El Aguila

Stanfords Chican@/Latin@ Magazine Spring 2013 - Vol. II No. 2

Cecilia Burciagas Legacy

Haas Center Takes on the DREAM Act
Stanfords 42nd Powwow plus Comics, Poetry and more!

El Aguila
Spring 2013 ~ Vol. II No. 2

Contents
Spring 2013 ~ Vol. II No. 2

NEWS

5 ~ Cecilia Burciaga, Chican@ advocate, mentor dies at 67 By Alicia Hamar 6 ~ Hass Center for Public Service takes on DREAM Act By Stephanie Gutierrez

FEATURES

8 ~ Barrio Assistance tutors East Palo Alto youth as a family By Daniel Dominguez 9 ~ Stanfords 42nd Powwow fostered multi-cultural learning By Angela Torres 10 ~ Teaching ethnic identification through history By Tadeo Melean

HEALTH
Edith Preciado 14 Ileana Najarro 15 Alice Miano, Spanish Language Coordinator for ILAC Stephanie Gutierrez 14 Tadeo Melean 13 Angela Torres 13 Diana Gonzales 13 Herbert Silva, third year graduate student Alemar Brito 15 Ever Rodriguez, Staff Sandra Rodrguez 14 Johnathan Bowes 15 Leonardo Leal 15 Alicia Hamar 15 Daniel Dominguez 16 Brittany Torrez 16 Co-Editor-in-Chief Co-Editor-in-Chief Faculty Advisor Managing, Copy Editor News Section Editor Features Section Editor Plumas Section Editor Voces Latinoamericanas Section Editor Webmaster Design & Layout Editor Financial Officer Publicity Officer, Layout Editor Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer

12 ~ Students eager to take on medical reform in Oaxaca trip By Brittany Torrez 13 ~ First-hand look at maternal health in Copper Canyon By Erin Inman

EL NIDO

14 ~ Casa Zapata Resident Fellows reflect on years of service By Daniel Dominguez

VOCES LATINOAMERICANAS
16 ~ Lo que me perdi pensando en ti By Alemar Brito 16 ~ Las mujeres que criaste By Laura Pulido 17 ~ Luna By Leonardo Leal

PLUMAS

EL AGUILA is a Chican@/Latin@ Magazine produced by students at Stanford University. It is an idependendent quarterly publication that covers current cultural, economic, political and social issues affecting the Chican@/Latin@ community on a campus-wide, local, and national level. This publication seeks to share the artistic expression of the Stanford Chican@/Latin@ Comunidad with the greater Stanford community through articles, drawings, essays, poems and other submissions. Many of El Aguilas contributors, officers, and staff writers are also members of the Chican@/Latin@ community at Stanford. However, our publication welcomes any and all students to be potential contributors, officers, and staff. Please send any inquiries or comments to: elaguila.stanford@gmail.com Visit us at: www.stanfordelaguila.com

18 ~ Composition With Frida By Cesar Torrez 19 ~ Focusing on the future of U.S. and Mexico relations By Leonardo Leal 20 ~ L.A. Hat By Gustavo Gonzalez

Front cover: El Aguila sobre un nopal ~ Photo by Daniel Dominguez Back cover: Towards The Main Quad ~ Photo Art by Ever Rodriguez

NEWS

Letter from the Editors

Cecilia Burciaga, Chican@ advocate, mentor, dies at 67

By Alicia Hamar
Cecilia Burciaga, former advocate of Latino affairs at Stanford University and founding dean of California State University Monterey Bay, passed away on March 27th at age 67 and is remembered as an inspiration to the community. Burciaga held several administrative positions at while at Stanford, starting as Provost for Chicano Affairs in 1974. Her advocacy for civil rights in the Latino community, alongside her position as a mentor, cemented her image as a strong Latina who aided countless students. Alongside her administrative duties, Burciaga and her late husband, Jose Antonio Burciaga served as Resident Fellows for Casa Zapata, the Chican@/Latin@ themed dorm, starting in 1985 and are remembered for establishing a strong family oriented community. [Burciaga] was a powerful woman, and she was a role model for other women in the dorm. She was there to care for people, said Donnovan Somera Yisrael 89 M.A. 90, a former Residential Advisor of Casa Zapata. Burciagas compassion and wisdom helped those having trouble adjusting to the rigors of Stanford. Julia Gonzalez Luna 94 M.A. 95 recalls going to see Burciaga during her

A young Cecilia Burciaga. Photo courtesy of Rebeca Burciaga.

Tony and Cecilia Burciaga with background of Tonys mural The Last Supper of the Chicano Heroes. Photo courtesy of Rebeca Burciaga.

After a quarter interlude from our Fall issue, El Aguila is back for the second issue of the 2012-13 academic year. This quarter we received an increased amount of online submissions in comparison with previous issues. This allowed for the novel addition of comics to El Aguilas repertoire of artistic content. Together, the written content within this issue of the magazine alongside the artistic submissions, mark the versatility of imagination and artistic talents in our Comunidad. We are grateful to those who contributed and we hope to continue this tradition of giving space to the creativity of our community. Furthermore this quarter our group, which revived El Aguila for the 20112012 school year after having been defunct since the 90s, will experience its first official officer transition. This is an incredibly important moment for the future of El Aguila. We are confident that our current and future staff will pull El Aguila forward with care and dedication for years to come. We will miss our first round of graduating seniors but we hope that they continue to be linked to our Comunidad, especially through the magazine itself. One

