Upcoming Event:
Come and join us for our virtual Wellness Event on May 1, from 3pm - 4pm, open to our Cal State LA Community. Please register here.
Grant Overview
To promote a culturally responsive campus climate with student-centered policies and practices that led to student completion and post-enrollment success.
1.) Elevate student learning through culturally responsive teaching.
2.) Prepare administrative leadership, faculty, and staff for culturally responsive leadership.
3.) Sustained student success through academic learning communities.
Component #1: Teaching
Culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy and curriculum for faculty (tenure-track and faculty-lecturer) professional development in areas of (a)community cultural wealth and (b)pedagogies of place.
Component #2: Leadership
Culturally responsive and sustaining leadership training for students, faculty, staff, and administrators via workshops, speaker series, forums, and retreats.
Component #3: Learning Communities
Academic success learning communities with supplemental instruction on wellness, archival/ community research, civic engagement, targeting sophomores and juniors.
Overview
The Reclaiming Pedagogy, Community and Student Success Developing Hispanic Serving-Institutions (DHSI) Grant aims to bridge the institutional, social, and cultural divide between the campus and the diverse student population it serves to improve academic success. This is a $3 million five-year grant offering three components to meet this broader objective. Component 1 offers asset-based professional development for faculty to equip them with tools to create positive, engaging, and relevant learning environments that honor students’ cultural histories and sense of place. Each semester, faculty engage in the Pedagogy of Place workshops or the Culturally-Responsive Pedagogy workshop. In alignment with Component 1, Component 2 offers culturally responsive and sustaining leadership training for students, faculty, staff, and administrators via workshops, speaker series, forums, and retreats. Finally, Component 3 involves the formation of academic success learning communities with supplemental instruction on wellness, archival/community research, and civic engagement that targets students in general education courses. Through these components, the grant aims to improve the overall learning environment for students, prepare leadership, faculty, and staff to serve the needs of our students, support student success, and improve curriculum. The grant is currently in its second year of implementation.
Meet the Team
Meet DHSI's 2024-2025 Leading Team
Dr. Jessica-Chicas Morales
Dr. Jessica Morales-Chicas earned her Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Human Development and Psychology from UCLA and is currently an Associate Professor at Cal State LA in the Child and Family Studies Department. Her 20 years of work in education span all levels, from preschool through university-level. She teaches courses on lifespan development, diversity, research methods, and advocacy while researching how ethnic diversity and curricular opportunities impact STEM motivation. Dr. Morales-Chicas is currently serving as Interim Co-PI of the DHSI grant, PI of an NSF-funded intervention on pre-calculus success, and Co-PI of the NSF WARM grant examining graduate student mental health and academic outcomes in STEM. Additionally, she serves as the Co-Director of the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers program at Cal State LA. Collectively, her research and community efforts focus on closing equity gaps and increasing access to STEM education.
Wendi Vaughn
Ms. Vaughn joined Cal State LA as Pathway Programs Manager in 2017 and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2019. In this capacity, she oversees the implementation of various direct service delivery programs geared to support first year freshmen and transfer students . She brings over 16 years of experience in education working as both an instructor and administrator for many Los Angeles County non-profits, school districts, community organizations and colleges. Much of her work focuses on connecting students' higher educational goals to meaningful careers through creative, often artistic means. Ms. Vaughn obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of Science degree from Boston University MET College:
Fun Fact: Wendi started her journey at Cal State LA as a high school student; she was a music major at The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACSHA) and valedictorian of her senior class.
Dr. Valerie Talavera-Bustillos
Professor Talavera-Bustillos is a fourth-generation Chicana and a first-generation college student from South Gate. She graduated from Pius X High School, attended UC Irvine, and received her doctorate in 1998 from UCLA’s Graduate School of Education, mentored by Professor Daniel Solórzano. She began teaching Chicano Studies in 1999 as an adjunct and joined the faculty in 2003. Another mentor, Professor Rita Ledesma guided her passion for teaching and supporting students. Professor Talavera-Bustillos is a full professor and served as Summer Department Chair from 2014-2016 and was Interim Department Chair in 2016. She was the director of two mentorship programs and Chair of CLUA, the Chicana/Latino faculty advocacy group in 2017. In 2023 she was awarded a U.S. Department of Education Title V, DHSI grant of $3 million dollars over five years, it is named the Reclaiming Pedagogy, Community & Student Success. The grant proposal was a group effort, with CLUA members assisting, having platicas, with collaborative writing circles. Prof. Miguel Zavala played a critical role in the final version of the grant and later, stepped up to be Co-P.I for 2023-2024, Year 1 of the grant. She brings her personal experiences and academic training to her teaching to help students become critical thinkers, develop as scholars-in-training, and to serve our community now and after they graduate.
