In the Community
The work of teaching and creating is rooted in community love. Through testimonio, oral history sessions, and story circles, I work with students and educators to create culturally relevant and community sustaining curriculum. Community members become co-creators of their history and co-construct models of preservation and creation for their stories.
Leaders like Genevieve Patron left a legacy through her work to support local farmworkers, elderly, and women. Oral histories and testimonios offer greater clarity to the contributions of Latina leaders like Patron, and humanize her story beyond a fifty year old photo in a newspaper.
(Photo right: Genevieve Patron signing elderly up for Medicare, 1966, the Stockton Record. All photos under fair use for education).
Partnering with local organizations like the Cesar Chavez and Fair Oaks Public Libraries are integral to meeting people in their own spaces to collect and preserve their stories.
Story Circles, testimonio, and oral history work connect people, organizations, and students to support the preservation of local stories and experiences.
First Gen
All of my work is in service to increasing access to institutional knowledge and resources, and to promote equity and inclusion in higher education. Like me, most of my students are the first generation in their family to attend university. I work to build a community grounded in care while supporting students to navigate the academy.
Vanessa Madrigal-Lauchland 