Celebrar! Del Mar College marking 10th Annual Mexican American Studies Summer Seminar with “Arte, Cultura y MAS” on July 27
Free one-day immersion experience at Heritage Campus to expose participants to Mexican American culture, heritage and history that makes South Texas an enriching place to live
Article by Melinda Eddleman
Each July, the Del Mar College (DMC) Mexican American Studies (MAS) Program offers a full day of immersion into the rich culture and history that defines the heritage of many South Texans. It’s like taking a short daytrip without leaving home as participants learn more about the program while also attending sessions covering Mexican American art, literature, music, the humanities, U.S. history and politics as well as the Spanish language.
So, what is it? It’s the annual Mexican American Studies Summer Seminar, which is FREE and will mark the 10th anniversary that the MAS Program has offered the event to the community.
Expand your knowledge, embrace your heritage. Del Mar College’s annual Mexican American Studies Summer Seminar is where education meets inspiration.
Titled this year “Arte, Cultura y MAS,” the summer seminar is scheduled Saturday, July 27, at the College’s Heritage Campus (101 Baldwin Blvd., 78404) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Music Buildings A and B of the General Academic and Music Building Phase II (GAMBII). Get online directions and campus map and look for MSUA and MSU B. While not required, registering ensures a seat and complimentary breakfast.
Questions about the seminar, registration or other information? Contact Mexican American Studies Program Coordinators Dr. Isabel Araiza at iaraiza2@delmar.edu or Spanish Professor Javier Morin at jmorin@delmar.edu or call 361-698-2152. You can also visit the MAS Summer Seminar webpage at delmar.edu/degrees/mexican-american-studies/summer/.
An event that’s sure to enlighten, educate and engage this year’s participants, the seminar opens with welcoming remarks by Folklorico dancer and educator Teresa Saldivar, who has participated with the MAS Summer Seminar for several years. Later in the day, she will give a general session presentation, “A History of Dance in South Texas: From the Perspective of a Professional Dancer.” A Del Mar College and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) alumna, Saldivar studied Ballet Folklorico in Vera Cruz and Oaxaca, Mexico, through the Rotary Club study exchange program.
Renowned artist Santa Barraza will present “The voice of Chicana/Tejana art” as the honorary Mike M. Anzaldúa, Jr. Keynote Speaker to begin the event. The Kingsville native is a contemporary Chicana/Tejana artist and founder of Barraza Fine Art, LLC, a gallery and studio committed to furthering the appreciation of the visual arts at the Borderlands and among isolated, rural populations by showcasing creative talent.
Among other presenters is the iconic artist duo Mayra Zamora and Monica Marie Garcia, who are known as the “Mural Queens of Corpus Christi.” Zamora, who was born in Austin and raised in Tivoli, is a freelance artist who works with local nonprofit organizations in Corpus Christi. The TAMU-CC bachelor and master’s degrees graduate has created artwork for Whataburger, Stripes Convenience Stores, Laredo Taco Company and K Space Contemporary art gallery, among other clients. Corpus Christi native Garcia holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from TAMU-CC and is known for her transformative murals that breathe life into ordinary walls, turning them into extraordinary canvases that tell stories of community and culture by capturing the essence of Corpus Christi and South Texas. As a pillar in the city’s art education scene for the past 15 years, Garcia empowers students of all ages through her step-by-step methods and inspires their own passion, artistic energy and creativity.
Additionally, popular presenter Chef Cody Fitzpatrick, a DMC alumnus and master sous chef, returns with his “Cooking with Cody” demonstration. The Central Texas native grew up around the restaurant industry, helping his dad prep, cook and taste the recipes they prepared together. He brings his passion for food, along with the exploration of the rich history of Mexico through the use of vanilla in traditional cuisine, as he delves into the significance of this versatile ingredient and its impact on Mexican culinary heritage. Participants will have the unique opportunity to experience the flavors of Mexico in a whole new way during this final session of the day!
The seminar also includes several other sessions throughout the day, along with an exhibit hall showcasing local artists. The general schedule for July 27 is as follows:
8 to 8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast
8:35 to 9:20 a.m. Welcome and Keynote Address
9:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open
9:25 to 10:10 a.m. Concurrent Sessions
• De Generación en Generación: Three Generations of Texas Chicano/a Artists
• Migrant Life: A Photo Presentation
• Get MAS at the DMC Libraries!
• The Mexican Revolution and Immigration to the United States
• Meet the MAS Faculty! Panel Discussion
10:20 to 11:05 a.m. Concurrent Sessions
• Chicano Telling Our Stories and Documenting for Future Generations
• Local Genealogical Research
• Challenging Memories of Working in the Fields by Migrant Farmworkers
• Environmental Racism in the Coastal Bend
• On Campus and in the Community: Influence of Latinas in the Chicano Movement in Rural Nueces and Kleberg Counties, 1950-2000
• Iconic Duo: Mural Queens of Corpus Christi
11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. General Session
12:25 to 1:10 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
• Disability Awareness and Accessibility in Art
• The Border Showdown: The struggle for Control of the Texas-Mexico Border
• Identity and Agency with the Local Environment Justice Movement Panel
• Identity Rewriting/Reclaiming History: Writing Women of Color Back into History in Emma Perez’s Forgetting the Alamo, Or Blood Memory
• “A Body Like Mine” - Video Encore Presentation
• “We are the Lucky Ones” – Panel Discussion on the Life and Legacy of Mike Anzaldúa
2:05 to 2:50 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
• Quinceañeras through the Generations
• Spanish for Everyday Use
• History of LULAC in South Texas
• “Poetry and its Reward” - Live Video Poetry Reading
2:55 to 3:25 General Session (Cooking Demonstration)
3:35 p.m. Door Prizes and Closing Remarks
To access, download or print the MAS Summer Seminar program, click below for the PDF file:
Downloads
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.
rn