Spare Parts
by Joshua Davis
Published in 2014, Spare Parts is a classic underdog story about four Mexican American teenagers from Phoenix who
form a robotics team with the encouragement of their teachers. Their ugly robot wins
a national robotics competition, taking down reigning champion MIT. While telling
this inspiring story, Spare Parts also highlights the disparities in opportunities and life outcomes for undocumented
immigrants.
Every incoming first-time freshman will receive a copy of Spare Parts when they come to campus for summer orientation. Students are asked to read the book before returning to campus in the fall, when they will they will discuss the book with SJSU faculty, staff, and other students. Related programming will help the entire campus community better understand the importance of STEM education, the obstacles many students face in pursuing their dreams, and the actions each of us can take to promote equity and access for all.
Resources
Event Photos
Professor Shaun Fletcher (left) interviews Oscar Vazquez.
Photo Credit: Jesus Tellitud, Spartan Daily Photo Editor
Julio Navarrete, SJSU Alum, Educator, and Activist, speaking at San José State
Photo Credit: Jesus Tellitud, Spartan Daily Photo Editor
Previous Events
Underwater Dreams viewing and faculty panel discussion
Wed Oct 23, 4-7 pm
Campus Village 2, Multi-purpose Room
View and discuss the documentary about Spare Parts with faculty in residence and other first year students!
Girls in STEM documentary film and panel discussion
Wed Oct 23, 4pm
Hammer Theatre Center Stage 4
Free and open to the public.
Featuring Tamara Hudgins, Executive Director of Girlstart, and documentary filmmaker Ellie Wen. Ms. Wen's film "The Missfits" is the centerpiece of this panel discussion, which will be moderated by SJSU Assistant Professor of Chemistry Madalyn Radlauer. You can view a trailer of "The Missfits" here. Sponsored by the Campus Reading Program and SJSU's student chapter of the Society of Women Engineers.
A Conversation with Sonia Nazario
October 23, 7pm
Hammer Theatre Center main stage
Ticketed event
Join us for an interactive talk with Sonia Nazario, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist for The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times. Her stories and articles have tackled some of this country’s most intractable problems, including food injustice, drug addiction, and immigration. Sponsored by the College of Humanities and the Arts' Borderlands initiative.
Right the Immigrant Story: An Edit-a-Thon
Fri Oct 25, 11am-1pm
MLK Library, 4th floor, in front of Video Wall. Thus event is part of the Library's celebration of Open Access week. Sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
Underwater Dreams viewing and discussion
Thu Nov 7, 6-9 pm
Joe West Rec Room, 2nd floor
View and discuss the documentary about Spare Parts with faculty in residence and other students in your res hall!
Piecing Together the Immigration Experience
Thurs Nov 14, 3:30-4:30pm
Open to SJSU community members only.
RSVP Closed
Discuss Spare Parts and how it relates to present day social justice issues. Plus, engage in Craftivism (crafting + activism) and create community art. Sponsored by the Center for Community Learning and Leadership and the UndocuSpartan Resource Center.
Poet Balam Rodrigo
Bilingual Poetry Reading with SJSU students
Thurs Nov 14, 3-5pm
Hammer Theatre Center, Stage 4
Ticketed event
Acclaimed poet Balam Rodrigo, from Chiapas, Mexico, visits campus to talk about his work and to lead a workshop with SJSU students. Rodrigo’s latest book, El libro centroamericano de los Muertos (2018), focuses on the experiences of Central American immigrants as they cross more than one border in their perilous journey toward the US. Sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Literatures, the Chicanx/Latinx Student Success Center, the College of Humanities & Arts Borderlands initiative.
Creative Writing Workshop in Spanish (SJSU students only)
Fri Nov 15
Poet Balam Rodrigo hosts a day long creative-writing workshop in Spanish. The writing workshop is by application and is open to all interested SJSU students. Students will submit a writing sample in Spanish as part of the application process. Sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Literatures, the Chicanx/Latinx Student Success Center, and the College of Humanities & the Arts Deep Humanities & Arts Initiative.
Dreamer Project: An Undocuplay
Nov 15-16, 7:30 pm
Nov 20, 11 am
Nov 21-23, 7:30 pm
Nov 24, 1 pm
Hammer Theatre
Ticketed event
A verbatim theatre piece created from interviews with SJSU undocumented students from January 2017 – August 2018. The play focuses on the continuing journeys of undocumented students from Mexico and Central America as they seek to find a home in the U.S. It shows the challenges each faces as SJSU students, as well as their personal stories of childhood and family. Sponsored by the Department of Film and Theatre and the College of Humanities & Arts Borderlands initiative.
