last summer I read a blog post entitled the invisible latina intellectual
the invisible latina intellectual
the invisible latina intellectual written by dr. Brazil Acosta in it she
written by dr. Brazil Acosta in it she
written by dr. Brazil Acosta in it she describes an experience she commonly has
describes an experience she commonly has
describes an experience she commonly has walking across the university campus
walking across the university campus
walking across the university campus where she teaches where she is often
where she teaches where she is often
where she teaches where she is often mistaken for a student in spite of the
mistaken for a student in spite of the
mistaken for a student in spite of the fact that she is a PhD grain and in her
fact that she is a PhD grain and in her
fact that she is a PhD grain and in her 40s as a Latina professor who is also in
40s as a Latina professor who is also in
40s as a Latina professor who is also in her 40s in green I had this aha moment
her 40s in green I had this aha moment
her 40s in green I had this aha moment when someone describes an experience
when someone describes an experience
when someone describes an experience that you thought was just your own like
that you thought was just your own like
that you thought was just your own like a Costa I do not see this as a
a Costa I do not see this as a
a Costa I do not see this as a compliment instead I see it as a subtle
compliment instead I see it as a subtle
compliment instead I see it as a subtle affirmation of what I often feel the
affirmation of what I often feel the
affirmation of what I often feel the impostor syndrome that noise buzzing in
impostor syndrome that noise buzzing in
impostor syndrome that noise buzzing in the back of my head always saying you
the back of my head always saying you
the back of my head always saying you don’t belong here
don’t belong here
don’t belong here masked in a compliment about youth is an
masked in a compliment about youth is an
masked in a compliment about youth is an assumption about what a professor looks
assumption about what a professor looks
assumption about what a professor looks like and it’s not a latina it’s not me
like and it’s not a latina it’s not me
like and it’s not a latina it’s not me as a scholar of religion I spent the
as a scholar of religion I spent the
as a scholar of religion I spent the majority of my life trying to tell the
majority of my life trying to tell the
majority of my life trying to tell the stories of Latin American Caribbean and
stories of Latin American Caribbean and
stories of Latin American Caribbean and Latina women I want to talk to you about
Latina women I want to talk to you about
Latina women I want to talk to you about our intellectual foremothers but I also
our intellectual foremothers but I also
our intellectual foremothers but I also want you to think about the everyday
want you to think about the everyday
want you to think about the everyday knowledge of our way less RTS and ARP
knowledge of our way less RTS and ARP
knowledge of our way less RTS and ARP además those wise latina as once
además those wise latina as once
además those wise latina as once described by Justice Sonia Sotomayor
described by Justice Sonia Sotomayor
described by Justice Sonia Sotomayor when I was a college student I never
when I was a college student I never
when I was a college student I never questioned the fact that I never read
questioned the fact that I never read
questioned the fact that I never read any latina or Latin American women
any latina or Latin American women
any latina or Latin American women authors how can you miss something that
authors how can you miss something that
authors how can you miss something that you don’t know exists I never had a
you don’t know exists I never had a
you don’t know exists I never had a Latina or Latino professor because at my
Latina or Latino professor because at my
Latina or Latino professor because at my university the people that look like me
university the people that look like me
university the people that look like me were most likely cleaning the university
were most likely cleaning the university
were most likely cleaning the university classrooms instead of standing in front
classrooms instead of standing in front
classrooms instead of standing in front of them and so I was fortunate enough to
of them and so I was fortunate enough to
of them and so I was fortunate enough to stick to stumble into classes that told
stick to stumble into classes that told
stick to stumble into classes that told me the history and the stories that I
me the history and the stories that I
me the history and the stories that I always knew existed and so in my time
always knew existed and so in my time
always knew existed and so in my time with you today I
with you today I
with you today I I don’t want to share with you a few of
I don’t want to share with you a few of
I don’t want to share with you a few of them lettuce that are part of my
them lettuce that are part of my
them lettuce that are part of my intellectual autobiography I also want
intellectual autobiography I also want
intellectual autobiography I also want to argue that they should be part of
to argue that they should be part of
to argue that they should be part of yours
yours
yours so Fontaine esta Loco deuce is a 17th
so Fontaine esta Loco deuce is a 17th
