Words shared by Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D. at the Texas State Capitol Rotunda on April 8, 2025 in Honor of Rep. Christina Morales (Houston) [Video]
I am happy to share with you what I shared this week on Tuesdaywith an audience at the capitol wanting to know about the exquisite Danza Azteca Guadalupana ceremony in the main rotunda of the Texas State Capitol. The short of it is that this is to offer up prayers for bills, like Christina Morales’ HB 178 in support of Ethnic Studies, as well as, if not especially for, a slew of bad bills that I’ll post on when I have time. I’ve been so busy lately. AAUP and Texas AFT, in particular, are doing a great job of keeping us informed of what’s happening right now at the capitol.
All of this was also a way to honor Rep. Morales’ birthday which is today! She’s also having a lowrider show I think at the capitol today that I’m unable to make. I like her taste. Danza Mexica and low riders are a testament to the cultural pride, resilience, and deep-rooted traditions that continue to thrive in our communities. They embody history in motion—whether through the rhythmic steps of ancestral dances or the artistic mastery of gleaming, hydraulically lifted cars cruising the streets. Both carry the spirit of storytelling, resistance, and celebración!!!
I loved meeting this young man named “Nahuatl,” who was grateful for the words I expressed and how important it is to hold onto our culture and the sacred knowledge. I love his name. It’s the name of the language spoken by at least 1.6 million people in Mexico according to Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) 2020 data. The rulers of Tenochtitlan (today’s Mexico City) allowed for the speaking of Indigenous tongues in the provinces. They mainly cared about tribute. Something to think about as we face the perils of tariffs, the agenda for cultural erasure that anti-DEI measures embody, and tax day itself. As a consequence, language diversity continues into the present. Tariffs and taxes should not ever mean censorship or disdain for non-English speakers. We are of this continent and this hemisphere. We assert our right to exist in and within all this wondrous diversity that is also Afro-Indigenous and Afro-Latinx/o/a. And it’s not just racial and ethnic, but also gender diversity and Gen Z loves, and works well, with this diversity.Woefully under-appreciated is the linguistic diversity Mexico enjoys today—including among Mexicans themselves. I’m so glad that President Sheinbaum celebrates this diversity in Mexico. This is progress for the Indigenous of Mexico.
Many languages, unfortunately, have suffered over the years as a result of migration and resulting language loss, with some in a precarious state of potential extinction. The Nahuatl language, with its various dialects, remains strong as you can see for yourselves at this link.
The Texas Legislative Session is always a marathon, not a sprint. So hang in there, our beloved advocacy community!
And may you have a wonderful, awesome happy birthday, Rep. Morales! Thanks for all you do! Someday, Ethnic Studies will just be called a good education.
Best,
-Angela Valenzuela
Reference
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía. (2024). Population estimates. INEGI.