Voting for new Board members ends Monday, March 21, 2016 at 900 AM PST
Here are the Candidate Statements:
Chair-Elect
| Tereza M. Szeghi, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Comparative Literature and Social Justice Director of Graduate Studies, Department of English University of Dayton Dayton, OhioBecause my scholarship and activism are deeply interconnected, I was attracted as a young scholar of Chicano literature to NACCS—an interdisciplinary organization that makes clear in so many ways that the value of the work we do is measured by its impact on the Chicana/o community.Since attending my first NACCS conference in 2009, I have sought ways of contributing to the important work of the organization and serving the NACCS membership and the communities NACCS represents. I have been fortunate enough to have been given multiple opportunities to do so. I was the Midwest Foco Representative from 2009-2012, during which time I worked closely with our members to plan our local contributions to the 2012 conference in Chicago—which led not just to some incredible programming, such as the performance of Teatro Luna at the Noche de Cultura, but also energized our Foco and spurred future collaborations. Then as an At-Large Representative from 2012 to 2014, I was able to learn much more about the structure of the organization, develop relationships with NACCS members throughout the country, and learn about some of the best emerging scholarship and activism offered by the candidates for the Frederick A. Cervantes Premio and the Antonia I. Castañeda Prize. I continue to serve on the Castañeda Prize Committee.I would bring to the position of chair-elect not just passionate commitment to the mission of the organization but also a proven ability to work effectively and efficiently in collaboration with the NAACS board and membership, along with the ability to lead and offer new ideas while also being responsive to the concerns and recommendations of those I work with and for. I am excited about crafting new ways of thinking about how the social sciences, arts, humanities, and STEM fields can collectively advance Chicana/o activism against racism, xenophobia, institutional violence, and the continued colonization of the indigenous people of Mexico and the United States. |
| José Angel Hernández, Ph.D. Associate Professor, History University of HoustonJosé Angel Hernández has been a member of NACCS for almost 20 years, or since 1997, when he first attended a conference in Mexico City. At the annual meeting in Chicago in March of 2002, he was awarded the Cervantes Graduate Premio for a paper that eventually grew into a dissertation abstract, and then onto an award-winning monograph titled Mexican American Colonization during the Nineteenth Century: A History of the US-Mexico Borderlands (Cambridge University Press, 2012). From 2012-2014, Professor Hernández served on the National Board of NACCS as National Secretary and hopes to continue his support of NACCS by outlining a simple yet dynamic vision if given the honor of serving as its National President.According to the official history of NACCS, “In 1972, at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Social Science Association held in San Antonio, Texas, Chicano faculty and students active in the American Sociological Association, American Anthropological Association and the American Political-Science Association came together to discuss the need for a national association of Chicana/o scholar activists. Discussions culminated in a proposal to establish the National Caucus of Chicano Social Scientists (NCCSS).”Since that time, NACCS has been renamed, reshaped, and ultimately revitalized in its own respective socio-historical context; however, in order to continue that dynamism that has so animated previous generations, my vision for the future of NACCS is to return to BOTH the “Social” and the “Science” back into our methodologies, approaches, and interrogations of the many facets of Mexican American life. If elected, my vision for the future of NACCS will be to encourage those earlier approaches back into our conference themes; but also equally important, to begin building the foundations to reach out to a new generation of scholars, intellectuals, and leaders that are properly informed about the issues that impact each and everyone of us. To do so, I propose that these foundations include STEM.According to almost any popular definition, “STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education…STEM is an interdisciplinary and applied approach that is coupled with hands-on, problem-based learning.” This exact same definition of interdisciplinary and applied approach is understood, applied, and practiced in EVERY Mexican American Studies Department across the nation. In other words, our goals are the same, and my efforts will therefore be to facilitate these exchanges in cooperative and meaningful ways with like-minded organizations that are already involved in our communities.But what does it mean to promote STEM education when we are experiencing the largest mass expulsion of Mexicans and Central Americans in US history? Any discussion of STEM should include another acronym: Stop The Expulsion of Migrants. The Administration of Barack Obama has now deported close to 3 million migrants and another round of deportation raids were announced for the New Year. The deportation of millions of migrants under the administrations of G.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were even higher, and everyday talk of deporting another 10 million has now become common, especially during the Republican primaries. What role do Science, Technology, Engineering and Math have in ameliorating the current situation, or is STEM not concerned with the political, the social, or the human? Can STEM, therefore, stem the tide of mass deportations to include its other, multiple meanings?Thank you very much for your kind attention and I hope to have your support. Sinceramente, José Angel Hernández Carrillo |
