NACCS for Beginners
is a workshop that is given during the conference to introduce NACCS and its structure to new conference participantes and members. Here are two documents, one that shows the history and development of NACCS and the second one a position statement regarding sexual harassment.

Association's Chronological Developement
Sexual Harassment Statement

  Association’s Chronological Development 

1972: March, San Antonio, Texas. National Caucus of Chicano Social Scientist (NCCSS) formed.
1973: May 18-20, New Mexico Highlands University. First formation meeting of NCCSS. 
1974: May 10-13, University of California, Irvine, California. First Annual meeting of NCCSS
1975: April 4,5,6, (11,12[?]), Austin Texas. Second meeting of NCCSS.
1976: April 23-25, El Paso Texas. Third meeting of NCCSS.
1977: April 18 - May 1, University of California, Berkeley, California. Theme: Chicano Research as a Catalyst for Social Change.

  • NCCSS adopts new name: National Association for Chicano Studies (NACS).

1978: March 16-18 Claremont, California. Theme:  Changing Perspectives on Chicano Experience.
1979: May 11-13, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Theme: Reflections on the Chicano Experience.
1980: April 17-19, Houston, Texas.
1981: April 2-4, University of California, Riverside, California. Theme: Reflections of the Chicano Experience: The Seventies, Directions for the Eighties.
1982: March 25-27, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.
1983: April 14-16, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
1984: March 8-10, Austin, TexasTheme: Voces de la Mujer.
1985: March 21-23, Sacramento, California. Theme:  Chicano Politics--After 1984.
1986: April 10-12, El Paso, Texas. Theme: Decisions for the Future in Critical Times.  

  • Chicana Caucus formally incorporated into NACS structure.

1987: April 9-11, Salt Lake City, Utah. Theme: Chicano Renaissance? Can Chicanos Survive Their Decade?
1988: April 14-16, Boulder, Colorado. Theme: Estudios Chicano and the Politics of Community.
1989: March 29-April 1, Los Angeles, California. Theme: Community Empowerment and Chicano Scholarship.
1990: March 28-31, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Theme: Tradition and Change: Culture and Politics in the Chicano Community.              

  • Lesbian Caucus formally incorporated into NACS structure.

1991: April 25-27, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Theme: Los Dos Mexicos.

  • First NACS held in Mexico
  • Student Caucus formally incorporated into NACS structure.

1992: March 25-28, San Antonio, Texas. Theme: Twenty Years of NACS Scholarship: 500 Years of Struggle and Change.
1993: March 24-27, San José, California. Theme: Re-defining Chicana and Chicano Studies. 

  • Gay Caucus formally incorporated into NACS structure.
  • Eastern Washington University selected as interim office.

1994: No conference held due to NACS boycott of Colorado’s anti-Gay rights amendment to state constitution.
1995: March 29-April 1, Spokane, Washington. Theme: Expanding Raza World Views: Sexuality and Regionalism.

  • NACS adopts name change to: National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS)
  • Gay Caucus renamed to Joto Caucus

1996: March 20-23, Chicago, Illinois. Theme: Mapping Strategies: NACCS and the Challenge of Racist Policies.
1997: April 16-19, Sacramento, California. Theme: Chicana y Chicano Scholarship: Un Compromiso Con Nuestras Communidades.

  • The K-12 Caucus and the Community Caucus formally incorporated into the NACCS structure.

1998: June 24-27, Mexico City, Mexico. Theme: Chicanas/Chicanos y Mexicanas/Mexicanos: Dos Communidades, Un Mismo Pueblo.

  • EWU choses not to remain as interim office. No location is selected for replacement.

1999: April 28 - May 1, San Antonio Texas. Theme: Missionary Position: Post Colonialism to Pre-Sexto Sol.
2000: March 22-25, Portland, OR. Theme: Sabiduría, Lucha y Liberación: Youth, Community and Culture en El Nuevo Sol.

  • Updated Bylaws presented. Changes to the bylaws are done in 1999 to not only incorporate new caucuses since 1990 but also to address structural growth of the association. Changes to the bylaws are voted on via mail by the membership in 1999.
  • Graduate Caucus formally incorporated into the NACCS structure

2001: April 4-8, Tucson, AZ. Theme: I-uan g ceksan, Tuchá Aria Wa Frontierapo, Borrando Fronteras, Erasing Borders: La Educación, Salud, e Historia del Pueblo 

  • NACCS adopts official logo. Artwork by Andres Barajas.
  • Coordinating Committee implements position of Executive Director.

