Igniting Your Personal and Professional Growth

Describe one or two, specific learning experiences from your fellowship. In words, show us this experience and explain why it was powerful.

The most powerful experience was visiting the Tzotzil town of Chamula in Chiapas. We visited the Iglesia de San Juan, a church that showcases how the Tzotzil have blended Mayan and Spanish religious traditions since the conquest. Instead of pews, families were kneeling on the ground surrounding hundreds of candles and chanting, praying, and singing. Several families we saw were participating in a healing ceremony animal sacrifice was conducted!

What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn professionally?

Indigenous groups in Mexico have been oppressed for centuries and this is clear when looking at poverty, access to healthcare, levels of education etc. in highly indigenous areas in Oaxaca and Chiapas. Their stories too often go unheard when examining the history and culture of Mexico. We want to highlight the importance of indigenous subcultures within the dominant culture of Mexico and bring back inspiration for how marginalized communities maintain their culture and identity.

What were some unplanned or unexpected experiences or outcomes of your fellowship? Or, how did the fellowship you crafted differ from the actual learning experience?

Because our original grant was written a year and a half before the trip, many factors changed including availability of activities, cost of activities and airfare, and life occurrences, including a pregnancy. Nevertheless, we were able to pack a lot into the time we had. We learned about the wide variety of traditional Oaxacan food, visited Zapotec ruins, met with and learned from Zapotec artisans, took a Tzeltal language class, learned about religious syncretism in indigenous communities etc.

Impacting Your Classroom, School and Community

Outline specific plans you have to implement your fellowship and reach your student goals.

We will build a robust Latino Culture curriculum which focuses on identity, culture, art, community, and social issues. This curriculum would allow for the Latino Culture course to work on interdisciplinary projects and increase students’ knowledge and pride of indigenous craftsmanship, cuisine, folklore, and history.

What is one way you can leverage your fellowship to create one authentic learning experience for students? (e.g. hands-on learning, projects, community engagement)

We plan to create an interdisciplinary project between our Latino Culture Colloquium, students in our special education program, our art department and our library through a bilingual story time, and special events for parents. Our trip provided us with pictures, anecdotes, and most importantly, local perspectives and insights into our course units which will help students feel pride and connection with their heritage and engage with the material.

How, specifically, will your fellowship extend beyond your classroom? (e.g. families, school-at-large, afterschool groups, surrounding community, colleagues, etc.)

We have established contacts for our students to learn from, ask questions, and interact with digitally in an ongoing relationship with a nonprofit in Chiapas - Sueninos, and a nonprofit in the Puerto Vallarta region - Entre Amigos. Students will participate in language exchanges and cultural “intercambios,” as well as topics around dual identities and immigrant rights. We will also pursue our relationship with the Mexican Museum of Art in order to conduct an art and identity workshop.