Description
Some Ideas for Final Project
Here is a list of possible texts or artists you can explore for the semester final project. Feel free to pick something not on this list. However, if you are stuck and need help, please choose something on this list that speaks to you. If you are interested in any of the texts below, let me know and I can help you access them.
YOUR OWN CREATION
You may create your own artistic creation and present on it! Just make sure you answer the same questions on the project assignment. You will need to analyze your own work the same way you would analyze any other work.
Art
Asco (art collective), an East Los Angeles based Chicano artist collective, active from 1972 to 1987 (exception to the requirement that pieces be from 2009 or after).
Cheech Marin’s Chicano Art Collection
Chicano Park
Chicano Murals/ Street Art
Artists
Antonio Arredondo Juarez, Photographer
Eric Almanza, Figurative Painter
George Lopez, Actor and Comedian
Harry Gamboa Jr, Essayist, Photographer, Director and Performance Artist
James Roday Rodriguez, actor and director
Lalo Alcaraz, Cartoonist
Laura Molina, Artist, Musician, and Actress
Linda Vallejo, Painter, Sculptor, and Ceramic Artist
Luis Alberto Urrea, Writer and Poet
Salma Hayek, Mexican Actor
Sergio Teran, Painter
Karla Cordero, Poet and Educator
Kate del Castillo, Actor
Victor Ochoa, Activist, Painter, Graphic Designer and Master Muralist
Yolanda López, Painter, Printmaker, Educator, and Film Producer
Books
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (YA Urban Fantasy Novel)
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sánchez (Young Adult Novel)
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Novel)
Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Peña (Young Adult Novel)
The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea (Novel)
Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Young Adult Novel)
The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cant (Nonfiction/memoir)
Mexica-Canadian Author Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Would you consider her a Chicanx author?
Movies
Half Like Me, personal documentary by comedian Al Madrigal
Inocente, a documentary about a 15-year-old undocumented immigrant dealing with homelessness who is determined to never surrender her dream of becoming an artist.
The work of Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mexican film director, producer and screenwriter
The work of Guillermo del Toro, Mexican film director, producer, screenwriter, and author
Music
Carlos Santana, Mexican-American guitarist
Chicano Rap–artists include Lil Rob, Serio, Brownside, DJ Laz, Jonny Z and Cypress Hill.
Jenni Rivera
Las Cafeteras, a Chicano band from East Los Angeles, California.
Rage Against the Machine
Shows
Gentefied, show on Netflix
Mr. Iglesias, show on Netflix
On My Block, show on Netflix
Selena, show on Netflix
This Fool, show on Hulu
Vida, show on HBO
And more! Please remember that this list is here as a resource, not to limit your choices. You are free to pick what works best for you.
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ENGL/ETHN 236 FINAL PROJECT
Page 1
RESEARCH PRESENTATION (OR RESEARCH ESSAY)
ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW
This semester’s work will culminate in a self-guided final research project. You will have the entire
semester to brainstorm and prepare for this project.
➢ Grade Category: Class Final Project & Presentation Required for Each Grade Path
➢ Project Brainstorming and Conferencing: Throughout the Semester
➢ Text selection due by Week 11. Submitted through Canvas.
➢ Progress report and Conferencing: Week 13
➢ FINAL PROJECT DUE DATES:
o Upload Project Presentation to Canvas (Please use the Canvas Studio feature or a YouTube
link for Presentations and PDFs for files): Wednesday 12/13 11:59p.
▪ Any accompanying materials, such as your PowerPoint presentation, MLA Works Cited,
and/or written reflection, must also be submitted through the same Canvas assignment.
o Submit Videos/Letters of Support + Appreciation to Colleagues: Saturday 12/16 11:59p.
Assignment Description
For this final project, you are tasked with finding, reading, and analyzing a substantial ChicanX text (e.g
film or novel), collection of short works (e.g. collection of stories, poems, visual, or musical works) of
your choice. Your chosen text can take the form of a book or written collection (any genre or style
welcome), a film, a show (you may focus on a significant episode, season, or entire series), a musical
album or compilation, art collection, or even the work of a specific artist, such as a comedian or performer.
