2009 Chicano and Latin American Studies Conference

Independencia en las Américas: History, Impact and Consequences
Friday, March 27, 2009

Conference Committee

• Dr. Maria Lopes
• Dr. Ramón Sánchez
• Dr. Cristina Herrera

Conference Schedule
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Mission Statement

The 2009 CLAS Central Valley Conference develops a dialogue about the significance of the 200th anniversary of the independence of Latin American countries in our world today. It is our hope that the conference sessions will provide students, teachers, academics, and the community members at-large with historical and contemporary perspectives to contextualize the social role of Latinos in the United States and the Americas.

This conference is a part of our ongoing CLAS Central Valley Latin American Project, which aims to address social, historical, and cultural issues affecting Latinos/as in the Central San Joaquin Valley. We hope to provide local K-12 teachers with necessary educational content which they can implement in the classroom.

Our sessions will address consequences of Latin American independence, in addition to more contemporary topics such as Spanish language heritage, educational obstacles faced by Latino/a students, and Latino cultural/social expressions, among others. Central Valley school districts serve a large population of Latino students. Thus, the conference aims to provide K-12 teachers with educational support and unique ways of incorporating Latino themes into their diverse curriculum.

We welcome all conference attendees to share this dialogue in an engaged community setting. Enjoy!

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Miguel Tinker-Salas is one of the nation's foremost authorities on political issues confronting Mexico and Latin America. His expertise includes: contemporary Mexican politics, Mexican border society, Mexico in the 19th and 20th centuries, Latin American history, Chicanos/as and Latinos in the United States, Chicano/a history, Latin American immigration and the Diaspora. He has published extensively on Latin American and Latino subjects.  Some of his recent publications are The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Citizenship in Venezuela, 2009, a forthcoming book about the US/Mexico border during the Porfiriato, and the article “Mexico 2006-2012: High Stakes, Daunting Challenges”.  Dr. Tinker-Salas has been awarded the Arango Professorship in Latin American History, the Howard Fellowship, and National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship.