CANDIDATES FOR CHAIR-ELECT
| Cecilia “CC” J. Aragón Director of Latina/o Studies Program Associate Professor of Theatre and Dance Faculty Affiliate of Gender and Women’s Studies Program University of Wyoming |
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Dr. Aragón’s Statement
I am running for Chair-Elect because I believe in the simple philosophy that leadership changes the way we perceive the world. My interest in leadership reaches back to two experiences I had growing up: 1. Living in an the heart of an impoverished barrio in Santa Fe, New Mexico that borders with five American Indian reservations, and 2. Moving to an isolated rural area and predominately Anglo community in West Texas. My experience with covert racism, group acceptance and exclusion, and cross-cultural conflict has helped me to see the influence of environment, culture, politics, and history on identity formation and intergroup relations. It is from these conflictive experiences that I became interested in issues of diversity, inclusion, equity, and leadership. Throughout my life, I have pursued opportunities to build bridges between groups, close the gaps of social injustices, and participate in organizations that promote equality with disenfranchised and marginalized groups. By running for Chair-Elect of MALCS, I am making a lifetime commitment to join la familia and further the goals and preserve the mission of MALCS.
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Professor Spanish |
        Verónica Calvillo Assistant Professor Spanish Department Gettysburg College |
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Dr. Calvillo’s Statement
I teach Spanish, Chicano/a, Latino/a, Immigration literature, and studies in Spanish at Gettysburg College. If elected Chair of MALCS, I would like to work with my colleagues to accomplish the following goals for MALCS: 1. To expand the journal’s distribution and membership by inviting faculty who can contribute to our intellectual climate and who identify with our mission statement but may not teach in a Chicano/a, Latino/a, Ethnic, Race or Women’s studies departments. 2. To establish a formal mentorship program among junior and senior scholars to retain and increase the number of tenured faculty as well as increase publications by women of color in academia (especially in places where MALCSistas might not have a system of support). 3. To increase the number of workshops (along with the writing workshop) to be held during the Summer Institute on the following topics: surviving academia as people of color, mentorship, learning to say “no,†and other topics.
CANDIDATES FOR AT LARGE REPRESENTATIVE
| Elena Avilés Assistant Professor of Chican@/Latin@ Studies Portland State University |
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Dr. Avilés Statement
Elena Avilés is an Assistant Professor of Chicano/Latino Studies in the School of Gender, Race and Nations at Portland State University. She received her Ph.D. and MA from The University of New Mexico in Hispanic Languages and Literatures, MS in School Counseling from CSU Los Angeles, and dual BA in Spanish and Chicana/o Studies from UCLA. She is running for At Large Representative to continue the legacy of bridging scholarship and knowledge of mujeres across disciplines. Her research topics include US Spanish, Spanish as a heritage language, Chicana feminisms, visual expression, and literature.
| Sandra M. Pacheco Associate Professor Interdisciplinary Studies California InstCalifornia Institute of Integral Studies |
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Dr. Pacheco’s Statement
I am an associate professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where my teaching, research, and activist work focuses on curanderismo, Afro Puerto Rican resistance music, and indigenous epistemologies. My commitment to, and belief in the work we do at MALCS led me to start a chapter at my institution two years ago. Â It has been a pleasure working with the mujeres on campus. However, I feel I also have a responsibility to support the work of MALCS in a larger capacity, in honor of those that came before us and those who are following.
| Clara Román-Odio Professor of Spanish and Latin American Literature Director of Latina/o Studies Kenyon College |
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Dr. Román-Odio’s Statement
My years as an active member of MALCS and of our journal’s editorial board have afforded me a deep understanding of the critical mission we serve for Latinas and Chicanas in academia and in our community. As a researcher/scholar of Latina writers and visual artists as well as a community activist, I know well the issues/controversies affecting our members. This work provides me a strong and credible platform from which to advocate for the value of Latina and Chicana contributions within the multicultural fabric of our society. As an At Large Representative, I would seek innovative funding opportunities to support our journal as well as workshops and special themes within the Summer Institute.
