From the President’s Desk

Mariela Nuñez-Janes President
Mariela Nuñez-Janes

November 9, 2022

CAE CommUNITY,

I took some time on my kitchen table to breathe and look outside my window, an essential break from the frenzy of activity in anticipation of the Annual Meeting and a necessary reminder of the joy and privilege to be able to gather in Seattle.

This will be my last from the President’s Desk note as President. I will be transitioning into the role of Past-President at the end of the CAE Business Meeting. At that time, Angelina Castagno will become President and we will welcome Deni Blum as President Elect/Program Chair.

We have lots of reason to celebrate!

Congratulations to Jessica Sierk on becoming our first Communications Coordinator. We look forward to working with Jessica and supporting her exciting plans and ideas for improving CAE’s social media presence as she builds on the work initiated by our Social Media Coordinator, Alison Diefenderfer.

Many thanks and deep gratitude to our outgoing officers:
• Ted Hamann, Past-President
• Elena Aydarova, Mission Committee Chair
• Ariana Mangual Figueroa, Third Year Member-at-Large
• Alison Diefenderfer, Social Media Coordinator
• Patricia Lopez, Anthropology News
• Cathy Amanti, Anthropology News
• William Babbitt, Webmaster

Annual Meeting In addition to all the wonderful CAE sessions planned for this year please be sure to add to your calendars our Special Events and Individual/Co-Sponsored Events. We have a Students of Color/LGBTQ Mentoring Session, a New Scholars Invited Poster Session, a Town Hall, and the opportunity to share in community and with community during a Read-In at a local restaurant. We will also gather to celebrate our awardees during the Business Meeting, Awards Ceremony, and Social. Many thanks to our Board Members who organized this year’s special events; Elena Aydarova, Allison Mattheis, Reva Jaffe-Walter, Andrea del Carmen Vázquez, and Jen Stacy.

Don’t forget the CAE Board Meeting (open to everyone) on November 10@8am PST

Remember to stay in touch:
• If you are a member of CAE, you can access Communities through the AAA website: https://www.americananthro.org/ Click “communities” in the top menu, then select “my communities” and CAE should be listed if you are a member. Click on it. This is where you can post things, but also where you can see what’s been posted. You can adjust your settings to receive emails whenever a post is made, or only weekly, etc.
• Our Facebook page is: Council on Anthropology and Education, and you can request to join on the Facebook page.
• Our Twitter handle is: @CAEsocialmedia
• Our Graduate Student Representative is Andrea del Carmen Vázquez andrea.vazquez@ucsc.edu. If you are a graduate student wanting to connect with other graduate students, please reach out to Andrea.
• Please email me (mariela.nunez-janes@unt.edu) or any of the Board members your ideas or questions.
• You will find a list of all our current officers including their contact information in our website

In solidarity,

Mariela

September 9, 2022

CAE CommUNITY, 

Back at my kitchen table in Texas the air is starting to feel a little less heavy as temperatures drop slightly, by Texas standards, and I feel the lightness that comes from a semester sabbatical. In the summer months I like to grow hibiscus flowers and bougainvillea plants, their bright colors and the sounds of the cicadas transport me back home to Maracaibo, la tierra del sol amada/beloved land of the the sun, where I was born and raised. A month of unprecedented high temperatures made it difficult for my hibiscus plants to flower, it was a battle to keep them alive. Yet, in the past couple of weeks my plants have produced gorgeous flowers. I cared for them and had to wait for the conditions to be just right so they could bloom.  

I hope that regardless of where you are and what you are doing that you embrace the beginning of the academic year with enthusiasm, optimism, and patience. I know that if you/we keep caring, keep doing, and wait for the right circumstances we will be gifted, probably when we least expect it, with blooming hopes and dreams.  