so Fontaine esta Loco deuce is a 17th century Mexican nun and she’s considered
century Mexican nun and she’s considered
century Mexican nun and she’s considered one of the greatest figures in Spanish
one of the greatest figures in Spanish
one of the greatest figures in Spanish colonial letters she wrote poetry plays
colonial letters she wrote poetry plays
colonial letters she wrote poetry plays devotional writings and prose in spite
devotional writings and prose in spite
devotional writings and prose in spite of the fact that she spent the majority
of the fact that she spent the majority
of the fact that she spent the majority of her life
of her life
of her life hoisted in a convent she actually had
hoisted in a convent she actually had
hoisted in a convent she actually had international fame during her lifetime
international fame during her lifetime
international fame during her lifetime this recognition led to the scrutiny of
this recognition led to the scrutiny of
this recognition led to the scrutiny of church authorities who felt it was
church authorities who felt it was
church authorities who felt it was inappropriate for a woman to get so much
inappropriate for a woman to get so much
inappropriate for a woman to get so much attention so Juana at the end of her
attention so Juana at the end of her
attention so Juana at the end of her life is eventually silenced by the
life is eventually silenced by the
life is eventually silenced by the Catholic Church she is forced to sell
Catholic Church she is forced to sell
Catholic Church she is forced to sell all her books and to stop writing
all her books and to stop writing
all her books and to stop writing because she dared to write theology she
because she dared to write theology she
because she dared to write theology she dared to write about God in an era where
dared to write about God in an era where
dared to write about God in an era where that was exclusively for men one of
that was exclusively for men one of
that was exclusively for men one of slurp Ana’s last writings is entitled
slurp Ana’s last writings is entitled
slurp Ana’s last writings is entitled lot of Swiss that I sort of feel out
lot of Swiss that I sort of feel out
lot of Swiss that I sort of feel out there known as the response in English
there known as the response in English
there known as the response in English in it sorta wanna weave Scripture
in it sorta wanna weave Scripture
in it sorta wanna weave Scripture philosophy theology and litanies of
philosophy theology and litanies of
philosophy theology and litanies of women to justify women’s right to
women to justify women’s right to
women to justify women’s right to education she says that her intellect is
education she says that her intellect is
education she says that her intellect is a gift of God and not a curse in the
a gift of God and not a curse in the
a gift of God and not a curse in the response she describes a time when the
response she describes a time when the
response she describes a time when the Inquisition forbade her from reading for
Inquisition forbade her from reading for
Inquisition forbade her from reading for three months however they could not shut
three months however they could not shut
three months however they could not shut down her mind
down her mind
down her mind instead he its stead of studying texts
instead he its stead of studying texts
instead he its stead of studying texts she studied the world around her what
she studied the world around her what
she studied the world around her what did sorta wanna study
did sorta wanna study
did sorta wanna study she studied everyday life observations
she studied everyday life observations
she studied everyday life observations of the convents dormitories led to
of the convents dormitories led to
of the convents dormitories led to lessons on geometry observing two girls
lessons on geometry observing two girls
lessons on geometry observing two girls playing tops led to experiments with
playing tops led to experiments with
playing tops led to experiments with flour and other experiments in the
flour and other experiments in the
flour and other experiments in the kitchen she found cooking with eggs had
kitchen she found cooking with eggs had
kitchen she found cooking with eggs had excellent results these experiments lead
excellent results these experiments lead
excellent results these experiments lead her to say what do women know besides
her to say what do women know besides
her to say what do women know besides philosophies of the
philosophies of the
philosophies of the sorta wanna is sarcastically challenging
sorta wanna is sarcastically challenging
sorta wanna is sarcastically challenging the assumption that the gender coded
the assumption that the gender coded
the assumption that the gender coded spaces of the domestic sphere are empty
spaces of the domestic sphere are empty
spaces of the domestic sphere are empty of intellectual value that quote is
of intellectual value that quote is
of intellectual value that quote is followed by probably my favorite
followed by probably my favorite
followed by probably my favorite statement in sorta Juana’s corpus when
statement in sorta Juana’s corpus when
statement in sorta Juana’s corpus when she writes had Aristotle cooked he would
she writes had Aristotle cooked he would
she writes had Aristotle cooked he would have written a great deal more that last
