Onda Latina ~ The Mexican American Experience Program Collection of the KUT Longhorn Radio Network

Credits

Website

Department of History at the University of Texas at Austin

John Mckiernan-Gonzalez

Assistant Professor, PHD

I am a member of the faculty in Department of History at the University of Texas at Austin. I am fascinated by the ways public health advocacy, civil rights policies and transnational social movements helped create the Mexican border. As a historian, I tend to believe the past can be just as interesting and complex as the world we are currently experiencing. My first project, Fevered Measures: Connecting Race and Public Health at the Texas-Mexico Border, 1848-1942 connects riots and rights mobilizations to the establishment of the medical border along the Rio Grande. My second project looks at the larger effects of Black labor migration to Northern Mexico on the politics of citizenship in the South, the United States and Mexico.

I am professionally troubled by the ways American amnesia about the long presence of Latinos in the United States – and the US in Latin America – shapes the current politics of citizenship in the United States. I am very interested in the ways people use historical research and historical narratives to claim rights in the United States, and consider The Mexican American Experience radio show to be a wonderful multi-ethnic example of this kind of project.

When I am not fascinated by history, I am cooking Chile rellenos or mushroom risotto while listening to radio, running with our puppy Dora in Barton Creek, playing midfield with my over 30 soccer team, or planning getaways to San Miguel County, San Francisco, el bajio, el Valle de Cauca or Los Angeles.

Claudia Rueda

Graduate Student

I am particularly interested in 20th century social movements and the ways in which actors at the grassroots level seek to participate in or counter state projects. My master’s thesis explored the Central American Solidarity Movement in Dallas, Texas during the 1980s and traced the movement’s transnational origins, influences and strategies. My dissertation will study youth participation in the Sandinista literacy campaign in the early 1980s.

I wrote many of the episode summaries for the Onda Latina project, and I enjoyed getting a chance to hear about the evolution of Chicano activism. I also really appreciated the sense of community history that infused The Mexican American Experience, as it combined local voices with more nationally-known guests.

When I am not working, I enjoy running, yoga, knitting and reading. I dream about opening a combination bookstore/ bakery one day, but first I need to perfect my non-existent baking skills.

Benson Latin American Collection University of Texas Libraries

Kelly Kerbow Hudson

MLS Archival Processing/Rare Books and Manuscripts

I work in Archival Processing and the Rare Books and Manuscripts Reading Room at the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection at UT Austin. I hold a Master of Library and Information Science degree from UT. In addition to arranging and describing numerous types of archival collections in a variety of different media and languages, I provide reference service and access to these collections to patrons and researchers. I also frequently work with faculty, students, and guest artists on special projects, exhibits, and events.

The Benson Latin American Collection is the repository for the Mexican American Experience programs from the Longhorn Radio Network, so part of my role for the project was to provide access to these reel-to-reel analog tapes so that they could be digitized. I also acted as representative of the University Libraries in the project, helping to secure permission to use the programs and assisting in planning the concept of the Onda Latina website. We are excited that our library patrons and researchers now have access to these wonderful Mexican American radio programs and the great resource that is Onda Latina.

Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services (LAITS)

Joe TenBarge

Director LAITS

Assistant Dean

James Henson

Associate Director LAITS

Project Producer

I handled issues relating to funding as well as provided advice on how to mange all the resources required to develop the website.

Michael Heidenreich

Audio Engineer

Project Manager

I oversaw the digitization of all analog audio materials used in this project. This involved baking and cleaning the reel-to-reels before digitizing as well as limited amounts of post-production work on the digital files (mainly volume gain but in some instances EQ and/or noise reduction was used). I was aided in this part of the project by my assistants Sean Neesley and Kayla Croft. In addition, I entered much of the basic metadata associated with these files into the DASe database. In total, over 800 hours was spent converting the Mexican American Experience reels into a digital archive.

I was also the project manager for this site so I had the privilege of coordinating all the talented people listed on this page while trying to keep us on deadline.

Peter Keane

Digital Archive Services (DASe)

I oversaw the integration of the website with the DASe project, the LAITS-sponsored digital repository, which serves as the backend for the Onda Latina website. I also helped organize the metadata information.

Stuart Ross

Digital Archive Services (DASe)

I helped create the scripts that allow the website to integrate with DASe.

Suloni Robertson

Website Development

I am a LAITS Graphic Artist and I supervisor our Student Technology Assistant Program. For this site, I contributed suggestions for improving Onda Latina’s interface design (image treatment, link styles, navigation system).

Division of Instructional Innovation & Assessment (DIIA)

Eleanor TenBarge

Web Applications Developer

I designed the interface and graphics for this site, and created and styled the html templates. Peter Keane and Stuart Ross helped me create the scripts to integrate the website with DASe.