Cinco de Mayo, the commemoration of Mexico's victory over invading French troops in 1862, has grown into an annual celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. UCLA experts are available to discuss the cultural significance and history of the holiday.
David E. Hayes-Bautista, professor of medicine, directs UCLA's Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture, which has been a resource for cutting-edge research, education and public information about Latinos, their health and their role in California. Hayes-Bautista's 2007 paper "Cinco de Mayo's First 75 Years in Alta California: From Spontaneous Behavior to Sedimented Memory, 1962 to 1937," which was published in the Southern California Quarterly, was one of the first in-depth examinations of the holiday's origins and its significance for Latino communities throughout California.
Contact: To interview Hayes-Bautista, contact Letisia Marquez at 310-206-3986 or lmarquez@support.ucla.edu.
Juan Gomez-Quinones, professor of history and former director of UCLA's Chicano Studies Research Center, is a leading expert on Chicano history and the Mexican immigrant experience. He has written extensively on Chicano and Mexican political history and culture and is a founding co-editor of Aztlan, A Journal of Chicano Studies.
Contact: To interview Gomez-Quinones, contact Letisia Marquez at 310-206-3986 or lmarquez@support.ucla.edu.
