R NOTICIAS DE CMAS R
CMAS
Center for Mexican American Studies • Fall 2005
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS • UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
CM
AS
In commemoration of their 35th anniversary, The Center for Mexican
American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin is throwing a party
- Tejano style! CMAS and the UT Performing Arts Center’s ArtesAméricas
program presents Los Grandes de la Musica Tejana at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Aprill 22, 2006, featuring the legends of Tejano music: Ruben Ramos,
Little Joe Hernández, and Sunny Ozuna.
Ruben Ramos
This historic musical event marks the first time that CMAS and the
Performing Arts Center (PAC) have collaborated together to feature
artists who best represent the Texas Mexican orquesta music of La Onda
Chicana. The “Brown Soul” sounds of Ruben Ramos, Little Joe, and
Sunny Ozuna promise an exciting evening of music. These Grammy
award-winning artists have long been popular within Tejano music,
synthesizing the artistry and virtuosity of the orquesta with the soulful roots
of the polka-ranchera.
Little Joe
Tickets: www.utpac.org or 512-477-6060. Also available at Bass Concert
Hall, Hogg Auditorium, Erwin Center, Central Market & HEB Stores, &
all Texas Box Office outlets. Hosted by Carlos Guzman in support of the
Américo Paredes Endowment Fund.
After the concert the festivities wil continue with a PACHANGA, hosted
by CMAS and the ArtesAméricas Program. It will take place in the PAC’s
Mirror Room located directly behind the Bass Concert Hall. The cost of the
Pachanga package is $100 and will include:
•
•
•
•
One VIP ticket to the performance (front row seating)
VIP Parking
Entrance to the Post-Performance Pachanga
Meet and greet with the artists
A scholarly symposium will take place prior to the concert. For more
information about these events, please contact Dolores García at 512471-4557 or via email at [email protected].
Sunny Ozuna
TH
R FROM THE DIRECTOR R
La Villita in Alice, Texas; the Coliseum in Corpus; El Camaroncito in San Antonio; and Tejano
Ranch in Austin. Beginning in the early ‘ sixties, did I do some dancing at these dance venues
and others! Wrote a book about it. Polka dancing to a new sound. Not classical conjunto, nor
the smooth music of the older orquesta tradition such as the legendary Beto Villa, both always
welcome. This new music/dance with orquesta ensemble but hard driving polka music (with
boleros for the amorous moments) was new and best represented by los gigantes de ese
momento: Little Joe, Sunny Ozuna and Ruben Ramos. In conjunction with a Mexican-American
social, cultural and political ascendancy, these musicians were not merely acompaniamiento, but
a central part of this expansion.
José E. Limón,
Director, Center for
Mexican American Studies,
Mody C. Boatright Regents
Professor of American
and English Literature
The CMAS newsletter always offers much to learn and enjoy, but I call your attention to our
forthcoming concert featuring these marvelous musicians. We offer a new venture for CMAS,
the brainchild of our public programs coordinator, Dolores García. We anticipate and welcome
your support. It’s is a win-win-win: an acknowledgement of these great musicians; the support of CMAS students and the future of our people; and, a great evening of entertainment and
community.
R CMAS ACTIVITIES: SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2005 R
CMAS Ice Cream Social
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Faculty, students, and community
members welcomed the new academic
year, meeting each other and renewing
old friendships, over a cup of their
favorite ice cream sundae or fruit
sorbet. CMAS books were distributed
and and music was provided by
Conjunto Aztlan. The CMAS Ice
Cream social was sponsored by the
Center for Mexican American Studies
of the College of Liberal Arts at the
University of Texas at Austin.
Conjunto Aztlan. Photo by Itzel Suarez.
Students, faculty, and staff. Photo by Itzel Suarez.
