Teaching history extends beyond the transmission of facts; it encompasses a healing aspect for both educators and students. This encourages us to recognize ourselves as integral parts of various historical narratives.

One of the specialties of the Institute of Oral History (IOH) at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is gathering and memorializing the experiences of individuals in the Bracero Program. The Bracero Program (1942–1964) was the largest temporary worker program in U.S. history, bringing Mexican men to The United States to work in agriculture.

What is the power of history? What is the power of memory? These are the questions we are considering in our ongoing project, The Barrios of El Paso Digital History Project, an ongoing project of the Institute of Oral History (IOH) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

A couple of days ago, I came across an article about a letter written by John Steinbeck to Marilyn Monroe—yes, the Nobel-prize winner to the curvy sex symbol. But what would a literary writer be asking from the Hollywood bombshell?

The past few months have taught me that there's more to the visual arts than what first glance can really capture.  The narratives of stories painted are ones bonded to the artists themselves.