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>>> Good evening, I'm Jose
Cardenas.
Latino and Latina presidents of
colleges and universities across
the country write about their
personal education and
professional lives.
The co-editors are here to talk
about the book.
>>> And in sounds of Cultura
SOC, where you can see the work
of artist Pablo Helguera.
All that coming up on Horizonte.
>> Funding for Horizonte is made
possible by contributions by the
friends of Eight.
Members of your Arizona PBS
station.
>>> Thank you for joining us.
Latino college presidents in
their own words is a collection
of autobiographical essays by
Latino and Latina presidents of
colleges and universities across
the country.
Joining me tonight to talk about
the book are co-editors
Dr. David Leon, chair and
professor Emeritus in the ethnic
studies department at California
state University Sacramento, and
Dr. Ruben Martinez, a professor
at Michigan State University.
Welcome to Horizonte.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you for joining us.
>>> The book talks about
literally in their own words,
each chapter is written by a
particular President, Latino or
Latina, and one of the reviews I
was read it go talked about the
fact that you didn't do the
normal analysis.
You really did want to hear what
these people had to say about
their experiences.
Why?
>> Well, I think that, that's a
more powerful statement of who
these individuals are.
Many of them are first
generation college students, and
their parents have very low or
no education, nine of the seven,
were the first ones in their
families to go to college, and
here they are.
CEOs and presidents and
Chancellors of higher education,
and how, how did, did they
overcome that, that huge
educational and economic
situation?
>> And David, talking about some
of the, some of the, as I
understand it, six commonalities
that you all identified in terms
of the experiences that this
group had.
Talk about those.
>> Well, one of them was that,
that all of them came from
families that valued education.
It does not matter which, which
economic position or location
the family was in society,
whether they were very poor or
well to do.
All of the families valued
education, and instilled in
their children a love of
learning and a love of
indication.
That was a strong dimension
across the, the different
presidents.
And another one was, was that
they did come to love learning,
and they won, as presidents, to
create opportunities for
students, to be able to have the
opportunity to learn, to, to
take advantage of the, of the
opportunities in higher
education today.
>> Now, with respect to the
Latinas in the group, and I
understand that there were four
of them.
>> Yes.
>> And one of the, one of the
viewers talks about the devil
helix of prejudice both walk-off
their ethnic origin and their
gender.
>> Right.
There is a couple of aspects.
One of them has to do with, with
the, the patriarchal roles that
we have in the society, and
particularly, you know, that's
the larger society, but
particularly, in our own Latino
communities where, where women
are expected to, to pursue
traditional roles, as they
become adults.
So, they are not expected to
become professionals or, or to
take on roles that, that are not
commonly held by women.
So, they have that issue to deal
with.
But, then, when you get out into
the professional world, you
know, when they are in meetings
and they are the only person in
the room that's a woman, and
they make suggestions about what
could be done or, you know,
their brainstorming about, about
some issues strategically, they
are not hurt.
So, they have to find ways by
which their ideas can be
inserted into the conversation
and, and they can be addressed
and taken seriously as potential
wave lengths in which some issue
can be addressed.
>> And Dr. Leon, the, the
underlying motivation for the
book is the significant
underrepresentation of Latinos
in leadership positions and
higher education.
Describe what you are talking
about there.
>> Well, when you take a look at
colleges and universities across
the country, only less than 5%
of those individuals are Latino
or Latina, and actually, when
you take a look at the numbers,
it's right now about 3.9%.
So, it has, actually, decreased,
and so this really troubling
given the fact that the Latina
population is a, the fastest
growing minority population, not
only in Arizona, but also across
the country.
And so, this really troubles us,
and this is a wakeup call to the
Latino community and to the
community at large that
something needs to be done.
And we wanted to, to present
that message to one audience.
>> And is that a problem,
though, that will cure itself as
you have more and more Latinos
and Latinas going into higher
education, and some of them
pursuing careers in that field?
Will the numbers be such that at
some point, that's going to take
care of itself?
>> I wish that that were true,
but, there was another study
done by ace, and it was
entitled, the pathway the
present.
