In Lak'ech: You Are My Other Me — Magnolia Landa-Posas | Ed Talks Fall 2018

Summary

The speaker recounts their challenging start at CU-Boulder, feeling unwelcome and considering leaving. However, they found a supportive community with MASA (Mexican American Student Association) and learned about past activism for equity in education. Inspired, they co-founded a summer outreach program to encourage Chicano and Latino students to pursue higher education, aiming for representation parity. The program, 'Aztlán,' focuses on empowerment through five core beliefs, fostering change and hope. The speaker, now a graduate and program co-director, urges educational institutions to reflect on perpetuating systems of power and to embrace diverse knowledge and experiences.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker arrived at CU-Boulder in 2012 with aspirations to graduate, become a doctor, and achieve the American dream.
• 😔 The first semester was challenging, with numerous unpleasant experiences leading to feelings of not belonging and contemplation of leaving the university.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The speaker's parents are Mexican immigrants who sacrificed to provide a better future for their children, adding pressure to succeed.
• 🏠 The thought of returning home to parental disappointment was unbearable, leading the speaker to seek a new support system on campus.
• 🤝 They found a community in student groups focused on Mexican American students, which helped reshape their worldview and sense of belonging.
• 📚 Learning about past activism and the struggles of Chicano students in the 1970s inspired the speaker to stay and fight for equity and education.
• 🌟 The realization that representation and diversity at CU were lacking led to the creation of a summer outreach program to attract Chicano and Latino students.
• 🔢 Despite being only 9% of CU's graduates, Latinos make up 21% of Colorado's population and 31% of its K-12 student body, highlighting a significant disparity.
• 🌈 The summer program, 'Aztlán and Now', was designed to empower students through academic experiences, leadership development, and community engagement.
• 🌟 The program's success is evident in its growth from a 3-day event with 20 students to a 10-day program with 42 participants from across Colorado.
• 💪 The speaker, now a CU-Boulder graduate and co-director of the program, calls for a continued commitment to diversity, representation, and support for students of color.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial goal upon arriving at CU-Boulder?

The speaker's initial goal was to graduate, become a doctor, and live out the American dream.

What challenges did the speaker face during their first semester at CU-Boulder?

The speaker faced a significant number of unpleasant experiences, feelings of not belonging, and contemplation of leaving the university.

How did the speaker's perspective change after finding a new community at CU-Boulder?

After finding a new community, the speaker's worldview was turned upside down, realizing that their experiences with isolation and microaggressions were shared, and learning about activism and the history of Chicano and CU student activists.

What historical event did the speaker learn about that influenced their decision to stay at CU-Boulder?

The speaker learned about the Bolder Six Chicano and CU student activists who died in 1974 in pursuit of equity, justice, and the right to education.

What was the demographic discrepancy the speaker observed at CU-Boulder in 2017?

In 2017, only 517 Latino students graduated from CU, which was roughly 9% of all graduates, while Latinos made up 21% of the state's population and 31% of the K-12 student population in Colorado.

What was the main objective of the summer outreach program proposed by the speaker and their community?

The main objective was to encourage Chicano and Latino students throughout Colorado to become interested in and pursue higher education, addressing the issue of diversity at CU-Boulder.

What was the historical inspiration for the summer outreach program proposed by the speaker?

The historical inspiration was the work of the United Mexican American Students (UMAS) and their Summer Bridge programs from 1967 to 1971, which significantly increased the enrollment of Chicano and Latino students.

What are the five core beliefs integrated into the summer program's activities?

The five core beliefs are: 1) Fiscal polka - critical self-reflection, 2) Gets that Goya - precious and beautiful knowledge, 3) Chief ethic - transformation, 4) We chilla portly - well to act, and 5) Revolutionary hope and love.

How did the speaker describe the process of change within the summer program?

The speaker described the process of change as circular, messy, painful, rigorous, and invigorating, emphasizing the importance of hope and love at the center of the work.

What is the speaker's hope for the future of students and the university?

The speaker hopes that students continue to grow, challenge themselves, and transform their lives and society, with the university supporting and reflecting the diversity it seeks.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Overcoming Challenges and Finding Community

The speaker recounts their journey starting at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2012 with aspirations to become a doctor and achieve the American dream. Despite facing numerous unpleasant experiences and feelings of not belonging, they contemplated leaving. However, the fear of disappointing their Mexican immigrant parents, who sacrificed greatly for a better future, motivated them to persevere. They found a new family in student groups focused on Chicano and Latino issues, which transformed their worldview and inspired them to stay and fight for representation and equity in education.

