Tani D Sanchez
- Professor of Practice
- (520) 621-5613
- Learning Services Building, Rm. 244
- Tucson, AZ 85721
- tsanchez@arizona.edu
Biography
Dr. Sanchez is primarily interested in racial representations in the media and in the study of African American history and culture. She worked for a number of years as an editor, broadcast journalist and as a media information specialist. She is also the first president of the Tucson Chapter Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (founded by Gloria Smith) and has served as a State President of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. She has a doctorate is in Comparative Cultural and Literary studies; her masters degree focused on visual culture/art history while her undergraduate studies included Radio and Television.
She has lectured in Tucson and other cities on Black History, racial representations in film, and on African American family history and genealogy. Her wide-ranging background in broadcast and written journalism as well as in public affairs has included overseas assignments in the U.S. Army and a stint in the Arizona National Guard. Her academic writings have been published in two anthologies; she has created political videos and has written and edited books and newsletters for community-based associations.
She believes, “It is especially important for people to be educated in Africana studies subjects because our everyday lives are heavily influenced by race, racism, and the impact of centuries of colonialism. However, many people are not exposed to the insightful types of analysis that comes from the viewpoint of the subjugated. Some students believe learning about race and the history of it in America perpetuates racism. I sometimes hear them say ‘if you just don’t talk about it, it will go away’ or they say discussing racial history creates racism and bad feelings. But if racial problems and their origins are simply ignored, long-standing, continuing oppressions will persist. Many will continue to perceive ordinary, everyday discriminatory practices as normal, not realizing how they manifest. They won't understand the impact on their lives or how we can all, regardless of race, participate in something that is oppressive. The disparity in wealth among races is just one of many statistics clearly indicating something is clearly out of balance! We need black theoretical perspectives and a more complete history factored into our learning.
She adds, "How can anyone critically assess what is happening today in our society and find solutions with only a portion of the picture?”
Degrees
- Ph.D. Comparative Cultural and Literary Studies
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States
- Race and the Matrix Movie Trilogy
- M.A. Media Arts
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States
- The Mulatto Stereotype in Cinema
- B.A. Radio and Television
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States
Work Experience
- Journal Latin American Issues (2015 - 2016)
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2014 - Ongoing)
- Pearson-Prentice Hall (2009 - 2011)
- Pima Community College (2009)
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2004 - 2014)
- Pima Community College, Tucson, Arizona (2002 - 2004)
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2002)
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1990 - 1993)
- Arizona Historical Society (1989 - 1990)
- Arizona National Guard (1987 - 1991)
- U.S Army (1983 - 1987)
Awards
- Creative Achievement Award
- College of Fine Arts, University of Arizona, Fall 1996
- Albert Haldeman Scholarship
- College of Fine Arts, Spring 1996
- Graduate College Fellowships & Tuition Awards
- University of Arizona, Spring 1996
- Minority Achievement Award
- College of Fine Arts, Spring 1996
- The Gratitude Project
- UArizona Gratitude Project, Student success and retention innovation, Fall 2023
- Merit Increase
- College of Humanities, Africana Studies, Fall 2022
- COH Annual Performance Based Component (APBC) Program
- College of Humanities, Fall 2021
- Service Awards - 15 year
- University of Arizona, Spring 2021
- Africana Studies Teaching Award Stipend
- COH Annual Performance Based Component (APBC) Program, Spring 2019
- COH Annual Performance Based Component (APBC) Program, Spring 2018
- Spring 2019 Project Awards
- Center for Digital Humanities, Spring 2019 (Award Finalist)
- Nominated Favorite Professor 2017
- College of Humanities, Fall 2017
- Certificate of recognition for 2017
- College of Humanities and Africana Studies, Spring 2017
- Nominated Favorite Professor 2015
- College of Humanities, Fall 2015
- Wakonse Arizona Fellow
- Wakonse Conference on College Teaching, Arizona Chapter, Spring 2001
Licensure & Certification
- Title IX Annual Training, University of Arizona (2024)
- FERPA Training: For Instructors and Instructional Support Teams (REQUIRED for D2L ACCESS), University of Arizona Registrar (2023)
- Active Shooter Training: Video Option, UAPD (2024)
- Information Security Awareness Certification, University of Arizona ISO (2024)
- Safety Preparedness Training: Active Shooter, UAPD (2024)
- Preventing Harassment and Discrimination, University of Arizona The Office of Institutional Equity (2024)
Interests
Teaching
My goal is to provide students with skills that they can apply to real life situations. In all of my teaching I stress the need for sound academic sources as a basis for reasoning but I also use experiential pedagogy, asking students to use their own experiences as sources of insight and analysis, comparing those experiences to lecture materials, films, and assigned texts. In addition to experiential models of teaching I use storytelling, sometimes drawing upon my own life experiences, or upon multicultural literary traditions in fiction and autobiography. My teaching is interdisciplinary and uses artwork, music and cinema to help illustrate concepts and theories that are often unfamiliar to students.
