Autumn 2011

Volume XIX Number 1 Autumn 2011 A Community-Based Magazine About Latinos at Ohio State

Latino Students Help Grow Ohio Economy 驴Ser o No Ser Latino?

Identidad es la Cuesti贸n Blaxican Hip Hop and the Ideological Mosaic of Control Machete A Spotlight on Brazilian Buckeyes Global Gateway to Expand Teaching and Research Partnerships

Brazilian Slavery Films and the Social Identities of Spectators

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Change Typically Forecasts More Change

Esquina del Editor

By Christopher Gonzalez, Editor, ¿Que Pasa, OSU? and PhD Candidate, Department of English

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Besides winter, which can become tiresome very quickly, autumn really allows me to appreciate the Midwest. The stunning colors of fall, with its hues of pale gold and deep vermilion, remind me of nothing I experienced as a child growing up in west Texas and eastern New Mexico.

Before I moved to Columbus to pursue my doctorate in English, a friend of mine from northern Kentucky reassured me of the many positives the Midwest had to offer.

One positive in particular has not only proven true but has allowed me to appreciate my time here in central Ohio all the more. “You’ll have four distinct seasons,” he said. This seemingly banal observation is unremarkable to a native Midwesterner.

But I’m a flatlander from an area of the US known as the Llano Estacado, where we get a lot of summer replete with high winds, a few weeks of brown autumn, a few weeks of mostly dry winter, and about five days of spring’s refreshing temperatures. Being a flatlander, as Yolanda Zepeda humorously calls me, makes me especially sensitive to the seasonal changes that lie just around the corner here in Ohio. It makes me appreciate that no matter how good or bad things are at this moment, these moments are, after all, impermanent.

It seems that we have been drumming the beat of change for the last year here at ¿Qué Pasa, OSU?, and I believe that to be a good thing. We are told to avoid stagnant water while in survival situations. In the university setting (a survival situation in its own right), stasis tends to yield undesirable outcomes. The risk in moving beyond a comfort zone, of course, is the possibility of stumbling. Personally, I think that taking a risk which may yield a holistic improvement is worth taking. With this in mind, we continue breaking new ground at ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? We have retooled our website and added social media elements to further engage the Latina/o community at OSU. In addition, we have also added an electronic supplement to ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? that allows a voice for those written pieces that often cannot make it into the pages of the print edition due to a lack of space. We feel that the addition of these outlets for the exchange of ideas is a risk worth taking.

It is our wish that readers and contributors alike feel these aspects of ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? to be at their disposal.

Indeed, the autumn issue of ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? is always an exciting time. We officially have put the summer of 2011 behind us and welcomed both the new season and the new school year here at The Ohio State University. Students by now have settled into their classes, and are perhaps already looking forward to their first extended visit home during the Thanksgiving holidays.

But before we turn and look towards the holidays, we invite you appreciate the moment and read the excellent articles, profiles, interviews, and academic essays within this edition.

We are pleased to announce the theme of this issue of¿Qué Pasa, OSU?: Brazil, the largest nation in Latin America as well as one of the largest nations in the world.

Yet interestingly, Brazil is not often mentioned when Latino-themed issues are raised in the US. Audrey Nicklas, a recent alumna of OSU, examines this topic in her Spanish-language essay. FranciscoXavier Gómez Bellengé checks in on two former OSU students from Brazil, one-time advisees from the Fisher Graduate Latino Association. In our cover story, Richard Gordon discusses Brazilian slavery films and previews his forthcoming book on how these films might impact the spectators who view them. On the university level, our essay on the Global Gateways discusses the potential for a Global Gateway in Brazil. And in her photo essay, Emily Strouse introduces our readers to some of the most important connections OSU has to Brazil — OSU students from Brazil.

The remainder of our issue continues the exceptional articles ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? readers have come to expect. “Compassion for Others Pushes Dean to the Top of Her Field” and “Gearing Up for Law School” comprise our faculty and student profiles on Dean Cheryl Achterberg and Chakir’ Underdown, respectively. “Conversation with Success” features Aida Sabo, Vice President of Diversity/Inclusion at Cardinal Health. I had the privilege of being interviewed by Distinguished Humanities Professor Frederick Luis Aldama regarding

my teaching successes and philosophy, and I’m happy and humbled to see the interview in this issue. “A Report from the Field” entails the highlights of the Bridge Builders Forum intended to inform potential students and their families of college success and preparation. Ignacio Corona’s examination of Blaxican Hip Hop and the music group Control Machete reveals the transnational interconnections not only of commerce but of the music forms of hip hop. And in our second interview of this issue, PhD student and artist Theresa Rojas interviews Alex Loza on his work and studio. Our issue concludes with the food review of Fito’s Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken. ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? is pleased to be a part of the growing Latina/o community at OSU. We look forward to the inevitable changes that lay in our path as we aspire to continue to provide a voice for the diverse individuals who comprise our inspiring collective of students and staff, friends and faculty.

We welcome you to the autumn 2011 edition of ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? Paz, Christopher Gonzalez

Editor Christopher Gonzalez Designer & Photo Editor Emily Strouse

Volume XIX Number 1 Autumn 2011

Features

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On the Rewards of Teaching An Interview with Christopher Gonzalez

By Frederick Luis Aldama In Ohio's Best Interest Latino Students Help Grow Ohio Economy

By Francisco-Xavier Gómez-Bellengé Brazil Connection A Spotlight on Brazilian Buckeyes

By Emily Strouse Brasileños en los Estados Unidos ¿Ser o No Ser Latino? Identidad es la Cuestión

By Audrey Nicklas

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Cinema and Nationalism Brazilian Slavery Films and the Social Identities of Spectators

By Richard A. Gordon La Avanzada Regia Blaxican Hip Hop and the Ideological Mosaic of Control Machete

By Ignacio Corona Loza Studio & Atelier Interview with Alex Loza, Artist

By Theresa N. Rojas

Sections

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Esquina del Editor Change Typically Forecasts More Change

By Christopher Gonzalez Faculty Profile Cheryl Achterberg Compassion for Others Pushes Dean to the Top of her Field

By Christopher Gonzalez Student Profile Chakir’ Underdown Gearing Up for Law School

By Christopher Gonzalez In the Community Aida Sabo Conversation with Success

By Juan Hurtado

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A Report from the Field Creating a College-Going Culture among Ohio Hispanics

By Maria Sanchez Ohio State Strengthens Brazilian Ties Global Gateway to Expand Teaching and Research Partnerships By ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? Staff Summer 2011 Graduates

Editorial Board Jose Cabral, Chair Frederick Luis Aldama Francesca Amigo Normando Caban Jeff Cohen Ignacio Corona Andrea Doseff Francisco-Xavier Gómez-Bellengé Indra Leyva-Santiago Victor Mora Patricia Palominos-Dunaeff Abril Trigo Fernando Unzueta Yolanda Zepeda, Ex Officio

This publication is supported by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, through the auspices of the Hispanic Oversight Committee.

Issue production is a collaboration of the ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? Editorial Board and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

The Ohio State University is not responsible for the content and views of this publication. The publication does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the staff and Editorial Board.

All submissions for publications must include the name and phone number or e-mail address of those responsible for the submissions. ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? reserves the right to refuse any submission for publication.

For questions and inquiries, please contact quepasa@osu.edu Note: We use the term "Latinos" to represent both Latino and Latina.

Cover Artist Photo by Emily Strouse (All photos by Emily Strouse unless otherwise noted.)

Food Review Fito's Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken Come for the Chicken and Stay for Dessert A Bilingual Review by Theresa Rojas and Indra Leyva-Santiago

Announcements Introducing ¿QP? Online Now there are many ways to connect with us!

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Autumn Quarter 2011

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Cheryl Achterberg Compassion for Others Pushes Dean to the Top of her Field

Faculty Profile

By Christopher Gonzalez, Editor, ¿Que Pasa, OSU? and PhD Candidate, Department of English

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PHOTO PROVIdED BY Cheryl achterberg

“I was lost, I was poor, I was weary of the violence around me. I wanted to go somewhere far away.”

If one were to hear these words, there would be no small measure of dread in anticipating the story’s closure. It sounds like the stuff of drama, the narrative building blocks of a bildungsroman that takes us on a journey towards uncertain territory. But these words don’t come from a figment of some author’s imagination.

They are from Dr. Cheryl Achterberg, Dean of the College of Education and Human Ecology at OSU. “I grew up in California,” Achterberg recalls. “In my early years, I lived with my grandmother in Watts. Later on, I lived with my sisters and parents. We moved frequently. I can relate to all the characters in the movie, Mi Familia.” As she was always on the move, it was difficult for Achterberg to develop deep, meaningful friendships.

Her compassionate spirit found an outlet in helping animals in need. “My back yard was full of sick animals and animals that

others deserted. I tried to nurse them all and determined that I wanted to live a different life than my mother and the other women I observed.” A small scholarship allowed Achterberg to take the first small steps in pursuit of her goal to better herself.

Her passion for helping animals, which had motivated Achterberg to major in biology and later veterinary school, was thwarted by the gender bias of the program.

“I found out in my senior year that UC Davis wouldn't admit women to vet school and since they didn't admit out of state students either, no other vet school in the nation admitted Californians.”

Ultimately, Achterberg made what seems like a drastic move, literally: “I moved to Maine,” she says.

But still, within Achterberg there was always a need to help others. While in Maine she thought she might want to be a medical doctor, but later decided that she would take a different approach to keeping people healthy: she’d “work with people before they got to the E.R.” Though people generally complain that they “don’t have enough time,” Achterberg made no excuses. “I grew all of my own food, had a baby and over time finished a master's degree in Human Development at the University of Maine,” Achterberg says. Soon she realized that those she wanted to help most had no voice, in the sense that their words had no power in society. “In all my jobs, I worked with people in poverty. I eventually figured out that to have my voice heard, I needed some magical initials after my name. I needed to be called doctor.”

Achterberg says she was “fortunate” to be accepted into the PhD program at Cornell, the only university to which she applied. But unlike many academics who are happy to simply have a job in a tough

market after taking a PhD, Achterberg had bigger plans. “I went through the professorial ranks, directed a center and started an honors college where I got the chance to design undergraduate instruction the way I thought it should be done.” Her leadership skills naturally came to the fore, but there was one problem for Achterberg. “I didn't have a faculty. So, when the job of dean opened up at Iowa State, I went there. And when the job of dean opened up at OSU where there are so many more opportunities to make a difference, I came here.”

In her belief that education has the power to make a difference, Achterberg is unequivocal. In addition, Achterberg continues to draw on her own formative experiences and interactions with her community in terms of her current work.

“Latinas in my experience often hold back because of family and lack of support but professional women who can serve the Latina and larger community are greatly needed. In Columbus, I can serve a diverse community and children of all backgrounds and needs. They are all important to me.”

Achterberg is in a powerful leadership role that serves not only OSU, Columbus, or Ohio, but the US. “I recently served on the US Dietary Guidelines committee,” Achterberg says. “I often spoke up in terms of policy formulation for the concerns of low income families and for the unique needs and perspectives of those with different food patterns than the 'typical American.'

The Mexican American diet varies by generation but tends to be high in sugar and lard and low in Vitamin A. I always make my chili with carrots for that reason.” Of course, serving on such a committee for more than a year while performing the duties of Dean were immense, but Achterberg takes it in stride, epitomizing her leadership style: “I don't know how I managed except to say, when there is a chance to say ‘yes’ to doing good, it is best not to say ‘no.’”

