Non-Mexican Chican@

"Tú eres Chicano, pero eres de Cuba? ¿Como puede ser eso? Pensé que los Chicanos eran Mexicano-Americanos, super pochos,... y viven en este lado...qué no son de una isla, qué son de México, de una familia mexicana, y católicos. Pero, tú eres judío, 3era generación cubano? No los entiendo."

Non-Mexicans Chican@s are re/shaping Chican@ identity(ies) in (non) academia

Not a new idea, but it's something that I have been thinking about (otra vez recientemente): the influences/voices non-Mexican/individuals - who are not (self-identifying) Mexicans folks/scholars/academians/other bloggers types- possess are really shaping the direction(s) that Chican@ studies [as a recognized, but lightly weighted "academic discipline"] is going [the exact (e-)location is still up in the air].

True, the idea/label of Chican@s, many argue, is not based on nationality, but rather on a shared group of ideas (i.e. Asian nationals can self-identify as Chican@s).

True, the idea/label of Chican@, many argue, is pan-ethnic/racial for Latin@s (i.e. Cubans can self-identify as Chican@s). (But, be careful to call a Mexican national Chican@...they might not like that word...which is another topic of divide: Mexicans & Chican@s tensions).

But, just leafing through the "new," "in," "buzz-worthy" thoughts of Chican@ Studies, I can't help but notice that they are being spearheaded by non-Mexicans and bi/multiracial self-identifying Chican@s [Duke's Antonio Viego (of Cuban raíces); Berkeley' Juana Maria Rodriguez (of Cuban raíces)], who are younger scholars/academians/profes who are adding to the increasing canon of thought/ideas/etc.

Are they the nueva generación de Chican@s scholars?

True, that adds to the depth and layers of Chican@s on a macro-level, adding more, unique, different, compelling, critical, and important puntos de vistas.

Pero, que pasa con l@s Chican@s quien son mexican@s en el area de Chican@s Studies? Que pasara con sus/nuestra voces?

What would Yoya Anzaldúa say? Her and her border politics? (Do they still resonate in this hyper globalized e-world?)

I argue that we are living, in 2008-& on, in a post-Chican@ society. We need new terms that can help us understand (better) our identities. Chican@ isn't doing it anymore (whatever it is).

To be continued...

Next blogs: light-skinned Chican@s; Chican@s & elitism; Chican@s & exclusivity: Chican@s & Mexicans tensions