Our Board did not meet during June and July, but our board members were working hard reviewing submissions for the Annual Meeting and coordinating the numerous awards and mentoring opportunities that CAE offers. I continued to attend AAA’s monthly section leadership discussions during the summer months. Our monthly board meetings resumed at the end of August, please read on to learn about meeting highlights and some exciting announcements: 

Election Results: 

  • Denni Blum (President Elect) 
  • Deb Palmer (1st Year MAL) 
  • Yes, to the new Communications Coordinator position!!!! 

Congratulations and welcome our new officers Denni and Deb who will begin their terms at the end of the Annual Meeting. Please keep reading for more details about the Communications Coordinator position. 

AEQ Transition: 

Also congratulations to Jill Koyama and Brendan O’Connor of ASU who will begin their 3 year term as AEQ editors in Jan 1, 2023. Jill and Brendan submitted an exciting proposal. We are appreciative of their vision for AEQ, particularly their care and attention to continuing the work began by the current editorial team and their desire to establish new priorities focusing on CAE membership, collaborations between junior and senior scholars, and revamping the book review process in innovative ways. 

Call for Applicants, New CAE Communications Coordinator: 

We seek a Communications Coordinator, a new Executive Board position within CAE, as part of our commitment to stable and better communication that acknowledges the various needs of our members. The Communications Coordinator will use a variety of electronic channels (website, social media, newsletter, listserv) to create and facilitate high quality stories/graphics about CAE in support of timely sharing of information and member engagement. This is an appointed Executive Board position compensated as a paid contractor. 

Interested? Please see the call for applications DUE 9/30/2022

New Opportunity: 

We were offered the opportunity to join AES (American Ethnological Society), APLA (Association of Political and Legal Anthropology) in their Spring meeting. This is a way for AAA to try out the idea of a satellite meeting proposed by the Annual Meeting Task Force (see more details below). AAA is managing finances and AES is absorbing any unanticipated expenses. The theme is Indeterminacy and we will convene in Princeton March 23-25. Our role will be to organize panels, help hosting on site, and advertise. Please email  mariela.nunez-janes@unt.edu if you are interested in being part of the CAE organizing committee (2-3 people). 

AAA news: 

  • AAA finalized their contract with Wiley. It is expected that sections will produce 10% less revenue than the last contract and closer to revenues seen during 2013 and 2017. AAA will offer full managing editor services and full copy-editing services at no expense to the sections. Our newly selected editorial team is in conversation with our current AEQ editors and AAA to address our concerns and ensure a smooth transition. 
     
  • The Annual Meeting Task Force report discussion generated a lot of questions about Spring/satellite meetings. One of the major recommendations was to shorten the length of the annual meeting and encourage sections to collaborate in organizing smaller spring/satellite meetings. Please look at the report and feel free to contact me with your feedback and/or questions. I will pass those on to the AAA’s Executive Board as they consider the recommendations shared by the task force. I participated in the Annual Meeting Task Force and would love to hear from you! 

     Remember to stay in touch:
  • To get on the CAE google groups, contact Alison at a.b.diefenderfer@gmail.com and simply ask her to add you.  
  • If you are a member of CAE, you can access Communities through the AAA website: https://www.americananthro.org/   Click “communities” in the top menu, then select “my communities” and CAE should be listed if you are a member. Click on it. This is where you can post things, but also where you can see what’s been posted. You can adjust your settings to receive emails whenever a post is made, or only weekly, etc. 
     
  • Our Facebook page is: Council on Anthropology and Education, and you can request to join on the Facebook page. 
     
  • Our Twitter handle is: @CAEsocialmedia 
  • Don’t forget to reach out to our Social Communication Team. Share your news about your research, publications, or events of interest with our section.
    Cathy Amanti and Patricia Lopez, Anthro News
    Alison Diefenderfer, Social Media Coordinator 

In solidarity,

Mariela 

May 17, 2022

CAE CommUNITY, 

The sun is certainly shinning in TX, where I live and teach, and my kitchen table continues to be the site of lots of action as I grade papers and answer emails from students. The end of the school year is busy, but it is full of excitement and promise. I was glad to be able to celebrate with parents and families at my university’s Raza graduation and witness, after a two-year hiatus, the seeds of student advocacy and activism continue to bloom. The air is still heavy as peoples’ lives in our backyards and around the world keep being harmed and deprived of learning that nurtures minds and souls. Yet, spring and summer give us some lessons about recovery, resilience, and the necessity to take it slow and momentarily stand still.  

