Today’s post was written by Siena Andrews, a senior at Loyola Marymount University majoring in African American studies, with a minor in journalism. Siena works on the outreach and engagement team at William H. Hannon Library.
The first Faculty Pub Night of the 2024-25 school year occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 17, which spotlighted William Perez and Rafael Vasquez’s book titled “Culturally Responsive Schooling for Indigenous Mexican Students.”
William Perez, Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University. His research focuses on multilingualism, civic engagement, and Mexican and Indigenous studies. He primarily focuses on the experience of Latinx students and works to spread awareness of the disparities they face in an academic setting. Rafael Vásquez is chief behavioral scientist at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and vice president of the board of directors for the Mixteco Indígena Community Organizing Project. His research consists of academic persistence, along with community engagement, diversity, and social justice development within youth identity. Together, Perez and Vasquez work to uplift the voices of Latinx students, specifically the Indigenous Mexican community, in order to raise awareness and create transformative change.
Perez addressed the concept of multilingualism and expressed that this is a topic not discussed enough in higher education. He introduced the concept of “language activism” and challenged the “hegemonic notion” that Mexico is monolingual and monocultural, which he explained is far from the truth. He gave an example of there being up to 68 Indigenous languages in Mexico, highlighting the diversity and lived experiences of members in Indigenous communities.
The book uncovers the understudied experience of multilingual students who speak one of these three languages: Zapotec, Mixtec, and P’urhépecha. With these students being underrepresented, it creates an unwelcoming environment where they don’t feel seen or understood.
Vasquez talked about the cultural and social aspects of identity and revealed the students’ understanding of their academic environment. He shared a poignant quote from one of the students: “We believe teachers don’t know about us.” Vasquez also touched on the discrimination some students face due to having darker skin or speaking with an accent.
The co-authors combat these notions by asserting that these languages should have the same influence as Spanish or English, and just because many don’t acknowledge these languages does not mean they are not valid. They pointed out that there is often an undercount of Indigenous students because they feel they should hide that aspect of themselves, and the only way these languages can be maintained is within the communities themselves.
Attendees at Pub Night were moved by the research conducted and asked questions regarding the support offered for Indigenous students. When speaking with a member in the audience, Brenda Rivera, an LMU alumna, she explained that this was her first Faculty Pub Night. She was in attendance because the topic is near and dear to her heart as it relates to her culture. One participant inquired about the resources being provided for the students to receive more support.
Perez spoke on the efforts that have already been put into action, such as liaison programs. He noted that students have begun to speak out about these imbalances to administration, but emphasized that this is a discussion that needs to be had with educators and policymakers. Overall, last Tuesday’s Pub Night was impactful and informative. Perez and Vasquez are taking significant strides to raise awareness for multilingualism and uplift the voices of Indigenous Mexican Students. Their work underscores the importance of culturally responsive education and the need for greater recognition of linguistic diversity in academic settings.
About Faculty Pub Night
Students, staff, faculty, alumni, and members of the public are all invited to the 2024-25 series of Faculty Pub Night at the William H. Hannon Library. Eight LMU professors are selected annually to discuss their latest publication or project in a comfortable setting and format that welcomes diverse perspectives for an inclusive conversation aimed to educate the entire community. All Faculty Pub Nights are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the library’s events page.
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