Cllas Notes Vol. 10 Issue 1 Winter 2019 DIRECTOR’S LETTER he beginning of every Tnew academic year is exciting at CLLAS as we plan out different research and creative engagements for the year. It is always inspiring to see the variety of excellent research and other activities in which CLLAS affiliated faculty and graduate students are participating, helping enhance the work we support across disciplinary boundaries at CLLAS. This year we began celebrating Latinx Heritage Month in October by organizing a teach-in for students with filmmaker Peter Bratt, the award- winning director of the 2017 documentary Dolores and CLLAS director Bratt Peter director Martínez Gabriela Film with studentschat Crawford. Feather after the teach-in by / photo and the feature film La Mission. Bratt interacted with students with an easy enthusiasm, sharing his The director of Dolores scores a big hit with students experiences and tips about being an independent Peter Bratt screens his documentary about legendary farm labor leader Dolores filmmaker and telling stories that matter. We Huerta, and talks to students about the art of filmmaking screened the film Dolores at an evening session to a mixed audience of students, faculty, staff, eter Bratt was a effect change, he said. He came to the teach- and community members where Bratt answered Ppolitical science in to share his experiences of what it means questions about making film and about the life of major when he fulfilled a to be a filmmaker, especially an independent Dolores Huerta, who led the fight for farm worker curriculum requirement filmmaker. One of the first things you find justice alongside César Chávez. by electing a filmmaking yourself noticing in film school, he told the In November, CLLAS held mixers for graduate class during his senior students, is whose stories get told, and whose students as well as faculty and staff, events that year of college. Bratt get left out. provided opportunity for community building, quickly found out he’d Dolores, the documentary he showed to cross-fertilization of ideas, and professional taken on more than an evening audience of about 150 people, development. We are broadening our community he intended when spotlighted the story of Dolores Huerta, at UO by including, in addition to faculty and every week he had graduate students, colleagues who work in staff described in the film’s promotional copy as to write a critical paper from a Marxist, positions across campus serving the undergraduate “among the most important, yet least known, population. CLLAS is invested in working together feminist perspective. But instead of feeling activists in American history.” An equal and supporting the Dreamers Working group, overwhelmed, he got excited. As so often partner in co-founding the first farm workers the Latinx Strategies group, and others who are happens in college classwork, Bratt had unions with César Chávez, Dolores led the committed to serve all students, and in particular accidentally found a calling away from the fight for racial and labor justice alongside the Latinx and Latin American undergraduate and path he had chosen. The following year Chávez. Although she became one of the most graduate populations. found him enrolled in NYU Film School. defiant feminists of the twentieth century, In this current issue of CLLAS Notes you can Bratt told this and other stories at a teach- her enormous contributions went largely read about CLLAS-funded research being carried in for students held in mid-October and unrecognized. Bratt’s film has helped to out throughout campus—counseling psychology organized by CLLAS. Of the 45 people who right that wrong. Dolores premiered at the professor Krista Chronister and her team have attended his talk at the EMU Crater Lake Sundance Film Festival in 2017 and went on been engaged in culturally adapting an existing vocational development intervention program for room, many were undergraduates in CLLAS to win Best Documentary Feature awards at immigrant Latina survivors of partner violence director Gabriela Martinez’s documentary film both the Seattle International Film Festival and work; ethnic studies professor Ernesto class, which she teaches through the School and the San Francisco International Film Martínez, as the first recipient of the CLLAS Latinx of Journalism and Communication. Martinez, Festival. studies seed grant, has seen his research emerge an associate professor in SOJC, has known Bratt talked to the students about the many in the form of a children’s book and a short film Bratt since the 1990s, when she was a young challenges faced in independent filmmaking. adapted from his children’s book; Tinker grantee filmmaker in the Bay Area. You’re constantly striving to raise money and graduate student Sofia Vicente-Vidal has Bratt, son of a mother who was part of to tell the story, he told them, and there’s been exploring the ways in which the tourist economy has affected Mayan workers around the American Indian Movement’s takeover of no guarantee you will get distribution, but Alcatraz Island in 