For more information on Dr. Cheryl Achterberg and the College of Education and Human Ecology, please visit http://ehe.osu. edu/admin/dean/

Chakir’ Underdown Gearing Up for Law School

Chakir' and her sister, Shemaiah, enjoyed the Student Involvement Fair on September 19, 2011.

Some people are perfectly content to live their entire lives close to home. Others are just too dynamic of spirit to be tethered to such constraints. Chakir’ Underdown’s passion for travel is rooted in her childhood.

“I was born in Michigan,” she notes, “but I lived in five different states throughout my adolescence: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. It’s not a surprise that I love to travel, and I truly enjoy having a diverse background due to this.” Chakir’s travels have, for the moment, allowed her to spend some time at OSU as she works tenaciously to complete an MA in Latin American Studies with a GIS in Latino Studies.

Like many students, Chakir’ has enjoyed the rollercoaster ups and downs of her time at OSU. “My OSU experience has been amazing, yet I would be naïve to overlook the challenges I have overcome while a student here,” she reflects. Initially, one of Chakir’s greatest challenges at Ohio State, as she puts it, “was trying to find my way, both from a personal and an academic standpoint, one which I overcame by embracing the diversity of the university and the opportunities for career growth.”

Noting her valuable relationship to her advisors and mentors, Chakir’ has flourished

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under the strength of their guidance. As a L.A.S.E.R Mentor, Chakir’ currently provides undergraduates with invaluable mentorship during their transition into graduate school. Chakir’ is a firm believer in mentorship, citing it as “an integral part of my academic success, providing me with the needed support to keep pushing forward and to accomplish my goals.”

Taking the fruits of the lessons learned from mentors and advisors, as well as being inspired by her father (who received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania), Chakir’ has pushed herself toward a career in law. Upon the completion of her master’s degree in spring 2012, Chakir’ will make the transition to law school. “I think I am a glutton for punishment,” she jokes. “From imagining myself arguing in front of the court, like the DAs on Law and Order, to helping my friends navigate various institutional systems, collegiate, governmental or otherwise, my passion for helping others and debating an issue has only grown since my years in Philadelphia. After completing my law studies, I would like to work with either family or criminal law sectors, focusing on aiding minority groups and using my language and cultural awareness skills to their fullest each day.”

For now, Chakir’ continues her work on all things Brazil. “I truly enjoy studying Brazil, especially analyzing racialized and gendered Brazilian identity in film,” she admits. Her research interests have taken Chakir’ to Brazil, where she participated in a study abroad program through the University of Florida, consisting of six weeks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “It was an amazing experience,” she asserts, “because I was able to connect with brasileiros of all ages and ‘races,’ a highly polemic term there; the culture courses during the program also allowed me to understand and analyze more Brazilian films and musical artists. I now have a new love for forro, and Pessanha, one of the authors of The Brazilian Sound helped give me tools to dissect music used in the various Brazilian films I have studied in my graduate courses.”

One could hardly achieve such successes without a large measure of encouragement, and Chakir’ notes the motivation she

gets from both students and family: “I have also been inspired by the students whom I have tutored while at Ohio State; they constantly remind me of why the pursuit of knowledge is valuable and that learning is a two-way street.” Above it all, Chakir’ draws inspiration from her family, especially her sister Mia. “Watching her strive to be the best in her academic life, witnessing her achieve her personal goals, and learning from her positive attitude towards life have helped me to become a better person,” Chakir’ acknowledges. “Of course, both of us humbly thank our parents, to whom we are forever indebted for all of the hard work and sacrifices they have made to raise us.” Though, Chakir’ playfully concedes, “My father is an alum of both Purdue and Michigan, so it was completely ironic that I applied to THE Ohio State University for my undergraduate career, but I am extremely happy with my ‘enemy’ decision.” While some autumn Saturdays might bring about interesting dinner conversation between Chakir’ and her father, such rivalries are relegated to playful banter when she discusses her father’s career. “The company my father works for is stationed in Cleveland, where four films are currently being shot; one of them is The Avengers. I must say that it is very exciting to hear him return from work with stories of chatting with the stars of the film, and I watched his office building being blown up for one of the action scenes.

Pretty cool stuff.”

Indeed, Chakir’ Underdown is doing some pretty cool stuff of her own. As she nears a significant moment in her career, she takes a moment to reflect. “The connections that I have made with fellow students, faculty, and staff here have been life-changing, thus I wish to continue to foster my learning and connections to the Latin American and Latino/a communities at OSU. Now well into my graduate studies, I definitely feel that I am doing more to capitalize on the myriad of opportunities for growth available to me.” While her experiences may have already taken her through Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio, Chakir’s travels have seemingly only begun.

Autumn Quarter 2011

Student Profile

By Christopher Gonzalez, Editor, ¿Que Pasa, OSU? and PhD Candidate, Department of English

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Aida Sabo Conversation with Success

In the Community

By Juan Hurtado, Real Estate and Urban Analysis, Fisher College of Business

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PHOTO PROVIdED BY AIDA SABO

Aida Sabo currently serves as the Vice President of Diversity/Inclusion at Cardinal Health, where she is responsible for deploying world-class diversity and inclusion strategies that support an organizational culture that embraces and leverages diversity and inclusion.

I had the opportunity to meet Aida over dinner and discuss how she attained success in life and in business as a Hispanic in the United States. Aida was born in Michoacán, Mexico. Her family immigrated to Silicon Valley (California) in search of opportunity and the American Dream.

Aida is a very hard-working woman. She enjoys her job and she works hard every day. Aida received her Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science at the University of California Davis.

After receiving her degree she went to work for Hewlett Packard for sixteen years. She did fascinating work while at Hewlett Packard, such as designing and installing various outdoor antenna ranges including one at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.

Ms. Sabo was later offered an interview with EMC, a leading IT Storage company, in Boston. Aida flew out to Boston along with her son for the interview.

She had to make sure her children would be comfortable living there.

She impressed the people at EMC and landed the position of Chief Diversity Officer. At EMC, she developed a formal 3-year diversity strategy and played a key role in developing a Work Life program. These initiatives were widely recognized by national organizations.

Five years later she came to Columbus to work with Cardinal Health. She has been at Cardinal Health for over three years now, developing diversity/inclusion strategy and supporting senior management lead these efforts. “What I think is different here is that we are involving the senior leaders of this company to create, support, and lead this wonderful work. They have passion and are helping cascade the message throughout the company," said Aida. She is particularly excited about a Managing Inclusion course she brought to Cardinal Health; “This course has created tremendous cultural change employees

love this course it is rated the best course in the company. We have trained over 5,000 employees and managers over the past two and a half years.” Aida enjoys being able to help people and doing it on a large scale. She saw the opportunity at Cardinal Health and seized it.

Helping people and being able to do large-scale changes to improve people’s lives is what drives Aida Sabo. She has made a huge impact in California as well as in Boston and now Columbus. To Aida, diversity is part of innovation. Her job is to connect it and improve the inner functioning of the company she is working for. She has personally seen diversity and inclusion increase at Cardinal Health in the past three years. She believes everyone deserves an opportunity to further themselves and reach their aspirations.

Like most Hispanic women, Aida is very family oriented. In fact, the most important aspect thing in Aida’s life is her family.

She wants to make sure she is doing the right thing with her children, “to make sure they are the best people they can be."

Aida has a daughter and son. Her son is 19 and is an undergraduate at Penn State University. Her daughter is an engineer who is about to start studying at Harvard Business School. For Aida, “education is freedom." With education one can choose where to send one’s children to school, where to live, where to vacation, where to go out for dinner.

Aida has come a long way from being a little girl in Michoacán yet she still sees herself as that little girl. Some of her favorite hobbies are swimming, running, and biking. When the weather cooperates, she will even do them all in one evening.

She is a successful corporate woman and a mother. She wants her legacy to be her children. Her children are her biggest life aspirations and she wants them to be “the best people they can possibly be, to be leaders and make this world a better place." With a combination of hard work, perseverance, and education, anything is possible. Aida Sabo is an inspiration to the Hispanic community across the United States.

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Ohio State Observes Hispanic Heritage Month Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18. Observance began on September 15, 1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed National Hispanic Heritage Week. It was expanded in 1988 to include a 30-day, month long period.

OSU events celebrating Hispanic culture, traditions and accomplishments Couch Project: documenting individual voices of immigration L.A.S.E.R. Lecture Series: “New Horizons in the Study of Cultural Phenomena of the Americas” Ohio Hispanic Business Summit Lambda Theta Phi presents: Altares Nuestros Talentos Student Performances Presents: "Donde Hay Vida, There is Art" L.A.S.E.R. Lecture Series: “US/Mexico andMexico/ US Migration Narratives” "Immigration: What's at Stake?" Fall 2011 COMPAS Conference L.A.S.E.R. Lecture Series: “Relocating Aztlan” L.A.S.E.R. Lecture Series: “Americanicity” Visit mcc.osu.edu to learn more!

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Nuestros Talentos Student Performances Presents: "Donde Hay Vida, There is Art"

Autumn Quarter 2011

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On the Rewards of Teaching An Interview with Christopher Gonzalez

By Frederick Luis Aldama, PhD, Arts and Humanities Distinguished Professor of English instructor-developed themes that even I would feel uncomfortable with, mainly because I have no experience or interest in them. If that happens, how can I expect a student to have an investment in the class assignments?

¿Qué Pasa, OSU? Editor Christopher Gonzalez received the prestigious English Department Award for Excellence in Teaching by a First-Year GTA this year. He discussed his ideas about teaching and scholarship with Professor Frederick Aldama.

F.L.A.: First, it’s a great delight and honor to interview you. I think you are well on your way to redrawing the discipline of Latino literary studies.

C.G.: That’s very kind of you to say, especially coming from such a distinguished scholar as yourself.

F.L.A: When did you begin teaching?

C.G.: My experience with what we generally think of as classroom teaching began in 2003. I accepted a position teaching 11th grade English at Forney High School in Forney, Texas, not far from Dallas. For nearly four years before I became a high school English teacher, I was a collegiate-level assistant coach (track and field; strength and conditioning) at Sam Houston State

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University and the University of North Texas. Many of the teaching principles that I continue to adhere to were forged in my experiences in coaching. What unites a good teacher and an effective coach is that both see themselves as mentors individuals who are truly invested in seeing a mentee develop a specialized skill. In teaching, there is an emotional investment as well that goes beyond scores on a state-level exam required to graduate. I think you find this mindset in all effective teachers. It’s what I strive to do in my own teaching.

F.L.A.: This summer you are teaching the first-year writing course “The Rhetoric of Relationships.”

C.G.: True. I had taught earlier versions of this course under the theme of the family dynamic. I decided to change it to expand to the concept of the relationship. I strive for a wide-reaching theme that allows students of all backgrounds to be able to gain purchase into the class and not feel somewhat alienated. There are some

F.L.A.: Relationships are everywhere. How do you delimit this area of inquiry in the classroom?

C.G.: Relationships are everywhere indeed. My class knows going in that relationships encompass nearly every aspect of our lives. In our readings we see a variety of relationships in play. Students are encouraged to pursue an avenue of research (in terms of relationships) that they are intrinsically motivated by. If I restricted the idea of relationships to romantic relationships, for example, some of my students might not express any interest in this topic. They might be interested in the military, though. So if I expand my topic to a more inclusive state of relationships, I allow the students to follow the path that strikes their fancy. And since this is a course that is concerned with analytical forms of writing, I want them to be so interested in their topic that I know I will get their best writing efforts.