05:00

🌟 Empowering Students through Chicano and Latino Outreach

The speaker discusses the creation of a summer outreach program aimed at encouraging Chicano and Latino students to pursue higher education. They highlight the stark underrepresentation of Latino students at CU Boulder, despite making up a significant portion of the state's population. Drawing on historical efforts, they initiated a program in 2013 to provide an interactive academic experience that fosters leadership and community empowerment. The program, named 'Chicano and Latino Summit,' is built on five core beliefs, integrating indigenous epistemologies and promoting self-reflection, knowledge production, transformation, and community action. The speaker shares a story of a student who underwent a significant transformation after participating in the program, demonstrating its impact on personal growth and academic achievement.

10:02

🌈 Fostering Change and Revolutionary Hope

The speaker, now a CU Boulder graduate and co-director of the academic program, reflects on the importance of creating safe spaces for students of color and the power of collective action. They emphasize the need for educators and administrators to critically reflect on their values and the systems of power they perpetuate. The speaker calls for a transformation in how institutions reach out to and retain diverse students, advocating for staff and faculty that reflect the diversity of the student body. They express a dream for the program to continue empowering students to challenge themselves and transform their communities, with the assurance of support and witness from the program.

Keywords

💡American Dream

The American Dream refers to the belief that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination in the United States. In the video, the speaker mentions their initial determination to graduate, become a doctor, and live out the American Dream, which sets the stage for their journey and the challenges they faced in pursuit of this ideal.

💡Microaggressions

Microaggressions are subtle, often unintentional, discriminatory actions or comments that communicate hostile or negative messages to members of marginalized groups. The speaker describes experiencing isolation and microaggressions, which contributed to their feeling of not belonging at the university, highlighting the subtle yet impactful barriers faced by minority students.

💡Mexican Immigrants

Mexican immigrants are individuals who have moved to another country, often the United States, from Mexico. The speaker's parents are Mexican immigrants, and their sacrifices and efforts to provide a better future for their children underscore the importance of education and the pressure the speaker feels to succeed, reflecting the broader immigrant narrative of striving for a better life.

💡Chicano

Chicano refers to people of Mexican descent living in the United States, often used to describe those who identify with the cultural and political movement of the same name. The speaker finds a new family among the Chicano student groups, which becomes a source of support and empowerment, illustrating the role of cultural identity and community in overcoming adversity.

💡Activism

Activism involves the use of various tactics to achieve social, political, or environmental goals. The video discusses the activism of brown, black, and indigenous students during the 1970s, emphasizing the historical context of the struggle for equity and justice, and how past activism informs and inspires current efforts.

💡Equity

Equity refers to the fair treatment, access to opportunities, and resources for all members of society, regardless of their social status. The speaker mentions the pursuit of equity as a driving force behind the activism of the past and the current efforts to increase diversity and representation at the university.

💡Representation

Representation in this context means the inclusion and portrayal of minority groups in institutions such as universities. The speaker points out the low numbers of Latino students graduating from CU and the disparity with the state's population, highlighting the need for increased representation to reflect societal diversity.

💡Summer Outreach Program

A summer outreach program is an initiative aimed at engaging and encouraging students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue higher education. The speaker and their peers create such a program to inspire Chicano and Latino students, demonstrating a proactive approach to addressing the lack of diversity at the university.

💡Astok Epistemologies

Astok epistemologies refer to ways of knowing and understanding the world that are rooted in indigenous and marginalized communities' perspectives. The speaker mentions integrating these epistemologies into their program, emphasizing the importance of diverse knowledge systems in education and personal growth.

💡Transformation

Transformation in the video refers to the process of change and growth, both individually and collectively. The program aims to foster transformation by encouraging students to reflect on their experiences, learn from their communities, and become agents of change, as exemplified by the student who improved their academic performance and behavior after participating.

💡Radical Changes

Radical changes imply significant and fundamental shifts in practices, policies, or structures. The speaker calls for such changes in the university's approach to diversity and inclusion, suggesting that meaningful progress requires more than just acknowledging the issue but also taking bold steps to create a more equitable and representative environment.

