Monthly Archives: March 2017

by V. June Pedraza, Ph.D. Chair

As my tenure as Chair comes to an end, I am grateful for the opportunity to have served in a leadership capacity at NACCS. Working with the Board has been a wonderful experience, and has provided me insight into the numerous ways we work through our scholarship in Chicana and Chicano Studies. Our membership reflects diverse perspectives, distinct experiences, and regional differences. NACCS allows us to share our interests, experiences, and voices – and I am proud of the work that we do as a collective community.

In the last year, the Board has worked to keep NACCS moving forward for future scholars. I am grateful that each board member provided me their vision of NACCS which has guided me as Chair. I thank the board for reaching out to foco representatives and caucus chairs to help them further their work.   This year our Treasurer, Chalane Lechuga, and Julia Curry, our Executive Director, have engaged in the ardous task of continuing to provide financial transparency that reflects the fiscal health of NACCS (see report provided in this newsletter). I thank them for the hard work they did.

As we begin NACCS 44 in Irvine, our work continues. We must be vigilant as we encounter political challenges that hinder us from moving forward in our mission of serving our communities.  NACCS must be at the forefront of these challenges in defense of our people as scholar activists whose voices and points of view must be represented in the public arena.  Our leadership matters! That is the true mark of our sustainability.

For all new and returning members in NACCS, there will be two presentations on “NACCS for Beginners”, Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. andThursday at 8:30 a.m., where Board members provide an overview of the conference and history of the organization. For returning Foco Representatives or Caucus Chairs, and for new leadership, plan to attend our “Leadership Orientation” on Wednesday, 6:15 p.m. or Friday at7:30 a.m.  For those that can’t attend these orientations, our At-Large representatives and Treasurer will be holding office hours during the conference. Please take these opportunities as we continue to engage in leadership development.

Finally, I thank you for being part of NACCS; and please enjoy the conference. Celebrate our history by noting that NACCS 44 returns to the site of the 2nd conference. Who would have known! Like the slogan currently budding in our communities, ¡Aqui Estamos y Nos Quedamos!

Final FY 2015-16 NACCS Asset and Liabilities Reports

As of June 30, 2016, NACCS assets totaled $158,730.83. This total includes a checking account balance of $23,400.83, web advertisements ($3750), donations ($3221), and membership dues paid ($35,456). The total assets also include 2016 Conference Income in the amount of $92,812. The liabilities include all operating expenses ($38051.46) and the 2016 Conference Expenses in the amount of $72,967.25.  The total liabilities were $111,018.71. The Net Worth of NACCS as of July 1, 2016 is $47,712.12.

In Summer 2016, a decision was made to follow the reporting cycle of Antonia Casteñdea Endowment investment fund and to report it separately.  On June 26, 2015, the total value of the Antonia Casteñdea Endowment was $23,917.40.   There was a decrease in value of $687.85 from June 26, 2015 to June 30, 2016. The Net Worth of the Antonia Casteñdea Endowment as of June 30, 1016, is $23,229.55.

LINKS TO FINAL NACCS FINANCIAL REPORTS

Link to PDF Report:

2015-16 NACCS Asset_Liability_Final

Link to PDF Report:

2015-16 NACCS AC Asset_Liability_Final

NACCS Scholar

Emilio Zamora, University of Texas, Austin.

Book Award

Maria Josefina Saldana-Portillo. Indian Given: Racial Geographies across Mexico and the United States (Duke University Press, 2016)

Antonia I. Castañeda Prize

Margo Tamez (Nde’). “Indigenous Women’s Rivered Refusals in El Calaboz.” Diálogo 19 N. 1 (Spring 2016): 7-21.

Frederick A. Cervantes Student Premio Recipients

Elizabeth Barahona, Duke University. Undergraduate.

Sergio Gael Barrera, University of Michigan. Graduate.

Community Recognition

Resilience Orange County is an organization that was created in 2016 out of the merging of two established organizations RAIZ (Resistencia Autonomia Igualdad y lideraZgo) and Santa Ana Boys and Men of Color. RAIZ was started in 2011 to fight back and organize around the deportation apparatus that was set in motion during the Obama Administration, in its tenure it tackled the collaboration between local law enforcement and immigration as well as created a “Free The People” (FTP) deportation defense project in order to organize youth and families to speak for themselves and become outspoken leaders. RAIZ stopped over 20 deportations through its deportation defense work as well as contributed to change and policy advocacy at the city, county, state, and national level. Santa Ana Boys Men of Color was forged in 2013 to tackle issues that disproportionately affect young boys and men of color in Santa Ana. Santa Ana Boys and Men of Color was able to address and bring to light the school to prison to deportation pipeline that so often plagues immigrant communities. In that capacity it was able to provide and facilitate programs that were trauma-informed and culturally relevant. As Resilience Orange County, the organization strives to promote resilient youth leaders that engage in the critical work of building youth-oriented institutions in Orange County that advocate for social-systemic change, healing and that embrace trauma-informed, culturally relevant practices that are inclusive of all members of the community.