F.L.A.: Do you consider relationships to be foundational to all our forms of behavior? How might this express itself in the fiction you have your students read and analyze?

C.G.: Great questions here. I think it’s easy to argue that our relationships form the basis for many of our actions throughout our lives. Whether I have my father in my life or not will yield two very different possibilities for how I conduct my life. But we are affected even by other humans we hardly know. Consider the phenomenon of “road rage,” where some people act in irrational, often violent, ways simply because of a perceived offense by another driver. Our

entire day can be “ruined” because we were disrespected. But consider how we can be moved by an act of kindness. We are often defined, fairly or not, by our relationships.

The selections of fiction we read in our class highlight these human interactions.

For instance, Edwidge Danticat’s story “Night Women” is narrated by a young Haitian woman who has sex with men for money. This woman has a young son who is ever in proximity to his mother’s sexual act with a strange man because they live in such a small space. The salient relationship here is the mother/son dynamic, but the socioeconomic realities always threaten to impinge on their delicate balance. The mother knows that the white lies she tells her son to explain the presence of men in their home will lose their power in time.

Now, in our discussions, students struggle with the ethics of Danticat’s story. They thought it was wrong for the narrator to have sex with men for money, and further, to do business with her son so close. But they also understood the mother’s devotion to her son and the necessity of a source of income. It yielded a great discussion, and we saw how our relationships often influence our behavior as well as our decision making.

F.L.A.: How do you guide your students to become better writers and thinkers in your teaching?

C.G.: There are two things that I stress over and over in class. First, no one writes perfectly (whatever that means). Second, even the best writers revise. So what I emphasize in my comments to students is that good writing is not happenstance.

Many students feel that just because they wrote an excellent paper once they will be able to duplicate this result again and again. I show them that there are steps to take when writing that are conducive to producing a superior paper. Above all, I want student to be self-reflexive when they write. I want them to be aware of what they are doing and why they are making the decisions they are making. As for showing students how to become better thinkers, I think students are very good at emulating something when they see it. So, I model again and again how to ask questions and how not to give up because you have come up with one answer. Finally, I comment extensively on their writing assignments.

Not only do I point out areas that are either problematic or successful, I am careful to explain why it is so. Students really respond well to copious comments on their papers.

F.L.A.: What seems to get your students most excited?

C.G.: I think any opportunity for selfexpression really invigorates students. This excitement may be instigated by many things. It could be the result of a question I have posed in class, a writing assignment where they are asked to express a strongly-felt opinion, or perhaps even a creative assignment. When I taught high school English I would often have students use visual art to demonstrate their understanding of a text. Several years I had my classes recreate a life-sized model of Frankenstein’s Monster! Even now my former students still remember what we discussed during that particular project.

They loved it! Or sometimes I would have students adapt a short story into something like a graphic narrative or comic. My point is that every student has an opinion. Now, for some reason some student don’t want to share their opinion perhaps out of fear of somehow being “wrong” or some such thing. But when pushed to it, students have very strong opinions. When a teacher can get students to tap into that energy, that’s when some pretty amazing things happen in the classroom.

F.L.A.: Do you think your work in other capacities such as a LASER Mentor might cross-pollinate with your classroom teaching?

C.G.: I mentioned earlier that I thought great teaching was actually more akin to mentoring. I truly believe that. Consider what a mentor does. A mentor works with a mentee and guides the mentee through an unknown process. Or at least a process as yet unknown to the mentee. But there is a personal relationship between mentors and mentees. The mentor has a true desire to see the mentee succeed. The same should be said of teachers. Teachers often have an image problem. They are often thought of as teaching to the group and churning out clones who can pass the same test. Granted, some teachers may operate in this fashion. But the successful teachers I have worked with and learned from teach individuated yet differentiated instruction.

In other words, all of the learners in a classroom are diverse and have differing capacities and talents. Why should we expect all of them to learn the same way? My mentoring is a reflection of how I interact with my students, and vice versa.

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F.L.A.: How might your experiences as a Latino inform your pedagogy?

C.G.: I’m glad you asked this question.

You know, I’ve been speaking about how learners are individuals and come from different backgrounds. Imagine the surprise of many of my Latino high school students when they discovered their English teacher was a Latino. Now, you’ll find that male high school English teachers are rare. A male high school English teacher that is Latino is even rarer! My experiences as a Latino have made me hypersensitive to the minority in the classroom whether that be an economic minority, gender minority, ethnic minority, and so on. I know what it is like to belong to the outgroup. I know what it feels like to feel like you don’t truly belong with the rest of your class. I am always looking for ways to validate varied backgrounds and experiences not just during my office hours but in front of the class! Being validated in front of your peers is a wonderfully edifying experience. There are some students who have never had this experience before. I never want one of my students to feel as if he or she did not have any business in my class.

F.L.A.: You received the prestigious English Department Award for Excellence in Teaching by a First-Year GTA. What’s your sense of what got you this?

C.G.: This award is a great honor, one that I truly cherish. The First-Year Writing Program stresses the teaching persona of its instructors. For many instructors, this takes time to develop. But I had a secret advantage was a high school teacher for seven years. I had all that time to learn how to be effective in the classroom. When I was observed, the first question my observer asked me in our subsequent discussion was whether I had taught prior to this year. He could tell that I had an ease about me in the class, and that students were comfortable to ask me clarifying questions. I would also say that my students, in their evaluations of me, emphasized my willingness to help them out by meeting with them on an individual basis, replying promptly to emails, and showing an overall interest in their success. A teacher can’t fake interest or concern for his or her students. Fortunately, I tend to have that in spades.

For a full-length version of this article, please visit ¿QP? online.

Autumn Quarter 2011

9

In Ohio's Best Interest Latino Students Help Grow Ohio Economy

PHOTO PROVIdED BY Jorge concha

By Francisco-Xavier Gómez-Bellengé, Associate to the Dean, Fisher College of Business

In fall 2010, Ohio State enrolled 4,940 international students, up 16.6% from the previous year. They represented 7.7% of OSU students on all campuses. In keeping with the Brazil theme of this issue of ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? I decided to check on two of my former advisees from the Fisher Graduate Latino Association. Both Gustavo Wille and Jorge Concha earned MBAs from Fisher College of Business in 2010 and both settled in Ohio after graduation.

Gustavo Wille is from Brazil and like many of his countrymen, is polyglot, funloving and globe-trotting. He accepted an offer from R&M Materials Handling, based in Springfield, Ohio. Established in 1929, their hoist products and services are distributed by a network of independently owned and operated businesses. This wide network includes crane and hoist builders, crane and hoist service companies, industrial distributors and other material handling and hoist equipment manufacturers and distributors. R&M's distribution

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network extends from Canada to Chile and includes Mexico, Brazil and indeed all of Latin America.

Gustavo was hired to help grow the firm’s Brazil and Latin American markets.

The company’s goal is to be one of the largest suppliers in the quality segment of the hoist and crane industry in Brazil and Latin America as a whole. They believe they offer one of the best values in their industry. By this they mean not only the tangible attributes of their product, which they consider the best in the industry, but also the quality of their people and services, which they provide through their Export, Marketing, Training, IT, and Sales departments.

Achieving this goal is no easy task.

“Communications is always a vital aspect of conducting business, but even more so when you are operating in foreign countries with varying languages, customs and business practices,” comments Jim Vandegrift, President of R&M Materials

Handling, Inc. “We have been very successful in recruiting and attracting bilingual associates into our organization. In the case of Gustavo Wille, one of several OSU graduates within our Springfield, OH based company, he possesses multi-lingual skills in Portuguese, Spanish and English as well as a vast understanding of his native country, Brazil. It would be impossible for R&M to function and succeed within the Latin American markets without these skill sets within our organization. We are fortunate that institutions such as OSU attract, educate and place such highly qualified human resources into our local labor force.”

"My background as a Fisher MBA has given me a broader understanding of the challenges R&M customers face each day; from market size, local competition and legal issues associated with importations. To be able to understand their situation is important. On any given day it's not uncommon for me to have contact with clients from all areas; I communicate

with English, Portuguese, Spanish and French-speaking clients on a regular basis.

While other markets have experienced a fluctuating economy in recent years, the Brazilian economy has remained steady.

Through ongoing internal market development, Brazil has been able to shield itself from the global crisis of 2009. R&M's presence in the Brazilian market is strong and the Brazilian market is a priority in our business plan. We foresee steady growth in the upcoming years," said Gustavo.

Many economists expect Brazil will continue to grow at a very fast pace for the next five years and beyond. Brazil has long been considered a country of the future and it appears that the future is now. Growing countries tend to increase their imports. Conversely, exports are important for the Ohio economy. As recently as 2008, Brazil accounted for 4.3% of all Ohio exports for a value of nearly 2 billion dollars. In fact, Brazil is the sixth largest recipient of Ohio exports, second only to Mexico among all Latin American countries.

In 2008, Ohio exported more than 82 million dollars of crane-related equipment. In 2009, even with the impact of the recession, Ohio exported almost four and a half billion dollars’ worth of chemicals.

This is where Jorge Concha and Ashland come in.

Currently, 70% of Ashland’s revenue comes from the United States and less than 4% comes from Central and South America. The company’s goal is to increase global revenues from outside the U.S. to 50% within a few years. Latin America is key to this ambitious goal and Brazil is the center of that effort. Jorge is Chilean and like his fellow Fisher MBA grad Gustavo, is well-traveled, multicultural and multilingual.

Ashland’s major commercial units are Ashland Specialty Ingredients (additives, coatings), Ashland Performance Materials (resins, gelcoatsC, adhesives and metal casting consumables), Ashland Water Technologies (water treatment), and Ashland Consumer Markets, featuring their well-known Valvoline automotive lubricant.

Jorge works in the Hercules Water Technologies unit. It is launching a new Food and Beverage division in Brazil and Jorge is part of this effort. Entering a new market in a foreign country is a challenge for any company. Ashland’s edge comes from understanding the value of

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employing multicultural, multilingual associates.

“Expansion in the emerging markets is an essential part of our growth strategy and Brazil and Latin America are key markets for our specialty chemical products. Ashland is present here with all of our commercial units and each has a great opportunity to continue to expand and grow in the region. A critical path to business success in these communities is having talented employees; those with local skills and knowledge accompanied with a strong foundation and when combined with international experiences greatly enhances the value that employee brings and assists their ability to interact within the global structure of an international company,” said Andrew J. Beer, Commercial Director, South America, Ashland.

“We were looking for a Food & Beverages representative with South American experience, an understanding of diverse cultures, and an engineering background in the food and beverage industry. Jorge, with a Fisher College of Business MBA, with a degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue, having worked in that industry and having lived in Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico in addition to his native Chile and the U.S., fit the bill,” said Tim Harman, Senior Staffing Specialist, College Relations & Diversity.

Ashland can export technological know-how but cannot simply copy the U.S. way of doing things because local circumstances differ. This means they need to be able to hire people who will work well in multicultural, multinational teams. “Fisher helped a lot with my business skills and my teamwork. FisherConnect (Fisher College’s online Office of Career Management portal), the advice I received from the Graduate Programs Office and Career Management’s help with resumes and the interview process as well as the core and elective classes I took made me the professional I am today,” said Jorge.

