1. Upcoming Events
October 27th
, 11:45am-1:00pm
KA Rooftop Terrace
LAS Food Festival
Join the students, faculty, and staff
of the Latin American Studies
program as we celebrate, learn
about, and eat delicious food from
three Latin American countries.
This semester we will highlight
México, El Salvador, and Brazil
with food, recipes, and music to
share with the USF community.
October 27th
, 12:45-2:30pm
McLaren 251
CELASA Keynote Speaker 2015-
2016: Luis Valdez “El Teatro
Campesino: Theatre of the Mayan
Zero”
Luis Valdez was born in Delano,
California to migrant farmer
parents. He founded El Teatro
Campesino the central valley of
California which would become a
major force in the transformation of
American theater of the 20th
century. Born out of the Chicano
civil rights movement, the work of
Luis Valdez extends for half of a
century in the formation of a local
and continental philosophy of
cultural expression and activism.
Dear CELASA members,
Hope everyone’s had a great first half of the semester! These last couple of
months have been busy with a series of inspiring guests, performances, and
screenings, and we’re looking forward to an equally impressive line-up for the
next half. The semester started with the performance piece, “Inmiscuir” by
performance artists and Pocha Nostra members, Dani D’Emilia and Daniel
Chavez (a USF alum!), that investigated a couple’s intimate maneuvering and
agreements across bodily constructions of gender, sexualities and
geographies. In a bold and intimate performance looking at trans identity, the
couple challenged notions of a gender binary and invited each other -- and the
audience – to do the same. As part of their approach to performance and
critical pedagogy, they also held student workshops for two days to engage
the relationship between body sovereignty, decolonization, and the
permanence of learned behaviors.
It was an impactful visit and our Editor-in-Chief and workshop participant,
Sonia Hurtado reports on it. We’re also pleased to offer an interview with
Glori Simmons discussing this year’s focus on California indigenous art and
culture in the Thacher Gallery.
The colonial legacy and indigenous/marginalized histories in California have
been a key part of our conversations this semester. We began with Nicole
Gonzales Howell’s Brown Bag discussion on the embodied ethos of Dolores
Huerta as a voice from the margins who effectively enacted change within
and beyond the struggle for migrant workers’ rights. We followed this with a
screening and discussion of John Valadez’s work, “The Head of Joaquin
Murrieta,” a personal narrative about the interconnected histories of
California and the renegade hero Murrieta. Check out our list of coming
events that will continue these important conversations, in particular Luis
Valdez’s lecture on the legacy of indigenous cosmology in Chicano Theater.
Thanks to our Editor-in-Chief Sonia Hurtado and our program assistant
extraordinaire Gladys Perez for all their work on this issue.
Have a wonderful last part of Fall 2015!
November 2nd
, 5:00-8:30pm
Maraschi Room, Fromm Hall
Día de los Muertos Celebration
Come celebrate el Día de los
Muertos at USF. It will be an
evening of crafts, music, and food.
Special performances by Andrés
Flores and María de la Rosa.

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Glori Simmons: Weaving Fr. Junípero
Serra and Native Californian History
Interview by Sonia Hurtado Ureno
Upcoming Events
November 3rd
2:40-4:35pm, ED 103
4:35-6:20pm, ED 310
“Our Bodies, Our Souls/ Nuestros
Cuerpos Nuestras Almas”
The “Our Bodies, Our Souls,”
literary project involves the
documentation of the lives of
transgender Latinas 18 years of age
and older who live in the city of
Los Angeles. They were lead by
Claudia Rodriguez, who lead
creative writing exercise for
participants that entailed the
exploration of their biographies.
Rodriguez, member of Butchlalis
of Panochtitlán, will discuss her
first collection of poetry
Everybody’s Bread will be
published by Kórima Press in the
Fall 2014. *Event will be in
Spanish, no translation provided.
