Syllabus – Latino/a/e/x Communities in the US

Department of Black and Latino Studies|Baruch College|CUNY| Spring 2023

Course: LTS 3100 Latinx Communities in the US

*I respond to emails from Monday to Thursday during regular working hours, 9:00 am-5:00 pm. The estimated time to respond is 1-2 days. *

Office (student) hours: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:20-12:20 pm or by appointment (Office 4-272). These designated times are to discuss any questions, needs, or concerns about the class. We can meet briefly if you have a quick question or schedule a more extended session if you need help with coursework or content.

Course blog: https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/latinxcommunities/

Class meets: Wednesdays from 2:30-3:45 pm at Baruch College, Vertical Building, Ninth Floor, Room 9-160 (B- Vert-9-160)

Weekly announcements: Mondays and Wednesdays

Institutional course description: This course examines the Latino presence in the US, from its origins in the sixteenth century to the present day. Through readings, lectures, film, research, and discussions, we will study the development of Latino communities throughout the US, their cultural expressions and traditions, and their contribution to American society. Other topics include language, individual and collective identity, media representation, migration patterns, and their increasing political and economic impact.

Course description for this section: Latinx Communities in the US is a vital class that delves into the rich and diverse experiences of Latinx individuals and communities in the United States. The course explores a variety of lenses, including history, culture, politics, and social justice. Engaging directly with the Black and Latino Studies Department’s “Afro-Latinidades” series and symposium this semester, students will have the opportunity to focus on the unique contributions and challenges Afro-Latinx communities face and gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of race and ethnicity in the US. Students will examine the lives, struggles, and joys of (Afr0) Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, Mexican, and Central American migrants through memoirs, personal essays, poetry, documentaries, and cinematic fiction. By examining these complementary narratives and themes, we will explore issues of (neo) colonialism, gender, sexuality, race, social class, migration, urban life, and access to citizenship, resources, and institutions. This class provides a chance to gain a new entry point of understanding US society and learn and grow, academically and personally, engaging with the world around you in a meaningful way.

Course objectives:

. Explore entries into US Latino/a/x communities, cultures, and identities while framing the fight for visibility, human rights, and artistic platforms in the U.S.

. Deepen knowledge of Latin Americans and Caribbean people’s cultural values, artistic manifestations, and history in New York City and the US.

. Demonstrate knowledge of the dynamics of colonialism, race, ethnicity, class, migration, and diasporic formations concerning the experience of Latinas/os/x,

while articulating experiences of resistance, racial, gender, and cultural affirmation in a transnational context.

Learning goals: Our focus is on studying (Afro) Latinx Communities in the US as we develop these learning goals:

.Using interdisciplinary research methods to build and support arguments addressing issues and ideas that center Latinx peoples’ experiences and community formations.

.Develop skills for research, enhanced analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Students will communicate ideas and arguments in written, oral, and digital forms.

.Practice ethnographic research and oral her/history to incorporate the points of view of family members, neighbors, and friends into a collective portrait of Latino/a/x communities and people.

.Evaluating issues of social, gender and racial justice using multi/transdisciplinary perspectives.

Student-centered pedagogy: The student-centered approach puts participants’ interests first by acknowledging their needs as central to the learning experience. Rather than designing the course from the professor’s perspective, it is designed from the learner’s perspective. Each student will select their learning path via an option-based pedagogy. This approach can lead to several benefits for students, including:

.Increased engagement, understanding, and retention: When students are allowed to take an active role in their learning, they are more likely to be interested and invested in what they are learning and thus understand the material better.

.Improved self-directed learning: Student-centered methods can also help students learn how to take responsibility for their learning, which is an essential skill for success in school, the job market, and life.

.More opportunities for differentiation: Student-centered methods often allow for more changes to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of individual students, which can help to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Statement on grades and assessments: Grades do not reflect the subjective character of learning nor societal issues of access and equity. Everybody learns in complex ways that grades usually cannot reflect. This course will focus on qualitative assessment. Qualitative assessment is motivated by understanding how people make meaning of and experience the sources they engage with. While you will get a final grade at the end of the semester, I will not be grading individual assignments but commenting and asking questions that engage your work instead.

Grade breakdown:

Close reading blog posts (3% x 9): 25% + 2% (extra-credit)

Class presentation: 5%

Midterm project + self-evaluation: 30%

Final project + self-evaluation: 30%

Attendance and participation: 10%

Self-evaluation: You will reflect critically on your learning (with specific questions and rubrics) and evaluate your midterm and final project. After interacting with your work, I will give you feedback on your midterm and, optionally, your final. I reserve the right to enter a debate with your self-assessment.

Grading:

93-100 A; 90-92 =A-; 87-89 =B+; 83-86 =B; 80-82 =B-; 77-79 = C+

73-76 = C; 70-72 = C-; 67-70 = D+; 63-66 = D; 60-62 = D-; <60 = F

Attendance: Students are encouraged to attend, be on time for all in-person meetings, and submit blog posts. After three absences, your standing in class could be affected. Please communicate your needs and concerns.

Statement on Covid-19: As determined by CUNY central, “for the Spring 2023 semester, students taking in-person or hybrid courses must be fully vaccinated when classes begin. Further, all students taking in-person or hybrid classes must upload proof of that status to CUNYfirst by ten (10) days before classes begin.”

Although mask-wearing is optional, protecting our community in and beyond the classroom should continue to be a priority. When using your mask during our time together, you are taking care not only of immunocompromised classmates but also of our extended circles and loved ones.

