{"id":912,"date":"2012-01-28T23:49:50","date_gmt":"2012-01-28T23:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.malcs.org\/archive-2017\/?p=912"},"modified":"2012-05-18T06:58:02","modified_gmt":"2012-05-18T06:58:02","slug":"we-will-not-comply-youth-activist-mayra-feliciano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/2012\/01\/28\/we-will-not-comply-youth-activist-mayra-feliciano\/","title":{"rendered":"We Will Not Comply: Youth Activist Mayra Feliciano"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the latest installment in WordStrike’s multi-part series<\/a> on Saving Ethnic Studies in Arizona. Jeff Biggers speaks to Mayra Feliciano, a leader of the student group UNIDOS, about turning her school\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s struggle to defend ethnic studies into a nationwide grassroots movement for educational justice.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

As one of the co-founders of the student group UNIDOS in Tucson, Mexican American Studies alumna Mayra Feliciano has played a key role on the frontlines of the education and civil rights battle in Arizona. \u00c2\u00a0As a high school student last spring, Feliciano took part in numerous school and community forums, protests and direct actions, including the historic takeover of the TUSD school board. \u00c2\u00a0UNIDOS launched a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153School of Ethnic Studies\u00e2\u20ac\u009d last week, as part of an on-going campaign to defend TUSD\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s banished Mexican American Studies program (MAS).<\/p>\n

Raised in Tucson, Feliciano credits courses by former Mexican American Studies teacher Jose Gonzales with empowering her to graduate and pursue a college degree, and deepen her connection to the community. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Before I took these classes I was ashamed of my culture,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Feliciano noted in an earlier interview. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Born in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, I felt very different\u00e2\u20ac\u201cI was darker than a lot of my friends and I felt like people were always prettier than me. I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t care about learning more about my culture; I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even pay attention to what was going on around me. I took the Mexican American Studies course and my life turned around for the better. I was struggling to graduate, but this class taught me that we all live in a society where we all struggle and that knowledge and facts are what help to get you through.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Now at Pima Community College, on a path to law school and a career as a civil rights attorney, Feliciano discusses the role of MAS and UNIDOS in her life and study, as part of our multi-part series on the Ethnic Studies crisis.<\/p>\n

Jeff Biggers:<\/em> Describe how and why you are involved with UNIDOS.<\/em>
\nMayra Feliciano:<\/em><\/strong> The reason why I am involved in UNIDOS was because the TUSD Social Justice Education Project put together activities back in February, 2011 to help me and other groups of people become better organizers. We all came to the common realization that the Ethnic Studies classes were under attack. So we all came together to fight HB 2281. \u00c2\u00a0UNIDOS was created by students, for students, and has always been organized and independently run by students. I was there from the beginning; I remember coming up with the name and what each letter stood for. I stuck to this group because I had the same passion to fight against discrimination. I was tired of not doing anything for my community. I was willing to fight for this, not just for me, but my family. Not only that, for those who fought for these classes in the past. \u00c2\u00a0From the beginning I began handling the media along with other members. I would type up letters, I would help with press releases and media packets. I continue to do that. I help organize events and do the basics in just trying to make sure things go well. I am not taking all of the credit\u00e2\u20ac\u201cI couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do this just myself.<\/p>\n

JB<\/em>: How do you see your UNIDOS organizing as part of a longer struggle for education and civil rights?<\/em>
\nMF:<\/em><\/strong> I know that problems aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t going to end in this world. There will always be something wrong. But as I get older and leave my youth stage I will pass down my knowledge. We have so much going on. As long as people like Superintendent John Huppenthal and TUSD board members are afraid of well educated Latinos, they will try to take away our successful courses and studies. \u00c2\u00a0Right now there is an attack on Mexican American studies, tomorrow it can be Native American Studies. This will be a longer struggle and they aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t going to stop.<\/p>\n

