California State University, Long Beach

Chicana Feminists

 
 

Chicana feminists in Southern California engaged in a range of groups and activities, both on college campuses and in their communities - often both. Regardless of the specifics of their politics or focus, most were initially politicized in the Chicano movement of the late 1960s; and most developed their feminist consciousness as a result of their direct experience with sexism in that movement. The six individual narrators in this series reflect this common background. The four activists in Hijas de Cuauhtemoc (Anna NietoGomez, Corinne Sanchez, Leticia Hernandez and Sylvia Castillo) cut their political eye teeth in the Chicano student group, UMAS/MEChA, at CSULB. In fact, it was their experiences in MEChA that motivated them to form the Hijas group (which published a newspaper by the same name). They were also involved in community groups and continued this activism after they left college, particularly in the Chicana Service Action Center. Yolanda Nava , who was one of the founding members of Comision Femenil Mexicana (CFM) and later served a term as president, was also introduced to the Chicano movement through MEChA. Although more than a decade older than these activists, Consuelo Nieto had similar experiences with sexism. Her introduction to the Chicano movement came while she was teaching in the schools in ELA, where high school students had organized to demand better education. A word about language in this series: While the term Anglo came to be used later, during the heyday of the Chicana feminist movement - and particularly in the debate and conflict with those who excoriated the feminists - White was the term most often used. In their interviews, the women themselves used the term White. It should also be noted that Cuauhtemoc is sometimes spelled "Cuahtemoc." NOTE: The interviews with the founders and former members of Hijas de Cuauhtemoc were conducted by Maylei Blackwell for what became her larger research project. As a courtesy to her, the audio recordings of these interviews will not be available until 2006. Until then, they can be used on-site at CSULB with her permission. See also her essay, "Contested histories: las hijas de Cuauhtâemoc, Chicana feminisms, and print culture in the Chicano movement, 1968-1973" in Gabriela Arredondo et al., Chicana Feminisms: A Critical Reader (Durham: Duke University Press, 2003) and the response by Anna NietoGomez. See also the writings of Anna NietoGomez, and other femenista pioneers in Alma Garcia, ed., Chicana Feminist Thought: Basic Historical Writings. New York: Routledge, 1997.

Recent Submissions

  • Hernandez, Leticia (b. 1950 - ); Blackwell, Maylei, Interviewer (2020-03-23)
    INTERVIEW DISCRIPTION - This is the third of three interviews with Leticia Hernandez conducted as part of a project on Hijas de Cuauhtemoc. Hernandez was very forthcoming and helpful in the interview, which was recorded ...
  • Hernandez, Leticia (b. 1950 - ); Blackwell, Maylei, Interviewer (2020-03-23)
    INTERVIEW DISCRIPTION - This is the second of three interviews with Leticia Hernandez conducted as part of a project on Hijas de Cuauhtemoc. Hernandez was very forthcoming and helpful in the interview, which was recorded ...
  • Hernandez, Leticia (b. 1950 - ); Blackwell, Maylei, Interviewer (2020-03-23)
    INTERVIEW DISCRIPTION - This is the first of three interviews with Leticia Hernandez conducted as part of a project on Hijas de Cuauhtemoc. Hernandez was very forthcoming and helpful in the interview, which was recorded ...
  • Blackwell, Maylei, Interviewer; Sanchez, Corinne (b. 1947 - ) (2020-03-23)
    INTERVIEW DISCRIPTION - This is the second of two interviews with Corinne Sanchez conducted as part of a a project on Hijas de Cuauhtemoc. The interview, which was conducted at her El Proyecto office, took place several ...
  • Sanchez, Corinne (b. 1947 - ); Blackwell, Maylei, Interviewer (2020-03-23)
    INTERVIEW DISCRIPTION - This is the first of two interviews with Corinne Sanchez conducted as part of a a project on Hijas de Cuauhtemoc. The interview, which was conducted at her El Proyecto office, took place several ...