>> CHRISTINE SIERRA BLAZED MANY TRAILS IN HER LIFE.
SHE WAS AMONG THE FIRST MEXICAN AMERICAN WOMEN TO GET
A DOCTORATE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND HELPED BUILD THE
FIELD OF LATINA, LATINO POLITICAL STUDIES.
SHE JOINED THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO IN 1986, AND HER
PUBLICATIONS HAVE FOCUSED ON ACTIVISM IN THE NEW MEXICAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY AROUND IMMIGRATION, HISPANIC POLITICS
IN NEW MEXICO AND POLITICS OF LATINA WOMEN IN THE UNITED
STATES.
NOW EMERITA PROFESSOR AT UNM, SHE SAT DOWN WITH
CORRESPONDENT MEGAN KAMERICK TO TALK ABOUT HER LIFE, HER
SCHOLARSHIP AND THIS YEAR'S ELECTIONS.
>> CHRISTINE SIERRA, WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU FOR INVITATION.
>> YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST LATINAS TO GET A PHD IN
POLITICAL SCIENCE?
WHAT DREW YOU TO THAT FIELD.
>> I WOULD HAVE TO START WITH MY UPBRINGING AND MY PARENTS.
WE AS A FAMILY WERE ALWAYS DISCUSSING CURRENT EVENTS AT
THE KITCHEN TABLE AND MY PARENTS WEREN'T REALLY
INVOLVED IN CIVIC ORGANIZATION OR ANYTHING.
THEY WERE HABITUAL VOTERS, RELIABLE VOTERS, AND TAUGHT US
A LOT, I THINK, OF HOW TO THINK ABOUT VALUES AND
ASPIRATIONS AND SO ON.
SO, IT JUST HAPPENED THAT I GREW UP BEING TUNED INTO
CURRENT EVENTS AND GIVEN THE AGE I AM, I SAW, AS A YOUNG
KID, ON TV, FIGHTS OVER CIVIL RIGHTS AND MY DAD LOOKING AT
THE NATIONAL GUARD PROHIBITING -- TRYING
INTEGRATE THE SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH AND TEACHING ME ALL THIS
STUFF.
BUT YOU KNOW, MEGAN, SO POLITICS WAS ALWAYS KIND OF A
HOBBY, I WOULD SAY, OR A SIDE INTEREST, BECAUSE, ACTUALLY,
WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE AND I STARTED AT UTEP, I WENT THERE
A YEAR, I WAS A MATH MAJOR AND A CHEMISTRY MINOR AND WHEN I
TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN AUSTIN, I
MAINTAINED THAT BUT THEN ALL THESE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS WERE
GOING ON AROUND ME AND I WANTED TO STUDY HUMAN AND
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL BEHAVIOR, MORE THAN EQUATIONS AND BEING
IN A CHEMISTRY LAB, SO, I JUST SWITCHED MAJORS, WENT INTO
WHAT UT AUSTIN CALLS GOVERNMENT, WHICH WAS
POLITICAL SCIENCE AND THEN I JUST KEPT GOING.
MAYBE IT IS BECAUSE I WASN'T REALLY SURE WHAT I WAS GOING
TO DO.
>> YOU GOT YOUR DOCTORATE AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY IN 1983,
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE ONLY WOMEN OF COLOR THERE.
>> WELL, YEAH.
I WAS.
OH, YEAH.
WELL, I WAS ONE OF NINE, THEN EVENTUALLY 10, INCOMING
STUDENTS AND I ASSURE YOU, I WAS THE ONLY, I BELIEVE,
PERSON OF COLOR IN THAT ENTERING CLASS OF GRADUATE
STUDENTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.
THERE WERE A FEW OTHER MEXICAN AMERICANS, JUST A HANDFUL, BUT
THEY WERE ALL GUYS AND SO I WAS THE FIRST CHICANA OR
MEXICAN AMERICAN WOMAN, AND I PERSEVERED.
I FOUND, YOU KNOW, I COULD DO THE WORK.
WHAT WAS HARD, THOUGH, WAS WHAT I WOULD SAY INSTITUTIONAL
IN A WAY BOTH ENCOURAGEMENT BUT ALSO RESISTANCE.
THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS AT THAT POINT IN TIME, NOT ONLY
AT STANFORD BUT OTHER PLACES, THAT DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
WHAT MY EXPERIENCE WAS, WHAT WE WANTED TO STUDY IN AMERICAN
POLITICS DIVERTING FROM THE OLD TRADITIONAL CONVENTIONAL
APPROACHES AND STUFF, AND REALLY STUDYING -- WHAT I
WANTED TO DO IS WRITE A DISSERTATION ON MY OWN
COMMUNITY, MY OWN POPULATION, WHICH I ENDED UP DOING, BUT TO
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE MOST FRIENDLY PROFESSORS
AT STANFORD AT THE TIME, I WENT TO SEE HIM AND HE SAYS,
SO CHRISTINE, YOU WANT TO STUDY MEXICO?
I SAID, WELL, NOT REALLY.
I DON'T MIND STUDYING MEXICO AND ACTUALLY THAT WAS A SECOND
FIELD, I SAID, BUT I WANT TO STUDY MEXICAN AMERICANS AND SO
THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW FAR WE HAD TO GO.
AND I DID THE FIRST DISSERTATION ON THE MEXICAN
AMERICAN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES IN THAT
DEPARTMENT, BUT ULTIMATELY I BECAME THE THIRD MEXICAN
AMERICAN WOMAN IN THE COUNTRY TO GAIN A PH.D. IN POLITICAL
SCIENCE.
>> YOU HAVE WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY NOW ABOUT PEOPLE
OF COLOR IN POLITICAL OFFICE AND LEADERSHIP AND YOU HELPED
BUILD THE FIELD THAT WE NOW THINK OF AS LATINO, LATINA
POLITICS, WHICH APPARENTLY YOUR PROFESSOR DIDN'T KNOW
ABOUT.
AND YOU HAVE ALSO STUDIED WOMEN IN POLITICS.
IT IS FAR MORE COMMON NOW TO HAVE SCHOLARSHIP AND STUDIES
ON LATINOS AND POLITICS, IS THAT A BAD THING.
>> NO, I THINK IT IS GREAT AND PERSONALLY, I GET A WHOLE LOT
OF SATISFACTION AND ENERGY FROM SEEING SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT I HELPED TO PUT INTO PLACE TO BUILD AVENUES FOR
MORE REPRESENTATION WITHIN ACADEMIA, WITHIN UNIVERSITY
CLASSROOMS OR RECRUITING STUDENTS TO GRADUATE SCHOOL,
WHO LOOKED LIKE ME OR MAYBE SHARED COMMON BACKGROUNDS LIKE
ME.
NO, IT IS A WONDERFUL THING AND I WILL SAY THIS, THAT ONE
TIME, I REMEMBER IT WAS ELECTION NIGHT 2000 AND I WAS
ASKED TO GIVE THE COLOR COMMENTARY, IF YOU WILL, FOR
ELECTION NIGHT AND ON ONE OF THE OTHER TV CHANNELS, AND SO
I SPOKE ABOUT HISPANICS GAINING MORE REPRESENTATION.
I DEFINITELY SPOKE ABOUT WOMEN IN POLITICS AT THE TIME AND SO
AFTER THAT PUBLIC APPEARANCE ON TELEVISION, THERE WAS SOME
GRAFFITI WRITTEN ON A BUILDING AT UNM, THE BUILDING THAT WE
OCCUPIED AS A DEPARTMENT, DENOUNCING ME FOR ACTUALLY
RACIST COMMENTS AND I THOUGHT, HOW WAS I RACIST?
ALL I TALKED ABOUT WERE HISPANICS AND WOMEN AND WHAT I
THINK, AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, MEGAN, IS THAT PEOPLE WERE
SIMPLY NOT USED TO HEARING DISCUSSION ABOUT HISPANICS AND
U.S. POLITICS.
MAYBE IN NEW MEXICO BUT NOT U.S. POLITICS.
WOMEN AND SO ON, AND IT WAS SOMEHOW OFFENSIVE TO THEM,
THAT I DIDN'T TALK JUST ABOUT AMERICAN POLITICS.