Assignments: Students will engage with the course objectives by doing these assignments:

Class presentation

Research and analyze an assigned source from the syllabus. Your class presentation is an opportunity for you to practice your communication skills. It should also demonstrate your ability to design an argument based on your close analysis of the text assigned for the day’s discussion. Present your breakdown orally using the following prompts (7-10 minutes). You are welcome to use slides, images, sound, or text to help visualize and engage the class.

.What ideas interest you the most from this writer, thinker, filmmaker, or artist?

.Analyze one specific section by your chosen author that best communicates what you identified in the question above.

.Discuss how the text or film’s structure enhances the author’s or filmmaker’s conceptual goals.

. Can you show any connection between what the author says or what the filmmaker presents and your personal experience? If this is not the case, can you establish any relationship to other works you have read/heard/seen (books, comics, plays, paintings, photographs, podcasts, music, movies, series, documentaries, etc.)?

*Ideally, all presentations will be group presentations, however, there is openness for individual presentations in case you prefer or need to work by yourself. After the presentation, you will respond to a post-presentation Q& A with the professor and classmates. *

Midterm interview project

Instructions:

1. Interview a Latina/o/x person. Document the interview in audio or written form. You will be asking five questions of your choosing based on these open categories:

. Upbringing and homeland

. Migration (if applicable) and cultural retention in the US.

. Life in community and neighborhood life

. Language and education

. Challenges in the US as a Latina/o/x person

2. Write or record an introduction presenting your subject and the connections you will explore between the person’s experiences and at least two sources discussed in the class.

3. Incorporate the interview.

4. After the interview, write a detailed reflection on the links and differences you found during your conversation with at least two sources discussed in the class during the first half of the semester.

Essay: 5-7 pages/ Double Space/ Times New Roman/ Font Size: 12)

Podcast: 10-12 minutes

Final photo essay project

Instructions

A personal photo essay in a Latinx neighborhood could focus on the daily lives and traditions of the community. It could include photos of families gathered for meals or other activities, children playing in the streets, and vendors selling diasporic goods at a local market. The essay could also highlight the colors and architecture of the neighborhood, as well as the sense of community and closeness among residents (via religion, sports, cultural or educational events). Additionally, it could showcase the challenges faced by the community such as gentrification, discrimination, or poverty. You could include organizing grassroots efforts to deal with those social issues.

The photo essay would give a glimpse into the richness and diversity of Latinx culture and experience in that enclave through a combination of candid shots and portraits. You will integrate the photos into a personal essay, a short work of autobiographical nonfiction characterized by a sense of intimacy. Your essay will relate to your observations, intimate thoughts, and experiences within that neighborhood. You will not simply offer a retelling of events or descriptions. Your photo essay should involve a learning process integrating a reflection on sources analyzed in the class.

Instructions:

Visit and take photographs in an NYC Latinx neighborhood.
Write a personal essay about the neighborhood incorporating photographs.

Follow these steps:

Paragraph 1: Introduce the neighborhood, your relationship or interest with it, and the connections to two sources discussed in the class. Summarize the main observations and ideas you will discuss in your photo essay.

Paragraphs 2, 3, and 4: Incorporate pictures. Choose, analyze, and narrate relevant moments in your neighborhood exploration and perhaps your life that illustrates your connections with the topic. Explain them in your own words. Use these general questions as guidance:

.Why do you think these images and experiences are essential? Why did you choose them to represent the neighborhood?

.How do they connect to two of the course’s sources and classroom discussions? Do you think what you observed and experienced matches what the author(s) presented in their work? How?

.You should present supporting evidence from the primary sources. You may also use secondary sources that you find during your research.

Paragraph 5: Re-state the main themes and intentions behind your narrative. How does doing this assignment allow you to understand yourself better and to have a more nuanced perspective of a Latina/o/x community? How did your discussion intervene in our more extensive conversations in class?

(5 pages/ Double Space/ Times New Roman/ Font Size: 12)

Statement on academic honesty: Learning involves pursuing openness and dialogue, which cannot be achieved by presenting someone else’s work as your own. Writing in college means taking part in a conversation with other scholars, writers, and thinkers. By using academic citations, you demonstrate the relationship between your ideas and those of others. On the other hand, plagiarism is the failure to prove that relationship. I want to hear your voices and read how you get involved in the dialogue. Part of your academic experience is to enter these conversations by learning different ways to engage with sources.

If questions remain, ask me. For the record, if you violate the precepts of academic honesty, you will receive a zero for the assignment.

Baruch College guides and resources

Statement on missing work: If you have concerns about assignment due dates or the use of technology, please, let me know ahead of time. I am ready to work with you. I will deduct the total percentage of missing work from your final grade. You are encouraged to email me or request a meeting for questions or further clarification of readings, audiovisual pieces, and assignments.

Course materials: I will try my best to find free versions of all the audiovisual works, but you may have to rent some of the films at some point. Regarding readings, all will be available on Blackboard as PDFs or links.

Languages: Although I will conduct the class in English if you feel more comfortable and/or want to work in either Spanish, Spanglish, Portuguese, or French, you may also write/create in any of these languages.

Are you looking for a Minor or Major? Make BLS your choice: The Department of Black and Latino Studies offers interdisciplinary, intersectional approaches to the study of the ideas, history, politics, literature, music, religions, cultures, economic and social contributions of people of African and Latin American descent, including the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Our courses practice critical thinking and analysis skills, advanced writing, communication, and research. They also engage in digital literacies, collaboration, and project management— essential workforce skills. The interdisciplinary structure of our courses also offers excellent preparation for graduate school and careers in education, law, business, public relations, marketing, journalism, the arts, and education.