RESEARCH-CHICANX | mysite-1

May 9, 2018

Another amazing class I had the pleasure of attending this semester was Musical Mestizaje, instructed by Dr. Marco Antonio Cervantes. We explored the different, eras and genres, of California, Texas, and Mexico’s musical influence over culture on each other. For our final group project, we decided to connect our readings to the active Chicanx punk scene here in San Antonio. After reading about Alice Bag, the first Chicana punk in LA in the 1980’s, I realized Bag had produced local Chicana punk group Fea. I had written a paper over a live performance from Fea a few months ago, and asked bassist Jenn Alva if we could interview her for class. She kindly accepted, and things fell into place. We also involved friend Alvaro from Pinata Protest to participate in this documentary. We explored themes as music, politics, art and fashion. I also interviewed Ray Tattooedboy Scarborough about art inspiration for flyers. Unfortunately our video was way to long so those edits were not used. Enjoy!

April 3, 2018-Research Update:

Over spring break, I made my way down to Monteterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The trip went well, as I was able to conduct 5 interviews. I was unable to have a focus group due to time limitations. However I was able to fit in some ethnographic studies. My good friend Dulce took me to Mercado Juarez and some crystal shops to show me where people into different kinds of spirituality may procure objects to help aid in their practice. I have about 7 interviews total at present, but I'm kind of going crazy and aiming for 20 individual interviews. This is for practice with next year's sociology colloquium. When I returned from Mexico, I made my way to Del Rio, tx. Once again, I joined forces with the Casa de la Cultura to conduct my research. Celebration of women's month were in order with the themes of woman empowerment. They were happy to allow me to advertise a free yoga class (to draw in participants) and follow that with my focus group. I had 9 particpants! The first picture with the red background was a flyer for the Del Rio focus group that a friend/artist Erik Ybarra created. I've posted photos in the gallery from my trip to Monterrey, the shops I visited and a few people I interviewed.

Research Project Proposal Outline

IDEA- My research idea will explore transnationally, how Latinx use spirituality or mysticism as a tool of empowerment. There has been a surge on social media of Latinx coming forward and embracing a once taboo subject. Practitioners utilize tradition, ritual and spirituality as a positive form of self-empowerment, while taking agency over their own lives and bodies, in a resistance towards the patriarchy

Literature Review- https://escholarship.org/uc/item/84w613zv

“Saint-Making” in Ana Castillo’s So Far From God: Medieval Mysticism as Precedent for an Authoritative Chicana Spirituality Michelle M. Sauer

This article draws a comparison between Medieval mysticism and the characters/story line in Ana Castillo’s novel, So Far From God. Castillo draws parallels between hagiography (stories of saint’s lives) and the Chicana characters. The novel explores women claiming spiritual authority while creating a space where every woman can be defined as a saint. There is a need for spiritual healing and reconstruction by women for women. We see Latina women abandoning Catholicism for a mystic blend of community, politics, passion and personal fulfillment. Women are a beautiful source for spiritual uplifting and positive affirmation. Chicanas caught between two cultures move closer to self-discovery.

http://journals.sagepub.com/libweb.lib.utsa.edu/doi/full/10.1111/j.1471-6402.2007.00403.x

Spirita: Reclaiming Womanist Sacredness Into Feminism Lillian Comas-Diaz

This article is written from a psycho-spiritual perspective, exploring how colonization creates cognitive distortion. Liberation requires identity formation. Through spirituality, specifically “spirita” (women of color’s spirituality), women’s awareness is enhanced, and promotes racial and gender empowerment. Spirita endorses a universal perspective for collective healing and international solidarity. Feminism, cultural studies and folk spirituality are explored. When women speak from their hearts, they can be seen as mystics, healer, brujas, visionaries, and liberators.

Theoretical Perspective- I’d like to frame this research through identity theory. Identity theory explores relationship between our identity and behavior within the social world, and why these Latinx are embracing such labels as brujas, brujx. I will also use symbolic interaction theory as I would like to explore the interaction between these individuals and like-minded communities. I will also frame this paper through a Feminist lens, specifically Bruja Feminism, which is Feminist, Latin ancestor tradition inspired, spiritual and empowering.

Research Methods- I will be conducting 10 individual interviews, 5 Latinx who live in the United States and 5 Latinx who live in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Over spring-break I will head to Monterrey, where I plan on having a focus group disguised as a charla/talk. I also plan to use ethnographic study while in Monterrey. When I return to Texas, I will hold a charla/talk in my hometown of Del Rio, Tx to collect more information.

