Finding Aid for the Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection 2005

Processed by CSRC.

Chicano Studies Research Center, UCLA

UCLA

Chicano Studies Research Center Library

144 Haines Hall

Box 951544

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1544

Phone: (310) 206-6052

Fax: (310) 206-1784

URL: http://www.chicano.ucla.edu/

Descriptive Summary

Title: Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection,

Date (inclusive): 2005

Collection number: 109

Creator: Gaspar de Alba, Alicia

Extent: 4.5 linear foot

Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Chicano Studies Research Center, UCLA

Los Angeles, California 90095-1490

Abstract: This is a collection of artifacts made by students to honor those women murdered in Juarez, Mexico in what has become known as the Maquiladora Murders. Researchers who would like to indicate errors of fact or omissions in this finding aid can contact the research center at www.chicano.ucla.edu

Physical location: CSRC Archive Library

Language of Material: Collection materials in English

Access

Access is available by appointment for UCLA student and faculty researchers as well as independent researchers.To view the collection or any part of it, please contact the CSRC at http://www.chicano.ucla.edu/

Publication Rights

For students and faculty researchers of UCLA, all others by permission only. Copyright has not been assigned to the Chicano Studies Research Center. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist and/or the Librarian at the Chicano Studies Research Center Library. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection, 109, Chicano Studies Research Center, UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles.

Acquisition Information

This collection has been deeded to the UCLA CSRC. Deed on file in the Archive office

Biography

Alicia Gaspar de Alba is an award-winning novelist as well as a professor and poet. Gaspar de Alba was born in El Paso, Texas on July 29, 1958. She taught English to Mexican executives and staff members of General Motors' maquiladoras at the Instituto Interlingua in Juarez, Chihuahua from 1978-1980. In 1979, The National Research Council (NRC) in Washington, DC offered her a Ford Foundation fellowship for minorities due to her excellent academic performance. She earned her B.A. in English in 1980 and M.A. in English in 1983 from the University of Texas in El Paso. She enrolled as a PhD student in American Studies at the University of Iowa in 1985 but then quit a year later due to culture shock. Afterward, Gaspar de Alba returned to her doctoral studies in American Studies, this time at the University of New Mexico, where she graduated with distinction. She focused her research on Chicano/a art, pop culture, literature, and writing. For her dissertation, "Mi Casa [No] Es Su Casa: The Cultural Politics of the Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation Exhibit," she won the Ralph Henry Gabriel American Studies Dissertation Fellowship in 1993, a Ford Foundation Fellowship in 1993, and a Chicana Dissertation Fellowship from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1992. It was named the Best Dissertation in the field of American Studies in 1994. The University of Texas Press published the dissertation as a book, titled Chicano Art Inside/Outside the Master's House: Cultural Politics and the CARA Exhibition, in January 1998.

Scope and Content

This is a collection of approximately 3 linear feet of artifacts created and collected by Alicia Gaspar de Alba and Sandra Ruiz

From UCLA Today: Since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement, young women from poor villages in the interior of Mexico have flocked to Ciudad Juárez, the city that borders El Paso, Texas, to look for jobs in American-owned maquiladoras or factories. Instead, what hundreds of them have found is a gruesome and early death, said Alicia Gaspar de Alba, associate director of the Chicano Studies Research Center. Since 1993, more than 300 young women and girls have been killed in Ciudad Juárez, across the border from Gaspar de Alba's hometown of El Paso. This 10-year crime wave of deadly violence will be the focus of an international conference, "The Maquiladora Murders, Or, Who is Killing the Women of Juárez?" slated for Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at UCLA. It will coincide with Days of the Dead, a Mexican holiday that honors the dead. "You have to understand that these crimes are more than murders," said Gaspar de Alba, who wrote a mystery novel, "The Factory: A Novel on the Maquiladora Murders." "They are ritual acts of pure and unadulterated hatred and desprecio (scorn) toward the indigenous female body. Who can hate these powerless women so much?" The arrests made so far in some of the deaths have usually turned out to be controversial or erroneous, Gaspar de Alba said. For instance, police allegedly tortured some of the suspects into confessing they were guilty while other suspects have been released, she said. Still, the murders of young women in Juárez have not stopped. In February 2003, four new bodies were discovered, including one of a 5-year-old girl with multiple stab wounds and her eyes removed. Many of the victims remain unidentified. "Beyond exploring the many theories that exist around the question 'Who is killing the women of Juárez?,' the conference will look at the complicity of silence that has protected the killers on both sides of the border," Gaspar de Alba said. Participants will examine the sexism that surrounds the murders. According to Gaspar de Alba, some people, including the authorities, believe: "She asked for it by the way she dressed." Organizers also hope to draw attention to the American companies who employ many women. Many of the victims were killed on their way home from work at night. "The maquiladora industry needs to be made accountable for not protecting its personnel," Gaspar de Alba said.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Alicia Gaspar de Alba

Hate Crime

Juarez Mexico

Maquiladora Murders

Sandra Ruiz

The Maquiladora Murders, Or, Who is Killing the Women of Juárez?

