How does one become labeled the fifth most dangerous academic in the nation? Dr. Armando Navarro is a political scientist and retired professor of ethnic studies at the University of California, Riverside. I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Navarro this April and was astounded by the passion this man has for la causa and his trajectory. After the interview with Dr. Navarro I felt deeply inspired as a first generation Mexicana, I felt my aspirations of becoming a counselor in my urban community in south Los Angeles rekindled. While hearing Dr. Navarro speak I was reminded of Malcolm X’s passion and ideas with which he believed people of color in the 1950’s and 60’s should arm themselves with. While conducting research on Dr. Navarro’s work
…show more content…
Armando Navarro’s path to social service, as told by him, began with serving in the US Army for 8 years beginning in 1960. Navarro aspired to become an officer in the military and by 1967 when he was to be promoted to Captain, he quit after becoming aware of the contradictions of our foreign policy and his disapproval with the war on Vietnam. Navarro enrolled in college and continued his education until 1974 when he earned his Political Science doctorate degree at University of California, Riverside. Dr. Navarro began his work as a social activist in 1968 and continues to be an advocate for social justice through his many books. Dr. Navarro knew that he wanted to make a difference within his community in his lifetime and he has lived up to his expectations for his life goal. Aside from helping to organize numerous social movements and create many organizations, Dr. Navarro has inspired many and has directly helped produce leaders. Dr. Navarro is in his own words“a byproduct of the Chicano movement that emerged in the United States by 1966 and concluded by 1974.” Being a part of the most turbulent and dynamic time in the history of the United States for social activism, equipped Dr. Navarro with the necessary passion and knowledge of the methods required to stimulate social change with the goal of reanimating the dying Chicano …show more content…
Navarro accepted a position with the Ethnic Studies Department at UCR and continued organizing making UCR a home base for some of his many summits including a huge post-proposition 187 summit in 1995. The following year as a result of a previous delegation, Dr. Navarro helped organize a campus visit for Cuauhtemoc Cardenas of the Mexican PRD to come to UCR to address 500 people. In 1999 Dr. Navarro organized a delegation in Chiapas, Mexico with leaders of the Zapatistas movement and later partook in the organization of another delegation to march into Mexico City with the Zapatistas and along side head vehicles of Subcomandante Marcos, leader of the Zapatista movement. In 2000 Dr. Navarro organized protests in Arizona and brought in Mexican elected officials to rally against the Rancho Vigilantes who were apprehending immigrants at gunpoint. During 2005- 2006 Dr. Navarro led 6 more delegations to Mexico to address problems with the Rancho Vigilantes and the human rights violations they were perpetrating. Dr. Navarro also collaborated in part with organization of the May Day march in 2006 by organizing leaders from all over southern California for a summit. The May Day March proved the power of a mobilized critical mass, with an estimated 1.5 million people demonstrating on the streets of Los Angeles followed by many other US cities. Dr. Navarro has appeared on numerous national and international media outlets including CNN, FOX, Univision, Telemundo, TV Azteca,
Armando Navarro’s path to social service, as told by him, began with serving in the US Army for 8 years beginning in 1960. Navarro aspired to become an officer in the military and by 1967 when he was to be promoted to Captain, he quit after becoming aware of the contradictions of our foreign policy and his disapproval with the war on Vietnam. Navarro enrolled in college and continued his education until 1974 when he earned his Political Science doctorate degree at University of California, Riverside. Dr. Navarro began his work as a social activist in 1968 and continues to be an advocate for social justice through his many books. Dr. Navarro knew that he wanted to make a difference within his community in his lifetime and he has lived up to his expectations for his life goal. Aside from helping to organize numerous social movements and create many organizations, Dr. Navarro has inspired many and has directly helped produce leaders. Dr. Navarro is in his own words“a byproduct of the Chicano movement that emerged in the United States by 1966 and concluded by 1974.” Being a part of the most turbulent and dynamic time in the history of the United States for social activism, equipped Dr. Navarro with the necessary passion and knowledge of the methods required to stimulate social change with the goal of reanimating the dying Chicano …show more content…
Navarro accepted a position with the Ethnic Studies Department at UCR and continued organizing making UCR a home base for some of his many summits including a huge post-proposition 187 summit in 1995. The following year as a result of a previous delegation, Dr. Navarro helped organize a campus visit for Cuauhtemoc Cardenas of the Mexican PRD to come to UCR to address 500 people. In 1999 Dr. Navarro organized a delegation in Chiapas, Mexico with leaders of the Zapatistas movement and later partook in the organization of another delegation to march into Mexico City with the Zapatistas and along side head vehicles of Subcomandante Marcos, leader of the Zapatista movement. In 2000 Dr. Navarro organized protests in Arizona and brought in Mexican elected officials to rally against the Rancho Vigilantes who were apprehending immigrants at gunpoint. During 2005- 2006 Dr. Navarro led 6 more delegations to Mexico to address problems with the Rancho Vigilantes and the human rights violations they were perpetrating. Dr. Navarro also collaborated in part with organization of the May Day march in 2006 by organizing leaders from all over southern California for a summit. The May Day March proved the power of a mobilized critical mass, with an estimated 1.5 million people demonstrating on the streets of Los Angeles followed by many other US cities. Dr. Navarro has appeared on numerous national and international media outlets including CNN, FOX, Univision, Telemundo, TV Azteca,