•  
•  

Vision and Mission

Vision and Mission By James Loucky

The history of the Americas is one of great human movement and social transformation. From the first settlement of the hemisphere more than 20,000 years ago, through centuries of massive transatlantic crossings, migration has been a continuous phenomenon. Mesoamerica - the center of the hemisphere - has always been a primary hub region of movement and mixing. The last few decades have seen thousands of people from Mesoamerica migrating north and across the continent, motivated by political instability, violence and the pressures of survival, and now increasingly by the planet's climate crisis. Among them are the Maya, who in just five decades have come to be found in communities stretching from Huehuetenango to Houston, Baja California to Boston, Virginia to Vancouver. Today they represent a vibrant and vital sector of communities and neighborhoods in rural and urban parts of the continent.

In a world on the move, Maya exemplify the dynamism of migration and exchange. How have Maya come to have a continental reach? How do they contribute socially, economically, and politically to new places, while continuing to connect across borders? How do their heritages, shared with North American natives and earlier immigrants, enrich them but also represent challenges to institutions, policies, and historical trajectories? How do their experiences illuminate some of the most significant issues of our time? These questions, among others, are what inspired the new journal, Maya America: Journal of Essays, Commentary, and Analysis.

The journal seeks to address not only issues such as displacement and inequality, but also to address new challenges related to acceptance and legitimacy, aspirations and well-being. While lives and identities continue to involve intergenerational connections, they also increasingly reflect an intersection of indigenous, cross-cultural and transnational experiences. It aims to provide a more holistic understanding of history and development, based on experiences and the participation of diverse voices from communities, as well as through research. Through research and inclusion, the journal hopes to foster a reimagining of current social and political debates, as well as an affirmation of human and visionary possibilities.

As great as the differences are between places with names like Aguacatán and Zacualpa, compared to South Central Los Angeles or South Carolina, so too have the connections become strong between Chiapas and California, Huehuetenango and West Palm Beach, and communities from coast to coast. From highland and lowland homes, corn-producing regions and metropolitan centers, the Maya descendants of Guatemala and southern Mexico have become a continental presence.

The journal's name, Maya America, denotes a broad and varied space for discussion, commentary and creativity. It encompasses research articles, literary contributions, book or film reviews and "roundtable" options, along with community reports, personal narratives and perspectives from young and old on connectivity across borders and a growing diaspora.

A decade ago, while planning to edit a book, the original editors increasingly felt that a magazine would best serve communities and readers in a format that allowed for broad participation and ongoing dialogue. So, Maya America is a digital, open-access, professionally reviewed publication. Some issues are thematic, others a mix of topics. We seek broad participation from an evolving editorial board. Authors include both Maya and non-Maya authors from a multinational diaspora.

Maya America invites an exploration of the full diversity and dynamics represented by the lived experiences and perspectives of peoples of Maya and Indigenous Americas ancestry. The journal’s scope and content are open to discussion by community members, researchers, and practitioners. It should be of value to students of U.S. history, Latin American studies, migration and ethnic issues, education, and anthropology. The inclusion of academic and community-based efforts, such as participatory action research, enhances its usefulness for popular and community education as well as academic settings.