For 30 years, the Research Center for the Americas at UC Santa Cruz has been a hub for research on Latin American studies and Chicano/Latino studies. These two fields of study, which focus on the Latin American region and Chicano/Latino people living in the U.S., respectively, while often considered separate, are inextricably linked, director Sylvanna Falcón explains. Falcon says the center's unique approach is aligned with Dolores Huerta’s advocacy and therefore fit for her name.
Celebrated writer Reyna Grande triumphantly returns to her alma mater with a new novel set during the Mexican-American War. She talks about its roots, her teachers along the way and how Santa Cruz changed her life.