Margarita Arce Decierdo
Teaching Experience
CURRICULUM VITAE
MARGARITA ARCE DECIERDO
Academic: Home:
1212 Rio Grande 1107 E. 9th Street
Austin, TX 78701 Austin, TX 78702
(512) 223-3000 (512) 762-1783
mdecierd@austincc.edu decierdo4@aol.com
EDUCATION
University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California
Ph.D., ABD Sociology
University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California
M.A. Sociology
University of California at Santa Barbara, Goleta, California
B.A. Double majors in Sociology and Spanish
Education Aboard-Mexico City, Mexico
Immigration and Cultural Studies
Universidad Automoma de Mexico, 1982-1983
Education Abroad-Madrid , Spain
Spanish Literature, 1973-1974
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Austin Community College, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Austin, Texas Adjunct Professor of Sociology 2004-present
Huston-Tillotson University, Department of Sociology, Austin, Texas, Adjunct Professor of Sociology 2008 and 2010
Abilene Christian University, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Abilene, Texas Assistant Professor of Sociology 2000-2002
San Francisco State University, Department of Sociology, San Francisco, California Lecturer 1998-2000
Peralta Community Colleges, Department of Sociology, Oakland, California Instructor 1998-2000
Chabot College, Department of History and Sociology, Hayward, California Instructor 1998-2000
University of California at Berkeley, Institute of Urban and Regional Planning Historian and Curator for the African American Museum 1996
California State University at Hayward, Department of Sociology, Hayward, California Instructor 1995
University of California at Berkeley, Department of Ethnic Studies, Berkeley, California Adjunct Lecturer 1993-1994
San Francisco State University, Women and Ethnic Studies Departments, San Francisco, California Instructor 1991-1993
University of New Mexico, Department of Women Studies, Albuquerque, New Mexico Visiting Lecturer 1986-1988
University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Social Sciences, San Antonio, Texas Visiting Lecturer 1984
Courses Taught:
American Cultures, Introduction to Sociology, Social Psychology, Social Theory, Minority Group Relations, Research Methods, Social Change, Social Problems, Social Inequality and Political Action, Cities in a Global Society, American Race Relations, Sociology and the Family, Minority Groups in America, Ethnic and Race Relations, Mexican American History, Minorities in America, Introduction to Latino Studies, Racial Inequality in America, Women and Economic Development, Feminism and Women of Color, Mexican American Women, Chicano Studies, and La Chicana
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION AND INTEREST
Stratification and Inequality in the United States, Social Theory, Race and Ethnic Relations, Women and Economic Development, Social Change, Sociological Imagination, Cultural Pedagogy and Learning Styles, Public Education, Feminist Theory, Socialization and the Media, Generational and Global poverty, Education and Religion, Diversity and Inclusion, and Multicultural Curriculum, Family and Violence, Urbanization, Housing, racial and social engineering
GRANTS AND AWARDS
Certificate of Congratulations Award, Hispanic Futures Conference, Mayor Lee Leffingwell, October 2009
Certificate of Congratulations Award, House of Representatives, Dawnna Dukes, 2008
Certificate of Appreciation Award, Hispanic Women in Leadership, Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 2008
President’s Dissertation Award, University of California, Berkeley, CA 1994
Honorable Mention, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1994
Mentorship Program Award, University of California at Berkeley, 1994
Smithsonian Fellow, National Museum of American History, Washington D.C., 1989
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor, University of California at Berkeley, 1989
American Sociological Fellowship, Washington D.C., 1989
PUBLICATIONS
The Struggle Within: Mediating Conflict in California Agriculture
“Chicano Politics and Society in the Late Twentieth Century”
University of Texas Press, ed. David Montejano, 2001, 1999
Life in North Carolina: Testimonies of Mexican American Farm Worker Women
In Aztlan, University of California at Los Angeles, ed. Vicki Ruiz, 2000, 1993
Port Chicago Mutiny WWII: Oral Histories of Survivors
In collaboration with the African American Studies Department and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, 1996
ANNOTATED PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS
Austin Police Department Cultural Competency Training-Grier-Bankett Consulting Contract (2007-08)
Trained 250 police officers and community participants about the dynamics of cultural protocol within the African American community. Created a dynamic conversation and dialogue about misinterpretations, stereotypes, tensions, and responses to police and community cultural.
