María Del Carmen Unda
This interview is with María Del Carmen Unda, a doctoral student and community organizer in Austin, Texas. Maria was born and raised in California, later moving to Texas when she enrolled as a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. Through relationships with her professors, Maria was exposed to activist movements in Austin, inspiring her to join as a program coordinator at Academia Cuauhtli, a weekend cultural revitalization school. Maria shares her experiences as an activist, teacher, and her perspective on decolonizing education for students. She also discusses the ways in which the pandemic has affected Academia Cuauhtli and the community.
Miguel Robles
This interview is with Miguel Robles who grew up in California and moved to Houston, Texas at a young age. Miguel attended the University of Texas at Austin, studying communications and interned at the Institute for Diversity of Civic Life. After graduating, Miguel moved to Indonesia to teach English at a middle school. In this interview, Miguel discusses his experience growing up in Texas, working at IDCL, and his time in teaching in Indonesia.
Juan Coronado
This interview is with Dr. Juan Coronado, a professor from the Río Grande Valley. Juan reflects on growing up surrounded by Latino culture and on his exposure to migration and the presence of the border. He talks as a historian about his impressions of changes at the border and in the US at large that followed 9/11. Juan also discusses the effects of wars in the Middle East on Middle Eastern populations, American troops, and American culture.
Jaime "Mujahid" Fletcher
This interview is with Jaime “Mujahid” Fletcher, founder of IslamInSpanish. Jaime shares about his youth, during which he was involved in gang activity in Alief then developed his value of education in Colombia. After his conversion to Islam at twenty-three, Jaime began to translate Islamic literature and thought into Spanish so his Latino family and community could better understand Islam. Jaime goes on to describe the growth of IslamInSpanish from its inception as a family project to its current state as a vibrant community in the Centro Islamico in Alief. He also discusses the social justice projects IslamInSpanish is involved in and shares his advice for working toward social change.
Nura Bawab
This interview is with Nura Bawab, a Palestinian solidarity activist and student in Austin, TX. Nura describes growing up in a multicultural and multireligious household. She talks about experiencing the urge to assimilate as the daughter of immigrants and gradually getting in touch with her Palestinian heritage. She discusses her activism with Palestine Solidarity Committee, becoming a student leader within the organization, as well as the challenges and goals of organizing for PSC in Texas.
Jessica Disla
This interview is with Jessica Disla, a member of the IslamInSpanish community and an aspiring teacher. Jessica talks about growing up and family dynamics in a Dominican-American family in Dominican Republic and New York City. She shares her journey in her career and education and is currently working towards her bachelor’s in education in order to teach ESL. She discusses spiritual seeking and asking difficult questions about religion, and how her curiosity eventually led to IslamInSpanish and her conversion to Islam. Jessica describes her love for the IslamInSpanish community and the many ways she participates in it.
Victoria Ferrell-Ortiz
This interview is with Victoria Ferrell-Ortiz, an education and urban planning organizer in Dallas. Victoria describes the disconnect she saw at a young age between the resources available to the Mexican-American side of her family and to the White side. She talks about other organizers she has worked with and been inspired by in Dallas, including her co-founders of the Rayo Planning nonprofit. Victoria shares her experiences of religion throughout her life, and how her relationship to Christianity has changed over the years. She also details her work, such as with educational and urban planning nonprofits and with oral history.