of the major purposes of our magazine is to foster a connection between current, potential, and future members of our community. For this issue we are also implementing a slight change in our layout design for a look that we hope proves more true to a magazine style. We hope that this change reflects a series of modifications to layout by our future layout teams that continually improves the visual aspects of the magazine, making it more amenable to the sight and more enjoyable to our readers. In the next pages, the reader will find stories ranging within our usual sections of News, Features, Health, Voces Latinoamericanas, El Nido and Plumas. These stories, as always, highlight different issues that pertain to Stanfords Chican@/Latin@ Comunidad. Within this issue especially are represented a series of important transitions for Comunidad, including key changes and new programming that affect Casa Zapata, supporters of the DREAM Act, and those interested in community health, respectively. To begin, in our News section we recount the life of the late and beloved Cecilia Burciaga, whose contributions to

our Comunidad have been immense. We describe how her life work touched the lives of countless students in this community and how it continues to be seen in the work of Chican@/Latin@s at Stanford today. Our Features section covers the continued significance of Barrio Assistance, Stanfords oldest student group, both on and off campus, as well as reactions to Stanfords 42nd annual Powwow. Our Health section covers the important reversal of the travel ban to southern Mexico that has allowed students to once again partake in the Bing Overseas Studies Programs Community Health program in Oaxaca. This quarters El Nido section holds an especially important story dedicated to Casa Zapata Resident Fellows, Chris Gonzalez-Clarke and Gina Hernandez-Clarke, who will leave Zapata after this year. We also encourage you to read this issues artistic content. We hope that you find the content within enjoyable and pertinent! Sincerely, The Editors-in-Chief

I used to think I was going to graduate in spite of being brown, and now I think Im going to graduate because Im brown. Eva Silva
freshman year when she was considering dropping out of college due to not fitting in. I remember walking in and she had this huge redwood desk, and I had never seen a Latina sitting behind such a big desk, Luna said. She looked straight into my eyes and said, for everyone that makes it into Stanford, there are a thousand who dont make it, so then you are responsible for the thousand, Luna added. Burciagas words and influence helped Luna graduate from college. People thought it was okay to be at Stanford because Cecilia was there. We felt like she made us belong there, she said. Burciaga was fired from Stanford in 1994, allegedly due to budget cuts. This resulted in a multiple day hunger strike, where students camped out in the main quad, devastated by the Universitys decision. Eva Silva 94 M.A. 95, now a program coordinator at CSU Monterey Bay, was involved in the hunger strike and remembers Burciaga telling the protestors that she did not want them to carry out the hunger strike for her sake. To gain things for the students here and if you can, use this to give you more strength, but dont do the hunger strike for my position, Silva recalled her saying.

The strike led to the formation of multiple committees devoted to race studies which eventually led to the creation of the Department of Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. After Stanford, Burciaga became a founding administrator at CSU Monterey Bay where she continued her work helping the Latino community at the newly established university. According to Silva, many students from the Monterey County area were first generation and Burciaga served as their mentor and advocate. In 2002, Burciaga played an important part in a lawsuit that was settled with the CSU Montgomery Bay over issues regarding policy and diversity. She demanded that they have a scholarship for low income students and thats something to show to the heart that she had, and how well she knew the community that she was working with, Silva said. The lawsuit was settled and a scholarship fund of $1.5 million dollars was established to aid the low-income students from the area. Burciagas legacy lives on through her actions at both universities, as well as in the hearts of the students she mentored. Silva still remembers her relationship with Burciaga as her mentor when she attended Stanford. She was like my mom away from home. She treated us all like her kids, Silva said. I think she understood that we all looked up to her, and she modeled the behavior that she would like to see in us as well. One conversation Luna had with Burciaga before she graduated stands out in her memory. I used to think I was going to graduate in spite of being brown, and now I think Im going to graduate because Im brown, she recalled telling Burciaga. She was so impressed and hugged me and she was like Thats exactly it. News 5

News

El Aguila Spring 2013

El Aguila Spring 2013

Haas Center for Public Service takes on DREAM Act

By Stephanie Gutierrez

Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford University. Photo by Stephanie Gutierrez.

The Haas Center for Public Service has selected the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act as its next Commonwealth Challenge, a project through the Haas Center that takes on a new goal every two years. The DREAM Act is a bill that would have provided conditional permanent residency to certain undocumented immigrants, including students. According to the Center for American Progress, every year about 65,000 undocumented high school graduates face limited work and education opportunities because of their legal status. Students involved with the Commonwealth Challenge have created the DREAM Act team, a Stanford group that focuses on working with community leaders and the Haas Center to address needs surrounding the DREAM Act. Originally, the DREAM Act Team planned on making a video database through which undocumented immigrants could share their stories, said Sean Wang 15 who is involved with the DREAM Act team. 6 News

As an educatorI hope the students can learn a variety of skills that might be related on how to influence public policy, how to organize, how to lead. Tom Schnaubelt
However, the team discovered that an organization called the Emerson Collective had already created the database. The Emerson Collective, founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, developed TheDreamisNow.org, a website where undocumented students can share their stories through videos. The site also has a petition that people can sign to tell Congress to make a pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth who pursue military service or a college degree. Its a very influential group and theyre already doEl Aguila Spring 2013