Screening of Underwater Dreams
Wed Sept 11, 4pm
Thur Sept 12, 4pm
Engineering Building, Rooms 285/287
Eat popcorn while viewing Underwater Dreams, a documentary film about Spare Parts. Student raffle prizes include copies of Spare Parts and dinner with Oscar Vazquez, one of the students featured in Spare Parts! Sponsored by the Campus Reading Program and the College of Engineering.
Piecing Together the Immigration Experience
Thurs Sept 12, 3:30-4:30pm
Open to SJSU community members only.
RSVP Closed
Location shared upon RSVP.
Discuss Spare Parts and how it relates to present day social justice issues. Plus,
engage in Craftivism (crafting + activism) and create community art. Sponsored by
the Center for Community Learning and Leadership and the UndocuSpartan Resource Center.
A Conversation and Book Signing with Oscar Vazquez
Mon Sept 16, 12 noon-1:30 pm
Hammer Theatre Center main stage
Free and open to the public.
Assistant Professor of Public Relations Shaun Fletcher interviews Oscar Vazquez, one of the students featured in Spare Parts. Come hear Oscar speak about his experiences as an undocumented immigrant as well as his experience serving in the U.S. military and as a professional engineer in Texas. Bring your copy of Spare Parts for a book signing after the talk! Sponsored by the Campus Reading Program and the UndocuSpartan Resource Center.
A Conversation and Book Signing with Oscar Vazquez
Mon Sept 16, 12 noon-1:30 pm
Hammer Theatre Center main stage
Free and open to the public.
Assistant Professor of Public Relations Shaun Fletcher interviews Oscar Vazquez, one of the students featured in Spare Parts. Come hear Oscar speak about his experiences as an undocumented immigrant as well as his experience serving in the U.S. military and as a professional engineer in Texas. Bring your copy of Spare Parts for a book signing after the talk! Sponsored by the Campus Reading Program and the UndocuSpartan Resource Center.
Guest Speaker Diane Guerrero
Mon Sept 30, 7pm
Student Union Ballroom
Free and open to the public
Diane Guerrero, actress in the hit series Orange is the New Black, speaks about her immigrant family's story of survival. Ms. Guerrero's recently published memoir (http://inthecountrywelove.com/) describes her family's experience migrating from Colombia to the US, her parents' deportation when she was a teenager, and her experiences trying to make things work. Sponsored by Campus Life's Division of Student Affairs.
SJSU Alum, Educator, and Activist Julio Navarrete
Tues Oct 8, 7pm
Student Union 1A
Free and open to the public
Julio Navarrete, educator, activist, and SJSU alum, visits SJSU to talk about his experiences growing up undocumented in the United States, his journey at SJSU, the challenges after graduation and how he overcame them, and his experience as an immigration and environmental justice advocate. Sponsored by the Campus Reading Program, the UndocuSpartan Resource Center, and the Pride Center at SJSU.
Piecing Together the Immigration Experience
Thurs Oct 10, 3:30-4:30pm
Open to SJSU community members only.
RSVP Closed
Location shared upon RSVP.
Discuss Spare Parts and how it relates to present day social justice issues. Plus, engage in Craftivism (crafting + activism) and create community art. Sponsored by the Center for Community Learning and Leadership and the UndocuSpartan Resource Center.
Underwater Dreams viewing and faculty panel discussion
Wed Oct 23, 4-7 pm
Campus Village 2, Multi-purpose Room
View and discuss the documentary about Spare Parts with faculty in residence and other first year students!
Virtual Discussion of Spare Parts
Tues Oct 15, 6 pm
Open to SJSU community members only.
RSVP Closed
A Zoom link will be emailed to those who RSVP.
Join SJSU iSchool's student chapter of the American Library Association for an online discussion of Spare Parts.
Joshua Davis, author of Spare Parts
Wed Oct 16
1:30-2:30 pm: Clark Hall 222
3-4 pm: Sweeney Hall 331
Joshua Davis comes to SJSU to speak about storytelling and to discuss how educators can support undocumented students in reaching their educational goals. Sponsored by the Campus Reading Program, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the College of Education.
4th Annual I Stand with Immigrants Day of Action
Tues Oct 22
11am-2pm
In front of Clark Hall, by the Tommi Smith and John Carlos Status
San Jose State is one of over 150 colleges and universities across the country participating in this annual showcase. This year's Day of Action focuses on support for immigrants, particularly those who are covered by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA is a U.S. immigration policy that allows immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children to become eligible to work and to pursue education in the United States. Look for the Borderlands and Department of Theatre table, and enter a raffle to win a copy of Spare Parts! Sponsored by SJSU's UndocuSpartan Resource Center.
