By Alexa Lopez
Professor Mario García recently retired after 47 years at UC Santa Barbara, having focused his research on Chicano history with an emphasis on civil rights, Chicano Catholic history, and the Chicano movement.
García has worked in both the Chicana and Chicano Studies and History departments at UCSB since his start in 1975.
Mario García, recently retired UCSB professor affiliated with both Chicano and Chicana Studies and the History department. (Matt Perko, UC Santa Barbara).
In February, García was acknowledged at the 6th Bi-Annual Sal Castro Memorial Conference with a special symposium day dedicated to his scholarly contributions.
In a recent interview, García discussed his research experience, time, and legacy at UCSB.
Q: What sparked your passion for your scholarly work about the previously hidden voices and struggles of Chicanos?
A: I became interested in Chicano history when I was hired at San Jose State, initially to teach Introduction U.S. History classes. Then, they asked me if I could develop a Chicano History class. That gave me the passion that I applied to the researching and teaching of Chicano history. I was learning more about my family, my culture, and my community, but on a larger scale, what the history of people with Mexican descent was–which had not been recognized. I began to insist that this was a part of American history and it should be integrated into the understanding of what the American experience was. It’s not outside of it, it’s a part of it. Thus, that gave me this passion, not only from an academic perspective, but also from a civic sense of responsibility.
Q: How has your experience as a Mexican American yourself, shaped your identity and research focus?
A: I always knew I was Mexican and of Mexican descent. I became Mexican American at the college level because that was a term I began to recognize more. When I came to California, I became Chicano, not only in that sense of ethnic identity, but also a political consciousness of what the movement was struggling for, especially in the case of social justice, educational justice, and social rights. The movement did that for me and my research and teaching has reinforced that.
My identity has been affected by that. Of course, identity is complex. I have a Catholic consciousness as well, shaped by my Catholic education and my research now in Chicano Catholic history. I refer to myself as a liberationist historian because I have been influenced by and embrace liberation theology which calls for having a priority of issues of poverty, oppression, and social injustice and I see that in my work.
Q: What is the legacy you hoped to leave behind at UCSB and in the field in general?
A: I think part of my legacy is that I’ve been a productive scholar. I’ve never rested on my laurels. I’ve always felt that there is one more area of research that I need to do in the area of Chicano/Latino studies. I hope my legacy gives people the encouragement that research never ends, or should never end. It should be fundamental to who we are.
I think that my legacy may be a commitment to striving for excellence in my research and teaching–setting a high bar for myself but also encouraging others to set high bars for themselves. Part of my legacy is not to be afraid to stand up for what you think is an injustice or something that’s wrong. You may be the only voice, but it’s a voice that needs to be heard and maybe in time will be respected.
Retired UCSB professor Mario García at the 6th Bi-Annual Sal Castro Memorial Conference. Photo by Joshua Molina.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to students who are facing adversity and discrimination?
A: That you can overcome that adversity. You have a human agency. You should never see yourself as a victim. Once you see yourself as a victim, you’ve lost. You have to go beyond it and realize that you can make change, you can improve things for yourself, you can succeed. Strive to achieve what it is you want to and don’t feel that there are so many barriers in front of you that you can’t achieve it because you can. You have to do it yourself and you have to have a sense that you can accomplish what your goals are.
Alexa Lopez is a psychological and brain sciences major at UC Santa Barbara. She wrote this article for her Writing Program class, Digital Journalism.