CMAS Bienvenida & The University Serie XII Art Exhibition
This exhibition runs from September 12 - November 30, 2005
This exhibition is the twelfth installment of the Serie Print Project, administered by
Coronado Studio and the Serie Project, Inc. a non-profit Latino arts organziation in
Austin, Texas. Founded in 1993 by Sam Coronado, the project produces, promotes,
and exhibits serigraph prints created by both established and emerging artists. Its
mission is to make fine art available to the wider community by producing affordable
serigraph prints. The reception and university exhibit was sponsored by the Center
for Mexican American Studies of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, was located in the West Mall Building (WMB) 5th Floor, and featured
artwork by Cristina Cárdenas, Pilar Castrejon, Rudy Fernández, Sandra Fernández,
Manuel Guerra, John Hernández, Martin Hernández, Sergio Hernández, Sandria
Hu, Brian Johnson, Wil Martin, Malaquias Montoya, Alberto Jimenez Quinto, Luis
Ruiz, and Carlos Toralba.
Left: “Enjaulada” by Sandra Fernández, 2005, Serigraph
2 NOTICIAS DE CMAS, FALL 2005
Hispanic Faculty/Staff Association (HFSA) Bienvenida Luncheon
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
The first meeting of the HFSA included a welcome luncheon sponsored by the Center for Mexican American Studies,
College of Liberal Arts. José E. Limón, Professor of English, and CMAS Director, introduced new CMAS Faculty
Associates Jason P. Casellas (Government), Anne Martinez (History), John McKiernan-González (History), CMAS
Lecturer Luis Mena (Latino Financial Issues Program), and Juan C. González, the new Vice President for Student Affairs.
The meeting was also highlighted by a literary reading by CMAS Faculty Associate Oscar Casares (English).
Chicanos in Journalism: 30 Years Later
Friday, September 16, 2005
Members of Chicanos Interesados en Comunicaciones, 1976. Photo courtesy of Oscar
Garza.
The College of Communication event commemorating the 35th Anniversary of
the Center for Mexican American Studies was the first college event of the year
and featured guest speakers Oscar Garza, Editor-in-Chief of Tu Cuidad/Los
Angeles, and Sylvia Moreno, Southwest Bureau Chief for the Washington Post.
Throughout the 2005-2006 academic year, various colleges and departments
across campus wil host their own forums. One goal of these events is to
demonstrate how CMAS has had an impact far beyond the small offices it
occupies. While much has been accomplished, much remains to be done. One
continuing challenge is increasing the enrollment of Latino/Hispanic/Mexican
American/Chicano graduate and undergraduate students. The other major
challenge is increasing the number of Latino faculty across the campus. The
College of Communication has 9 Latino Faculty members out of 144.
Mexico: Independence and the Future
diez y seis de septiembre celebración
Friday, September 16, 2005
Gloria González-Lopez and José E. Limón. Photo by
Jesse Herrera.
The reception. Photo by Jesse Herrera.
This panel discussion on Mexico’s day of independence was sponsored
by the Center for Mexican American Studies, the Mexican Center of
the Teresa Lozano Long institute of Latin American Studies and the
Mexican Student Association of the College of Liberal Arts at the
University of Texas at Austin. The panel featured: Ricardo C. Ainslie,
Department of Educational Psychology; Jonathan C. Brown, Department
of History; Gloria González-Lopez, Department of Sociology; José E.
Limón, Mexican American Studies and Department of English; Bryan
R. Roberts, LLILAS Mexican Center and Department of Sociology;
Mauricio Tenorio, Department of History; and Peter Ward, Department
of Sociology and LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Musical performance by Mitote. Photo by Jesse Herrera.
NOTICIAS DE CMAS, FALL 2005 3
Doctoral Portfolio Plática Series: Virginia Raymond
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Virginia Raymond is a doctoral candidate in English with a Doctoral Portfolio in Mexican American Studies. She
presented “Beneath the Human Rights -- Civil Rights Disconnect: Actual Brown Bodies & the Presumption of NonInnocence in Plyler v. Doe (1982), In re: Gualt (1985), & the Killing of Danel Rocha.” Her dissertation advisor is Brian A.
Bremen, Associate Professor in the Department of English.
