Cristina Serna UCSB Women’s Center doing professor in that course, were recipients of the outreach to Women of Color FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Daniel G. Solórzano, gave a University of California and Grad Students. presentation on stereotypes Diversity Initiative for Associate Professor Tara via a slide show of pictures he Graduate Study in the Social Yosso had taken in his travels Sciences (UC DIGSSS) National throughout the U.S. I then did Science Foundation (NSF) Professor Tara Yosso joined a paper in that class about the the faculty in 2001. Prior to 2010 Summer Research ways film stereotypes of Award. Photographs that, she earned her Ph.D. at Mexicans reinforce negative UC Los Angeles in Education. views of Chicana/o students. I Amber Rose González Professor Yosso examines the went on to create an educational pipeline from a defended her dissertation individual major “Social proposal and advanced to Critical Race Theory Psychology of Education with perspective using candidacy in September 2010. an Emphasis in Chicana/o Her dissertation is titled Top Picture, from left to right: wer Picture, from left to right: counterstories. She recently Studies.” And my senior thesis Lo
"Another City is Possible: EL MUNDO ZURDO Lopez (University of Texas, Austin).
published “‘Cause It’s Not Just ‐ (directed by Solórzano) Mujeres de Maíz, Spiritual Me’: Walkout’s History included interviews with Lessons Challenge Activism and the Cultivation Latina/o filmmakers who of Sacred Spaces in Los Hollywood’s Urban High acknowledged and engaged School Formula.” (Radical Angeles." She is currently the teaching power of film. I teaching a course on History Review, 102, 2008, also remember learning so 171‐184) and is currently Indigenous women and much from the students in the cultural production in the teaching CHST 191TJ “Critical class, and being excited about Transitions in Chicana/o feminist studies department, the critical language and where she is also working on Education.” research I was reading, which a doctoral emphasis. helped me make sense of so CHST: What are the most much I had been concerned exciting trends in your field? Carisa Prieto Cortez received about in my own schooling her Master’s Degree in TY: It is very exciting to see experiences. This research how critical race theory and Chicana/o Studies this Fall. was challenging and counterstorytelling are being meaningful to me! Solórzano applied in education; to see Jessie Turner, a fourth year also included a service‐ Ph.D.candidate, taught her the ways students are blurring learning component to the the lines between activism first course, Oral History: class, so I volunteered at Theories and Methods, in and scholarship. Amber Gonzalez, Aída Hurtado, Jessica Lopez Lyman, Nicholas Centino, and Adrianna Santos Jefferson High School in Los Summer 2010, and she is Angeles for the quarter. This CHST: What research projects excited to attend the first led me to eventually connect Critical Mixed Race Studies have you not been able to get my work‐study to be a to, but still peak your Conference, hosted at DePaul AnaLouise Keating (Texas Women’s University), and Gloria Gonzalez bilingual aid at other schools, University in November, at interest? such as Lennox Middle School. TY: I am working on a book which she will present a paper Reflecting back now, it was entitled "Mestiz@ or about the ways Hollywood this class, my first Chicana/o portrayals of Latinas/os in Multiracial? Parallels and Studies course, the professor, Professors Elisa Linda Facio (University of Colorado, Boulder), Aída Hurtado (UCSB), Suzanne Bost (Loyola University), schools project troubling Divergences of New Mixed Identity Models." Jessie also racial myths that seem to (cont. Page 6) justify educational policies reviewed Stephanie Elizondo
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astronomy within the academy as well. My hope is that it further delineates the intellectual problem we are up against in the study of ancient Mesoamerica. And that it demonstrates the need for more concerted inter‐ action between Ethnic and Subaltern Studies and the archaeology of indigenous EDITORIAL cases stem from similar Mayan culture, then, we have cultures. BY GERARDO ALDANA, complications. to get past the philosophical Newsletter Co‐editor barriers identified by Jacques CISNEROS, cont. from Page 1 That is, even though Classic Derrida (and further throughout, and she BUT WHY 2012? Maya rulers were able to articulated by Spivak), the attentively responded to