Secretary
| Jennie Luna, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Chicana/o Studies California State University, Channel IslandsAs a candidate for Secretary my vision for NACCS is that it will continue to document its growth as a national organization that carries the tradition of scholar activism. My goal is to help train and mentor the next generation of Chicana/o Studies scholars and NACCSistas, as well as to continue to produce my own scholarship to share and receive feedback/mentorship with my colleagues. I am an advocate for the incorporation of Indigenous perspectives and representation within NACCS and in our discipline as a whole.I have been a member of NACCS since 1996. I served as the NACCS National Student Representative as an undergraduate when the leadership team was differently structured. I have benefitted from NACCS by receiving student fellowships as a graduate student. I have been an active member and participant yearly at the conference. I am currently an Assistant Professor in Chicana/o Studies at CSU Channel Islands and have recently become a life-time member of NACCS. I have served as the Indigenous Caucus representative for 3 years. I was the recipient the Antonia Castañeda Prize in 2014. I have been actively involved in ensuring that Indigenous perspectives are incorporated into the conference and am committed to bringing undergraduate students to the conference to carry on the legacy of NACCS. Since having a permanent position I have organized students to go to NACCS because I believe in the benefit of NACCS to inspire students to continue their education.I seek your vote for Secretary. In this capacity I have the opportunity to work with the executive committee of NACCS to ensure communication though minutes and reports. I value the role of the secretary in keeping records and also in ensuring member participation in all areas of NACCS. |
| Aureliano Maria DeSoto, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies Metropolitan State UniversityI currently serve as At-large representative to the NACCS Board (2014-2016). I have a long and varied history of involvement with NACCS, including participation in the Northern California Foco (1993-1995), presentations at the national conference (1996, 2010) and one regional conference (1994), as well as serving as site coordinator for the Northern California regional conference (1994). I was a plenary speaker at the 2015 conference, and as At-large representative, chaired the Cervantes Premio Award Committee (2015, 2016). I am a current member of the organization and of the Midwest Foco.I seek to continue my service to the organization in the role of Secretary. As At-large representative, I have been able to participate in and assist in the maintenance and governance of NACCS, bringing the concerns of our membership to the board as well as helping mentor undergraduate and graduate students through the Cervantes Premio, and helping the Board in its decision-making processes. As Secretary, I would continue to serve the membership and organization through assiduous attention to detail that is required of the Secretary position, and seek, through this service, to reflect the will of the membership in maintaining and disseminating resolutions at the annual conference, and maintaining an accurate record of rosters, minutes of Board meetings, and Board correspondence. My work as department chair of Ethnic and Religious Studies at Metropolitan State University, as well as my past service as co-coordinator of the Gender Studies Program at Metropolitan State, has given me the critical skills to fulfill the role of Secretary. |
At-Large Representatives |
| José Flores Ph.D. Candidate, Spanish School of International Letters and Cultures Arizona State UniversityI have been a member of NACCS and have consistently presented at the NACCS National Conferences since 2012. I also served as Rocky Mountain Foco Representative from 2013 to 2015.My introduction to NACCS came as a Masters student when I presented at the 2012 NACCS Tejas Foco Regional Conference in San Marcos. There, I was immediately captivated by all of the presentations in various disciplines that emphasized Chicana and Chicano topics. I felt an unexplainable familiarity and sense of community with everyone in attendance and more so, when Chicana and Chicano scholars engaged students like myself and encouraged us to continue our scholarship and become actively involved in the organization. As a result, at the concluding Business Meeting, I volunteered as a committee member of the Premio Estrella de Aztlán Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented at the following Tejas Foco Conference.This early experience allowed me to witness firsthand the power and importance of community and collaboration of our NACCS membership. I am convinced that community and collaboration are the driving factors of this organization. As RM Foco Representative, I sought to further develop these strengths in the region. I hope to continue to promote and work towards sustaining these collaborative relationships with NACCS Members, Caucus Chairs, Foco Reps, NACCS Committees, and National Board with my candidacy for At-Large Representative. |