The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies is pleased to announce that the 2017 NACCS Scholar is Dr. Emilio Zamora, Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin. As a founding member of NACCS, an active member of the Tejas Foco, and an award-winning historian, Dr. Zamora is a scholar and activist that the NACCS Board acknowledges as a leader in Chicana and Chicano Studies. Zamora is the author/editor/contributor/consultant of numerous books, anthologies, reports and articles. Dr. Zamora has received seven best book awards, a best article prize, and a Fulbright Garcia – Robles Fellowship. He also holds numerous posts in local, state, and national boards. Zamora spearheaded a team of local community members in Tejas that have been diligently working to implement Mexican American Studies within the Texas K-12 educational system.  He has been a vocal advocate and expert witness to school board hearings on the historically biased textbook on Mexican American history that the Texas Education Agency has accepted. He has been a professor since 1985 at the University of Houston and the University of Texas at Austin respectively. As a young scholar, Zamora left a profound imprint upon NACS [sic] putting forth proposals that would create the NACCS Scholar and the Frederick Cervantes Premio.   Zamora has consistently presented at our annual conference since its inception, has served as the Texas [sic] foco representative from 1989-1992, and was a member of the editorial board in 1991 and 1992.  We celebrate Dr. Zamora and the Tejas foco in this recognition!

NACCS Midyear Meeting, Hotel Irvine, October 21-23

MINUTES

Abridged For Space

Minutes taken by Jennie Luna

Board members present: June Pedraza, Chair; Jose Angel Hernandez, Chair-Elect: Nelia Olivencia, Past-Chair; Julia Curry, Executive Director; Jennie Luna, Secretary; Chalane Lechuga, Treasurer; Alexandro Gradilla, At-Large Rep; Maria Gonzalez, At-Large Rep; Brenda Valles, At-Large Rep.

Non-Voting, Associate Director – Kathryn Blackmer-Reyes.
Friday, October 21, 2016

1. Reports

Past Chair

By-laws and Handbook updates

By-Laws: Changes can only be made to the by-laws are those that come from resolutions passed by the body It Secretary will review suggestions and review previous resolutions to make sure that they are reflected either in the by-laws or handbook.

2016 Conference Proceedings Submissions

All papers have been submitted,

Committee on Heteropatriarchal Violence:

Adhoc Committee on Heteropatriarchal Violence would like to be on the agenda at the NACCS annual conference.

Chair-Elect

Proposal submissions:

294 submissions total, 121 panels only (11 rooms, 11 sessions=121 panels). Two-dozen readers for the submissions.

Treasurer

Fiscal/Financial Report/Operation Budget- 2015-2016

Documents to the board which include:

-Assets and Liabilities Report

-NACCS, Fiscal Year 2015-16 (DRAFT)*

-NACCS Antonia Castañeda Endowment, Fiscal Year 2015-16*

-Membership Report

NACCS Checking Account Balance as of 9/30/16: $41,656.71

NACCS Antonia Casteñeda Endowment Balance as of 9/30/16: $24,326.61

Membership Report:

2015: This report was provided to the Board at the 2016 Conference*

2016: Includes members who renewed beginning on 1/1/16 – 10/17/16*

Trends:

Members: Undergraduates and Graduates increased

Foco Increases: Colorado, Midwest, Blanks

Foco Decreases: NoCal

Caucus Increases: Student

Caucus Decrease: Joto

Foco and Caucus Revenue

• Rocky Mountain Foco has spent their revenue.
• NCal donates their revenue funds to the Immigrant Becas.

Motion:  Two meetings be funded (added to the operational budget) by NACCS for the treasurer and executive director to work on financial reports in person between the midyear and the conference and between the conference and the midyear.

Moved, seconded, and voted on unanimously Approved.

Suggested the board consider applying a minimal fee for maintaining caucus and foco accounts

Proposed that we move reporting of the Antonia Casteñada endowment to match the reporting cycle of the financial institution’s (Edward Jones) for ease and accuracy of reporting the loss and recovery of the endowment to donor and membership.

Discussion:

Executive and Associate Director Compensation.

The board needs to make this a priority and think ahead for the true expenses.

This is often not reflected in the operations budget and report.

Budget is not an operating budget; NACCS still relies on free labor.

PROJECTED BUDGET shows a need for revenue streams.

