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US Latinx Activism and Protests: From the Farm to the (Legislative) Table Art produced during the Chicanx Movement Abstract: In the midst of change, The Chicanx Movement was a monumental time for Mexican Americans in the United States during the late 1960s. The movement addressed the social, economic, and political inequalities experienced by Mexican Americans across the nation. Aimed to celebrate and acknowledge cultural pride and identity, the movement also sought to reclaim and celebrate Mexican and Mexican American history, art, and culture. The Chicanx Movement played a significant role in shaping the Latino identity and influencing subsequent social justice movements, and the artwork produced during this time allowed for many to voice their opinions on the political and social climate of the U.S during the time. LA Demonstrations During the Chicano Movement Abstract: The Chicano Movement was a movement that involved Mexican-Americans all over the United States and was a crucial component to establishing civil rights for Latinos. While Chicanos living in the United States were at the focal point of discrimination in society, they figured that it was best to come together and establish a sense of familiarity in order to combat these racial remarks and disadvantages. To spark attention to their cause and movement, many Chicanos participated in numerous demonstrations and while many were peaceful, many considered them as radical. By Steve, Lexi, and Ricardo Bracero Program In this project we will be analyzing a number of facets of the Bracero Program with a specific focus on the causes, on both sides of the border, which culminated in the agreement. Consequently, we will explore the historical context of the US and Mexico of the first half of the twentieth century, including the impact of the Mexican Revolution as well as the dire situation brought about by the second world war. By utilizing this basis we will then analyze the “migration aspect” entailed by the program, travel from Mexico to the US and various territories. Not only as an in depth look at the agreement, but also as a necessary foundation. One which will permit the Bracero Program to be positioned in history, while simultaneously deepening the exposition and understanding of a largely forgotten case of large-scale abuse and exploitation. We anticipate this will form the backbone of the examination of bracero experiences: first-hand accounts and testimonials.. By Fernando, Joy and Lizeth Guatemalan Genocide & Its Dark Truth This page will focus on the Guatemalan genocide, a period of brutal violence that brought tremendous adversity to those indigenous communities residing in the rural areas of Guatemala. It will provide details regarding the atrocities that the Mayan people experienced, the trauma that was left behind, and the hardships that they continue to face today. Furthermore, it will demonstrate how this heinous period of history fostered activism and social movements in Guatemala. By Paola Chavarria and & Aurora Nieves Chicano Farm Worker Movement In this project, we will be discussing about the Chicano Farm Worker Movement and how it brought change to not only farm workers but to society as a whole. We will be focused on the working conditions of farm workers prior and after the movement, notable or influential leaders, and the communities that were fueling the movement. By examining their struggles, successes, and legacy, we wanted to provide a better understanding of the process needed to advocate and bring forth social change for a marginalized group of people. Last, we wanted to remove stereotypes and other misconceptions about the movement in creating a more equitable society. Por: Justin Bui, Kristi Kang, Jenniffer Young Las "Brujas" Feministas: Magazines, Art, and Television This project intends to provide a comprehensive analysis of women's representation in different mediums such as art, television, and fanzines. In this way, the goal is to understand the gender stereotypes that women have had to overcome from a feminist perspective. Through this discussion, the hope is to amplify women's voices to promote inclusive and equitable representation in society. By Claudia Mejia, Janet Landa, Diana Andrade Walkouts and Protests in Los Angeles On our page, we will discuss the walkouts and protests that took place within schools and communities across Los Angeles. The school protests happened because Latino students wanted to see a change in the education system. Some of the changes Latino students wanted to see implemented were hiring more Chicano professors and administrators, having more Chicano Studies classes in higher education, and overall being treated better without discrimination or judgment. In the 1960s, high school students faced racism and discrimination, which included a lack of education and insufficient school buildings in comparison to those of white students in the area. Walkouts famously took place at Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles, where there was a large population of Latino students. In 1993, college students also faced a lack of Chicano education when budget cuts put the Chicano classes at UCLA at risk of being shut down. This led to a hunger strike, where UCLA students protested and ultimately helped to establish the UCLA César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o Studies. In the years leading up to 1965, Latino and Black communities also protested because they wanted to see a change in the way they were treated. The Black community finally had enough in 1965 and the Watts Riots happened, which in the end led to positive changes in their community. By Sydney Schwinger, Vanessa Harris, Jazmin Chavez

