Latina/o Studies Commons^™

Music And The Migrant: A Transnational Account Of Cumbia, Irene L. Mekus

Audre Lorde Prize

This paper looks into the cultural synthesization and the transnational ties of cumbia between Latin America and the United States. Three case studies look at the story of migrants and their transnational ties through cumbia and are analyzed through an ethnomusicology framework.

Fearless Friday: Jasmine Matos, Jasmine S. Matos

SURGE

This week Surge is honored to highlight Jasmine Matos for Fearless Friday!

Originally from the Bronx in NYC, Jasmine is here at Gettysburg majoring in Health Sciences and minoring in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She now finds herself in her last semester at Gettysburg College and is trying to make the most of it. She’s the Captain of B.O.M.B. Squad, a member of the Black Student Union (BSU), a member of the Latin American Student Association (LASA), and she works in the Admissions Office. [excerpt]

Confederates In Mexico: Lost Cause Or New South Vanguard?, Jamie Starling

History Faculty Publications

The defeat of the Confederacy, the prospect of military occupation and Republican state government, and the financial collapse of many plantations and businesses sent a number of white southerners in pursuit of life in a foreign land during the late 1860s. Between 1865 and the early 1870s approximately five thousand white and black southerners trekked to Mexico (28, 37).1 Todd W. Wahlstrom examines this resettlement by studying colonies in the Texas border state of Coahuila. Much of The Southern Exodus to Mexico chronicles the rise and fall of ambitious colonization plans of such ex-Confederates as Matthew Fontaine …

Government Control Of And Influence On The Press In Latin America: The Case Of Argentina During The Presidency Of Cristina Fernández De Kirchner (2007-2014), Rachel L. Yeager

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Latin American governments restrict the media for political, historical, and cultural reasons. As these governments trend toward socialism, their influence on media increases. This paper examines methods of media control and investigates whether the increased control leads to bias and inaccuracy of information, both of which jeopardize the functioning of a democratic political system. Four newspapers in Argentina were used as a case study; articles from 2004 to 2013 were evaluated for bias and accuracy. The expected outcome was that newspapers sympathetic toward her administration would become more favorably biased toward her while critical newspapers would become more unfavorably biased. …

Foul Ball: Audience-Held Stereotypes Of Baseball Players, Patrick Ferrucci, Edson C. Tandoc Jr., Chad Painter, J. David Wolfgang

Communication Faculty Publications

This study experimentally tested whether participants held and/or applied stereotypes of baseball players. Participants were asked to rate white, black, and Latino baseball players based on stereotypes consistently identified in previous literature.

Participants saw a photo of a player and an anonymous paragraph from a newspaper that highlighted a particular stereotype. They were then asked to rate the author's credibility. Black players were rated as higher in physical strength and natural ability, consistent with previous literature concerning how athletes were described. However, white and Latin players were not stereotyped. But participants rated white-consistent descriptions as credible and Latin-consistent descriptions as …

The American Dream: Equality In Education, Alexandra Romjue

2016 Symposium

The “American Dream” of acquiring a college education is not a realistic goal for every citizen in the United States. Today a college education is becoming a necessity and Latino citizens are not provided with the same opportunities that Caucasian students are. This study looks at the college education gap among Latina/os and compares the college graduation rates between Latinos and Caucasians. Using peer review sources, the study assesses the impact of this education gap on job opportunities, wages and overall earning potential and quality of life among Latina/os and Caucasians. Finally, this work aims to raise awareness among uninformed …

The Necessity Of Minority Ethnic Studies In The American Education Curriculum, Destiny L. Vaught

2016 Symposium

From the very start of the educational career students are rarely exposed to the history, culture, and contributions of other ethnic groups that tie together the American way of life, past and present. Not until individuals reach higher education, are they introduced to studies that are designed specifically to enlighten the student’s knowledge of minorities and other ethnicities in the United States. In this study, I used peer review sources to highlight the advantages of schools that teach ethnic studies classes and the importance of understanding different groups of people at an earlier stage in a student’s life. The study …

Undocumented Immigrants And The Constitutional Rights Of Their U.S. Born Children, Jennifer Rogers

2016 Symposium

In this essay I will discuss language of the 14th Amendment, which grants automatic citizenship to every child born on US soil, regardless of the immigration status of their parents. These children have been typecast by the media as “anchor” babies. Through primary documents and peer review journals, this paper will show the nature of what it's like to be a child of an undocumented immigrant and the rights they have. The funding for these children with undocumented parents has been widely disputed and will discuss in-depth about what type of services the U.S. is responsible for. With the upcoming …