Highlights

The speaker arrived at CU-Boulder in 2012 with dreams of becoming a doctor and living the American dream.

The first semester was challenging, with many unpleasant experiences, leading to contemplation of leaving Boulder.

The realization of not belonging and the fear of parental disappointment were significant emotional struggles.

The speaker's parents are Mexican immigrants who sacrificed for a better future for their children.

Finding a new family in student groups like MEChA and MAS helped the speaker find belonging on campus.

Learning about past activism and the Bulger Six, who fought for equity and education, was an eye-opening experience.

The speaker and peers aimed to address the lack of diversity at CU through a summer outreach program for Chicano and Latino students.

In 2017, only 517 Latino students graduated from CU, which was less than 10% of the graduating class.

Latinos make up 21% of Colorado's population and 31% of K-12 student population, indicating a significant underrepresentation in higher education.

The summer program aimed to mirror past efforts to increase enrollment of Chicano and Latino students at CU.

The program faced administrative backlash in the 1970s, leading to its discontinuation.

In 2013, the speaker and peers managed to start their own summer program despite challenges.

The program, called 'Pizza,' aimed to provide an interactive academic experience and empower students.

The program incorporated five core beliefs, including critical self-reflection and transformation.

One student's transformation after participating in the program demonstrated its impact on personal growth.

The program's success led to its expansion, with 42 students attending the sixth annual program from across Colorado.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of reflecting on values and perpetuating systems of power in education.

The speaker calls for bravery in making radical changes to staff and faculty to reflect the diversity of the student body.

The speaker's journey from feeling marginalized to co-directing a program that empowers students of color is a testament to resilience and activism.

Transcripts

[Music]