have written a great deal more that last
have written a great deal more that last sentence makes me think about my mother
sentence makes me think about my mother
sentence makes me think about my mother it also makes me think about my
it also makes me think about my
it also makes me think about my grandmother my aunts my cousin’s all
grandmother my aunts my cousin’s all
grandmother my aunts my cousin’s all those women in my family that kept us
those women in my family that kept us
those women in my family that kept us together and often go unrecognized
together and often go unrecognized
together and often go unrecognized growing up I didn’t think I had any role
growing up I didn’t think I had any role
growing up I didn’t think I had any role models
models
models I had one anti role model my mother my
I had one anti role model my mother my
I had one anti role model my mother my house was a typical Cuban patriarchy
house was a typical Cuban patriarchy
house was a typical Cuban patriarchy where it was a hierarchy with my father
where it was a hierarchy with my father
where it was a hierarchy with my father on the top and my mother at the bottom
on the top and my mother at the bottom
on the top and my mother at the bottom he ruled the home and so I saw my mother
he ruled the home and so I saw my mother
he ruled the home and so I saw my mother as weak and so it was not my mother who
as weak and so it was not my mother who
as weak and so it was not my mother who I wanted to be like I didn’t want to be
I wanted to be like I didn’t want to be
I wanted to be like I didn’t want to be like her at all instead it was my father
like her at all instead it was my father
like her at all instead it was my father who I emulated whose praise I always saw
who I emulated whose praise I always saw
who I emulated whose praise I always saw my father had a library in his study
my father had a library in his study
my father had a library in his study that contained books that covered Cuban
that contained books that covered Cuban
that contained books that covered Cuban history art culture you name it as a
history art culture you name it as a
history art culture you name it as a child one set of books particularly
child one set of books particularly
child one set of books particularly caught my eye the writings of Lydia
caught my eye the writings of Lydia
caught my eye the writings of Lydia Cabrera now it could be their topic
Cabrera now it could be their topic
Cabrera now it could be their topic which was Afro Cuban religions or it
which was Afro Cuban religions or it
which was Afro Cuban religions or it could be because they were one of the
could be because they were one of the
could be because they were one of the only books written by women but I used
only books written by women but I used
only books written by women but I used to stump through those books as a child
to stump through those books as a child
to stump through those books as a child and read the different passages and look
and read the different passages and look
and read the different passages and look at the photos decades later as a scholar
at the photos decades later as a scholar
at the photos decades later as a scholar of afro-cuban religion I rien countered
of afro-cuban religion I rien countered
of afro-cuban religion I rien countered gaveta I learned that when she died she
gaveta I learned that when she died she
gaveta I learned that when she died she left her archives to the University of
left her archives to the University of
left her archives to the University of Miami where I teach and one day as i sat
Miami where I teach and one day as i sat
Miami where I teach and one day as i sat in the cubed Heritage Collection looking
in the cubed Heritage Collection looking
in the cubed Heritage Collection looking at her archives and trying to enter in
at her archives and trying to enter in
at her archives and trying to enter in to the world of Cabrera my interest was
to the world of Cabrera my interest was
to the world of Cabrera my interest was cemented I was looking at a folder of
cemented I was looking at a folder of
cemented I was looking at a folder of clippings when she was given an award by
clippings when she was given an award by
clippings when she was given an award by the University of Miami and as I turned
the University of Miami and as I turned
the University of Miami and as I turned to page I saw a photo of the ceremony
to page I saw a photo of the ceremony
to page I saw a photo of the ceremony and sitting in the front row were my
and sitting in the front row were my
and sitting in the front row were my parents the invitation was clear Lidia
parents the invitation was clear Lidia
parents the invitation was clear Lidia Cabrera is an ethnographer an
Cabrera is an ethnographer an
Cabrera is an ethnographer an anthropologist from the first half of
anthropologist from the first half of
anthropologist from the first half of the 20th century and she has one of the
the 20th century and she has one of the
the 20th century and she has one of the most substantial documentation of
most substantial documentation of
most substantial documentation of afro-cuban religions you cannot
afro-cuban religions you cannot
afro-cuban religions you cannot understand afro-cuban religion or Cuban
understand afro-cuban religion or Cuban