ing a great job of it [the video database], so were looking with Stanford Alum, Fermn Mendoza 11, who is an unto approach it [the DREAM Act] from a different angle documented immigrant. now, Wang said. We got to hear his perspective on it and it sold it for The team has instead decided to create a mentorus, Wang said. ship system that will connect undocumented students Mendoza said he was excited when Wang reached out entering college with others who can help guide them with their career paths, Wang wrote in an email to El to him, and found out that Stanford students are still inAguila. terested in immigration issues. We hope to benefit undocumented students who He also noted the importance of the Haas Center takhave been hesitant to reach out for help, he wrote. ing on this challenge. Tom Schnaubelt, executive director of the Haas CenThe Haas Center is one of the places on campus that ter, said from his perspective there are two goals for the project: raising awareness about the DREAM Act that represents the public service spirit of StanfordI think would help influence its passage and the skills students it is important that it plays a role in taking up apublic can gain through this experience. endeavor to work on these issues, Mendoza said. As an educatorI hope the students can learn a vaMendoza said he spoke to the team about potential riety of skills that might areas that they could work be related on how to in[W]e took up the cause of the DREAM- on, such as professional defluence public policy, how ers, the young people who were brought velopment for undocumentto organize, how to lead, to this country as children, young peoed students. Schnaubelt said. ple who have grown up here, built their Schnaubelt said that The DREAM Act continthe goal chosen for the lives here, have futures hereBut beues to be a present issue at challenge has to meet a set cause this change isnt permanent, we Stanford, as well as an issue need Congress to act. of criteria. of national concern. This included a projIn January, President ect that would be measur- Barack Obama able and achievable within Barack Obama spoke at a Las two years, could tap into Vegas High School in favor resources at Stanford, and address a significant commu- of comprehensive immigration reform. nity need. [W]e took up the cause of the DREAMers, the The biggest thing though is that we wanted it to be young people who were brought to this country as a single focused goal, Schnaubelt said. The task for the first challenge, 100K Cheeks, fo- children, young people who have grown up here, built cused on creating a large-scale bone marrow registrant their lives here, have futures hereBut because this drive. The goal was to get 100,000 people to sign up for change isnt permanent, we need Congress to act, the national bone marrow donor registry. Obama said. The groups campaign surpassed the initial goal in Wang said Obamas announcement helped raise the the first year with over 100,000 registered bone marrow donors. Before deciding on the next Common- morale of the team. Its pretty inspirational to know that the topic that wealth Challenge goal, Wang said that the team met with Thrive, the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo were working on right now is a hot legislative topic, he County. said. We got a chance to talk to a lot of the nonprofits in The next step to making the Commonwealth ChalSan Mateo and we surveyed them on what issues are very important, especially in the next two years, that we could lenge project a reality is building the mentorship system since the team now has a sponsoring organization, Edupotentially help with at Stanford, Wang said. He said many of these nonprofits mentioned the cators for Fair Consideration (E4FC), said Wang in an DREAM Act as an important topic, especially for the email to El Aguila. next couple of years. [The students] have tosee what resources exist The team then sent out a survey with multiple topand what niche they can play in terms of moving things ics to the undergraduate population via the Service4all forward, said Schnaubelt. Thats whats exciting about email list. The most popular issue students casted their vote for where theyre at right now, theyve got to look around was the DREAM Act. They also had a chance to speak and discover and explore. El Aguila Spring 2013 News 7

FEATURES

Barrio Assistance tutors East Palo Alto youth as a family

By Daniel Dominguez

Stanfords 42nd Powwow fostered multi-cultural learning

t is likely that everyday hundreds of students walk past states that the general air of social activism and commuthe headquarters of one of the oldest student groups on nity out-reach surrounding the Stanford campus adds to the campus without even noticing it. The small door of Barrio willingness of students to get involved and aid those who Assistance lies discreetly before the entrance to the Jaime do not have access to opportunity outside of the classroom. Miranda Lounge in El Centro Chicano. The fact that were college students in and of itself is a Barrio Assistance has a simple mission and has used an huge advantage, Zarafshar said. Just to have them be able integrated approach to ensure a continuing longevity, which to spend time with us and I can tell them yeah when I was has helped countless lives from the local area. It has been in high school I was thinking about this college. What are providing one-on-one tutoring to children of East Palo Alto your thoughts? or say to them, Im going to ask you some since its founding in 1971 by members of Movimiento Es- questions that you probably havent been asked before and tudantil Chicanos de Aztln (MEChA). I really want to hear your answers. Those are the conversaThe programwhich provides mentorship to mostly tions that they really wouldnt have otherwise, she added. lower income Latino students affiliated with the East Palo Family is a key community value that the program emAlto Stanford Academy and transportation to and from the phasizes and members try to ensure that familial connecchildrens homesbrings them to Stanford campus to ex- tions stay strong. pose them to the academics and extracurriculars of college Zarafshar noted that if one family member gets in and life. another member of that family applies they would also reThe program currently has about 30 to 40 members ceive the mentorship to ensure that opportunity is equally composed of active tutors, drivers, and coordinators. In re- spread across the family. Such familial connections even cent years the program has gained the support of the Haas extend to the tutors themselves. Center for Public Service, which coordinates its nonprofit Shahrnaz Zarafshar 14, a Barrio Assistance tutor coaspects and provides opportuordinator and older sister of nities for federal work-study to Shayda, said that she began those who volunteer to serve as mentoring winter quarter of drivers for the tutees. her freshmen year after hearing Shayda Zarafshar 15, who their older sister discuss the projoined the program as a tutor fall grams on her visits back home. quarter of this year, noted that, Shahrnaz then welcomed her other than its ties to the Haas younger sister into the group to Center and El Centro Chicano, continue on the familial tradiit is a group that on a day-to-day tion. basis runs independent of the Regarding the future of BarUniversity. rio Assistance, Shahrnaz said She explained that the mathat she is confident about the jority of the tutees are either first groups continuing success, citor second generation and that Photo courtesy of Shahrnaz Zarafshar. ing the built-in community suptheir parents are involved to the port, the resources provided to it extent they can be. Recognizing their own limitations of and the willingness of Stanford students to volunteer their time and educational background, these childrens parents time. count on the tutoring program for support. Barrio Assistance is always looking for new tutors and They are very intelligent, they are very motivated, but keeps its application process open year round so that those there are just some things that they dont have the oppor- willing to help the local community have the opportunity tunity to hear about in their daily routines, Zarafshar said. to do so. Barrio Assistances long waitlists for tutors support the Its a really rewarding experience to just ask them groups reputation of having such a positive effect on stu- What college do you want to go to? and its fine that they dents. dont have an answer, its just important to open up and have In addition to academic support, the program has a that conversation with them, Shayda said. strong commitment to community. On a similar note, her older sister said the aim of the Zarafshar notes that since many of the tutors and tu- program is simple. The ultimate goal of the Barrio Assistees come from similar backgrounds it is very easy to build tance is to show students that college isnt only a dream but strong ties and keep the program going. Furthermore, she something that they can really achieve. El Aguila Spring 2013