Patricia Chaidez
Patricia Chaidez is the Administrative Support Assistant for the DHSI (Title V) ‘Reclaiming Pedagogy, Community, and Student Success” grant. She has an A.A in Environmental Science from Mt. San Antonio College and a B.S in Geology from CSULA (class of ’23).
Dr. Bianca Guzman
I am a community psychologist with over 28 years of experience at the intersection of health and educational behaviors of youth and women of color. I am currently the Executive Director of Pathway Programs at Cal State LA. Our campus unit is dedicated to addressing and preparing K-16 students from the local service area to our campus so that they can persist and graduate with a degree that they can obtain a job with. This includes creating programming that addresses the cultural origins, developmental considerations and equity issues involved with serving groups of students whose age span from 5 years to early adulthood. I have also been a fellow at the nationally recognized Massachusetts Institute for College and Career Readiness where I co-created and implemented evaluation protocols for educational pathways that can impact the lifelong success of students across the country. Additionally, I continue to be and have been a board member for the last 12 years at El Nido Family Centers, a service organization that has been around since 1925 providing counseling and family support services to disadvantaged communities throughout Los Angeles County.
Dean Carlos Rodriguez
Carlos Rodriguez has served as Dean of the University Library at Cal State LA since May 2016. With over 30 years of experience in higher education, he has held library leadership roles at UC Riverside, Sacramento State, and Grand Valley State University. While at Grand Valley, he was part of the steering committee for the award-winning Mary Idema Pew Library, recognized for its innovative, student-centered design. A first-generation college graduate, Carlos is deeply committed to creating opportunities for students to succeed academically, personally, and professionally. He is an active member of REFORMA, the American Library Association (ALA), the Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA), EDUCAUSE, and the Library Information Technology Association (LITA). He is also a 2007 Frye Leadership Institute Fellow and a 2012 UCLA Senior Fellow. Carlos earned his bachelor’s degree from UC Riverside and his Master of Library & Information Science from UCLA.
Nicole Pasini
Nicole Pasini is a Director, Fiscal Operations & Planning at CAL State LA based in Los Angeles, California. Previously, Nicole was a Special Projects Coordinator at San Mateo County Libraries and also held positions at University of Southern California, City of Glendale, CA, City of Phoenix, AZ, All-Star Kids Tutoring. Nicole received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado College and a Master of Library and Information Sciences from University of Arizona.
Tamara Mabel Manzo Galvan
Tamara is currently completing her bachelor's degree in business administration with a minor in Chicana(o)/ Latina(o) Studies and is projected to graduate in the spring of 2025. She will pursue her MBA and PhD degrees post-grad to work within higher education, eventually becoming a tenure-track professor. She will be the first in her family to attain a college degree and to pursue graduate studies. Her interests include research, focusing on social issues, and consumer behavior. Aside from being DHSI's research fellow, she is a nursery fellow for the non-profit North-East Trees.
Meet DHSI's 2024-2025 Leading Team
Dr. Valerie Talavera-Bustillos
Professor Talavera-Bustillos is a fourth-generation Chicana and a first-generation college student from South Gate. She graduated from Pius X High School, attended UC Irvine, and received her doctorate in 1998 from UCLA’s Graduate School of Education, mentored by Professor Daniel Solórzano. She began teaching Chicano Studies in 1999 as an adjunct and joined the faculty in 2003. Another mentor, Professor Rita Ledesma guided her passion for teaching and supporting students. Professor Talavera-Bustillos is a full professor and served as Summer Department Chair from 2014-2016 and was Interim Department Chair in 2016. She was the director of two mentorship programs and Chair of CLUA, the Chicana/Latino faculty advocacy group in 2017. In 2023 she was awarded a U.S. Department of Education Title V, DHSI grant of $3 million dollars over five years, it is named the Reclaiming Pedagogy, Community & Student Success. The grant proposal was a group effort, with CLUA members assisting, having platicas, with collaborative writing circles. Prof. Miguel Zavala played a critical role in the final version of the grant and later, stepped up to be Co-P.I for 2023-2024, Year 1 of the grant. She brings her personal experiences and academic training to her teaching to help students become critical thinkers, develop as scholars-in-training, and to serve our community now and after they graduate.
