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When Arizona’s Ethnic Studies ban went into effect, students in Tucson walked out of classrooms in tears. Many said the Mexican American Studies (MAS) courses were not just electives—they were literally saving their lives. These classes affirmed their identities, connected them to a legacy of intellectual and cultural wealth, and gave them a sense of purpose and belonging in school.

In this talk, I draw on over two decades of work in Mexican American Studies and community-based education in Arizona to show how culture and pedagogy profoundly shape Latino/a/e students’ educational experiences. Arizona became a national flashpoint when it passed an Ethnic Studies ban targeting MAS, an effort that sought to erase culturally relevant teaching.

Out of this struggle emerged a powerful lesson: when education affirms the histories, identities, and contributions of Latino/a/e communities, students thrive. I highlight how culturally sustaining pedagogies—such as those developed in the Social Justice Education Project and MAS curriculum—foster engagement, raise academic achievement, and strengthen graduation rates. These approaches challenge deficit narratives and honor the cultural wealth of Latino/a/e youth.

By examining both the innovation and the resistance born from Arizona’s Ethnic Studies ban, we gain insight into how educators, researchers, and policy makers can design transformative, equity-driven practices that empower Latino/a/e students—not only in Arizona, but also in places like Virginia and beyond.

About the Speaker

Julio Cammarota is a Professor of Education at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on participatory action research with Latinx youth, institutional factors in academic achievement, critical race theory and liberatory pedagogy. Dr Cammarota's work has been instrumental with advancing social justice in education and youth development. He is the co-editor of two volumes in the Critical Youth Studies series published by Routledge/Falmer Press:  Beyond Resistance! Youth Activism and Community Change: New Democratic Possibilities for Practice and Policy for America’s Youth (2006) and Revolutionizing Education: Youth Participatory Action Research in Motion (2008). In addition, Dr. Cammarota has published an ethnography of Latinx youth entitled, Sueños Americanos: Barrio Youth Negotiate Social and Cultural Identities (University of Arizona Press, 2008). His work includes co-editing a volume on the struggle for ethnic studies in Tucson, Arizona: Raza Studies: The Public Option for Educational Revolution (University of Arizona Press, 2014). He published a co-edited collection on participatory action research for Latinx communities, entitled PAR EntreMundos: A Pedagogy of Las Americas (Peter Lang 2018). Finally, he recently edited a volume on liberatory pedagogy, Liberatory Practices for Learning: Dismantling Social Inequality and Individualism with Ancient Wisdom (Palgrave 2020).