Experience History with C-Span Book TV

An associate professor at Texas Christian University’s Bob Schieffer College of Communication School of Journalism, Dr. Melita Marie Garza authored the book They Came to Toil: Newspaper Representations of Mexicans and Immigrants in the Great Depression. Dr. Melita M. Garza has spoken about her book with interviewers from various media channels, including C-Span Book TV.

A private nonprofit company, C-Span exists to bring political affairs and public events to American citizens in the comfort of their own homes. Through C-Span Book TV, the company also features discussions on important non-fiction books, particularly in the field of American history.

Some recent works featured on Book TV include Young Washington, in which Peter Stark details the beginnings of George Washington's life through his military career, and Dear America, written by Jose Antonio Vargas, who shares his experience of immigrating to the U.S. as an undocumented worker. Other highlighted books have featured insights into areas ranging from conservatism under President Donald Trump to the war in Yemen.

Latino/Latin American Communication Research Award Recognizes Papers

Dr. Melita M. Garza teaches courses on media history, business journalism, and diversity in the media as an assistant professor at the Texas Christian University Bob Schieffer College of Communication. A journalism historian who focuses on how English- and Spanish-language media socially construct our world, Dr. Melita Garza has received numerous awards for her work in Mexican-American and Latino studies. In 2015, the International Communication Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) presented her with the Latino/Latin American Communication Research Award. 

The award goes to the top three research papers submitted to the International Communications or Minorities in Communications divisions and recognizes Hispanic, Latino, and Latin American scholars for their research efforts in journalism, mass media, and international communication as it relates to their communities. Papers may feature any research methodologies and address a variety of topics, ranging from Inter-American and Iberian-American communications to critical media and cultural studies. Eligibility is limited to members of the Hispanic, Latino, and Latin American communities, although papers authored by multiple scholars are permitted if the first scholar listed belongs to one of thoe groups. 

Sponsorship for LARA comes from the University of Arizona School of Journalism (U of A), the FIU Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC), and the Florida International University College of Communication, Architecture and the Arts (CARTA). The U of A sponsors one award, while CARTA and the FIU LACC sponsor the other two.

AEJMC Receiving Submissions for 2018 Knudson Latin America Prize

A Pulitzer Prize-nominated author, Dr. Melita M. Garza has published numerous scholarly articles on the role of English and Spanish news in shaping social reality. A respected speaker on media representation of immigrants and Hispanics, Dr. Melita Garza supports the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC).

AEJMC has announced it is receiving books and non-fiction reports for the 2018 AEJMC-Knudson Latin America Prize. The annual award was established to recognize books or reporting projects highlighting important issues in Latin America. 

Submissions should be sent by mail to Jenifer McGill at AEJMC’s office at 234 Outlet Pointe Blvd., Columbia, South Carolina, by November 21, 2017. Submissions should include six copies of the applicant’s original work on Latin America. The work must be journalistic or educational and should improve the public’s understanding of Latin America. While any topic is accepted, applicants are encouraged to submit work that discusses civic issues, promotes social change, or breaks new ground. The work must have been published in 2017. 

Only current AEJMC members can send submissions. They can do so either as individuals or as a team. On top of six copies of the work, submissions must include a mailing address, email address, and telephone number. Winners will be announced in June 2018 and awards will be presented in August 2018 at the AEJMC Conference.

Women Matadors - Pursuing Their Passion

Dr. Melita M. Garza is an assistant professor at Texas Christian University. A seasoned journalist with expertise in Mexican American and Latino studies, she was an invited panelist and commentator for the City of Fort Worth’s Movies that Matter Latino film series. Participating for the first time in the program in March 2017, Dr. Melita Garza shared her interpretation and thoughts on the movie Ella Es el Matador, or She Is the Matador. 

The male matador serves as a manifestation of Spain’s and the world’s traditionally fixed gender occupations. Spain went to the extent of issuing a law in 1908 banning women from entering the sport. The 2009 film, She Is the Matador, relates the story of women who want to become matadors in Spain.

The movie narrates of history of the women that brought about the enactment of the 1908 law. It also tells the story of two women matadors, newcomer Eva Florencia and the celebrated Mari Paz Vega. While these women are trailblazers by default, it was their intense passion for bullfighting that drove them to become matadors.

AEJMC Hosts 2017 Conference in Chicago

Since 2013, Dr. Melita Garza has served as an assistant professor of journalism history at Texas Christian University, and her research has appeared in such outlets as American Journalism. A noted scholar in her field, Dr. Melita Garza will participate as a panelist at the 2017 conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). In this panel, a distinguished group of women in academia will discuss the challenges faced as junior faculty members, tenured professors, department chairs and deans, as they maneuver through the world of higher education. Dr. Melita Garza and the other panelists plan to share tips and solutions to problems that typically confront women scholars of color.

The largest and longest-standing organization of its kind, the AEJMC comprises more than 3,700 members worldwide. Focused on setting and upholding high standards for the field, the association offers comprehensive resources and unites its members for an annual conference.

From August 9-12, the 2017 conference will convene in Chicago, Illinois, with the theme of Closing the Gap: Media, Research and the Profession. The event will mark 100 years of annual conferences, and attendees will have the opportunity to listen to various sessions and panels and participate in workshops. For more details, visit www.aejmc.org.

What is Zumba?

Melita Garza, PhD, serves as assistant professor at Texas Christian University, where she focuses on the history of journalism. Outside of work, Dr. Melita Garza enjoys staying active through golf, yoga and walking. For the last decade, Zumba has also become a very popular method of exercise across America, and Melita Garza enjoys taking these group classes that don't feel like traditional workouts. Zumba is designed to feel more like a dance party than a traditional workout, which can make it easier to lose weight, stay active, and make friends.

Born in Columbia over 20 years ago, Zumba began when a fitness instructor forgot the CD for his aerobic class and popped in a personal mix of Latin music instead. Today, it has spread worldwide, with over six million people taking classes every week. Set to various styles of music, from salsa and cha-cha to soca and samba, the classes help to burn calories through a multitude of dance moves. It also supports muscle conditioning, flexibility and helps maintain energy.

While many people are familiar with traditional Zumba, there are also many varieties of the class, including some that incorporate weights, some for children, and even some that take place in the water. Classes are made for everyone, from beginners to experts, and even those who feel they don't have rhythm.

Los Angeles Conference Highlights Lack of a Unifying Latino Leader

 

A former Chicago Tribune reporter and writer, Melita Garza instructs on subjects such as media history and journalism as an assistant professor at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Melita Garza is a longstanding member and a former vice president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ).

NAHJ was recently in the news for helping organize a National Town Hall discussion in tandem with a variety of media organization leaders. Held in downtown Los Angeles, the two-day HISPANICIZE LA event focused on identifying new cultural and political leaders among the 55 million Latinos who make the United States their home.

Workshops featured a number of journalists, film producers, and social media mavens, with one well-attended event focusing on the question "Where Is the Latino Jesse Jackson When You Need Him?” The lack of such a unifying figure was reflected in a 2010 Pew Hispanic Research Center survey in which 74 percent of participants were unable to name a single Latino leader.

The conference revealed that, while some are for such a leader, others view the concept of a “Jesse Jackson model” as outdated and not reflective of the multi-faceted nature of the Latino community and the various experiences that inform it.