| Brenda Valles, Ph.D. Director for Research & Assessment, Office of Equity & Diversity University of UtahI grew up in a small farming community at the southern point of the Salinas Valley in California and attended California State University of Monterey Bay, about four years after it was opened. I learned about the importance of reciprocity and nurturing the community of which you are a product. I realized then how important it was for me to use my skills to support my community. Therefore all the work and projects I have participated in have focused on achieving this goal – to serve my community and to strengthen it. I completed an MA in Education, Culture and Society and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy, both at the University of Utah. My scholarly interests are Chicana/o academic access and success in relation to existing policies. Specifically, I looked at the school-to-prison pipeline and the long-term educational implications for Chicana/o students. Currently I work as the Director for Research & Assessment for the Office for Equity & Diversity at the University of Utah. I am very excited and enthusiastic about being a candidate for At-Large Rep for NACCS. I want to reciprocate and offer support to an organization that has benefited me so much.Involvement in NACCS I first learned about NACCS while I was an undergrad at California State University Monterey Bay from my Chicana/o mentors who primarily came from the Chicana/o Latina/o Staff and Faculty Association (CLSFA). I attended the regional foco meetings with my mentors in the early 2000’s. Since then, I have participated in conferences as a member of NACCS and presented in the conferences throughout graduate school. I have attended the NACCS conferences of 2006 in Guadalajara, 2011 in Pasadena, 2013 in San Antonio, and brought a group of students to present in the 2014 Salt Lake City conference. This year I will be presenting at the Denver conference. NACCS has been an intellectual home that I connected with in ways the academy can never fulfill. It is for this reason that I wish to be an At-Large Rep so that I may communicate with future and current Chicana and Chicano students and scholars.Candidate Statement I am running for At-Large Rep in an effort to support NACCS Focos and Caucuses. As an organization NACCS has provided me much needed reinforcement and guidance as a student and emerging scholar. I believe At-Large Reps have the important role of supporting our membership through the Focos and caucuses. The importance of these positions lies in the power of communication, transparency, and engagement. I commit to support Foco regions and Caucuses as a strong liaison between the board and the broader NACCS community. My vision for NACCS is that it continues to be the intellectual space it has been since 1972. I recognize that NACCS is a space that transcends the academic and scholarly work it successfully organizes around, and that this space also serves many members with the ability to be their whole selves “entre comunidad” where we find spaces of confidence, solidarity and visibility. In other words, I envision NACCS as an organization that we can collectively acknowledge and embrace for its importance as an academic organization that serves members in various unique ways and, as such, fosters this structure. Understanding the value of NACCS means participating in the support of the organization. I commit to being present for, available to, and active to ensure communication is open and our organization is supported. I appreciate your support and vote. |
At-large Representative
| Alexandro Gradilla, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies California State University, Fullerton Candidate StatementIf elected for the At-Large Representative for the NACCS I would provide leadership and vision on key institutional levels that would serve and benefit our members and departments they belong to. I would like to create databases and encourage the development at workshops/roundtables at the NACCS specifically to address the “battle ground” within higher education namely preparing departments and faculty to develop outcome based education and models of “student success” that align with and adhere to Chicana/o Studies. The database would consist of student learning outcomes, syllabi, assignments, exams, new program/degree proposals, examples of high impact practices, mission/vision statements, etc. as submitted by NACCS members with expertise or experience in this area.Though the NACCS would not have the role of an accreditor—the organization needs to step in as an advocate for new programs, departments, majors, or graduate degree programs. Furthermore, I want to develop institutional support and recognition for teacher-scholars in the teaching intensive universities and community college. Most of our students and faculty are located in these types of institutions—I propose the development of support around pedagogy and