2002: March 24-30, Chicago, IL. Theme: Building the New Majority: the Many Faces of Chicanas. 

  • Members vote for first elected Chair-Elect.

2003: April 2-6, Los Angeles, CA. Theme: No More Wars: Sovereignties, Sexualities, and Human Rights.
2004: March 31-April 4, Albuquerque, NM. Theme: El Pueblo Unido…: Strength in Unity.
2005: April 13-17, Miami, FL. Theme: Visión: Articulating, Imagining, and Contextualizing Chicana/o Spaces. 

  • Members at the conference vote in a new governance structure.
  • Members vote in 2006 for new governing committee.

2006: June 28-July 1, Guadalajara, Jalisco MX. Theme: Transnational Chicana and Chicano Studies: Linking Local and Global Struggles for Social Justice.

  • Indigenous Caucus formally incorporated into the NACCS structure.
  • Lesbian Caucus changes name to Lesbian, BiMujeres, and Trans Caucus.

2007: April 4-7, 2007, San José, California. Theme: Sociocultural and Ideological Shifts: Chicana/o Migratory Movements and Immigration Passages.

  • Updated bylaws are presented to cover structural changes since 2000.  

Compiled by Dr. Julia Curry Rodriguez
Updated by Kathryn Blackmer Reyes and Julia Curry
4/2007

NACCS SEXUAL HARASSMENT STATEMENT

NACCS is committed to ensuring, in its national and regional conferences, meetings and events, an environment free of sexual violence/harassment for all persons of all sexual orientations. The Association acknowledges that sexual violence/harassment for people of all genders and sexual orientations has been a continuing problem in the Association.

Sexual violence/harassment is the deliberate or repeated unwelcome conduct of sexual nature. It is distinguished from voluntary sexual relationships by the introduction of the elements of coercion, threat, or unwanted attention. It is the IMPACT of the behavior, not the INTENT, which is used to determine whether the behavior constitutes sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment can also be an environmental issue. A hostile environment is created by sexual jokes or remarks, sexually explicit pictures, or unwelcome physical contact.

Sexual harassment can occur between men and women, men and other men, or between women. There is also same gender harassment and women harassing men. By far, however, the majority of sexual harassment cases involve a man in position of power over a woman.

Sexual harassment can involve a professor and a student; a teaching assistant and a student; a supervisor and an employee: colleagues, co-workers, and peers; or strangers. Sexual harassment can affect the harassed by causing confusion, self-doubt, humiliation, anxiety, guilt, and physical stress.

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that is covered under Title VII of the amended 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Illegal and unacceptable behavior includes:

1. Unwelcome teasing, jokes, remarks, or questions about sex.
2. Unwelcome sexually suggestive looks or gestures.
3. Unwelcome and deliberate touching or body contact such as patting or pinching.
4. Unwelcome pressure for dates and sexual favors.
5. Unwelcome letters, telephone calls, or materials on the subject of sex.

There are several options in responding to sexual harassment. If you feel sexually harassed, trust your feelings and instincts. You may do any or all of the following:

1. Communicate your disapproval with the harasser in person or in writing. How to communicate is important; be direct and firm.
2. Write a letter to the harassed and, in addition, another person with jurisdiction.<> a. Provide a detailed account of what happened with dates, place, and description.
b. Describe your feelings
c. Explain what you want to happen next.
3. File a legal complaint, documenting all incidents, conversations, and witnesses. Inform yourself about grievance procedures.

The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies, and particularly the NACCS Chicana Caucus, encourages those who have been sexually harassed to step forward. Any person who feels she or he has been harassed, should contact a NACCS officer or the National Office.

The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies, the Chicana Caucus, the Lesbian BiMujeres Transgender Caucus, and the Joto Caucus encourages those who have been sexually harassed/violated to report the situation to a NACCS Board member, in particular the Chairs of the Chicana Caucus, the Lesbian BiMujeres Transgender Caucus, or the Joto Caucus. NACCS will investigate the complaint, send a formal letter of apology to the victim of violence/harassment, and also encourage the person to speak/consult with a member(s) of the National Board.