The Lack Of Diversity Among Sign Language Interpreters Presents Major Challenges For The Health Care Industry Serving The Chicana/O Community, Christina Gutierrez

2016 Symposium

This paper focuses on Chicana/os who are hearing impaired and the struggles they face. This research project will address the different styles of sign language and different kinds and levels of hearing loss. Using peer review sources I provide statistics on the number of Chicana/os in the United States with hearing disabilities and narrow it down to the number of Deaf Chicana/os in Washington state. In this paper I will address the additional challenges faced by deaf Chicana/os as they attempt to communicate with their families who only speak Spanish; most of the time a sibling is compelled to learn …

Latina/O Education And Its Effects On Overall Job Success, Megan Lee

2016 Symposium

Young Hispanics today struggle with the American education system, especially those that are foreign-born. This is because Latina/o immigrants are part of an education system that is inadequate to meet their educational needs. A common problem immigrant’s face in the classroom is their inability to communicate. Also, teachers are not trained to communicate effectively with their student populations. For example, according to the National Education Association only 2.5% of teachers who instruct bilingual students have a degree in ESL-bilingual education. This can be a factor for which Latina/o immigrants score lower on standardized tests and the shortcomings associated with an …

Defining America: Chicano/Latino Influence, Hope Jackson-Doney

2016 Symposium

With the 2016 Presidential Elections, immigration has become a hot topic of discussion among the presidential candidates as they debate what actions to take with respect to undocumented population residing in the United States. This study examines the ways in which Latina/os and immigrants have defined and redefined the American culture. Using peer review academic sources, this work explores the cultural development of Latina/os in the United States and how this group constitutes a critical foundation of American society. This works illustrates how the United States is known as the melting pot of cultures for many generations and Latina/o immigrants …

Understanding U.S. Racial Tensions In The 21st Century, Taylor Newquist

2016 Symposium

This study takes a sociological outlook on the reasons Latin American immigrants migrate to the United States. The study will uncover the racist outlook and stereotypes Americans feel toward this particular immigrant group whether they be documented or undocumented. Using academic peer review sources, the study uncovers the factors that produce these negative attitudes towards this outgroup and sheds light on best practices to reduce racial tensions between them. Among these strategies include cracking down on extreme political rhetoric that incites prejudicial attitudes and potential violence.

The Economy And Mexican Immigrants, Austin Schulz

2016 Symposium

This paper will focus on the economic impact that immigrants from Mexico, documented and undocumented, have on the United States economy. In this study, I use peer reviewed sources to show how much immigrants contribute to the economy; with how much they pay in taxes and the wages they earn as they toiled in their respective jobs. Additionally, this study explores the impact Mexican immigrants have on the unemployment rate of native born Americans as well as the U.S. national debt. This study also looks at the impact of undocumented immigration, and the cost/contributions to the US tax payers. Finally, …

Stereotypes And Popular Misconceptions Of Latino Immigration, Teddy J. Mead

2016 Symposium

The focus of this research paper is to briefly address the scenarios behind Latin American immigration into the United States, as well as its effects on American culture. With the use of peer reviewed sources and scholarly articles the research conducted directly reflects current issues in the media today. This work explores three main areas including: government intervention in an era focused on Latino Immigration to the United States, the cultural misconceptions conveyed by a naïve American public, and a debunking of negative stereotypes regarding Latino Immigration.

Latin@S In The Labor Work Force, Vanessa Murillo

2016 Symposium

This study focuses on the overrepresentation of Latino/as in farm labor jobs and the factors causing this trend, including the lax employer verification requirements. Using peer review sources, this work assesses the extent to which the federal government is complicit by allowing certain industry sectors such as the agribusiness with less stringent employment verification requirements than the technology or scientific industry. The study shows this bias application of laws create a form of exploitation and an underclass of Latina/o immigrants locked out of better job opportunities. Finally, this research points out to DACA, the executive order issued by President Obama …

Developing A Support Center Without Borders: Enhancing Services For Students Without Documentation, Edith Melendez

2016 Symposium

College students without documentation (students) face many academic support hardships. As defined by the National Immigration Law Center, an undocumented person is a foreign national who resides in the United States with fraudulent documents or entered without authorization. Every year hundreds of motivated students with high potential to succeed in an academic setting enroll into four-year university with hopes of becoming upwardly mobile and contributing to society. Unlike college students with authorization, they have added stress and pressures relating to overcoming financial, social, and educational challenges. Despite these obstacles and legal status, they persevere and achieve academic success along educational …