Women in Magazines

Fanzines have provided a forum for groups who are often marginalized, such as women. By dissecting the narratives presented in this medium, the aim is to shed light on the way that women are portrayed. One of the main fanzines that will be examined is "Brujas" by the Association for Women's Work and Research, which was published to contest gender stereotypes that perpetuate social inequality. By Claudia Mejia

The representation of women in publications plays a role in the construction of stereotypes and standards that prevail in society. It is worth noting that many magazines focus on exalting physical beauty; thus causing oppression to those women who do not meet these ideals imposed by a patriarchal society. However, throughout the years, feminists have raised their voices and resisted this oppression, emphasizing the importance of women's leadership and intellect to present an alternative to how they are valued in society.

Magazines that focus on promoting women's physical appearance encourage superficial and unrealistic standards. Among these are the five high-end women's magazines: Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Telva, and Vogue. These magazines portray beauty based on explicit facial and body parameters such as body shape, height, size, hair, and eye color (Saldaña et al., 30). Through these stereotypes, women become objects of admiration, and their worth is rooted in their appearance rather than their talents or identity. This perpetuates gender inequality in society in which women constantly feel pressured to meet and conform to these unattainable standards. Furthermore, beauty is often used as a benchmark to measure women's capabilities, and those who do not meet these standards are limited in their capacity to develop professionally and attain leadership roles.

For example, we can see in this Look magazine cover where the focal point is a fair-skinned woman wearing a long floral dress, while behind her are darker-skinned women wearing indigenous attire. On the bottom-right side of the cover, we see the message "Changing Guatemala through artisanal fashion," which raises questions about who or what has the power to change and reform society. This magazine cover implies that fashion can be a catalyst for change and facilitate transformations in political, social, and cultural spheres. However, the magazine is not nurturing this as a way of self-expression for every woman; instead, it is emphasizing the woman in the center, the one who conforms to beauty standards. This is even more evident by the fact that it is indigenous women in the background, strengthening the detrimental stereotypes that cause the erasure of certain women's experiences whose identities are less valued and thought of as deserving less visibility.

Feminist Portrayal

On the other hand, we can also examine the representation of women from a feminist perspective that aims to provide a space for the marginalized voices of women. In this way, the experiences of different women from diverse ethnicities and backgrounds can be amplified, challenging the stereotypes imposed by society. An example on how this has been achieved is through fanzines, such as "Brujas" by Asociación de Trabajo y Estudio de la Mujer (ATEM).

Through "Brujas", the ATM (Asociación de Trabajadoras del Mundo) sought to address issues such as sexual violence, women's labor rights, the expression of sexuality, and the organization of the feminist movement. According to the article "La revista Brujas, militancia feminista en democracia", this group of feminist women utilized different methods of organization to convey new feminist ideals through essays and bulletins on the feminist movement of the time to give voice to those who were often marginalized (Torricella). Through these narratives, the authors revived the concept of "brujas", symbolizing the first women subjected to violence who stood up for themselves and fought against societal's norms. At the same time, they were shedding light on the oppression women have endured for years, and they reclaimed the derogatory term as one reflective of women's empowerment and their determination to resist societal stereotypes.

Unlike fashion magazines, "Brujas" includes images to promote acceptance of all women. An example of this is the image on the right where we see the figure of a curvy naked woman and hairy body. This image serves to show that these feminists no longer feel the need to produce and propagate images that align with society's beauty standards, neither are they afraid to showcase women of different backgrounds and appearances while emphasizing their uniqueness.

Similarly, and more explicitly, in this image included in the March 1993 issue, we see a woman looking at her reflection in the mirror. In the first part of the image, the woman is portrayed as being dissatisfied with her appearance since she does not look like the beauty standards that society imposes on women, represented by the skinny woman that she sees in the mirror. Furthermore, in the second part of the image, the woman is erasing society's ideal and she is depicted as finally conforming to her appearance. This image fully represents the message of these feminists who emphasized the acceptance of all women regardless of their appearance or origins.