The general pathway to the
present is, a Ph.D., teaching,
become a department chair, move
onto school Dean, and then
finally, to a provost position.
But what we see is that when we
take a look at those pathways,
Latinos are not represented, and
those critical positions, so, so
we can't rely on that
traditional pathway to, to
provide a way for Latinos to, to
come, college presence and
universities, we have to find
other means, other venues to, to
find talented individuals, and
to, to assume these leadership
positions.
>> And Dr. Martinez, how will
this book deal with that
problem?
>> Well, I think the story is
that the Presidents presented
here speak to the humans, to the
kinds of obstacles that they
experience and how they overcame
them.
And, and you know, in this
society, there is a tendency to
think of our institutional
leaders as being as
extraordinary individuals, and
beyond the ordinary, and when in
fact, they are very talented
individuals, by virtue of
experiences mentoring and some
other opportunities.
They have been able to get to
where they are at.
But, they are just human like
the rest of us, and the
presidents here not only speak
to, to the obstacles that they
experience because there is a
tendency also to think that you
are, you are at the top of an
organization, that you had it
easy to get there.
And, and they speak about the,
the obstacles that they faced
and, and the other thing of it
is that, that, that they provide
a considerable amount of device,
for young people, who, who are
starting out in higher
education, as employees, either
as faculty, or staff, and they
provide, provide, I think,
invaluable information about,
about the kinds of things that,
that they need to do to be
successful as administrators
and, and I think that begins to
address that issue.
>> And the first point, that you
made, which is that they are
just human, they are like the
rest of us, and one of the
findings, though, that you
discuss is the fact that they
are held to a higher standard,
or they seem to be.
And, and, and as compared to
their white colleagues.
>> Right, that's the future of
American society, right, we do
have racism.
It has been here since the
beginning of the society.
And still today, particularly in
this period of austerity, period
of austerity, people are more
likely to, I think, protect
valiant positions.
One of the things about the
presidency of an institutional
of higher education, it's a
prestigious position.
It comes with good pay.
It comes with political
influence, it comes with
incredible accolades, and a
great reputation.
So, it's something that people
want to cover, they want to get
to it and keep it.
When you have scarcity in
society, people ratchet down and
begin to protect them, and so,
it's important then that, that
we recognize this and find ways
as Dr. Leon is talking about,
maybe expanding leadership
programs, giving opportunities
to others for internships, and
administrative internships and
so on, to be able to move up.
>> And now, Dr. Leon, one of the
things that the two of you
comment on in your book, is, is
not only the leadership
positions overall, at the top
level of the higher education,
but then the differences between
the two-year colleges, the
four-year colleges, and between
the, the major publics and the
private institutions, and then
the elite liberal arts colleges.
>> Right.
Well, we have a very structured,
rigid system of higher
education.
We have the public and we have
the private.
If we look at, at the public
institutions, in particular,
most Latinos are college
students, and so, when you look
at the data, most Latinos, who
are college presidents are in
the community college, so that
makes sense.
And, and so, fewer Latinos are
enrolled in four-year colleges
and universities.
We find fewer college
presidents.
And very few are in the private
elite institutions, and at
present, we have no, no Latinos,
Latinas who are, who are
presidents of the elite
colleges.
We did have one President who
was, who was at a prestigious
institution but she's no longer
there, termed out, and of
course, we wanted her story, but
she declined because, because
she was writing her own story.
>> So, one anomaly that I think
that you note is you have, at
the liberal arts colleges, where
there is an emphasis on
diversity and getting
minorities, minority students in
there, and their numbers are
going up there.
But, almost impossible for, for
Latino or Latinas to become
President.
>> We relationship don't find
examples of Latinos in those
institutions of higher
education.
And, and I'm not sure why.
But, we have seen inroads of
minority, African-American
women, and becoming presidents
of the elite colleges and
universities, and that makes
nation-wide headlines, but we
don't see that kind of happening
-- we don't have that kind of
situation for Latinos or
Latinas, at this point.
>> Dr. Martinez, David talked
about one person who declined
for a good reason.
She started telling her own
story.