Current Issues And Developments In Psychology With Regards To Latina/O Americans, Rachel Giddings

2016 Symposium

Past research has shown that the Chicano/Latino community experience mental illness differently than other populations, and they are largely underserved by mental health professionals. This work explores the underrepresentation of culturally diverse individuals seeking and utilizing psychological services due to the lack of cultural sensitivity of therapists; cynicism by mental health professionals, and an outlook that therapy can be used as an oppressive tool by those in power (Sue & Sue, 1999). In short, there is much apprehension towards traditional therapeutic and intervention models in which most therapists have been educated on are based on and designed to meet the …

Jotería-Historias: Theories From The Fringes, Robert Mitchell Gutierrez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

By collecting the cultural/historical narratives of gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (GBTQ) Chicanos of Colorado, this research project locates theories in the flesh, or theories of resistance and agency, in the forms of cuentos, pláticas, chismé, mitos, testimonios, and consejos to explicate a queer of color performance of intersectional and decolonial politics. To set the context, several historical and political snapshots of GBTQ Chicano experience over the last 500 years are reviewed to demonstrate how communication about, for, and between GBTQ Chicanos operate in a liminal state (nepantla) where violence, marginalization, and oppression are …

"La Vida Es El Honor Y El Recuerdo": Oscar Zeta Acosta's Paratextual Struggle For Survival, Allison Fagan

Department of English - Faculty Scholarship

This essay explores the publishing history surrounding Oscar Zeta Acosta’s The Revolt of the Cockroach People (1973) by examining two key paratextual elements: the introduction to the 1989 reprint edition, supplied by Hunter S. Thompson, and the illustrated cockroaches inserted throughout the narrative by Straight Arrow Books designer Jon Goodchild. It examines Acosta’s tandem efforts to employ and destabilize the singular identity at the heart of Chicano nationalism through the figure of the cockroach, and it suggests that such strategic essentialism is also at the heart of the publishing process.

It argues that Acosta combatively collaborates with his friends and …

Lingering Colonialities As Blockades To Peace Education: School Violence In Trinidad, Hakim Mohandas Amani Williams

Africana Studies Faculty Publications

Book Summary: Bringing together the voices of scholars and practitioners on challenges and possibilities of implementing peace education in diverse global sites, this book addresses key questions for students seeking to deepen their understanding of the field. The book not only highlights ground-breaking and rich qualitative studies from around the globe, but also analyses the limits and possibilities of peace education in diverse contexts of conflict and post-conflict societies. Contributing authors address how educators and learners can make meaning of international peace education efforts, how various forms of peace and violence interact in and around schools, and how the field …

Are Hispanics Discriminated Against In The Us Criminal Justice System?, Maria A. Eijo De Tezanos Pinto

Graduate Research Posters

Recent publications have contributed to increase the perception among Hispanics of an unfair and unequal treatment of this community by the US Criminal Justice System. One of the major concerns was the claim that Hispanics are incarcerated before conviction nearly twice as often as Whites. Unfair treatment perception by the population reduces legitimacy of police and government, and thus, it is imperative to analyze these uninvestigated allegations. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to address said allegations of discrimination against Hispanics and analyze with updated and reliable statistics whether Hispanics are incarcerated before conviction more often than Whites. There …

Unaccompanied Children Migration, Ronald Alvarado

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

The way people view immigration has changed over the past few years. Children fleeing to the United States without their parents has been a huge issue lately. Unaccompanied children are kids younger than 18 who are sent alone, in this case to the United States. These kids migrate because of the extreme violence that occurs in their home countries.

Statistics prove that children in their home countries are exposed to much violence. Most are coming from the northern triangle of Central America. I believe they should have more rights here in the United States, and be treated just the same …

Immigrants In The U.S. Labor Market, Samantha Zontek

2016 Symposium

This study focuses on the labor market and Mexican-Americans in the United States. I use peer reviewed sources to fully examine and determine the fairness of labor laws protecting this population. Additionally, the study provides an in depth analysis of unfair labor practices and a comparison of the types of jobs and location in the United States affecting the Mexican-American population in the labor market. My intended audience are those unaware of unfair labor practices who want labor wages to be fair for every working citizen in the U.S., and not be discriminated based on ethnicity/race. My research findings will …

