Mosquita y Mari Screening!

¡Hola a tod@s!

We are incredibly privileged to announce the following event:
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La Colectiva Femenil, MEChA, and the Native American & Indigenous Student Assembly in collaboration with the Center for Mexican-American Studies, Department of Radio-Television-Film, Center for Women & Gender Studies, LLILAS and the Gender and Sexuality Center are proud to present:

 

A special screening of MOSQUITA Y MARI
followed by a conversation with writer/director Aurora Guerrero at the University of Texas-Austin
FRIDAY Oct. 5, 2012 at 7:30pm in GAR 0.102 

Film Trailer:

www.mosquitaymari.com

Facebook Event:

http://www.facebook.com/events/280271565416731/

 

Mosquita y Mari (2012) has earned international accreditation due in large part to its intersectional lens that examines and discusses gender,  sexuality, race, migration, and class. Its timely debut has made the film a critical discussion piece as it celebrates Mexican-American biculturalism and queerness with a backdrop of the realities that many people of color face in society today.Through captivating and intimate cinematography, this independent film showcases the lives of two young Chicanas growing up in the Huntington Park area of Los Angeles, California. It is both a sweet narrative that reminds audiences of first loves and a bitter illustration of the exploitation of many immigrant and marginalized communities of color. Mosquita y Mari is bold in its feminist foundations as it truly stages a world of pluralistic lives, merging different struggles faced by young queer urban Latinas.

A special thank you to Mary Beltrán, Gloria Holder, and Candace Lopez for helping to make this event possible.

To the Mujeres of the Latino Leadership Retreat

La Colectiva Femenil had a wonderful and beautiful experience today with the women who participated in our workshop at the Latino Leadership Retreat. We were so pleased to encounter such a strong, supportive, enthusiastic group of Latinas. It’s encouraging to know that we’re building networks of comadres across the university and within our communities. Often times we can get so caught up in society’s expectations of downgrading each other as women or sub-oppressing each other as Latin@s that we never take the time to build coalitions between one another. It is truly revolutionary to step outside those societal expectations (like the “boxes” we were discussing today) and begin to aid one another in the struggle for equity and social justice. We look forward to working with everyone soon.
Con mucho cariño,
LCF

Performing Justice!

Hey everyone! This was shared by one of our future mentors, Dr. Lydia French. Check out the event, it looks really awesome! 
A performance by Garza High School's Women & Gender Studies Program on what it means to be a young woman in Austin, the U.S. and the world. 

We hope to see you there!

Chicana/Latina Feminisims Conference

Long time no post. We’re back from the conference and finished with the Spring 2011 semester. One of our mujeres, Andrea, is in China at the moment and Diana, Marleen and I are in the middle of our summer research internships for the McNair program.

Marianna, Marleen, Diana & Andrea @ CSULB

I’d like to begin by again, thanking the Center for Mexican American Studies for funding our trip to Califas. In particular, a thanks to Dr. Deborah Paredez, interim director of CMAS, who has been one of our biggest supporters. Thank you for taking the time to believe in us! La Colectiva is maturing slowly but surely so thank you for your patience as well. Also, a shout out to our new friends who put on the conference, Conciencia Femenil, who have become our peer-mentors. We hope that we can take all that we learned from you and transform that knowledge into positive action that benefits our community here in Austin.
The conference itself was wonderful. I still can’t believe it happened. We met so many inspiring Latinas from all walks of life, from Chicanas we’ve been reading in our classes like Ana Nieto-Gomez and Emma Perez to poets and writers, researchers, artists, filmmakers, you name it. The mujeres de Conciencia Femenil put together a conference that highlighted the diversity and many talents within the California Latina community. And there there was us, the Texans.
We presented our group, La Colectiva Femenil, as a workshop that focused on our experiences as undergraduate Latinas at a primarily white institution and the power dynamics we see and experience with our classrooms. The “workshopping” consisted of audience participation in the “fine tuning” of La Colectiva. We welcomed feedback and advice from our peers who have formed similar groups and hope that we can incorporate these bits of information as we shape La Colectiva.
One of the most important trends that I noticed in the formation of such groups as La Colectiva, is the close mentoring and guidance that seems to accompany them. One more shout out to Ana Clarissa Rojas Durazo, a faculty mentor to Concienca Femenil, who has supported the mujeres in every way. Even from an outsider’s perspective, it is clear to see that this woman is dedicated and proud of the young women of Conciencia and all of their accomplishments.  That being said, we are excited to work with centers such as CMAS and mentors such as Dr. Paredez who will continue invest in our growing group of young women leaders, educators and future mentors.

-Marianna

Enjoy more of our photos on our Facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_107019849380286

Chicana Feminisms Conference @ CSU Long Beach!

Hola hermanas,

As most of you are probably aware, we were accepted to present at the Chicana/Latina Feminisms Conference: Joteando por vida! Our presentation will be “How to Tame Wild Lips: Reflections from La Panocha” in which we will  discuss our experiences as Latinas at a predominantly white institution, activism, cultural identity, Latina lesbianism and “Hipster” culture in Austin, the commodification of colored women’s bodies, our experiences with navigating our way through college and the calling for La Colectiva Femenil en general. We’re super excited to travel there thanks to our official affiliate department, CMAS at UT Austin who is funding our trip. Mil gracias!!

We’re getting all geared up for the conference and we are currently putting together our multi-media presentation. Wish us suerte as we head to Califas!! We’ll take lots of fotos!!

-Las Muxeres de la Colectiva Femenil

Nuestras Historias… ¡Soldadera!

Later this month I have the opportunity to travel to Corpus Christi and Kingsville to watch this amazing show! Tell your South Texan amigas about this event! -Marianna

Upcoming Event

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2011 NACCS Tejas Foco Regional Conference
Thursday, February 24, 2011
South Texas College, McAllen, Texas

“De Diosa a Hembra to Chicana: Celebrating the Last 40 Years of Chicana Activism.”

The Mexican American Studies Program at South Texas College is hosting the 2011 NACCS Tejas Foco Regional Conference in McAllen, Texas. The year 1971, can be considered a turning point in Chicana activism as a group of Chicana leaders from across the United States came together to voice their concerns as women. These concerns stemmed from discrimination in the home, work place, school, and within the Chicano Movement itself. Other issues addressed at the conference included concerns over healthcare and the relationship to other feminist movements and sexuality. These women, numbering in the hundreds, united and disunited in Houston, and sought various resolutions to their concerns as they strived for social, cultural, racial, gender, and sexual equality. This is the historical spirit that will be celebrated and examined during the 2011 NACCS Tejas Foco Regional Conference that will be held February 24-26, 2011 at South Texas College. The NACCS Tejas Regional Conference will provide a forum through which we can collectively explore the past, present, and future of Chicana activism.