ABSTRACT
Chicano/a researchers from the 1960s generation charted a path of investigations focusing on Chicano/a community issues and problems. In 1969, a policy platform for the future of academic work, EI Plan de Santa Barbara, elaborated on the goal of the "university serving the community." Both authors of this chapter have attempted to integrate this mission into their respective research agendas, the senior author anticipating EI Plan, and the junior author refining some of its more salient directives. Vigil has examined macrohistorical issues, educational problems, and, in particular, the gang phenomenon that plagues Chicano/a youth in Los Angeles and also in southern Mexico. Munoz has focused on the examination of educational opportunities for at-risk students of color, particularly urban students placed in alternative education programs. His future research plans include investigating the role of technology in underresourced urban schools with diverse students. Both of the authors are staunch supporters of Chicano/a studies and offer the following observations on methodological strategies that have guided their work addressing persistent social problems in the Chicano/a community. With lessons learned from these early years, in combination with the mission of Chicano/a studies and research, these authors' self-reflexivity integrates a community perspective and advocates for policy formulations and changes.
