Artforms of Resistance & Literacies of Power with LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

This summer the UCLA History Geography-Project collaborated with LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes to host a week-long program for Ethnic Studies educators, centering the intersection between the arts, resistance and Latinx history and heritage. From June 24-June 28th 2024, we brought together a cohort of 25 teachers to meet with artists, scholars, and activists, while engaging in hands-on workshops for implementation, presented by UCLA HGP teacher leaders. Throughout the week, educators explored culturally-relevant teaching strategies that build student literacy using the arts and community engagement.

Each day of this program featured live performances, historical lectures and interactive learning activities. See a brief summary of each day below:

Poets Gloria Enedina Alvarez and Sean Hill

Day 1: Poetry as resistance.

On day one participants worked with Chicana poet Gloria Enedina Alvarez and poet Sean Hill. These poet-educators shared their poetry and discussed ways to teach and develop poetry writing in the classroom. Teacher Leader Ron Espiritu led a session on teaching with poetry and visual arts, introducing educators to the poem “La Pasionara”, by Texas Poet Laureate Carmen Tafolla. 

Art and culinary historian Maite Gomez-Rejon, assisted in a cooking demonstration by chef-in-training Lucia Diaz, age 9. 

The UCLA HGP Director and his family cookbook “Eastside Recipes”. 

Day 2: Food as resistance. 

Participants met on day two at the La Cocina de Gloria Molina, a beautiful teaching kitchen and event space in DTLA. Art and culinary historian Maite Gomez-Rejon shared a historical lecture about the history of Mexican cuisine, critically examining the roles of gender, colonialism and class in Mexican cookbook production. This lecture highlighted the role of pioneering Mexican cookbook author, Josefina Velázquez de León and ended with an interactive cooking lesson, using recipes that educators can replicate with students. Finally, the UCLA HGP Director modeled his lesson: Family Cookbook As Cultural Heirloom, in which students and families co-create family cookbooks. This lesson combines literacy skills, oral history, visual arts, cultural studies and culinary arts.  

Actress, stage director and professor of theater, Dr. Alma Martinez and actor Raul Cardona.

Day 3: Teatro as resistance. 

This day featured speaker Dr. Alma Martinez, a trailblazing Latina actress, stage director and professor of theater, whose career spans over four decades. Many participants recognized her from her role in the Netflix show Genetified. Dr. Martinez spoke with teachers about her work in Zoot Suit, the first Chicano play on Broadway. She described their inspiration from Latinx theater traditions and the legacy of theater as political action. Dr. Martinez spoke of her time working with Luis Valdez and El Teatro Campesino, while sharing many artifacts from that time with educators. Actor Raul Cardona led educators in teatro exercises that can be shared with students. Educators read excerpts from Luis Valdez’ Theater of the Sphere and shared skit writing templates to help bring teatro into the classroom. Participants also revised the play Los Vendidos, updating this classic work for modern times. 

Cultural and urban historian Dr. Jorge Leal sharing his work, including artifacts from the Rock Archivo de LÁ.

A live performance by award-winning, all-women Mexican Mariachi ensemble, Las Colibrí. Followed by a lesson demonstration by Teacher Leader Erich Chaffino. 

Day 4: Music as resistance.

On day four we investigated music as resistance. We were joined by cultural and urban historian Dr. Jorge Leal. Leal is the curator of Rock Archivo de LÁand co-curator of the upcoming exhibit A Great Day in East LA. Leal presented artifacts and discussed his work preserving and examining late twentieth century Latina/o immigrant music culture. Leal showed educators how examining primary sources like party flyers and photos, can unveil a hidden history of defiance and dignity by marginalized people in Los Angeles. We were also treated to a live performance and music history lesson by Las Colibrí, an award-winning all-women Mexican Mariachi ensemble (see a performance here). Teacher leader Erik Chaffino (@echistoryteach) led teachers in music-centered learning activities. Here is a link to a lesson plan written by Chaffino, in which students can collaborate to create the “Soundtrack of Our Lives”.   

Xicana muralista Judithe Hernández discusses empowering youth via community art. Hernandez was a member of Los Four, a groundbreaking Chicano art group.  

UCLA-HGP Lead Facilitator and Coach designed this resource analyzing Los Angeles murals using the 7cs of Critical Historical Analysis. She also coached educators throughout the week.   

Day 5: Community art as resistance.

On our final day, we were joined by Xicana muralista Judithe Hernández, to learn about community art and murals as resistance. Hernandez shared examples of her work and powerful stories from her experiences in the Chicano Arts Movement. Her lecture emphasized the ways in which murals and visual arts have been used to empower oppressed youth across Los Angeles. A UCLA-HGP Lead Facilitator and Coach led educators in analyzing Los Angeles murals using the 7cs of Critical Historical Analysis.

Here is what teacher participants had to say about this week-long program: 

• “This is hands-down one of the most meaningful & fascinating PDs/seminars I have been a part of my whole career as an educator. We were welcomed, appreciated, & valued by all who facilitated each & every day. I am so grateful to have been a part of this & hope to continue connecting with those we met.” 
• “I appreciated the multimodal literacies presented to make complex issues accessible to all students. This has motivated me to create text sets that are rooted in social justice through the lens of art as resistance.”
• “Thanks to the institute, I have an immense plethora of resources to bring into my classroom… Moreover this series reminded me that learning is an inherently political act. We as educators can make the room for students to see their experiences reflected in the classroom in a manner that is deeply and critically reflective.”