Celebrate our history, our Culture
March 31st
UTPA Quad
11 am- 1pm
Special Performers:
Poet Tato Laviera
Singer and winner of “Buscando la Doble de Selena”
Ilyssa Saenz
Image Credit: Emmy Perez
Here you will find our information packet for the Tejan@ Movement for Education.
Tejan@ Movement for Education
Because it's our right & our time to fight for our history!
Walk-out with us, Thursday March 31st @ 11:00 AM
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is trying to erase the Mexican American
experience from the UTPA education system along with grants & funds that help these
same students get a college education. Make a statement by showing the THECB that
the students here at UTPA are united & deserve to preserve their history & their future!
Mission Statement
The University of Texas - Pan American has an 89% Latin@ and Mexican American student
population. Yet, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is threatening to cut the
Mexican American Studies Program at UTPA.
In the times of state and nationwide budget and financial aid cuts, and in the time of anti-
immigration and anti-Latin@ laws such as Arizona’s SB1070—we need to gain control of our
education.
With recent contested debates of the elimination of important Mexican American/Chicano
historical figures from Texas high school textbooks (i.e. Cesar Chávez), and along with the
elimination of various ethnic studies programs around the U.S., we need to stand up and
recuperate and preserve our history and allow it to be taught.
We have the right to receive a full, inclusive education. By cutting Mexican American Studies,
the THECB will be sending a clear message to the students at UTPA: our experiences are not
important and do not belong in the classroom.
César Chávez fought long and hard for the rights of Mexican Americans. He demanded inclusion
and equality. We ask you to do the same. Support Mexican American Studies at UTPA. Do not
let others dictate neither our education, our histories, our lives, nor our future.
By walking out on March 31, César Chávez Day, we will be celebrating his legacy of peaceful
demonstrations. Our voices will be heard when we rally to fight in support of Mexican American
Studies.
After the walk-out we will host a teach-in where students, faculty, community members will join
us in a discussion about our Mexican American culture and the importance of Mexican American
Studies programs. We will have guest speakers that will discuss the Cesar Chavez’s legacy and
the importance of MAS at UTPA.
Our Rights:
1. The Mexican American Studies Program will NOT be cut from the University of Texas
Pan American.
We ask the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to give the program the opportunity
to grow and succeed. The program was re-designed three years ago and in the span of two
years it has gone from zero to ten majors. It also has a new graduate certificate with seventeen
students. If the program is cut now, all the work will be lost and the students will lose their
only opportunity to receive an education that truly teaches them about their culture and history.
THECB cannot take away our only source of culturally relevant education at UTPA.
2. The Mexican American Studies Program MUST receive institutional support from the
University of Texas Pan American.
In order for the program to be successful it MUST have support. With the proper nourishment,
MAS will become a space where scholars, students and faculty, can come together. With
institutional support, MAS will finally become what it should be, the heart of the university and
community in the Rio Grande Valley.
3. The Mexican American Studies Program MUST receive institutional funding by
becoming a line item in the budget.
Without funding the program will be unable to recruit. We understand the economic hardships
the educational system, and the country as a whole, is going through. However, MAS will be a
small investment that can contribute to the economic growth of both UTPA and the Rio Grande
Valley community as a whole by educating students that are ready and willing to work for and in
the community.
4. The Mexican American Studies Program MUST have a director with release time.
The MAS program needs a director with release time that guides it down the right path. That will
work to make the program successful. The MAS committee has worked long and hard for the
program but they should not be expected to do it alone.
5. The Mexican American Studies Program MUST have a space.
MAS needs a space from which to direct the program. By having an office and director, MAS
will be able to better recruit, coordinate, and it will send message to all that MAS has an
important place at UTPA
You Can Help:
This struggle is not just ours. We have all seen how ethnic studies programs are coming
under attack across the country. Now is the time to unite and fight for our right to have an
education that represents out experiences. We ask for your help
1. If you are a faculty member at UTPA we ask that you support our plight and inform your
students about the walk-out. We also ask that you support those students that choose to
walk out. UTPA does not have a history of student activism but
the fight to keep MAS alive is one we should all stand behind
2. If you are at another institution (whether faculty or student) we ask for your support. Let the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board know that you support our fight by walking out
with us and join our fight for education. If you can attend our walk out join us at UTPA. If you
cannot, organize and record your walk-out and put it on you-tube.