Women

Box 1, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Costume

Scope and Content Note

Long black dress shirt with spots of glitter and nails are pierced into the bottom of the dress. There is a broken phone attached to the dress along with several phone wires sticking out. A pin cushion is attached and a measuring tape hangs around the collar of the dress. Computer chips are also attached to the dress. A red tape acts as the belt. Underneath the dress there is white, laced camisole. There is an ID badge with loose phone buttons. In the middle there is a white hole and there is an extension cord that sits at the top of the dress shoulders that is wrapped around with several wires.

Box 1, Folder 2

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Costume

Scope and Content Note

Long sleeve green shirt with a thin brown cardigan. There is a small yellow flyer attached to the cardigan. Its yellow and reads "United States of America" with a red heart and the country of Mexico. With each state having a number. There is a green skirt that has a flower print and then a big, bright, pink flower pinned. There is also a black rosary.

Box 2, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Costume

Scope and Content Note

Black, velvet dress with spots of glitter and small metallic stars. There is also a black velvet heart sewed on to the dress that is outlined in sequence with a letter opener thrusting through the middle. There is also a red velvet lips sewed on to the front bottom of the dress and back. Different colored Mardi Gras beads hang from the hanger. In the back of the velvet dress there is a purple bra attached.

Box 2, Folder 2

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Costume

Scope and Content Note

Pillow cases with different prints and images:

First pillow case has a black square printed on there with the word GAZE in red.

Second pillow case has flower prints with the pink image of a phone jack connection to the wall that links to a mexican/aztec image. It is titled CODEX-PESADILLA.COM

Third pillow case has the image of woman and it has a small paragraph above titled YANKEE! WELCOME TO MEXICO

Fourth pillow case is brown and it has 2 bloody hand prints

Fifth pillow case has several black and brown stains with faint red cross stains

Six pillow case is an image of one of the Juarez women and states TO WORK AND DIE IN JUAREZ

Box 2, Folder 3

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Costume

Scope and Content Note

school girl outfit that consists of a brown skirt where there is a crayon, compass and top lid of a sharpener. White, long, sleeve blouse with push pins actings as buttons. There is a pen hanging like a necklace. The side pocket is full of BIG push pins of different colors. The right sleeve has a blue manila folder that has the words TYPING and MECANOGRAFIA

Box 3

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Scope and Content Note

There is a tote bag called "THE MAQUILADORA MURDERS OR, WHO IS KILLING THE WOMEN OF JUAREZ?" An International Conference, Days of the Dead, October 31-November 2, 2003. Along with the tote there is a black t-shirt with the same logo of "THE MAQUILADORA MURDERS OR, WHO IS KILLING THE WOMEN OF JUAREZ?"

There is also an additional totebag that is blue and has the logo of HOMEGIRL industries "JOBS NOT JAILS"

There is also clothing articles such as:

a red scarf

a black ASUCLA Student workers t-shirt

A brown Chicano Studies Research Center t-shirt with the C/S logo

A white t-shirt that says "CORRIDOS SIN FRONTERAS, JUNE 5-SEPTEMBER 27, 1998, UCLA CHICANO STUDIES CENTER"

A white t-shirt that says "EAST LOS ANGELES WOMEN'S CENTER"

a dark tan t-shirt that says "HICKS CAMP ESTABLISHED 1915"

a black Self-Help Graphics & Art 30th anniversary Day of the Dead t-shirt.

A name badge of Emma Perez from the University of Colorado, Boulder

Chicano Studies Research Folder filled with the Maquilando Mujeres en Juarez O, Quien son los Asesions? Conference materials

Dia de los Muertos, Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 2003.

Additional papers relating to the Mujeres of Juarez such as:

Mission statement from the Amigos de las Mujeres de Juarez

Letter and report from the Justicia para Nuestras Hijas

Article from the Los Angeles Times titled "Vanished"

Press release from UCLA News about the murders of the women of Juarez

Box 4

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Artifacts

Scope and Content Note

There is also a medium sized light blue cross that is covered in glitter. There is a heart at the crossing with an Aztec symbol.

There is a ceramic mask that is painted with birds and flowers in pastel colors.