I arrived at cu-boulder

in the fall of 2012 with the

determination to graduate become a

doctor and reach and live out the

American dream

by the end of the semester however my

determination wasn't wavered let's just

say that the number of unpleasant

experiences that I had that very first

semester were not on short supply and I

quickly learned that I did not belong by

the end of the semester I started

contemplating the possibility of leading

Boulder either taking a break or

transferring to the University of

Colorado Denver to be closer to home

and researching my options I became

paralyzed the thought of my parents pain

and my failed attempt to make it tore me

apart

my parents are both Mexican immigrants

that like many other immigrants rest

their lives to provide them a better

tomorrow for both myself and my siblings

so not making it was not an option

rather than go back home to that China

or worse my parents disappointment I

push myself to find a new family by the

end of the semester I found my people

who mas Amit Chuck uma stands from ik

United Mexican American students and may

transfer movimiento estudiantil Chicano

Islam to student groups that over the

years have merged because let's be

honest

competing for brown students was not

gonna happen

there just wasn't enough

within a month my worldview was turned

upside down

I learned that my experience with

isolation and microaggressions was

shared I learned about the activism of

brown black and indigenous students

during the 1970s and I also learned

about a phase the Bulger six Chicano and

CU student activists that died in

Boulder in 1974 in pursuit of equity

justice and the right to education it

became clear to them to me at that

moment that folks that look like me had

fought and in some cases even died so I

could be in the space and now there

really was no way I was going to leave

within the next couple of months I

learned the rest that the rest of my

newly formed Familia had been talking

about the possibility of making a summer

outreach program for Chicano and Latino

students throughout the state of

Colorado to become interested and pursue

higher education it was clear that

diversity at CU was an issue and it was

even more clear that if those students

did not see themselves represented and

reflected nothing was gonna change in

the fall of 2017 only 517 lat enol

students graduated from CU roughly 9% of

all those students that graduated yet in

the state of Colorado Latinos make up

21% of the population and in Colorado

schools that are K through 12 Latinos

make up 31 of the student population our

idea for a solution was to mirror the

work that we must had done in the past

as an equal opportunity program who mas

used to host Summer Bridge programs for

Chicano and meheecan or high school

students throughout the state of

Colorado and within the span of four

years from 1967 to 1971 it resulted in

an increase of enrollment of brown

students from around 28 students to

about 1,000 their goal like ours today

was to at the bare minimum

reach parity a concept that is that the

proportion of Mexican Chicano and Latino

students represented as Cu should be

equal to the percentage of the

population that they're coming from from

the state unfortunately their work led

to administrative backlash that ended

the program in the early 1970s after an

immense amount of jumping through hoops

tugs and negotiations as Cu

undergraduates managed to start our own

summer program in June of 2013 it ran

for a total of three days with about

twenty high school students we called it

a pizza and now at word four left your

chin up and its mission to provide an

interactive academic experience focus on

expect expanding our educational lens

building our leadership and empowering

both ourselves and our communities Wien

complim ition through courses workshops

panels and activities that integrate

five core beliefs that all of our

participants are counselors and

instructors engaging with in the week

four of these movements we draw from

astok epistemologies and ways of being

the first movement is fiscally polka

which represents critical

self-reflection through discussion and

self-reflection we explore who are we

and what do we care about what has

shaped me and where can I grow allowing

students and all of us present to look

inwardly as a method of understanding

the world around us the second movement

is gets that Goya which represents

precious and beautiful knowledge a

personal favorite because it reminds us

that knowledge is in me I believe the

stories in our community sayings and

most importantly in our very own lived

experience both in our courses and

through artistic expression students

begin to see themselves not only as

holders but also as producers of

knowledge the third movement is chief

ethic

representing transformation which allows

us to make space for theater practices

and discussions around how we

transformed in the past and how we can

trust more moving forward this movement

reminds me of one student in particular

he attended Achatz our first year and

unfortunately due to a combination of

behavioral misconduct and racial

profiling on campus we were forced to

dismiss him a day early before the

program ended we told the student and

their family that we were there to

support them in love with us

Ian of my life the following year the

student approached us and applied again

he shared with us at his behavior and

commitment to his education had changed

after his participation and that gets up

he proudly showcased a binder of

schoolwork collections that had all been

graded hiace a contrast from the lower

academic scores they had received in

previous years transformation was

happening right in front of us the

fourth movement is we chilla portly

which means well to act each and every

one of us has the power to create change

and it can only take place if we push

both ourselves and our communities to

create it and I get that we look to this

movement to dig into the issues that we

are passionate about and to begin to

explore what it could look like to begin

generating change when we go back home

some students have started their own

student groups in their high schools

some have talked with their teachers and

change curriculum to ensure that they're

represented as well as their communities

in the curriculum and pedagogy and

others have also done something very

important which is share the knowledge

that they've learned with us with their

family with their community and with

their peers by the end of the week we

close the program with the idea of

revolutionary hope and love over the

years we have learned that change is not

easy and often it makes us feel very

defeated keeping hope and love at the

center of a work is necessary often it

is remembering in Mukesh the idea of you

are my other

duetted military on our annual journey

through these movements is circular

messy painful rigorous and invigorating

it's work that would not be possible

without the undergraduate and graduate

and structures that make space and hold

space for vulnerability thank you to all

of their work this summer marked our

sixth annual summer program at ten days

with 42 students in attendance from all

across the state of Colorado truly a

program for and by the students that we

serve I believe that as educators

administrators and fellow humans we need

to make space to critically reflect on

our values and ask ourselves how do we

consciously or unconsciously perpetuate

systems of power when will we not only

acknowledge but also incorporate the

precious and beautiful knowledge that

lives outside of academia the knowledge

we find between generations and lived

experiences and in communities of color

when will we transform the ways in which

we reach out to and retain the diversity

of the students that we seek and when

will we be brave enough to act on the

radical changes that need to happen even

if that means staff and faculty that

truly reflect the diversity that we want

to see in our student body when I

arrived at the University and 2012 I

thought my hopes and dreams start to

shattered due to both racism and

exclusion I had to push myself to find a

safe and supportive Amelia on campus the

shared experience of marginalization

pushed me and my peers to look at our

past and create something both new and

old something that would help our

students of color feel empowered

rather than frustrated something that

would help them remember that they have

precious and beautiful knowledge and

that they helped hold that the well to

act and truly that they can perpetuate

and ignite the revolutionary hope and

love that we need

today I stand before you as a cu-boulder

graduate and as one of the co-directors

of the academic program the only program

on campus that is currently created

facilitated and staff primarily by

undergraduate students damn near the

students we bring my wish and my dream

is that I get sinus students continue to

grow she challenged themselves in their

communities to continue to transform

their lives and society knowing that we

will be there for them and as witness

yes - thank you

[Applause]

[Music]

you

[Applause]