Last year around this time, I blogged some tips for how to make the most of the MALCS Summer Institute. The Institute is a special time for students, junior colleagues and senior scholars in our fields because we come together to support each other, make new friends, and hear new critical engagements within our scholarly … Read more
Recently, the Mujeres Talk Collective asked successful women to share tips and advice on the tenure process. Below are two insightful contributions from Dras. Catherine RamÃrez and Karen Mary Davalos: Catherine S. RamÃrez Know your institution. Familiarize yourself with its policies, procedures, and expectations.  Ask colleagues who’ve recently been promoted to tenure for their CVs. (Increasingly, CVs … Read more
When I applied for admission to the doctoral program of the Department of Drama at Stanford University ten years ago, I included a clearly written statement about my politics as a self-identified working class Xicana lesbian theatre artist. (I also had stated as much in my application to the UCLA MFA in Directing. I cite … Read more
August 31, 2012, is the last day that renowned Chicana, feminist scholar Dr. Norma E. Cantú will be at the University of Texas, San Antonio’s English Department. To honor her work, Dr. Larissa Mercado-López (one of her former students) led a group of volunteers who organized an amazing mini-symposium on the life and work of Dr. … Read more
Mujeres Activas. On July 18th I arrived in Santa Barbara and was in awe; the city is incredibly beautiful and the weather was perfect. As a Dominican woman, a self-identified Latina, and a Ph.D. student I was excited to be attending my first MALCS … Read more
Upon returning to the ‘real world’ after a wonderful time spent with mujeres at UC Santa Barbara last week, I have been reflecting on how those few days at the MALCS Summer Institute can be transformative. I organized a workshop on Rasquache Technology and the excitement of the attendees was so palpable, I was inspired … Read more
Mentorship, both the act of mentoring and being mentored, is a well-known practice amongst Chicana and Latina scholars, educators and activists. We know firsthand of its efficiency, and the deep sense of satisfaction that comes with offering and taking advice, of extending a hand in friendship and in solidarity with each other. Working against hyper-competitive … Read more