Research Design- I will obtain informed consent from participants. The 5 Latinx living currently in the United States are friends of mine. The 5 Latinx participants in Mexico snowballed out of one friend who is helping me recruit and set up the charla in Monterrey. As for the ethnographic study, I look forward to visiting the mercados (markets) where the subjects procure materials for themselves and their rituals. Both charlas in Monterrey and Del Rio will be casual focus groups, and I plan to compare and contrast similarities between these 2 groups. The charla in Del Rio will take place at the Casa de la Cultura, that one of my friends runs. I will document both visually and audibly through pictures and recording of the interviews and charlas. ********insert interview questionnaire here*******

Age ?

Gender/Sex ?

Race/Ethnicity ?

Level of Educational Attainment ?

Relationship Status ?

Employment Status (FT/PT/Unemployed) ?

Type of Employment ?

Edad?

Género/sexo?

Raza/etnia?

Nivel de educativo?

¿Estado civil?

Situatcion laboral (tiempo completo/tiempo parcial/desempleado)?

Tipo de empleo?

Do you identify as Feminist? Political, economic, and social equality for all genders. Examples include: Chicana Feminism, Bruja Feminism

¿Te identificas como feminista? Política, económica e igualdad social para todos los géneros. Ejemplos son: Chicana Feminista, Bruja Feminista.

2. How do you define spirituality?

¿Cómo defines la espiritualidad?

3. What inspires or influences your spiritual practices?

¿Qué inspira o influye en tus prácticas espirituales?

4. Growing up, was religion or spirituality practiced at home or enforced?

¿Creciste practicando la religión o la espiritualidad en tu hogar o fuiste obligado de alguna manera a practicarla?

5. What rituals do you practice that uplift you (make you feel better)?

¿Qué rituales practicas que te animan y te hacen sentir mejor?

6. What kind of objects aid you in your spiritual practices?

¿Qué tipo de objetos te ayudan en tus prácticas espirituales?

7. Do you share your practices with anybody? Friends or family?

¿Compartes tus prácticas con alguien? ¿Amigos o familia?

8. How do your practices or rituals empower you?

¿De que manera te empoderan tus prácticas o rituales?

9. How do you know that you’re a spiritual being?

¿Cómo sabes que eres un ser espiritual?

10. Why are more Latinx comfortable with publicly identifying with their spirituality? (ex: social media)

¿Por qué crees que los Latinx estan mas cómodos con practicar su espiritualidad de manera publica?

(ej: media social)

Collect Data/Conduct Research- I will get informed consent from participants, interview my participants, conduct focus groups with my participants, observe my participants and write field notes. I will collect visuals.

Latinx use of spirituality/mysticism as a tool of empowerment

PHOTO & COMMENT RELEASE

Please Print

NAME: _________________________________________________________________________

PHONE:________________________ E-MAIL: __________________________________

I, ____________________________, hereby grant Sarah De La Rosa permission, with respect to photographs taken of me and/or comments made by me, to use and publish the photographs and/or comments in any and all media, including use on the world wide web and for the purpose of illustration, promotion, art and advertising, and if appropriate, to use my name and pertinent biographical facts as decided upon by Sarah De La Rosa.

Signed:__________________________________________Date: ___________________

_________________________________________________________________________

El uso de la espiritualidad/misticismo de los Latinx como herramienta de empoderamiento

CONSENTIMIENTO FOTOGRAFICO Y DE INFORMACION

Por favor imprima

NOMBRE: _______________________________________________________________________________

TELEFONO: ____________________________________________________________________

CORREO ELECTRONICO: _________________________________________________________

Yo,______________________________ , por la presente concedo el permiso a Sarah De La Rosa, con respecto a las fotografías tomadas de mí y/o comentarios hechos por mí, para utilizar y publicar las fotografías y/o comentarios en cualquier y todos los medios de comunicación, incluyendo el uso en la World Wide Web y con el fin de la ilustración, la promoción , el arte y la publicidad. Acepto el uso de mi nombre y los hechos biográficos pertinentes según lo decida Sarah De La Rosa.

Firmado:______________________________________________ Fecha: ___________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Data Analysis- I will organize and analyze the data I have collected through my literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, observations etc.

Findings- I will write up my findings for my research/reflection paper citing the texts, scholarly literature, data gathered from my research participants and my personal reflection on the topic.

Dissemination- I will upload final paper to Blackboard.