RAZA Hosts Student Forum

Harvard RAZA, the student organization dedicated to increasing awareness of Latino and Chicano cultures, hosted last weekend's 1999 East Coast Chicano Student Forum (ECCSF) fall conference attended by students from a number of universities and colleges.

The conference's theme was "Origins and Aspirations: The Past, Present and Future of Chicano Civil Rights and Political Activism."

According to RAZA President Monica M. Ramirez '01, this conference was the first of four that will take place this year under the auspices of the ECCSF, the parent organization of Harvard RAZA as well as groups at more than a dozen other schools.

Activities began last Friday in Loker Commons and included a speech by Rodolfo F. Acuna, a well-known professor of Chicano studies at Cal State Northridge.

The conference also included a talent show, followed by dancing, which ran until 1 a.m.

Saturday marked the start of the gathering's main attractions, a variety of seminars on Latino and Chicano society and culture.

The morning session focused on the role of Latinos and Chicanos in current politics and consisted of two seminars entitled "Latino Rights" and "Census 2000."

The afternoon session was dedicated to Latino and Chicano artistic expression.

In one of the afternoon seminars, graduate students from Harvard and Brown read original essays that attempted to explain different aspects of Latino and Chicano culture through interpretations of literature.

In the other seminar, attendees watched a film titled "A Father's Love," which dramatized the trials, tribulations and ultimate successes of a Chicano family living in Los Angeles. The filmmaker, Frank Aragon, watched from the audience.

The conference culminated Saturday night with dinner, dancing and a speech by a representative of the Republican National Committee.

Jonathan W. Torres '01, who attended the weekend's activities, said the conference served as an inspiration to Latino students.

"[Seeing] Latinos being successful and expressing themselves makes you want to strive harder," Torres said.