Long Beach Ethnic Studies Initiative Conference
Ethnic Studies: (Re)Discovering, Re-Membering and Empowering Ourselves
Saturday, October 22, 2016 ~ 9am-4pm
CSULB University Student Union (USU)
1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840
Hosted by:
The Long Beach Unified School District, the CSULB College of Liberal Arts, and the Africana Studies, American Indian Studies, Asian & Asian American Studies, and the Chicano and Latino Studies Departments, and the College of Continuing and Professional Education
PROGRAM
9:15 am Welcome and introductions: Armando Vazquez-Ramos, Administrative Coordinator
- Puvugna Opening Ceremony: Craig Stone and Gloria Arellanes
- Daniel O’Connor, Associate Dean, CSULB College of Liberal Arts
- Marvin Flores, CSULB Associated Students President
- Chris Steinhauser, LBUSD Superintendent: The Long Beach Ethnic Studies Program
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell, Education Committee Chair
California State Assembly
Keynote: The California College Promise and Ethnic Studies
Born in Long Beach, Assemblymember O’Donnell graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a degree in History and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. Assemblymember Patrick O'Donnell was first elected to the State Assembly in November 2014 to represent the 70th District, which includes the cities of Long Beach, San Pedro, Signal Hill as well as Catalina Island. Assemblymember O’Donnell is also a former Long Beach City Councilmember and a teacher with over 20 years’ experience in the classroom.
As Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, Assemblymember O'Donnell helped established the California College Promise and secured $15 million in the state budget to take the success of the Long Beach College Promise statewide. During his first term in office, he authored legislation signed by the governor to foster safer learning environments for LGBTQ students, improve arts education standards and reduce student absenteeism. In addition, he serves as a member of the Assembly Budget Committee, where he successfully advocated for allocating billions of new dollars for California’s K-12, UC, CSU and community colleges.
10:00 am Faculty-led Workshops, Session #1:
Workshop A: Hosted by Professors Keith Claybrook, Arnette Edwards, Tamie Foy and Yvette Moss
Identifying Dignity-Affirming Images of Ourselves: Beyond Dignity-Denying Stereotypes in the Media
The media plays a significant role in shaping how the world sees Africans and other peoples of color. Many of the characters portrayed by women, men, girls and boys of color often cast them in dignity-denying and stereotypical roles. Additionally, the media creates meaning about race and ethnicity which plays an important role in shaping the way that the world views peoples of color whether through movies, TV programs and news or other media. This interactive workshop provides a critical review of the dignity-denying ways that Black people and other peoples of color are portrayed in the media. Moreover, workshop facilitators will help participants “unpack” many of the stereotypes that have been used to degrade and deny justice and equal treatment to Africans and other peoples of color in various areas of life. The facilitators will also provide ways for participants to imagine and put forth dignity-affirming images of themselves which give a more truthful and expansive concept of who they really are.
Workshop B: Hosted by Professors Melisa Anne Bautista, Sarah Lynn Miralles and Joseph Allen Ruanto-Ramirez and Elias Serna
KAPWA: Healing from Micro and Macro Aggressions
The purpose of this workshop is to explore the impact that micro and macro aggressions have on young people and hold space where we can collectively breathe, together. Students will learn and engage in holistic mindfulness practices that they will be able to integrate in their academic and personal lives.
Workshop C: Hosted by American Indian Studies Faculty
Presenters: Gloria Arellanes, Patricia Lopez, and Judge Gilbert Lopez
Alliances Across Ethnic Lines
A panel discussion exploring the roles of allies in youth movements of the 1960s-1970s.
Workshop D: Hosted by Professors Marie Nubia-Feliciano, Rafael Vasquez and Gabriela Cazares
My multi-ethnic self: An inside-outside visual self-portrait
Many of us are made up of more than one race, ethnicity, or cultural orientation. We will explore who we are, both from the inside out and the outside in. The objective is to see how multi-ethnicity/race/culture is defined, performed, and interpreted. We will start with the individual, and bring the group discussion to talk about overarching themes. We will then close with a written reflection that the students will take with them, in addition to the butcher paper collage created in the activity.
11:00 am BREAK AND SWITCH TO SESSION #2 WORKSHOPS
11:15AM Faculty-led Workshops, Session #2:
(REPEAT OF ALL SESSION #1 WORKSHOPS)
12:30 pm LUNCH BREAK & PERFORMANCE BY:
POET & PERFORMANCE ARTIST MATT SEDILLO
- Student presentations:
- Open-mic
2:30 pm CSULB President Jane Conoley’s Closing Remarks and Keynote Introduction
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Honorable Judge Kelvin Filer
Keynote: Do Not Become a Stereotype!
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kelvin D. Filer, was born, raised, and educated in Compton, California. He went to the University of California at Santa Cruz where he majored in politics, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1977, graduating with honors. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from UC Berkeley (Boalt Hall) in 1980.
In 1980, he started practicing law as a Deputy State Public Defender for two years. In 1982 he opened his own private law practice in his hometown and maintained a general criminal/civil practice "with an emphasis on criminal defense work". In July 1993, he became a commissioner for the Compton Municipal Court and later served as a Superior Court Commissioner after unification of the courts in 2000. On August 8, 2002 Governor Gray Davis appointed him as a judge of the Superior Court in Los Angeles. He asked that his assignment remain in Compton. He currently presides over a long cause felony trial court.
3:30 pm American Indian Closing Ceremony
4:00pm Adjourn and Students Board Buses for Return to Schools
The Long Beach Ethnic Studies Initiative Team
Standing (from left to right): Prof. Joseph Ruanto-Ramirez, Asian American Studies Chair Teri Yamada, Prof. Tami Foy, Prof. Melisa Bautista, LBUSD Head Counselor Carol Ortega, Prof. Sarah Miralles, CCPE Program Manager Tracy Palacios, LB-ESP Administrative Coordinator Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos, LB-ESP Curriculum Coordinator Larry Hashima, Prof. Gabriela Casarez, Prof. Marie Nubia-Feliciano, Chicano and Latino Studies Department Chair Anna Sandoval, Prof. Becky Sanchez, College of Liberal Arts Associate Dean Dan O’Connor, Prof. Rafael Vasquez, Prof. Anna Nazarian-Peters, Africana Studies Department Chair Maulana Karenga, College of Education Dual Enrollment Specialist Aimee Arreygue, Prof. Natalie Sartin. Foreground: LBUSD Superintendent Chris Steinhauser.
For more information or media contacts, please call Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos at:
(562) 430-5541 or (562) 972-0986 or go to: www.california-mexicocenter.org
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