Historias Radicales: Latinx Identity and History in Southern California

Past eventFri., Dec. 5, 2025, 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.–Sat., Dec. 6, 2025, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
General: $50; Society of Fellows, Members & Readers: $30 (students and research fellows free) | Optional lunch: $20 (each day)
Rothenberg Hall
Organized in concert with the major exhibition “Radical Histories: Chicano Prints from the Smithsonian American Art Museum,” the conference “Historias Radicales” will focus on Chicana/o culture, especially in Southern California. The exhibition charts the course of the Chicano Graphics movement, which emerged during the Civil Rights era and has evolved into a nationwide movement still thriving among working artists today. These artists’ indelible images of protest and solidarity have helped to forge Chicana/o identities across the United States and raise visibility through declarations of political activism, cross-cultural solidarity, and efforts to reclaim overlooked histories.
Drawing artists and scholars from across the country, “Historias Radicales” will surface and examine important topics related to border politics, social justice movements, and identity that are explored in the exhibition and illustrated through archival collections at The Huntington. These historic collections include the Lozano Family and La Opinión Collection; the California Farmworker Collection; the Gloria Molina Papers; and the Laura Aguilar Collection. The conference is organized by Diego Godoy, The Huntington’s associate curator of California and Hispanic collections, and Dennis Carr, Virginia Steele Scott Chief Curator of American Art and The Huntington’s venue curator for “Radical Histories.”
Funding provided by The E.P. Mauk/D.B. Nunis Research Endowment.
Key Details
- Conference registration is good for both days and includes general admission to The Huntington.
- Lunch reservations close on Dec. 1 at noon. A limited number of lunch tickets will be available for purchase at the conference.
For questions about this event, email researchconference@huntington.org or call (626) 405-3432.
Image credit: Carlos A. Cortéz, Ricardo Flores-Magón, 1978, linocut on paper, Museum purchase, 1993.13.4.
Conference Schedule
Friday, December 5
9 a.m. | Registration and coffee
9:30 a.m. | Welcome
- Sue Juster (The Huntington)
- Introduction: Dennis Carr (The Huntington) and Diego Godoy (The Huntington)
9:45 a.m. | Session 1: Radical Histories: Rethinking the Past and Present in Chicano Prints
- Moderator: Dennis Carr (The Huntington)
- Claudia Zapata (Blanton Museum of Art, Austin)
- Melissa Govea (Artist, Los Angeles)
- Angélica Becerra (The Huntington)
- Barbara Carrasco (Artist, Los Angeles)
11:15 a.m. | Break
11:30 a.m. | Print demonstration by Dewey Tafoya (Self Help Graphics)
12:15 p.m. | Lunch
1:30 p.m. | Session 2: Together We Fight: United Farm Workers and the History of Social Protest in California
- Moderator: Diego Godoy (The Huntington)
- Ernesto Chavez (University of Texas, El Paso)
- Kevan Aguilar (University of California, Irvine)
3 p.m. | Tours The day will conclude with tours of the exhibition Radical Histories: Chicano Prints from the Smithsonian American Art Museum on view in the Boone Gallery.
Saturday, December 6
9:30 a.m. | Registration and coffee
10 a.m. | Session 3: Life on the Line: History, Politics, and Culture in the Borderlands
- Moderator: Angélica Becerra (The Huntington)
- Laura Isabel Serna (University of Southern California)
- Jorge Leal (University of California, Riverside)
- William Nericcio (San Diego State University)
12 p.m. | Lunch
1:30 p.m. | Session 4: Beyond Protest: Second Wave Chicano Graphic Arts and Comics
- Moderator: Diego Godoy (The Huntington)
- Xaviera Flores (University of California, Los Angeles)
- Frederick Luis Aldama (University of Texas, Austin)
- Alberto Ledesma (University of California, Berkeley)
- Maite Urcaregui (San José State University)
3:30 p.m. | Closing remarks Angélica Becerra (The Huntington), Diego Godoy (The Huntington)