“Our land grant mission is at the heart of an inextricable relationship between the university and the economic health of the state,” said Fisher College of Business Dean Christine Poon. “Gustavo’s and Jorge’s stories speak to how Fisher’s partnerships with the global business community inform and strengthen that relationship. By attracting, training, and retaining global talent here in Ohio, we continue to contribute to the economic vitality of our community.”

OSU president E. Gordon Gee has said that he would like every incoming OSU student to have a passport and every graduating international student a work visa. With stories like Gustavo's and Jorge’s, it is easy to see why this would be in Ohio’s best interest.

PHOTO PROVIdED BY Gustavo Wille

Autumn Quarter 2011

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A Report from the Field Creating a College-Going Culture among Ohio Hispanics

By Maria Sanchez, Academic Studies Coordinator, Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Student Panelists, Marcos Cruz, Angelica Wardell and Miguel Guevara field questions from students.

Hispanics are driving US population growth. According to the 2010 Census, Ohio’s Hispanic population grew by 63.4 percent since 2000 and has nearly tripled since 1980. Today, three percent of Ohio’s total population is Hispanic, and more than 50,000 Hispanics are enrolled in Ohio’s public schools. Yet, Hispanics are nearly three times as likely than the general US population to drop out of high school, and half as likely to earn a bachelor’s degree.

To combat these statistics, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion partnered with two national scholarship organizations to host a Bridge Builder Forum on September 17 at the Ohio Union. The Forum is a bilingual, day-long event designed to inspire and inform students and their families about school success and preparing for college. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation’s leading organization that supports Hispanic higher education.

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) program provides scholarships funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is administered in partnership with the HSF. “The HSF/GMS Bridge Builder programs are important, because while the US Latino population is the fastest growing population in this country, Latinos are still falling behind when it comes to higher education

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and attaining bachelor degrees,” explains Amia Soto Carrion, Scholarship Outreach and Promotion Coordinator for HSF and GMS. “At the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, we strive to eliminate the financial barriers that may prevent Latinos and other students of color, from obtaining a degree and pursuing their college dreams."

The Forum brought together some 300 Ohio youth and more than 200 parents, college representatives and community leaders from 22 Ohio cities and Kentucky.

Participants attended workshops designed to promote student success, including topics such as setting and attaining goals, preparing for college and taking advantage of scholarship opportunities. The program featured a student panel that included OSU student leaders Marcos Cruz and Miguel Guevara. Alfred Ramirez, Vice President for Government Relations & Diversity at Group O., delivered the keynote address.

The Ohio Commission on Hispanic/ Latino Affairs (OCHLA) engaged its expansive networks to mobilize community leaders and promote the event among their constituents. ODI’s Young Scholars Program staff, located in nine urban school districts, served as important liaisons to

public schools and civic groups in their cities, and organized bus transportation for large groups of students and families.

Transportation proved to be a critical factor in making it possible for participants to attend. The Ohio Job and Family Services agency and the Northwest Ohio Educational Center were instrumental in reaching rural populations. Also critical to the success of the event were the nearly 30 Ohio colleges and universities that participated in the event. In addition to financial support, the Ohio organization of college admissions personnel, Educators and Community Helping Hispanics Onward (ECHHO), was a prime mover, deploying its network of college admissions officers to facilitate broad participation.

In addition to outreach by community organizations, multiple and layered marketing strategies were deployed. For several weeks leading up to the event, I appeared on a local Spanish-language radio program, En Familia, hosted by Benito Lucio on 1550 AM to discuss issues in Hispanic education and to take calls from listeners. In addition, flyers were mailed to individual Latino high school students across the state, and flyers were distributed to schools, churches and businesses that serve Hispanics.

An event on this scale would not have been possible without financial contribution from many supporters. The Organization of Hispanic Faculty and Staff (OHFS), the Fisher College of Business, and the Ohio Union generously supported the event. Based on the enthusiastic participant feedback, it is clear that there is much demand for programs like the Bridge Builder Forum, as many expressed a desire to attend another event in the future. An unanticipated benefit of the planning experience was the development of Latino-focused relationships among higher education and community agencies. The Bridge Builders Forum has presented a valuable experience that nurtured positive cooperation across higher education and social agencies, and among the many Latino families across the state, and conversations are underway to build on this promising start.

Brazil Connection A Spotlight on Brazilian Buckeyes

By Emily Strouse, Designer, ¿Que Pasa, OSU? and MFA Candidate, Department of Design

Samanta Chiarini Franchim, International Studies and Italian major from Campinas, São Paulo, says that her favorite place on campus is the Oval. “In a way, it is an excellent representation of our student body. We may all be on different paths and come from different backgrounds, but we all belong to a bigger community of Buckeyes.”

Daniela Krueger Hopkins hails from Santa Catarina, Brazil, and studies languages.

Samuel Cruz, doctoral student of Latin American Literatures and Cultures, is from

Her favorite adage is "Os sonhos movem moinhos. Dreams move windmills."

Curitiba, the capital of the state of Paraná. “I love Brazil, which is a very diverse

Daniela tells us that she finds escape from the cold gray days of winter in the

country in the broadest sense of the word...OSU is a great institution to be part of,

Thompson Library.

and I'm glad I'm right here, right now."

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PhD candidate Renata Nave came to OSU from São Paulo to study agriculture and now looks forward to a career in the US. Commenting on how much her life has changed since she first arrived in Columbus, Renata says, “I now have a dog, a cat and a fiancé who makes me really happy!"

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Meibe Villumsen is a native of Rio de Janiero and a student of history

Pedro da Gloria, a doctoral student of anthropology from São Paulo, shares his passion for soccer, “As

and Jewish studies. She loves animals and tells us that her favorite

many Brazilians, I take soccer very seriously. But the reason soccer is serious for me is because it is the

pastime is “football—oh, here it is called soccer!”

best moment to have fun, make friends and enjoy a good time.”

MFA candidate Ibsen Santos do Rego is from the Barra da Tijuca neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro.“ Capoeira originated in Brasil and it brings me closer to my roots when I practice the classical Japanese Noh inspired techniques of director Tadashi Suzuki,” do Rego explains. ”With the merging of these worlds plus my second home, the United States of America, underneath supporting my every step, I feel enlightened and original."

A PhD candidate in Pharmaceutics, Ana Clara Azevedo moved to the US from Goiania,

A native of São Paolo, André Zampaulo came to OSU for a doctoral degree in

Goias when her mother pursued a PhD at OSU. Between her academic demands and

Spanish and Portuguese Linguistics. “I study Spanish & Portuguese phonetics

service to graduate organizations, Ana manages to find time for baking “cupcakes and

and phonology, with a special interest in the evolutionary pathways of their

Brazilian goodies like pudim, broas, pao de queijo, quindim... YUM YUM!”

sound systems.”

www.quepasa.osu.edu

Autumn Quarter 2011

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Brasileños en los Estados Unidos ¿Ser o No Ser Latino? Identidad es la Cuestión

By Audrey Nicklas, 2011 OSU Alumna

Audrey Yumi Nicklas enjoys the restaurant "La Patrona" and says, "It's the closest thing I have here in the US even though it is not a Brazilian restaurant."

Al solicitar trabajo en una institución estadounidense, como, por ejemplo, en la universidad Ohio State, el brasileño se encuentra con la determinada pregunta en el proceso de aplicación: “Are you Hispanic or Latino?” La pregunta es seguida por una definición que explica que latinos o hispánicos son: “A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race”. El Brasil pertenece a la América del Sur, pero tiene como su idioma de origen el portugués. En este caso, ¿pueden los brasileños considerarse latinos o hispánicos según la definición encontrada en la página del web de la universidad?

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En 2005 habían cerca de un millón y doscientos mil brasileños vivían en los Estados Unidos. Mientras muchos de estos brasileños reconocen sus raíces latinoamericanas, la mayoría prefiere identificarse a través da su nacionalidad; o sea, el brasileño que vive en los Estados Unidos prefiere ser reconocido como brasileiro y no como latino o hispánico. Según las regularizaciones administrativas de 1976 estadounidenses, hay dos definiciones para los términos latino e hispánico. La primer afirma que el hispánico o latino es: “a member of an ethnic group that traces its roots to 20 Spanish-speaking nations from Latin America and Spain itself”. Notase

que esta definición no incluye países que hablan el portugués, como Brasil y Portugal.

La segunda afirma que el hispánico o latino es: “Anyone who says they are. And nobody who says they aren't.” El censo estadounidense actual usa la segunda definición como enfoque en su cuestionario.

El término hispánico surgió en los Estados Unidos a través del gobierno estadounidense que buscaba una manera de identificar los ciudadanos de origen mexicana, sur-americana y centro-americana en el censo estadounidense. Para que tantas personas de nacionalidades diferentes se sintiesen parte de este grupo, el censo definió el hispánico como siendo un

hablante del idioma español. Ya que en la época que el término fue criado, la mayoría de esas personas era de países que hablan el español. Ya el término latino surgió en ciclos activistas populares. Él fue desarrollado y popularizado por grupos de movimientos portorriqueños y chicanos como símbolo del compartimiento de los problemas sociales y políticos divididos entre estos grupos.

La definición estadounidense de los términos latino e hispánico es diferente de la definición dada por algunas personas consideradas latinas e hispánicas. Para un brasileño, por ejemplo, un hispánico es una persona que tiene el español como su idioma nativo o es de descendencia española. Un latino, por su vez, es una persona cuya ciudadanía pertenece a un país latinoamericano y/o habla un idioma originario del latín. Ya en la definición estadounidense, ambos los términos son considerados sinónimos y, muchas veces, son usados intercambiablemente. Obviamente, esta definición se equivoca en relación al origen, idioma y cultura de los brasileños que, por su mayoría, son considerados por los propios como siendo bastante distintos del origen, idioma y cultura hispánicos.

No obstante, para entender como los brasileños que migran o inmigran a los Estados Unidos se identifican, es importante entender como los brasileños que viven en Brasil se identifican. El punto de referencia de un brasileño en relación a su identidad étnica es la región o el estado en que vive.

No obstante, raza y posición social también son componentes de identidad étnica bastante importantes, pero secundarias a identidad regional o estatal. El Brasil es un país muy grande geográficamente y que ha recibido a muchos inmigrantes de diferentes nacionalidades al longo de los años.

Eses inmigrantes enriquecerán la cultura brasileña. No obstante, cada región o estado brasileño presenta distinciones o características únicas que reflejen la mistura de diferentes culturas y razas.

Según el censo estadounidense de 1990, 68.4% de los brasileños participantes se consideraran “Non-hispánicos.” Como muestra el censo, la mayoría de los brasileños que viven en los Estados Unidos no se considera hispánica. Su razón envuelve a como los brasileños definen los términos latino e hispánico y la diferencia en el idioma. Muchos brasileños acreditan que es necesario hablar el español o tener descendencia española para ser considerado hispánico. Como la mayoría de los países considerados latinos

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o hispánicos son hablantes del español, muchos brasileños, que hablan el portugués, acreditan no compartir uno de los elementos principales que define ambos los grupos.