>> SO, THIS HAS SHIFTED.
IT WAS SHOCKING IT WAS 2000.
WHY DO YOU THINK IT HAS SHIFTED?
>> PARTIALLY DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE, STUDENT DEMAND.
IT IS A DIFFERENT WORLD.
I THINK THAT THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE AND THE RISE OF THE
LATINO POPULATION AND OTHER POPULATIONS OF COLOR HAS
REALLY TAKEN HOLD AND SOME OF THE OUTCOMES ARE MORE ELECTED
OFFICIALS GETTING -- MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR GETTING INTO
ELECTED OFFICE, MORE STUDENTS GETTING INTO THE CLASSROOMS
AND SO ON.
STILL, IT IS STILL IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THERE IS UNDER
REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, WHETHER IT IS IN
ACADEMIA, FACULTY OR STUDENTS OR IN PUBLIC OFFICE, BUT I
THINK THAT AMERICA IS CHANGING AND THAT CHANGE IS PRESSURING
INSTITUTIONS TO CHANGE ALONG WITH THAT DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE.
SO, THE MORE COMPLEX, THE MORE DIVERSE OUR POPULATION
BECOMES, THEN THOSE FORCES WILL START TO TAKE SHAPE
WITHIN THINGS LIKE ACADEMIA AND, HENCE, THERE IS SUCH A
DEMAND NOW FOR TEACHING LATINO POLITICS AND LATINA POLITICS
OR ASIAN AMERICANS, AND SO, THAT IS REALLY VERY SATISFYING
TO ME THAT WE NOW HAVE MORE FACULTY, AND ARE PRODUCING
MORE FACULTY WHO CAN HAVE EXPERTISE IN THOSE AREAS.
>> THERE SEEMS TO BE A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR WOMEN OF
COLOR RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND SOME SAID IT IS RESPONSE TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
IS THAT THE WHOLE STORY?
>> THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY.
IT IS A LONG STORY IN THE MAKING.
CERTAINLY THE RESPONSE TO THIS CLIMATE, THIS POLITICAL
CLIMATE, CERTAINLY THE RESPONSE OF MANY WOMEN AND WHO
-- AND WHEN WOMEN DO GET INTO ELECTED OFFICE, BY FAR, THEY
ARE AFFILIATED AS DEMOCRATS.
NOT NECESSARILY THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS BEEN A
GREAT RECRUITER OF WOMEN BUT RATHER THAT WOMEN, ONCE THEY
SEEK POLITICAL OFFICE, THEY USUALLY RUN AS DEMOCRATS.
BUT, WE HAVE ALSO SEEN SOME EXPANSION OF THE RANKS SLOWLY
WITH REPUBLICAN WOMEN, BUT, NO, THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE
STORY.
SO I HAVE COAUTHORED A BOOK ON PEOPLE OF COLOR GETTING INTO
ELECTED OFFICE.
AND, WHAT WE FOUND WAS IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING.
WE CALL OUR BOOK, CONTESTED TRANSFORMATION, MEANING THAT
THE COUNTRY IS TRANSFORMING AS I MENTIONED AS A DEMOGRAPHIC
CHANGE, POPULATION DIVERSITY, IT HAS LED TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE
OF COLOR GETTING INTO ELECTED OFFICE BUT OUR PROFILE IS
SHOWING THEM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, VERY MUCH CONCENTRATED
IN CITY COUNCILS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONS AND SCHOOL BOARDS,
THEN INCREMENTALLY AND SLOWLY THEY GO INTO STATE
LEGISLATURES AND THEN THEY MAY GET INTO CONGRESS AND NOW,
MAYBE, WE WILL SEE SOME FUTURE AS POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES.
BUT IT IS A LONG TIME COMING.
WOMEN OF COLOR HAVE HIGH RATES OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE MORE EDUCATION THAN MEN OF COLOR
AND WHITE WOMEN, IN GENERAL.
>> SOME SCHOLARS HAVE ARGUED THERE IS ACTUALLY A LATINA
ADVANTAGE IN POLITICS.
