Dr. Alvaro Huerta will be
presenting his book, Defending Latina/o Immigrant Communities: The Xenophobic Era of Trump and Beyond,
a collection of short essays and stories, which focuses on one of the most
vilified, demonized, and scapegoated groups in the United States: Latina/o
immigrants. Using his rigorous academic training, public policy knowledge, and
community activist background, as well as his personal and familial experiences
as the son of Mexican immigrants, Alvaro Huerta defends and humanizes los de
abajo/those on the bottom. He skillfully re-frames how Latina/o immigrants
should be viewed as productive and important members in this country, debunking
the xenophobic tropes, lies, and myths about Latina/o immigrants as criminals,
social burdens, and national security threats. Accompanied by the brilliant art
of an acclaimed artist, Salomon Huerta, this book also investigates
intersectional issues related to race, class, place, and state violence.
Dr. Alvaro Huerta holds a
joint faculty appointment in Urban & Regional Planning and Ethnic &
Women’s Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. As an
interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Huerta teaches and conducts research on the
intersecting domains of community & economic development, Chicana/o &
Latina/o studies, immigration, Mexican diaspora, social movements, social
networks and the informal economy. Among other scholarly publications, he’s the
author of the book, Reframing the Latino Immigration Debate: Towards a
Humanistic Paradigm (2013). As a prolific public speaker, among colleges/universities,
community-based centers, etc., he has delivered two TEDx talks: Reframing
Migration as Human Right & Life Lessons from a Scholar. Born in the U.S.,
he was raised in a Mexican colonia (Colonia Libertad in Tijuana, Baja
California) and an American barrio (Ramona Gardens housing project or Big
Hazard projects in East Los Angeles, Alta California), where he
experienced/witnessed abject poverty, extreme violence and, overall, a state of
hopelessness. He holds a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley.
He also holds an M.A. in Urban Planning and a B.A. in History from UCLA.
Praise for Defending Latina/o Immigrant Communities
“A passionate and insightful
account of that complex condition we refer to as immigration. Alvaro Huerta
brings to the fore the deeper meanings of us all, people on the move.” —Saskia
Sassen, Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology, Columbia University
“‘Give me your tired, your
poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . . . ,’ cries the Statue of
Liberty with silent lips. Huerta’s compassionate essays complete her sentence.
The message is loud and clear: ‘the wretched have a place in America, for it is
they who make it worth.’” —Ilan Stavans, Lewis-Sebring Professor in Latin American
and Latino Culture, Amherst College
“We want to know Huerta’s
parents, don glasses that allow, as reading these editorials, essays, and
thought pieces encourages, a relationship to real people and real issues. As
Cesar Chavez would say or ask, to paraphrase, what could be more right than to
honor the labor and contributions of those who bring food to the table so that
we all might eat?” —Deena J. González, provost and senior vice president,
Gonzaga University
“Huerta’s book brings the
immigration issue back to earth. Aside from being an excellent scholar, he is
an activist who encapsulates the Left’s voice in the immigration debate. This
book synthesizes the more progressive currents of the debate and is a must-read
for anyone seeking a just and lasting solution.” —Rodolfo F. Acuña,
professor emeritus of Chicana and Chicano studies, California State University,
Northridge
This is a Free
Event. No RSVP required.
Books for Sale ($20; tax
included)
Location: CASA 0101 Theater,
Sponsor: Philosophies of Liberation Encuentros
Moderator: Jimmy Centeno
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