Research
I am interested in African American representations and cinema productions. I am interested in their receptions and impacts.
Courses
2024-25 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2025) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2024)
2023-24 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2024) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2024) -
Blacks in Hollywood
AFAS 439 (Fall 2023) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2023) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2023) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2022) -
Hist View Afr Diaspora Cinema
AFAS 300 (Fall 2022) -
Honors Thesis
AFAS 498H (Fall 2022)
2021-22 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2022) -
Blacks in Hollywood
AFAS 439 (Spring 2022) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2022) -
Honors Thesis
AFAS 498H (Spring 2022) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2021)
2020-21 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2021) -
Blacks in Hollywood
AFAS 439 (Spring 2021) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2021) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2020)
2019-20 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2020) -
Blacks in Hollywood
AFAS 439 (Spring 2020) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2020) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2019) -
Hist View Afr Diaspora Cinema
AFAS 300 (Fall 2019)
2018-19 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2019) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2019) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2018)
2017-18 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2018) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2018) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2017)
2016-17 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2017) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2017) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Fall 2016)
2015-16 Courses
-
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Summer I 2016) -
Writers, Women+The Gods
AFAS 342 (Summer I 2016) -
Writers, Women+The Gods
ENGL 342 (Summer I 2016) -
Writers, Women+The Gods
GWS 342 (Summer I 2016) -
Hip-Hop Cinema
AFAS 371 (Spring 2016)
Scholarly Contributions
Books
- Sanchez, T. D. (2019). E-BOOK. Survey of African and African Diaspora Cinema. United States of America: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.More infoThis ebook includes films analysis that addresses film theory and history surrounding cinematic productions of and about the African diaspora.
- Sanchez, T. D. (1993). Meals and Memoirs: Recipes and Recollections of African Americans in Tucson, Arizona. Tucson, Az: Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society--Tucson Chapter.
- Sanchez, T. D. (2015). E-BOOK.Understanding Black American Aspects of Hip Hop Cinema, Revised First Edition. United States of America: Sentia Publishing Company.More infoThis ebook includes films analysis that addresses theory, hip-hop themes and racial context.
- Sanchez, T. D. (2017). Didn't Come From Nothing: An African-American Story of Life. Tucson: Brightwater Ventures, LLC.
- Sanchez, T. D., & Everett-Haynes, L. (2007). Traditions of Uplift. Arizona Association of Colored Women's Clubs.More infoA history of the Arizona Association of Colored Women's Clubs, with a special focus on Tucson clubs.
Chapters
- Sanchez, T. D. (2008). Neo-abolitionists, colorblind epistemologies and black politics: the Matrix trilogy. In The persistence of whiteness: race and contemporary Hollywood cinema. London: Routledge.
- Sanchez, T. D. (2009). Ten Discourses of the Black Female in Contemporary Film. In African American Women's Language: Discourse, Education and Identity(pp 184-195). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Journals/Publications
- Sanchez, T. D. (1991). Neo Artist Explores History and Morality. Report on Research: The Fine Arts, University of Arizona, 8(1).
- Sanchez, T. D. (1991). Paintings are Impossible to Ignore. Report on Research: The Fine Arts University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona, 8(1).
Creative Productions
- Sanchez, T. D., Morris, J., Spencer, E., & Bonsa, S. (2022. Meals and Memoirs II: Recipes and Recollections of African Americans in Tucson, Arizona.. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/meals-and-memoirs-ii-recipes-and-recollections-of-african-americans-in-tucson-arizona-tani-d-sanchez/1141394668. Tucson, Arizona: University of Arizona. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/meals-and-memoirs-ii-recipes-and-recollections-of-african-americans-in-tucson-arizona-tani-d-sanchez/1141394668More infoThis cookbook and history uses recipes, interviews, quotes, and other research to paint a portrait of African Americans in Tucson, Arizona. Originally published in 1993 by the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society-Tucson Chapter, this updated 2nd edition retains the recollections and beloved recipes of citizens from the early part of the 1900s while adding the voices and perspectives of a wide range of Blacks. This edition walks into the new century through the Covid 19 Pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, new Black immigration into the city and other events. Always a small minority of the Tucson population, African Americans interacted, created, and generally used food as part of a fellowship. Their recipes, some updated to fit new "healthy" standards, offer a glimpse into Black life in the Southwest. Personal testimonies, editor's notes and short essays throughout make this a complete and satisfying read for the mind and the soul.