Dr. Miguel Zavala
Miguel Zavala, PhD., is an associate professor and director of the Urban Learning Program in the Charter College of Education at California State University, Los Angeles. His research interests center on decolonizing and Freirean pedagogies, critical literacies, and their intersection in social movements. His projects include working with and alongside teachers, youth, and parents using ethnic studies and participatory action research, and in seeding critical literacy projects serving immigrant children. His most recent publications include Rethinking Ethnic Studies (with C. E. Sleeter, R. T. Cuauhtin, & W. Au), and Raza Struggle and the Movement for Ethnic Studies: Decolonial Pedagogies, Literacies, and Methodologies, a historical and ethnographic account of ethnic studies practices. Over the last 2 decades he has been integral to the formation of teacher-led grassroots political education and has nurtured education spaces serving immigrant and Chicanx families in Southern California. Since 2011 he has served on the Board of the California Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education (CA-NAME).
Dean Carlos Rodriguez
Patricia Chaidez
Patricia Chaidez is the Administrative Support Assistant for the DHSI (Title V) ‘Reclaiming Pedagogy, Community, and Student Success” grant. She has an A.A in Environmental Science from Mt. San Antonio College and a B.S in Geology from CSULA (class of ’23).
Spring 2025
Dr. Okezie Aruoma, Lecturer, Chemistry & Biochemistry, NSS
Dr. Seongwon Choi, Assistant Professor, Management, B&E
Professor Alexandra Garcia, Lecturer, Biological Sciences, NSS
Professor Nazgol Makki, Lecturer, AASE, COE
Professor Samriti Mona, Lecturer, Special Education & Counseling, COE
Professor Sen Wang, Lecturer, Computer Science, ECST
Professor Paulette Hacopian, Lecturer, Psychology, NSS
Dr. Cailine Kim, Lecturer, Special Education & Counseling, COE
Professor Nalan Samarawickrema, Lecturer, Accounting, B&E
Professor Zhengqing Ni, Lecturer, AASE, COE
Fall 2024
Dr. Veronica Ahmed, Assistant Professor, English, A&L
Dr. Okezie Aruoma, Lecturer, Chemistry & Biochemistry, NSS
Dr. Seongwon Choi, Assistant Professor, Management, B&E
Professor Alexandra Garcia, Lecturer, Biological Sciences, NSS
Dr. Morshed Khandoker, Lecturer, Chemistry & Biochemistry, NSS
Dr. Gokhan Kumpas, Assistant Professor, Economics & Statistics, B&E
Professor Nazgol Makki, Lecturer, AASE, COE
Professor Samriti Mona, Lecturer, Special Education & Counseling, COE
Professor Sen Wang, Lecturer, Computer Science, ECST
Dr. Natalie Williams-Awodeha, Assistant Professor, Special Education & Counseling, COE
Spring 2024
Dr. Brandie Cross, Lecturer, Biological Sciences, NSS
Dr. Dalila Droege, Assistant Professor, TVF, A&L
Professor Paulette Hacopian, Lecturer, Psychology, NSS
Dr. Cailine Kim, Lecturer, Special Education & Counseling, COE
Dr. Niraj Koirala, Assistant Professor, Economics, B&E
Dr. Gokhan Kumpas, Assistant Professor, Economics & Statistics, B&E
Dr. Muhammad Mollah, Assistant Professor, Marketing, B&E
Professor Nidhin Patel, Lecturer, TVF, A&L
Dr. Tanya Sanabria, Assistant Professor, Sociology, NSS
Dr. Gabriela Simon-Cerejido, Dept. Chair & Professor, Communication Disorders, HHS
Spring 2025
Dr. Lauren Arenson, Lecturer, CLS, COES
Dr. Dinur Blum, Lecturer, Sociology, NSS
Dr. Wai Kit Choi, Professor, Sociology, NSS
Dr. Marina Cuzovic-Severn, Associate Professor, Spanish, A&L
Dr. Claudia Diera, Assistant Professor, Liberal Studies, A&L
Dr. Erica Ellis-Ray, Associate Professor, Communication Disorders, HHS
