Photo for From Monte Albán to California: Connecting the Indigenous Past and Present in Oaxaca, Mexico
Workshop participants with archaeologist Ricardo Jiguelín at Monte Albán, the most iconic Zapotec archaeological site. Teachers toured the site while learning about the Zapotec state of the Classic Period (100–800 A.D.). (Photo: Coyote Aventuras EDU).

From Monte Albán to California: Connecting the Indigenous Past and Present in Oaxaca, Mexico

Funded by the Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad Program Grant, the UCLA Latin American Institute took K-12 LAUSD teachers to Oaxaca, Mexico for a unique educational experience, providing inspiration for enrichment of their curricula upon returning to Los Angeles.
Dance performance at the 2023 annual Guelgaguetza festival in Oaxaca, during which indigenous groups from villages across the Mexican state perform dances that reflect their history and customs. (Photo: Coyote Aventuras EDU)During summer of 2023, the UCLA Latin American Institute provided 18 Los Angeles Unified School District educators with the opportunity to travel to Oaxaca and immerse themselves in the culture of this Mexican state. The first-ever summer abroad program featured a schedule consisting of interdisciplinary lectures, interactive workshops, and museum visits that emphasized learning about indigenous communities in the area. One of the main objectives of LAI’s outreach programs is to provide teachers with materials related to Latin American Studies, with the ultimate goal of these materials being integrated into the classroom. The Oaxaca project contributed to this effort by exposing teachers to the indigenous language, culture, and history of the Zapotec people during the trip. The program has had an impact through participating teachers, who began designing lesson plans with materials from Oaxaca for their students in Los Angeles. The program is also influential in that these new, enriched curricula provide opportunities to students with cultural backgrounds such as Zapotec and other indigenous communities to learn more about their ancestry. LAI outreach coordinator Veronica Zavala oversaw the design of the project while Dr. Rivera-Salgado, Director of the Center of Mexican Studies, collaborated in the development of the program.

As a land grant institution, the International Institute at UCLA acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (Los Angeles basin, Southern Channel Islands).


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