By Angela Torres

he grounds at Stanford Universitys 42nd annual This is really a chance to explore indigenous identity Powwow brimmed with vivid sights the weekend of in general usually the Polynesian group does a number, May 10 as colorful dancers took center stage for a sometimes the Native Alaskans will come out and dance, dance contest and the enticing smell of frybread filled the McCabe said. air. Cromack also noted Powwows efforts to showcase Each year 20,000 to 30,000 visitors, including those multi-culturalism. from out-of-state, flock to Eucalyptus Grove to attend the Last year we had Talisman come out and sing some largest powwow in the U.S where the sense of multicultural- songs, both African songs but also Native American songs, ism both in coordination and presentation of vendors and Cromack said. So especially when it comes to the Stanford performers is palpable. campus and the Stanford multicultural community, our Katie Cromack, 13, co-chair of this years Powwow, de- powwow in particular tries to bridge that gap. fined the event as an opportunity for families and friends Volunteers for Powwow came from all over campus, as to learn, understand and celebrate the diverse indigenous 200-300 were needed to make sure the three-day event ran traditions of dance, craft, music, and food. There are over 500 tribes in the United States all unique languages and cultures and this is just a way for everyone to come together and celebrate indigenous tradition, Cromack said. Despite the association of powwows with Native American culture, Cromack explained that powwows are in fact not traditional to many Native American tribes. The resurgence of pride and celebration of Native heritage in the 60s and 70s led to the adoption of the custom by many oth- Flag bearers at Eucalyptus Grove for the 42nd annual Stanford Powwow. Photo by Ever Rodriguez. er indigenous tribes. Cromack recognized the recent inclusion of Aztec smoothly. When asked about cross-community cooperadancers in the Powwow dance contest as an acknowledge- tion between volunteers and staff, Los Hermanos was conment of a Pan-American indigenous culture that must be tinually mentioned as a source of help in the aftermath of included in the narrative of the indigenous people. Powwow for at least the past 20 years as the cleanup crew. She added that international borders separate relatives, In addition to a community of volunteers, the Powcause political conflicts that divide many tribes. wow publicity committee focused their outreach efforts to Kim McCabe, 14, publicity chair for Powwow, said di- include different departments, graduate students, and interverse representation at the event resonates with guests. national students as well. Weve had Aztec dancers come and I think that draws According to McCabe, the graduate student commua lot of people and theyre like really excited to see the Aztec nity in particular responded well and showed a great interdancers, McCabe said. est in learning about indigenous culture and attending the Its another part of native culture that people forget Powwow. aboutthe greater Native America includes a bunch of According to Yaya Campbell 14, a staff member of the people that when things like Powwow happen, can come volunteer committee, Powwow provides a unique place for together, she added. populations that have endured a dark history. Not only did the event unite tribes across borders, but [Powwow] brings the community together so we can it also brought together the students on Stanford campus in share with others and also learn from each other about difthe exploration of indigenous culture. ferent cultures, Campbell said. El Aguila Spring 2013 Features 9

Features

Teaching ethnic identification through history

By Tadeo Melean
The results from the research in this thesis coincides with previous findings in that ethnic identification is certainly influenced in various ways when students are exposed to what could be considered their history. It is only by adding historical consciousness to our ethnic identity analysis that we are more fully capable of observing and assessing students experience in the classroom. The point of exposing Mexican American children to their history is not so that they may collect a series of facts in the back of their minds, so that they may one day display it proudly at a cocktail party like a series of trophies. It is also not the case that these children should be exposed to this material so that they may incorporate yet another label into their vocabulary. Rather, in teaching this material we hope children will develop an acute sense of historical consciousness which includes, as demonstrated by several of the students in the study, a deep and critical questioning of their current circumstances along with a sense of duty and purpose in their studies. Based on the results of this research, I encourage further work and research to be carried out on the nexus between historical thinking and ethnic identification as conduits to overall critical consciousness development. Separating these two dilutes the analysis of the experience of any student in a classroom. Finally, I urge state boards of education across the United States to include the history of their marginalized residents in their curricula as a means to address issues of inequality as well as to provide students a framework through which they can truly flourish as members of their communities. Features 11

Mural of Cesar Chavez at University of California San Diego. Photo courtesy of Flickr user Jay Galvin.