THEY TEND TO PERFORM BETTER IN THE POLLS THAN MALE CANDIDATES
BUT POLITICAL PARTIES AREN'T ALWAYS LEVERAGING THE
ADVANTAGE SO IS THERE SEXISM THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE
OVERCOME?
>> I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT EXACTLY IT IS BUT THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THAT THERE IS A LATINA ADVANTAGE.
AND, I THINK I WOULD PUT IT THIS WAY, THAT NOT ONLY
LATINAS BUT WE FOUND THAT WOMEN OF COLOR CAN SPEAK TO
DIFFERENT AUDIENCES SIMULTANEOUSLY.
YOU KNOW, WE CALL IT INTERSECTIONALITY.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THESE WOMEN OF COLOR COME TO THE
FOREFRONT AND CAN SPEAK, IF YOU WILL, LANGUAGE -- THE
LANGUAGE OF DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES.
THEY CAN TALK TO OTHER WOMEN, CAN TALK TO MINORITY
POPULATIONS, CAN TALK TO WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, MIDDLE
CLASS PEOPLE, HIGHLY EDUCATED PEOPLE, AND SO, THEY HAVE A
LOT OF WAYS TO RELATE TO PEOPLE.
IN ADDITION, THEY HAVE A LOT OF NETWORKS, BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT WOMEN COME FROM HAVING BEEN INVOLVED WITH PTA'S OR
CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS OR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS SO
THEY BRING A LOT OF RESOURCES.
THEY HAVE BECOME ATTRACTIVE CANDIDATES AND I THINK ALSO
BECAUSE WOMEN STILL ARE SORT OF NOVEL.
I MEAN, OUR RANKS ARE STILL UNDER-REPRESENTED AT ALL
LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, SO, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT AMERICAN
VOTERS WHO ARE KIND OF SICK AND TIRED OF THE SAME OLE SAME
OLE OR WANT A REAL CHANGE OFTEN TIMES, I THINK THAT
MAYBE GENDER MATTERS.
AND I CAN'T ANSWER THE PARTY QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT PARTIES WILL SAY THEY ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT
WOMEN, BUT THE WOMEN ELECTED OFFICIALS WE TALKED TO DID NOT
CREDIT THE PARTIES TO ANY GREAT EXTENT.
THEY CREDITED THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS
AND THEIR FRIENDS SAYING, WHY DON'T YOU RUN FOR OFFICE?
>> AND OF COURSE THEY SAID, OH, I CAN'T DO THAT.
>> THEY SAY, OH, I DON'T KNOW.
AND THEN THEY THOUGHT, WHY NOT?
>> HOW ARE LATINO AND LATINA ORGANIZATIONS AND POLITICAL
CAMPAIGNS SIMILAR TO THE EARLIER DAYS OF LATINO AND
CHICANO ACTIVITIES AND ACTIVISM.
>> YOU MEAN IN TERMS OF CURRENT CAMPAIGNS?
>> UH-HUH.
>> ALL CAMPAIGNS HAVE BECOME MORE PROFESSIONAL IN THAT NOW,
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN INTEREST WITH CANDIDATES HERE
IN CD1 AND CD2, ESPECIALLY RUNNING FOR CONGRESS, YOU NEED
A POLSTER AND YOU NEED A FUND RAISER, AND YOU NEED A
TREASURER AND ALL THIS EXPERTISE AROUND YOU AND A
CAMPAIGN MANAGER.
PROBABLY IN THE OLD DAYS THEY RELIED MORE, AND I KNOW THAT
SOME OF THOSE CANDIDATES DID, RELY MORE ON FAMILY MEMBERS
AND FRIENDS AND SO FORTH.
BUT, SO IT HAS BECOME MORE OF A PROFESSIONAL THING.
THE OTHER THING IS, THE OVERWHELMING INFLUENCE OF
MONEY.
SO THE HIGHER LEVEL YOU RUN, BUT, EVEN HERE IN NEW MEXICO,
EVEN IN STATE LEGISLATIVE OFFICE RACES, WE CAN SEE THAT
IT IS STARTING TO TAKE MONEY TO GET YOUR NAME OUT WHETHER
IT IS ON A MAILER OR ON TELEVISION.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, MEGAN, I THINK THAT OVERALL CAMPAIGNS
AND CANDIDATES HAVE HAD TO KIND OF FALL IN LINE IN
SEEKING THAT MEDIA ATTENTION, SEEKING THAT OUTREACH, AND,
SIMPLY NEEDING MORE RESOURCES TO DO IT.
