HoC: Anthony Guaracha
Humans of Chaffey
Photo of Anthony Guaracha
Chaffey College Sociology professor Anthony Guaracha is a first generation college student who grew up in the San Bernardino area. Once he graduated, his brother suggested he apply to UC Riverside. His initial goal was to get into the music industry and start his own record label. However, people's interests often change, so he decided to take courses in sociology instead.
While taking these classes, he learned about the different characteristics of social groups and how culture encompasses language, religion, food, social habits, music and art. Human societies, the dynamic interactions they have with each other and the processes that preserve and alter them are what serve as the foundation of the social science that is sociology. These ideas intrigued Guaracha enough to want to pursue a career in that field and eventually teach the subject.
Even though he went into a different field, Guaracha is still fascinated by music and feels it is something that is tied to culture. Outside of teaching at Chaffey, he works as a DJ for a radio station in the Inland Empire. He plays various kinds of music on air to listen to while commuting to work or simply being on the road. Working here has allowed him to meet all kinds of people and celebrities. He has also recorded music and documented events related to activism, which ties into community service he does for the radio station.
He taught at Chaffey for six years and seeks to maintain positive interactions with his students. Relatives of his attend Chaffey as well, so he tries to treat his students as he would treat his family, maintaining kindness and sympathizing with their challenges. When he was in college, he would always be in the computer lab or borrowing friends' computers to write papers since he could not afford one at the time. He is mindful of the fact that not everyone has access to the resources they need, and it is something that has left a large impression on him.
Guaracha is part of the honors program committee at Chaffey for students who desire a higher education. There are certain GPA requirements and out of class activities that need to be completed in order to be accepted, but once that happens it can open the door to a wide variety of opportunities and benefits that you would not have otherwise. The smaller class sizes allow for more meaningful discussions and better ways to interact with the professor. Seminar style teaching consists of thoughtful dialogue where everyone has their voice heard. The professor guides the conversation and gives detailed lectures, but students are not just simple note takers.
Instead of typically going to class to listen to the lecture and complete homework afterwards, much of the prep work is done outside of the classroom so that conversations can take place within the class itself. Students may conduct research projects that might be more ambitious than usual, like attending museum events or traveling around the world, which can be enriching experiences for them.
There are classes in Chaffey that are specifically for honors students, but anybody can join if they are willing to put in the effort. Being in an honors program looks good when seeking to transfer to a four year if one desires to further their education. Guaracha has been involved in different honors programs throughout his career, but he feels more at home at Chaffey. Being an honors student is a status that not everyone has, but the feeling of walking down the aisle when finally graduating to receive your certificate is quite rewarding. However, he feels that it is not necessarily about the slip of paper you receive at the end as it is the memorable and engaging interactions you have with colleagues and professors along the way.
One time while teaching, he shared with the class that the school was contacted by the American Sociological Association. They were hosting a contest to see who can create a logo for their conference, and the winner would receive a scholarship as a prize. A student who happened to be a graphic designer approached him afterwards and volunteered.
The logo he created consisted of a fist with a scale and an emblem of the U.S. behind it, symbolizing activism. A recognition ceremony was held at the Mission Inn in Downtown Riverside. The idea that the student created art that was meant to symbolize a certain social cause is one of the many examples of how people communicate thoughts with each other, which ties into the entire concept of sociology. Guaracha considers this subject a passion of his and continues to teach at Chaffey with no plans on leaving any time soon.