Chicano Studies Key terms (midterm)

Settler Colonialism

A system of oppression based on genocide and colonialism that aims to displace Indigenous people of a colonized region and replace it with a new settler population. Settler Colonialism is pervasive (Class #6 Lecture).

Genocide

Systematic attempt to destroy a group of people based on their identity, often through violence, displacement, or cultural erasure. The Chumash Revolt of 1824 connects to genocide because it was a response to the Spanish mission system's attempt to destroy Chumash culture, religion, and autonomy. Discussed in lecture, it showed how forced labor, conversion, and violence amounted to cultural genocide. The revolt is important because it represents Indigenous resistance to colonial oppression and the fight to preserve identity and survival in the face of extermination.(Whitebear Indigenous feminisms. Resisting the Settler Gaze)

Settler Gaze

"Unlike reflective gazes, the settler gaze is a tool constructed by settlers in order to create a set of constructs that settlers, expansionists, and governmental agents used to maintain the imaginary of those subjected to settler colonial systems and the purpose of the settler."(Page 100 Whitebear Indigenous Feminisms) Basically the settler gaze is how settlers imagine indigenous people to be and how they are supposed to act. They wanted to uphold settler superiority.

Toypurina

Toypurina was known as a Tongva medicine woman, and was primarily known for her involvement with the uprising at Mission San Gabriel. She is best known for becoming one of the most reclaimed stories of resistance by Indigenous Californians, and is a testament to the counter-colonial intergenerational storytelling. She assumed a role of leadership and served as a diplomat between villages, garnering support of the people to rebel against the colonial settler forces that were taking over their land and resources. (Page 106 Whitebear Indigenous Feminisms).

Manifest Destiny

"War built on Manifest Destiny. White people feel it is their God-given right to rule from "sea to shining sea."(Lecture slides class 4) The westward expansions

U.S.-Mexico War

The U.S.-Mexico War was fought over territorial disputes following the annexation of Texas, resulting in Mexico losing half of its territory to the United states. The war culminated in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which reshaped North America's political and ethnic boundaries. U.S.-Mexico is significant because ir marked a major moment of U.S. settler expansion and the racialization of Mexicans as foreign in their own land

Operation Wetback

Operation Wetback was a U.S. campaign that deported over a million Mexican immigrants, many of them legal residents. In Chicano Studies, it shows how immigration policy and racism shaped the lives of Mexican American communities. The operation highlights the contradiction of needing Mexican labor while treating Mexican people as disposable.

1824 Chumash Revolt

This was a revolt that caused a massive uprising and burning of missions from Mission Santa Ines to La Purisima and to Mission Santa Barbara. This occurred as an act of resistance against colonization. Fighting the mission's control over the Chumash land and bodies. (Whitebear Indigenous feminisms. Resisting the Settler Gaze Page 104)

Mexican Repatriation/Mass Deportations (1930s)

During the depression, the vast majority of Americans struggled financially due to mass unemployment creating fears that immigrants were taking jobs that were made for American Cities. A series of government voluntary and involuntary deportations of Mexican/Americans in the range of millions to hundreds of thousands were carried out due to that fear of immigrants taking up jobs (Democracy Now). Because of a lack of due process, many American Citizens were forcibly deported to Mexico. Additionally, many men but also women and children were violently separated in this process.

Jaime Alanís García:

died fleeing an ICE raid in Ventura County July 2025. Fell from a 30ft roof of a greenhouse. (Lecture 1: What's going on? Chicanx Studies, History, Emotions, and and Social Movements) Raised questions about state violence and migrant precarity.

Carlos Roberto Montoya:

Laborer who was fleeing ice and died trying to escape, got hit by a car on the freeway after ICE officers were in the Home Depot parking lot. He was struck by a SUV on the 210 freeway on Aug 14. He was 52. (​​Class #5 Mexican Revolution, Mass Deportations)

ICE Raids Central Coast (July 2025):

ICE raids occurred in Ventura and SB county. In a Carpinteria marijuana nursery, 10 individuals were captured. The officers used flash bangs, smoke grenades, and rubber bullets and a protest formed soon after. (Santa Barbara Independent)

Gloria Anzaldúa (Arrebato):

According to Anzaldua, intense life shattering experiences cause a rupture/fragmentation of the heart, mind, and soul (el arrebato) that result in a state of being torn between multiple ways (nepantla). A Personal Journey Through Anzaldua's Seven Stages of Conocimiento | by Dee Kayalar

Latino Threat Narrative:

a form of narrative where someone encodes his or her language with perceptions of Latino immigrants being a threat to American society Cognitive and Emotional Outcomes of Latino Threat Narratives in News Media: An Exploratory Study | Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research.

Precarity:

The state of being insecure economically, or uncertain, a state of bare life.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo:

The treaty that ended the war between the US and Mexico. The Mexican government surrendered soon after the loss of the capital (Mexico city). Mexico ceded 55% of its territory to the US.