>> ARE THERE CENTRAL THEMES OR ISSUES GALVANIZING LATINA
CANDIDATES AROUND IMMIGRATION OR LIKE IMMIGRATION?
>> I WOULD PUT IMMIGRATION IN THE TOP, IN GENERAL, IN THE
TOP THREE OR FOUR ISSUES.
I WOULD SAY THAT BECAUSE OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT IS MAKING
IMMIGRATION THE LITMUS TEST AND PLAYBOOK FOR MANY A
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE RUNNING IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS AND I
WANT TO ELABORATE ON THAT A BIT BUT, SURE, THE POLITICS OF
IMMIGRATION ARE QUITE PROMINENT NOW.
AND ACROSS AMERICA.
I MEAN, WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FAMILY SEPARATION
POLICY THE CURRENT ABEYANCE OR NOT KNOWING WHAT IS GOING TO
HAPPEN TO THE DACA KIDS, THOSE KIDS WHO ARE HERE BUT COULD
GET LEGAL STATUS FOR A TEMPORARY PERIOD OF TIME.
THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE STILL TO BE DECIDED.
AND, SURE, OVERALL, LATINO PUBLIC OPINION SHOWS THAT
LATINOS ARE COALESCING, FAIRLY COHESIVE, AROUND PROTECTING
WHAT THEY SEE ARE THEIR RIGHTS OR THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
AND IN THE PAST, THERE HAVE BEEN DECADES IN THE PAST
WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, MEXICAN AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS IN THE
40S AND 50'S WERE SHOWING SOME OF THEM THAT THEY HAD
ANTI-IMMIGRANT ATTITUDES, BUT THAT HAS CHANGED PRETTY MUCH
SINCE THE 60'S AND '70'S MOBILIZATIONS AND NOW IT
REALLY IS A COMMUNITY FEELING UNDER SIEGE.
>> YOU THINK THAT IS TRUE EVEN IN NEW MEXICO WHERE
IMMIGRATION HASN'T BEEN AS STRONG AN ISSUE.
>> SURE, AS AN EXAMPLE, SURE.
AND THIS IS NOT -- AGAIN, IT IS NOT A NEAT AND TIDY WAY OF
SAYING THAT THERE IS THIS SIDE AND THIS SIDE, BUT LET'S TAKE
GOVERNOR MARTINEZ' ATTEMPT TO STOP GIVING STATE LICENSES --
DRIVING LICENSES TO UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.
THE NEW MEXICO STATE LEGISLATURE, I.E.
THE DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE,
I.E.
THE HISPANIC DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE WERE FRONT AND
CENTER IN THAT BATTLE AND FOR THE MOST PART COALESCED IN
OPPOSITION TO GOVERNOR MARTINEZ' POLICY.
IN THE END THEY MADE UP A COMPROMISE BUT IT WAS WITH
SOME SUPPORT FROM IMMIGRANT RIGHTS GROUPS.
NOW, AGAIN GOVERNOR MARTINEZ HERSELF IS HISPANIC SO THAT
COMPLICATES THE NARRATIVE I AM GIVING BUT, SURE, EVEN IN NEW
MEXICO, WE HAVE SEEN IMMIGRANT ORGANIZATIONS AND ALLIES COME
TO THE FOREFRONT TO TRY TO SAY, UH-UH, NOT IN OUR STATE.
THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.
THERE IS A DIFFERENT TONE HERE AS OPPOSED TO TEXAS AND
ARIZONA.
THERE IS A DIFFERENT HISPANIC LEADERSHIP CORE HERE AND THEY
ARE VERY COMFORTABLE YIELDING THE POWER THAT THEY CAN
MUSTER.
