Student Reflections: Belen Sánchez Hernández
The following is a Q&A with Belen Sánchez Hernández, who participated in the course ‘Global Risks: Biodiversity, Security and Governance in Latin America’ at Stanford’s Center for Latin American Studies during the summer of 2017. Her comments have been translated from Spanish.
From: Cherán, Michoacán, México
School: Universidad Intercultural Indígena de Michoacán (“Intercultural Indigenous University of Michoacán”)
Ethnicity: Purépecha
I am currently in the sixth semester of my career in Art and Cultural Heritage in the Artisan Design track. My community is one of the few autonomous communities; we govern by usos y costumbres or “custom and usage” due to organized crime and unauthorized cutting of trees, as the fight against this has pushed my community to value our lands and protect the rich natural resources that we depend on. I am a young woman that has been very fortunate to have the support from my family and community, which has allowed me to grow. My parents are agricultural workers; I have three brothers and I am the youngest daughter. My family has always ingrained in us a growth mindset and to not think about the economic barriers that oftentimes limit us. I study in a public school, which to date has been very good quality, because my parents’ earnings are not enough for a private education. My main goal is to support my community and other communities. Up until now I have worked in various workshops supporting the community; the main objective of this work is to raise awareness about the land and its history, through, for example, the development of a community library that preserves the history and life of the community. Nowadays, the discrimination against indigenous groups has been very high and I believe that through a good education, this intolerance and lack of knowledge of indigenous communities can change.
How/why did you became involved in the Global Risk course?
I learned about this course through the academic director of my track who passed along the link. The reason I took this course is because my state, and particularly my region which is the purhepecha plateau, has a large index of organized crime such as discrimination against indigenous communities. Due to this, my main job is to support these communities, know all the risks that this entails, and the alternatives that we as a community can take.
What was your final presentation about?
Analysis of the community police in the community of Cherán. The issue will analyze the viability of a community police and their level of training, using the case study of the community of Cherán, to later replicate the method of operation in small communities that are not safe. We found that the majority of the people feel safe with others of the same community rather than with external security.
What were some of your favorite parts of this experience?
The main one was living around youth with diverse cultures and learning from their forms of organization. Also, the different investigations conducted on organized crime in indigenous communities and the processes that have taken place over time. Everything in the course was interesting because they were issues that I have lived. I also liked getting to know a different way of living, such as that in the United States.
How has this course deepened your understanding of these issues?
It has made me reflect and understand the process of diverse topics that I knew very well and has granted me with new approaches for a future project in my community.
How has this experience impacted you personally, or academically?
Personally, it has served as a push because it has made me reflect on the fact that one creates their own barriers, and that I could go as far as I set out to go. I feel fulfilled as a woman but I know that I can do more. In terms of academia, it has tremendously impacted me and has opened a series of doors in the field of education and work.
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The ‘Global Risks’ course is a joint effort between Stanford’s Center for Latin American Studies, Mexico’s Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM), Mexico’s National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES), and the U.S. Embassy to Mexico.