Otro factor es la falta de familiaridad que la mayoría de los brasileños tienen en relación a cultura latina/hispánica. Aunque gran parte del lado oeste de Brasil hace frontera con países latinos/hispánicos, el brasileño que vive en Brasil no tiene mucho contacto con sus vecinos hispanohablantes.

El motivo principal puede ser trazado en un proverbio de herencia portuguesa que dice: “neither good winds nor good marriages come from Spain”, indicando que la distinción que Brasil siente por sus vecinos es resultado de las diferencias históricas entre España y Portugal. La mayoría de los brasileños solo se familiarizan con otras personas latinas/ hispánicas al migrar a un país extranjero, como a los Estados Unidos por ejemplo. Muchos brasileños, cuando finalmente familiarizados con la cultura latina/ hispana, perciben que la cultura brasileña es muy semejante a la cultura de otros países latinos y, por eso, comienzan a identificarse como tal. Esa identificación es ilustrada por un inmigrante brasileño cuando él dice: “Nós vimos à Flórida e descobrimos que somos latinos.”

Otro factor envuelve la mala connotación dada por algunos estadounidenses a los términos latino e hispánico. En los Estados Unidos el grupo Latino es muchas veces conectado a un estatus social bajo o la determinación económica, el tercer mundo. Los brasileños, por su vez, no quieren asociarse a los estereotipos e connotaciones negativas reafirmadas por estos estadounidenses.

Hay también el factor de postura transnacional brasileña y el estatus de residente temporario en los Estados Unidos y permanente en Brasil. El migrante brasileño busca mantener una fuerte postura transnacional donde él mantiene conexiones familiares, culturales, políticas y económicas con el Brasil, continuando a orientarse por su país de origen y no sintiendo parte directamente de la sociedad hospedera.

Eso acontece por medio de dos causas principales: el propósito de no vivir definitivamente en un país extranjero, pero mejorar sus situaciones financieras en Brasil y l sueño que eses brasileños tienen de retornar al Brasil futuramente.

Para muchos brasileños que migran a un país extranjero, esta es la primera vez por la cual la idea de identidad nacional es

reflejada. El significado de brasileño, que en Brasil significa pertenecer a una nacionalidad, cambia de significado en los Estados Unidos u otro país extranjero y pasa a significar grupo étnico. El brasileño que vive en Brasil se identifica principalmente a través del estado o región en que este nasció. Al cambiar de país, el brasileño deja de ser regional para tornarse nacional.

Además de denominarse brasileño, gran parte de los brasileños también se denomina “blanca,” ya que Brasil ha exhibido grandes índices de inmigración europea en el pasado. Prueba de esta identificación racial se encuentra en el censo estadounidense de 1990, que indica que gran parte de los brasileños participantes (82.7%) se identificaran su raza como siendo “White.”

Solamente 1.7% de los brasileños se consideraran negros, aunque Brasil es uno de los países con mayor número de negros fuera del continente africano. Eso es resultado de las diferentes definiciones de raza entre el Brasil y los Estados Unidos.

El inmigrante brasileño también asume diferentes identidades simultáneamente dependiendo de con quien él habla o se relaciona. Al lidiar con los estadounidenses u otros extranjeros, el brasileño asume identidad nacional de brasileño, dando poca importancia para su identidad regional o estatal. No obstante, esa identidad cambia cuando él se relaciona con otro brasileño de su propia región o de una región distinta. Para el brasileño, posición social y descendencia regional/estatal son muy importantes. Estos valores continúan siendo importantes cuando el brasileño se relaciona con otro brasileño. Por tanto, el inmigrante brasileño prefiere se relacionar con otros brasileños de nivel social y educacional semejantes o mejores y que también tengan semejante descendencia regional o estatal.

Entonces, como muchos brasileños respondería a la pregunta presentada por la universidad Ohio State “Are you hispanic or latino?” a pesar de la definición presentada en el web de la universidad, la mayoría de los brasileños respondería “no.”

For a version of this article with full citations and endnotes, please visit ¿QP? online.

This essay is excerpted and revised from a longer version originally written by Audrey Nicklas in Professor Ignacio Corona's Spanish 557 class.

Audrey's paper went on to win the ABUELo/S (Award for Best Undergraduate Essay in Latino/a Studies) award for 2011, and she was recognized at the Latino Buckeye Dinner in April 2011.

Autumn Quarter 2011

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Cinema and Nationalism Brazilian Slavery Films and the Social Identities of Spectators

By Richard A. Gordon, PhD, Associate Professor of Literatures and Cultures of Latin America, Portuguese

I’m intrigued by films that paint pictures of national communities, from actionpacked Hollywood blockbusters like Independence Day (1996), to contemplative foreign features like Brazil’s Central Station (1998). Specifically, I’m interested in whether or not, and through what means, they might influence how viewers think about those communities. Typically, such cinematic portraits tend toward the plausible, and for that reason their versions of reality promise to resonate with spectators. Yet the rendering of the national social group represented in these narratives inevitably diverges from precisely what spectators have in mind about that group when the film begins. After all, any fictional narrative is to some degree a stylization of reality.

Sometimes this sort of tolerable disconnect between spectator understandings of the national community and that communicated by a film sticks with us. Those are the sorts of films that intrigue me most of all: the ones in which cinema conceivably plays

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a role in the sphere of national identity, regardless of whether or not the efficacious challenge to existing viewer beliefs was intended by those responsible for making the film.

I’m currently writing a book on Brazilian films about slavery that approaches such dynamics in part through the prism of social identity theory. In an influential article, social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John C. Turner defined social identity as “those aspects of an individual’s self-image that derive from the social categories to which he perceives himself as belonging” (16).

They assert that individuals assign to these categories, or social groups, “value-laden attributes and characteristics” (16). From this angle, my study considers how films constitute proposals for spectators to reevaluate part of their self-concepts, or, in this more specific context, how cinema urges viewers to rethink the collected attributes that they associate with the national category of their social identities.

From what I’ve said so far, it should be evident that I’m treating the concept of national identity not as a reified truth that uniformly overlays a population, but as the set of attributes that a person who is conscious of being part of that social group associates with it at a given time, or as Homi Bhabha has expressed with regard to a similar concept, “the field of meanings and symbols associated with national life” (3).

Of course, the qualities of the national community that different people might conjure up will largely overlap, and such correspondences constitute in my view what some people call “national identity,” an essential characteristic of what Benedict Anderson famously termed an “imagined community.”

The widespread coalescing of definitions of the national group among citizens—as well as individual divergences from prevailing views of the chief attributes of the social group—evolve in part from diverse efforts to sell certain ways of thinking about the nation. Such efforts include, for example:

the sort of “foundational fictions”—or nation-building narratives—that Doris Sommer led us to appreciate; political speeches; advertising; television; and, of course, movies. If the commonplace is indeed true that cinema can sway the attitudes and beliefs of viewers, then it is worth our effort to examine how this spectator engagement works.

I’m in the process of investigating how cinema can persuasively put into question prevailing definitions of a national community, whatever they may be. My study focuses on films that generally contest dominant, and presumably less desirable, definitions of identity in a kind of counternationalism. However, I believe that this cluster of films can shed light on other, distinct cinematic interventions on national identity, such as films that reinforce, or strategically tweak, pervasive and deleterious understandings of the chief attributes of a national community. A salient example would be Nazi propaganda films, a case that reminds us that promoting the widespread embrace of certain values that are assigned to given groups can lead to tragic outcomes. Ultimately, then, what is at stake in the exploration of these communicative dynamics of film is the capacity for audiovisual texts, regardless of their political or ideological orientation, to reshape society.

My book builds on the work of Patrick Colm Hogan in bringing to bear insights from social psychology, among other disciplines, on the study of literature and culture. In several respects, I take as my point of departure his recent Understanding Nationalism: On Narrative, Cognitive Science, and Identity (2009). Hogan’s work and related research helps to elucidate the cinema-spectator interface that I mentioned, and its relation to the ways that individuals conceive of national identity. Research in social psychology provides valuable perspectives on how social identity tends to work for people in general, as well as in distinct societies. Work in this area provides those who study narrative with tools to describe in detail representations of the social identities of fictional characters. Likewise, this discipline helps us to comprehend the ways in which the social identities of spectators may be malleable, and by extension how a spectator’s identity might change when exposed to certain kinds of stimuli.

Brazilian cinema is an especially appropriate context in which to study this filmspectator interface. A significant portion of the films of that country have actively

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reflected on the nation and the national community. My book focuses on five films, released between 1976 and 2005, that manifest remarkably similar persuasive overtures toward spectators, and coincide largely in the understanding Brazilianness that they invite viewers to embrace. These films promote racial and ethnic inclusiveness within a culturally syncretic, EuroAfrican (yet also somewhat Afro-centric) view of the nation. I contend that it is with Carlos Diegues’s highly popular 1976 film, Xica da Silva, that a trend emerged in Brazilian cinema that we can reencounter not only in the other feature of his that I analyze, Quilombo (1984), but also in the three additional films, Chico Rei (1985), O Aleijadinho: Paixão, glória e suplício (2000), and Cafundó (2005). I examine how this cinematic corpus recalls the history of African slavery in Brazil, an institution that was abolished there in 1888, and how it invites spectators to rethink what it means to be Brazilian. These films are emblematic of a tendency in the cinema of this nation to analyze race and identity in the present through the context of the past. If historical films in general lend themselves to provoking reconsiderations of national identity, cinema about slavery intensifies this tendency. Indeed, filmic depictions of enslavement evoke for audiences part of the fraught genesis of this culturally, ethnically, and racially diverse society.

My analysis of Brazilian slavery films sets out to identify and examine aspects of the films that correspond to several interrelated, common tactics that I have delineated in order to understand better the role that Brazilian historical cinema plays in grappling with race and ethnicity, and in proposing alternative definitions of national identity. I believe that these films have gravitated toward similar means of communicating with spectators in part through mutual influence, but also because of equivalent intuitions of what those responsible for making the films thought would work to achieve their apparent goal of influencing individuals’ concepts of Brazilian national identity. I observe five interrelated elements that the group of films identified employs in what I see as the crafting of protagonists and narratives that might guide viewer ideas about Brazilianness: (1) linking the past portrayed by the film to the present of the spectator; (2) encouraging spectators to consider national identity important, to rank it highly among the various categories of social identity, such as race, ethnicity,

gender, and religion; (3) casting the film’s protagonist as a national metaphor; (4) encouraging spectators to identify with the national stand-in, and sometimes with other characters, in such a way that he or she might act as what I call a “cinematic self,” a model for how viewers conceptualize the part of their self-concept that corresponds to social identity; and (5) strategically shaping this proxy for the nation and the national population. The first four aspects combine to create a presumably effective vehicle of influence. If all goes well, then, the film has sculpted from the context of a clearly relevant past an appealing national surrogate, one who is well positioned to tweak in the minds of spectators a nowsalient national category of identity.

To conclude, I’d like to once again broaden our perspective beyond the case study of Brazilian slavery films. I would argue that even with regard to films that do not overtly or with apparent intentionality treat social identity—such as Hollywood films that privilege box office potential—the sort of film-spectator relationship that I’ve sketched is often still at work. Entertainment and interventions on national identity often go hand in hand. The promotion of national pride and the reinforcement and revision of prevailing understandings of what it means to be from the United States, for example, in the context of a hero’s tale from a past era have long been the bread and butter of this country’s film industry. Consider the example of the dominant genres of World War II films or the Western. Even if we feel generally inclined to simply sit back and enjoy the show, it behooves us to appreciate the ways in which audiovisual narratives so efficiently tug at our psychological strings, especially because at times the resulting modification in social identity can have unfortunate consequences. I would argue that sometimes the best way to scrutinize dynamics so natural that they hide in plain sight is to look beyond our own context. That is one of my chief motives in undertaking this research on Brazilian films about slavery. It is my hope that the project will help us to comprehend better what I see as one of the main ways that our understandings of ourselves and others can change. Often it is through the lens of a distinct culture that the familiar yet obscure finally begins to come into focus.