Booksigning & Reception
Monday, October 3, 2005
Watercolor Women,
Opaque Men
Published by Curbstone Press
Willimantic, CT
www.curbstone.org
Psst...I Have Something
to Tell You, Mi Amor
Published by Wings Press
San Antonio, TX
www.wingspress.com
by ANNA CASTILLO
2nd Annual Dia de la Raza Celebration
October 12 traditionally celebrates the arrival of Columbus
to the “New World;” however, for the indigenous and mestizo
people of the Americas, this day, El Dia de la Raza, has
become an international celebration of more than 500 years
of resistance and cultural survival. To that end, The Center
for Mexican American Studies at The University of Texas at
Austin, in collaboration with the UT Hispanic Faculty/Staff
Association, Mexican American Studies Student Organization, La Peña, Mexican American Cultural Arts Center, and
Resistencia Bookstore/casa de Red Salmon Arts proudly
presented the 2nd Annual Dia de la Raza Celebration
featuring the legendary accordion wizardry of Esteban
“Steve” Jordan, the ritmos of Maneja Beto, the poetry
of raúlrsalinas, and performances by Flor y Canto. This
celebration was done in the custom of floricanto, gatherings
of musicians, artists, and writers in the spirit of the aztecamexica tradition, and aimed to honor and recognize the
importance of reclaiming our indigenous heritage in the U.S.
As part of a series of cultural programs planned to celebrate
the 35th anniversary of CMAS, the 2nd Annual Dia de la
Raza celebration reinforced our commitment to promote the
Mexican American and Chicana/o cultural and artistic legacy
by creating a space where we celebrated together and
incorporated the broader UT and Austin communities.
Esteban “Steve” Jordan also known as “El
Parche” or “the Jimi Hendrix of the accordion”
is one of the most innovative accordionists of
any style of music. Photo by Jesse Herrera.
4 NOTICIAS DE CMAS, FALL 2005
raúlrsalinas is an Austin poet, human rights
activist, and founder/director of Resistencia
Bookstore/casa de Red Salmon Arts. Photo by
Jesse Herrera.
Flor y Canto, founded in September 1975,
provides awareness of the Mexican culture
through dance, teatro. and educational presentations. Photo by Jesse Herrera.
Faculty Plática Series: John McKiernan-González
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Reading, Booksigning & Reception
Monday, October 17, 2005
John McKiernan-González is an Assistant Professor
in the Department of History and Faculty Associate
of the Center for Mexican American Studies. Dr.
McKiernan-González presented a paper titled
“Indian” Runners, the El Paso Border, & The Los
Angeles Olympics, 1932: on Place and Possibility.
DRIVE: The First Quartet
Published by Wings Press
San Antonio, TX
www.wingspress.com
Includes 5 separate works:
How Far’s the War?
BIRD AVE
Play
Letters to David
Hard Drive
by LORNA DEE CERVANTES
Reading & Book Signing by Gloria González-Lopez
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Gloria González-Lopez is an Assistant Professor in
the Department of Sociology and Faculty Associate
of the Center for Mexican American Studies. Dr.
González-Lopez read from her book, Erotic Journeys:
Mexican Immigrants and Their Sex Lives, published
by University of California Press, in Berkeley, CA on
July 2005.
WWII Oral History Project Reception
Friday, November 11, 2005
Lorna Dee Cervantes is an awardwinning Chicana poet whose poetry
has appeared in hundreds of literary magazines, and she has been
featured on the cover of Bloomsbury
Review as well as other literary
journals.
The U.S. Latino & Latina WWII Oral History Project,
begun in Spring 1999, has interviewed over 500 men
and women with the goal of recording their life stories
so that their contributions to American society will be
recognized. The reception marked the beginning of the
migration of matertials to the Nettie Lee Benson Latin
American Collection. The reception was co-sponsored
by the College of Communication, Office of the Vice
President for Community and School Relations, the Center for Mexican American Studies, and the University of Texas Libraries.
CMAS Plática Series: Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano is a queer Xicano writer originally from California and
México. He writes in order to document that which was not meant to be documented and not meant to survive. Herrera y Lozano read from his collection of
poetry titled, santo de la pata alzada: poems from the queer/xicano/positive pen.
Excerpt about the author taken from http://www.evelynstreet.com/html/about_
the_author.html
Right: Virginia Raymond, Jackie Cuevas, and Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano. Photo by Clarisa Hernández.
Doctoral Portfolio Plática Series: Alejandra Rincón
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Alejandra Rincón is a Doctoral Candidate in the Education Policy & Planning Program, College of Education, with a Doctoral Portfolio in Mexican
American Studies. She presented Paying for Their Status: Undocumented
Immigrant Students and College Access.