➢ FOCUS: Once you have chosen and thoroughly read your text you must create an 8-to-12-minute
visual presentation (or alternative research essay) that (1) analyzes WHY and HOW your
chosen text functions as a work of Chicana/o literature, (2) explains how your text portrays
struggle, resistance, social justice, solidarity, and/or liberation, and (3) describes how your text
engages with movements to build a diverse, just, and equitable society.
o If you need help selecting a work or artist, you may find help in some of our assigned
readings as a lot of the articles we read reference works we are not directly covering in
class. Also, you can always meet with me and/or your support group to brainstorm ideas and
options!
o If you prefer to avoid a presentation, please see below for an essay alternative.
Alternative to the Presentation: Research Essay
I encourage you to submit the visual presentation because I think it provides a nice (and fun?) alternative
to the typical research essay. However, I understand that you may not want to complete a visual
presentation. That’s OK! If you would prefer NOT to present, then I ask that you submit an essay of about
5 to 8 pages (not counting the Works Cited) that addresses the same requirements outlined below for the
presentation—the only difference will be that the essay is NOT required a visual component. Your e ssay
should:
follow MLA formatting, include an original title, and a complete Works Cited page;
be submitted as a PDF document on the Canvas Final Project assignment page;
be a minimum of 5 full pages (before the Works Cited); and
meet all the requirements listed below—except for the visual component requirement.
Page 2
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
Please read the following requirements carefully as I will be using them to grad e your final
project.
The chosen focus text or artist should be an example of CONTEMPORARY Chicana/o work.
o Only consider works published or active between the year 2003 and 2023. In your
presentation, make sure to clearly state year of publication. Let me know if there is an older
text you feel is still actively making an impact so we can consider it for the project.
o Provide clear and specific analysis of HOW and WHY your chosen text/artist functions as a
work of Chicano/a literature—as opposed to a work of “mainstream” Euro-American
literature.
The presentation/essay should follow the logical and focused structure typical of an academic
essay.
o This means your presentation should have a clear THESIS, specific SUBCLAIMS,
EVIDENCE, and ANALYSIS.
o Claims and evidence should transition smoothly and connect logically—in other words no
leaps in logic or unsupported assumptions or conclusions.
o It should also have a clear and well-organized INTRODUCTION, BODY, and
CONCLUSION.
Include THREE direct textual examples to analyze.
o For example, if you are working with written work, this takes the form of quotes; if you are
working with a film or show, this will take the form of a scene or scene capture; if you are
working with music, this takes the form of lyrics or scenes from music videos.
Connect/compare your text to at least TWO other texts we have covered in class.
(Required Only for Presentations; NOT required for research essays) The presentation should
include a visual component along with the spoken analysis and explanation.
o I encourage you to imagine you are an instructor for a class. How would you structure and
set up your lecture? Be creative! Feel free to run any other ideas by me!
o Don’t worry about making your presentation “perfect”—for example, I sometimes have
dogs barking in the background. Focus on communicating your ideas in a clear way. Be
yourself in the video!
o Please record and submit your presentation using either Canvas Studio, YouTube link, or
Zoom recording link (no need to make it public!). Please do not submit a file I have to
download to my computer as it makes grading much more difficult. I can help if you have
any questions about how to submit!
o PowerPoint or Prezi are not required, but are encouraged.
o If sharing your screen is difficult for your presentation set up/design, you can let me know
and we will come up with a plan.
You must submit a complete MLA Works Cited Page.
o Bring in at least 2 credible OUTSIDE sources to help you analyze your text. Let me know if
you need help locating these outside source—but please don’t wait until the last minute.
Submit Videos/Letters of Support and Appreciation to Colleagues: Saturday 12/16 11:59p.
o Respond to 2 colleagues’ work (presentations/essays) and provide a video or written
response to their work.
o Clearer instructions on response length and content will be outlined on Canvas.
o The goal of this part of the project is to celebrate and enjoy each other’s work!
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