La Voz Mexicana and Alianza, two campus Latino/a groups, will celebrate Chicano History Week by hosting cultural events that aim to have students experience and learn about Chicano/a culture.
The collage of events that began Jan. 30 will continue through Feb. 13.
"A week wasn't really enough," said LSA senior Veronica Sanchez, an Alianza member.
A Chicano/a is a person of Mexican descent who is born in the United States, said LSA senior Diego Branal, co-chair of La Voz Mexicana.
He added that the name Chicano/a has "serious political connotations" because it "infers a belief of political activism."
But this week will focus mainly on cultural aspects of Chicano/a history - including art exhibits, storytelling, dances, performances and other social gatherings.
An art exhibit featuring work by Chicano artists began Jan. 30 in the Michigan Union Art Lounge and will continue through Feb. 13. A cultural dinner featuring traditional Mexican food has also been held.
The events are aimed to be more cultural than to promote student activism, said Nursing junior Raquel Casarez, secretary of La Voz Mexicana.
Alianza and La Voz Mexicana sent out e-mails, made banners and fliers, advertised in the Diag and held fundraisers to support the events.
"For some, it's bringing home life to the University, and others it's learning about their identity," Branal said.
Starting in mid-March, the Latino/a community will be celebrating Latino History Month. The month-long series of events is different from Chicano History Week because it will include all Latino/a peoples and not just people of Mexican descent.
La Voz Mexicana is working hard this year to incorporate other Latino/a campus groups during Latino History Month, Branal said.
Branal added that the groups are "Christening our place within the greater Latino community."
02-03-99
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