Reflexiones: Looking back and planning forward
As the 2011-12 academic year comes to a close it's a good time to think about our accomplishments and challenges. And what a year it's been! In honor of our 40th anniversary as the Midwest's first and (still!) only full-fledged free-standing Department of Chicano Studies, faculty and staff in the department, with the assistance of students and alumni, scheduled an ambitious year of programming and events. Last summer we selected the theme of Celebrating Our Past, Haciendo Nuestro Futuro, 1971-2011 to frame our year-long celebration of activities. We kicked off the year at El Grito collaborating with La Raza Student Cultural Center, who was also celebrating its 40th year. In addition to a panel discussion with some of the department's key founders, we took time to honor their roles as brave visionaries in advocating for the department's establishment, and we also held a memorial tribute to longtime faculty and chair Guillermo Rojas who passed away in 2011.
