El Día de los Muertos
El Día de los Muertos is the annual celebration of the Latin American tradition of All Souls Day. El Centro Chicano's recognition of this sacred Amerindian remembrance of the dead includes the creation of our own version of a traditional altar in the lounge with photos of deceased loved ones, food and drink, flowers, candles and other offerings to the spirits of those who have passed away. A program concludes the observance featuring Teatro Xicano, poetry, and music all performed by students and community members. The program is co-sponsored by various departments and student organizations on campus.
La Gran Posada
La Posada re-enacts Mary and Joseph's search for shelter before the birth of Jesus. Starting at Casa Zapata, the evening begins with piñatas and performances to live mariachi by El Ballet Folklórico de Stanford. A candlelit procession to several dorms on campus concludes with pan dulce, tamales, chocolate and the now famous cake walk, lotería and other games at El Centro Chicano with over 200 students, faculty, staff and community members. This program is co-sponsored by the MEChA Special Fee and others.
Cesar Chavez Commemoration
Look for the annual Cesar Chavez Commemoration late in winter or early spring quarter. The Chavez Commemoration is a tribute to the late founder and leader of the United Farm Workers whose tireless struggle on behalf of the farmworkers for decent wages and working conditions was an inspiration to us all. The program combines a cultural celebration with an art and essay contest for local junior high and high school students. Previous programs have featured performances and talks by renowned artistas/activistas including: Reverend Jesse L. Jackson; Lt. Governor of the State of California, Cruz Bustamante; Quetzal; Ozomatli; El Teatro Campesino; Luis Valdez; Culture Clash; Rosamaria Apodaca; Agustin Lira; and Dr. Loco's Rockin' Jalapeño Band.
Spring Concert
Spring Concert has typically been an annual celebration of Cinco de Mayo, a date perhaps best recognized in the U.S. as a time to celebrate the culture and experiences of Americans of Mexican ancestry, much as St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest, and the Chinese New Year are used to celebrate those of Irish, German, and Chinese ancestry, respectively. As such, many Americans, regardless of ethnic origins, observe the holiday. This year we hope to expand the focus on Mexican culture and extend to the greater Latino community at Stanford. The concert is a way to enrich our campus’ musical and social life, by inviting the campus community together in celebration of the music and performances by various groups within the Latino diaspora.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Partners for Academic Excellence Program
The Partners for Academic Excellence (PAE) program is an Expanded Advising Program (EAP) sponsored by the Undergraduate Advising Program (UAP) and staffed mainly by Chicano/Latino undergraduate and graduate students.
PAE offers freshmen assistance in order for them to be able to make a smooth transition into college by introducing resources to excel at Stanford. The program is structured to provide freshman students with bi-quarterly small group interactions, enable students to get to know faculty and directors of academic programs personally, develop a peer support network as well as mentorship by graduate students and upperclassmen, and meet key student service providers on campus. It accomplishes its mission through an integrated series of programs and events that guide freshmen through the Stanford labyrinth. PAE teaches freshmen how to succeed at Stanford. PAE has a proven track record of guiding students through the obstacles of their freshmen year so that they are better prepared for their subsequent years at Stanford.
Graduate Scholar in Residence Program
El Centro Chicano Graduate Scholar in Residence Program, established in 1998, is a yearly program aimed at fostering an intellectual community among Chicano/Latino graduate students and creating mentoring opportunities between graduate and undergraduate students. It provides graduate students from various disciplines with an excellent venue to exchange research ideas, network, and access valuable university resources. Each year, El Centro Chicano provides five doctoral students, in good standing (with Ph.D. candidancy), who are in their final year of dissertation writing with an office space for the entire academic year. In exchange, graduate scholars in residence will be expected to complete the following: 1) at least one public presentation of their dissertation work-in-progress and 2) attend all scholars dissertation presentations. Look for announcements via e-mail or stop by El Centro for a schedule of the quarter’s programs.
El Centro's Speaker Series
El Centro Chicano hosts informal discussions with Stanford faculty members and other invited guests regarding their research, recent publications, educational background, and the relationship of their work to the Chicano/Latino community. Talks take place throughout the school year, every other Wednesday at noon at El Centro Chicano. Visit our calendar of events or stop by El Centro to find out who is speaking this quarter.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Core Meetings
El Centro Chicano’s Core meetings serve as an open forum for student leaders to share information about their respective volunteers student organizations and Centro-sponsored activities, as well as student needs and concerns. The meetings help to ensure strong roots for community building, collaboration, and better working relations throughout the year among all Centro-housed organizations. It is a monthly assembly whose main functions include:
-- Information sharing and communication;-- Coordination of calendars for event planning;
-- Use of facilities;
-- Coming together as a community.
Student/Alumni Symposium
The Student/Alumni Symposium fosters and strengthens mentorship relationships between alumni and students. Through a keynote speaker and panel presentations and discussions, students have the opportunity to learn from alumni about life in the workplace, issues particular to various fields and profession, and ways to balance family life with community service and career. This annual winter event also provides students with the opportunity to network, learn about what it means to be a Stanford alumni and the many roles and responsibilities that come with that.
The LEAD Project:Leading through Education, Activism and Diversity
El Centro, in conjunction with the Black Community Services Center, and Asian American Activities Center will offer the LEAD Project; a leadership development program that is open to a limited number of students. Selected students participate in a two-quarter program that leads them to explore non-hierarchical leadership methods and complete a social change project of their chosing and design. The program begins with a retreat which explores the Social Change Model of leadership development with a particular emphasis on its applicability to issues of common concern among students of color and collaborative work. After the retreat, students work in small groups implementing the model by identifying common goals and organizing a community or university social change project. The LEAD Project begins in the fall quarter. Highest priority is given to frosh and sophomore applicants. For an application, or more information, contact El Centro Chicano.
Ernesto Galarza Lecture and Community Awards Banquet
In spring quarter join us to celebrate the academic, community service and other accomplishments of Stanford's Latino students, staff and faculty. The Porras Awards for Visionary Leadership, Rosaldo Award for Cultural Citizenship, and Galarza and Islas Prizes for graduate and undergraduate research are presented as well as individual recognition of students who have achieved outstanding GPAs. This banquet follows the Galarza Lecture which is given by a prominent Chicano/Latino policy-maker, scholar, artist and/or social activist.
