By Kim Lamb Gregory
Assistant Professor of Chicana/o Studies Jennie Luna was busy on Valentine鈥檚 Day, making sure all the exhibits in the John Spoor Broome Library Gallery were ready for the opening of a show honoring the late Chicana/o poet/author/activist Michele Serros.
Before her death in January of 2015 at the age of 48, Serros arranged for 海角社区CI to receive her original manuscripts, notes, last-printed copies of her books, skateboards, personal effects and, most importantly, her desk, which she writes about in her 1993 publication, 鈥淐hicana Falsa.鈥�
The opening of the exhibit of the Serros collection was held on Valentine鈥檚 Day, which fell right after Serros鈥檚 February 10 birthday. 鈥淪he loved Valentine鈥檚 Day cards and sent them to everyone,鈥� Luna said. 鈥淚t was her favorite holiday.鈥�
This opening was like no other for Luna, as she and Serros had been friends since they were neighbors together in New York about 20 years ago. 鈥淪he and I go way back,鈥� Luna said. 鈥淚 was there with her weeks before she died and we had lots of conversations. I knew she had such valuable documents and that we would be the best place to house them. This is her hometown. 海角社区CI is where folks from Oxnard come and she wanted to support the Chicana/o Studies program.鈥�
Serros was survived by her husband, Antonio Maga帽a, also born and raised in Oxnard. When he walked into the Broome Gallery on the night of the opening, his eyes filled with tears. 鈥淚 was overwhelmed,鈥� he said. Then, he walked over to Luna and pressed a book in her hand. Serros鈥檚 very first diary, the one that started her on her journey as a renowned writer. Luna was momentarily at a loss for words.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe it,鈥� Luna said. 鈥淭his diary is what started it all.鈥� She pressed the diary to her heart, then hugged Maga帽a. 鈥淚t was one of the last things I had of hers,鈥� Maga帽a said. 鈥淚 wanted Jennie to have it.鈥�
Serros grew up in the El Rio area, attending Rio Mesa High School. When Serros was 11, her parents separated, leaving Serros overwhelmed with fear and confusion, so she wrote to Judy Blume, an author for young adults. Blume wrote back and suggested Serros express herself in a diary, and that diary launched her literary career. Blume鈥檚 letter is part of the collection.
The show was filled to capacity that night, guests spilling out into the hallway. On display was a wealth of her writing, her signature skateboard, photos, a script she wrote for comedian George Lopez, T-shirts and her art collection, to name a few of the items.
The reception included the screening of a short film called 鈥淐ielo or Bust: Honoring the Life and Work of Michele Serros and her Stories of Death, Identity, and Oxnard鈥� by director/producer Julio Alcala.
Luna was featured in the film as well as Chicana/o Studies student Rebecca Marquez, who spent the last year archiving the Serros collection. The project inspired her to pursue a graduate degree in Library Science.
鈥淚t was a very emotional process,鈥� Marquez said. 鈥淚t was like her whole life was in these boxes. I got to see her ups and downs, her successes, her failures. I saw things from her perspective and felt a deep connection to her.鈥�
Serros left her personal library and the rights and royalties to her books to 海角社区CI. Any monetary gain from reprints will go toward 海角社区CI鈥檚 Chicana/o Studies program, and support for the Michele Serros Multicultural Living-Learning Community, one of several living-learning communities at 海角社区CI in which students with a common academic focus are housed together to help provide an immersive living-learning experience.
Maga帽a believed Serros would have loved the tribute to her and her work. 鈥淭his was a great homecoming for her,鈥� he said.
漏 Spring 2019 / Volume 23 /Number 01 / Bi-annual