Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons^™

Chicano Impact On U.S. Comedy, John Whiting-Call

2014 Symposium

Laughter, smiles, and happiness are all feelings that transgress through cultures and can be portrayed by comedians. This paper will be discussing the impact that the Chicano population has on today’s comedy. A brief history of Chicanos in the comedy business will be discussed. The fine line between racially offensive and stereotypical jokes will be evaluated as well. This paper will also highlight some of comedy’s most famous Hispanics, and analyze their comedic routines and childhood to learn how their culture and customs have influenced their sense of humor. Finally, the concept of how, through humor, Chicano culture can be …

Chicanos And The Criminal Justice System, Scott Van Dyke

2014 Symposium

Recently there has been a change in the interaction and trust between the justice system and Chicanos. This paper will delve into how interactions between the criminal justice system and the Chicano community have increased as well as examine the support levels or lack thereof within the justice system. I will use survey statistics found in reports from the PEW Research Center and also focus on Chicanos who interact with the justice system on a daily basis. According to a Pew Research Center report, approximately fifty-six percent of Chicanos have had some sort of interaction with the criminal justice system. …

Día De Los Muertos, Emily Sherman

2014 Symposium

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday put in place to honor those who have passed away. During the celebration the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decorations of papel picado, flowers, sugar skulls, music and parades. Unlike American culture which views death as a very somber event, the Mexican culture has learned to embrace it as a natural part of life. On this day the dead are thought to wake from their eternal sleep and join the celebration with their family and friends. This paper explores the history of Día de los …

Tejano Music, Derek Phakoo

2014 Symposium

Tejano music originated in the southern part of Texas and has spread all over the world. It has produced some of the most famous musicians of our time. Tejano music is also called conjunto music. This music is a cross between blues and country and originated on the farms and ranches of Southern Texas in the early 19th century. This music came about due to the Mexicans, German and Czech immigrants sharing music traditions. This combined polkas with classic Mexican folk music. It was the Mexican Revolution that lasted from 1910-1917 that is responsible for this genre of music and …

Percentage Of Chicano Nurses In Spokane, Lynnzie Paulson

2014 Symposium

This paper discusses the percentage of Chicano or Latino nurses compared to white and other minority nurses; This study will show a lower percentage of Chicano nurses compared to white and other minority nurses. I will also discuss the inequality in educational opportunities in this field for Chicana/os as well as show how providing more opportunities will improve the health and nursing care for Chicano consumers. Using information from the U.S. Census, along with statistics from state, national, and federal agencies, and other academic peer reviewed studies this study looks at the nursing field, more specifically in Spokane, Washington to …

Expressing The Chicano Culture: A Low Riding Experience, Ian O'Neill

2014 Symposium

This research paper focuses on the rich heritage of the Chicano people who chose to express their culture through the customization of vehicles. I discuss the history of the automobile in the Chicano culture and the reasons why low riding became such a dominant idea for Chicanos. This paper will show how customizing in terms of painting, lowering, sculpting, and fabricating gave the Chicanos a favorable alternative activity instead of joining a gang. I will further discuss how this positive movement motivated and generated a generation of workers who excelled in the field of automobile customization through their artistic capabilities …

The Perceptions Of College Among Latino Elementary Students, Amy Nunez

2014 Symposium

According to the Pew Research Center, the disparity between Latinos (14.5%) and Caucasian (51%) students who earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2012 concerns scholars and policymakers. Scholarly articles (Chung and Dickson 2011; Spears, Brown, and Chu 2012; Moreno and Gaytán 2013; Becerra 2012), support the statement that the educational system in the U.S. can improve the services provided to Latino students in order to increase their college attainment. Some concerns raised by scholars include the lack of certified teachers and administrators who are culturally competent and can help Latino students develop the skills needed to succeed in college. This study …

The Forgotten Members Of Our Society: Latinos In The Criminal Justice System, Jereny Mendoza

2014 Symposium

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, as of midyear 2010, the total population of jail inmates was 1,613,740. Since jail inmates have been reported to have lower levels of education than the general population, it raises a high concern for their re-establishment in our society once they are released. While there has been an attempt to provide educational services such as the attainment of GED’s to prisoners of the adult correctional population, the services naturally discontinue once the prisoners have served their time in prison. This study examines the opportunities and obstacles that are presented to prisoners who seek …