Indio Muerto/Hutash Street:

Street named "Dead Indian" in Spanish was set to change because it was very offensive. They will be changing it to Hutash which is a Chumash word. https://www.independent.com/2020/09/30/santa-barbaras-indio-muerto-street-to-be-changed/

Mexican Revolution:

The Mexican Revolution was on November 20, 1910. It was a decade long armed conflict from 1910-1920 that aimed to overthrow the long-standing dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz and address deep social, political and economic inequalities

Hijas de Cuauhtémoc:

The Hijas de Cuauhtémoc were two separate feminist organizations with the same name, one a revolutionary group in Mexico during the early 1900s and another Chicana feminist student newspaper from California in the 1970s.

Madison Grant (Passing of the Great Race):

In 1916, Grant published his racist text to justify Nordic superiority, influencing anti-Chicano immigration/restriction policies—key in UCSB Chicano Studies for analyzing white supremacist systems.

Lemon Grove Incident:

In Lemon Grove, CA, Mexican American parents sued a district segregating their kids; the win was the first Mexican American school desegregation victory.

Mendez v. Westminster:

Federal case that banned California's Mexican American school segregation, influencing Brown v. Board (U.S. Courts).

Sleepy Lagoon Case:

Wrongful conviction of 22 Chicanos for murder, overturned in 1944.

Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee (SLDC)

A group formed in 1942 to support the 22 young Latino men wrongfully accused of murder. The committee raised funds, highlighted the prosecutor's lack of evidence, and the judge and jury's bias. (Zoot-Suit)

Bracero Program

US and Mexico agreement that allowed Mexican men to work on US soil usually on railroads and in agriculture to make up for the lack of labor due to World War II which took place from 1942-1962. - Library of Congress

Ernesto Galarza

civil rights activist and labor organizer who played a key part in the Bracero Program by helping from the United Farm Workers of America

Harvest of Loneliness (film)

documentation of the Bracero Program, first-person narrative, and experiences from those closely related to the Braceros.

Tim Hernadez

author of All They Will Call You, his book becomes a documentation of the 1948 crash that caused 28 Mexicans to pass away.

Jose Sanchez Valdivia

had a dream of being a baseball player but that dream didn't become a reality, his expectation of the U.S was different then he expected. He actually wasn't supposed to be on the plane but he switched places with the other jose's cousin and ended up passing away in the plane crash. - All They Will Call You pg 84

Luis Miranda Cuevas

A bracero killed in the 1948 plane crash aimed to deport braceros back to Mexico after their contract was terminated. - All They Will Call You p. 27

Frank and Bobbie Atkinson

Pilot and flight attendant of the 1948 plane crash, they were married. Bobbie was pregnant at the time. - All They Will Call You

Deportee song (Woody Guthrie, Martin Hoffman, Pete Seeger)

Woody Guthrie wrote "deportee" poem (1948) and Martin Hoffman records it (1957)

Guadalupe Ramirez Lara :

Was one of the 28 deportees from the plane crash in Los Gatos, name changes to "Laura" not "Lara" He was originally from Guanajuato, Mexico but worked in California as a bracero. He left behind his wife and two children.

Ramon Paredes Gonzalez

The treasurer of the well building / city, worked in the haciendas for a while, 6 children and his wife Elisa, Guadalupe and Ramón both fought (and killed a man) to protect Charco de Pantoja when it was attempted to be taken by force, both go to El Norte to get money to build the well

Casimira Navarro Lopez

Girlfriend of Luis Miranda Cuevas. They had planned to get married once they reunite, but this unfortunately didn't happen due to the plane crash. She managed to move on and start a family with another man - All They Will Call You Documentary

Luisa Moreno

Latina labor and civil rights activist in the U.S. During the Great Depression and WW2. born into affluent family in Guatemala, communist party/labor organizer, part of El Congreso, eventually targeted by the FBI and returned to Guatemala first Latina vice president of a major union (Lecture 10/23)

Josefina Fierro de Bright

1st gen UCLA student, wanted to be a doctor, dropped out and became full time organizer with El Congreso (early civil rights and labor organization) (Lecture 10/23) focused on stopping deportations, labor rights, women's rights, ethnic studies, etc.

Emma Tenayuca:

American labor leader, union organizer, civil rights activist, and educator. Best recognized for leading the strike by pecan shelters in San Antonio in 1938. Devotes her years to teaching and helping migrant students learn to read. "Passion to empower people, passion to protect the poor". Handed out books for knowledge. Mark was made in people's hearts, not a statue.

Esperanza Quintero:

"Salt of the Earth" An uprising feminist housewife seeking change through activism. Faced sexism not just from their husband but from the miner union workers, but with the help of the other women in the community they were able to be heard. Although this didn't solve all of their problems, her unifying the women brought hope to their community. Strong example of the fight for intersectional justice, where her identity as a woman affects her on top of being a mexican.

