Latinx Histories, Cultures, and Communities

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 26.02.08

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction: Raised In A Climate Of Fear
  2. Classroom Context: Teaching In Back Of The Yards
  3. Content Objective: ¿si Ellos Pudieron Porque Yo No?
  4. Rationale
  5. La Cultura Cura And The Arts
  6. Latinos In America: We Are Here Because You Were There
  7. A Journey To The Windy City And Its Ordeal
  8. Putting Down Roots And Revitalizing Los Barrios
  9. Community, Cultural, And Activist Spaces In Chicago
  10. Painted Histories: The Canvases In Our Barrios
  11. Lotería Art For Revolution
  12. Classroom Activities
  13. Appendix On Implementing District Standards
  14. Annotated Bibliography
  15. Notes

The Roots That Heal: Chicago’s Latinx Odyssey and Art of Liberation

Stephany Jimenez

Published September 2026

Tools for this Unit:

Notes

[1] History of the Back of the Yards | Chicago Studies | The University of Chicago, chicagostudies.uchicago.edu/back-yards/back-yards-history-back-yards. Accessed 14 July 2026.

[2] Rangel, Dani. “La Cultura Cura: Engaging and Embracing Families through a Culturally Responsive Lens.” Book Harvest, February 5, 2022. https://www.bookharvest.org/post/la-cultura-cura-engaging-and-embracing-families-through-a-culturally-responsive-lens.

[3] “La Cultura Cura Youth Program.” El Instituto Familiar de la Raza. Accessed July 14, 2026. https://www.ifrsf.org/la_cultura_cura_youth_program.

[4] “La Cultura Cura: In the Face of Extreme Social and Political Unrest, Youth Can Find Safety and Healing in Their Roots | Unidosus.” UnidosUS, December 21, 2018. https://unidosus.org/progress-report/la-cultura-cura-in-the-face-of-extreme-social-and-political-unrest-youth-can-find-safety-and-healing-in-their-roots/.

[5] “La Cultura Cura: In the Face of Extreme Social and Political Unrest, Youth Can Find Safety and Healing in Their Roots | Unidosus.” UnidosUS, December 21, 2018. https://unidosus.org/progress-report/la-cultura-cura-in-the-face-of-extreme-social-and-political-unrest-youth-can-find-safety-and-healing-in-their-roots/.

[6] Arana, Marie. Latinoland: A portrait of America’s largest and least understood minority. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2025. Pg 1.

[7] González, Juan. Harvest of empire: A history of latinos in America. New York: Penguin Books, 2022. Pg 3.

[8] Arana, Marie. Latinoland: A portrait of America’s largest and least understood minority. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2025. Pg 4.

[9] González, Juan. Harvest of empire: A history of latinos in America. New York: Penguin Books, 2022. Pg 20.

[10] González, Juan. Harvest of empire: A history of latinos in America. New York: Penguin Books, 2022. Pg 30-88.

[11] González, Juan. Harvest of empire: A history of latinos in America. New York: Penguin Books, 2022. Pg 92

[12] Vaillant, Derek, and Gabriela F. Arredondo. “Mexicans.” Encyclopedia of Chicago. Accessed July 14, 2026. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/824.html.

[13] Vaillant, Derek, and Gabriela F. Arredondo. “Mexicans.” Encyclopedia of Chicago. Accessed July 14, 2026. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/824.html.

[14] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 4.

[15] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 4.

[16] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 5.

[17] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 5.

[18] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 16.

[19] Fernandez, Lilia. Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2014. Pg 91.

[20] Fernandez, Lilia. Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2014. Pg 92.

[21] Fernandez, Lilia. Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2014. Pg 93.

[22] Fernandez, Lilia. Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2014. Pg 263.

[23] Sandoval-Strausz, A. K. Barrio America: How Latino immigrants saved the American city. New York, NY: Basic Books, Hachette Book Group, 2019. Pg 250.

[24] Sandoval-Strausz, A. K. Barrio America: How Latino immigrants saved the American city. New York, NY: Basic Books, Hachette Book Group, 2019. Pg 251-259.

[25] Sandoval-Strausz, A. K. Barrio America: How Latino immigrants saved the American city. New York, NY: Basic Books, Hachette Book Group, 2019. Pg 263.

[26] Sandoval-Strausz, A. K. Barrio america: How Latino immigrants saved the American city. New York, NY: Basic Books, Hachette Book Group, 2019. Pg. 270.

[27] Sandoval-Strausz, A. K. Barrio America: How Latino immigrants saved the American city. New York, NY: Basic Books, Hachette Book Group, 2019. Pg 287.

[28] Sandoval-Strausz, A. K. Barrio America: How Latino immigrants saved the American city. New York, NY: Basic Books, Hachette Book Group, 2019. Pg 288.

[29] Sandoval-Strausz, A. K. Barrio america: How Latino immigrants saved the American city. New York, NY: Basic Books, Hachette Book Group, 2019. Pg 284-285.

[30] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 243.

[31]Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 159.

[32] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 159.

[33] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 243.

[34] Amezcua, Mike. Making Mexican Chicago: From postwar settlement to the age of gentrification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023. Pg 230-242.

[35] Casa Aztlan - CPAG. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://chicagopublicartgroup.org/project/casa-aztlan/. Accessed July 17, 2026.

[36] Casa Aztlan - CPAG. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://chicagopublicartgroup.org/project/casa-aztlan/. Accessed July 17, 2026.

[37] National Museum of Mexican Art, Pilsen, Chicago. Accessed July 14, 2026. https://nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/.

[38] Guadalupe Ceja. Best of back of the yards 2019, September 17, 2019. https://southsideweekly.com/best-back-yards-2019.

[39] Pilsen murals blend art and activism | WTTW Chicago. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://www.wttw.com/my-neighborhood/pilsen/art-as-activism.

[40] Lotería doors. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://hue.crc.nd.edu/pilsen/murals/loter%C3%ADa-doors/.

[41] Corporate Art Services that fund local impact | IPaintMyMind. Accessed July 14, 2026. https://ipaintmymind.org/.

[42] Briceño, Norberto. “This Artist Made Chicago-Themed Lotería Cards and They’re Awesome.” Buzzfeed, September 9, 2016. https://www.buzzfeed.com/norbertobriceno/chicago-loteria.

[43] Fernando Calderas (@fedzart), “Reminiscing the days in Mexico as a kid.” Instagram, Sept 9, 2025. https://www.instagram.com/fedzart

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