Chicano Assimilation Into Us Athletics, Anthony Mcchesney

2014 Symposium

This paper as a whole will talk about the Chicanos assimilation into our United States sporting system. With a focus on soccer, and more specifically the MLS (Major League Soccer) this paper will discuss the successes and the failures they’ve had in regards to assimilation... Following that there will be a section of educated opinions and speculations about the future that will be backed up with research such as the rise in population of Chicanos on the rosters from the founding of MLS in 1996 to the present. Using “Chicano and/or Mexicans” as key words to my search in US …

Architecture Of The Modern World, Nicholas Law

2014 Symposium

Although sometimes overlooked, Latino/Chicano architecture is all around us and continues to influence modern structures today. From early century megalithic architecture to the baroque cathedrals and even to the Modernism movement, Latino architects have played a large role in establishing beautiful works of art and attributing to modern day architecture. In this paper I will address the influence Chicanos have had on modern day architecture. Tracing back to the Stone Age, Latino architecture can be discovered, though primitive it shows some of the earliest examples of their designs. As time progressed, Latino architecture was influenced by the Romans, Moors, Celts …

The Day Of The Dead In The United States, Tatiana Hernandez

2014 Symposium

The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday that is celebrated throughout many countries, but mostly in Mexico. This very important holiday focuses on the gathering of friends and family in order to honor those who have passed. The Day of the Dead celebration has a long history to the Mexican people, where it is believed to have originated with the Aztec festival to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. I will be using sources from academic journals to discuss the origin of Day of the Dead and to explore in-depth what this celebration is really about. …

Defining Chicano Social Issues And Establishing Self-Identity Through Art, Lupita Guzman

2014 Symposium

The Chicano movement took place during the late 1960s through the early 1970s and introduced the contemporary mural movement. This movement was what paved the path for many Chicanos to express and protest their interpretations of social issues such as racism, immigration and Chicano identity though art. Chicano artists have chosen to express the political side of being a Chicano through art because they really want to provoke and cross lines that most people do not dare to do. I will use academic journals, periodicals, and art abstracts to improve and support my research. My paper will show that the …

Bilingualism And Latinos In The United States, Rigoberto Gutierrez-Pinon

2014 Symposium

In the U.S., many cultures and languages are in contact and many consider it to possess only one universal culture. However, often conflict arises as a result of the close proximity shared by all these different elements. In this investigation, I will concentrate on the experiences of Latino-Americans in the United States specifically related to language. Many Latinos in this country hold on to their linguistic heritage and, in varying degrees, speak Spanish. However, due to the duality of their identities, it is not uncommon for Latinos to encounter conflict within themselves and confrontations with others. Linguistically, there is a …

Social Work And Chicano/Latino Diversity, Rosa Guerrero

2014 Symposium

My paper is going to focus on the social work program here at Eastern and whether or not it effectively prepares undergraduate students to work with the Chicano/Latino community. I will be examining basic demographic information about the Latino population within Eastern Washington University, the state of Washington and the United States. I will also be analyzing the demographics of staff and faculty that make up the social work program to see if any of them come from diverse backgrounds that understand the socio-cultural factors that Chicano/Latinos face. With the use of peer reviewed articles, I will be analyzing the …

Searching For The American Dream, Berenice Garcia

2014 Symposium

Immigration is a controversial topic for both Chicanos and Americans. Many Immigrants put themselves through the danger of crossing the border into the United States so they are able to provide for their family. Immigrants only come to help the economy. I will use data and peer review articles that have analyzed the benefits or their lack of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to assess the effects on poor Mexican peasants. This paper I will address the detrimental effects of this treaty on families who have been uprooted from their traditional way of life and forced to migrate …

The Obstacles Chicanos Face In The United States, Maria Galindo

2014 Symposium

When coming to the United States many immigrants think the biggest challenge they face will be leaving their families. Many do not realize the real challenge awaits them when they arrive in the United States. One of the main challenges they face is that of discrimination and overcoming negative stereotypes Americans use to describe them. Children are being raised to think these remarks are acceptable. In this paper I am going to provide information from personal blogs of experiences that have affected their everyday lives . This paper will provide evidence of the struggles they face with language barriers and …