This is a condensed summary of Historical Consciousness and Ethnicity Among Latino/a Students in a Spanish-forNative-Speakers Course, a thesis submitted to the Graduate School of Education of Stanford University. ue to the need for Chicano Studies in higher education, in 1969, the Chicano Coordinating Committee on Higher Education organized a conference in UC-Santa Barbara. El Plan de Santa Barbara that resulted from this conference was a historic document. This plan not only addressed the need for Chicano Studies but also the need for diverse faculty and for a special plan for Chicano student recruitment. The Mexican American Movement sought to find ways to advance the Mexican American community, especially through education. Decades after these movements, we ask, how is it that Chicano Studies can affect present-day Latinos to encourage them in their studies? It was this question that inspired my interest in this topic and thesis question: the degree to which, if at all, a

California high school Chican@/Latin@ history unit can influence Latino students (a) identification with a Latino/ Chicano culture, ethnicity, or narrative; (b) historical sense of the struggles of the Latin@/Chican@ people, including the personal relevance of this history; and (c) interest in history and culture courses. In essence, I wanted to look into the effects and the experience these students have had in being exposed to a material that is often not included in mainstream curricula. As the thesis question demonstrates, there are two main themes of focus: the question of ethnic identification and historical consciousness. Ethnic identification refers to the manner in which people self-identify with ethnic and racial groups (Chicano, Latino, Hispanic, etc.). Historical consciousness is a lesser known concept. It refers to the ability of people to situate themselves contextually in historical events. In order to observe the role of a Chicano Studies unit on Mexican American students, I carried out interviews and the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measurement (MEIM) forms, which measures the level to which people identify with their ethnicity, with high school El Aguila Spring 2013

students before and after being exposed to Chicano Studies. The young adults interviewed and observed for this thesis demonstrated remarkable development in the short six weeks of study. While the changes and effects on their ethnic identification and historical thinking, and ultimately critical consciousness, were not monolithic, it was clear that this type of material, one which is rarely present in the classroom, motivated and intrigued the students in ways mainstream history and literature courses could not. Some of the students literally mentioned an increased sense of duty in the classroom. In light of this evidence, I recommend teachers continue the use of the Mexican American history unit to continue developing critical consciousness in their students. The only room for improvement that was observed was the need to tie the history unit more concretely to students current circumstances. While some students did this themselves without further help, others could have benefited from additional explicit instruction.

10

Features

El Aguila Spring 2013

HEALTH

Students eager to take on medical reform in Oaxaca trip

By Brittany Torrez
After a four-year absence, the Bing Overseas Studies Program for Community Health in Oaxaca returns this summer, despite areas of northern Mexico still under advisory warning. 15 Stanford students will be identifying local health needs in Oaxaca as well as in the immigrant community of Mountain View. The return of this summer offering is part of the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the overseas programs efforts towards a specialized approach to study abroad in Mexico. We want students to be able to better serve the underserved communities in this area, said Ann Banchoff, director of Education Programs in the Office of Community Health. Banchoff, a former resident of Oaxaca, does not see the state as unsafe despite civil unrest regarding the teachers union in Oaxaca that crippled the citys tourism industry in 2006. Oaxaca in my personal experience has been a very safe and welcoming place, Banchoff said. Even considering the more recent concerns in Oaxaca in regards to a federal travel warning, students in the program, like Preet Kaur 16, are unconcerned. I knew that there was a lot of violence surrounding the rivalries between the drug cartels, Kaur said. But, I wasnt really concerned. Kaur said she was more excited for the community health aspects of the program and to have the chance to travel to Mexico. Although neighboring areas still under a general federal travel warning over Mexico are heavily restricted for student visits, administrators also understand that the specificity of the new travel warning guidelines warranted a very case-by-case approach to certain locations. Its a very, very individualized approach to these kinds of programs, said Harry Elam, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. Jorge Olarte 13, a co-founder of US-Mex FoCUS, agreed that as the state moved away from the blanket policy, Stanford is taking a similar stance. US-Mex FoCUS is a group that partners with students and future leaders in both Mexico and at Stanford to accurately familiarize students with issues such as illegal immigration and violence and provide opportunities for open discussion and working together. These exceptions have to be case by case, Olarte said. In March, the provost authorized a planned FoCUS trip to Mexico City, reiterating their new case-by-case policy for travel to Mexico. I think the university is moving in the right direction, Olarte said. However, other areas of Mexico are still weighed down by the burden of violence and the heavy hand of the drug 12 Health cartels. Rodolfo Dirzo, a professor of Biology wishing to give students hands-on experience in the field of ecology in the state of Veracruz, had his program cut after the issuing of the federal travel warning. He has not reapplied for approval since then. However, considering an uptick in violence between rival crime organizations in Veracruz two years ago, Dirzos program is unlikely to be reapPhoto courtesy of Flicker user El Alvi. proved soonrestricting students access to a rich and diverse ecological site but ultimately keeping them safe. One of the cartels wanted to monopolize the city of Veracruz, Dirzo said, referring to incidents in which tensions between the military authority and drug cartels in the port made it an unsafe travel destination for students. However, Dirzo also recognized that specific areas in Mexico, such as Mexico City, are safe for tourists and Stanford students. The problem in Mexico is not homogeneous, Dirzo said. Political conflict aside, students gearing up to go to Oaxaca are preparing to battle health concerns and experience cultural immersion, not violence and uprising. I want students to have an in-depth, personal, on-theground interaction with Mexico itself, said Ramon Saldivar, director of the Bing Overseas Studies Program. Saldivar said Oaxacas indigenous heritage and multicultural demographic make it an extraordinary facet of the country. I want students to get that sense of the diversity and complexity of contemporary Mexican culture, he added. Of course, along with the rich culture, students will be equally mindful of health concerns in Oaxaca and cultivating a community of wellness through both direct education and constructing a culture of a politically alive community. We go to Oaxaca not simply to take from them knowledge and experience, Saldivar said. But to give back something to the community in a way that is useful to them. El Aguila Spring 2013