Left: Pedro Reyes, Professor, Department of Educational Administration (dissertation cosupervisor), Alejandra Rincón, and Emilio Zamora, Associate Professor, Department of
History (dissertation co-supervisor). Photo by Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez.
NOTICIAS DE CMAS, FALL 2005 5
CMAS Holiday Social
Friday, December 2, 2005
The Center for Mexican American Studies hosted a holiday social for students,
faculty, staff, and community members at Serrano’s Cafe & Cantina. Music was
provided by Mitote.
Above: CMAS Undergraduates; top right: CMAS Administrative Staff; bottom right: Brenda
Sendejo, Dolores García, Marta Cotera. Photos by Jesse Herrera.
Guadalupe is Her Name
Monday, December 12, 2005
Guadalupe is her Name: A Photographic Exhibition by Jesse
Herrera was presented in conjunction with a roundtable discussion
entitled, Guadalupe is Her Name, 1531 - 2005. . . , on the cultural,
political, as well as the religious significance of La Virgen de
Guadalupe for the Mexican-origin community in the United States.
Herrera’s images, taken in the state of Puebla, México, document
festivities in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The photographs depict the people of the towns of San Miguel Tzinacapan and San
Francisco de Cuetzalan. An altar representing Guadalupe was
unveiled at the opening reception for this exhibition. Musical entertainment was provided by Mariachi Jalisco. This exhibition runs
from December 8, 2005 - January 2006, in the Center for Mexican
American Studies, West Mall Building (WMB), 5th Floor.
Left: Roundtable panelists included: Anne M. Martinez, Assistant
Professor, Department of History,
UT Austin; Cristina Cabello de
Martinez, Lecturer, CMAS and
Department of Spanish & Portuguese, UT Austin: & Jesse Herrera,
Photojournalist & Photography
Instructor, Austin Museum of Art
- Laguna Gloria Art School. Photo
by Dolores García.
6 NOTICIAS DE CMAS, FALL 2005
“Virgin of Guadalupe” by Jesse Herrera, 2004.
R STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS R
Bringing Balance to the Table of Justice
Iris Salinas, Environmental Chair, UT MEChA and
Congresswoman, Environmental Committee, La Raza Unida
For over 40 years, Mission, Texas produced chemicals including
Agent Orange, DDT, and Arsenic. The United Nations, EPA, and
various government entitities have studied the case for decades
due to unusually high occurrences of rare and debilitating diseases
in the local population.
Militant in appearance but professional in demeanor, MEChA and
other University of Texas students quietly stormed into the halls of
justice, the Texas Supreme Court, on behalf of the community of
Mission, Texas on Wednesday, November 16. Although another
case was in session, the noise seemed to pause as a sea of
attorneys and the justices themselves took notice of the students.
After the case was heard, they took to the doors and protested
outside, chanting and carrying signs calling for justice. Both the
defendant and plaintiff attorneys, confused and surprised, did not
come near the group, and instead attempted to exit the building
through another set of doors, not wanting to hear the calls for
justice or give their consciences a try. But to their surprise, the
students were waiting warmly with smiles and large signs at those
doors as well. The people from Mission who were able to attend
the hearing were touched by such peaceful protest on their behalf
while attorneys scrambled away like rats and mice. They smell
the cheese all right, but they also know they’re being observed by
something larger than themselves, the people, the public.
There were no police called to the scene during the protest. The
guard on duty at the doors of justice had himself mixed poison by
hand and had worked for one of the corporations being sued in
the case. There was a flash of fear in his eyes when he spoke of
his experience, saying that he had heard that it took 20 years or
so before the chemicals would make your body react. Those 20
years were coming soon, he said. So there was no need to call for
backup...he understood the story and the anger, loud and clear.
“Untitled” Banner by Itzel Suárez, 2005.
“Songs of struggle, hope, and vision fueled
the Chicano Movement’s quest for civil rights,
economic justice, and cultural respect. Rolas de
Aztlán (songs from the Chicano ancestral homeland) spotlights 19 milestone recordings made
between 1966 and 1999 by key Chicano artist/
activists--Daniel Valdez, Los Lobos del Este de Los
Angeles, Agustín Lira, El Teatro Campesino, Los
Alacranes Mojados, Conjunto Aztlan, and many
more! 40-page booklet with extensive liner notes
and photos, 19 tracks, and 67 minutes of music”
(from the CD back cover).