Dreams Denied, Stephanie Fuentes

2014 Symposium

The case Plyler vs. Doe was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a state law denying funding for education to immigrant children. The court held states could not discriminate against students enrolling in K- 12 public schools based on their legal status. However, it never addressed public education beyond high school,which allowed states to create their own rules regarding undocumented students and higher education. In 2003 Washington State Legislature approved House Bill 1079 which helped make college education affordable for certain undocumented students by allowing them to pay in-state tuition.Currently 17 states allow …

Carlos Santana: Using Music To Unite Communities, Courtney Darrow

2014 Symposium

Carlos Santana, a musician born in Mexico and raised in America, has spent his entire career creating music for the masses. In 1966, he formed the Santana Blues Band whom, over the next several decades, would become internationally known for their music and charitable nature. Using his fame to promote the good in the world, Santana has become an international icon for the Latino community. Using scholarly and newspaper sources like, Carlos Santana by L.C. Slavicek and the article Santana from The Latino American Experience, I will explore in more detail Santana’s influence on the Chicano community in America. …

Narcocorridos, Jaime Frausto-Cerna

2014 Symposium

Corridos are songs that tell a true story about an event, these songs were written to express the importance of this hero or a heroic action. With time the music has evolved to include lyrics glorifying drug smuggling and extreme violence. Just like hip hop, Narcocorridos challenge the government by singing about their success in the drug business. I will utilize online newspapers, articles and lyrics compose and sung by corridistas themselves. Multiple artists have been ambushed and suffered terrible deaths resulting from the turf war the drug cartels have started and the songs and lyrics they compose. Factors leading …

Reinventing The Old West: Concordia Cemetery And The Power Over Space, 1800-1895, Nancy Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Utilizing Concordia Cemetery as a framework, this study analyzes the social and economic development of El Paso County and the surrounding areas after the U.S.-Mexico War (1846-48). The cemetery was a vast commercialized zone before it was a burial ground, and silenced histories, voices, and people that lived and thrived on this land are incorporated into this work. The role of the original owners, Hugh Stephenson and Juana Maria Ascarate, as well as the Mexican networks, intermarriage and Mexican American women, and the presence of ethnic Mexicans are subjects that are also examined. In addition, this Dissertation interrogates the pioneer …

"All The Single Ladies:" Single College-Educated Black Women's Perceptions Of Marriage And Intimate Relationships, Brittany Henderson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This project, ""All the Single Ladies:" Single College-Educated Black Women's Perception of Marriage and Intimate Relationships," is an exploratory study that gathers single heterosexual college-educated Black women's perceptions of intimate relationships. Using semi-structured interviews, the women disclosed how their family structure, career and education goals, race, location and standards influence their perceptions of forming and obtaining intimate relationships. This particular cohort of women brings an interesting perspective, as they have experience in higher education and as career women, but maintain a "single" marital status. This research was done because there was a deficit in the research on Black women's perceptions …

Hybridity, Trauma, And Queer Identity: Reading Masculinity Across The Texts Of Junot Díaz, Hannah Fraser Legris

Theses and Dissertations--English

When writing about Junot Díaz’s Drown (1996) Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007) and This is How You Lose Her (2012), I focus on the iterations of masculinity depicted and embodied by Yunior de las Casas, the primary narrator of this collection. I explore the links between diaspora, hybridity, masculinity, and trauma, arguing that both socio-historical and personal traumatic experience reverberates through the psyches and bodies of Díaz’s characters. I demonstrate the relationship between Yunior’s navigation of the United States and the Dominican Republic and his ever-shifting sexuality, self-presentation, and gender identity. The physical and discursive spaces he must …

Black Power In River City: African American Community Activism In Louisville, Kentucky, 1967-1970, Zack G. Hardin

Theses and Dissertations--History

The impact of Black Power rhetoric and ideology in Louisville, Kentucky in 1967-1970 is explored. The role of Black Power in shaping the discourse of Louisville’s black counter-public and civil rights counter-public is analyzed in the context of the 1967 open housing demonstrations, the May, 1968 riot, and the trial of the ‘Black Six’. Black Power played a vital role in community organizing and in displays of black national and cultural pride. It actively challenged the city’s mystique of Southern white paternalism embraced by the mayoral administration of Kenneth Schmied. Despite that administrations allegations, Black power rhetoric in the West …

