The EPCC Chicana/o Studies Program has hosted a series of Humanities Lecture Series called “Las Platicas,” which has been an inspirational and enlightening event over the cultural roots of Hispanics.
On Sept. 14, UCLA graduate Emma Perez, Ph.D., presented lectures on her The Decolonial Imaginary:
Writing Chicanas into History, which took her 10 years to write.
In an attempt to explain the title, Perez presented her views on how Chicanos are still “attempting to decolonize and how Chicanos are conditioned to be a certain way in society.”
Her previous book, Gulf Dreams was a western, novel. As Perez read passages in a chapter called Mother Tongue, the audience seemed intrigued and responded to her witty sarcasm with laughter and cheers.
“It was my social responsibility to go into the field of history,” said Perez. “I didn’t know what Chicana/o was. There were less than five Chicana historians in my class.”
In a time when women were not studying history, let alone a Chicana, Perez continued her endeavor to find the true history of a Chicana women.
“There were so few of us [Chicanas] and so few people understood what I was trying to do,” said Perez.
She said she wanted to study women’s history, especially Chicanas’, because of the lack of exposure of
women in her community.
Many times she felt discouraged by the works of others, such as when she read an essay titled, “Mexican Peon Women in Texas,” which according to Perez, stereotypes “Mexican-American women as docile, followers of their men and submissive in nature.”
After a brief survey of the audience, many men agreed with this characterization, but more women raised their hands to protest against it.
On her educational journey, Perez said, she had faced much prejudice and racism against “persons of brown skin.”
As result of her studies, she was placed on a list that she thought was rather immature.
In response to a book, The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America, written by David Horowitz, Perez argues that though the rating has helped raise interest in her students and raised attendance, she was angered that Horowitz didn’t see the importance of her study.
“Chicanas are important and must be studied and we must learn our past and history,” said Perez.
She was elated to discuss her book, Forgetting the Alamo, or, Blood Memory, which will be published next year.
She encouraged students to continue in Chicana/o Studies Programs and challenge the mindset that she has faced throughout her career.
“No matter where we move, we’re still Mexican and no matter where we go, others will still treat us with a certain mindset,” said Perez.
Las Platicas series has invited other speakers including Alicia Gasper De Alba, Ph.D., a UCLA Professor who lectured about the Chicano art movement and the Chicano Art Resistance and Affirmation (CARA) exhibit, which is scheduled to open on Oct. 5 at the SGA Boardroom at
6 p.m.
