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Chicano/Latino Native American Cultural Center 25th anniversary celebration, December 14, 1996
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When I arrived at the University of Iowa in 1969 there were no student organizations such as those that now exist. As one of only three Chicano students here. I was isolated and lonely. However, it was precisely out of this experience that I came to know Tony and Ruth who were feeling the same way. We questioned why there were not more of us here - I owe them much for asking me to take a look at my own identity and my responsibility to my community. They filled my head with concepts like oppression, genocide, sovereignty, racism, discrimination and boycotts. And it was discussion of these topics that ultimately led to the formation of the Chicano Indian American Student Union and the Center. And whenever I think of this career I cannot help but remember the powerful way in which it put me on my path. - It was because of the cultural center that I and others survived as students because of the important space we were provided with, a space which embraced who we were without explanation. - It was the experiences of making the center into a reality that we learned the importance of our communities, their essentialness in making a place like this happen - It was because of our experiences at the cultural center that we developed skills in working with others - be they faculty, staff, community members or fellow students. 6
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When I arrived at the University of Iowa in 1969 there were no student organizations such as those that now exist. As one of only three Chicano students here. I was isolated and lonely. However, it was precisely out of this experience that I came to know Tony and Ruth who were feeling the same way. We questioned why there were not more of us here - I owe them much for asking me to take a look at my own identity and my responsibility to my community. They filled my head with concepts like oppression, genocide, sovereignty, racism, discrimination and boycotts. And it was discussion of these topics that ultimately led to the formation of the Chicano Indian American Student Union and the Center. And whenever I think of this career I cannot help but remember the powerful way in which it put me on my path. - It was because of the cultural center that I and others survived as students because of the important space we were provided with, a space which embraced who we were without explanation. - It was the experiences of making the center into a reality that we learned the importance of our communities, their essentialness in making a place like this happen - It was because of our experiences at the cultural center that we developed skills in working with others - be they faculty, staff, community members or fellow students. 6
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