Chicano Latino Student Affairs Office, The Claremont Colleges

We wish you our best, please stay in touch with CLSA as we are here to support your success as you move forward in life. 🙌🎓💝🥳🎉❤️

Capturing heartfelt moments from the stage, so proud of our students.

What a beautiful moment in time, to celebrate our community as they accomplish yet another milestone in life, earning a degree from the Claremont Colleges. These students are the next generation of leaders who will shape this world for the better.

Hot off the press!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥Graduation photos have been shared with graduates, and link to album can be found in our bio. We hope these bring you joy and encompass all the hard work you put into earning your degree from The Claremont Colleges!!!

This is what excellence looks like. We are incredibly proud of our 7C Latinx community who earned their bachelors, masters, or doctoral degrees from the Claremont Colleges. Chicano Latino Student Affairs recognizes all your hard work you put into your education. Together, we are remarkable. May you use your degrees to make this world a more just one.

!Felicidades!

Let’s show our graduates some love …. !Si Se Puede!

This is your invitation to the 2023 Cesar Chavez & Dolores Huerta Pilgrimage March and Fiesta, with the theme of "Sharing Our Stories to Unite Our Community" on Saturday, April 29th from 9 am - 2 pm (Beginning at the PUSD Education Center (800 S. Garey Ave. in Pomona) with speakers and a ceremony at a 300-year old tree and proceeding with a march (commemorating the many marches for justice and unity exemplified by the history of farmworkers and our communities in their organizing efforts for equity and quality of life) - and ending at Garey High School (320 W. Lexington Ave.) with the planting of a tree (in the tradition of uniting our elder and young generations) - followed by scholarship presentations, a poem presentation by Cesar Avela, food, booths, a community-circle snake dance led by Danza Azteca Toyaacan, music by Son Real, dance by Jalisco No Te Rajes, Lincoln and Pomona ballet folkloricos, and poetry by renowned poet Matt Sedillo. On the day before (Friday, April 28th), you are also invited to join us at Cesar Chavez Park (2720 Barjud Ave. in Pomona) for a pot-luck, drumming circle, remembrance of Pablo "Chompo" Lopez and Blanca Mariscal, clean-up of the park, and making flags and posters for the Saturday march.

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta Organizing Committee

Here’s what’s coming up at CLSA!!!! Be sure to check your email for registration links!!!!

Today, we are excited to spotlight an amazing Latina in our community! Let’s get to know her better!!!

Full Name : Leslie Serna
Hometown : Chicago, IL
Ethnic Background : Mexican
College: Pomona College ‘24
Major/Minor : Psychology major, Chicanx/Latinx Studies minor

Tell us about yourself? I am a first-generation, low-income, daughter of undocumented parents. Everything about me can be attributed to my family and the struggles we had to face but, thankfully, are slowly starting to overcome. My mom, Silvia Arroyo, and dad, Victor M. Serna, are from Guerrero, Mexico, with my mom being specifically from Acapulco and my dad being from San Luis San Pedro. They fell in love while working at a bank together, my mom being an accountant and my dad being a security guard. The two got married and gave birth to my older sister, Cinthia. My dad knew that he needed to support his new family and get them out of the dangers coming to Mexico at the time, so he crossed the border and made his way to Chicago. He soon earned enough money to bring my mom and sister across as well, and as they started to settle into an apartment together, I was later brought into this world. Being the only American-born in my family was hard; there were more pressures and stress added onto me from the beginning to make something of myself because I was allowed more opportunities than them, making me the one to get my family out of poverty. At a young age, I learned to always think ahead because without considering the future, you can't properly prepare yourself for the present. Thanks to my mother, father, and sister, I was able to be ranked #1 for all four.

How does your ethnic background/upbringing impact your education? With the type of background I have, I have been fortunate enough to view things from a different lens. When one gets into psychology, it's widely accepted that many research studies are WEIRD, meaning that about 80% of studies use participants that are from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic societies. What does that say about my family, my friends, my neighbors, and me? In the eyes of psychology, we don't exist, but the truth is (continued in comments)

We wanted to take a moment to thank Jessica Ramirez, POM '24 and Elena Medina, POM '25, who lead this year's Alternabreak. They spent a week in San Diego, working with various organizations and communities to engage with stories and voices of resistance around Latina/e/o identities. This program is in partnership with the Draper Center, who continues to support CLSA and our community in ways that we cannot thank enough. A special shout out to Selena Lopez, Draper Staff Member (and Pomona alum), who provided tremendous support in making this happen for our students. The weeklong trip included a visit to Centro Cultural de la Raza, Border Angels, Chicano Park & Museum, POC Fungi Community, San Diego Latino Film Festival, Kosay Kumeyaay Market, and so much more!!!! Here are a few photos that capture a few moments during this meaningful trip.