We need to be united in this fight.
3. If you are a community organizer we also invite you to our walk out. We want this to be an
inclusive event, break down the walls and show the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
and UTPA that the students have community support.
4. All those that want to help but cannot attend. Write letters and call the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board and the University of Texas President Dr. Robert S. Nelsen in
support of the MAS program at UTPA. Write letters and call our senators. Let them know you
support our struggle. They can ignore one voice but not hundreds or thousands. (Below you will
find a letter and contact information for your convenience)
Contact List Event Organizers
Orquidea Morales
Co-Founder/Coordination Chair
Mexican American Studies Club
obmorales@broncs.utpa.edu
956-560-8112
Teresa Hernández
Co-Founder/Public Relations Chair
Mexican American Studies Club
thernandez_2008@yahoo.com
Eduardo Robles
Advocacy Chair
Mexican American Studies Club
eduardorobles02@gmail.com
956-289-6415
Deborah Osornio
Secretarial Chair
Mexican American Studies Club
deborahosornio@yahoo.com
956-281-3248
Leslie Cantu
Treasurer
Mexican American Studies Club
leslie.a.cantu@gmail.com
956-457-3058
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=167281346656653
Tejan@ Movement for Education
Contact List (Senators, Representatives and THECB)
Please call and/or write to the following people in support of Mexican American
Studies Program at the University of Texas Pan-American. We suggest you contact
the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and UTPA President Nelsen first.
1. Dr. Robert S. Nelsen (956) 665-2100
President University of Texas Pan American
Office of the President
The University of Texas-Pan American
1201 West University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78539-2999
president@utpa.edu
2. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: (512) 427-6101
1200 E. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78752
OR
P.O. Box 12788,
Austin, TX 78711-2788
https://www1.thecb.state.tx.us/WWW/comments/
3. Senator John Kornyn: (202)224-2934
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm
4. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison: (202) 224-5922
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
http://hutchison.senate.gov/contact.html
5. Ruben Hinojosa: (956) 682-5545
2864 West Trenton Road
Edinburg, TX 78539
Fax: (956) 682-0141
6. Henry Cuellar: (956) 424-3942
117 E. Tom Landry
Mission, Texas 78572
fax: (956) 424-3936
7. Blake Farenthold: 956-544-8800
1805 Ruben Torres, Suite B-27
Brownsville, TX 78521
Fax: 956-544-8801
https://farenthold.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
8. Governor Rick Perry
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Citizen's Opinion Hotline [for Texas callers]
(800) 252-9600
Office of the Governor Main Switchboard
(512) 463-2000
http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/
9.Senator Eddie Lucio
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0127
Capitol Address: P.O. Box 12068, Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
District Address: 7 North Park Plaza
Brownsville TX 78521
Phone: (956) 548-0227
http://eddielucioiii.com/index.php?option=com_user&task=contact_Form&Itemid=10
10. Senator Juan 'Chuy' Hinojosa
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0120
Capitol Address: P.O. Box 12068, Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
District Address: 612 Nolana, Suite 410 B
McAllen TX 78504
Phone: (956) 972-1841
11. Senator Eddie Lucio
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0127
Capitol Address: P.O. Box 12068, Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
District Address: 7 North Park Plaza
Brownsville TX 78521
Phone: (956) 548-0227
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist27/dist27.htm
12. Representative Veronica Gonzales
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0578
Capitol Address: P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
District Address: 4900 North 10th Street,, Suite C-2
McAllen TX 78504
Phone: (956) 686-5501
http://www.veronicagonzales.com/contactus.aspx
13. Representative Sergio Munoz
Capitol Office: EXT E1.322
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0704
Capitol Address: P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
District Address: 121 E. Tom Landry
Mission TX 78572
Phone: (956) 584-8999
http://www.sergioforsouthtexas.com/contact-us/
14. Rep. Ryan Guillen
Capitol Address:
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0416
(512) 463-1012 Fax
District Address:
100 N. FM 3167, Suite 212
Rio Grande City, TX 78582
(956) 716-4838
(956) 716-8219 Fax
15. Ramon Garcia, Hidalgo County Judge
1615 S. Closner
Suite J
Edinburg, TX 78539
Ph: (956) 318-2600
Fx: (956) 318-2699
16. Wm. Eugene "Gene" Powell
Office of the Board of Regents
Ashbel Smith Hall, Suite 820
201 West 7th Street
Austin, Texas 78701
Phone: 512.499.4402
Fax: 512.499.4425
Email: bor@utsystem.edu
Bibliography
Brown II, M. Christopher ed., Roderic R. Land ed. The Politics of Curricular Change: Race,
Hegemony, and Power in Education. New York: Peter Lang, 2005. Print.