understand afro-cuban religion or Cuban culture as a whole without studying her
culture as a whole without studying her
culture as a whole without studying her similar to sort Juana she is self-taught
similar to sort Juana she is self-taught
similar to sort Juana she is self-taught also similar to sorta Juana she is often
also similar to sorta Juana she is often
also similar to sorta Juana she is often marginalized by the Academy and it is
marginalized by the Academy and it is
marginalized by the Academy and it is from Cabrera that I learned that Cuba
from Cabrera that I learned that Cuba
from Cabrera that I learned that Cuba was as she described it permeated with
was as she described it permeated with
was as she described it permeated with African influences I realized that while
African influences I realized that while
African influences I realized that while my parents had raised me to love and be
my parents had raised me to love and be
my parents had raised me to love and be proud of everything Cuban what they
proud of everything Cuban what they
proud of everything Cuban what they meant was what was white Cuban and so
meant was what was white Cuban and so
meant was what was white Cuban and so what Solana taught me about gender GABA
what Solana taught me about gender GABA
what Solana taught me about gender GABA Dada
Dada
Dada taught me about race those women also
taught me about race those women also
taught me about race those women also forced me to confront the patriarchy in
forced me to confront the patriarchy in
forced me to confront the patriarchy in my background I called myself a feminist
my background I called myself a feminist
my background I called myself a feminist yet I still saw my mother as an antihero
yet I still saw my mother as an antihero
yet I still saw my mother as an antihero and I wish I could tell you that I came
and I wish I could tell you that I came
and I wish I could tell you that I came to that realization sooner but it was
to that realization sooner but it was
to that realization sooner but it was after her mine had been ravaged by
after her mine had been ravaged by
after her mine had been ravaged by Alzheimer’s for years that I came to
Alzheimer’s for years that I came to
Alzheimer’s for years that I came to realize that I did have a role model
realize that I did have a role model
realize that I did have a role model growing up and she was my mother I also
growing up and she was my mother I also
growing up and she was my mother I also realized that I had other latina and
realized that I had other latina and
realized that I had other latina and other Latin American women as role
other Latin American women as role
other Latin American women as role models some I knew in my life
models some I knew in my life
models some I knew in my life others I met in books some were
others I met in books some were
others I met in books some were historical like sorta Juana and Cabrera
historical like sorta Juana and Cabrera
historical like sorta Juana and Cabrera and some emerge from the imagination of
and some emerge from the imagination of
and some emerge from the imagination of writers like Sandra Cisneros Julio
writers like Sandra Cisneros Julio
writers like Sandra Cisneros Julio Alvarez and Cristina Garcia
Alvarez and Cristina Garcia
Alvarez and Cristina Garcia and you may think you need to be a
and you may think you need to be a
and you may think you need to be a Latina to get their work but you don’t
Latina to get their work but you don’t
Latina to get their work but you don’t no one ever told me I had to be British
no one ever told me I had to be British
no one ever told me I had to be British to read Shakespeare Greek to read Plato
to read Shakespeare Greek to read Plato
to read Shakespeare Greek to read Plato mail to understand Hemingway those
mail to understand Hemingway those
mail to understand Hemingway those writers exist in a universal bubble that
writers exist in a universal bubble that
writers exist in a universal bubble that is stripped of their gender their race
is stripped of their gender their race
is stripped of their gender their race and their culture and maybe if we
and their culture and maybe if we
and their culture and maybe if we stopped labeling writers that are women
stopped labeling writers that are women
stopped labeling writers that are women as women writers or authors that are
as women writers or authors that are
as women writers or authors that are african-american as black writers and
african-american as black writers and
african-american as black writers and just see them as writers and authors
just see them as writers and authors
just see them as writers and authors then we would be exposed to the
then we would be exposed to the
then we would be exposed to the complexity the diversity and the
complexity the diversity and the
complexity the diversity and the richness of our intellectual heritage we
richness of our intellectual heritage we
richness of our intellectual heritage we would see the everyday wisdom of our
would see the everyday wisdom of our
would see the everyday wisdom of our mothers and our grandmothers and we
mothers and our grandmothers and we
mothers and our grandmothers and we would start to realize that people who
would start to realize that people who
would start to realize that people who look like me
look like me
look like me our professors – thank you
”
Be First to Comment