First-hand look at maternal health care in Copper Canyon

By Erin Inman
The view of the forest trees bumped in and out of the My boss rejoined the group. They want us to transport pop-out windows view as I jostled along in a 14-seat util- her, she gestured at the pregnant Tarahumara woman. She ity van, down into the depths of Mexicos Copper Canyon. was in her third trimester and had walked five hours the day Wemy two bosses, two local healthcare providers, two before to arrive at the hospital for a check-up. state employees, myself, and another internpulled off the The doctor noted her history of preeclampsia and the narrow, bumpy road and into the expansive dirt lot in front yellow in her eyes and feared a high-risk pregnancy. The of an old building. hospital lacked the lab resources to run the necessary tests Script above the main door read Hospital Mision Tara- and the doctors concern was not substantiated enough to humara. To the side of the door sat a pregnant Tarahumara validate the use of limited funds to transport her to the muwoman in a plastic chair, clad in the traditional Tarahumara nicipal hospital equipped with labs and obstetricians capashawl and straddled on either side by a toddler and a man, ble of diagnosing her. The doctor had resorted to simply presumably her husband. monitoring her for now. I was interning for One Heart Worldwide (OHW), a We presented a new option to the doctor. Since we nonprofit that leads maternal health programs in some of would return to the municipal hospital later that day, we the most inaccessible parts of the globe, specifically the Hi- could squash everyone into the van and transport her (and malayas of Nepal and the Copper Canyon of Mexico. The Copper Canyon is both deeper and larger than its famed sister, the Grand Canyon. The Tarahumara live throughout the canyon, mostly in rural makeshift dwellings apart from the mesitzo populated villages. Of a different ethnic background, the Tarahumara have little in common with their neighbors neither language nor culture nor religion. They prefer seclusion from the Mexican state. Consequently, their access to and use of healthcare is limited. The Mexican government relies on a system of clinics to manage healthcare needs at the rural level, referring more intensive cases to one of the few Photo courtesy of Flickr user Daniel Lobo. municipal hospitals in the canyon. Throughout our trip, we her husband and son) to the hospital. After asking her husvisited these clinics and hospitals to better understand the bands permissionas is Tarahumara tradition that the men barriers to healthcare usage by the Tarahumara and delivery make all decisionswe boarded the van once again. by the state. This is how I found myself squashed in the middle seat At Hospital Mision Tarahumara, we entered into a wait- of said van, bumping along, up and out of the canyon. As ing room. Before us sat a makeshift front desk, pew-like we drove, my boss talked with the husband. His wife had waiting benches, a handful of doors leading into closet- married and bore their first child young, but the couple was sized exam rooms or offices, and a large television, turned atypical in that they had a family plan. off but still looming over us on a rolling TV stand. The hosAfter the birth of this baby, the wife would have a pitals director led us through a largely unused and under tubal ligation. They were actively seeking healthcare. equipped operating room and lab, but also through a sur- When we arrived at the hospital, the wife was admitted, prisingly new delivery warda large room with two pa- diagnosed with acute fatty liver of pregnancy, and schedtient beds and an ultrasound machine. uled for a C-section to ensure a safe delivery for both her After the tour, we were preparing to continue on down and her baby. the canyon to a clinic, when a doctor from the hospital The mother received the healthcare she needed and pulled my boss aside. The rest of the group lingered, swel- wanted, but only fortuitously after the rural hospital could tering in the summer heat of the canyon and eager to return not spare enough gas money for the two-hour car ride. to the air-conditioned van. There is still unmet need in the Copper Canyon, from both We surveyed our surroundings and noticed that the the mothers and the healthcare systems perspective, but efpregnant woman had abandoned her chair to stand staring forts from OHW presents an opportunity for intervention indifferently off into the field, the toddler still by her side. and hope. El Aguila Spring 2013 Health 13

EL NIDO

Casa Zapata Resident Fellows reflect on years of service

By Daniel Dominguez

Chris Gonzales Clarke and Gina Hernandez Clarke with their two children. Photo courtesy of the Clarke family.

As they sit on a living room couch in their cottage in the Casa Zapata dorm Resident Fellows (RFs), Chris GonzalesClarke and Gina Hernandez-Clarke. share a fond memory of one of their Noche de Xocolatlt dorm talent nights where the couple served hot chocolate and cookies while students hung out and performed. One time they were just singing musical after musical and I was just blown away, Gonzalez-Clarke said. About half the crowd knew the words and we could all just sing along. After six years of serving as RFs, the duo and their two sons will move out of the dorms first floor cottage this year leaving behind a legacy for the dorm and greater Chican@/ Latin@ student community. They open up their home to the dorm just like any other RFs but conversation-wise they are able to discuss topics that are deeper than most others RFs, said Monica Alcazar 13, an Ethnic Theme Associate (ETA) in Casa Zapata. Both Gonzales-Clarke and Hernandez-Clarke received undergraduate degrees from Stanford and have held various important roles in nearly all facets of life on Stanfords campus. Hernandez-Clarke is currently the director of Arts in Undergraduate Education at Stanford. Additionally, she served as the executive director of the Institute for Diversity in the Artsa position that she held from its creation in 2001 until 2011. She was one of the leading student activ14 El Nido

ists during her time as an undergraduate and was one of the leaders of the spring takeover of the Presidents Office in 1989. Her activism has even been immortalized in the mural on the first floor of Casa Zapata titled The Spirit of Hoover. Gonzales-Clarke served as the first Associate Director of El Centro Chicano from 1993 until 2005. He is currently pursuing a Ph. D. in the Graduate School of Education. When they accepted the offer to serve as RFs, the two had a distinct goal in mind. We wanted to make sure that it was still the kind of place that was a family for students from this background, mainly low-income, first generation, Latin@, Gonzalez-Clarke said. Hernandez-Clarke also wanted to invigorate the artistic spirit of Casa Zapata, a residence known for the plethora of murals that cover its walls, most of which were commissioned or painted by former RF Tony Burciaga. For me having an arts background and that being my main professional work at Stanford, it would be an opportunity to honor that aspect of Tony in particular, she said. Aracely Mondragon 13, another ETA in the dorm, can attest to their success in fostering such an artistic spirit. They created an environment that values art and emphasizes itChris with his music and Gina with her vast knowledge of art in general, she said. They made Zapata a great place to appreciate and create art. El Aguila Spring 2013

