HISD Needs African American Studies Now—from Antonio Diaz of Nuestra Palabra

‌  ‌  ‌  Sign Up For Our Newsletter HISD Needs African American Studies NOW! HISD Needs African American Studies Now  Of course, the Librotraficantes want the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) to endorse African American Studies unanimously-the way Mexican American Studies was endorsed last year. But that is not enough.  That’s not enough because now the Texas Education Agency (TEA) which presides over the Texas SBOE has taken over the Houston Independent School District. So, they must also introduce African American Studies, as well as all the other components of cutting-edge and brilliant curriculum to Wheatley High School, which due to neglect from the state has failed to meet testing requirements for 7 years straight.  Additionally, we should not let the TX SBOE off the hook. Had they immediately endorsed and supported Mexican American Studies in 2012, when we first went to the Texas State Board of Education to demand it, the Texas education system would be vastly different. If Ethnic Studies had been extolled and supported and implemented in Texas public schools 7 years ago, HISD, and all the other public schools that are suffering would not be in this situation where our youth are failing standardized tests.  I know this because we paraded the evidence across the stage of the Texas State Board of Education for 6 years. We shared the evidence that our brothers and sisters developed in Arizona to prove that Ethnic Studies increased student performance, attendance, engagement and increased the graduation rate by double digits. All that evidence was created to overcome the 2012 banning of Ethnic Studies in Arizona.  Texas did not ban it, but the Republican led Texas State Board of Education did not make it easy on us. If you ask me, I can send you some of the essays, radio posts and tv interviews we did to make our case. However, every step of the way, we always made sure to demand that Mexican American Studies get approved, and we also included a path for African American, Native American, and Asian American Studies. Also, we were joined by African American, Native American, Asian, and Anglo allies along the way.  We are proud to see that African American Studies is poised to get passed. So, first, let me make this very clear. The Texas State Board of Education must pass African American Studies unanimously or we will be getting on busses again to drive from Austin to stand with our African American brothers and sisters and protest.  I know the TX SBOE will do the right thing. I appreciate that. Because that will make Texas the first state of the union to endorse both Mexican American Studies and African American Studies. But that is not enough.  Now that we are at this plateau of history, where Ethnic Studies is not controversial-in Texas The Texas State Board of Education must put African American Studies on the fast track to be implemented in Wheatley High School, first.  The Texas Education Agency has taken over HISD, so they can do what they want. They must do this. And then they must develop the infrastructure, material and teachers to spread it to all HISD schools. It must also do the same with Mexican American Studies. Since the Republican run TEA and SBOE run the entire HISD system, they are the only ones holding us all back.

#RepresentationMatters—Changing the Narrative about Mexicans and Latinx People-Nuestra Palabra, Houston, TX

‌  ‌  ‌  Sign Up For Our Newsletter Targets or Intellectuals? #Art4HHM       "Our Lives Depend on Art, History, and Culture."             The terrorist attack in El Paso is a very direct attack on our community.             I read the terrorist's manifesto. It regurgitates all the stereotypes being spread against us. And no matter what our community says or does-there are those who hate us for simply existing.             The fact mainstream media does not have a long list of Latino intellectuals, scholars, leaders to call is also part of the problem. We are not thought of as thinkers, as people.             That has to end. The work starts now.             This Hispanic Heritage Month we have to demand that our Art, Culture, and History be extolled. Our story must be told. Our existence depends on it.             * Every city and town must recognize our art and history. We are working on Texas. Send us news from other states.              * We will create report cards on how each Texas City and supports or thwarts our art, history and culture.             * We will unite to raise funds and support El Paso.             * We will create a list of experts in many areas for media to call on all year long on a wide array of topics.             * There must be profound observations of Hispanic Heritage Month.             * Mexican American Studies must be present in every school, especially community colleges and universities designated “Hispanic Serving Institutions” in Texas. They too must have Latinos, Latinx, Chicanos, and Chicanos in positions of leadership.             * Every major Texas city should have a state-of-the-art facility for Latino Art and Culture, and support and sustain legacy Latino art groups, who can in turn support the rising and future Latinx art groups.             This must be done all year long-from now on.       Houston’s Town hall to Save Our Culture #Art4HHM will take place       Wednesday, August 21, 2019, 6:30 pm – 8 PM,       at Talento Bilingue de Houston 333 S. Jensen, Houston, TX 77003       Email Tony@NuestraPalabra.org to rsvp. To read the rest of this essay, click here: Targets vs Intellectuals #ART4HHM Next installment, next Tuesday at 2: July 23, 2019. Previous installment: The Free Tuition Movement Part 2:  Community News: Lack of Support for Latino Art Only 7% of Arts Funding Goes to Latinx Art in Houston, Texas.  Activists Protest Whitney Museum Of American Art  Museums Need to Step Into  the Future They reflect the country’s widening inequality. Their trustees must help fix this. Activists Protest El Museo del Barrio-Staff and Exhibits Don't Reflect Community 2018 State Of Latinx Art In Houston The Latinx Art community hasn't been represented during the planning, negotiation, or decisions for the administration of arts funds. Community Cultural Events Read the Macondo Writers Anthology Listen via Livestream www.KPFT.org Today. Art vs Racism: Defying The Stereotypes that Drove the El PasoTerrorist.#ElPasoStrong #SaveOurCulture #Art4HHM #NPradio  6pm-7pm cst 90.1 FM KPFT Houston, TX Livestream: www.KPFT.org#NPonDemand  www.NuestraPalabra.org ( Call in line (713) 526-5738. ‬ Click to listen On Demand NP-on-Demand Radio  Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say (713) 867 - 8943 Info@NuestraPalabra.org www.NuestraPalabra.org Connect with us  ‌  ‌

Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say | P.O. Box 540181, Houston, TX 77254-0181

Celebrate 20 Years of Nuestra-Palabra—Latino Writers Having Their Say

Here is a shout out to Tony Diaz and Nuestra Palabra, celebrating their 20th Anniversary of existence out of Houston, Texas.  Congratulations, Tony, for doing the wonderful work that you do in the Houston community and beyond.  

Link to event on Facebook here. 

-Angela