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Sonia De La Cruz

Assistant Professor of Communication in Media Activism

University of Washington, Tacoma (Fall 2018)

Media Studies, Ph.D.

Documentary filmmaker

Education

Academic focus:

Media Studies, International Communication, Development Communication and Social Change, Media at the Margins, Media and Community Service, Documentary Film, Global Documentary, and Visual Research methods.

 

Creative focus:

Documentary Production, Digital film/video Production, Visual Methods (Digital Storytelling, Photo-voice, oral history, etc.), and Multimedia.

 

 

2014

Media Studies, Ph.D.

School of Journalism and Communication

University of Oregon

Eugene, OR

 

2008

M.A. Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA

 

2002

B.A. Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA

 

 

Teaching Experience

Languages

Fluent in Spanish

(write, read and speech)

Skills

Digital Film/video production

 

Editing:

Final Cut Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro

 

Complete CV

Link to my complete CV

 

Infographic

Click on the image below to see my CV in a graphic layout:

 

2010 - present

2010 - present

Media Production
Spring 2016
 

This course introduces students to the foundational concepts of media production and focuses on hands-on experience in media production. This course equips students with the skills to develop well-though, creative ideas into a digital video projects. Students learn the basics of image and sound compostion, camera operations, lighting, audio recording, and editing.

 

Communication Studies
Fall 2015 and Spring 2016

 

Introductory course to Communication Studies where students explore concepts, theories and ideas of mass communication. Students learn about the evolution of media industries, focus on understanding how the media work, why they matter, how they affect our daily lives, and ask how they continue to change.

 
Media and Culture
Fall 2015

This course introduces students to several important ideas on the definition and meaning of culture, particularly in relationship to media. We will focus on some of the dominant critical perspectives that have contributed to our understanding of media and its role in society. Students will learn basic ideas and concepts used to analyze different type of media. Some of the ideas we will explore in this class include: power, gender, identity, globalization, and technologies, among others. â€‹

Latino Roots I and Latino Roots II

​Winter 2014 and Spring 2015 (undergraduate and graduate-level course)

Seminar in Video Production

​Spring 2015

The dominant historical narrative of the State of Oregon has centered on the Anglo-American historical experience. This course broadens that narrative by having students study, theorize, and document the depth and breath of Latino and Latin American immigration, settlement, social movements, civic, and political integration in Oregon during the 20th century.

 

This is a cross-disciplinary course taught by the School of Journalism and Communication and the Department of Anthropology.

 

 

The focus of this class is to have students explore a particular topic or issue, and produce a film/video within a range of interdisciplinary topics: cutlural heritage, ethnicity, subcultures, popular culture, gender, religions, folklore, and issues of diversity and globalization. These creative projects are a partial requirement to fulfill their degree.

Documentary Production

​Fall 2014 and Fall 2015

This course covers basic theory and practice of digital film/video production. It introduces students to film theory, aesthetic approaches, research, writing, and fundamental techniques for producing documentary films.

International Communication

Fall 2010, Spring 2010 and Spring 2016

This course explores theoretical and practical concepts of international communication. It offers students the opportunity to think critically about global media systems (including indigenous systems of communication), communication flows, domestic and international communication and information policy, and topics related to media and social justice, voice, and identity.

Communication for Development and Social Change in the Global South

Winter 2011 (undergraduate and graduate-level course)

This course introduces concepts and issues associated with the role of communication in developing nations, or what is referred to as the Global South. It considers historical, institutional, and international debates about the process of social change, empowerment, community participation, and self-assertion of people and communities across the developing world.

Media and Community Service

Spring/Summer 2007 and Spring/Summer 2008

This course explores theoretical and practical concepts of international communication. It offers students the opportunity to think critically about global media systems (including indigenous systems of communication), communication flows, domestic and international communication and information policy, and topics related to media and social justice, voice, and identity.

Teaching Experiece as Graduate Teaching Fellow

Fall 2008 - Spring 2012

 

  • Television Field Production

  • International Communication

  • Advanced Production

  • Latino Roots

  • Media and Community Service

  • Media Aesthetics

 

 

Publications

 

De La Cruz, S. (2017). Latino Airwaves: Radio Bilingüe and Spanish-language public radio. Journal of Radio and Audio Media (24) 2, pp. 226-237.

​

De La Cruz, S., Kays, S. and Woken, D. (2015). Latino History is Oregon History: Preserving Oregon's Latino heritage through the Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste Archive. Journal for the Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials.

​

De La Cruz, S. (2014). A Documentary Experience: Reflections of weaving 40 years of feminist history into a 52-minute film. Center for the Study of Women in Society Annual Review. University of Oregon.  

​

De La Cruz, S. (2012). Weaving the Life of Guatemala: Reflections of the self and other through visual representations. In Renewing Feminisms: Radical Narratives, Fantasies and Futures in Media Studies. H. Thornham and E. Weissman (Eds.). London, New York: I.B. Tauris.

Conferences
Upcoming: International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR)
                     June 2018
United Association for Labor Education (UALE)
April 2018

Presentation/screening: The Care Revolution: The Transformation of Home Health Care in Oregon.  

Seattle, WA.

The Labor and Working-Class History Association (LAWCHA)
June 2017

Presentation: The Quiet Revolution: The Transformation of Home Health Care in Oregon. University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association
March 2016

Panel: Latin American Film and Media

Presentation: Triste Alegría (Joyful Sadness): A filmic journey of a citizen child of undocumented parents

Seattle, WA.

International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR)

July 2015

Presentation: The Delight of Resisting Pan-Latinidad: The role of radio in shaping and representing the trasnborder identity of marginalized Latino communities.

Montreal, Canada.

Public Engagement in Latin@ and Latin American Studies

Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies symposium

March 2015

Panel: Latino History, Resources, and Public Education in Oregon

Presentation: Documenting Oregon Latino History on FIlm: Lessons from Making the Latino Roots in Oregon film.

Eugene, OR.

Northwest Archivist Conference

May 2014

Presentation: Latino Voices: Preserving and Promoting Latino Heritage (panel).

Spokane, WA.

Graduate Student Research Forum

March 2014

Presentation: Bridging Knowledge: From the archives to the community.

Eugene, OR.

What is Radio? Exploring the past, present, and future of Radio

April 2013

Presentation: Public Radio as Powerful Community-based Media

Portland, OR.

Latin American Studies Association (LASA)

May 2012

Presentation: International Media and Community Service Learning.

San Francisco, CA.

International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR)

July 2011

Presentation: Rearticulating Mexican Indigeneity through Radio.

Istanbul, Turkey.

Broadcasters and Education Association (BEA)

April 2011

Presentation: Media, Community Service and Development.

Las Vegas, NV.

International Communication Association (ICA)

June 2010

Presentation: Weaving the Life of Guatemala: A participatory approach to cross-cultural filmmaking.

Singapore, Singapore.

Console-ing Passions - International Conference on Television, Video, Audio,
New Media and Feminism.

April 2010

Presentation: Feminist Media Activism: Coalition building around environmental and economic justice (panel).

Eugene, OR.

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