Interview continues at WordStrike<\/a><\/p>\n

Submitted by Francisca James Hernandez, Pima Community College.
\n<\/em>This Entry excerpted directly from Wordstrike.net at\u00c2\u00a0https:\/\/wordstrike.net\/we-will-not-comply-youth-activist-mayra-feliciano<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the latest installment in WordStrike’s multi-part series on Saving Ethnic Studies in Arizona. Jeff Biggers speaks to Mayra Feliciano, a leader of the student group UNIDOS, about turning her school\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s struggle to defend ethnic studies into a nationwide grassroots movement for educational justice. As one of the co-founders of the student group UNIDOS in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-912","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-general-news","7":"entry","8":"override"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":165,"url":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/2008\/04\/25\/ariz-bill-to-ban-ethnic-student-groups\/","url_meta":{"origin":912,"position":0},"title":"Ariz. bill to ban ethnic student groups","author":"la Webjefa","date":"April 25, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Help fight Ariz. bill to ban ethnic student groups like MEChA, Black Business Students Assoc. Last week the Arizona Appropriations Committee passed an amendment to a routine homeland security bill, SB 1108 that would prohibit students at the state's public universities and community colleges from organizing groups based on race\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":180,"url":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/2008\/08\/08\/job-ethnicchicano-studies-csu-sacramento-ft-tenure-track\/","url_meta":{"origin":912,"position":1},"title":"JOB: Ethnic\/Chicano Studies, CSU Sacramento, FT tenure-track","author":"la Webjefa","date":"August 8, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO Tenure-Track Position in Chicano Studies Department of Ethnic Studies Beginning Fall Semester 2009 California State University, Sacramento, invites applications from individuals interested in joining our dynamic and growing faculty.\u00c2\u00a0 With a current student population of approximately 28,000, Sacramento State, the capital University, is one of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Jobs and fellowships"","block_context":{"text":"Jobs and fellowships","link":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/category\/jobs-and-fellowships\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":168,"url":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/2008\/06\/15\/job-asst-prof-chicana-chicano-studies-csu-fullerton\/","url_meta":{"origin":912,"position":2},"title":"JOB: Asst. Prof. Chicana & Chicano Studies, CSU Fullerton","author":"la Webjefa","date":"June 15, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Chicana and Chicano Studies Department at CSU-Fullerton has been authorized to conduct a tenure-track search for a new faculty member whose work emphasizes Culture & Literature. We would greatly appreciate your assistance in circulating the link herein and attachment to any and all interested parties. Interested persons can find all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Jobs and fellowships"","block_context":{"text":"Jobs and fellowships","link":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/category\/jobs-and-fellowships\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1512,"url":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/2013\/10\/18\/tenure-track-appointment-in-comparative-ethnic-studies-uc-berkeley\/","url_meta":{"origin":912,"position":3},"title":"TENURE TRACK APPOINTMENT IN COMPARATIVE ETHNIC STUDIES- UC Berkeley","author":"la Webjefa","date":"October 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The Comparative Ethnic Studies Program in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, invites applications for an Assistant Professor with a social science background (#1752). \u00c2\u00a0We define Comparative Ethnic Studies broadly as work that theorizes race both particularly and generally; focuses on more than one distinct\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Jobs and fellowships"","block_context":{"text":"Jobs and fellowships","link":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/category\/jobs-and-fellowships\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":858,"url":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/2011\/10\/20\/job-comparative-ethnic-studies-uc-berkeley\/","url_meta":{"origin":912,"position":4},"title":"JOB: Comparative Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley","author":"Theresa Delgadillo","date":"October 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"TENURE TRACK APPOINTMENT IN COMPARATIVE ETHNIC STUDIES WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CHICANA\/O LATINA\/O STUDIES Pending budgetary approval, the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, invites applications for an Assistant Professor of comparative ethnic studies with an emphasis on Chicana\/o Latina\/o studies.\u00c2\u00a0 The successful candidate should have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General News"","block_context":{"text":"General News","link":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/category\/general-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1199,"url":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/2012\/07\/22\/malcs-summer-institute-day-3-by-ester-trujillo\/","url_meta":{"origin":912,"position":5},"title":"MALCS Summer Institute – Day 3 by Ester Trujillo","author":"la Webjefa","date":"July 22, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Muchisimas gracias to UCSB graduate student Ester Trujillo for spontaneously posting to our Facebook page this series of three daily reports from the Summer Institute (mirrored here with photos added). Ester is a graduate student in Chicana\/o Studies who works in Salvadoran-American culture and identity formation; Latinas\/os and new media;\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "MALCS business"","block_context":{"text":"MALCS business","link":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/category\/malcs-business\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ester Trujillo, commentator extraordinaire","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/07\/Photo-64-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/912","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=912"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/912\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malcs.org\/archive-2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}