Episode 14: Dr. George Diaz on Archiving the History of the Borderlands

Welcome back to Yeah, I Got an F#%*ing Job with a Liberal Arts Degree. This show is about the value of a liberal arts education. Jeff Crane, student of the liberal arts, environmental historian, and higher education administrator for the past 12 years, hosts a wide range of guests whose experiences as students of the liberal arts have shaped their lives in school, as professionals, and in their lives outside of their careers. This weeks episode features a conversation with Dr. George T. Díaz, who is an Associate Professor of History and the director of the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He teaches U.S. History, Borderlands, and Mexican American History. The show today touches on Dr. Diaz's experience growing up in Laredo, TX, how place and identity have informed his work, and his deep dive into the stories of Tequileros in relationship to colonizing forces in the early 20th century. This conversation is a great example of unpacking specific historical moments to speak to larger issues, issues that remain crucial today in how we learn about and treat accurate history. Special note: During the Texas Ranger's terror campaign, the group was practicing extralegal violence. Please subscribe to the show, rate and review! You can follow the show on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jobliberalarts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. footnotes- River of Hope: Forging Identity and Nation in the Rio Grande Borderlands by Omar S. Valerio-Jiménez ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music by Silverman Sound Studios⁠⁠⁠⁠ Yeah, I Got an F#%*ing Job with a Liberal Arts Degree is produced by Abigail Smithson