For a version of this article with full citations and endnotes, please visit ¿QP? online.

Autumn Quarter 2011

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Ohio State Strengthens Brazilian Ties Global Gateway to Expand Teaching and Research Partnerships By ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? Staff at the undergraduate level. In partnership with the University of São Paulo, Ohio State sends students to Brazil each fall on a trip funded by the University Honors & Scholars Center, and other colleges on campus.

While in Brazil, students visit several of the University of São Paulo campuses, participate in poster presentations, engage in topics of research with Brazilian students and faculty, as well as participate in cultural activities. During the spring, students from the University of São Paulo visit OSU. OSU graduate students who are interested in conducting research under the guidance of faculty from University of São Paulo may apply to the Directed Graduate Research Abroad program. For students who are interested in learning about the global significance of Brazil, the Global Gateway Study Abroad in Brazil program introduces students to Brazilian history, culture, society, and contemporary issues. Visit the study abroad office (oia.osu.edu/studyabroad.html) to learn more about these opportunities.

Amanda Harper and fellow students on the 2009 OSU/University of São Paulo,

PHOTO PROVIdED BY amanda Harper

Brazil Honors Research Exchange Program.

Brazil has long been known for its samba and soccer. Today, however, Brazil is becoming known for its global scientific achievements. The nation produces 10,000 PhDs annually, ten times more than it did two decades ago. Brazil’s fast-growing economy is the largest in Latin America, investing about one percent of its gross domestic product on research and development. It has become a world leader in research in tropical medicine, bioenergy, agricultural research, and deep-sea oil production.

As Ohio State advances toward its goal to become a preeminent global university, it makes sense that it would turn to this powerhouse neighbor to the south. Under the leadership of Vice Provost William Brustein, the Office of International Affairs is currently in the process of exploring opportunities for a Global Gateway in Brazil. Global Gateways create a physical presence in international locations to support international teaching, research, student exchange, and alumni engagement. Global Gateways enhance

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student recruitment efforts and study abroad placements, cultivate faculty and institutional relationships, as well as reconnect alumni abroad to their alma mater.

Becoming a Global University Ohio State is dedicated to preparing its students to actively participate in knowledge-based collaborations around the world and to compete successfully in the global marketplace. “Ohio State has potentially powerful connections across the globe through study abroad programs, international students, faculty teaching and research, university partnerships, alumni and Ohio businesses. Global Gateways as a concept is a strategy for building on these strengths to internationalize teaching, research and engagement across the university,” explains Christopher Carey, director of Gateway initiatives.

A prime example of such preparation is the experience provided through the Brazil Research Exchange Program, a program designed to encourage research

Expanding Partnerships To deepen and broaden Brazilian collaborations, Ohio State hosted a visit in the spring from administrative leaders at its partner institution, the University of São Paulo. Visitors included Marco Antonio Zago, vice provost for research, and Raul Machado Neto, professor and vice president for international relations, who met with President Gordon Gee and Ohio State leaders from various departments.

To explore further collaboration opportunities, the Ohio State University Medical Center co-organized a symposium held this month in Washington, DC, that convened researchers and officials from Brazil and the US to discuss bioenergy, climate change, biodiversity and Amazon studies, plant genomics, policy studies, optics and photonics, vaccines and drug discovery, stem cells, and cancer. Daniel Janies, associate professor in the department of biomedical informatics at Ohio State, is the principal investigator for a National Science Foundation grant that is supporting Ohio State’s involvement in this event, the first of its kind between the two countries.

A number of colleges and departments already enjoy collaborative relationships with other Brazilian universities. For example, the Federal University of Paraiba partners with the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine, and has hosted a number of Ohio State students who spend two months in northern Brazil working in the area of food safety and infectious diseases. Collaborative relationships also grow more organically, with individual faculty serving as a natural link to new relationships. Assistant Professor Ronaldo Casimiro da Costa joined Ohio State three years ago from the Federal University of Parana. As the only South American Board certified Veterinary Neurologist who speaks Portuguese, he is ideally positioned to serve as spokesperson.

His global experience is a great advantage, as da Costa notes, “The higher education system and the Veterinary programs have some very remarkable differences between Brazil and US, and so it is important that researchers and students understand the differences.” Dr. da Costa continues to publish in both the United States and in Brazil, and returns to his homeland several times per year to teach. A PhD student from Brazil will visit OSU to conduct a research project with da Costa his winter, and next year a faculty member from the Federal University of Parana will spend his sabbatical with da Costa conducting collaborative research. A partner on a more personal level, Luciana da Costa, a veterinarian and Ronaldo’s wife, is working toward her PhD at Ohio State.

Forty Years in Brazil The College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) has a strong record of collaboration with Brazilian partners dating back to the 1960s, including relationships with the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, the University of São Paulo, the Federal University of Parana, the Brazilian Association of Higher Agricultural Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Education, and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Enterprise.

According to Dr. Mark Erbaugh, director of for CFAES International Programs in Agriculture, “A strong, enduring relationship has been retained with the agricultural college of the University of São Paulo in Piracicaba, Brazil (ESALQ). This program was funded by the US Agency for International Development from 1964 to 1973, and collaborations continue to this day.” Such collaborations include the placement of 50

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Brazilian trainees in US horticultural/agricultural businesses in 2010-2011 through The Ohio Program (TOP), part of International Programs in Agriculture.

Each year Assistant Dean Dr. Jill Pfister travels to Brazil with approximately 20 OSU students for a study abroad program that explores historical, institutional, organizational, and individual leadership perspectives in Brazilian society. These students are specially selected members of Alpha Zeta Partners, a professional honorary fraternity in the college of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences that focuses on leadership and professional development. The study abroad classes are taught

by ESALQ faculty, some of whom are OSU alumni.

A broad range and depth of collaborative activity has emerged from the long-standing relationships. For instance, OSU and Rutgers University are working with ESALQ to develop an interdisciplinary, joint PhD program in Molecular and Cellular Biology. The proposed joint degree program is currently working through the approval process. Faculty in the Department

of Horticulture and Crop Sciences have worked closely with their Brazilian counterparts in Seed Technology research and teaching, and in the past two years, twelve students have visited the OSU Seed Biology laboratory to conduct research.

OSU faculty are currently partnering with researchers at five Brazilian institutions on a collaborative project, “Imaging Analysis in Seed Technology.” CFAES also regularly hosts doctoral students and researchers.

Memoranda of Understanding are currently in development between CFAES and the Federal University of VIÇOSA (UFV) and the Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP).

Dynamic Brazilian economic and scientific developments are creating a many opportunities and high demand in both nations for collaboration. Additional relationships exist in architecture, education, nutrition and in the humanities. Brazil is proving to be an increasingly important partner as Ohio State advances its goals as a global university.

Credit: Mary Ann Rose, CFAES, contributed to this story.

Marco Antonio Zago and Raul Machado Neto from the University of São Paolo met with

PHOTO PROVIdED BY Victor van Buchem

OSU President Gordon Gee and Vice Provost Patrick Osmer on May 27th, 2011 at OSU.

Autumn Quarter 2011

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La Avanzada Regia Blaxican Hip Hop and the Ideological Mosaic of Control Machete

By Ignacio Corona, PhD, Associate Professor Literatures and Cultures of Latin America At the turn of the century, a new musical movement took shape in Monterrey, a sprawling city about two hours south from the US-Mexico border and Mexico’s industrial capital. Known as La avanzada regia, such a movement has come to represent another element in a soundscape dominated by norteña music, long considered the musical expression of a cultural topography that encompasses the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley region and Mexico’s northern states.

While some of the factors that may help to explain its emergence originate in the social and economic dynamics that have placed Monterrey in even closer contact with US culture and society—by forming a commercial triangle that includes Houston and San Antonio, its alternative music scene constitutes a cultural response to the broader impact of globalization. Local musicians aspire to position their work in a transnational system of production and distribution while pursuing a strategy that articulates regional cultural sign markers with transnational musical formats, values, and technologies. Such transnationalism can be interpreted as traversing geopolitical, linguistic, cultural, and even ethnic borders. Most groups of la avanzada regia are fully aware, however, that an aesthetic of transnationalism also means cultural negotiation and not simply effacing of all forms of national, regional, or local identification. An example of this negotiation could be found in the music of the first group of the movement that received international attention about a decade ago.

Taking their cues from US Latino artists like Cypress Hill and Kid Frost, but also from Rage Against the Machine and The Beastie Boys, Control Machete (Fermín Caballero Elizondo, Patricio “Pato” Chapa Elizalde, and Antonio “Toy” Hernández) would lead the alternative Mexican rap/hip hop movement beginning in 1996. They invited California producer Jason Roberts to produce their first album, and thus became pioneers of a new “local” trend, that of a transnational mode of production. By doing that instead of going to Mexico City and trying to be signed by regional representatives of a major label, they were charting new

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territory. The move was simple but turned out to be crucial as it gave unusual agency to a then unknown group (later signed by Universal). They are still considered the most commercially successful rap/hip hop band in the country.

While most of Control Machete’s lyrics are in Spanish, their use of Spanglish and/ or English seems to criticize the manipulative use of linguistic purity by the country’s elites and is akin to a postcolonial critique. As represented by the title of their first album Mucho barato (1997)—with a Spanish lexicon and English syntax, they address the border experience by switching linguistic codes and bending their rules.

For the social experience they relate and refer to—that of the migrant communities in the north and the sending communities in the south, linguistic conflict, overlapping, and interference are a fact of life. Their own language politics defies the prison house of narrow-minded nationalism. Control Machete’s lyrics often allude to the difficult social and economic conditions in the barrios across the United States, not much different to those in the disenfranchised neighborhoods of Mexican cities and so, the group implicitly establishes a process of cultural recognition and connections of solidarity with la raza on both sides of the border.

In a post-NAFTA context of increasing economic polarization, the political criticism expressed in the group’s first two albums, depicting the urban youth’s struggles, their way of life, and their frustrations, are similar to other characterizations of an unadorned, changing, and predominantly urban Mexico in contemporary film and literature. By doing that, Control Machete focuses on the underside of globalization to capture the mood, taste, travails and disenchantment toward politics of large sectors of the Mexican and MexicanAmerican youth. In their turn to rap and hip hop, they also reminds us that everyday contact between Mexicans and Latinos in general and US culture in the transnational space of migration occurs less in predominantly white suburbs than in the inner city and in those working-class areas in which Latinos and blacks coexist and face some of

the same economic challenges and social issues. Chicano essayist Richard Rodriguez has even coined a term for this cultural or ethnic mix of US black and Mexican culture: “Blaxican.”

Just like rock en español in the late eighties, amid a wave of modernization projects that marked the turn toward neoliberalism, hip hop represents another case of both contestation and transculturation.

