Professor tells laborers' story

By Annie Cheung and Jesus Diaz

Rain didn't deter an unexpected number of guests from attending an evening honoring Francisco Jiménez, the Fay Boyle professor of modern languages and literatures.

Jiménez was honored Tuesday evening for his writings on immigration by the Mexican State of Jalisco's Governor's Office. The ceremony was scheduled for the Adobe Lodge but was relocated to the Mission Church due to an unexpected number of guests and rainy weather.

According to Director of External Relations Marie Brancati, the number of people expected to attend increased from 100 to 170, making it too large for Adobe Lodge.

Jalisco government officials formally presented the new publication of Jiménez's first two autobiographical novels in a new single-volume.

Jesús Alejandro Cravioto Lebrija, minister of culture of the state of Jalisco, spoke in Spanish with an English translator about the Jalisco government's pride in publishing a special edition of Jiménez's works.

Cravioto Lebrija said Jiménez's stories of Mexican farm workers in America give "a voice to all those who would otherwise be voiceless."

University President Michael Engh, S.J., said it was an honor to share in the presentation of the newly-published book with the government of Jalisco.

"He has blessed us all as a teacher, scholar, mentor and friend," said Engh.

Jiménez immigrated to California from Tlaquepaque, Mexico, with his family at the age of four, where he worked in the fields and attended school. He continued his education at Santa Clara and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Studies. Jiménez went on to obtain a Master of Arts and a Ph.D. in Latin American literature from Columbia University.

In his autobiographical books "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child, Breaking Through," and the new "Reaching Out," Jiménez documented his struggles and triumphs of growing up with many years of poverty and prejudice.

During the ceremony, speaking in both Spanish and English, Jiménez thanked everyone involved in the publication and ceremony processes.

"I am grateful for this contribution because it honors the people who are represented by my books," he said.

"I thought it was a nice collaboration," said sophomore Chris Wemp, who was present at the ceremony and has read "Breaking Through" in Spanish. "It's about immigration, and this helps bridge gaps between the two countries involved."

The new publication by the Jalisco government includes a special introduction by Emilio González Márquez, governor of Jalisco, which describes Jiménez's hard work, struggles and achievements.

Before the ceremony took place, Jiménez spoke about the "humbling honor" that the award meant to him and expressed his vision towards farm workers in literature.

"I think the farm worker experience has not been well documented in literature," he said. "The noble work that farm workers do contributes tremendously to our country and that experience has to be documented because it is now part of the American culture."

The award-winning professor also expressed his support for the Dream Act, a bill that would provide undocumented students the opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency.

Jiménez's books have received numerous literary awards over the years, including the Americas Award and the Young Adult Book Award, and have been published in six different languages. His stories have been published in over 100 textbooks and anthologies of literature.

Jiménez, along with sociology professor Alma Garcia, is also currently working on a research project, 'the Legacy Project,' which consists of developing an oral archive documenting the lives of activists who pursued social justice and shaped communities in California.

Contact Annie Cheung and Jesus Diaz at (408) 554-4546 or news@thesantaclara.com.