Week One: ¿Latinidad? ¿Mestizaje?

MON, 5/10: Please complete the following “getting started” tasks by the end of the day, then please do go ahead and get started on the materials and initial forum post due tomorrow at 11:00 am:

TUES, 5/11 (ZOOM meeting, 11:30-12:15): All post to the “Initial Questions and Goals” forum by 11:00. (Responses to others optional but welcome!) FOCUS: (1) Elizabeth Blair, “What Do We Mean When We Talk about ‘Latino Art’?” (NPR, Nov. 25, 2013). (2) Harvest of Empire (2011), intro through 4:12 and Mexico section, 24:25-38:31 (18 min). (3) Marta Caminero-Santangelo, “Latinidad,” ch. 1 of The Routledge Companion to Latino/a Literature (2012). (4) Rafael Pérez-Torres, “Mestizaje,” ch. 2 of The Routledge Companion to Latino/a Literature (2012). (5) José Martí, “Our America” (1891; original “Nuestra América” available here). (6) Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzáles, “I Am Joaquín” (1967). (7) Aurora Levins Morales, “Child of the Americas” (1986), Boricuas, p. 79. (8) Judith Ortiz Cofer, “The Latin Deli” (1993), The Latin Deli, pp. 3-4.

WED, 5/12: Anzaldúa Discussion Forum, day one: Group A posts quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Group B responds in at least two A threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera, chs. 1-4 (pp. 19-73).

THURS, 5/13: Anzaldúa Discussion Forum, day two: Group B posts quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Group A responds in at least two B threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera, chs. 5-7 (pp. 75-113) plus these poems: “El sonavabitche” (pp. 146-151), “Interface” (pp. 170-174), “Letting Go” (pp. 186-188), “I Had to Go Down” (pp. 189-191), “that dark shining thing” (pp. 193-194), “Cihuatlyotl, Woman Alone” (p. 195), “To live in the borderlands means you” (pp. 216-217), and “No se raje, chicanita” (pp. 222-225).

FRI, 5/14: All submit weekly feedback (https://forms.gle/d7Mq56mNTGDzdmV96) and reflection (Ensayo #1) on this week’s materials and questions, by the end of the day, via this Google form: https://forms.gle/YPahPj2xQCyo9hwA6

Week Two: Ethnic vs. Immigrant?

MON, 5/17: Boricuas discussion forum, day one: Group A posts quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Group B responds in at least two A threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: (1) Harvest of Empire (2011), Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Dominican Republic sections, 4:12-11:40 and 38:32-54:37 (24 min). (2) William Luis, “Afro-Latino/a Literature and Identity,” ch. 3 of The Routledge Companion to Latino/a Literature (2012). (3) Julia de Burgos, “Ay Ay Ay for the Kinky Black Woman” (1938), Boricuas, pp. 80-81. (4) Piri Thomas, “Babylon for the Babylonians” (1967) and “The Konk” (1978), Boricuas, pp. 96-101, 126-131. (5) Esmeralda Santiago, “The American Invasion of Macún” (1993), Boricuas, pp. 159-177. (6) Rosario Morales, “Double Allegiance” (1986), Boricuas, pp. 74-76. (7) Judith Ortiz Cofer, “The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria” (1993), Boricuas, pp. 102-108. (8) Julia Alvarez, “Queens, 1963” (1995). (9) Elizabeth Acevedo, “Hair” (2014 perf.), “Afro-Latina” (2015 perf.), “Rat Ode” (2018 perf.).