THEY ARE NOT MARGINALIZED, HAVE NOT BEEN MARGINALIZED FOR
A LONG TIME IN POLITICS SO THAT GIVES THE EDGE TO, I
THINK, HISPANIC SOLIDARITY ON IMMIGRATION IN NEW MEXICO BUT,
YEAH, YOU BET, EVEN IN NEW MEXICO, IT HAS BECOME AN ISSUE
AND IS AN ISSUE AND WILL BE AN ISSUE, I AM SURE, IN
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2, WHERE TORREZ SMALL IS RUNNING
AS A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR STEVE PEARCE'S POSITION, SHE
WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE BORDER, BORDER SECURITY AND
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.
>> SHE IS RUNNING AGAINST A VERY STRONG --
>> YVETTE HERRELL, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE.
SO FAR WHAT I HAVE SEEN, SHE IS FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN PLAYBOOK OF MAKING IMMIGRATION AN ISSUE IN THE
SENSE OF US VERSUS THEM.
IN THE SENSE OF A TRUMP CALL TO ARMS THAT WE HAVE TO BE --
HAVE TO HAVE THIS BORDER WALL, OF COURSE, THE BORDER TOWNS
DON'T WANT IT, INCLUDING MY HOME TOWN OF EL PASO.
WE SEE MUCH MORE AN INTEGRATED ECONOMY, INTEGRATED FAMILIES
AND INTEGRATED BORDER, EVEN ENVIRONMENTALLY INTEGRATED
THAT SUCH A WALL DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT, SURE, THAT WILL BE
AN EXAMPLE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT PEARCE AND MICHELLE -- STEVE PEARCE AND
MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM WILL RUN ON THAT BUT IT MAY CREEP
UP.
>> WE SAW MASSIVE MARCHES IN 2006 AROUND IMMIGRATION AND
THE DREAMER MOVEMENT WAS QUITE VOCAL.
HOW ARE THOSE MOVEMENTS AFFECTING OR HOW ARE GRASS
ROOTS MOVEMENTS INFLUENCING POLICY TODAY?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW IN MY OPINION,
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT SPIRIT AND THAT PERSISTENCE IS ON HOLD OR
IS REALLY STRUGGLING AGAINST AN ADMINISTRATIVE STATE, AN
APPARATUS THAT IS VERY MUCH AGAINST THEM.
>> YOU HAVE SEEN IT PULL BACK?
>> THE DREAMERS, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY EVER PULLED BACK.
THEY SHOW UP AT RALLIES AND THEY ARE JUST MANY -- THEIR
ENERGY AND THEIR UNDOCUMENTED AND UNAFRAID STATUS IS, TO ME,
AN INSPIRATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE REALLY LEARNED
AMERICAN POLITICS, WHO HAVE REALLY LEARNED AMERICAN VALUES
OF PARTICIPATION.
I MEAN THAT IS THE IRONY.
THE IRONY IS THAT THEY REALLY ARE AMERICANS IN ACTION BUT I
WOULD SAY THIS, THAT OVER THE COURSE OF MY RESEARCH CAREER,
WHEN I FIRST STARTED STUDYING LATINOS AND IMMIGRATION
POLITICS, I WAS IN DC AT BROOKINGS INSTITUTION AND I
COULD OBSERVE CONGRESS AND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CONGRESS
AND THE REAGAN WHITE HOUSE AND SO ON.
AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THERE WERE MAJOR NATIONAL LATINO
ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEMANDED A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
THE CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS WAS QUITE INFLUENTIAL
AND THEY WEIGHED IN TO WHAT EVENTUALLY BECAME IMMIGRATION
REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OR IRCA IN 1986.
FAMOUSLY OFFERING LEGAL STATUS TO A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE.
SINCE THAT TIME, IT HAS KIND OF EBBED AND FLOWED, BUT THE
RESURGENCE THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT, ABOUT THE IMMIGRANT
RIGHTS MARCHES, THE IMMIGRANTS THEMSELVES, UNDOCUMENTED
THEMSELVES, REVITALIZED THOSE CLAIMS FOR INCLUSION.
THE INDICATION THAT THEY WANTED A PATH TO LEGAL ENTRY
AND THE THING THAT KEEPS YOU ILLEGAL IS THE LACK OF
OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER LEGALLY WITH A 20 TO 30 YEAR WAIT IN
LINE FOR GETTING LEGAL ENTRY.
