April 20, 2024 - Members of M.E.Ch.A. de VC had the opportunity to visit Chicano Park in San Diego! It was an empowering experience celebrating the 54th Chicano Park Day commemoration ✊🏽🇲🇽 Photos taken by @jesusfernandezph0to #mecha #mechadevc #mechista #mecha805 #chicanoparkday2024 #venturacollege
Reposted @vcmecha CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF CESAR CHAVEZ WITH US! 🧡 Grandson of Cesar Chavez, Andres P. Chavez, will be speaking on the legacy of his grandfather and his efforts in fighting for the rights of farm workers. An organizer from the United Farm Workers will also be speaking and sharing their mission. Don’t miss out on a folklorico performance by @vcballetfolklorico and Cielito Lindo de Simi Valley! There will also be FREE FOOD 🌯 (from Manuel’s Green food truck; limited while supplies last) OPEN EVENT TO ALL - “¡ SI SE PUEDE !” @venturacollegeofficial @theasvc @nationalchavezcenter #unitedfarmworkers #venturacollege #mechadevc #mecha805 #mecha
CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF CESAR CHAVEZ WITH US! 🧡 Grandson of Cesar Chavez, Andres P. Chavez, will be speaking on the legacy of his grandfather and his efforts in fighting for the rights of farm workers. An organizer from the United Farm Workers will also be speaking and sharing their mission. Don’t miss out on a folklorico performance by @vcballetfolklorico and Cielito Lindo de Simi Valley! There will also be FREE FOOD 🌯 (from Manuel’s Green food truck; limited while supplies last) OPEN EVENT TO ALL - “¡ SI SE PUEDE !” @venturacollegeofficial @theasvc @nationalchavezcenter #unitedfarmworkers #venturacollege #mechadevc #mecha805 #mecha
It was a great honor to have Board of Trustee member Gabriela Torres be the keynote speaker for M.E.Ch.A’s leadership conference! 🧡 Pics by: @jesusfernandezph0to #mecha805 #mechadevc ———————————— Gabriela Torres is a first-generation college student and Upward Bound alumni who obtained an Associates of Art Degree in Liberal Studies from Ventura College and graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor’s in Sociology. She received a Master’s in Counseling and Guidance and Master's in Educational Leadership from California Lutheran University. Gabriela has always had a spirit for social justice since her high school years by participating in the 1994 walkouts protesting against Prop 187 and assisting permanent residents in completing their citizenship applications in 1996 through a local non-profit. Her social justice commitment continued to evolve and strengthened through her involvement with the Raza Recruitment and Retention Center at UC Berkeley. For the last twenty years Gabriela has focused working with first-generation and low-income Latino students in Ventura County. Gabriela's early social justice activist work began volunteering with the United Farm Workers in one of their major local 2000 strikes and later with California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA). Both groups seek fair labor wages and representation for the farmworker community. She was also among the first members of the Ventura County Social Justice Fund, which granted awards to grassroots non-profit organizations working in social justice issues. Most recently, Gabriela became the first Chicana Trustee elected to serve in the Ventura County Community College District Board representing constituents in her hometown of Oxnard. Gabriela also serves the community through different ministries at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Oxnard.
In Laura Espinosa’s workshop last week at M.E.Ch.A’s leadership conference, she shared about her past and current leadership roles, especially in Santa Paula’s Latino Town Hall. She also expressed the current advocacy in protecting women against abuse. ✊🏽 Pics by: @jesusfernandezph0to #mecha805 #mechadevc ———————————— Laura Espinosa attended Catholic schools in Oxnard and graduated from Ventura College of Law with a Juris Doctorate degree. Laura is the first Latina ever elected to a city council in Ventura County, elected to the Santa Paula City Council (1994-2002). Laura served two terms where she advocated for various important issues, including affordable and farmworker housing and environmental protections. She is a founding member and Immediate Past President of Santa Paula Latino Town Hall. Laura has organized environmental justice education events and has served as a past League of United Latin American Citizen (LULAC) Ventura County founder and Director of District 17. Her current efforts have focused on re-opening the Santa Paula Hospital obstetric unit and the expansion of a new hospital campus, increased mental health services for the Latino community, and advocating for the promised Ventura County Community College Center in the Santa Clara Valley. Laura is a founding member and Immediate Past President of Santa Paula Latino Town Hall.