tactical types of support to help our colleagues who are attempting to make a difference at their institutions.And finally I want to develop a national strategy regarding the Ethnic Studies in the K-12 movement. It is critical we get involved and shape the curriculum being proposed and not leave it to non-expert teachers or administrators to develop curriculum that has the potential to impact our discipline.QualificationsI have been a member of the NACCS since 1990 while I was an undergraduate. My BA degrees were in Chicana/o Studies and Anthropology from UC Berkeley; my MA in Anthropology (medical anthropology) from the University of Michigan; and my PhD in Ethnic Studies (Chicana/o Studies and Medical Anthropology) from UC Berkeley. My research and publication areas are rooted in many intellectual traditions of Chicana/o Studies. I led the effort to rebuild my department at CSU Fullerton for the last 7 years and the last 5 ½ as chair of the department. I know the amazing work this discipline can have on our students who find our classes through social networks on campus or by mere luck finding our class in the schedule of classes. In addition to being a teacher scholar and advocate, I am most proud of my work with students. The power of Chicana/o Studies is what Laura Rendon calls “validation theory”—where our students have a profound intellectual experience because of the pedagogy and the ways in which the faculty midwives the process of combining the student’s personal experience with their university training. |
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| Alfredo Carlos, Ph.D. Department of Political Science and Chicano Latino Studies California State University, Long BeachI seek the position of At-Large Rep to build on the work of previous colleagues in communicating with the membership of NACCS activities, scholarship, and the politics that impact Chican@ Studies and Chican@ community in general. NACCS offers Chican@ scholars and activists the professional space to engage in the academic debates on issues confronting Chican@ communities. As stated by NACCS preamble, “ideas must be translated into political action in order to foster change.” It is this philosophy rooted in action research, or research with a purpose, that I seek to continue as an At-Large Rep of NACCS. My vision for NACCS is to work with the Focos and the Caucuses to help them grow so that they can carry out the day-to-day mission of NACCS in their regional locations. In this time of growing inequality, we as Chican@ scholars must be at the forefront of engaging in scholarshipwith communities so that together we can tackle these issues in a way that helps people improve their quality of life and allows them to live with dignity.Candidate Biography I am a faculty member in the departments of Political Science and Chicano Latino Studies at California State University, Long Beach. My interests revolve around understanding inequality in the U.S. and through praxis, organizing alternative economies that empower working communities. In particular I have a specialization in political economy with a focus in economic democracy, which consists in part of worker ownership, workplace and community democracy. I have published in the Ethnicities Journal (2015), Latin American Perspectives (2013) and the Publicación Oficial. Eventos Sociedad Cubana de Investigaciones Filosóficas (SCIF). Havana, Cuba (2012). I am a co-author with Rodolfo D. Torres and Armando Ibarra for a forthcoming book entitled The Latino Question in Neoliberal Capitalism (Pluto Press, 2017).My Ph.D. is in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine where I specialized in American Politics (Racial and Urban Politics) and Political Theory (Political Economy). I earned an M.A. in Political Science from California State University, Long Beach with a focus in Comparative Politics and International Relations and my B.A. is in History and Chicano Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. A key experience for me in Chicana and Chicano Studies was being a conference organizer in 1999 of “El Plan and Chicano Studies: Power, Resistance and Social Change, 30 years of Chicano/a Studies” held at UCSB.I am the founder and executive director for the Long Beach based Foundation for Economic Democracy that seeks to work towards an expansion of an economy that is rooted in people over profits, especially in Latino communities and communities of color. The Foundation’s mission is to create democratically governed community projects and worker owned businesses where workers, their families and their communities can all thrive and live with dignity. My research and community work are largely driven by my personal experience. I immigrated to Los Angeles as a young child with my parents and older sister. My father worked as clerk at Sav-On and my mother worked at a Garment factory until they retired. Having grown up in a barrio influenced me to understand the politics of power and inequality. These experiences have driven my research and community organizing interests.NACCS Experience I have been involved off and on with NACCS since 2003 as a conference participant while finishing up my BA at UCSB. Since then I have been a member of the association, and presenter at the national conferences 2011, 2014 and 2015. I serve as the Southern California Foco representative (2014-2016). I appreciate your vote. |