The Luis “El Machete” Valdez Annual Speakers Series honors the work and accomplishments of people of Mexican ancestry in the areas of social justice, community involvement, culture, politics, and the arts. Past speakers have included Luis Valdez, Blanca Alvarado, and Dr. José Carrasco.
This year’s guest speakers will be the members of the San José-based Flor del Pueblo, one of the most influential musical ensembles of the Chicana/o Movement whose music inspired activism for social justice with local roots and intergenerational reach.
Formed in the 1970’s through their participation with different South Bay Teatro Chicano groups. Including El Teatro Campesino. The members of Flor del Pueblo, (Ed Robledo, Deborah Rodríguez, Felipe Rodríguez, Francisco Rodríguez, Ben Cadena, Yolanda Pérez, Ramiro Pérez, Enrique Castillo, Clay Shanrock, and Richard Garcia) found a meaningful avenue of engagement through the arts with the ideals of the Movimiento Chicano.
Members of the group were active at numerous events, including being on stage at the Chicano Moratorium on August 29, 1970, when police violence broke a peaceful demonstration. Their 1977 recorded album, Música de Nuestra América, established a new sound of Movimiento music with the incorporation of Latin American protest music influences on Chicana/o Movement music as well as the group's unique vocal style.
Featured speakers:
Deborah Rodríguez-Garcia, Yolanda Pérez, Ed Robledo, Francisco Rodríguez, Enrique Castillo, and Ben Cadena
About the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at San José State University
The mission of the Chicana and Chicano Studies Department is to serve SJSU students and diverse communities through an interdisciplinary Chicana/o Studies Program that is based on principles of education for Social Justice. The program prepares students to critically examine and address intellectual traditions and contemporary issues resulting from race, ethnicity, class, and gender intersections in Chicana/o-Latina/o and other communities.
Co-sponsored by SJSU Chicana and Chicano Studies Department, Aspire/McNair Trio Programs, La Raza Historical Society of Santa Clara Valley, SJSU School of Music and Dance, the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Sociology & Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at SJSU.
Event link will be sent via Eventbrite and updated on Eventpage for livestream closer to the event date.