There is a large silver frame which the inside is covered with dirt all over. On top of the dirt there are several random things glued on to it. Some of the objects include:

a pink round mirror with sequence around it

broken crayons

a wheel

broken pencils

pieces of women's underwear

small silver keys

battery

candy wrappers

piece of measuring tape

push pins

pennys

pieces of newspaper

little doll plastic boots

gold necklace

small soccerr eraser

nails

small picture of skeleton

pony tail holders

Box 5

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Shoes

Scope and Content Note

1 platform show painted red and yellow. It has a picture of a women on the strap and is covered with 3 small purple flowers glued to the sole. The words "NI UNA MAS" are written on the side of the shoe and in the back of the show a black cross is painted.

big shoe loafer that is painted dark green, white, red, yellow, and blue. There are flowers painted on each side with the words JUSTICIA on the front and a picture of a small skeleton face in the front of the shoe.

Black, platform sandal that is decorated with blue, yellow, and white paint all around the bottom portion of the show. There are daisy's painted on the strap of the sandal.

Low heel sandal where the sole is painted light blue and the strap is painted green with blue flowers. On the sole there is a picture of a woman and her child glued on to the sole.

Pink sketcher platform show that is painted in pink and is covered with purple and green glitter (also included in the inside of the sole) There are black stripes painted on the back of the shoe along with 2 white feathers glued on the back.

Platform Sandal that is covered all over in messy red paint. All over the platform there are pictures of women and children. Some of the pictures are not visible since the red paints covers part of the picture. There is a scissor pierced through the strap of the sandal in the front and it also pierced a picture of a little boy that is glued on the strap.

Nicely decorated sandal that is painted in hues of pink and it decorated with a white outline and red and pink poke a dots and flowers all over the sandal

Platform school loafer painted in dark green paint with a navy blue strap. In the inside of the show there is a light blue lace doily and a piece of lily flowers glued in the middle.

High black platform sandal that is covered in images of women around the platform and decorated with colored confetti and small pieces of ornaments such as butterflies, bees, flowers, beads, buttons, small pendants, and earrings. There is also pink puff paint on the show and on the strap is says "Will be miss!" with hearts.

Black platform school loafer covered in pink paint with colored beads glued on the top front of the shoe and green and yellow feathers glued on top as well. There is also purple glitter in the inside of the shoe.

Multi-colored platform covered in light blue, green, white and pink paint. Heart, dots, and peace symbol on shoe. Flower glued on top of loafer.

Black leather boot with studs. Covered in earth symbols such as water, sun and earth paintings. It is also stuffed with artificial flowers inside.

Box 6

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Shoes

Scope and Content Note

baby girl's sandal. The bottom is covered with purple lace and the whole sandal is painted yellow. It has a purple bead intertwined with silver sequence decorating the shoe. There is also a picture of a woman on the front part of the sandal

low heel sandal painted in light brown paint. There is a small piece of white lace glued around the heel and there is a silver heart pendant glued on the sole. On the strap there are the words "RIP" in black and white string with a silver hoop earring attached and 3 flowers.

Black platform sandal which has 3 pictures of women on the platform with 2 heart pendants glued on the side. There is also written in red paint "No Mas?" In addition there is a nail stabbed on the side. In the strap there is a picture of a women along with a apple pendant and purple beads wrapped around and pieces of white and yellow string spelling out "NO". There is also pink flowers glued to the sole and another nail stabbed into the sole.

A light brown slipper covered in different colored beads all over

A sandal painted in green and green glitter with blotches on pink paint all around and purple and orange feathers glued randomly.

sneaker painted in pink with green and purple glitter all over and one light blue feather glued to the shoelace

Brown platform show with yellow and blue paint. On the front of the shoe there are flames painted and on the back there is a sun. On the heel of the show there are churches painted in red and white and in the middle there is a picture of a woman. Here is also silver glitter and a silver pendant hanging in the front by a safety pin stabbed through the shoe

Black platform sandal with the sole of the show with foil and brown construction paper. There is a picture of a woman glued to the foil and the word "HIJA" is written. The sandal is decorated with pink beads all over the bottom part of the show and there are pink and black flowers on the strap of the sandal. The sandal is glued to black construction paper and white netting.

Black child's sandal that the inner sole is covered in colored confetti and there is a purple earring and pink feathers glued on. On top of the feather there is a picture of a woman and 2 red earrings hang on the back of the sandal.

platform sandal with the platform painted red and the inner sole green with a picture of a woman glued to the inner sole. The straps have pink dots.

White heel with 4 pictures of women on the inner sole. There is a purple flowers attached to the straps and purple lace.

Pink sneaker covered in green and purple glitter and yellow and purple feathers are glue don randomly

Low heel black sandal with a yellow sunflower glued on in the front and sea shells glued too. On the heel there is a white cross painted and the sign for female gender symbol.

red leather loafer covered in black lace all around. Spots of yellow dots all around as well. Picture of a woman glued to the front of the loafer. Inside the sole these is 3 army men glued

Box 7

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Shoes

Scope and Content Note

Tan leather boot with green, white, and red lace glued on the side of the boot. There is a black ribbon that goes around the boot and there are 2 army soldiers at the knot. There is a red flower glued at the front and there are multi-colored flowers glued to the bottom portion of the boot.