Meeting liabilities with the exception of Executive and Associate Director’s compensatio

Fundraising: Suggested that as lifetime members increase, establish a campaign with lifetime members and NACCS Scholars to make donations

Executive Director Report- Julia:

Report of work completed: (typed report coming)

• Investigating how to do the website modifications
• Looking for hotel, site inspections; appointments with hotel business about AV options/costs, in addition to other expenses for conference
• Getting materials and working with local reps/socal foco; sent memo to share with socal foco; had a meeting as to what is expected.
• Reflection: NACCS needs to make evident the tasks that need to be done to put on the conference; Need to reflect how NACCS will be without Julia; it would be irresponsible for us to not engage with leadership development, new board members do not get enough mentorship.

Associate Director Report- Kathy:

• Submissions went smoothly
• Scheduled Program work
• On-going website work
• Newsletter: Published and Updated as needed
• Social media; Facebook, updated as needed
• Site work
• Website:
• Need to revamp website
• Recommendation was made to change the service provider to a wordpress site
• Plan for the budget of re-vamping the website.
• Board will form a committee: and web redesign plan will be announced to the rest of the leadership…Moved/seconded and voted (9-0) consensus to form this committee; Kathy as advisory role, non-voting. Alexandro volunteered to chair this committee.

At-Large Mid-Year Reports:

Maria Gonzalez

Chicana caucus:

• Identified plenary speakers: Maria Cotera, Deena Gonzalez and they are inviting Maya Cristina Gonzalez (artist); Chicana Caucus is asking for money, but NACCS does not pay any speakers. Chicana Caucus will have to fundraise or they can use their dues for that purpose. Kathy suggested they talk to NCal foco and Joto caucus to ask for funding. It was also suggested that the organization, REFORMA, has a strong chapter in Orange County, perhaps they can request funds.
• They are drafting a Chicana caucus book award
• On top of their agenda for the March conference: Chicana Caucus scholarship. All current funds have been allocated for these scholarships. The money comes from 2014 membership. They haven’t spent 2015 membership ($1,050); they need to put in a formal request.
• Groups can establish their own bank accounts and funds can only be spent on NACCS-related events, but they will have to file their own IRS accounts.

SCal Foco Report:

• They had a meeting on10/21 and will be meeting again today (Friday)
• They are meeting to find ways to get contributions to the conference Noche de Cultura and welcome reception
• They are determining how to raise funds for students and community to be able to participate in the conference;
• They are planning to potentially hold a 2018 conference to commemorate blow-outs
• Alex Reyes is the current socal foco rep.

Joto Caucus

• Jose, will serve as rep of Joto caucus and will call in to the midyear conference call

NCal Foco

• Lupe Gallegos did not get in her report and cannot make midyear conference call, but Maria will reach out to get her report next week

LBMT Caucus

Alexandro Gradilla:

Overall people have not been responding to their corresponding at-large rep, but to other board members.

Indigenous Caucus:

• Melissa will be on the midyear conference call; Martha Gonzalez is the co-chair

TX foco:

• Treviño will call into the midyear conference call

Brenda Valles

Rocky Mountain Foco:

• Jose Juan Gomez is the new rep, Vanessa Fonseca stepping down
• They had a successful virtual conference
• Concerns: mobilizing their constituency, beyond regular voices—AZ; incoming rep will be on mid-year conference call

Grad caucus:

• Margarita Gonzalez & Tiffany Gonzalez will be using funds for scholarships.
• There are concerns around mobilizing the students, their meetings at the conference overlaps with Chicana Caucus meeting and they want a different time frame; they are trying to mobilize their constituency.
• Caucus overlap will be difficult all the way around, only way to get them out of that slot would be to have them during a meeting time, not during session. Joto Caucus makes their own meeting time. They have grad student reception, but there will always be some conflict.

K-12 Caucus:

Community Caucus:

• Irene Sanchez will communicate with Brenda

Pacific northwest:

• Re-organizing

Overall Discussion:

• Listserve needs to be updated

New Business

Committee Work:

Nominations Committee, Nelia

• Voting takes place in January
• Forms are out for nominations: It was suggested that in the future vetting info should be included on the nomination form for each position so that it is clear the requirements.
• Also need to make sure there is LGBTQ+ representation on the Board
• Vacant positions:

-Treasurer

-Chair-elect (not region-specific)

-At-large rep

• We need to recruit people! Provide diverse representation of our needs on our board to create a broad representation (queer, region, sex, etc.).
• It was suggested that we move up the nominations for board, open nomination till Nov. 6^th.
•  Submit more potential candidates to the board, until Nov 6^th.

