Phong Ly / The Collegian
Celebrating 40 years of Chicano and Latin American Studies
Decorated in true fiesta fashion, the University Satellite Student Union was host to the department of Chicano and Latin Studies 40th anniversary celebration.
Partnered with the Central Valley Latin American Project, the department’s inaugural event featured traditional mariachi music, display booths and a performance by Fresno State’s Los Danzantes de Aztlan.
Though the event was primarily the celebration of the Chicano and Latin American studies department, the anniversary happened to fall in the same calendar year as the bicentennial of Mexico’s independence, the 100-year anniversary of the Mexican Revolution and the centennial anniversary of Fresno State.
Department chair Victor Torres described the event as the perfect storm.
“It’s Fresno State’s centennial this year, the bicentennial anniversary of Mexico’s independence and the 100th anniversary of the revolutions of Mexico and it only makes the event that much more important,” Torres said.
Torres added that the event was just the stepping-stone to the long-term goals of the department.
“We are always trying to increase the number of people majoring in Chicano and Latin American studies,” Torres said. “We are working on getting a B.A. in Latin America studies. We have a minor in Latin American Studies but not a B.A. and are in the process of getting it approved. There are about two to three more steps to go and we hope to attract students with that.”
Beginning as La Raza studies of the ethnic department in 1969, Chicano and Latin American studies became an independent program and the exact date at which it became its own department is not known.
Students majoring in Chicano and Latin American also felt the event was vital to the department’s success. Janette Jacinto was originally a sociology major, but changed to Chicano and Latin American studies after taking a few courses.
Jacinto said she felt the event was important because it helped Chicano and Latin students get back to their roots.
“I think it’s a critical event because students should not only hear about their heritage through lectures, but to experience it firsthand, Jacinto said.
Martin Tinoco, a double major in Chicano and Latin American studies and sociology said the event was crucial for students not only in the major, but students that are of Chicano and Latin American decent.
“It’s part of the rich culture and the heritage we have,” Tinoco said. “When you move and migrate to another country, the distance makes it hard to keep in touch with your roots. This event reminds us where we came from.”
The celebration was made more significant by being held in Fresno.
“A lot of the history of us and Latin American and Chicano movement took place in this area,” Tinoco said. “From Los Angeles to Bakersfield to Fresno, that’s where the history took place. To learn about it, you have to start where it began.”
To help tie in the cultural roots to Mexico, the celebration also featured a speech by former 1988 Mexico presidential candidate José Luis Talancón E.
thats right • Sep 19, 2010 at 9:38 pm
The Chicano movement germinated from the Mexican Culture and does not represent all Latinoa as a whole. There is no reason for you to get offended because it was a celebration of the Mexican Independence obviously that is why they focused on the Mexican Culture.
mayacanogop • Sep 17, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Attending the 40th anniversary of the Chicano Latino Studies program this past Thursday, I was offended due to the academic snobbery and the CLS department exclusiveness. A speaker’s remarks of Arizona’s law Sb1070 saying it was racist, discriminatory and fascist which was professed without any challenge from the intellectuals in the audience nor providing context or understanding of the law that mirrors current federal law under President Obama. I was not surprised that such a view came from a liberal academic such as Dr. Jose Luis Alanson E addressing his peers. Another example of snobbery manifested itself when an individual asking a question without identifying himself was laughed at with a snidely attitude by the academics present, was disrespectful establishing an intellectual snobbery existing on campus. Also, there has been continuation of exclusiveness by the CLS department in the lack of apperception of other Latino cultures that make up Latin America as a whole, due to the exclusive focus of the Mexican culture. This has been my experience since graduating in 2005 in CLS and participating in the Latino commencement ceremonies since then. I don’t think that the CLS faculty understands by perpetuating such dominance demonstrates an arrogance and robes individuals of their cultural ethnic pride who are not Mexican like myself who could proudly say that I am from EL SALVADOR, SAN SALAVDOR and CHICANO raised. Perhaps the academic arrogance of the CLS department who are intellectual gatekeepers has put their MEXICAN culture before AMERICAN pride as a whole.
William Flores-Lemus