HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Texas university has opened a class dedicated to understanding the lasting impact of Selena Quintanilla’s work on the Hispanic Identity.
The University of Texas at San Antonio will offer “Selena: A Mexican American Identity & Experience” as an audit class. Both UTSA students and nonstudents can enroll in the course for no grade and no credit, according to a press release from UTSA.
The course will examine how the life and career of Selena Quintanilla embody the historical trajectory of the Mexican American identity and experience in Texas.
Sonya M. Alemán will lead the virtual course, which will convene from 6 to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, beginning May 31 through July 5, according to the release.
The Selena course utilizes the iconic Selena Quintanilla as a launching point to talk about the histories and experiences of being Mexican American and Latina/o/x in the U.S… It also is intentionally crafted to honor the shared generational knowledge Selena’s array of fans carry about her significance, allowing students to co-construct the learning experience of the course, a unique aspect that many of those who have taken the course fully appreciated.
Sonya M. Alemán, associate professor and an instructor of Mexican American Studies in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development
With the recent return of ‘Selena’ the movie in theatres nationwide, Alemán anticipates this heightened interest and awareness of Selena will lead to a deeper look into the impact she had on the Hispanic culture.
Selena’s cultural work continues to inspire members of Latino communities to imagine, accept and become the best versions of themselves. The full significance of her reach and impact has not yet been fully realized or documented… This course is a small attempt to add to that effort, and I hope that by inviting members of the community to share the space with UTSA students in a more accessible summer course, it will enrich that conversation.
Sonya M. Alemán, associate professor and an instructor of Mexican American Studies in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development
Those interested in auditing the course will need to fill out the audit form and submit it for approval.