According to Alcazar, their devotion to fostering an artistic community tapped into the dorms cultural history as well. Art and artistry are so important to the Chican@ movement that it is very important that they succeeded in bringing to the table, Alcazar said. Hernandez-Clarkes eagerness to restore art in Zapata played into many of the already established artistic traditions at Casa Zapatamost notably the annual production of Luis Valdezs play Zoot Suit. Thinking back to his first year as RF, Gonzales-Clarke remarked that the play had radically changed since they had been students in the audience. It was like a shell of its former self. It had become one persons vision of a thing that they were going to call Zoot Suit but they were basically rewriting the whole play, Gonzales-Clarke said. We had to tell them that basically they couldnt do that. They couldnt represent their own story as something that Luis Valdez wrote, he added. Though they faced backlash from students who had been performing the reinvented play for a few years, the couple assured that their vision of what the play was and always had been was realized. There are probably some students who are mad to this day who saw us as stepping on something that was their tradition, but it wasnt the long history of Zoot Suit that we knew, Gonzales-Clarke said. The play celebrated its 25th anniversary run last year with festivities galore. It was a week filled with amazing events that really brought attention to the dorm and it really wouldnt have occurred without their leadership, Alcazar said. Beyond their contributions in traditions and artistry, many current dorm staff members noted that as RFs they

both went above and beyond in their ability to interact not only with staff but also with normal residents. Calah Hanson 13, a current Resident Assistant who has lived three years in the dorm recalled how they made her feel right at home when she arrived for her New Student Orientation. Laura Pulido 13, Peer Health Educator for Casa Zapata, noted that they are eager to talk with other residents much more than other RFs and they regularly eat with residents in the dorms section of the Stern Dining Hall. They make themselves approachable and really care about the residents. Theyve really created a family in Zapata and that surprised me, Pulido said. All the residents are very close, especially freshmen. Hernandez-Clarke recognized the immense community they cultivated over the years. Your family gets bigger every year. Being here six years the group of people you know just mushrooms, she said. However, her husband noted that while the aura of community is strong and incredibly worthwhile, it is not without its challenges. The work is hard, especially if youre balancing it with raising children, it becomes difficult. I admire people who are able to give it a long time. Six years for us felt like a good amount, Gonzales-Clarke said. Both noted that they will continue on in their other roles on the Stanfords campus and will certainly not be strangers to the dorm they called home for so long. For instance, Hernandez-Clarke hopes to involve herself in a restoration project of the dorms murals. Reflecting on how he will remember Casa Zapata, Gonzales-Clarke recounted the signature traditions that made his home stand out. Day of the dead, thats Zapata. When you hear people showering someone for their birthday thats Zapata. Or when you hear the mariachi playing in the basement or the ballet [folklorico] practicing thats Zapata for me.

Stern Hall, entrance to Casa Zapata. Photo by Ever Rodriguez.

El Aguila Spring 2013

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VOCES LATINOAMERICANAS

Lo que me perdi pensando en ti

By Alemar Brito
Me gustara poder decirle al yo del pasado que no se debe esperar, Que cada segundo que pasa, es un segundo para salvar. Que el sentimiento de la felicidad, nunca es por casualidad, Porque es tu corazn diciendo que despiertes a la posibilidad. Aunque a veces me siento confundido. Qu es la alegra y que es lo que siento? Si es lo que siento cuando te veo pasar, O es saber que t sin me puedes progresar. Aunque no se la respuesta, T me enseaste que es mejor no darse cuenta. Porque cuando dudas tus emociones, te salen errores. Debes seguir a tu corazn para que mejores. A pesar de lo que he aprendido, todava sueno contigo. Cuento con una falsa esperanza, de ser capaz de retroceder cuando me das tu mirada. Pero jams va a pasar, hasta cuando dejo de mirar atrs. Que bien hace cambiar o pensar en el pasado, Cuando mi futuro sigue ilimitado. Si te hubiera visto frente a m, Yo hubiera estado junto a ti.
Lovestoned sculpture by Thai Bui. Photo by Ever Rodriguez.

Las mujeres que criaste

By Laura Pulido
Me mecas cuando nia Me peinabas el pelo Me enseaste a tortear, A cocinar y a coser Ahora te cuido, anciana Yo te pinto el pelo. Yo te limpio y te abrazo Mientras tu sangre corre. Me llevaste al Norte Me enseaste a ser fuerte A cuidar a mis hermanitos, A luchar por mis hijos siempre. Ahora te veo dbil Con tu carita gastada Te veo y te sonro pero, Ya ests muy cansada Me enseaste a rezar Antes de la comidita Me aconsejaste y contaste Miles de tus historias Pero ahora rezo por ti, Le pido a Dios que te cuide, Que te abrace y te deje Ir en paz. Y no se te olvide: Que tu lucha an sigue En las mujeres que criaste Que te quiero y te admiro Y ojal y que en paz descanses.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Carlos Smith.

