Resistant traditions of the Rio Grande Valley, Aztlán: advancing the decolonizing imperative in critical pedagogies

ABSTRACT

Our essay sketches resistant, transnational, and translanguaging traditions of the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), Aztlán and conjugates them with our critical curricular-pedagogical praxis. After an introductory section, we frame our essay between transnational intellectual traditions and critical place-based pedagogies. Following our framings, we provide a brief overview of resistant RGV traditions and render three of the tradition’s books. Our discussion draws out a trio of historicized bioregional concepts that inform our learning, teaching, and research in the RGV. Finally, in our conclusion, we return to the notion of critical curricular-pedagogical praxis to advance the decolonizing imperative in critical pedagogies.

KEYWORDS:

• Critical pedagogy
• decolonial pedagogies
• place-based education
• Rio Grande Valley
• Atzlán
• Chicanx studies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. As this article goes to review, there are members that comprise the Aztlán Study Group. In alphabetical order by last name, they are Cecile Caddel, Viviana Carvajal, Griselda Eufracio, Magda Garza, Raul Garza, Jim Jupp, Liz Kittleman, Amy Montoya, Nora Luna, Patricia Ramirez. Theorization of feminist, Chicanx, bioregional-decolonial critical pedagogies along with readings of Gloría Anzaldúa are the ongoing concern of this learning, teaching, and research collective.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Raul Garza

Raul Garza works as a Lecturer in the Department of Teaching and Learning at a large Hispanic Serving Institution in what is called the US Southwest.  Coming from a migrant family background with roots in the RGV, his research areas are critical pedagogy, place-based pedagogies, and minoritized identities, particularly migrant student identities.Prior to lecturing at the university, he taught high school social studies for five years along with classes at a regional community college.

Gricelda Eufracio

Gricelda Eufracio works as Academic Dean of a public charter school in the RGV.  She is also studying at a large Hispanic Serving Institution in what is called the US Southwest.  Coming from an immigrant family, her areas of research are bilingualism, Mexican-American culture, feminism, and Chicanx academic success.

James C. Jupp

Jim Jupp works as professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the same university as Raul and Gricelda.  As a public school teacher, he worked in rural and inner-city Title I settings for eighteen years, teaching predominantly Mexican immigrants, Chicanxs, and indigenous students from México and Central America.  He has taught and worked as an administrator in classroom, public school, and university settings for thirty years.