Pink low heel where the heel has the word "VIVA" in Red glitter and inside the sole we have flowers painted with the word "MUJER" in the middle.

Brown low top loafers with burgandy lace outlining the show and used as shoelaces

Low top leather brown boot covred in random spots of pink and red paint. It also has little metallic flowers and buttons. There is also pieces of white, yellow, and black string in the front with an artificial purple flower.

Low balck heel covered in red and yellow colors. On the back of the shoe there are the words LIFE in yellow paint with red designs surrounding it. There is also red ribbon all over the shoe with green Mardi Gras beads and yellow and red Popsicle sticks. Inside the sole there is a silver and blue beaded necklace while red and white beads come out of the saole and are glued to the heel making a handle. In the front of the shoe there is a picture of a women with hearts pendants.

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection June 3, 2005

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Volume LI, Number 39

Seeing Latino Art

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection October 2003

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

Panorama Journal

The Border-Murders Mystery

Someone is killing young women along the U.S.-Mexico frontier

By Katharine A. Diaz

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection April 2005

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

Association for Latin American Art

Volume 17, No. 1

A Ver: Revisioning Art History

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection April 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

The Annual Music Issue HISPANIC: Norteño Nation

The 40 year reign of Los Tigeres del Norte

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection September 18, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

Upside Down World:Immigration, Latin America and the Next U.S. President

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Jan 22, 2006

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

The New York Times: Broad Survey of Day Laborers Finds High Level of Injuries and Pay Violations

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection March 8, 2002

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

The Chronicle of Higher Education

American Family: Mi Casa Es Su Casa

By Chon Noriega

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Spring 2003

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

Amnesty Now

The Juarez Murders

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Oct. 27, 2004

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

The Los Angeles Times: Calendar

LACMA to put spotlight on local Latino artists: The museum plans an initiative with UCLA's Chicano Studies Center

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Sept/Oct 2007

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

Home Movies: box Set Pick Treasurers III: Social issues in American Film, 1900-1934

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Oct. 6, 2007

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

Los Angeles Times: Calendar

"Things are Heating Up"

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Oct. 23, 1999

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

New York Times

A Rare Dictionary is Born, the Product of an Immigrant's Life on the Margin

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Oct. 29, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

The University of California, Los Angeles DAILY BRUIN

Affirmative action ban discussed

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection March 12, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center & Center for the Study of Women invite you to: The Lupe Anguiano Archive at UCLA

Gloria Steinem, Keynote Speaker and Hnery Cisneros, Closing remarks

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Feb. 9, 2005

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

La Opinion Digital

UCLA abre ventane al arte Chicano

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Sept. 16, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

Los Angeles Times: Arts and Music:

Driven to Distraction

With a '53 truck as his canvas, artist Vincent Valdez set out to tell the story of Chavez Ravine. Easier said than done.

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Sept. 22, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

Los Angeles Times: Calendar

Its not trash. it's bits of downtown few notice.

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Oct. 31, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

Los Angeles Times: Business

Even 30 years after his death, Elvis remains the King

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Nov. 1, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

Los Angeles Times: Calendar

Español goes prime time

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Nov. 1, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

UCLA Daily Bruin: A celebration to die for

Dia de los Muertos festivities bring new life to mourning as music and decorations immortalize the dead

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection Nov. 27, 2007

Physical Description: Article

Scope and Content Note

Los Angeles Times: California

Latino's use of health services studied

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collectionals Aug. 26, 2003

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

Media Coverage Summary: Dr. Alicia Gaspar De Alba on Maquiladora Murders

Box 8, Folder 1

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection September 29, 2003

Physical Description: Articles

Scope and Content Note

Letter from Mexico

A Hundred Women

Why has a decade-long string of murders gone unsolved>

By Alma Guillermooprieto

Box 9

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Collection of Maquiladora Murders Research Materials Collection no date

Physical Description: Art

Scope and Content Note

3-D Dollhouse

Welcome to the Maquihouse by Sandra Ruiz

Materials: plastic, wire, Astroturf, acrylic paint, wood, and barbies

also included are the following items:

12 barbies which 11 are dark hair and dark skinned and 1 is blonde, blue eyes

a doorway

throne/chair

doll clothes

pair of porcelain doll shoes with the inscription "Quien sigue? and Who is next?"

A bag of army soldiers

random alphabet letters

A sign that says "Se Solicita (Mano de Obra)*crossed out* and underneath written Maqui-Locas

the metal gate of the dollhouse

And the astroturf