Anything that, that, that, that
came out in terms of the people
who, who a, said yes, and b,
those who, who said no?
And anything interesting about
the reasons they gave for
wanting to do this?
>> Well, I think that they
wanted to tell their story, and,
you know, they continued to
think of public higher education
as being a public good, and they
understand that, that there are
issues with succession, so I
think that they wanted to have
the opportunity to tell the
story both from the human side,
and from the point of view of
being able to offer some, some
mentoring advice to those
interested, so I think that they
wanted to get that, that, that
out.
And in terms of the ones who
didn't, we had individuals, very
busy people, so, one of them
who, who had initially agreed to
participate, let us know later
on saying, you know, at a campus
that is unionized, and we're
going to some very difficult
negotiation process, so I will
not be able to devote any
attention to this project, and
I'm going to have to bow out.
>> And anyone who bows out
because they were concerned
about the consequences of being
candid in a book like there?
>> One of them did speak to
that, wanted to, to -- felt that
it would not be -- he would not
be honest.
If he did not speak to the
racism that he had experienced.
But then, felt that if he did
come out with that, that it
probably wouldn't be very
presidential and might limit
some opportunities in the future
for him.
So, it was kind of a dicey
situation that we put these
invitees in.
>> David, we're almost out of
time so last question.
Anything that, that, that came
as a surprise in this experience
dealing with the individuals?
>> Yeah, when we talked about
the common characteristics of,
of the President, one was that,
that, that this connect, between
the parents' view of education,
and, but, the low educational
achievement.
So, demographically Latinos have
one of the lowest levels of
educational achievement across
the country.
But, their parents value
education as a means for
success.
And I thought that that was --
that was a surprise to me, in a
sense that, that if you have low
education, then how would you --
why would you promote education?
Of course, it makes sense
because it's, it's an Avenue for
the children to get out of
poverty.
So, so, I really love that, that
disconnect and, and it's a
common perception that Latino
parents do not value education.
They are national, there are
national studies and surveys
that show that Latino parents
value education more than your
Americans, so, that's another
surprise because they value
education, and yet, we have the
lowest educational achievement
of ethnic groups in American
society.
>> There is so much more to
discuss about this, including
the impact of the immigrants
versus people who have been here
for a while.
But, we're out of time, and
thank you both for joining us to
talk about the fascinating book.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
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>>> The asu museum will present
two concurrent solo exhibitions
of work by artist Pablo
Helguera.
Both of them will open tomorrow,
pablo elguera: libereria
donceles and Pablo Helguera
chrestomathy will be the first
presentation outside the east
coast of this new works by
helguera, a world renowned
performance.
Julio cesar Morales is with us
tonight, and this exhibition is
really big.
This is a huge, big name artist,
tell us about it.
>> And Pablo is originally from
Mexico city, and essentially, he
went to New York to become a,
you know, to seek his future as
a contemporary artist but also
an educator, and so, when he
first arrived, he had the luck
of landing a great gig at the
Guggenheim.
And he was in charge of the
lecture series.
20 years previous to that in
Mexico city he was a fan of
literature, a big fan of used
books, and there is a street in
Mexico city where you find
second hand books.
When he, in the 1980s, he
found this book, and on the
future of art that changed his
life and made him want to be a
contemporary artist.
>> We'll show a picture that
relates to how that all started.
But, a bit more about him.
We have the picture on now.
>> The picture, the book on the
left is the book that he
found --
>> The book on the right.
>> In Spanish.
>> And the one in the left is in
New York City.
>> Yes, and this is lectures
from 1969, so he found the
Spanish version in Mexico city
in the 1980s, and 20 years
later, when he had this new
position at the Guggenheim
organizing lectures, he found
the original manuscript and the
original book.
That was in English, and he
figured out that, that it was
sort of this really interesting
crossing over of cultures for
him, because he, basically,
replaced the person who, who
created the series of lectures.
In 1969.
>> As we noted, he's a big name
in the arts world.
>> Yes.
>> And he's exhibited all over
the world in Miami, Havana,
Madrid.
How did you get him here?