Our Board met during the month of April, and we have one more meeting scheduled in May. Here are some highlights of our April meeting: 

  • You may have noticed that election Ballots were late this year. AAA was having issues with the new system and getting the Ballots launched. The good news is that you should have received election login information via email. Please pay special attention to the CAE slate which includes elections for members of the Executive Board and a change to our bylaws asking for the creation of a Communications Coordinator. This proposed change has been discussed over the past few years by the Board and raised during our business meetings. I am excited to see this included for your consideration. Please reach out to Kim Baker (AAA’s Organizational Governance Manager) if you have problems with your login or have not received one and are a current member. The deadline to cast your ballot is May 31. 
  • We received a request for consideration of a CAE Solidarity Statement with the People of Ukraine. The statement was approved with overwhelming support of te Board. You should have seen the statement circulated in Communities and Google. A list of resources included in the statement are published in the AAA Ukraine Resources website. 
  • Thank you to our Program Chair Angelina Castagno for organizing a wonderful CAE@AERA event. Thirteen people attended including members of the Board. Many in attendance were wondering how to connect and Angelina shared this important reminder. Please keep this information handy so that you know how to stay in touch: 
  • To get on the CAE google groups, contact Alison at a.b.diefenderfer@gmail.com and simply ask her to add you.  

     
  • If you are a member of CAE, you can access Communities through the AAA website: https://www.americananthro.org/   Click “communities” in the top menu, then select “my communities” and CAE should be listed if you are a member. Click on it. This is where you can post things, but also where you can see what’s been posted. You can adjust your settings to receive emails whenever a post is made, or only weekly, etc. 

     
  • Our Facebook page is: Council on Anthropology and Education, and you can request to join on the Facebook page. 

     
  • Our Twitter handle is: @CAEsocialmedia 
  • We have heard from many of you about how difficult it is to find current information on our website. We are planning a temporary quick fix to our website in preparation for the Annual Meeting. Please look for a message soon on Google and Communities alerting you when this will take place.  

Some reminders

  • Don’t forget to reach out to our Social Communication Team. Share your news about your research, publications, or events of interest with our section.
    Cathy Amanti and Patricia Lopez, Anthro News
    Alison Diefenderfer, Social Media Coordinator 

     
  • Our Graduate Student Representative is Andrea del Carmen Vázquez andrea.vazquez@ucsc.edu. If you are a graduate student wanting to connect with other graduate students, please reach out to Andrea. 

     
  • Please email me (mariela.nunez-janes@unt.edu) or any of the Board members your ideas or questions.  

     
  • You will find a list of all our current officers including their contact information in our website

     In solidarity, Mariela 

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Dear CAE family, 

I mentioned in the inaugural version of “From the President’s Desk (my kitchen table)” that one of my goals was to circulate a monthly update. I wanted to be in touch right after the CAE Board meeting took place in the last week of February. Unfortunately, the beginning of March hit me like a ton of bricks. I learned that ICE was invited once again to a job fair on my campus and that a student organization at my university invited a speaker known for spearheading the efforts to criminalize the parents of trans children. Like the rest of the world, I have been extremely concerned about the war in Ukraine and the uncertainty of displacement experienced by millions of refugees in Europe and those at the U.S.-Mexico-border. The urgency to listen deeply and act against injustice made it difficult for me to find some time to reflect and write. I am still doing most of my work from my kitchen table yet during most of March I was called to action. I am grateful that the space of my kitchen table morphs into whatever I need it to be at any moment and that I have a beloved community to lean into whose acts of courage, compassion, and humanity provide light and oxygen in the shadow of so much violence and hatred. 