This time, it comes from the other side of the racial divide of popular music in the US society, in which rock and heavy metal are seen associated with white and mostly male culture, and rap and hip hop as dominant expressions of black culture. The link between Mexican and Afro-American cultures is the result of a different case of transnationalism, one that surpasses one-way and top-down notions of cultural imposition from the dominant culture.

The use of hip hop by similarly disenfranchised youth groups in contiguous barrios and ghettos becomes a cultural response to analogous collective and individual pressures and, therefore, a more horizontal cultural interaction. In this context, the Mexicanization of hip hop by Control Machete and Mexico City’s Molotov can be interpreted as a continuation of political and social concerns that address the mostly hollow sociopolitical core of Mexican pop.

Their position is one of defiance of the monolith of national culture and denunciation of the international forces that erode community and family life, both inside and outside the country. Their outspoken lyrics in playful Spanglish then provide continuity to protest music, but they are not monovalent either, as they speak to the diversity of experiences, including those negative attitudes and practices that reproduce violence within the Mexican community.

The narrative form of some rap songs in Control Machete is analogous to the typical structure of corridos. The rappers are aware of history in the making, to which they give a voice and a point of view. Unlike corridos, they tend toward an indefinite present with no foreseeable conclusion on the horizon.

In Mucho barato, the deep, scratchy, and forceful way of singing by both Pato and Fermín, often delivered with a tinge of

mordacity, irony, or sarcasm to amplify their emotional impact, attempts to capture the ominous tone of someone who is witness to rough urban experiences. As modern day griots, the vocalists play an almost testimonial role by referring to “epic” turf wars in neighborhoods deprived of public safety or adequate public services, but plagued with drugs, gang violence, and poverty.

The listener is reminded that the country is one of the most violent ones on the planet and that the poor young are easy targets for recruitment by organized crime.

Musical experimentation is prominent in other tracks of the album. In an instrumental song electronic hip hop incorporates the accordion sounds typical of norteña music, but the rhythm is that of the cumbia. Border divisions are not erased by juxtaposing ambient sounds and cumbia. And yet the proposition links cultures and communities across the border in an act of re-encountering. The presence of cumbia appears stylized as part of the “internationalization” required by an aesthetic of transnationalism, in which musical taste is also re-class-ified for an international audience focusing on rap and hip hop.

Control Machete’s second album shows the ways in which hip hop connects with other musical genres in the Latin American cultural horizon, especially those of the African diaspora. Entitled Artillería pesada, like the album’s central song, it contains their most commercially successful songs so far. “Amores perros” and “Sí señor” were both used in the soundtrack of González Iñárritu’s film Amores perros, another “text” articulated by a sense of the transnational.

“Amores perros” is a rap song that has the peculiarity of using acoustic guitars, which creates a certain atmosphere of intimacy needed for the soundtrack, but is at odds with US rap music. “Sí señor” had a tremendous exposure in a Levi’s commercial, “Crazy Legs,” broadcast during the TV coverage of the 2002 Super Bowl. The song articulates contrasting views of nightlife in Monterrey, framed by the recording of a local reporter talking to his radio-audience. The song’s music video shows him in a helicopter reporting on the city’s nocturnal goings-on.

The reporter, as a new Benjaminian Angel of History, is a suggestive choice, as journalists

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albums. The lines are mere suggestions; references are vague. In “Quemo bandera,” for instance, the listener is left with more questions than answers, e.g., has the eagle of the Mexican flag been replaced by the Texan lone star? The video is not less ambivalent regarding a possible allusion by presenting a fictional flag with one star and three vertical color sections. The album presents the group’s typical approach to orality in which the voice becomes another instrument with repetitive short phrases and few narrative lines. Language itself is used for its musical qualities, resisting a narrative logic. In effect, tone, rhythm, and pronunciation, as in avant-garde poetry, end up being more significant than phrases, which are merely suggestions, allusions, and incomplete thoughts. In some of the lyrics verbal connectors are eliminated to the maximum in order to focus on the acoustic qualities of nouns and verbs. There is a considerable degree of condensation Album Art provided by control machete and metonymic displacement. vocals to refer to intersecting planes in the The effect is not one of speeding up, but lives of those who have chosen the night for rather slowing the pace of reality. The last some untold activities. Again, the song uses track, “El genio del dub,” with the collaboraa corrido-like opening to situate the main tion of Blanquito Man amid tropical sounds subjects and their feelings of attachment and rhythms, does make explicit an oppofor their hometown (San Pedro, a well-to- sition to war, repression, and pollution. It is do city part of the Monterrey metropolitan the album’s more “political” song: “listen to area). Pato’s repetitive “Sí señor” interacts what the genie of the dub is about to tell: with Fermín’s meditative and dark mono- love and consciousness is not for sale.” The logue and subjects it to an implicit dialogic accompanying video ends with the image perspective, one in which the listener has to of sub-comandante Marcos in affinity with fill the gaps in information about the exact Rage Against the Machine and many groups topic of the conversation. It is the possibility from the rock en español movement. In this of underground lives and the changing face limited fashion, Control Machete continues of a city growing and becoming, a place of to endorse diverse struggles for a more just society on both sides of the border. In opportunity but also of danger.

By 2002, the trio became a duo as Fermín a tacit performance of transnationalism, left to pursue a solo career and collabora- but from the other end of musical productions with US musicians. Rumors of breaking tion, Control Machete has founded the label up ended with the release of their third Machete Music, as a subsidiary of Universal record for Universal Music. Uno, dos: bandera Music and begun to sign Mexican and US (2003) abandons the dominant sociopo- musicians, among them the LA Latin rap duo litical thematic of their previous albums and Akwid. As represented by Control Machete, turns toward more intimist songs. Control the condition of transnationalism has been Machete explores a diversity of topics more purposefully explored by la avanzada often from a conflictive locus of enuncia- regia than by previous musical movements tion (sexual abuse or corruption of minors; as a relevant way in which music and iden“political” protest, gambling, etc.) and yet titary discourses are organically interrelated details are kept to a minimum. This narra- along the US-Mexico border. tive minimalism represents a denial of the For a version of this article with full citablatant political meaning of their previous tions and endnotes, please visit ¿QP? online. have played a crucial role in a changing Mexican society, in particular because recent important events have been dominated by crime news. Against an intermittent playful claxon-like sound and a deep drum-n-bass line, Fermín takes the lead

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Loza Studio & Atelier Interview with Alex Loza, Artist

By Theresa N. Rojas, PhD Candidate, Department of English

Frontal, Lateral & Posterior views of the Skull, Shoulder Bones and Thorax, Charcoal on paper, 2011, Alex Loza

TR: Thank you for taking the time to let us get to know you and your work better, Alex.

AL: Theresa, thank you for your time and to ¿Qué Pasa,OSU? for giving me the opportunity to share a little bit about myself and my artwork. I hope that I can persuade your readers to continue working diligently to achieve their dreams and professional goals.

TR: Many people aren’t yet familiar with the concept of the Atelier. Would you explain what this is and your philosophy in using the atelier model of instruction?

AL: Atelier is the French word for "workshop." Lately, there has been a vast movement in reviving the Atelier Method within the Classical Realism artists’ community. An Atelier consists of an artist, usually a professional painter or sculptor, working with a small number of students (4-8) to train them in art. Although the methods vary, most Ateliers train students in the skills and techniques associated with creating some form of representational art, the making of two-dimensional images that appear real to the viewer.

Unfortunately, many art schools today do not equip their students with the

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proper training and knowledge, leaving them feeling unprepared to face the art world after receiving their degree. When I decided to establish, Loza Studio & Atelier, my main objective was to meet each art student’s individual needs by working with them one-on-one and giving them the opportunity to work with a full-time artist who will help them observe the challenges and accomplishments that this wonderful career offers.

TR: Would you also tell us about écorché and how this technique plays into your work?

AL: Yes, écorché (ay-kor-shay) is another French word meaning "flayed" or "skinned."

It is one of the main tools in the training of painters and sculptors because an understanding of how the body is built can improve the artist’s precision when working with the human figure.

I have seen a difference in my portraiture/figurative work after taking écorché classes. What I noticed was that my drawings became more three dimensional and realistic. I strongly believe that having knowledge in anatomy will help individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in painting or sculpting the human figure.

This understanding will open doors for those interested in anatomical/medical illustration.

TR: You were mentored by Artist Harry Ahn. Tell us more about him and how his tutelage influenced you.

AL: Harry Ahn is a self-taught artist from South Korea with over thirty years of experience. I am fortunate and honored being trained by Mr. Ahn. In his classes, he would share with his students the struggles and accomplishments in pursuing his dream of becoming an artist. I can recall once in my art training class, he had me draw the same vase for almost a month. It was not a complex vase and I thought to myself, "I have this under control." I was noticing that all my good drawings were erased and my bad drawings remained. I confronted Mr. Ahn and asked him why he was erasing every good drawing of the vase and telling me to keep all my bad drawings. Since I was proud of my good drawings, I did not comprehend his teaching strategy. His response was priceless: “As artists and human beings, we tend to forget our mistakes and begin believing that all we draw or do is flawless.

You need to keep your bad drawings as a reminder to not make a bad drawing and

that you too make mistakes." Ten years have passed yet I still call him for advice because besides being a great artist and a mentor, he is also a great friend. I hope I have the same impact on my students.

TR: Your Artist’s Biography mentions that your works honor Peru; what is your connection to the country and how does Peru inspire you?

AL: I was born and raised in Peru. My grandparents help cultivate the appreciation and love I have for the Peruvian culture, food, music, and history. I moved to the United States when I was twelve and my Peruvian roots are as strong as ever. Though I learned to adapt to the culture here, I stood true to myself and never forgotten where I came from. I've always said, "Yo llevo a El Peru en la sangre" (I carry Peru in my blood).

The admiration for my country encourages me to be a better artist and person. I want my work to exalt "la tierra que me vio nacer" (the land that saw me grow) and one day see my artwork alongside historical pieces that influenced our society, particularly Peruvian culture.

TR: How might your experiences as a Latino artist inform your work?

AL: Being a Latino or not does not make a difference because artists are universal. Art is multicultural and multilingual. Artists use their paintbrush to write the story of their surroundings. If you glance at past decades of artwork it expresses how the artist felt in that moment. Artists express their experiences in their work, no matter the culture.

TR: You did forensic drawings for the Chicago Police Department—what was that experience like and how did you get involved?

AL: I thank God for giving me this talent and placing me in the right place at the right time. As classes ended, I headed to the parking lot of the elementary school where I worked as a teacher's assistant and afterschool art instructor. I saw my co-worker and friend (a Chicago Police Officer) and we started to talk as we walked toward the main entrance of the school and to make sure all kids went home. Out of nowhere an 8th grade student and her 1st grade brother came crying and running toward the door screaming for help. She began to tell us what caused her terrified reaction.

While two men burglarized her home, she walked into her house with her brother. The burglars saw them and held guns to these

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children’s head. As she told her story, we felt helpless, especially since the burglars fled and there were no witnesses. I started to ask her if she remembered how these guys looked. Fortunately she did! I sketched as she described one of the burglars. When I was done I showed her the sketch, she cried out loud, “That's him!” My friend asked me to fax the sketch to the police station as he called for back-up. The next day the sketch was dispersed to surrounding schools and local businesses. Three days after this incident, the burglars were caught and the family recovered their valuables but most importantly the children regained their confidence and peace. After this unpleasant incident, I was able to sketch criminals whenever they would call me from the police station to help a victim recognize his/ her aggressor. It gave me great pleasure to know that I was able to be of assistance to my community in making our neighborhood a safer place.