Dr. Joanna Flores, Lecturer, CLS, COES
Dr. Irene Grau, Lecturer, Communication Studies, A&L
Dr. Deborah Hanan, Lecturer, TVF, A&L
Professor Michelle Lopez, Lecturer, CLS, COES
Dr. Oscar Alfonso Mejia, Assistant Professor, Communication Studies, A&L
Professor Samriti Mona, Lecturer, Special Education & Counseling, COE
Dr. Jorge Muñoz, History, NSS
Dr. Anna Osipova, Associate Professor, Special Education & Counseling, COE
Dr. Joseph Potts, Assistant Professor, Art, A&L
Dr. Alejandro Villalpando, Assistant Professor, PAS & LAS, NSS
Fall 2024
Professor Gilberto Acosta, Lecturer, Kinesiology, HHS
Professor Bita Bahrami, Lecturer, Biological Sciences, NSS
Dr. Shilpa Balan, Associate Professor, Information Systems, B&E
Dr. Corin Bowen, Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering, ECST
Professor Joaquin Garcia, Lecturer, English, A&L
Professor Paulette Hacopian, Lecturer, Psychology, NSS
Dr. Cailine Kim, Lecturer, Special Education & Counseling, COE
Dr. Mary Kubalanza, Associate Professor, Communication Disorders, HHS
Professor Emma Lopez, Lecturer, Mathematics, NSS
Professor Michelle Lopez, Lecturer, CLS, COES
Dr. Maritza Morales-Gracia, Assistant Professor, CFS, HHS
Professor Zhengqing Ni, Lecturer, AASE, COE
Dr. Carlena Orosco, Associate Professor, Criminology, HHS
Dr. Anita Ravani, Lecturer, Business, B&E
Professor Nalan Samarawickrema, Lecturer, Accounting, B&E
Dr. Wook Yang, Assistant Professor, CFS, HHS
Past Events
Join us on our 1st forum focused on faculty and pedagogy this semester!
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Profoundness of place and space for first-gen, bilingual/bicultural, students of color coupled with the struggles and accomplishments of local communities via archival research and application in the classroom.
Presenters:
- Azalea Camacho, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian
- Lettycia Terrones, Ethnic Studies and Latin American Studies Librarian
- Dr. Ezekiel Joubert III, Assistant Professor, Applied and Advanced Studies in Education, COE
[Spring webinar series image]
Articles
- The U.S. Latino GDP rises to $3.7 trillion.
- The Latino GDP is the fastest-growing GDP, becoming the 5th largest, surpassing China and India.
- Many predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic would end the Latino GDP growth, eliminating the healthy Latino lifestyle advantage, the average extended 3-year lifespan Latinos have over non-Hispanic whites.
- The Latino GDP is the third growing since 2010, helping prop up the overall U.S. economy during the pandemic. However, Latinos in the U.S. only represent 19.2% of the population; Latinos in the U.S. were responsible for 41.4% of the gap growth from 2019-2022.
- Overall, patterns and statistics have demonstrated that Latinos are a significant driver of economic growth within the U.S.
El Plan de San Bernardino: Transnationalism, Academic Mobility and the Reframing of Education
Join California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) on September 27th (8 am- 3 pm) as the Latino Education and Advocacy Days (LEAD) hosts its annual conference, a day of Latino Education defense. *Register here!*
Be part of the change in Latino Education:
Promote and create awareness of the gravity of the hurdles Latino Education has and continues to face.
Strengthening the development of culturally intellectual educators, administrators, leaders, and students.
Addressing education as the principal issue focuses on the bilateral relationship in which we view and consider education.
