Olivia Interview at La Plazita from Arts of Aztlan on Vimeo.
The First Day in ChicanA Studies at UNM
by Irene Vásquez, Director of Chicano Hispano Mexicano Studies
"ChicanA Studies is like gold," says Olivia Chávez, an undergraduate student at the University of New Mexico minoring in Chicana/o Studies. She also volunteers at La Plazita institute in Albuquerque. I previously wrote about La Plazita Institute at Xicana-oStudies blog. Olivia is committed to serving her community and improving society. It is students like Olivia who have inspired me over the past 16 years to teach in Chicana/o Studies. UNM starts the semester on January 19, 2012. It is also the first day of the first class I am teaching in Chicana/o Studies at UNM.
The course I am teaching is Introduction to ChicanA Studies. I am involved in a pilot project that provides a mediated laboratory environment where the instructor engages in using an inverted classroom approach. For me this has meant learning how to blog and vlog, create multimedia instructional materials, and creating collaborative and problem-based learning approaches for classroom instruction. I have learned a lot and hope that my students will too. Below you will find the course description.
"This general survey course introduces students to knowledge production on and academic approaches relevant to Chicana women’s diverse and changing social statuses from the times of Indigenous sovereignties preceding European interventions in Mexico to the late 20th century. The purpose is to familiarize students with the diversity and complexity of Chicana experiences and to introduce some key issues central to those experiences. The course traces economic and political transitions highlighting generalized mutations of racial/ethnic, gender, sexuality, social rank/class, and cultural expressions reflecting the conditions and the dominant attitudes of women’s subordination. Course materials will highlight Chicana/Mexican/Indigenous women’s attempts to challenge notions of inferiority and rationalizations for dominance through actions and power contestations and, in turn, contextualize these actions socially, economically and politically. In Mexico and the U.S., women served as agents of social and political change in the formation of the society and the state. The course frames gendered experiences within individual and group processes and identifies women as diverse individuals, groups and aggregates influencing cultural practices and beliefs."
In short, the class will examine how despite structural and ideological limitations in Mexican and U.S. society, Indigenous, Mexican and Chicana women have risen to the challenge of contesting power and contributing to a more positive society.
I have three objectives for the first day of class. The first is to introduce the course and its contents. Then, we will begin our discussion on "What is Chicana Studies?". Finally, we will talk about the concept of "difference" and how it is a central concept in Chicana Studies and in the historical and contemporary struggles waged by Chicana women gain equality, empowerment and social justice. In class, I am sharing three multimedia materials with students in CHMS 332. I plan to start the class with a song sung by Chicana artist, Marta Gónzalez. The first will be a video reading by the phenomenal New Mexican poet/author, Jessica López. We will be discussing López poem titled "Dangerous Woman." We will also watch Chicana poet/spoken word artist/performance artist/author Felicia "Fe" Montes', "Independence Day" rap. Then, we will discuss how these videos highlight the concept of "Chicana difference."
I am excited about teaching this class semester. I am currently in the process of sharing student work samples on the blog.
I am excited about teaching this class semester. I am currently in the process of sharing student work samples on the blog.