1969, likes to tell stories something drives you to tell the stories you DIRECTOR’S LETTER, continued on p. 2 that may not otherwise get told, stories that PETER BRATT TEACH-IN, cont. on p. 3 CLLAS Notes DIRECTOR’S LETTER, continued from page 1 the World Heritage site of Chichen attending our upcoming events Itza; Tinker grantee Maria Pomés during winter and spring. Please, also Lorencés interviewed professionals consider applying for our faculty or and indigenous community members graduate research grants. We want to CLLAS NOTES Winter 2019 Volume 10 issue 1 in Bolivia while investigating changes support your work on Latinx and Latin brought on by autonomy; and doctoral American Studies. And, stay tuned Mailing address: student Olga Sanchez Saltveit has been regarding our next two-year theme for Center for Latino/a & Latin American Studies exploring Latinx theatre through her 2019-2021, which will be announced in 6201 University of Oregon CLLAS-supported research. CLLAS is winter. Eugene OR 97403-6201 proud for the outstanding work of all I also want to extend a big welcome Main office: 337 Hendricks Hall / (541) 346-5286 these grantees! to long-time CLLAS board member e-mail: [email protected] / website: cllas.uoregon.edu Coming up winter term, we will Carlos Aguirre as interim director of OUR MISSION begin our Research Series presentations CLLAS during winter and spring terms The Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies serves as a hub focused first on graduate research, while I am away on sabbatical leave. A for interdisciplinary and collaborative research and creative work followed by faculty/collaborative renowned social historian and professor focusing on the study of Latin America and U.S. Latino/a popula- research. We will organize and sponsor of history and Latin American Studies, tions. CLLAS uses a hemispheric framework placing the state of a Town-Hall event with 2018-19 Wayne Dr. Aguirre is a prolific writer and Oregon in conversation with the Americas. CLLAS cultivates intel- Morse Chair Mae Ngai, who will talk editor who has been involved with lectual community, student outreach, and the production of knowl- about “Citizenship and Denaturalization CLLAS since its earliest beginnings edge through its integration of research, student experiential learn- in the Era of U.S. Nationalism.” almost 10 years ago. I recall sitting at ing, and community engagement. CLLAS offers robust programming coffee with Prof. Aguirre, founding This is a time in U.S. history that connecting the university with questions affecting Latino/a and director Lynn Stephen, and a half dozen has brought a great deal of fear and Latin American populations in Oregon and the Americas at large. other UO professors as we discussed trepidation to our Latinx and Latin The center serves as an integral part of the UO’s strategy to recruit, the development of a new research American students and faculty. The retain, and foster relationships within a diverse and energized group center focused on Latino/a and Latin challenges being faced by Dreamers and of students, faculty, staff, and community members. their families, and even by long-time American Studies. And here we are, Green Card holders and naturalized continuing to build our strong presence DIRECTOR Gabriela Martínez, School of Journalism and citizens of Latin American origins are not only on the UO campus, but also Communication troubling to all of us in the CLLAS throughout the state as we continue to ACTING DIRECTOR Winter/Spring 2019 Carlos Aguirre, community. Thus, we continue to work promote our mission. I leave CLLAS in History; Latin American Studies toward being a source of information trusted hands. DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Eli Meyer and knowledge by drawing on the Wishing you all a wonderful EVENT PLANNER & PROJECT MANAGER Feather Crawford expertise of affiliated faculty at the holiday season, a restful winter break, NEWSLETTER & WEBSITE Alice Evans UO, and bringing in speakers who can and all the best for the New Year! ACCOUNTING Christine Waite address current issues regarding Latin LATINO ROOTS PROJECT COORDINATOR Tamara S. LeRoy Gabriela Martínez, CLLAS Director; American countries as well as Latinx WORK STUDY Elena Johnson Lafferty Associate Professor, School of populations in the United States. Journalism and Communication EXECUTIVE BOARD I hope many of you will be Monique Balbuena, Honors College; Latin American Studies Erin Beck, Political Science Cecilia Enjuto Rangel, Romance Languages Pedro García-Caro, Latin American Studies; Romance Languages • 2/7 Professional Development: NEH / CLLAS Event Calendar Antonio Huerta, Undergraduate Studies Most events take place on the UO campus. government grant writing. 12-1:30 pm, Audrey Lucero, College of Education For more listings, go to: cllas.uoregon.edu Jane Grant Room, 330 Hendricks. Ellen McWhirter, Counseling Psychology, College of Education Winter Quarter 2019 • 3/1 Deadline for Graduate Student Lori O’Hollaren, Associate Director, Global Studies Institute Research Grant Proposals.