NOVEMBER 7, 2024 — UTSA will host the inaugural Mexican American Studies (MAS) Youth Conference from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today at the Downtown Campus. The event, co-sponsored by the Alamo Colleges, will bring together hundreds of students from area middle schools, high schools, community colleges and universities to celebrate and learn about MAS.
The conference will provide participants with the opportunity to acquire additional resources, connect with alumni of the UTSA Mexican American Studies program and deepen their understanding of this growing academic field. It will feature interactive workshops, presentations from students, faculty and teachers, as well as resources to encourage a college-going culture.
“This is a historic gathering that will showcase the incredible work being done by students taking this elective course,” said Lilliana Saldaña, principal investigator for the grant supporting the conference and associate professor in the UTSA Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality Studies. “It’s exciting because, at the local level, this will be the first ever citywide MAS Youth Conference that brings these students to the Downtown Campus to learn about Mexican American Studies, celebrate what they are learning and connect with alumni who have graduated from our program.”
These participants came together for the Cafecito y MAS teacher workshop in May 2023.
Promoting the growth and advancement of the next generation of Mexican American scholars and leaders is the goal for Melissa Renee Saeñz ’24, UTSA MAS alumna and MAS Youth Conference publicity committee member.
“Planning this conference gives me hope,” Saeñz said. “It fills me with pride, seeing how our work — our activism, our advocacy and the commitment of scholars and faculty at places like UTSA, San Antonio College and higher education institutions across Yanaguana [San Antonio, Texas] — is making an impact. We are not just teaching history; we are claiming our history and demanding that our voices be heard in every classroom, from pre-K all the way through higher education.”
The growth of Mexican American studies in Texas dates back to 2014, when MAS scholars and community members successfully campaigned for the state’s approval of a Mexican American studies elective course.
Saldaña, co-director of the MAS Teachers’ Academy, reports that this elective course saw a significant increase in enrollment last year, according to data the academy collected from the Texas Education Agency. Over 11,901 high school students across Texas were taking the class last year.
“The growth of Mexican American Studies in our state’s public schools is a testament to the hard work and advocacy of scholars, educators and community members,” Saldaña said. “This conference is an opportunity to celebrate that progress and inspire the next generation of MAS leaders and changemakers.”
In addition to hosting students, this month’s MAS Youth Conference will welcome UTSA alumni and faculty, providing a space for intergenerational exchanges and for sharing personal testimonies about the impact of Mexican American Studies.
The conference is part of a broader initiative funded by UTSA’s $100,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to elevate diverse stories and perspectives through community engagement. With the funding, UTSA is also creating a digital testimonial series and a community-based lecture and discussion series featuring MAS faculty.
This group photo was taken at the MAS 30th year celebration in March.
“This grant is timely for our program, as we celebrate 30 years of Mexican American Studies at UTSA,” Saldaña said. “We are excited to have this grant to strengthen our ties with the local community, develop our programs, and inspire the next generation of Mexican American studies scholars and advocates.”
While this is the inaugural MAS Youth Conference, there are plans to further expand its reach to engage more students and communities.
“When we invest in MAS programs, when we engage our youth, we are not just investing in their future, we’re investing in the future of our communities and the future of this country,” Saeñz said.
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