Cervantes Premio Committee, Brenda Valles

• Currently there are three committee members: they need 4 weeks to review materials; Decisions must be made before January, so that there is time to collect their bios and pics. Brenda & Kathy will work together to get papers online and to the reviewers.
• Outreach to faculty to encourage mentorship for students to submit. Remind people it’s our job to mentor students. Professors can submit papers for students.

Immigrant Student Beca Committee, Chalane Lechuga

• We have $3,000 committed for the scholarships; Committee can decide how much for each scholarship.
• Committee decided that they all will get funding, contingent on receipt of the missing letters

Book Award Committee, Maria Gonzalez

• Winner is Josefina Saldaño Portillo

NACCS Antonia Prize Committee, Nelia Olivencia 

• Nov 1^st, Antonia Castañeda deadline

NACCS Scholar Award

• 2017 NACCS Scholar is Prof. Emilio Zamora

Finances & Development Committee, Chalane Lechuga & Julia Curry-Rodriguez

• Create a list of projected expenses.
• Ensure accessible liability and assets reports.

Approximate budget:

Membership brings in ~$35,000

Operating costs: ~$27,800 (not including bad debts and projected expenses)

Conference expenses: ~$72,000

Saturday Oct 22, 2016

2017 Conference Points

Estimated Cost of the Conference:

• Cover conference with registration fees, but rely on local folks to ask institutions for funds, sponsors, institutional ads, and exhibitor fees. Ads: $1000; encourage our institution to purchase; and will be listed as a sponsor for a reception
• Exhibitor Registration is only book-based.

Conference expenses:

Cervantes awards, each plaque: $350

Programs: $4000

Child Care Provider: $2000

Registration labor, Jamie: $1000

Kathy: $2000

Julia: $5000

Lodging for Jamie & Child Care Provider: $4000

Basic AV anticipated expense overall is: $41,000 + service and tax=~$57,000

Estimated Total: $113,000-$130,000 (this must be covered by registration fees, which are low)

Membership Dues:

•  5% increase every 5 years in the membership dues.
• Dues are increaased.

NACCS Registration fees:

• Every year some of the Conference registration fees are increased;
• Other issues for registration:
  • Invoices will be revamped

Blessing

Discussion:

• Opening of the conference is the welcome reception;
• Chair organizes plenary and it is up to Chair if they want to use their time for a blessing.
• Board recommends: Indigenous Caucus work with the local foco rep to make sure a local elder/representative or group is invited on Wednesday night welcome reception to say a few words and open the event. On Thursday, during the Welcome (which is 10 minutes exactly), before the opening plenary, the rep from the Indigenous caucus can make a brief opening/invocation in less than 5 minutes; there will be a 5 min thank you by the organization. This will not intrude on the chair’s plenary.

Honorarium associated with the blessing is covered by Indigenous Caucus and the Local Caucus budgets.

10:00-10:45  Southern California Foco meeting Meeting with Foco Members

-Alex Reyes SCal foco representative and Alfredo Carlos, former socal rep joined the meeting.

SCal Foco Report:

• Foco is concentrating on the reception and the noche de cultura
• Chalane will send info of Denver foco organizing/budget to the SCal foco
• The foco plans to specifically focus on student talent, CSU Long Beach mariachi, etc.
• If they are planning a community tour in Santa Ana, need to let program planning know asap for the programs. It can be by sign up: 20 people can sign up and let them know if they can “expect expenses” such as entrance to museum, basic transpo, lunch etc. Give advance notice so people can pre-register.
• Foco should also provide a Local List of businesses, clubs, that are LGBT friendly and/or that will provide NACCS conference attendees discounted business

3:00-4:00pm   Conference Call with Foco and Caucus Reps

Present on Call:

Chicana Caucus: Isabel Millan & Yvette Sevedra, co-chairs; K-12 Caucus: Marijane Castillo; Jose Gomez: Rocky Mountain Foco; Melissa Moreno, Indigenous Caucus

Reports/Questions:

• K-12: no questions
• Chicana caucus: Plenary Speakers: Is it possible to waive their reg fees? Chalane responded: the revenues generated through the rebates for the caucus can go to pay their reg fees.
• RM Foco-Jose Gomez, no questions
• Indigenous Caucus-Melissa Moreno, call dropped
• Tejas Foco- Leo Trevino: foco fees question; access and fundraising, Adhoc wants to be on the agenda

End of call.

By-laws and handbook:

• Reviewed the By-laws and Handbook.
• Handbook renamed NACCS Operating Handbook
• Associate Director description to be added to the handbook.
• Changes to Handbook will be edited by Board Members. 

Newsletter:

• Updated when needed
• Chair, treasurer and at-large reps can provide reports for the newsletter
• Strategies of how students can search for funding, Brenda
• There will be one more newsletter before the conference

Meeting Adjourned