Building Capacity in Non-Profit Corporations, State agencies and Community Organizations: Curriculum Outline (2004 in collaboration with Melvin G. Wrenn, LCM)
Curriculum outline was designed to keep in mind competencies universally required regardless of topical focus as well as giving each participant a background in essential knowledge. Capacity building included such efforts as providing training and development sessions, consulting and coaching, technical support, and collaboration with other non-profit corporations and organizations.
Capacity Building: Texas Style (2004 in collaboration with Melvin G. Wrenn, LCM)
A primary goal of this project focused on employing an action-research agenda to advance understanding of practices, management, design and evaluation of capacity-building efforts. A network of established representatives from national and local organizations working in the area of capacity-building and other professionals were solicited for participation in an ongoing research-discussion agenda.
Community Advocacy (2004)
Preparing for action…participation by people in shaping the conditions that affect them promotes ownership and vested interest in the change being sought and increases commitment to seeing that change was achieved and maintained. The learning objective of this curriculum was to familiarizing individuals with a strategy of achievement. Steps to take toward community advocacy were examined. This method of community advocacy was designed to help an individual act as a liaison for the community.
Austin Revitalization Authority: Survey Design (2004)
Designed survey and other informational collection instruments for the Austin Revitalization Authority to understanding housing, neighborhood, business and sociological patterns within East Austin that impacted the 11th and 12th Street Corridor, as designed an Urban Renewal District by the City of Austin.
Curriculum Outline for Community Health Promoters in East Austin: Root Causes of Diabetes and Obesity in the African American and Hispanic Communities
The National Access Survey discovered results that African Americans and Hispanics (Mexican Americans) reported themselves to be in fair or poor health. Studies also indicated that African Americans and Hispanics living in economically depressed areas (East Austin-St. John’s area) were almost twice as likely to suffer from chronic heart diseases resulting from diabetes and obesity, respectively. This curriculum design was intended to train health workers and community workers in the area of health care, specifically in chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.
Children of Prisoners and At-risk-Youth: A Proposal for Change (2004)
Statistics indicated that youth were at-risk of developing the same life-style of parents, incarcerated for larceny, robbery and drugs.
Stop the Violence Against Women and Children: Prison Reform (2003)
American Civil Liberties Union Proposal for Funding
COMMUNITY LIAISON AND VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION
Community Development Commission, Commissioner Austin Texas (current)
I-Cares National Mentoring Movement, Austin Chapter (current)
African American Harvest Foundation, Austin, Texas (current)
Katrina Assessment Stability Project, City of Austin
Immigrant Affairs Commission, Austin, Texas
African American Quality of Life Forum (Education, Health, and Housing)
Hispanic Quality of Life Education Forum, Austin, Texas (current)
East Austin Community Health Promoters Project
Texas Diabetes Prevention Task Force
Coalition on Racial Profiling, Austin, Texas
Breast Cancer Task Force, Austin, Texas
Housing Commissioner, Abilene Housing Authority, Abilene, Texas
Center for Independent Living, Independent Skills Specialist for Disabled Community, Oakland, California
African American Museum and Library, Historian of World War II, Oakland, California
National Latina Health Foundation, Spanish Speaking Unity Council, Mentor/Researcher, Oakland, California
Centro Legal de la Raza. (Legal Center for Latinos), Oakland, California
United Farm Workers Union, Lead Organizer, Delano, Bakersfield, Oakland, Imperial Valley, Mexicali,
Baja California
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
American Sociological Association (member)
American Political Science Association (past member)
American Federation of Teachers (member)
Women Scholars Active in Academic Achievement (Mujeres Activas Letras y Ciencias Sociales) past member
National Association of Latino/Chicano Studies (past member)
National Association of Housing Regional Officials (member)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
“Healing Racism,” Grand Rapids Community College, 2010 (6 CEU)
Youth Global Leadership, Austin Independent School District, 2009
Diversity Cultural Competency Training, Austin Independent School District, 2008
Child Protective Services, Austin, Texas, “Undoing Racism” (12 CEU), 2008
NAHRO Strategic Planning, Agency Development Policy; Ethics; and, Commissioner’s Training
LANGUAGES
Spanish-translation, conversation, written
Published: January 28, 2026