Other feminist magazines focus on promoting women participation in society, which is the case with Fempress by Instituto Latinoamericando de Estudios Transnacionales. This publication focuses on topics regarding women’s rights and social participation in Latin America. This image included in the 199 issue, calls for women’s perspectives to be taken into account in the three branches of government. The article that accompanies the image discusses a project that would allow women to be at least 30% of decision-making positions. In the image we see a group of women, even little girls, with posters stating “Luchamos por los derechos de la mujer” and “Mujeres Adelante”. By including a little girl, the message conveyed is that the fight for women's rights is also responsibility of the new generation. Overall, the image conveys the message that women have rights, including the right to participate in political matters regardless of what patriarchal societies may try to promote.

A more recent example of a women's magazine that gives a voice to women and their stories is “Volcánicas”. This magazine, according to its website, aims to commit to democracy to guarantee that each person enjoys their rights, thus going against the standards of the patriarchal society. In an article published on May 12, 2023, titled "La maternidad deseada es una lucha por nuestra humanidad", the magazine discusses the issue of abortion, a controversial topic in our contemporary society that affects many women. The article focuses on giving a new perspective as to why the right to abort should be respected and that the surrogate should be able to decide what to do with her body, especially since for years giving birth was seen as a means to a capitalist end.

For years we women have been told how to act, how to look and value has been imposed on us based on how much we resemble the stereotypes that society imposes on us. However, it is time to fight against this oppression of women, and it is with this purpose that feminist magazines such as "Brujas", "Fempress" and more recently "Volcánicas" give a voice to different women who have been marginalized.

Sources

Aesthetic and Anti-Ageing Magazine. (n.d.). Blog-botox. HuidAesthetic. http://www.huidaesthetic.com/magazine-articles/blog-botox-article1/

Asociación de Trabajo y Estudio de la Mujer (ATEM). (n.d.-b). Brujas. UCLA Library Digital Collections. https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/z17q2t57

Instituto Latinoamericano de Estudios Transnacionales. (n.d.-a). Mujer-Fempress. UCLA Library Digital Collections. https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/z1jh7qr7

Look Magazine. (2017, July 4). Look julio 2017. Issuu. https://issuu.com/lookmag/docs/lm_jul17

Ruiz-Navarro, C., & Robledo, V. M. (2023, May 13). La maternidad deseada es una lucha por nuestra humanidad. Volcánicas. https://volcanicas.com/maternidad-deseada/

Vega, S., Barredo, D., & Merchán, A. (2020). La Representación del Universo Femenino en las revistas femeninas de ... https://repositorio.ucam.edu/bitstream/handle/10952/5803/391-Texto%20del%20arti%CC%81culo-14141618-1-10-20201223.pdf?sequence=1

YouTube. (2016, September 23). Stay beautiful: Ugly truth in beauty magazines. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIIKTNPP5Ts&t=128s

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This project intends to provide a comprehensive analysis of women's representation in different mediums such as art, television, and fanzines. In this way, the goal is to understand the gender stereotypes that women have had to overcome from a feminist perspective. Through this discussion, the hope is to amplify women's voices to promote inclusive and equitable representation in society. By Claudia Mejia, Janet Landa, Diana Andrade
Contents of this path:
1. Women in Art When discussing women in art, the one iconic figure consistently representing Latin America throughout history has been Frida Kahlo. While it's important to recognize Kahlo as a renowned artist, it is also important to recognize those numerous other influential women in art who are not as equally celebrated. These women also deserve the recognition and ought to be acknowledged as representatives of Latin America alongside Frida. This page is a collection of various underrepresented Latin women who have used art to explore themes ranging from self-identity to social-political issues and activism, all while bringing attention to the unjust cultural and social standards of women in Latin America. By Janet Landa
2. Women in Magazines Fanzines have provided a forum for groups who are often marginalized, such as women. By dissecting the narratives presented in this medium, the aim is to shed light on the way that women are portrayed. One of the main fanzines that will be examined is "Brujas" by the Association for Women's Work and Research, which was published to contest gender stereotypes that perpetuate social inequality. By Claudia Mejia
3. Women in Television The portrayal of women in Latino television has changed throughout the years. While traditional gender norms and stereotypes have influenced the representation of women, there has been a transformation of this representation in which television and film has begun representing women in a different light. By embracing stronger protagonists and challenging stereotypes and beauty standards, latino television can play a strong role in transforming how latina women are seen in society. By Diana Andrade

Feminist Portrayal

Sources

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