More than 30 million Mexicans live in the United States. Even if they are in majority in many areas especially in the south-west, that in fact was a part of Mexico until 1848, they are still considered a marginal group.

Chicanismo is the social movement that has fought for the justice and the identity of the Mexicans, the so-called chicanos from the 1960s. Chicanismo celebrates the “mestizaje”, blending of cultures and languages. Artists of Mexican origin are dealing with the universal dilemmas of minority artists. The female Chicana artists try to defend their space in a male-dominated culture. Cinemaissí-festival is organising two seminars on Chicana culture and art with particular focus on female Chicana artists.

20.10. “Representations of La Virgen de Guadalupe in Chicana Art”
Studia Latinoamericana, Helsinki University (Unioninkatu 38 A, lecture room 205) at 18:00-20.00.
Lecturer: Eva Zetterman (University of Karlstads).

23.10 14.00-16.00 “Mexican-Americans, Chicana/o Culture and the U.S.-Mexico Border”.
Luckan Cultural Centre (Simonkatu 8).
Asta Kuusinen (University of Helsinki), Eva Zetterman and the anglomexican poet Juana Treviño. Moderator: Auli Leskinen.

In collaboration: Latin American and North American study programs at the Renvall Institute, University of Helsinki, Latinamerika i Fokus-festival (Malmö, Sweden) and Luckan/Bridge.