Estevan Azcona, doctoral candidate in ethnomusicology and MAS instructor, co-produced and
wrote the liner notes for this first of its kind
project released in September 2005 by Smithsonian
Folkways Recordings (CMAS friend, Russell
Rodriguez, was the other co-producer). The
CD compilation was a two-year effort whose
release, which coincided with the 40th
anniversary of the grape strike of 1965, was
celebrated in Washington, D.C. with a concert
featuring Daniel Valdez and Conjunto Aztlan.
The compilation is available at most major record
stores and on the Smithsonian Folkways website.
All but one of the justices appeared to be impartial,
but with a reputation for going the way of big
corporations, a legal victory is yet to be determined.
With decisions taking up to 6 months to be made,
requests for prayers are being made to the public
on behalf of the affected citizens of Mission.
It was definitely a positive moment in history not only for Mission but for all people. Bringing balance back to the government, the legal system, and its bodies and members is something all citizens can be proud of. Mission accomplished.
NOTICIAS DE CMAS, FALL 2005 7
Completion of Graduate Studies
Adriana Ayala
Ph.D. History, Filed in December 2005
“Negotiating Race Relations Through Activism: Women Activists and Women’s Organizations in San Antonio, Texas
during the 1920s”
Dissertation Committee: Emilio Zamora, Department of History and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American
Studies (Co-Supervisor); Ricardo Romo, President, University of Texas at San Antonio (Co-Supervisor); Anne Martinez,
Department of History and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American Studies; Martha Menchaca,
Department of Anthropology and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American Studies; Juliet Walker,
Department of History.
Joel Huerta
Ph.D. American Studies, Filed in December 2005
“Red, Brown, and Blue: a History and Cultural Poetics of High School Football in Mexican America”
Dissertation Committee: José E. Limón, Department of English and Director of the Center for Mexican American Studies
(Co-Supervisor); Robert Abzug, Department of History (Co-Supervisor); Ricardo C. Ainslie, Department of Educational
Psychology and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American Studies; Emilio Zamora, Department of History
and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American Studies; David Montejano, Department of Ethnic Studies at
the University of California, Berkeley.
Rebecca Montes
Ph.D. History, Filed in August 2005
“Working for American Rights: Black, White and Mexican American Dock Workers in Texas during the Great Depression”
Dissertation Committee: Neil Foley, Department of History and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American
Studies (Supervisor); Tiffany Gill, Department of History; Gunther Peck, Department of History at Duke University; James
Sidbury, Department of History; Emilio Zamora, Department of History and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican
American Studies.
Jennifer Najera
Ph.D. Anthropology, Filed in December 2005
“Troublemakers, Religiosos, or Radicals? Everyday Acts of Racial Integration in a South Texas Community”
Dissertation Committee: Martha Menchaca, Department of Anthropology and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American Studies (Supervisor); Richard Flores, Department of Anthropology and Faculty Associate of the Center
for Mexican American Studies; José E. Limón, Department of English and Director of the Center for Mexican American
Studies; Angela Valenzuela, Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican
American Studies; Emilio Zamora, Department of History and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American
Studies.
Alejandra Rincón
Ph.D. Educational Administration with a Doctoral Portfolio in Mexican American Studies, Filed in December 2005
”Paying for Their Status: Undocumented Students and College Access”
Dissertation Committee: Emilio Zamora, Department of History and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American
Studies (Co-Supervisor); Pedro Reyes, Department of Educational Administration and Faculty Associate of the Center
for Mexican American Studies (Co-Supervisor); Norma Cantu, Department of Educational Administration and Faculty
Associate of the Center for Mexican American Studies; Juanita Garcia Wagstaff, Department of Educational Administration; Barbara Hines, School of Law.
Cristina Salinas
Master’s, History, Filed in December 2005
“A Border in the Making: The INS and Agricultural Relations in South Texas during the Mid-Twentieth Century”
Thesis Committee: Emilio Zamora, Department of History and Faculty Associate of the Center for Mexican American
Studies (Supervisor); Laurie Green, Department of History.
8 NOTICIAS DE CMAS, FALL 2005