>> If you ask for the right
reasons, they will come.
And essentially, a lot of the
work that we've been doing at
the asu art museum is working
with renowned artist, but there
is something interesting about
the desert, Arizona, social
climate, and sometimes, for the
right reasons, they can be the
choice to really show anywhere
in the world.
But, sometimes, these projects
are really more valuable in a
sense or have more of an impact
in Arizona and in Phoenix.
>> So let's stalk about, about
the two exhibitions, and the one
is Spanish for bookstore, and we
have a couple of pictures at
that show, what it looks like,
and is this how it was set up in
New York?
>> The first iteration was in
New York, and it was impressive
because they took over a
gallery, and the gallery became
a used Spanish language
bookstore of 4,000 books.
For Phoenix, beer having 14,000
books.
What's interesting about New
York, as well as here in
Phoenix, in New York, there is
2 million Spanish speaking
people and no Spanish language
bookstore.
>> That's so hard to, to
believe.
Given their population.
It's hard to believe we don't
have it in Phoenix but, more
understandable.
And, and the way that this
works, as I understand it, is
people go in and, and they can
buy the books.
>> They can buy the books, and
they can buy one book per day.
>> And it's a donation.
>> They make a donation.
>> Exactly.
>> And that goes to, to a
literary program.
And here in the city and, and
essentially, you know, you can
go back to as many times as you
want and, and purchase books.
And what's interesting about the
collection is that 90% are by
authors Spanish speakers,
authors, so, essentially, only
10% of translated from a
different language.
For example, if we go to Barnes
& Noble.
If we go there, you will find
the majority of the books or in
our public library system, is a
majority of the books, are
translated of popular such as
don brown and Danielle steel and
translated to Spanish.
Here at the bookstore, that
we'll have is basically 90%
original books written by, by,
by writers.
>> And assess I understand it,
people will go in and they
express an interest in a
particular area, and be directed
to that category?
>> Yes, exactly.
>> And you know, it will also
be, um, you know, again, he's a
social, engaged artist in the
sense that, that the work
creates a second tier where he,
once, wants it to serve as a
platform, so usually there is
programming.
There is readings by authors and
different performances, and
book, and so on, so, we invited
a lot of books, a lot of
nonprofit organizations here in
Phoenix, and also, asu students
to create their own programming
for the bookstore.
>> And that's -- there is going
to be something going on every
day that --
>> Every Thursday and Friday,
there is something happening.
>> And this goes through what,
June --
>> It opens this Friday,
March 21, and goes until
June 29.
And, and the hours are, are
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday.
to 7:00 p.m.
And, and essentially, on
Thursday and Friday, is when we
have the additional programming.
>> And we've already noted, part
of the significance of, of the
exhibition is the stature of the
artists and, and also, kind of
the environment in which he's
coming into.
Talk about that.
>> Exactly.
One of my interests and, and, as
curator, at the asu art museum,
one of my objectives is to
create more community around art
projects, and a connection
between community engagement
with the museum, and the local
communities, and also with
students, as well.
But, you know, our social
climate where it's against the
law to teach ethnic studies and
K-12, you know, to me, is just
really interesting.
>> And periodic efforts to make
the speaking of Spanish, at
least an official case illegal.
>> This is in an English-only
state where, see, you look is,
the United States has no
official language recognized.
And so, to me, it was very
important to bring this projects
here to maybe attempt to create
a dialogue with some of those
issues that we're dealing with.
And some of the programming will
address some of those issues
that we are in the midst of.
>> Let's talk about the other
exhibition.
What does this mean?
>> I will switch over to some of
my notes.
Basically what that means, a
collection of choice literary
passages used to aid in the
learning of a subject.
And so, essentially, the second
part of the project of the
exhibitions here, they mirror
each other, and essentially --
>> They are in two physical
locations.
>> And this one is at the
brickyard, which is a new space
for the asu art museum, and that
is in Tempe, at 7th Avenue and
mill.
And it will, we'll have the same
opening on March 21.
>> The first one is downtown.
>> Yes, at 821 north 3rd
street in the Roosevelt area.
And that opening will be this
to 8:30.