produce representations of socio‐political subordination audience questions for a short José Arguelles was a Chicano themselves and of their of Mesoamerican and period before the close of the studying Art History at the interests to Classic Mayan indigenous people over the event, which took the form of University of Chicago in the populations, none of these last 500 years, and the a huge line of readers early 1970s. He focused his representations is available to consumer market’s appetite interested in having Cisneros studies on Mesoamerican art modern culture—all first must for esotera. sign their personal copies of at about the time that the be translated through new her work. decipherment of the Mayan representations by modern So why 2012? My thoughts hieroglyphic script entered its interpreters. Despite are that it represents a point Sandra Cisneros is the author early productive phase. appearances, Classic Maya of articulation between the of The House on Mango Arguelles was also a cultural hegemons cannot speak for traditional scholarship and Street, Women Hollering critic, raising ethical concerns themselves. the popularizations. Creek, and recently, about modern science and Traditional scholarship has Caramelo, among much else. technology. Within Mayan Beyond the immediate made a point of emphasizing She has received numerous astronomy, it appears he problems of an ancient the accuracy of Mayan awards including a MacArthur found an opportunity to language and complex and astronomy as a marker of its Foundation “genius” grant. resolve his modern concerns unfamiliar artistic imagery, cultural appraisal. Popul‐ and feed his ancient interests. anything we see today passes arizers have capitalized on The event was sponsored by Arguelles’s interpretations of through hundreds of years of this purported accuracy to the Center for New Racial Mayan astronomy in The religious, political, economic, extend the representation to Studies; the Chicano Studies Mayan Factor—before the and racial contestation. include the fantastic and the Institute; the College of decipherment had come to “Pagans,” “primitive,” profitable. Throw in a Creative Studies; the fruition—set the basis for “human sacrifice,” “stone‐age convenient deadline and you Comparative Literature modern 2012 “prophecies.” technology,” “indios.” All of have a perfect storm, Program; the departments of these terms generate barriers disastrous for representations Chicana and Chicano Studies; My take on what Arguelles to accessing indigenous of the Classic Maya. English; Feminist Studies; confronted, and on the experiences—barriers that are Germanic, Slavic and Semitic interpretation of ancient woven throughout modern So while my article on the Studies; Linguistics; and Mesoamerica in general, is common sense(s). We don’t Maya calendar correlation Spanish and Portuguese; Latin that we are up against the see the ancient Maya through problem (Calendars and Years American and Iberian Studies; core of the Subaltern Studies 2012 prophecies or modern II, Oxbow Books, 2010) was in the Luis Leal Endowed Chair in project described by Gayatri scholarship—we see the no way directly motivated by Chicano Studies; the Spivak in “Can the Subaltern representations that the the issues around 2012—and MultiCultural Center; the Speak?” I realize of course representor/representative doesn’t address them Office of the Associate Vice that ancient Maya rulers were provides to us. explicitly—it does result in the Chancellor for Diversity, subordinate to no one (except final dismissal that any such Equity and Academic Policy; occasionally to each other as When it comes to academic or “prophecy” has origins in the Office of the Executive local politics would have it), 2012 representations, the Mayan culture. Yet while the Vice Chancellor; the Office of so that “subaltern” is not ones that sell are the ones article puts a nail in the coffin Equal Opportunity & Sexual technically the right term. But available to the public. In of 2012 interpretations, my Harassment/Title IX in my estimation the role of order to get at something hope is that it will motivate a Compliance; and the Writing representation in the two close to an accurate corrective measure on the Program. representation of ancient scholarship on Maya