During February and March, I continued to attend the monthly AAA chairs/President meetings and our CAE Board Meetings. Here are some highlights and reminders: 

Call for Proposals for AEQ’s New Editorial Team: The CFP for AEQs new editorial team is out. Please look for an announcement in Communities or an email in the CAE Google Group. 

Annual Meeting Guest Registration: With the Annual Meeting submission deadline fast approaching you may be organizing sessions that include a non-U.S. based anthropologist, teacher, activist, youth. AAA provides each section with the opportunity to apply for a guest registration which waives both the registration fees and the membership fees for approved participants. If you need a guest registration, please email me mariela.nunez-janes@unt.edu no later than April 13 

Stay in Touch: Don’t forget to reach out to our Social Media Team. Share your news about your research, publications, or events of interest with our section. Cathy Amanti (cbamanti@gmail.com) and Patricia Lopez (pdlopez@csufresno.edu), Anthro News Editors, and Alison Diefenderfer(a.b.diefenderfer@gmail.com), Social Media Coordinator.

Our Graduate Student Representative is Andrea del Carmen Vázquez andrea.vazquez@ucsc.edu. If you are a graduate student wanting to connect with other graduate students, please reach out to Andrea.

Please email me (mariela.nunez-janes@unt.edu) or any of the Board members your ideas or questions.

In solidarity,

Mariela 

The Kitchen Table April

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Dear CAE family,

Welcome to 2022! Let me be honest, I’m writing from my kitchen table, the place where I tend to do most of my work these days. It seems appropriate that I reach out to you from the space where most of life has intensely taken place during the past 2 years. The 100 year old kitchen table that I bought at the flea market many years ago as a graduate student in Albuquerque is where I make connections with my family, near and far, and with the rest of the world .

Connecting and re-connecting with others is one of my goals for 2022. As I humbly step into the role of CAE President during this uncertain and precarious time, I hope that we are able to connect with each other more. My vision for this year is to strengthen CAE’s presence through communication as we continue to build our community. Part of my plan is to circulate a monthly update and to re-energize our social media presence while working with the Board and with all of you.

So here we go:

Our CAE website was recently updated. You can find a list of our current officers and their contact information. The website is a work in progress, we hope to make some changes soon.

Information about the Annual Meeting has been released and shared by our Program Chair Angelina Castagno. Angelina also shared additional news about organizing the Committee meetings to discuss proposals. Please look for her message in AAA’s Communities or through our Google listserv.

We are working on some additions to the bylaws, some of which you will see in a ballot soon. 

Our Graduate Student Representative, Andrea del Carmen Vázquez, shared with the Board some ideas to develop academic opportunities and relationships for graduate students. Ted and I will be working closely with her in the next months to develop a plan.

Through the Career Readiness Commission AAA, in collaboration with other anthropology organizations (NAPA, SfAA among them), is working on a website that includes career resources. This may be helpful for those of you teaching undergraduates or for students interested in practicing educational anthropology outside of teaching. 

World Anthropology Day is scheduled for Feb 17. As part of the celebrations AAA is sponsoring an “Unessay Competition” for K-12 students focusing on migration. Please share this opportunity with the youth and teachers you work with.

Some reminders:
Don’t forget to reach out to our Social Communication Team. Share your news about your research, publications, or events of interest to our section.
Cathy Amanti and Patricia Lopez, Anthro News
Alison Diefenderfer, Social Media Coordinator

Our Graduate Student Representative is Andrea del Carmen Vázquez andrea.vazquez@ucsc.edu. If you are a graduate student wanting to connect with other graduate students please reach out to Andrea.

Please email me (mariela.nunez-janes@unt.edu) or any of the Board members your ideas or questions. Lots of things are happening at our universities and communities. We can pool our knowledge and resources together to make an impact.

Before I close this first edition I want to extend my gratitude to Sofia Villenas and Ted Hamann who have been great mentors. Gracias Sofia and Ted! We have an amazing set of leaders in our Board and I am grateful to be part of a team that is committed to CAE and approaches this work with love and care.

In solidarity,

Mariela

The Kitchen Table February