TUES, 5/18 (ZOOM meeting, 11:30-12:15): Boricuas discussion forum, day two: Group B posts quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Group A responds in at least two B threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: (1) Juan Flores, “Life Off the Hyphen: Latino Literature and Nuyorican Traditions,” From Bomba to Hip-Hop: Puerto Rican Culture and Latino Identity (2000), pp. 167-188. (2) Abraham Rodriguez, Jr., “The Boy Without a Flag” (1992), Boricuas, pp. 30-46. (3) Selections by Nuyorican poets & others from Boricuas: Pedro Pietri, “Puerto Rican Obituary” (pp. 117-126 | audio) and “Monday Morning” (pp. 181-184); Miguel Algarín, “A Mongo Affair” (pp. 108-113) and “HIV” (pp. 304-307); Sandra María Esteves, “Here” (p. 3) and “It Is Raining Today” (pp. 19-20); Martita Morales, “The Sounds of Sixth Street” (pp. 8-11); Tato Laviera, “AmeRícan” (text | audio), “asimilao” (text) and “my graduation speech” (text); Willie Perdomo, “Nigger-Reecan Blues” (pp. 91-93 | audio); Mariposa Fernandez, “Ode to the Diasporican” (text | audio).

WED, 5/19: Menéndez discussion forum, day one: Group A posts quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Group B responds in at least two A threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: Ana Menéndez, In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd, pp. 1-102.

THURS, 5/20: Menéndez discussion forum, day two: Group B posts quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Group A responds in at least two B threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: Menéndez, In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd, pp. 103-229 (end).

FRI, 5/21: All submit weekly feedback (https://forms.gle/35ConnRaTpugNiJq6) and reflection (Ensayo #2) on this week’s materials and questions, by the end of the day, via this Google form: https://forms.gle/RgD4A6pv98UJkyPX8.

Week Three: Crossing Borders

MON, 5/24: Zamora & Martinez forum, day one: Group A posts quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Group B responds in at least two A threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: Harvest of Empire (2011), Central American sections, 11:41-24:24 and 54:38-1:18:46 (36 min.). Selections of poems by Javier Zamora: “[Immigration Headline]” (audio) | “Saguaros” | “El Salvador” | “The Pier of La Herradura” | “‘Don Chepe'” and “Kite Flying” | “Abuelita’s Garden” | “How I Learned to Walk” | “Alterations” | “Aubade” | “Let Me Try Again” | “Citizenship” | “Vows” | “Sonoran Song,” “To President-Elect,” and “Thoughts on the Anniversary of My Crossing the Sonoran Desert”

TUES, 5/25 (ZOOM meeting, 11:30-12:15): Zamora & Martinez forum, day two: Group B posts quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Group A responds in at least two B threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: Demetria Martinez, Mother Tongue, pp. 1-77.

WED, 5/26: Zamora & Martinez forum, day three: Sarah, Trinity, & Shelby post quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Everyone else responds to at least two of them by the end of the day. FOCUS: Martinez, Mother Tongue, pp. 79-194 (end).

THURS, 5/27: Urrea forum, day one: Anna, Hannah, Daniel, & Nick post quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Everyone else responds to at least two of them by the end of the day. FOCUS: Luis Alberto Urrea, Into the Beautiful North, pp. 1-84.

FRI, 5/28: All share weekly feedback (https://forms.gle/vo6YSsBU7usBEqHG8) and reflection (Ensayo #3) on this week’s materials and questions, by the end of the day, via this Google form: https://forms.gle/qyqHeYiEWi3QsiXQA.

Week Four: Intersections & Conclusions

MON, 5/31: Memorial Day. University closed!

TUES., 6/1 (ZOOM meeting, 11:30-12:15): Urrea forum, day two: Hailey, Storm, & Caroline post quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Everyone else responds in at least two B threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: Luis Alberto Urrea, Into the Beautiful North, pp. 85-258 (chapters 10-25).

WED, 6/2: Urrea forum, day three: Omar, Marissa, and McKenna post quotes, observations, and questions by 11:00. Everyone else responds in at least two A threads by the end of the day. FOCUS: Luis Alberto Urrea, Into the Beautiful North, pp. 259-338 (ch. 26 to the end).

THURS, 6/3: Final conferences (by Zoom). Sign up for a meeting using this linked Google appointments calendar.

FRI, 6/4: Final conferences (by Zoom), continued. DUE: Final Reflection (Ensayo #4), submitted by the end of the day via this Google form: https://forms.gle/FYJqBLwSkXX29UnK7.

** Grades to be posted by Tuesday, June 8. **