Huitzilopochtli: The Will and Resiliency of Tucson Youth to Keep Mexican American Studies Alive

Abstract

In response to the banning of Mexican American Studies in Tucson, students in the newly formed Chican@1 Literature, Art, and Social Studies program displayed their resiliency in the face of the oppressive actions of the Tucson Unified School District and the state of Arizona. This article serves as a platform for the voices of these dedicated youth who continued their educational and activist journey on Sundays throughout the 2012–2013 academic school year. The students share their impressions of why the Chican@ Literature, Art, and Social Studies program was important to them and how the curriculum, pedagogy, and relationships with classmates and their teacher shaped their continued struggle to revive Mexican American Studies for future generations and the transformation of the world. Traditionally the term “Chicano” would be used for individuals of Mexican descent in the United States, and “Latino” is a pan-ethnic term that is inclusive of the people of South American and Central American descent. Due to the gendered nature of languages, the use of Chican@ and Latin@ have become more commonly used in Educational, Feminist, and Ethnic Studies scholarship as a representation of both Chicanas/Chicanos and Latinas/Latinos. It is a way to embrace equality and respect toward everyone.