Salt of the Earth Strike

wanted sanitation, increased safety on the job (not working alone). Saw a rise of woman activism and involvement in protests. It highlighted the need for unification in minority groups to succeed in reform.

"Salt of the Earth"

the actress was threatened with deportation during the making of the film. Eventually after the film was finished due to their constant threat the actress was forced to self-deport. The film itself was made during the Cold War.

Intersectional Justice

combating multiple forms of injustice at the same time. These forms of injustice may be centered around race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class. All these identities together form a unique intersectional situation an individual experiences. Combating these means that focusing on one form of injustice does not eradicate the effort left to fight for others. For example, Esperanza fought for equal sanitation for the mexicans living in her hometown, but she also continued to fight for women's voices at the same time.

Dolores Huerta

Co founder United Farm workers- activist

Intergenerational Activism

different generations coming together to activate for a better future. Describes a cause that is pursued by multiple generations of oppressed individuals in hopes of achieving their goals.

Paula Cristosomo

led a high school student protest to fight for better education for Mexicans in American schools; she was only 17 years old

Grassroots leadership and activism

a community of everyday citizens coming together and using marginalized voices to fight for a change. Rather than relying on change coming from the top aka. the federal government, grassroots leadership gets its power from the common people who experience the problems firsthand.

Sal Castro

Mexican American educator and activist; well known for his role in 1968 East LA high school walkouts ; series of protests against unfair/ unequal conditions in LAUSD schools. Was arrested for helping organize the walkouts but was later rehired at the school. Encouraged his students to speak spanish, taught mexican history, advocated for more mexican american history in the curriculum.

Counter-Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO)

program that protects against foreign espionage and sabotage, the FBI program COINTELPRO also sought to disrupt domestic political groups through illegal and controversial means Source: google. Active from 1956-1971. Some of their tactics were illegal and aimed to discredit chicano organizations. They deemed Chicano organizations as a threat to national security.

Brown Berets

The Brown Berets were a group of Mexican American students in East Los Angeles that formed in 1967 which reflected their affiliation with the Mexican American civil rights movement, La Raza. They advocated for social change and an end to discrimination towards Mexican Americans. Brown berets was their symbol which sported "La Causa" and crossed rifles. Source: EBSCO

Chicano Moratorium and Ruben Salazar

Was a series of anti vietnam war protests which were sparked by the disproportionate amount of chicanos dying on the front lines. Reporter Ruben Salazar was covering the protests when he was killed by getting hit in the head by a tear gas projectile. Source: Library of Congress

Gay Lesbian Latinos Unidos (GLLU):

The GLLU was established in 1981 a few years before the aids epidemic ravaged the community. It played an important role in advocating for lgbtq, racial, and sexual issues during the 80s and on, even having their own radio. At the dawn of the millennium the organization disbands due to differences and a changing environment. Source: GLLU Archives

Lydia Otero:

Chicanx/Latina historian and author of la interchanges. She is known for her work in marginalized communities. Otero's work helps us understand how history, memory, and place are connected in Chicano identity. In Intro to Chicano Studies, we learn to challenge dominant narratives and Otero's research is a powerful example of that. posted on Canvas under week 4 & 5.

Lesbians of Color

Was a group that Otero joined moving to LA in 1978, becoming one of the first such community-building organizations in the city. It is important because it represents the intersection of being both a woman of color and lesbian, and its story is central to the book's exploration of queer activism, social justice, and how marginalized communities are found in the city's history.

Critical Race Theory/Counter-storytelling

Critical Race Theory is a social movement that argues that race is not a biological feature of physical distinctions among humans, but rather a social construct created to oppress people of color. Source: Britannica Counter-Storytelling are real stories typically from poc (at least in this class) that tell the real stories about poc rather than the history we have been told. It highlights the real impact of poc and their contributions throughout history. Lecture 4

Unidad (film and newsletter):

Film/documentary required for class about Los Angeles first major Queer/Latin organization. Focuses on LGBTQ+ equality, feminist rights, and civil rights movement.

Bienestar

Organization focused on the support for Gay Latinos with AIDs Source: LA Interchanges

Coral Alonso and Emma de Paz - Coral Alonso

is a 27 year-old full time mariachi player who sees there is an art in music and protesting. She believes that "when you say a chant, it's an energy" (Alonso). She also highlights how the people "protest with a melody" (Alonso). Combining music with a positive message breaks barriers! Emma de Paz is a 58 year-old grandmother who was working a street vendor when she was detained by ICE on June 19th. Funds were raised by Community Power Collectors "to hire an immigration attorney and cover her rent payments while she was held at the Adelanto Detention Center" (LA Times). She was then released on Monday.

Corky Gonazlez/Yo Soy Joaquín (poem)

Poem reflecting on the Mexican American struggle for identity, economic justice, and cultural survival; the poem's narrator is representative of all Mexican Americans,