About Us
Nuestro Grupo
The decision to establish Academia Cuauhtli occurred when a group of seasoned community leaders convened at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) on September 20, 2013. The University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Center for Education Policy (TCEP), headed by Dr. Angela Valenzuela, organized the meeting to discuss the issues of literacy, curriculum, and Austin’s Mexican-origin community. The event took place against the backdrop of a growing statewide grassroots movement to develop Mexican American studies in Texas.
Expressions of disparity and needs motivated those present to form an organization, Nuestro Grupo (“Our Group”), that would continue to work to address these problem areas. Key to the success of Academia Cuauhtli were converging interests and broad-based support. Dr. Emilio Zamora developed the first iteration of the curriculum, which the Curriculum Writer’s Cadre (CWC) of AISD teachers subsequently aligned to state and district standards. This process ensured that the curriculum was appropriate for each grade level and elaborated a curricular road map for Academia Cuauhtli teachers.
Cuauhtli is truly a space where students can embrace their culture without fear, prejudice, or judgment.
Maria Del Carmen Unda – Graduate Assistant
Academia Cuauhtli at a Glance
Mission Statement
Honor our community’s cultural heritage, foster a social justice consciousness, and reclaim our collective identities in pursuit of educational freedom
Our Core Values
In addition to providing a cultural enrichment opportunity for children, we are developing our own critical consciousness, based on community and oriented towards social justice.