Introduction to the Channel and Creator
Bienvenido, dear reader, to Sanctuary of Algodon, an educational platform that discusses Mexican-American topics not often found in K-12 public education. You can call me K, the founder of this channel.
I hope to provide you with a wealth of knowledge you may or may not have heard of before being here, offering insights into history, social science, journalism, current events, and more, all for free. I aim to ensure that each video and worksheet leaves you with a new perspective, a fun fact, a dissenting opinion, or an idea to apply to your cause. This website and the accompanying YouTube channel will bridge the knowledge gap between academics and the general public, empowering you with information often exclusive to the college level.
This platform is not meant to replace an accredited Mexican American Studies degree or a formal course created by a licensed professor. I will draw upon many ideas that are university-adjacent and ask that you seek local educational opportunities if you wish to pursue topics further.
I believe that the more educated the general public is, the better our society will become for ourselves and for future generations. I wish to participate in the ongoing wave of an inclusive, diverse, and equitable future for everyone.
Origin of the name and logo
I dedicate this platform to all current and future beneficiaries of this knowledge, but above all, to my grandmother, Amparo.
My grandmother is my greatest inspiration and the person I felt the safest with before she passed away when I was young. Her memory and spirit live long with me, my family, and all the stories I still learn today during family events.
The brand identity is tied to her, as my nana Amparo would pick cotton in the hot deserts of Mexico in her youth to earn money for her poor family. The cotton fields are still on the outskirts of the town to this day, and every time I visit family in Mexico, I look to the fields and imagine her there working, hoping she can see that her sacrifice and hard work took us out of the town and away from what she suffered through.
When I think of safety, my sanctuary, I think of her. When I look at the cotton fields in the desert or balls of fluff floating in the wind when I go outside, I think of her. I hope to honor and thank her through this.
Te extrano, nana. Descansa en paz.
My intention to create this platform is twofold:
Mexican American studies are intentionally censored in K-12 education, and dissenting groups now target the stability of accessible, fact-based educational platforms. My participation is a direct challenge to both of these things.
I hope that this platform becomes more than a place for you to learn something new; this place will attempt to safely preserve the existence of Mexican American studies due to the ongoing political and ideological war that further censors these topics, histories, and identities.
This world is beautiful and cruel, and this channel will cover it all with clear descriptions of what has already happened, what is currently happening, and what will happen.
For these reasons and more, I aim to make as much information accessible as possible while presenting topics that stimulate discourse, critical thinking, and self-reflection.