Julian Nava
Encyclopedia
Julian Nava is an American
educator and diplomat.
Nava was born to Mexican
immigrants
in 1927 and is one of 8 children in Los Angeles
, California
. Nava grew up in the barrio
of East L.A.
In 1945, he volunteered for the Air Corps of the United States Navy
. Upon his return to Los Angeles, Nava studied at East Los Angeles Community College before transferring to Pomona College
, one of the prestigious Claremont Colleges
. After earning his undergraduate degree in history, Nava received his doctorate in Latin American history
from Harvard University
in 1955. He taught in Venezuela, Spain, and Puerto Rico
. After teaching in Spain, he founded Centro de Estudios Universitarios in Bogota
, Colombia
. From 1957-2000, Nava was professor of history at California State University, Northridge
(CSUN).
In 1967, the Congress of Mexican American Unity (ninety two community groups) nominated him to run for the Los Angeles Unified School District
Board of Education. Nava became the first Hispanic
to serve on the county-wide board (composed of thirteen cities including Los Angeles).
In 1980, he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico by President
Jimmy Carter
. He was the first Mexican-American to hold the position.
In 1993, Nava was one of the pallbearers selected for the funeral of the labor leader Cesar Chavez
. Nava worked with Chavez since his time with the Community Service Organization in Los Angeles immediately after the Second World War.
In the 2006
HBO film Walkout
, the role of Dr. Julian Nava was played by director
Edward James Olmos
. Nava has produced a series of one-hour documentary films. He explores the history of the Basque people in “Song of the Basque,” funded by the Basque government. He then produced and co-directed “Voices of Cuba” with Todd Mattox. More recently, Nava produced a documentary on cross-border migration to and from the United States in two languages, “Zacatecanos de ida y vuelta” (Roundtrip Zacatecanos).
Today he is retired and lives San Diego County with his wife, Patricia. He holds the title of professor emeritus of history at CSUN. Nava lectures widely about multicultural education, and serves on the board of directors of Encuentros, which promotes education among young Hispanic males.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator and diplomat.
Nava was born to Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
immigrants
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
in 1927 and is one of 8 children in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Nava grew up in the barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
of East L.A.
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
In 1945, he volunteered for the Air Corps of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Upon his return to Los Angeles, Nava studied at East Los Angeles Community College before transferring to Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
, one of the prestigious Claremont Colleges
Claremont Colleges
The Claremont Colleges are a prestigious American consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
. After earning his undergraduate degree in history, Nava received his doctorate in Latin American history
History of Latin America
Latin America refers to countries in the Americas where Romance languages are spoken. This definition, however, is not meant to include Canada, in spite of its large French-speaking population....
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1955. He taught in Venezuela, Spain, and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. After teaching in Spain, he founded Centro de Estudios Universitarios in Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. From 1957-2000, Nava was professor of history at California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
(CSUN).
In 1967, the Congress of Mexican American Unity (ninety two community groups) nominated him to run for the Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
Board of Education. Nava became the first Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
to serve on the county-wide board (composed of thirteen cities including Los Angeles).
In 1980, he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. He was the first Mexican-American to hold the position.
In 1993, Nava was one of the pallbearers selected for the funeral of the labor leader Cesar Chavez
César Chávez
César Estrada Chávez was an American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers ....
. Nava worked with Chavez since his time with the Community Service Organization in Los Angeles immediately after the Second World War.
In the 2006
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
HBO film Walkout
Walkout (film)
Walkout is a 2006 HBO film based on a true story of the 1968 East L.A. walkouts. It premiered March 18, 2006 on HBO. Starring Alexa Vega, Efren Ramirez and Michael Peña, the film was directed by Edward James Olmos...
, the role of Dr. Julian Nava was played by director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos is an American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt...
. Nava has produced a series of one-hour documentary films. He explores the history of the Basque people in “Song of the Basque,” funded by the Basque government. He then produced and co-directed “Voices of Cuba” with Todd Mattox. More recently, Nava produced a documentary on cross-border migration to and from the United States in two languages, “Zacatecanos de ida y vuelta” (Roundtrip Zacatecanos).
Today he is retired and lives San Diego County with his wife, Patricia. He holds the title of professor emeritus of history at CSUN. Nava lectures widely about multicultural education, and serves on the board of directors of Encuentros, which promotes education among young Hispanic males.