>> WHAT IMPACT COULD DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE ON THESE
ISSUES OVER THE NEXT FEW DECADES AS THE PERCENTAGE OF
THE ELECTORATE WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR INCREASES?
>> WE ARE GOING TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE SEEN NOW CONTINUING AND
THAT IS WE ARE GOING TO SEE ELECTED OFFICIALS PRODUCED
FROM POPULATIONS THAT HAVE NEVER PRODUCED ELECTED
OFFICIAL AND THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, SOUTH ASIANS, PEOPLE
FROM INDIA, OR OF MIXED RACE, PAMELA HARRIS, NEW U.S.
SENATOR IN CALIFORNIA WHO COMES FROM BLACK AND SOUTH
ASIAN HERITAGE.
WE HAVE OUR FIRST LATINA IN THE SENATE FROM NEVADA AND A
FIRST WOMAN OF THAI ORIGIN AND CHINESE HERITAGE IN THE U.S.
SENATE FROM ILLINOIS.
IT IS NOT JUST SAYING THAT, OH, THIS IS JUST GREAT, LET'S
HOLD HANDS AND CELEBRATE THIS DIVERSITY.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE, EXPERIENCES, FAMILY UP
BRINGING, REAL CONCERNS AND STRUGGLES IN FORMING THEIR
POLICY MAKING AND TO WHAT EXTENT CAN THEY, THEN, SEE
THEIR CONSTITUENTS IN ALL OF THEIR COMPLEXITY AND WITH A
WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCES.
HOW CAN THEY CAN BE RESPONSIVE TO THOSE CONSTITUENTS.
>> YOU ARE NOW A PROFESSOR EMERITA AT UNM.
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE YOU'RE SLOWING DOWN.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR LEGACY?
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
>> WELL, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL THINGS.
I'LL JUST SAY QUICKLY, I AM VERY PROUD OF MY -- VERY PROUD
OF MY TEACHING AND A WHOLE LOT OF STUDENTS THAT I HOPE I
TOUCHED THEIR LIVES IN A POSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE WAY.
I AM VERY PROUD OF THE STUDENTS THAT I KNOW ARE
MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
I'LL QUICKLY CLAIM A LITTLE BIT OF SUCCESS WITH OUR
CURRENT SECRETARY OF STATE, WHO IS --
>> ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS.
>> A FORMER STUDENT.
I HAVE TWO PROFESSORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
TEACHING IN LATINO POLITICS AT BELOIT COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN,
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA AND SHE HAS JUST GOTTEN
HERSELF ELECTED OR WILL HAVE HERSELF PROBABLY ELECTED TO
THE CITY COUNCIL IN THIS LITTLE TOWN IN SOUTH DAKOTA.
I KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS HEADING UP THE NEW MEXICO IMMIGRANTS
LAW CENTER.
I KNOW JUDGES SITTING ON THE BENCH.
A FORMER STUDENT IS A FEDERAL JUDGE DOWN SOUTH.
SO, THOSE THINGS MAKE ME VERY PROUD BUT I AM ALSO VERY PROUD
OF BUILDING A FIELD THAT WE STARTED FROM NOWHERE, FROM
SCRATCH.
WE CALLED IT CHICANO POLITICS OR CHICANO STUDIES.
JUST RECENTLY, UNM PASSED WITH THE FACULTY AND REGENTS
APPROVAL, A GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CHICANO AND CHICANA
STUDIES.
IN POLITICAL SCIENCE WE HAVE ENTERED THE RANKS OF
LEADERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE MADE INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE AT THE SMITHSONIAN
INSTITUTION AND THEIR PROGRAMMING.
WE ARE MAKING CHANGES IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT FIELDS.
MEGAN I WISH THAT WE ALSO WOULD FIND IT EASIER TO DO
THOSE THINGS BUT STILL THERE IS CONTESTED TRANSFORMATION.
IT IS INCREMENTAL CHANGE.
IT IS WONDERFUL CHANGE, CHANGE THAT I AM VERY PROUD OF, BUT
IT IS STILL A FIGHT.
>> CHRISTINE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND SPEAKING
WITH US.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE INVITATION AND I AM HONORED.
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