November 10th, 12:00-1:30pm
KA 165
CELASA Brown Bag with
Professor Kathleen Coll:
“Remaking Citizenship: Latina
Immigrants and New American
Politics”
November 17th, 12:45-2:30pm
ED 309
“Surviving Forced Disappearance
in Argentina and Uruguay:
Identity and Meaning” with
author Gabriel Gatti
Based on extensive fieldwork in
Argentina and Uruguay, this book
examines and analyzes these
worlds. It is aimed at those who are
interested in understanding how
one inhabits the categories that
international law has constructed to
mark, judge, think about, and repair
horror. *Event will be in Spanish,
no translation provided.
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"Interwoven: Native
California Basketry
Arts from the
Missions Forward"
presents over 40
baskets created by
Native Californians,
including the world-
renowned Chumash
and Pomo weavers.
These baskets made
during the Mission
era (1769-1830s) to the early 20th
century tell a remarkable story of
cultural continuity and survival
despite colonization. Each reveals
a deep knowledge of the
environment and natural
materials, complex artistic
sensibilities, and the power of
tribal traditions that Native
weavers continue to pass down
through generations.
SH: For those who may not be
familiar with your work, could you
please describe your professional
interests and field of work?
GS: I am the director of the Thacher
Gallery. I don’t have a formal Art
History education. Instead, I have an
MFA in poetry. That said, I started
working in the Gallery with its first
exhibit, so I have seen almost all of
its exhibitions. My job is wonderful
in so many ways. For one, it is
always changing. Every exhibition
has its own evolution and allows me
to work with different people. I see
the gallery as a laboratory and
collaborative space.
SH: Recently, Pope Francis
canonized Father Junípero Serra,
founder of nine missions in
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California and recognized as “the evangelizer of
the west of the U.S.” While many see this as an
honor, many Californian Native peoples see
Serra as a colonizer who is responsible for
genocide of a majority of indigenous people in
California. How does your exhibit participate in
the conversation of the canonization of Father
Serra?
GS: Exhibitions are planned almost a year in
advance, so at the time that we planned this
exhibit we had no idea that the canonization
would occur while it was here. When we found
out that the canonization was planned right in the
middle of our exhibition presenting California
Indian baskets coming from the missions, we
took a deep breath and then seized the
opportunity to have a conversation about mission
history and its impact on Native American lives.
The timing helped us to remember to be much
more aware and sensitive to the history of the
baskets and to the story that we were going to
tell about them. We used the exhibit as an
opportunity to explore many different
perspectives about the missions and to tell the
history of the missions in an honest way. We are
going to give tours to fourth grade students
across the city. (Right now, we have ten fourth
grade tours scheduled.) We hope it’s an
opportunity for us to educate, to help expand on
the curriculum that is taught about the missions
in order to refocus that conversation on Native
American lives. At the same time, this exhibit
celebrates the tradition and culture of weaving in

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California. We hope that one of the things
that people take away from this exhibit is
the way in which weaving is thriving and
practiced throughout the state today. Like
languages, it continues to be an essential
part of native cultures in California.
SH: “Interwoven” shows how “aspects of
Native American life,” in particular
basketry arts were impacted by European
colonization of California. With basketry
arts, being traditionally for females, how
did the establishments of the missions
impact the role and traditions of
indigenous women?
GS: I feel as if I may not be fully
informed on that specific piece of
information, but what I can say is that
mission life was very difficult. It can be
compared to slavery. Native Americans
were forced to eat new food, live in new,
uncomfortable spaces. Often times, they
were locked away at night. The women
were housed separately then the men,
possibly to protect the women from the
Spanish soldiers, but also separating them
from their families. Many people in the
missions died from illness, malnutrition,
and more. When one generation dies,
culture and traditions are disrupted. That
is what happened with basketry and many
traditions that women carried on as well
as the men.
