LatinxEdu National

What a touching day today at the Latinx graduation that had to get pulled together in 6 weeks because Senate Bill 17 made cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that resulted in the cancellation of our students' graduation ceremony.

SB 17 is part of a larger scorched earth policy agenda that is very racist and fearful of a browning America. All should read mine and Dr. Zamora’s piece on the matter: Zamora, E. & Valenzuela, A. (2023, Feb. 13). "Anti-DEI Law Implementation Has Been a Disaster," Texas Observer.

Still, today we celebrated at the Austin Independent School District's beautiful Performing Arts Center, thanks in great part to student leaders associated with the organization, Latino Community Affairs, namely, Katherine Ospina, Luis Santos, and Liany Serrano Oviedo, as well as to Austin City Council Member Chito Vela and National LULAC that provided significant funding support for this event. The Texas Exes made possible an afternoon celebration for the parents and community.

Suzanne Gamboa with NBC Latino did her part, too, by bringing awareness to the predicament the students were in by informing everyone of their Go Fund Me campaign. They raised more funds than they needed such that the rest will go toward next year's graduation.

Seventy percent of those graduating, by the way, are first-generation students attending college, the overwhelming majority from humble origins. How shameful for UT and the legislature to set up barriers for students like these when they are literally our future.

My husband, Dr. Emilio Zamora and I had the pleasure of shaking the graduates' hands and sharing some remarks at the event, alongside student presenters, and a rousing keynote address by National LULAC President Domingo Garcia.

I just learned this evening that all of the students present today will get a free, one-year membership to LULAC! I look forward to seeing our students at our LULAC National Convention in Las Vegas this June!

I'm beyond thrilled that KXAN journalist Sarah Al-Shaikh honored me by using several of the photos I took today. Enjoy!

-Angela Valenzuela

UT Austin students raise money for Latinx graduation cancelled by DEI cuts, by Sarah Al-Shaikh, KXAN News This blog on Texas education contains posts on accountability, testing, K-12 education, postsecondary educational attainment, dropouts, bilingual education, immigration, school finance, environmental issues, Ethnic Studies at state and national levels. It also represents my digital footprint, of lif...

Friends,

It's such a vast juxtaposition to be sharing with you our upcoming event, "Education with Heart: A Community Conversation," taking place this Saturday, May 4, from 10AM-3PM while simultaneously witnessing state violence and repression at this very moment at UT Austin. This is playing out on college campuses nationwide, as well, as we know.

Like my grandfather, who was a Baptist minister, used to say, "El diablo anda afuera," meaning that "the devil is running amok."

It sure feels like it. I hear students tell me that they are fearful, that they feel bruised, that they are angry, sad, and disgusted. And let's not let it get past us that this year's undergraduate graduating class sat out the pandemic four years earlier, seriously impacting life's milestones that the rest of us have taken for granted.

Atop this, our students here at UT are literally still coping with the shock of losing their programs, initiatives, mentors, and supporters as a consequence of Senate Bill 17 (Texas' anti-DEI bill), and now they are experiencing added violence, both symbolic and real.

So much dark, noxious emotion in the air right now. People speak in whispers, censuring themselves. Are we not still in a democracy where we all have a voice and are guided by democratic principles?

Que triste. How sad, especially when there is still so much good—and good to be had—in the world. I remain confident that there still exists a real promise of better days WHEN we commit to supporting ALL of our youth, particularly the most vulnerable. Why can't we not evolve as human beings and as a culture into an ethic that centers, instead of intentionally harms, young people? They are our future, our treasure, our joy.

Texas parents, I know that I speak on behalf of most, if not all, UT faculty that we love your children. What we are witnessing right now is way beyond the bounds of what should ever get considered as normal.

Ok, so now I'm putting out something into the atmosphere that is super positive, namely, Academia Cuauhtli's 10th Anniversary celebration! I've blogged on it occasionally since 2014. For those of us involved, it is a labor of love.🩷

Throughout the day, we will be speaking Spanish, English, Spanglish, and translanguaging, playing with language, celebrating bilingualism, and culture (see details below).

As the late poet and artist José Antonio Burciaga used to say, "La cultura cura," meaning that "culture heals." I can definitely say that Academia Cuauhtli is what has sustained our community through the years.

Open to the public. Welcome all!

-Angela Valenzuela

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Invitation: Educación con Corazón: Una Plática Comunitaria/ Education with Heart: A Community Conversation—May 4, 2024, 10am - 3pm This blog on Texas education contains posts on accountability, testing, K-12 education, postsecondary educational attainment, dropouts, bilingual education, immigration, school finance, environmental issues, Ethnic Studies at state and national levels. It also represents my digital footprint, of lif...