Source: L.A. Times My home office looks like a Jenga game of nonfiction books I read about Southern California Latino life this past year — and almost none were duds. They ranged from a history of gangs in East L.A. to a gorgeous coffee table tome about the cult classic “Blood In Blood Out” to a delightful children’s tale on the late Los Angeles Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela. As I devoured them all, one theme kept popping up: Latinas. As authors. As subjects. As both. Latinos don’t have enough of a presence in the Southern California literary canon, and that exclusion is even more pronounced for Latinas. That’s why I was excited to see so many voices, new ... Read More
College of Arts & Humanities
Unveiling Untold Stories: Professor’s New Book Explores Chicana Liberation and Mexican American Women’s Activism in L.A.
Growing up in East Los Angeles in the 1970s, Marisela Chávez had a front-row seat to the grassroots activism of the Chicano movement. Her parents, who had immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico as children, brought Chávez with them to meetings, marches, and political organizing events. “The organization was like an extended family,” says Chávez, now a professor of Chicana and Chicano studies at CSUDH. “I was little at the time, but seeds were planted in me. I saw very strong women who were speaking publicly and being active leaders.” Chicana Liberation: Women and Mexican American Politics in Los Angeles, 1945-1981 (University of Illinois Press, April 2024), is Chávez’ new book, and the ... Read More
Laura Warrell Talks Books, Jazz, and Publishing
It took more than two decades, four unpublished manuscripts, and scores of rejection letters before Laura Warrell brought her first book into the world—the acclaimed novel Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm, which was published by Pantheon Books last year and recently issued in a paperback edition. A lecturer in the English department at CSUDH since 2017, Warrell discussed the challenges she’s faced as a writer, her approach to the craft, and the inspiration for her debut novel during an evening of conversation on Oct. 4 at the Marvin Laser Recital Hall. The event, co-hosted by the departments of English and Women’s Studies, was introduced by Debra Best, professor of English, and featured a ... Read More
Africana Studies Professor Puts Students First
Everyone who attended the Black History Month opening celebration at CSUDH in early February was struck by the passion and energy of the woman who kicked off the proceedings. As she recited two poems and performed an original song, it was clear that Africana Studies Adjunct Professor Meryah Fisher had a palpable connection to the students in attendance, who enthusiastically cheered and danced along. Such connections are by design. A large part of Fisher's teaching is formulated to center her students as people before delving into the coursework. “We start out every single day with the question 'How are you?',” she says. “I didn't even bother going over the syllabus during the first week ... Read More
Retrospective Exhibition Highlights Career of CSUDH Art Professor Emerita
CSUDH Professor Emerita of Art Gilah Yelin Hirsch has been honored with a retrospective exhibit at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA) in Santa Ana. Titled “The Archeology of Metaphor, the exhibit runs through Oct. 29 and features work from throughout her lengthy and varied career, from her earliest 1968 paintings to the present. Hirsch, who joined the art department faculty in 1973 and taught at CSUDH for almost 50 years, is considered one of the first feminist artists. She was a founding member and wrote the manifesto for the Los Angeles Council of Women Artists, one of the first women's art organizations. The statement protested the underrepresentation of women in ... Read More