Saturday Salon: How Should We Teach Race and Ethnicity in American High Schools?
Join our Saturday Salon for a discussion on the teaching of ethnic studies. In recent years, there has been a growing discussion around incorporating ethnic studies into school curriculums across the country. However, there is still debate about how this should be done and what the goals of such education should be.
To answer these questions, The Open Academy and Chicano Latino Student Affairs (CLSA) invited José Gonzalez and Adam Seagrave. Dr. Gonzalez was featured in the documentary Precious Knowledge which explores the fight to save ethnic studies programs in Tucson, Arizona, and the impact of these programs on students' lives. Dr. Seagrave is a professor at Arizona State University who advocates for "inclusive" ethnic studies aimed to foster shared understanding among diverse students.
The salon will be April 1st and located in Kravis 321 from 3 - 5 PM on April 1st followed by a dinner at Walter's (Claremont Village). We will reach out to students via email to confirm whether we have a spot for you at this event.

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKRpBP3ezAY6rO7VPwAn2aBWS808eaUxloYku81oTtu9HKXg/viewform

You’re invited!

Dinner Conversation with the new UFW President: Teresa Romero - Celebrating César Chavez Day

The SFFW (Students for Farmworkers), CLSA (Chicano Latino Student Affairs), Robert Redford Conservancy, and CAPAS (The Center for Asian Pacific American Students) are excited to bring Teresa Romero, President of the United Farm Workers (UFW), to The Claremont Colleges, as a guest speaker.

Founded in 1962 by labor organizers Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, and Philip Vera Cruz, the UFW is the first and largest farm workers union in the United States.

Teresa Romero, who was born in Mexico City, is the first Latine immigrant woman to lead a national labor union. Before becoming the union’s president, Romero was the UFW’s secretary-treasurer and chief administrative officer. She also managed a law firm that assisted workers with immigration and worker’s compensation. During her time with the UFW, the union achieved key victories in California, including the creation of state standards protecting farm workers from extreme heat, and the first state law in the country securing overtime pay after eight hours of work.

***

Space is limited, registration is on a first come first served basis. (DEADLINE TO REGISTER: MARCH 21st )

Registration link in bio!!!
***

Event Date and Time: TUESDAY, March 28 (5-7pm)

Location: McConnell Founders Room, Pitzer College

Today, we spotlight a campus leader who continues to lead with their heart. ❤️💓💝She gives so much to our community; always inspiring others through her mentorship and guidance. We appreciate all that you do, eres poderosa.


We asked Kenia Sophia Garcia-Ramos, of Pomona College, a few questions about how her culture/ethnicity/heritage impacts her post graduation goals after we learned she was admitted into a doctoral program at UCLA!!! (Way to go, Kenia! We are so proud of you!!)

Time to know Kenia better…

hi! my name is kenia (she/they), I am a first-gen, low-income Chicana scholar currently wrapping up her senior year at Pomona College. Here, I studied Chicanx-Latinx Studies and Gender and Women's Studies, with a focus on Latina (Im)Migrant Mother(ing)s. I was raised in the Inland Empire, but my parents immigrated from Nayarit and Michaocan, Mexico. I love soaking in the sunshine, listening to music, dancing, singing, and taking photos on my digital camera. I am a lover of gold jewelry, especially the pieces I am inheriting from my mami's collection.

I decided to pursue graduate studies, to be honest, because of how transformational ethnic studies has personally been as a scholar and individual. I knew I wanted to replicate these spaces as an educator, and felt most drawn to teaching at the university level. Also, I discovered a passion for storytelling during my time at Pomona and felt that research was an avenue to do that.

What words of wisdom or motivational message do you want to share with our community?

