You Defeated a Bad Textbook. Now Unite to Create a Great One: The Mexican American Studies Tool Kit
by Tony Diaz on 11/21/16
Thanks to your support Democrats & Republicans on the Texas State
Board of Education voted unanimously to reject the racist textbook
submitted for possible inclusion in Texas schools. They also voted to
re-open Proclamation 2018, which calls for culturally relevant
textbooks. Now, we unite once again to oversee the creation of a great
book that will make our community proud and help school districts
inspire our youth with their culture & build bridges to those who
want to know more about us.
You Defeated a Bad Textbook. Here Comes a Great One.
When we first fought for Proclamation 2018, by which the Texas State Board of Education invited the submission of textbooks for Mexican American Studies, we counted on large, mainstream publishers to dive in as they do for other subjects. However, they were not interested. Instead, a former Texas State Board of Education member used her experience and knowledge of the system to submit what turned out to be the terrible textbook all of America has heard about and you helped us defeat.
We've learned from her mistakes. And this time, we are taking matters into own hands.
I'm happy to announce the launching of Nuestra Palabra Books (NP Books). This Indiegogo campaign is to raise the $30,000 necessary to write, edit, submit for Proclamation 2018, and publish the textbook: The Mexican American Studies Tool Kit (The MAS Took Kit) to ensure that at least one great MAS textbook is considered for Texas class rooms.
NP Books will also be a resource to help independent publishers, university publishers, and yes, even large mainstream publishers to submit texts. Ideally, there might be up to 5 textbooks for review this time around.
Leading Scholars & Writers Unite for the MAS TOOL KIT.
Our textbook will include the work and insights of the leading scholars in Mexican American Studies as well as voices from our community. The MAS TOOL Kit will be created by:
- Leading scholars in Mexican American Studies, Ethnic Studies, History & Literature
- Nationally published authors, essayists, and new voices
- Voices from deep in our community
- Activists
- Workshops for teachers and administrators
- Oral histories
Start to Finish
Your donation will help us write and edit a great Mexican American Studies textbook for use in high schools. This fund will also help us go through the complicated steps to submit a textbook for consideration, to revise the text based on feedback from the Texas State Board of Education, and also public hearing and testimony.
The intent to submit a textbook begins in January 2017. The final book will be voted on in July. Full funding of this Indiegogo Campaign will ensure that we not only submit at least one great book for consideration, but that at least 1,000 copies are printed.
Other Ways You Can Help
Please donate, and spread the word far and wide. Share our campaign via social media, mainstream media, and word of mouth.
- For updates tune in to the NP Radio Show Tuesdays 6p-7p on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston, Texas, with live stream & iTunes at www.KPFT.org.
- Visit www.NuestraPalabra.org & www.Librotraficante.com
About Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, Director Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say
- Founder of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say, which has promoted Latino Literature and literacy since 1998.
- Organized the 2002 - 2007 Houston Latino Book and Family Festivals, largest book fairs in Texas.
- Leader of the Librotraficante Movement, which, when Arizona banned Mexican American Studies in 2012, organized the Librotraficante Carvan to smuggle the banned books back into Tucson. Since then the group has fought for ethnic studies and intellectual freedom, especially in Texas.
- The first Chicano to earn a Master of Fine Arst in Creative Writing from the University of Houston, Diaz is also award-winning novelist, essayist, and editor.
- Diaz is a professor of Mexican American Studies
- Diaz hosts the NP Radio Show and is a panelist on "What's Your Point?" live 5:30 pm Thursdays on Fox 26 Houston.
