Atencio, Tomás, 1932-

box 1, folder 4

Founded in Northern New Mexico in November 1969, La Academia de Aztlán grew out of conversations between various scholars, community members and activists. Its original title projected to the world the concept of an educational process that is dialogical. Aztlán reflected the spirit of nationalism among Indo-Hispanos. With the involvement of individuals whose orientation reflected a non-political, non-nationalistic view, the name was changed to La Academia de la Nueva Raza-translated to The Academy of the New Humanity. While centrally located in Dixon, New Mexico, La Academia had an office in San Antonio, Texas and membership and special projects in Brawley, California, El Paso, Texas, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Phoenix, Arizona. A native New Mexican, Tomás C. Atencio received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of New Mexico in 1985. Dr. Atencio co-founded La Academia de la Nueva Raza in Dixon, New Mexico with fellow sociologist Facundo B. Valdez.

La Academia de la Nueva Raza evolved in response to various needs in the Chicana/o community. There was and is a tremendous need for an educational process that does not solely mirror the needs and demands of the dominant political, economic and social structures, but that reflects the human concerns of an oppressed people. La Academia has developed its own educational model based on the concept that learning is derived from life and historical experiences-from El Oro del Barrio-and from profound analysis of personal history and of forces that impinge on people's lives. Moreover, La Academia's educational method serves as a vehicle to build a body of knowledge from such analysis, thus providing oppressed people alternatives to learning, acting, and styles of living. La Academia aimed at creating awareness, conscientiousness, a thirst for justice, and a commitment to work towards a free society. In short, La Academia sought to create a learning society. The intermediate goal was to afford each person the opportunity to be a teacher as well as a learner. By doing so humankind may move on to La Nueva Raza-La Academia's ultimate commitment.

In 1978 La Academia dissolved and in 1982 the Rio Grande Institute (RGI) was created. RGI was divided into three programs: Arts, Humanities, and Health and Wholeness. The new program focused on issues of Indo-Hispano Legacies after-Columbus, a Praxis Learning and Action Research Project, and the Resolana Electronica, an electronic bulletin board connecting community projects associated with the Praxis Learning and Action Research initiatives. Consuelo Pacheco, cofounder and organizer, was instrumental in the creation and success of the RGI.

From the guide to the Academia de la Nueva Raza and the Rio Grande Institute Records, 1965-1999, (University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research)