African American Race And Culture And Patients' Perceptions Of Diabetes Health Education, Linda Marie Keenan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans diagnosed with diabetes are less likely to self-manage diabetes-specific modifiable risk factors. As a result, utilization of healthcare services occurs at a greater rate than other racial groups, and thereby incurs higher than expected healthcare costs. This ethnographic study explored the elements of diabetes educational material African Americans in a large city in the southern part of the United States found most useful to facilitate self-management of their disease. Bandura's self-efficacy theory provided the theoretical framework. Research questions addressed the preferred educational content, layout of material, and methods for educational delivery and caregiver support. A purposive sample of …

African American Women's Perception Of Subprime Lending Practices On Their Home Buying Knowledge And Behaviors, John Howard White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The subprime mortgage lending practices from 1995 to 2007 were disproportionately concentrated on minority and low income neighborhoods of the United States. Despite the negative effects of subprime loans, these loans are regaining popularity. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to bridge the gap in knowledge about their effect on African American women by exploring the home buying knowledge and behaviors of African American women between 2004 and 2007 in a southern state. Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of planned behavior served as the theoretical framework of this study, which explored factors that motivated African American women to buy …

Restoring, Rewriting, Reimagining: Asian American Science Fiction Writers And The Time Travel Narrative, Joanne Chern

Scripps Senior Theses

Asian American literature has continued to evolve since the emergence of first generation Asian American writers in 1975. Authors have continued to interact not only with Asian American content, but also with different forms to express that content – one of these forms is genre writing. Genre writing allows Asian American writers to interact with genre conventions, using them to inform Asian American tropes and vice versa. This thesis focuses on the genre of science fiction, specifically in the subgenre of time travel. Using three literary case studies – Ken Liu’s “The Man Who Ended History,” Charles Yu’s How …

Warmikuna Juyayay! Ecuadorian And Latin American Indigenous Women Gaining Spaces In Ethnic Politics, Maria S. Moreno Parra

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

This research utilizes an agency framework to examine the complexities of the participation of indigenous women in local, national, and global spaces of activism. By examining the connections between processes of globalization of indigenous and women’s rights, development agendas, local politics, and gender dynamics in indigenous organizations, this research highlights the connection of ethnicity, gender, and power in an indigenous organization of Cotacachi, Ecuador, and for Ecuadorian and Latin American indigenous leaders and professionals working in national and global arenas.

Four interconnected topics are explored: (1) the understanding of indigenous women’s participation in the history of their organization within a …

On V. Stiviano, Donald Sterling's Companion: Exploring Whiteness As Property, Imani Jackson

Florida A & M University Law Review

Much maligned billionaire and former Clippers owner Donald Sterling ignited national race relations discourse after his companion, V. Stiviano, was connected to the leak of a conversation in which Sterling made anti-black comments. This author posits that Sterling's command that his companion Stiviano disassociate with people of color, particularly black people, is covertly and overtly racist. Covert racism is implicit in the nature of their conversation.

This paper will focus on Stiviano's identity and the violence white men inflicted upon her because of her race and the circumstances surrounding her relationship with Sterling. This author contends that Stiviano attempted to …

Review Of Encountering Revolution: Haiti And The Making Of The Early Republic By Ashli White, Jonathon J. Booth

Publications

No abstract provided.

Opening Borders: African Americans And Latinos Through The Lens Of Immigration, Maritza I. Reyes

Journal Publications

African-American and Latino voter turnout during the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections hit record numbers. Polls show that the immigration debate influenced Latino voter turnout and preference. Presidential candidate Barack Obama's voiced support of comprehensive immigration reform strengthened his lead among Latino voters in 2008 and, once in office, his executive policy of granting temporary protection to DREAMers solidified his lead among Latino voters in 2012. Both elections showed the power that minority groups can exert when they vote in support of the candidate. If the demographic changes continue as currently estimated, African Americans and Latinos will contribute in large …