Born and raised on the central coast, Nicholas F. Centino earned his doctorate in Chicana & Chicano Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Centino’s work examines the popular cultural practices of Chicanx & Latinx community members as strategies of survival & negotiation. With a keen eye to ways in which hierarchies of power shape the everyday and mundane experiences of common people, his work highlights often ignored and dismissed narratives of struggle in the contemporary moment as well as in eras gone by.

His book Razabilly: Transforming Sights Sounds and History in the Los Latina/o Rockabilly Scene is a nuanced account revealing how and why Los Angeles Latinas/os have turned to and transformed the music and aesthetic style of 1950s rockabilly, Razabilly offers rare insight into this musical subculture, its place in rock and roll history, and its passionate practitioners. Pairing a decade of participant observation with interviews and historical research, Centino explores the reasons behind a Rockabilly renaissance in 1990s Los Angeles and demonstrates how, as a form of working-class leisure, this scene provides Razabillies with spaces of respite and conviviality within the alienating landscape of the urban metropolis.

10 copies of Dr. Centino's book Razabilly will be raffled to student attendees!

The University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Disability Accommodations and Support Services at (805) 437-3331 or accommodations@csuci.edu as soon as possible, but no later than 7 business days prior to the event.