Exploring Factors Of Initimate Partner Violence Among Men Of Mexican Origin, Bibiana Marie Mancera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects many females, particularly women of color, in the United States. Victims of IPV experience both short and long term physical and mental consequences (World Health Organization, 2014), which negatively impact the healthcare and judicial system (Lloyd & Taluc, 1999). Few qualitative studies have been conducted among men of Mexican origin (MMO), exploring unique risk factors that contribute to the higher incidence of IPV perpetration among this population. The purpose of this study was to explore IPV perpetration risk factors among MMO. The research question that guided this study were: 1) what are the issues confronting …

Strange Rumblings In El Chuco: Ruben Salazar Writes For The Prospector, 1947-48 & 1953-54, Gustavo Del Hierro

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The life of journalist Rubén Salazar is often linked to his time as a reporter/columnist for the Los Angeles Times during the Chicana/o Movement and his death at the Chicano Anti-War Moratorium in East Los Angeles on August 29, 1970. After his death, he became a martyr of the Chicana/o civil rights movement and his life and work have mostly been obscured by different attempts to personify him, overlooking aspects of his earlier life. Salazar was born in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico in 1928 and his family later moved to El Paso, Texas in 1929, where he was raised and educated. …

La Gente Entre Nosotros / The People Between Us, Gerard Stephen Robledo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This collection stems from the tradition of poetry of witness / anthro-poetry, and chronicles the lives of individuals within communities who are affected by racism, ignorance, and Americanization. The catalyst for this collection was the massive influx of immigrant children fleeing South and Central American, and Mexico to the United States in the summer of 2014. This event spurred a whirlwind of anger, confusion, and racism, which left children in the political crossfire. Thus, this collection is aptly titled La Gente Entre Nosotros / The People Between Us.

In this collection, I take the approach of the anthro-poet, to document …

"Pa'l Norte," "Sueño Americano" E "Ice El Hielo": Un Análisis Del Video Musical En El Desmontaje De La Retórica Anti-Inmigrante En Los Estados Unidos, Aida M. Villarreal-Licona

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis is an analytical case study of three music videos, "Pa'l Norte" by Calle 13, "Sueño Americano" by Los Rakas, and "Ice El Hielo" by La Santa Cecilia. It explores the visual and lyric narratives of these works and their role in critiquing anti-immigration rhetoric towards Latino immigrants in the United States in a post-9/11 context. Through critical analysis, this thesis argues that their work is vital in dismantling the dehumanizing and criminalizing language prevalent in legal and popular discourse, as well as challenging the manifestations of everyday "illegality."

"Their Shadows Still Walk With Us": Mapping A Decolonial Cartography Of Struggle With Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa, Sandra Álvarez

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

This paper maps a cartography of struggle to document the dynamic, living legacy of Menominee leader Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa and her contribution to the decolonial possibilities of transnational Indigenous feminism. I propose that mapping a cartography of struggle is a useful way for movements to consider how the past informs the present and future possibilities of resistance and decoloniality.

Este artículo traza una cartografía de las luchas que llevó a cabo la líder Menominee Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa con el fin de documentar su legado dinámico y vivo y su contribución a las posibilidades decoloniales del feminismo indígena transnacional. Propongo la …

Cruising The Borderlands: Queer Latinx Creating Space In Lowrider Culture, Elisia I. Campos

Senior Independent Study Theses

This ethnographic and interview-based study explores how queer Latinx lowriders create community through art, such as The Q Sides, an exhibition of photographs by Vero Majano, Kari Orvik, and DJ Brown Amy. Both lowrider culture and the queer Latinx community are marginalized communities that are often silenced, ignored, and not included in historical preservation or well documented. Lowrider culture and the queer Latinx community have largely been explored separately, such as ethnographer Ben Chappell and interdisciplinary scholar Michael Hames-García. My Senior Independent Study project examines the unique intersection of the queer Latinx experience in lowrider culture in the context of …

Latina Principals In Southern California: A Phenomenological Look Into Their Journey Towards Leadership, Fabiola Bagula

Dissertations

California is home to almost 15 million Latinos, however, according to the 2015 State of Higher Education Report for California, only 12% of the Latino population between the ages of 25 and 64 has a baccalaureate degree or higher, compared with 42% of the White population. Latina students have some of the lowest levels of educational attainment at every point in their K-12 journey and in general, very low occupational attainment. Given these troubling findings, this research sought to understand and tell the stories of Latinas in k-12 leadership positions in Southern California. In this study, Latinas describe how they …