TR: Tell us about your experience moving to Tennessee from the Midwest.

AL: To tell you the truth, I've moved various times. Moving from Lima, Peru to New Jersey was a difficult transition since I was not accustomed to the culture and language of this country. Then, I moved to Berrien Springs, Michigan to study Fine Art with Artist Harry Ahn. Later, I moved to Chicago, Illinois to complete my Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art at the American Academy of Art and where I met my wife. Finally in early 2010 we decided to head to the south to Chattanooga, Tennessee to raise our daughter as well as to explore professional opportunities. We read that Chattanooga is a growing city with new developments and with more job opportunities especially in my wife's field as well as a growing artist community.

Recently, I joined a team of local artists lead by artist Sandra Paynter Washburn to offer Art Classes to the Chattanooga Area.

Classes will be held at Art Creations new location by Hamilton Place Mall. I hope that these classes can benefit emerging and experienced artists.

TR: What are some of your other interests that might surprise people? How might those interests either connect to or create a separation from your art?

AL: The most important one is to continue nurturing my daughter’s creative development. Throughout my ten years working with elementary school children,

I have seen how the arts can help a child's communication, cognitive and social skills providing the child a thriving future in their adulthood. My wife and I want to expose our daughter to numerous careers so she can have options.

I enjoy spending the evenings with my wife cooking, visiting a new restaurant or playing with our daughter. We also like to educate ourselves in learning about other cultures. The goal is to visit a different country every other year. As a proud South American I like to play and watch fútbol (soccer).

As for my career endeavors, my training in anatomy has interested me to pursue a career in medicine (physical therapy, chiropractor assistant, sports and injury rehabilitation or forensic pathology).

TR: How might you see yourself as a role model for either (or both) Latinos in general and emerging artists in particular?

AL: As a Latino, I hope I can influence other Latinos to pursue higher education and to unite. It’s unfortunate to see the struggles amongst our people due to cultural discrimination (Mexico vs. Puerto Rico, Peru vs. Chile, etc.). As Latinos, we need to unite and obliterate those stereotypes for example, that Latino men are cheaters, gang members, Casanovas, lazy; that Latinas are sexual objects, servants, adolescent mothers, and so on.

If we teach our children to value their culture, they will value and respect other cultures hence reducing racism in this country. If we push our children to dream big, they will not fear obstacles that come their way. Teach them to be content with the successes they achieved and to be modest.

I would like to say to the rising artist, “Never give up!” Pursuing a career in Art is as challenging as any other career. Pablo Picasso did not become the renowned Picasso with his first painting. The key is practice, practice, and practice. DO NOT allow anyone to destroy your dreams.

Visit Alex Loza’s website: www.alexloza.com For more information, contact Jocelyn Avendano-Loza, Artist Representative & Marketing Director, Loza Studio & Atelier jaloza@alexloza.com 423-650-4501 Theresa Rojas is a PhD student in the Department of English and an artist.

Visit theresarojas.com

Autumn Quarter 2011

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Summer 2011 Graduates Bachelor’s Degrees

Master's Degrees

Name

Citizen Degree

Major

Name

Citizen Degree

Major

De La Mota,Orel

DOM

BA

Theatre

Alvarez, Susana

USA

MFA

Art

Dominguez, Edgar

USA

BS

Exploration

Casal, Patricia

USA

MS

Biomedical Engineering

Flores, Natalie

USA

BA

Health Professions Exp.

Del Pilar, Joselyn

USA

MS

Chemistry

Galvan, Maricela

USA

BA

Nursing

Elizondo, Sara

USA

MA

Art Education

Leitzinger, John

USA

BS

Aero and Astronautical Eng

Gouvrit Montano, Florence

MEX

MFA

Art

Michalsky, David

USA

BS

Management & Industry

Guerra, Jesse

USA

MS

Industrial and Systems Eng

Morales, Peter

USA

BA

Marketing

Guerra, Dante

USA

MS

Mechanical Engineering

Munoz, Sergio

USA

BS

Business Administration

Juarez, Carlos

USA

MA

Music

Reyes, David

USA

BA

English

Oliver, Kendea

USA

MA

Psychology

Rincon, Karla

MEX

BA

Social Work

Pandolfi de Rinaldis, Gianna

USA

MA

Theatre

Sanchez, Kevin

USA

BA

Journalism

Romero Aguilar, Randall

CRI

MA

Agr, Env & Devp Econ

Sanchez, Gerardo

USA

BFA

Exploration

Simon, Miriam

BOL

MFA

Design

Sarmiento, Alexander

USA

BS

Chemical Engineering

Torrent, Daniel

USA

MPH

Public Health

Toro, Roberto

USA

BA

Exploration

Traveria, Enrique

USA

MA

Economics

Vera, Crystal

USA

BA

Consumer Services

Wynter, Matthew

USA

MA

Business Administration

Zelaya, Joliana

USA

MA

Speech Lang. Path.

Summer 2011 Graduates

Doctoral Degrees

26

Name

Citizen Degree

Major

Cabrera, Antonio

PER

PHD

Horticulture and Crop Science

Dials, Justin

USA

PHD

Education:Phy Act & Ed Srvc

Ortiz-Castillo, Esther

USA

PHD

Education:Phy Act & Ed Srvc

Rodriguez-Palacios, Alexander COL

PHD

Veterinary Prev Medicine

"Capoeira is an art developed in Brazil hundreds of years ago by slaves. It is a fight disguised as a dance, with its own style of music." – Brian "Avô" Griffin, instructor

Check the Facebook page, T.A.B.C.A.T. Columbus, for updates and events. The club practices capoeira biweekly.

"The Portuguese speaking group, or 'Bate-Papo,' has often served as a kind of family for me. Every Thursday night, I am always guaranteed to run into great people from all walks of life, to drink, trade barbs, and flap gums in various languages. Even though 'bater papo' literally means 'to flap the gums' in Portuguese, it's become something more than that: a home away from home for native Spanishspeakers, students and lovers of Brazilian or Latin culture, and those who just want to learn more. It is also known for occasionally descending into sheer silliness, which I like to photograph in all its 'beleza' (beauty)."

– Ed Luna, OSU alumnus

Bate-Papo meets most Thursday nights.

Every one is welcome to join us!

Contact osubatepapo@gmail.com to get the weekly announcements.

Fito’s Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken Come for the Chicken and Stay for Dessert In Spanish, there is a phrase “Para chuparse los dedos,” which means “Finger-lickin’ good.” This precisely describes the food at Fito’s Rotisserie Chicken, a Peruvian restaurant conveniently located at 1644 N. High Street.

The address is deceptive as the restaurant sits on the corner of Chittenden and N. Pearl.

While Fito’s is easy to miss, we recommend you make every effort to experience the menu and friendly, casual atmosphere.

Fito’s ofrece una variedad de platillos tradicionales del Perú, así como una fusión entre su cocina tradicional y la cultura de comida rápida de los Estados Unidos.

Fito’s es un rincón del Perú en medio del ocupado distrito universitario. Con su ambiente familiar y acogedor, Fito’s da la bienvenida a sus comensales cada día. El establecimiento esta decorado con telares típicos del Perú, otras artesanías peruanas y fotos que adornan el lugar. La cocina abierta, deja ver la preparación de las comidas.

While the restaurant’s speciality is a marinated, slow-roasted chicken cooked in an oven imported from Peru, the restaurant also offers a variety of exciting, savory dishes that include fried yucca, chicharrón (deep fried pork), and chorizo. There are also a number of wraps and salad options, including the house salad, which comes bathed in an inexplicably tasty dressing.

El pollo a las brasas, uno de los platillos típicos del Perú es servido con papas a la francesa y ají -salsa también típica de la región- la cual recientemente gano el premio a la mejor salsa de Columbus.

Durante nuestra visita al local, nos ofrecieron la ensalada de la casa, la cual cuenta de lechuga, rábanos, cebolla, aguacate, bañados en un aderezo ligero y agridulce de la casa. El pollo a las brasas tiene un sabor ahumado gracias al que es rostizado a base de carbón. El pollo según nos comentaron, es marinado por varias horas

www.quepasa.osu.edu

en especias y es cocinado a fuego lento a las brasas. La mayoría de los platillos van acompañados de papas a la francesa o camote.

The chicharrón, a traditional breakfast of Peru, is one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. The sandwich is made of a specialty-bakery toasted bun filled with fried Peruvian-style pork layered with sweet potato, onion, and bathed in creole sarza (South-American salsa). It’s difficult to describe the mouth-watering spicy flavors that this mixture generates.

Tangy and deeply flavorful, the end bits of crispy pork, in particular, are delightful.

Para terminar el cortejo de alimentos, pasamos a los postres. La crema volteada, un platillo típico del Perú muy similar al flan, es cocinado en el tradicional baño María. Para la sorpresa de Indra, la crema volteada no es tan dulce como el flan, aun manteniendo su acaramelado sabor. El segundo postre, fue el pastel de tres leches, que es uno de sus favoritos. ¿Que se puede decir de un pastel saturado de armoniosas leches dulces? Simplemente una experiencia endulzantemente embriagadora.

While it is easy to expect to fall in love with the pastel de tres leches (three milk cake), the star dessert for Theresa is by far the crema volteada (turned cream). A stiff custard-like base with liquid caramel poured over, it looks very much like flan without the after taste. Instead, the crema volteada was curiously delicious without being overly sweet.

El servicio es bueno, familiar, amigable.

La familia Mandriotti, siempre te recibe

con una sonrisa y es tanto su buen servicio como la comida, que te atrae a regresar al establecimiento mas de una vez. Noten que la familia Mandriotti se esmera por ofrecer platillos frescos, así que recomendamos que vayan con tiempo pues como en toda familia, la comida toma tiempo para preparar… claro que definitivamente vale la pena esperar para degustar.

Fito’s offers reasonably priced delicious food that you won’t find just anywhere. If you’re in a hurry, give them a call and get your order to go. Try Fito’s on the weekend for special rotating seafood dishes such as Peruvian ceviche. Stop in and do as the owners recommend: use your fingers.

Fito's 1644 N. High Columbus, OH 43201 Phone: (614) 299-2066

www.letseat.at/fitos

����� Rating System:

5 chiles = Exceptional 4 chiles = Very good 3 chiles = Average 2 chiles = Poor 1 chile = Very poor

$$$$$

Autumn Quarter 2011

Food Review

A Bilingual Review by Theresa Rojas, Department of English, and Indra Leyva-Santiago, Intercultural Specialist, Multicultural Center

27

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PAID

COLUMBUS, OHIO PERMIT NO. 711

The Ohio State University Student Academic Services Building, 3rd Floor 281 West Lane Avenue Columbus, OH 43210-1132

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New Book Announcement

Spiritual Mestizaje: Religion, Gender, Race, and Nation in Contemporary Chicana Narrative

By Theresa Delgadillo Assistant Professor of Comparative Studies at Ohio State University Duke University Press, 2011

“Spiritual Mestizaje offers brilliant readings of some of the most significant Chicana writers and artists of our era. It is indispensable to understanding anew the broad spiritual and social significance of U.S. ethnic cultures.“ – Rafael Pérez-Torres, University of California, Los Angeles