Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism: Lydia Chavez

Lydia Chavez

Professor
Phone: 510-642-9235
Email: Lydia Chavez

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

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.

Articles about Lydia Chavez

Professor Chavez wins tenure.
More info

Courses taught by Lydia Chavez

Spring 2010: International Reporting: India
Spring 2010: Hyperlocal Site: Mission Local
Spring 2010: Mobile Media
Spring 2010: Master's Project Seminar
Fall 2009: Reporting the News - Chavez/Chakarova
Fall 2009: Reporting the news-lab--Chavez/Chakarova
Fall 2009: Key Issues with Faculty and Campus Experts
Fall 2009: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2009: Covering the Mission District in San Francisco
Spring 2009: Ford Reporting Project: Covering the Mission
Spring 2009: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2009: Editing India (4 weeks)
Fall 2008: Reporting the News - Chavez
Fall 2008: Reporting the news-lab--Chavez
Fall 2008: Master's Project Seminar
Fall 2008: Key Issues with Faculty and Campus Experts
Fall 2008: Visiting Scholars Seminar
Fall 2008: Asia Colloquium
Spring 2008: Great Nonfiction
Spring 2008: Editing India
Spring 2008: Master's Project Seminar
Fall 2007: Reporting the News - Chavez
Fall 2007: FSP: Great Nonfiction
Fall 2007: Reporting the news-lab--Chavez
Fall 2007: Master's Project Seminar
Fall 2007: Key Issues with Faculty and Campus Experts
Spring 2007: Freshman Seminar
Spring 2007: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2007: International Reporting: Central America
Fall 2006: Reporting the News - Chavez
Fall 2006: Master's Project Seminar
Fall 2006: International Reporting: Central America
Spring 2006: Law and Ethics
Spring 2006: Art and Culture in Latin America
Spring 2006: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2006: Immigration Policy
Fall 2005: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2005: International Reporting Culture in Latin America
Spring 2005: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2002: Newsroom
Fall 2001: Frosh Seminar: Ethics and Journalism
Fall 2001: Reporting the News-Chavez
Fall 2001: Master's Project Tutorial
Fall 2001: Ethics and Law
Spring 2001: Frosh/Soph Seminar: Contemporary Cuba
Spring 2001: Master's Project Tutorial
Spring 2001: International Reporting-Cuba
Fall 2000: Frosh Seminar: California Initiative Process
Fall 2000: Reporting the News-Chavez
Fall 2000: Master's Project Tutorial
Spring 2000: Master's Project Tutorial
Fall 1999: J200 Weekly Assembly
Fall 1999: Reporting the News-Chavez
Spring 1999: International Reporting-Central America
Fall 2004: Law and Ethics
Fall 2004: Reporting the News-Chavez
Fall 2004: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2004: FSP: Ethics in Journalism
Spring 2004: Law and Ethics
Spring 2004: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2004: Int'l Reporting: India
Spring 2004: Int'l Reporting: Argentina
Fall 2003: Frosh/Soph Seminar: First Acts
Fall 2003: Reporting the News-Chavez
Fall 2003: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2003: Frosh Seminar: First Acts
Spring 2003: Law and Ethics
Spring 2003: Master's Project Seminar
Spring 2003: View of India thru Prism of 9/11
Spring 2003: Feature Workshop
Fall 2002: Frosh Seminar: Ethics in Journalism
Fall 2002: Reporting the News-Chavez
Fall 2002: Master's Project Tutorial