Conference details:
September 27, 2024 8am- 3pm
The conference will be held in English, but Spanish translators will be present and accessible.
The conference will held at CSUSB at the Santo Manuel Student Union.
Complimentary parking (parking lot D preferred)
October 1, 2024 By David Hayes-Bautista
National Latinx Physician Day (NLPD):
NLPD's mission is to address the shortage of Latino physicians. Aiming to increase the number of Latinas (os) who can provide culturally and linguistically aligned care in improving health care for Latino Patients
CESLAC Accelerating Latinx Leadership (ALL) Institue:
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA offers up to 38.25 AMA RRA category credits for participants.
Program Overview:
The CESLAC ALL Institute is a four-month leadership development program designed for Latinx leaders in the healthcare sector. It combines personal leadership discovery, executive coaching, and in-person sessions to address challenges specific to Latinx professionals.
- Phase 1: Engagement
- Zoom Kickoff: October 10, 2024 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PST
- 1-on-1 Executive Coaching: Flexible schedule (1 hour via Zoom)
- Phase 2: Self and Industry Discoveries (In-Person Sessions)
Location: Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095- October 24, 2024 | 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- October 25, 2024 | 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- October 26, 2024 | 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Phase 3: Connecting and Creating
- Cohort Check-In via Zoom: November 14, 2024 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
- 1-on-1 Executive Coaching: Flexible schedule (1 hour via Zoom)
- Phase 4: The Path Forward
- Cohort Session via Zoom: December 3, 2024 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
- 1-on-1 Executive Coaching: Flexible schedule (1 hour via Zoom)
Cost:
- Physicians: $1,995
- Other Health Professionals: $995
(Travel and lodging not included)
For questions or accommodations, [email protected]
Missed the Webinar?
Mi Doctor/a Habla Español: Raising the Bar for Language Equity Health Care
Hosted by: Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture & Office for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Presenter: Pilar Ortega, MD, MGM, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at ACGME
Key Points:
- Discussed a novel Language Equity Framework to improve language concordance between clinicians and patients.
- The Physician Oral Language Observation Matrix (POLOM) was introduced to assess medical Spanish proficiency.
U.S. Latina GDP Report
Released on: August 26, 2024 (Women’s Equality Day)
Funded by: Bank of America
Research Led by: Professors Matthew Fienup (California Lutheran University) and David Hayes-Bautista (UCLA Geffen School of Medicine)
Key findings:
- U.S. Latina GDP grew 2.7 times faster than non-Hispanic GDP between 2010 and 2021.
- Latina female GDP also outpaced Latino male GDP by 1.2 times during the same period.
This report highlights Latina women's significant and growing contributions to the U.S. economy.
Sinks: Places We Call Home is presented by Getty's PST Art and Science Collide, an art exhibition at California State Univerity of Los Angeles Luckman Gallery (September 21, 2024- February 15, 2025). The exhibition showcases art to highlight the connection between disparities experienced within environmental justice and pollution. Marrella Muro is the curator of this exhibition, highlighting the creative and unique art by talented artists, Beatriz Jamamillio and Maru Garcia. The exhibition focuses on two historically impacted communities targeted by contamination within Los Angeles County: Magic Johnson Park and the Excide battery plant.
Advisory Board
Dr. Krishna Foster, Department Chair/ Professor for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, NSS
Sheree Fu, ECST Librarian, University Library
Dr. Carlos Gutierrez, Emeritus for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, NSS
Dr. Bianca Guzman, Pathway Programs
Dr. Anthony Hernandez, Interim Division Chair for the Department of Division of Applied and Advanced Studies in Education, COE
Jonathan Perez, Administration Executive Assistant for InnerCity Stuggle
Henry Perez, Executive Director for InnerCity Struggle
Dr. Jessica Morales-Chicas, Associate Professor for the Department of Child and Family Studies, HHS
Jennifer Sanchez, Senior Manager, Post-Secondary Equity and Success for Promesa Boyle Heights
T. Fox, Director of Student Success and Advising, CBE
Dr. Victor Viesca, Professor for the Department of Liberal Studies, A&L
Logo Winner
Congratulations to Violet Tirado, the prize winner of the DHSI art logo contest!
