Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Today's Guest: SDSU Press's David Ornelas! Interviewed by Fabrizio Lacarra Ramirez - May 19, 2021


Good day, my fellow Pressheads! I hope this year has treated you all well so far. As we near the end of the Spring 2021 semester, I'd like to take the time to highlight one of our remarkable bloggers here at the SDSU Press. Please give a digital round of applause to our very own David Ornelas!


FABRIZIO LACARRA RAMIREZ: David, what do you do for the SDSU Press? 

DAVID ORNELAS: I’m an Editorial Associate. I post our books on Facebook as well as our SDSU Blog. I also post about our excellent apparel!


When did you start working with the SDSU Press? What is it about the Press that piqued your interest? 

I started working for the Press in August 2019. I didn’t know about the Press prior to 2019 and when Dr. Nericcio informed me about it, I was happy to accept the offer to work for him.


You just finished your Graduate school program with the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences (MALAS) here at SDSU. Congratulations! What was the highlight of your time in the program, and where is life taking you next? 

The highlight of my time in the MALAS Program was being around other colleagues who shared the same interests as me even though the program was built around each students' focus on unique subjects. I’ve been able to make lifelong friends that will carry on even after graduation. I was recently accepted into the Rhetoric Writing Studies M.A. Program at SDSU where I intend to work towards a second master’s as well as teaching RWS. 


Being a student of the arts involves a lot of reading. What's your favorite way to consume literature - binge-reading or a chapter at a time? Any specific setting or technique you use to really immerse yourself in the text?

I like to take it one chapter at a time. Sometimes I feel it’s best to just take in all that you’ve read before moving on too quick. Reading chapter by chapter allows me to focus on the main characters and the overall purpose in each book.


The SDSU Press has published a myriad of titles from comix to cultural criticism. With over 150 titles to offer, any piece we cover is sure to have an impact on the way we view our world. How has your work with the Press changed your life? 

Having read our most popular books, as well as integrating them into my curriculum as Teaching Associate at SDSU, it’s been rewarding. I’ve been able to form my own thoughts and opinions on the different aspects of cultural criticism.


If you had to pick your favorite titles to recommend from SDSU Press, what would they be? 

1. Cultural Studies in the Digital Age: An Anthology of 21st Century Interdisciplinary Inquiries, Postulations, and Findings – Antonio Rafele, William Nericcio, Frederick Aldama

I highly recommend this book as it touches base on things that are currently going on in society. I was able to use this book in my RWS200 course and help students have a better understanding of cultural studies. My students were able to connect to concepts that were mentioned in the book. I will continue to be using this course in my future classes as well.


2. Tex[t] Mex: Seductive Hallucinations of the "Mexican" in America - William Nericcio

I've been able to use this book beyond the classes in which it was required reading. Dr. Nericcio doesn't hold back and lets his readers know the truth. I think anyone from any culture can read this book and relate to it in some way or another.

Click Here to Buy This Title!


Thank you for your time, David. You can find more from this budding blogger at our Aztec Paper Blog, linked below, or by signing up for one of his classes at SDSU! 

http://sdsupress.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Amatl Comix #3 THE PHANTOM ZONE AND OTHER STORIES by Jose Alaniz : Next Generation Latinx Graphic Narrative

Tijuana: The History of a Mexican Metropolis! Back in Print from SDSU PRESS