Basket weaving itself is very interesting
because we often look at the basket and
think it starts with design, but basket
weaving begins at learning how to
4
identify plants. If you are
not allowed to leave a
mission, you aren’t able to
find or collect the plants
you need to make baskets
nor learn how to do these
first steps. Under difficult
conditions, would weaving
be your first priority?
In addition, new foods
were introduced in the
missions. Since baskets are
so closely linked to food
preparation, the function and need
for baskets also shifted. Women who
knew how to weave started making
baskets that Europeans would buy.
After secularization, some weavers
returned to the missions to sell
baskets at market to collectors and
tourists. This shifted the tradition of
weaving as well.
That is not to say that baskets are not
still used or valued in California
Indian culture. They are valued very
much and seen as a cultural link.
SH: Could you please share with me
some stories and perspectives of the
Indigenous people whom you
collaborated with?
GS: The weavers. I had the
opportunity to work with three
5
native California weavers: Kathy
Wallace, Edward Willie, [and] Linda
Yamane. Each of them practice
different Native American basketry
traditions from the Bay Area. With
every conversation, they were
educating me as they talked about the
challenges of continuing a tradition
and teaching new people. There are a
lot of connections in the Native
California basket weaving
community. Everyone knows
everyone. You get a sense of
community right away.
Vincent Medina and Andrew Galvan
are the two other speakers. Both are
Ohlone men who were present at the
canonization. Again, they were very
generous with their time. [They]
explained to me a lot on their
perspectives on the canonization.
They are both Catholic. Vincent was
against the canonization while
Andrew fought for the canonization.
They both ended up being in D.C.
[during the Pope’s visit.] Vincent
was able to say a biblical text [he had
translated into] Chochenyo, so
people could hear his ancestors’
language all across the world. Even
though he was against the
canonization, he saw that as an
opportunity to share his people's
language and to represent his people
to Pope Francis.

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+ “Solidarity is not the same as
support. To experience
solidarity, we mist have a
community of interests, shared
beliefs and goals around which
to unite to build Sisterhood.
Support can be occasional. It
can be given and just as easily
withdrawn. Solidarity requires
sustained, ongoing
commitment.”
- Bell Hooks
6
Andrew hoped to be able to tell Pope Francis why he
thought Serra should be canonized but also what he
hoped the church would do next. If there is anything
good that came out of the canonization, it is awareness.
People started to talk again about California history and
the real outcome of the missions.
When I talk about land, place and my ancestors, it is in
distant and abstract terms. For Native Californians, it is
not. The word ancestors equals family. These things
happened to their families and with the oral tradition,
those stories continue in the family. So, I am really
appreciative of what it means for people to share this
information and speak honestly about the painful history
in their families. It is really powerful. It isn’t about the
Pope, it is about their lives.
SH: Did Vincent or Andrew share any stories to back up
their opinion?
GS: Vincent had a wonderful story he told me about
learning about the missions as a child and helping his
little brother with his mission project. He remembered
going to Mission San Jose as a fourth grader. The docent
there made a general comment about how nice and easy-
going the Ohlone Indians were and how welcoming they
were to the Spanish. She was painting a picture of
Native Americans as innocent and naive and complicit
in this history. [Vincent] was really upset at that and it
stuck with him over time. He was embarrassed because
his ancestors were being talked about in this way that
was so condescending. Then he told me about helping
his little brother with his fourth grade mission project.
They focused on a Native American rebellion at Mission
San Jose.
Andrew loves to share stories too. He was formerly a
Franciscan brother. He told me about all of the people he
worked with to get where they were for the
canonization. This was something that he has been
working on since the 1980s. He was excited about the
canonization and what was going to happen at the
ceremony.
SH: Will you continue engaging with this project
throughout the year? If so, how?
GS: This is a two-part exhibition. The next exhibit is a
response to this one. It’s called “Interwoven: Indigenous
Contemporary” and it’s being organized by USF’s MA
in Museum Studies Curatorial Practicum class. It's going
to bring contemporary Native American artists living in
California into the Gallery. I think we are going to learn
7
a lot about these different artist and what interests and
concerns them. This next exhibit takes us out of the realm
of traditional arts and shows us studio art and
contemporary voices. The spring exhibits in the Gallery
and K-Hall will be about the environment.
