Chicano Studies
The Chicano Studies program provides an interdisciplinary curriculum of courses that explore the roots of a cultural tradition beginning with pre-Columbian Mexico and extending into the many areas of contemporary American society, including politics, education, literature, the arts, and religion. Chicano Studies majors gain insight into cultural issues and knowledge of the historical significance of Chicanos as a group. Chicano Studies courses are taught in English.
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"Viva La Raza" (2005) by Favianna Rodriguez & Jesus Barraza www.favianna.com
This image was created to advertise the Annual Chicano Latino Heritage Celebration held at Mesa College in the fall.
Mission of the Department
The Chicano Studies curriculum is designed to meet general education requirements for all students. Many of the classes also serve as lower-division preparation for the major classes for students planning to transfer and earn a BA degree in Chicano Studies and professional fields, including social sciences, humanities, law, teaching, social work, and public administration. Chicano Studies courses transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
We believe in the development of the total person, with special emphasis on both the individual and social potentials of students. It is therefore incumbent on Chicano Studies to help students to succeed in the pursuit of excellence in their individual academic and career goals.
We believe it is a primary responsibility of Chicano Studies to develop the social awareness and social conscience of students to stimulate their leadership and community service potential.
We believe that students must develop a solid academic understanding of their socio-economic, political, and historical realities. Inherent in this process is the development of students’ ability to think and express themselves in an organized, logical, and critical manner.
"Toward a Philosophy of Chicano Studies at Mesa College"
November 10, 1976
Understanding Globalization on the US Mexican Border: A creative workshop
This is an Interdisciplinary Project in Art, Chicana/o Studies and Languages.
Project Coordinators:
Alessandra Moctezuma (Art), Maria Consuelo Lopez-Aramburu (Chicana/o Studies), and Maria Bolivar (Languages) San Diego Mesa College Professors
Project Description:
This project infuses global understanding into the college community by making visible the experience of bi-national culture through interpretive first-hand research, and the final creation of projects to be shared collectively. Several steps were necessary to successfully complete this project: First, in a lecture/presentation format facilitators discussed issues related to globalization's impact in the U.S./Mexico borderlands, and more specifically its effect in the San Diego and Tijuana region. 
After the presentation students were divided in teams and required to go out in the community to research topics related to the workshop's themes. Students created final projects according to their disciplines of interest but they were also required to make adequate interdisciplinary connections. Language acquisition, historic research and artistic production were explored and applied. Students engaged in the following: Using Spanish and studying the evolution of Spanglish (both at the appropriate basic communicative level, and in forms and constructions that entice cultural sensitivity), conducting research of popular and vernacular forms of art -murals, graffiti- and exploring different methods of historical research -oral histories, testimonies, alternative voices, and primary documents. The final projects were developed either individually or in groups.
Topics explored by students, within the broad theme of global understanding and effects of globalization included:
- Maquiladoras
- The border fence
- Migrant communities
- Day laborers
- Immigration issues
- Border environmental issues
- Violence and segregation as an effect of globalization
The project will be on display in the Chicana/o Studies Department display case outside of G-107 for the 2010-2011 academic school year.
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