Chabram-Dernersesian, ed. The Chicana/o Cultural Studies Forum: Critical and Ethnographic
Practices. New York: New York U P, 2007. Print.
Contreras, Raoul. “Chicano Movement Chicano Studies: Social Sciences and Self Conscious
Ideology.”Perspectives in Mexican American Studies 6 (1997). 20-51. Web.
Garcia, Mario T., ed., Francisco Lomeli, ed., Mario Barrera ed., Edward Escobar ed., John Garcia ed.
History, Culture, and Society: Chicano Studies in the 1980’s. Ypsilanti: Bilingual P, 1983. Print.
Guajardo, Miguel A., Francisco J. Guajardo. “The Impact of Brown in the Brown of South Texas: A
Micropolitical Perspective on the Education of Mexican Americans in a South Texas
Community” American Educational Research Journal 41.3 (2004): 501-526. Print.
Hurtado, Aida. “The Transformative Power of a Chicana/o Studies: Social Justice and Education.”
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 18.2 (2005): 185-197. Web.
Jenlink, Patrick M ed., Faye Hicks Townes ed. The Struggle for Identity in Today’s Schools:
Cultural Recognition in a Time of Increasing Diversity. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Education,
2009. Print.
Klein, Ana Maria. Raising Multicultural Awareness in Higher Education. Lanham: University Press of
America, 2006. Print.
Pizarro, Marc. “Power, Borders, and Identity Formation: Understanding the world of Chicana/o
Students.” Perspectives in Mexican American Studies 6 (1997): 142-67. Print.
Portales, Marco. Crowding out Latinos: Mexican Americans in the Public Consciousness.Philadelphia:
Temple U P, 2000. Print.
Rochin, Refugio I, Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell. “Chicano Studies in a Pluralistic Society: Contributing to
Multiculturalism.” Bilingual Review 17.2 (1992): 132-143. Web.
Trujillo, Armando. “In Search of Aztlán: Movimiento Ideology and the Creation of a Chicano
Worldview Through Schooling.” The Cultural Production of the Educated Person: Critical
Ethnographies of Schooling and Local Practice. Ed. Bradley A. Levinson, Douglas E. Foley, and
Dorothy C. Holland. Albany: State U of New York P, 1996. 119 149. Print.
San Miguel, Guadalupe. Let Them All of Them Take Heed: Mexican Americans and the Campaign for
Educational Equality in South Texas, 1910-1981. Texas A &M UP, 1987. Print.
Tejan@ Movement for Education
Take a stand and support Mexican American Studies @ UTPA.
________________________,
My name is -------_______________________ and I am writing to you on behalf of the
Mexican American Studies program at the University of Texas Pan-American. As you may be
aware, The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is cutting many programs statewide one
of which is the Mexican American Studies Program at UTPA. Students and faculty have united
in defense of the program that plays such a large part in education. Students have the right to
receive a full, inclusive education. By cutting Mexican American Studies, the THECB will be
sending a clear message to the students at UTPA: your experiences are not important and do not
belong in the classroom. I am writing to support their cause and to ask you to support the MAS
program at UTPA. Do not let the THECB cut a program vital to the education of the community
in the Rio Grande Valley.
Contact Information
Orquidea Morales
Co-Founder/Coordination Chair
Mexican American Studies Club
obmorales@broncs.utpa.edu
956-560-8112
Tejan@ Movement
for Education
One voice, one fight,
Queremos MAS!
Walk-out with us in support of Mexican
American Studies @ UTPA
Thursday March 31st @ 11:00
AM
Assemble at the UTPA Quad.
If special accommodations are needed contact Orquidea Morales 956-560-8112
obmorales@broncs.utpa.edu
Thank you for supporting the Tejan@ Movement for Education.
Because it's our right & our time to fight for our history!