At M.E.Ch.A’s leadership conference last week, Jaime Vega presented a workshop where he shared ancient cultural teachings to help us find our cosmic identity; known as our Tonali. Jaime taught the basics of how to use the indigenous Mexika Sunstone. Students were able to learn about their birthdate identity, characteristics, talents, career, and major options. 👏🏽 pics by: @jesusfernandezph0to #mecha805 #mechadevc ———————————— James Tlakatletzin Vega (fire keeper) is a child of immigrant parents from Chichimeka and Otomi nations (Guanajuato and Mexiko). He is a native of Ventura, grew up in the original Maravilla Projects, heart of deadly gangs in East Los Angeles, and in Whittier. To obtain justice and more bilingual: education programs, teachers, tutors, administrators, and Chican@s Studies; he helped lead the East L.A. Walkouts and later became a first-generation high school, college, and university graduate. After 20 years of working in counseling, he retired and continues to work as a Faculty Resource Instructor with the Ventura College Tutoring Program. In 1994 he became a Danzante. Tlakatletzin has spent over four decades learning his indigenous language of Nahuatl and learning how-to live-in harmony in accordance with the indigenous Mexika Sunstone (known as the “Aztec Calendar”).
Last week M.E.Ch.A’s Leadership Conference - Chicano Secret Service members, Dr. Thomas A. Carrasco & Dr. Elias Serna, performed a sketch that brought awareness to important social & political issues. ✊🏽 pics by: @jesusfernandezph0to #mecha805 #mechadevc ———————————— Founded on August 29, 1988 at the San Francisco Chicano Moratorium the Chicano Secret Service was initiated by working class college students attending UC Berkeley and San Francisco State, and living in the heyday of the Reagan-sponsored “Decade of the Docile Hispanic.” Since then C/S/S has been boarding first class Greyhounds and flying around the country presenting plays and political sketch comedy to diverse audiences at places like the Odyssey Theatre (L.A.), Washington State University, University of Chicago, El Teatro Campesino (San Juan Bautista), Festival Internacional del la Raza (Juarez/Tijuana), CU Boulder, Notre Dame, Yale, UMASS, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (San Antonio), the Asian American Theatre (San Francisco) and New York’s City’s HBO Comedy Festival to name a few. Using their counter-surveillance and information network, Chicano Secret Service material explores issues of popular culture, contemporary politics, stereotypes, community and identity-representing a sector of society that is commonly overlooked by a “colorblind” mass media.
Casa López would like M.E.Ch.A students (or VC students) to help distribute food to those in need tomorrow November 21st. Volunteers should arrive at 10am. When you arrive, let them know you are from Ventura College and/or MEChA. 🦃🧡 #mechadevc #mecha805
MEChA’s Leadership Conference Schedule. Home room will be in HSC 120. Feel free to stop by any of the workshops if you are in between classes! Everyone is welcome. 👏 #mechadevc #mecha805 #venturacollege
The end of the year is approaching! Here are some upcoming dates/events. We hope you are able to join us at any! 🎉 #mecha #mechadevc #mecha805 #venturacollege
Thank you to @vcballetfolklorico and Cielito Lindo de Simi Valley for performing at our Día de Los Muertos event! 💜 @theasvc @venturacollegeofficial #mecha805 #mecha #mechadevc #venturacollegemecha [ Photos 1-3 by @jesusfernandezph0to ]
Some VC friends and family at our Día de Los Muertos event! 💛 @theasvc @venturacollegeofficial #mecha805 #mechadevc #venturamecha #mecha [ Photos by: @jesusfernandezph0to ]
It was an honor to have Kalpulli Tlahuicole provide an indigenous teaching and a traditional dance at our Día de Los Muertos event ❤️ @venturacollegeofficial @theasvc #mecha805 #mechadevc #venturacollege [ Photos by @jesusfernandezph0to ]
M.E.Ch.A de VC’s Día de Los Muertos event will be on November 1st from 4:30pm-7:30pm in Guthrie Hall! 💜 Come celebrate with your friends & family with free food, live entertainment, and activities such as face painting! 🌮💃🎶 There will also be a community altar where your passed loved ones can be honored. We hope to see you there! 🎉 @theasvc @vcanthropology @vcballetfolklorico @venturacollegeofficial #mecha805 #venturacollege #mechadevc
M.E.Ch.A’s Community Leadership Conference has been postponed until further notice. We apologize for anyone who was looking forward to it. Good news: you can look forward to MEChA’s annual Día de los Muertos event coming up (More details to follow soon)! Don’t forget to stay updated with us! Thank you for all the support.🧡 @venturacollegeofficial @theasvc #mecha805 #mecha #venturamecha #mechadevc
Planned events for M.E.Ch.A this fall! 🍂 We’ll update via social media and Remind if there are any unforeseen changes. We hope to see you at any future events. 🧡 #vcmecha #venturacollege #mecha805 @venturacollegeofficial
Come join us tomorrow to watch the film “Precious Knowledge” in MCW 103! 🎥 We will also discuss Ethnic Studies at Ventura College and how you can become student activists. ✊ @theasvc @venturacollegeofficial #venturacollege #mecha #vcmecha #mechadevc #mecha805