In some way, all the exhibits that are in the gallery this
year are very California focused. In the first two, we are
focusing on Native American culture, while the next two
are looking at the shorelines and water. Since basket
weaving is so linked with the environment, there is a subtle
cross over with all.
One of my challenges as someone who helps to present
culture on campus and connects with diverse community
groups is maintaining those relationships once the exhibits
end. That is a challenge for the gallery and something I am
always trying to explore.

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1
During the first week of September, performance artists,
Daniel B. Chavez and Dani D’Emilia were invited by the
Center for Latina/o Studies in the Americas (CELASA) to
perform their work “Inmiscuir” for the USF community.
Additionally, they were asked to facilitate a series of
activities on performance in Dr. Karina Hodoyan’s Gender
and Sexuality in Latinx Literature class.
In their first classroom visit, Daniel and Dani led an activity
where students and the professor werethe students and the
professor were asked to walk around the room and lock
eyes with one another. The participants paired up and stood
in front of their partner. They stared into each other's eyes
for intervals of five minutes, three minutes, and one minute.
Wanting to challenge the way in which we utilize our
bodies, Daniel and Dani told everyone not to look at the
person speaking.
For many, this was the first time they had ever done an
activity like this one. As one of the participants, I often
found myself unconsciously looking at the person speaking
and leading the activity. I also felt uncomfortable and very
vulnerable when locking eyes with my partners. In doing
this activity, I realized that our bodies are often taught to act
in certain ways depending on the social context. We often
utilize and valorize some body parts over others. Daniel and
Dani challenged us to think of our bodies outside of their
daily socialized functions, which later would be described
as the first steps to decolonizing the body.
Later in the week, Daniel and Dani were set to perform
“Inmiscuir” for the USF community. Inmiscuir is a Spanish
word that describes the action of placing a substance into
another one resulting in a mixture. The performance
defined it as “a temporally extended process in which we
critically and performativity work on the textures of our art-
life relationship.” The title of the performance became
visually present when Dani and Daniel alternatively
changed their clothes in front of their mirror as the other
“Inmiscuir”:
Decolonizing
the Body
2
read a poem pertaining to their gender identity. Dani went
first. She took off her clothes and stood naked in front of a
mirror. She put on a sequined shiny gold dress and black
leather military boots. She put on eyeliner and painted
facial hair on her chin. This act was very powerful because
they verbally and visually communicated that they did not
fully identify as fully masculine or feminine. They
conveyed that gender is fluid, ever changing -- a discovery
process. As a person who identifies as a cisgender
heterosexual female, I was greatly impacted by the
performance. Dani and Daniel offered me another
perspective for folks who do not conform to the gender
binary through a physical matter.
On the last day of their visit, Dani and Daniel led a
community activity. We left our books and pens in the
classroom and made our way to a parking lot. The class,
with their hands spread out, formed two parallel lines
constructing a runway. Dani and Daniel stood on opposite
ends of the community runway. The objective of the
activity was for one participant at a time to scream their
name and run with their eyes closed -- from one end of the
runway to the other opposite side. The role of everyone
forming the wall was to guide and protect the runner. Dani
launched the runner and Daniel caught them. Throughout
the activity many of us laughed, screamed, and felt
nervous. I personally felt scared and silly when I ran with
my eyes closed; however, once I made it to the other side, I
realized that I had a community that was there for me all
along. We repeated the activity a second time but this time
holding hands with a partner. The second time around I felt
less nervous. I appreciated this activity very much because
like real life, we often feel alone and afraid when we
navigate unfamiliar spaces; however, when we have a
community that is there to support guide us through that
process, it becomes a easier to navigate.
CELASA, October 2015