Lydia Chavez

Professor and Robert A. Peck Chair in Journalism
510-642-9235  |   Send E-Mail

Lydia Chavez started as a reporter for The Albuquerque Tribune, later moving on to Time magazine, the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times, where she served as El Salvador and South American bureau chief. In 2005, Chávez and her students collaborated to publish “Capitalism, God and A Good Cigar: Cuba Enters the Twenty-First Century” (Duke University Press). And in 1998, Chávez published, “The Color Bind: California’s Battle Against Affirmative Action,” which won the Leonard Silk Award (UC Press). She has also written op-ed pieces for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Examiner and magazine pieces for the Los Angeles Times and New York Times Sunday Magazines and George Magazine. She holds a bachelor’s degree in comparative literature from the University of California at Berkeley and a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Published Stories & Highlights:

Chavez's J200 Final Project--A Look at the Millions Spent on Tutoring

East Bay Express

For our final project in J200, students dug deep to undercover how millions of federal tutoring dollars in No Child Left Behind are poorly administered by California's State Education Department. The reporters read applications in Sacramento, looked at court files and interviewed parents, teachers and administrators to complete the project. They wrote the stories , developed the graphics and then worked on the project again once it was sold to the East Bay Express.

Daniel Ortega's New Best Friend

Salon

For Salon, Professor Lydia Chavez looks at Nicaragua, the return of Daniel Ortega and how his Venezuelan friend, President Hugo Chavez,offers the region its first alternative to Washington-style democracy since the 1980s.

Out Of The Shadows

Salon.com

The undocumented and their allies who took to the streets, writes Professor Lydia Chavez for Salon.com, come from a group rarely seen at protests: The working poor. Is this the sound of a new labor movement?

Si Se Puede! Illegal Immigrants Speak Up

New America Media

For New America Media, Professor Lydia Chavez considers the massive immigrant demonstrations and their impact on the debate in Congress.

Rebuilding the Nation of Immigrants

Los Angeles Times

In the final part of an OpEd Series for the Los Angeles Times, Professor Lydia Chavez writes on the need for policy makers to consider the benefits of offering citizenship to 11 million undocumented immigrants.

The Quiet Assimilation of the Undocumented

Los Angeles Times

In Part II of an OpEd series for the Los Angeles Times, Professor Lydia Chavez writes about how the undocumented are accommodated.

Caught in the Overlap of Two Societies

Los Angeles Times

Lydia Chavez offers a look at immigrantion in a three part Los Angeles Times OpEd series. Part 1: Washington fails to deal with the realidad of insourcing.

Capitalism, God, and a Good Cigar

Duke University Press

The Library Journal said, "Without question, this is the most revealing book available on Cuba today." With photographs by Mimi Chakarova and contributions from Ana Campoy, Olga Rodriguez, Julian Foley, Juliana Barbassa and others, the book can be ordered at Amazon or through Duke University Press.

What are Bay Area Republicans Thinking?

Oakland Tribune

While the Republican Party may have conceded California, at least 11 Bay Area communities supported George W. Bush in 2000. For an article in the Oakland Tribune, Students from Lydia Chavez's J200 class visited some of them during the Republican Convention.

Muslim World

San Francisco Chronicle

For San Francisco Chronicle, Professor Lydia Chavez covers a trip she took to India with a group of J-School students, and the insights gained into the thinking of Muslim youth in Kashmir.

Back to Chile

Oxygen

For Oxygen, Professor Lydia Chavez writes about taking her two adopted daughters on a trip back to their native Chile.

Offensive Song Lyrics

George Magazine

For George Magazine, Professor Lydia Chavez writes about the failed crusade against offensive song lyrics and why the presidential candidates are avoiding the issue.

Other Works:

Professor Chavez wins tenure.  Read more...

Courses Taught by Lydia Chavez:

Fall 2002: J24 Frosh Seminar: Ethics in Journalism - Fall 2002

Fall 2002: J200 Reporting the News-Chavez - Fall 2002

Fall 2002: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Fall 2002

Spring 2003: J24 Frosh Seminar: First Acts - Spring 2003

Spring 2003: J255 Law and Ethics - Spring 2003

Spring 2003: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2003

Spring 2003: J234 View of India thru Prism of 9/11 - Spring 2003

Spring 2003: J298 Feature Workshop - Spring 2003

Fall 2003: J39 Frosh/Soph Seminar: First Acts - Fall 2003

Fall 2003: J200 Reporting the News-Chavez - Fall 2003

Fall 2003: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2003

Spring 2004: J24 FSP: Ethics in Journalism - Spring 2004

Spring 2004: J255 Law and Ethics - Spring 2004

Spring 2004: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2004

Spring 2004: J234 Int'l Reporting: India - Spring 2004

Spring 2004: J234 Int'l Reporting: Argentina - Spring 2004

Fall 2004: J255 Law and Ethics - Fall 2004

Fall 2004: J200 Reporting the News-Chavez - Fall 2004

Fall 2004: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2004

Spring 1999: J234 International Reporting-Central America - Spring 1999

Fall 1999: J297 J200 Weekly Assembly - Fall 1999

Fall 1999: J200 Reporting the News-Chavez - Fall 1999

Spring 2000: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Spring 2000

Fall 2000: J24 Frosh Seminar: California Initiative Process - Fall 2000

Fall 2000: J200 Reporting the News-Chavez - Fall 2000

Fall 2000: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Fall 2000

Spring 2001: J39 Frosh/Soph Seminar: Contemporary Cuba - Spring 2001

Spring 2001: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Spring 2001

Spring 2001: J234 International Reporting-Cuba - Spring 2001

Fall 2001: J24 Frosh Seminar: Ethics and Journalism - Fall 2001

Fall 2001: J200 Reporting the News-Chavez - Fall 2001

Fall 2001: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Fall 2001

Fall 2001: J255 Ethics and Law - Fall 2001

Spring 2002: J298 Newsroom - Spring 2002

Spring 2005: J234 International Reporting Culture in Latin America - Spring 2005

Spring 2005: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2005

Fall 2005: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2005

Spring 2006: J255 Law and Ethics - Spring 2006

Spring 2006: J298 Art and Culture in Latin America - Spring 2006

Spring 2006: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2006

Spring 2006: J24 Immigration Policy - Spring 2006

Fall 2006: J200 Reporting the News - Chavez - Fall 2006

Fall 2006: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2006

Fall 2006: J234 International Reporting: Central America - Fall 2006

Spring 2007: J24 Freshman Seminar - Spring 2007

Spring 2007: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2007

Spring 2007: J234 International Reporting: Central America - Spring 2007

Fall 2007: J200 Reporting the News - Chavez - Fall 2007

Fall 2007: J24 FSP: Great Nonfiction - Fall 2007

Fall 2007: J211 Reporting the news-lab--Chavez - Fall 2007

Fall 2007: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2007

Fall 2007: J298 Key Issues with Faculty and Campus Experts - Fall 2007

Spring 2008: J24 Great Nonfiction - Spring 2008

Spring 2008: J298 Editing India - Spring 2008

Spring 2008: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2008

Fall 2008: J200 Reporting the News - Chavez - Fall 2008

Fall 2008: J211 Reporting the news-lab--Chavez - Fall 2008

Fall 2008: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2008

Fall 2008: J298 Key Issues with Faculty and Campus Experts - Fall 2008

Fall 2008: J0 Visiting Scholars Seminar - Fall 2008

Fall 2008: J235 Asia Colloquium - Fall 2008

Spring 2009: J39 Covering the Mission District in San Francisco - Spring 2009

Spring 2009: J201 Ford Reporting Project: Covering the Mission - Spring 2009

Spring 2009: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2009

Spring 2009: J219 Editing India (4 weeks) - Spring 2009

Fall 2009: J200 Reporting the News - Chavez/Chakarova - Fall 2009

Fall 2009: J211 Reporting the news-lab--Chavez/Chakarova - Fall 2009

Fall 2009: J298 Key Issues with Faculty and Campus Experts - Fall 2009

Fall 2009: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2009

Spring 2010: J201 Hyperlocal Site: Mission Local - Spring 2010

Spring 2010: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2010

Spring 2010: J0 Visiting Scholars Seminar - Spring 2010

Fall 2010: J200 Reporting the News - Chavez/Chakarova - Fall 2010

Fall 2010: J211 Reporting the news-lab--Chavez/Chakarova - Fall 2010

Fall 2010: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2010

Spring 2011: J201 Community Site: Mission Local - Spring 2011

Spring 2011: J298 Key Issues with Faculty and Campus Experts - Spring 2011

Fall 2011: J211 Reporting the news-lab--Chavez/Chakarova - Fall 2011

Fall 2011: J200 Reporting the News - Chavez/Chakarova - Fall 2011

Spring 2012: J201 Community Site: Mission Local - Spring 2012

Spring 2012: J24 Hyperlocal Multimedia Workshop in the Mission District - Spring 2012

Fall 2013: J200 Reporting the News - Mission Local - Fall 2013

Fall 2013: J211 Reporting the News - Mission Local--Lab - Fall 2013

Spring 2014: J201 Community Sites: Mission - Spring 2014