We were always enough. Who you are, the way you talk, the way you think, the way you express yourself, the music you listen to, your passions— they were always enough. You don't have to change a single piece of yourself to pursue any future endeavors. The most courageous thing you can do is enter your work as your full self. Ya eres perfect, corazon.

How does your heritage and culture influence the way you live? We asked this question to Lizbeth Valdivia-Jauregui (she/her/ella), of Scripps College. She is majoring in Psychology, minoring in Chicanx/Latinx Studies.

Tell us about yourself? I am a first-gen low-income Latinx student! 

How does your culture/ethnicity influence your life? My family comes from Teocaltiche and San Miguel el Alto, both located in Jalisco. My ancestors from both sides were campesinos and migrated from the cities to cultivate caña de azúcar, chiles, maíz, tomatoes, and beans. Growing up and hearing all the magical stories my mom experienced en el campo motivated me to seek out my local community gardens in the city of Pomona. In these community garden spaces, I was able to grow and nurture Mexican crops such as amaranth, tomatillos, chile pasilla, Glass Gem Corn and nopales. I also learned about an Indigenous planting method my ancestors would use called the three sisters! With this method, beans, corn, and squash grow symbiotically to support each other and improve soil health. Community gardening has allowed me to connect on a deeper level to my culture through food while tending to Mother Earth. Community gardening connects me with my ancestors via dreams, re-remembering plants medicinal properties, and building food autonomy. 

What do you most appreciate about your culture/heritage? Something I deeply value about my culture is the genetic memory that each member of my family carries, which is alive and preserved at each communal gathering. No matter what I am facing in life, once my family begins sharing stories of their pueblo, it feels as though time is non-existent. These stories always resonate on a deeper level inciting laughter, tears, and triggers. No matter what, these stories become lessons and medicine for the soul. 

How has this aligned with your academic and professional pursuits? My academic interests lie in exploring how humans innately carry traditional ancestral knowledge and how that is embodied within a community garden space. I would love to become a professor and make the community garden my classroom space (*read more in comment section)

Community is what CLSA is all about. If you want to be part of the 2023-2024 CLSA peer mentorship team, then now is your chance to give back 🤗The goal of this leadership role is to ease the transition into College for incoming Latinx students across the 5Cs. Your guidance and support will make a tremendous difference … it’s time to “pay it forward”; apply today….The deadline is this Friday!!! (Application link in bio) Please share and repost 🙌❤️😊

Student Spotlight Alert !!!

NAME: Shelsy Zarate Chavez
COLLEGE: Pomona
ETHNICITY: Indigenous (Zapotec)
CLASS STANDING: Junior
MAJOR: Science, Technology, and Society (STS) & Latin American Studies (LAS)

Tell us about yourself: I am a first-gen/low-income indigenous (Zapotec) student! My family is from la Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, Mexico and my identity was greatly shaped by my Zapotec community in LA, usos y costumbres, language, and the additional layer of not feeling “Mexican” enough — p.s. a homogenous “Mexican” identity doesn’t exist!

How was your abroad experience?: Last fall, I studied abroad in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico with the Institute for Study Abroad! Going abroad, for any first-gen student, is a huge step, and a difficult one too. I chose Mexico because as someone passionate about the intersection between public health and Indigenous and Latine communities, Yucatan and the IFSA program offered classes, internship opportunities, and a unique location that I knew I would grow and learn from and with. However, immediately upon arrival, I noticed the complexity of “study abroad” programs, the spectrum of intentions of abroad students, and the way indigenous people, lands, and identities are exploited in Yucatan. This made me reevaluate my position(s) in that context and reflect on how this experience was different than and/or similar to my personal context in Oaxaca and Oaxacalifornia. Nonetheless, living in Mexico for five months allowed me to eat, learn, and see things and places in Mexico and Yucatan in ways that I may have never gotten the chance to.

Join us at our upcoming Coffee with the Deans, 7C tour!! Drinks are on us! This is a great opportunity to connect with the deans in an informal way, over a nice cup of cafecito, latte, or tea of your liking! (We’ve also attached our updated Spring 2023 calendar and event flyers)

Hot off the press!!! Here’s a snapshot of some events we are hosting this semester! Hope you can engage us in one of our upcoming educational, professional, cultural, and social events!!! Please share, repost 🙌💓