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RECENT DEPARTMENTAL SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY FACULTY SPOTLIGHT (cont.) develop my research into (Not an exhaustive list) programs serving the my peers, my service‐ community, such as an arts Horacio Roque Ramirez learning experience, which college readiness program “Homoerotic, Lesbian, and Gay Ethnic and Immigrant really inspired me and with high school students in Histories.” Special Issue of the Journal of American Ethnic shaped the scholar I have Oxnard (ArtReach) and an History. Guest Editor. Summer 2010 (29, no. 4). become. annual conference aimed at increasing the numbers of “Gay Latino Histories/Dying to Be Remembered: AIDS CHST: You have a young Chicana/o students (mainly Obituaries, Public Memories, and the Gay Latino Archive.” child and a partner who also from East Los Angeles and In Beyond el Barrio: Everyday Life in Latina/o America. works full time. Do you have Oxnard) who transfer to the Edited by Gina M. Pérez, Frank Guridy, and Adrian Burgos Jr. any rituals that help you UC and pursue graduate NYU Press, New York, 2010. keep the balance? degrees (Cultivating Semillas TY: My daughter just turned from the Community College two and my partner is now a to UCSB). Francisco Lomelí professor at another UC "Origins and Evolution of Homies as Hip Cultural Artifacts: campus, so balance is CHST: Did you make any Taking the Homies out of the Barrio or the Barrio Out of the something we’re still promises to yourself based on Homies." Department of Chican@ Studies Colloquium, Oct working on. My 2009 article receiving tenure? Did you l3, 20l0. in the Harvard Educational keep them? Review was mainly written TY: I feel very blessed to have "The Sense of Space in Villagrá's HISTORIA DE LA NUEVA between 1am and 4am, a family and tenure. I try to MEXICO," in 400 Years of Literature and History in the U.S.: when everyone was asleep, maintain the same level of Gaspar de Villagrá's HISTORIA DE LA NUEVA MEXICO (1610). and I became an expert in productivity I’ve had, but to Presented at UC Merced, October 22, 20l0. writing emails with one enjoy the time I spend with hand, while holding the baby my family more now, without and/or nursing. I try to putting extra pressure on Mario Garcia regularly call good friends, myself that I should be "Transculturation, Memory, and History: Mary Helen many of whom are also working on that next article. Ponce's 'Hoyt Street‐‐An Autobiography'." Paper delivered moms, and we share stories at the Conference on Chicano Literature, National and laughs about our efforts CHST: Where did you grow University of Ireland, Maynooth, May 25, 2010. to forge a balance between up and do you think it has an academia and familia. impact on what you do today? "Mexican Americans in U.S. History," Paper delivered at the TY: San Jose, CA, and yes, I International Workshop on Minority Groups in the U.S. and CHST: You recently received dedicated my book Critical China, Tufts University, June 26, 2010. tenure; has that affected race counterstories along the your scholarship? If so, Chicana/Chicano educational how? pipeline to a family I knew Dolores Inés Casillas TY: I earned tenure in June growing up whose children “Puuurrrooo MEXICO!: Listening to Transnationalism on 2007, but I did not wait until were being failed at every U.S. Spanish‐language Radio.” In Beyond el Barrio: Everyday tenure to pursue the kind of level by the school system. Life in Latina/o America. Edited by Gina M. Pérez, Frank research that I was The schools either could not Guridy, and Adrian Burgos Jr. NYU Press, New York, 2010. passionate about. It is recognize or simply ignored certainly a privilege to be a the cultural knowledges, skills, Hellman Family Faculty Award, UCSB funding reserved for tenured professor at a abilities, and networks these junior faculty whose research shows great promise. Research I institution like children had. Seeing how a UCSB, but I see it as a great potentially liberating responsibility to ensure the institution like school can Ralph Armbruster‐Sandoval institution serves the needs become a place of “A People’s History of Los Angeles: the Brown/Black of historically underserved disempowerment for youth Metropolis—Is another Los Angeles Possible?” Latino communities. I work to like it was for this family Studies, 8, Summer 2010, 271‐283. make my research accessible continues to fuel my work. to multiple audiences and I have received a lot of Gerardo Aldana support from the “The Maya Calendar Correlation Problem.” In Calendars Chancellors Outreach and Years II: Astronomy and Time in the Ancient and Advisory Board and the Medieval World. Edited by John Steele. Oxbow Books, Chicano Studies Institute to Oxford, 2010.
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