Luna, con tus misteriosos ojos cuidas todos mis pasos Ojala pudiera con mis tmidas manos dibujar todos tus trazos Con hermosa luz refrescas las alas de cada lucirnaga Y das esperanza al que naufraga Todas las tardes espero verte desde mi ventana Para que puedas entrar bella sabana Que cobija a todos, a los de ojos furtivos y ojos heridos A los que lloran, a los que duermen y a los que no ven Nunca dejes de mover los bellos mares Ni de cambiar cada noche de cara Aveces llena a veces nada, aveces media y aveces ovalada Hay luna me haces reir Cada cambio te hace mas bella, nunca dejes de existir Ven conmigo luna acompame Todos los das de mi vida No dejes de emitir tu resplandor Sin ti nunca podre ser jugador, perdedor, o vencedor Sin ti yo no soy nada Igual que el sol que nos da dia tu me das alma luna mia Prisma de vida que refleja eternidad Serena tarde, calida verdad Nunca mientes ni me olvidas Siempre estas hasta en escondidas Hay luna que voy a hacer contigo Te regalo o te olvido Que cruel seria al hacerte eso amiga mia Ni que fueras mi enemiga Solo digo tonteras Muchas veces te olvidamos que crueles los humanos Ni el dinero ni la plata cubren tu honesta bondad Ni mansiones o caviar equivalen a la fertilidad Que dejas en nuestros sueos Ni al amplio camino que abres a los que no tienen luz Un gran faro en la noche eres tu Guiando nuestros pasos, iluminando nuestros miedos Alimentando nuestros sentimientos con tu armona Msica que no se escribe que solo podemos ver Al verte reflejada en el rocio de la madrugada O en el cantar de las aves y bhos que saludan tu presencia He notado querida luna tu apresurada estancia Por que a las 5 de la tarde te puedo ver Es que me extraas Si es verdad lo que yo digo Nunca sientas eso estimada luna El que te extraa siempre soy yo El que no puede dormir sin ti soy yo Anda ve y corre por el manto estelar Y brinda tus abrazos a todos sin cesar Abrazos que no se miden con fuerza sino con clida amistad Ya que nos diriges como gua Bella luna, bella amiga Haz que todas las noches parezcan da Photo by Ever Rodriguez. Luna El Aguila Spring 2013 Voces Latinoamericanas 17

Luna

By Leonardo Leal

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PLUMAS

Focusing on the future of U.S. and Mexico relations

By Leonardo Leal
As the plane descended into the valley, my heart jumped with happiness as I entered my native country of Mexico. However, this past spring break, I was not in Mexico just for fun. I was there from as a staff member of the first summit of the U.S.-Mexico FoCUS conference at the Mexican Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM) in Mexico City, April 1-7. I learned of the freedom and responsibility students carry to shape international relations. FoCUS is a student-run organization dedicated to promoting constructive, bi-lateral U.S.-Mexico relations by fostering communication and mutual understanding among future leaders in the U.S. and Mexico. As part of the U.S. staff, I had the task of supervising the 30 FoCUS delegates and helping with additional coordination details like picking up supplies and inviting ITAM students to the conferences various public events. Even though I was preoccupied with event planning, I had a great time. Not only was I able to interact with members of the conferences Mexico staff and their delegates, but I was able to meet important political figures such as the Ildefonso Guajardo, the Secretary of Economy, and Ambassador Anthony Wayne during the inauguration. In his speech, Ambassador Wayne spoke of our generation and its commitment to the future. The greatest resource of any nation is its young people, and strong nations know the value of investing in the next generation, Wayne said. His words impacted me profoundly given that I am a student who believes in education as the key to progress. The youth in every generation serve as the energetic motor in society that generates new and eclectic ideas. It is because of our ingenuity that companies like Facebook, Instagram and Apple were founded. It is because of us that music has changed over the years from Jazz to Hip-Hop to Electronica. It is also possible for us to strengthen international relations at the individual level. How can we, as students, revolutionize bilateral relations? In my opinion, it should be natural that strengthening our friendships as global students should reinforce cooperation in the future once we step into the real world. As students we can openly express our opinions without the fear of political scorn or publicity. That freedom allows us to think about problems in innovative ways. While a politician might not want to talk about the break up of PEMEX (a Mexican stateowned petroleum company) for fear of political backlash, a student can freely express his opinion in a blog and present his or her reasons publicly. Students of both countries can modernize the relations between the U.S. and Mexico through mutual solidarity and understanding. Like a Chinese proverb says: if you plant a good seed today, tomorrow you will eat from its luscious fruit. That is exactly why I joined FoCUS. I wanted to start friendships between students that would last a lifetime. Im also equally interested in the issues that affect the U.S. and Mexico such as security, trade, and immigration. I was born in Mexico but I have lived in the U.S. for seven years. Ever since I came to the U.S. I witnessed how public opinion about Mexico is often tainted by clichs and stereotypes. For example, Ive been asked several times if Mexico has electricity, or if we use donkeys and horses as a common method of transportation. Such sentiments seem ridiculous, but many are clueless to what life is like across the border. Those views on my home country have prompted me to change the perception of Mexico to the rest of the world, especially to our closest and most important neighbor, the U.S. Mexico is a developing economy and in future years it is crucial that we understand its strengths, limitations, and future possibilities. As the Secretary of Economy Guajardo said in his speech: We have to realize that if we do not get on the ball, here in this region, and we integrate ourselves as a competitive region in the world in a more profound way than the trade relation we have today...we will not win the world competence. We ought to unite both countries and show future generations that Mexico is not just tacos and fiestas. What if we united as brothers and sisters in this world? To truly develop the future leaders of both countries we must encourage friendships from the earliest age possible. From soccer games to a stroll along the busy historic center of Mexico City, every step we make together as friends brings both countries closer. Never underestimate the power of youth, for we are what moves the world.

Composition with Frida (2012) Coplaner series. Vinyl print by Cesar Torres. Each drawing represents a time period where a figurine was visually memorized and then drawn. The bottom right drawing represents the first iteration, while the top leftmost drawing represents the last iteration. The series demonstrates how visual memory develops and how shapes and forms become encoded.

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By Gustavo Gonzalez

Visit www.stanfordelaguila.com for more news, features, and creative expressions!

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