MSMC Home Page |
Title V Faculty Development
Online Class
Spring 2003
Chicanismo:
Understanding LA’s Chicano Roots
Instructors:
Jill Aguilar, Ph. D., Assistant Professor, Secondary Education
Debbie Giunta,
M.Ed.,Director, Center for Cultural Fluency
Text: Urban latino cultures: La vida Latina en L.A.
Edited
by Gustavo Leclerc, Raúl Villa, and Michael J. Dear.
Thousand Oaks: SAGE
Publications. 1999
Course
Description:
Participants will increase their understanding of Chicanismo and Chicana/o
identities. They will gain
insight into the history and development of this culture in Los Angeles and
develop their skills in cross-cultural exchange. The goal is for
participants to employ these understandings, insights, and skills as they
collaborate in the generation of power with Mount St. Mary’s students.
Course
Objectives:
1.
Develop a
variety of skills to enhance understanding of Chicanismo including
interview, internet search, reading, group discussion, artistic analysis,
community excursion, and reflection.
2.
Find value
in what previously might have been seen as odd, alien or inappropriate.
Re-interpret prior judgments.
3.
Refine our
understandings of our own and others’ perspectives.
4.
Increase
our ability to participate in sensitive conversations related to culture and
identity.
5.
Develop
knowledge and skills for using Blackboard and other
technologies to support
classroom teaching.
Requirements:
The 15 minutes-a-day+ Activity plan
Spend 15
minutes + a day, 4 days a week, moving forward in your understanding of
Chicanismo. Do this by increasing your contact with the culture through a
variety of ways. Your choice. Try out as many as you can to find what works
best for you. Some possibilities include:
Reading: Urban latino cultures: La vida Latina en L.A., La
Opinión, Chicano magazines such
as Lowrider Magazine, Lowrider Arte, BLVD.
Exploring
Los Angeles Cultural Connections, click to link and choose Cultural Connections
Surfing
the Internet, e.g. latinola.com
Listening
to radio or Chicano music
Watching
a movie, e.g. Real
Women Have Curves
Conversing with Chicana/o staff, students, faculty, etc
Fitting
in a mini excursion:
e.g. visit any one of the 6
bazillion botanicas
in LA,
try a tostada mixta at Chabelita’s Seafood, Western/23rd,
or stop for agua fresca
at the Arco gas station, Hoover/23rd
Interview
Interview a Mount student who identifies herself as Chicana. The purpose of the interview is to bring us to into a deeper
conversation than we would normally have with a student to find out about
their background and experiences and what Chicana identity means to them.
Some
possible questions that could be used to lead the interview are:
- Could
you tell me a little bit about yourself and your family?
- Could
you share a story your family tells about a hero in your family?
- Why
do you prefer to identify yourself as a Chicana?
What does being Chicana mean to you?
- When
you choose Chicana, what other identities are you not choosing?
- Do
your parents (siblings, friends) identify themselves as Chicana/o?
why or why not?
- When
have you felt most comfortable and included here at the Mount?
- Have
you ever felt awkward or left out here? Describe.
- What
would be important things for Mount faculty to know about Chicana/os and
their culture?
- Do
you have any suggestions for ways the Mount could be more open to
Chicana culture?
- Are
there any classes related to Chicano culture that you would like to see
at the Mount?
Class Excursion
Self- Help Graphics and lunch in East LA
Renowned Chicana artist, Alma Lopez,
will lead our tour of the 30th anniversary exhibit, The Legacy
of Chicano Printmaking, 1973-2003.
|
