Fifty years ago, against a backdrop of student protests and community unrest, Cal State LA established the first Chicano studies program in the nation. Housed in the College of Natural and Social Sciences, the Department of Chicana(o) and Latina(o) Studies. now offers more than 150 courses, taught by scholars from across a wide range of disciplines. Its graduates have contributed immeasurably to the region and the university. Cal State LA commemorated  50 years of Chicano studies with a tribute to civil rights pioneer Dolores Huerta. Huerta took the audience in the packed Golden Eagle ballroom through lessons in history, politics and economics, with stories from more than 60 years on the frontlines of social justice crusades. “It was actually right here in the city of Los Angeles where the Chicano movement started,” Dolores said. Dolores Huerta credited the Community Service Organization (CSO) for igniting her role as an activist.

Art by Nery Orellana  /  Photos by J. Emilio Flores