Tag: HHM

A Look at Latine Culture: CDI Director Talks Hispanic Heritage Month

Colorful illustration with text that reads National Hispanic Heritage Month.

¡Hola!

My name is Gabriel Jesus Escobedo, but most people here at Michigan Tech call me Gabe. I am originally from Texas and identify as a Tejano. This is my first year as the Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. I am also a PhD candidate studying Anthropology of Performing Arts and Dance with a minor in Latino Studies at Indiana University. The focus of my research is the intersectionality of dance and identity among US Latine youth. Just a few more chapters left and I will be Dr. Gabe.

Los Angeles, 1963

Mural in Hispanic neighboorhood.

I was born in Los Angeles, and in 1963 I experienced the greatest moment of my childhood when the Dodgers won the World Series in a four game sweep over the New York Yankees. The city was euphoric. Little did I know at the time that this joy was built on the pain of a once-vibrant Latinx community. Chavez Ravine would be the eventual site of Dodger Stadium. Through eminent domain and other coercive means, most of the ravine’s residents were dislocated for a housing project that eventually stalled. The land was later conveyed to the Dodgers in 1958. As a result, the authorities forcibly removed families from the homes built by their grandparents.