But, both locations will open at
the same time, and as I said,
they kind of mirror each other
in other words to the work and,
and the work that you will see
at the Brickyard, which is what
it's being called, that location
will feature some video and some
tech space work, and as well as
some imagery and an installation
from him finding the, the book
that really influenced him on
being a, a contemporary artist.
>> And as I understand it, it's
a series of pictures.
>> Yes.
>> From a book, and that was
written in Norwegian?
>> Yes.
>> And he -- I think that the
description is mistranslated.
>> Mistranslation.
>> Yes.
>> So essentially, he was really
intrigued by a book that he
found on geology and, and he
took it upon himself to, to just
study the frenetics of the words
and phonetically retranslating a
language that he does not
understand and creating a story
or a subtext within that book in
English, and it kind of reads as
poetry in a way.
And so, essentially, he
appropriated this book from
1939, and recreated it as a
story.
And essentially, you can read it
as page per page.
>> And you are sharing with us
his reactions to the images and
the impressions it has made on
him.
>> Exactly, and the same way
that this is, this is, the same
way the book serves as a Spanish
language bookstore but maybe,
people can be a bit more open
and, and consider that maybe if
they don't speak Spanish, they
can go into the book shop and,
and look at books, that can have
a different experience for them
regardless of if they can speak
or read Spanish.
>> Both exhibitions sound
exciting and thank you very much
for joining us to talk about
this, and hopefully you will get
a good crowd.
>> Thank you very much.
>>> That's our show for tonight.
From all of us here at eight,
Arizona PBS, and Horizonte, I'm
Jose Cardenas, and have a good
evening.
>>> Funding for Horizonte is
made possible by contributions
by the friends of Eight, members
of your Arizona PBS station.
Support for eight comes from
viewers like you.
And from --
>> Support comes from robson
resort communities.
It was Ed's idea, giving active
adults the freedom of expression
through the design, inside the
home, and out.
Six active communities, Phoenix
and Tucson to choose from, and
if there is such a thing as get
to get a good place in life,
this is it.
>> The 37th spring Tempe
festival of the arts, March 28
through the 30th in downtown
Tempe, and hundreds of artists,
live music and street
entertainment, and wine and beer
tasting, and crafts for kids and
festival foods, and schedules
and details at
Tempefestivalofthearts.com.
>>> Later on 8, H.D.
>> Next time on doc Martin.
>> We're here.
>> Martin and luisa walk down
the aisle, and Martin is grumpy
about uninvited guests.
>> Their friends have a special
surprise for them.
>> You will be whisked away on a
vacation.
>> It's the perfect honeymoon,
until it is not.
Doc Martin next on 8, H.D.
>> 8, H.D., an eight life.
An eight world.
This is Arizona PBS.
Supported by viewers like you.
Thank you.
Ever wonder what makes a
baseball fly?
Or would you like to find out
why chocolate is good for you?
The answers to these questions
and more will be revealed during
the Arizona sci tech festival
this February and March.
The information is available at
azscitech.org.
>>> Coming up on 8, H.D.
An eight life, an eight world.
Coming soon to 8, H.D.
>> Lots of people like Lenon's
works, now we find out the story
of how he felt.
>> Being John Lennon.
>> He would say, I should have
been born in New York City.
>> The greatest place on Earth.
>> One of my biggest kicks is
doing things that I could not do
when I was in the middle of the
Beatle's stuff.
>> Just try.
>> Only on American masters.
on 8,
H.D.
>> He's like, are you busy?
>> Don't take my baby.
>> You are a midwife.
>> Support for eight comes from
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>> Hi, I'm Susan lin us, a
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Go to our website, investing for
life.
>>> Copenhagenliving.com.
Modern designing and comfort, at
home, at work, and at play.
Contemporary furniture from
around the world, Copenhagen,
owned since 1970, Phoenix,
Scottsdale, and Tempe.
>>> Cast members from the
Broadway hit musical jersey
boys, share their stories and
perform classic American songs.
Saturday, April 5, at Scottsdale
center for the performing arts.
Scottsdale performing arts.