2020-2021: The Book of Unknown Americans
The Book of the Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez – ¡Tambien Esta Disponible en Español!
For the ‘20-‘21 academic year, CSUF chose The Book of the Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez, a story that interweaves hopes, dreams, guilt, and love—a book that offers a resonant new definition of what it means to be American.
ALL students, staff, faculty, and administrators were encouraged to participate in the One Book, One CSUF initiative. Readers had plenty of opportunities to engage during the ‘20-’21 academic year, including numerous chances to receive free CSUF swag! In the meantime, we encouraged everyone to kick back, enjoy, and finish reading the book over the summer.
Workshop Series
The following includes some of the One Book events from the ‘20-’21 academic year.
Workshop Events
#UndocuLife
Martha Zavala Perez
December 9, 2020 5:00 – 6:00pm
Join Martha in a critical conversation about the reality of many undocumented immigrants in this country. This session will also talk about the importance of media representation, why it matters and how to push undocumented voices into the forefront. This will be part presentation with anecdotes from her own life as a DACA recipient and discussion as a group on these ideas and topics.
¿Qué voces escuchas? Aproximación a la lectura de cuentos a través de los ojos de los héroes silenciosos
What characters do you hear? Reading stories through the eyes of the Unsung Heroes
Fernando Rodríguez-Valls
January 26, 2021 3:00 – 4:00pm
La lectura de cuentos tiende a enfocarse en los personajes principales e ignorar a los personajes secundarios. Sin las voces de éstos la lectura se vuelve egocéntrica y unívoca. En este taller, primero explicaremos el modelo de lectura periférica e inclusiva en la que maestros y estudiantes escuchan y analizan las voces de los héroes silenciosos. En la segunda parte recrearemos como leer un libro utilizando esta metodología. Al acabar el taller dialogaremos sobre la importancia de utilizar este método para mostrar a los niños que leer cuentos con ojos inclusivos es el primer paso para convertirse en representantes de la pluralidad del mundo y, de este modo, ayudar a romper las fronteras que existen en nuestra sociedad. Este taller se llevará a cabo en español. (When we read stories, we tend to focus on the main characters and somehow ignore the supporting characters. Without the voices of the supporting characters, reading becomes self-centered and univocal. In this workshop, we will first discuss the elements of the peripheral and inclusive reading in which students and teachers listen to and analyze the voices of the Unsung Heroes. In the second part of this workshop, we will recreate how to read a story and a book using this approach. We will also discuss the importance of using this method to show children that reading stories with inclusive eyes is the first step to become advocates for plurality and citizens committed to break all the negative -isms of our society.) This workshop will be conducted in Spanish.
Together on Titan Tuesday: Common Read
Tonantzin Oseguera
February 1, 2021 3:00 – 4:00pm
A conversation about the power of the immigration experience through personal narratives and stories from The Book of Unknown Americans.
#WhyALLBlackMenMatter in America: A conversation discussing the intersections of Ethnicity, Gender, and Identity
Vincent T. Harris
February 8, 2021 12:00 – 1:00pm
To help to explain why understanding and unpacking gender, identity, gender expression, gender roles and masculinities are indeed very critical and relevant to all the work we do, especially as educators
Teaching Social Justice in the Age of Social Unrest
Gwendolyn Alexis & Edward L. Robinson
February 10, 2021 2:00 – 3:00pm
The fight for social justice is not only a challenge for the country but its people. Teaching social justice is also a challenge that is both individual and collective. In “Teaching Social Justice in the Age of Social Unrest” workshop, we provide a series of steps in which people can work together to restore the principles of social justice: equitable resources, treatment, and opportunity. We discuss how people can foster a community of conscience, create co-learners rather than adversaries, and help students engage subjects/issues that affect them. We seek to create a conversation around creative ideas that can positively influence the discussion of social justice and we all have a role in advocating for a more just country.
Into the Spotlight: The History Unknown Americans
Aitana Guia
March 15, 2020 10:00 – 11:00am
This workshop locates the characters and events mentioned in Cristina Henríquez’s The Book of Unknown Americans in their historical context and within larger trajectories in American migration history. It also uses migration theory to offer a conceptual analysis of the characters and plot
