Puerto Rican Studies Obituary
An Open Letter to the PRSA
August 13, 2020
JuanMiguelMilagrosOlgaManuelwill right now be doing their own thingwhere beautiful people singand dance and work togetherwhere the wind is a strangerto miserable weather conditionswhere you do not need a dictionaryto communicate with your people.
—Pedro Pietri, “Puerto Rican Obituary”
As scholars who are seriously committed to and invested in Puerto Rican Studies, we want to express our deep concern with recent developments in the Puerto Rican Studies Association (PRSA). The resignation of five junior female colleagues (most of whom are graduate students)—as reflected in the open letter “Why We are Resigning From the Puerto Rican Studies Association Executive Board” published in Medium on August 10—signals a serious crisis in an organization that should be committed to inclusivity and diversity of race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, disciplinary orientation, and generation within a field that has reached 50 years of existence.
These early career scholars demanding change are following in the footsteps of previous generations of scholar-activists who fought hard for the recognition of Puerto Rican Studies as a field. Let there be no doubt that the transformations demanded by these scholars represent what the undersigned, as part of the broader constituency of PRSA, would like to see in our organization.
Many of us have participated in PRSA and in its conferences over several decades and share a common concern with the lack of transparency in its elections and operations, the displacement of the diasporic origins of the association, and the lack of diversity of its leadership. Recent events further substantiate continued problems with racism, homophobia, and the prevalence of toxic masculinity within PRSA, which several of us have experienced first-hand.
Considering the substantial and detailed accusations enumerated in the above mentioned resignation letter, and seeking to safeguard PRSA’s core principles and mission, we ask the current members of the Executive Board to respond publicly to the requests presented by these colleagues and to carry out new elections monitored by an independent organization in order to elect a new leadership that is prepared to address the current needs of the field of Puerto Rican Studies: one that foregrounds Black, feminist, and queer perspectives.
We are in a global moment of reckoning in which Puerto Rican and Latinx organizations must confront long-standing issues of race, gender, and sexuality, not only in the public sphere but internally as well. As part of this greater community, as well as on its own terms, we expect PRSA to recognize the need for transformational change and to enact it. We want a PRSA that supports and values a more diverse field, both in terms of the disciplinary perspectives represented in the association, as well as in terms of a much needed renewal of the goals and vision of the association and its leadership.
We want a PRSA that censures bullying and unprofessional behavior. We want a PRSA that welcomes openly and readily a broad array of voices and research interests. We want a PRSA that fosters constructive dialogue and that offers a safe space for current, emerging, and future Puerto Rican scholars, activists, artists, and students. We want and need a PRSA that will welcome the growth and development of our field in what is one of its most productive moments. PRSA must be a mentoring space, where junior and senior scholars, as well as graduate students, can learn and share academic experiences beyond the confines of their home departments and institutions, where they are often marginalized.
PRSA must become a space where we can champion and foster collective contributions to Puerto Rican studies, while also “doing our own thing,” as envisioned by Pedro Pietri in his iconic poem, “Puerto Rican Obituary.” Pietri's poem was written at a time of great turmoil for the Puerto Rican community where poverty and extreme isolation challenged visions of community, but it ends with a call for a more expansive and inclusive Puerto Rican identity. Borrowing from Pietri we hope that this too can be a moment of revitalization for our intellectual community.
In the wake of disasters, pandemics, and the unfolding political movements that call for racial and gender justice, PRSA should be seeking to foster the work and leadership of bright young scholars, not alienating them.
Signed, (in alphabetical order by last name)
Alan Aja, Associate Professor, Puerto Rican and Latino Studies, Brooklyn College (CUNY)Carlos Alamo-Pastrana, Associate Professor of Sociology, Vassar CollegeRaquel Albarrán, Assistant Professor, Luso-Hispanic Studies, Middlebury CollegeCecilia Aldarondo, Assistant Professor, Art and Art History, Williams CollegeFrancheska Alers-Rojas, PhD Candidate, Psychology, University of Michigan Gabriel Aquino, Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Westfield State UniversityDiana Aramburu, Assistant Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, UC DavisSanta Arias, Professor, Spanish and Portuguese, University of KansasEmma Amador, Assistant Professor of History and Latino/a/x, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies , University of Connecticut, Storrs Frances Aparicio, Professor Emerita, Spanish & Portuguese, Northwestern University Jossianna Arroyo-Martinez, Professor, Spanish and Portuguese African Diaspora, The University of Texas, AustinJose Atiles, Visiting Assistant Professor of Criminology, Law and Society, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignSara Awartani, Postdoctoral Fellow, Charles Warren Center, HarvardMaria del Carmen Baerga, Professor, History, University of Puerto Rico-Río PiedrasLlana Barber, Associate Professor, American Studies, SUNY Old WestburyLuis Beltrán-Álvarez, PhD. Student of Political Science , University of ConnecticutAmílcar Antonio Barreto, Professor and Interim Chair, Cultures, Societies and Global Studies, Northeastern UniversityDanny, Barreto, Associate Professor, LGBTQ Studies, Colgate UniversityMiriam Margarita Basilio Gaztambide, Associate Professor of Art History and Museum Studies, New York UniversityMarisol Bayona Roman, PhD candidate, Department of Germanic Studies, The University of Texas at AustinCristóbal Borges, Professor, History, North Seattle CollegeJana Braziel, Western College Endowed Professor, Miami University Lena Burgos-Lafuente, Associate professor, Hispanic Languages and Literature, Stony Brook UniversityLuz Burgos-López, PhD Student, University of ConnecticutAndrew Bentley, Visiting Lecturer, Spanish and Portuguese, Indiana UniversityNancy Bird-Soto, Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeGilberto Blasini, Associate Professor, English and Film Studies, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Christina Boyles, Assistant Professor of Culturally-engaged Digital Humanities, Michigan State University Yarimar Bonilla, Professor, Africana & Puerto Rican/Latino Studies, Hunter College-CUNYAnthony Browne, Chair, Africana and Puerto Rican/Latino Studies, Hunter College, CUNYRima Brusi, Distinguished Lecturer, Anthropology, Lehman College, CUNY Pedro Cabán, Professor, Latin American, Caribbean and U.S. Latina/o Studies, University at Albany, SUNYMaria Josefa Canino Arroyo, Professor Emerita, Rutgers University, Founding Chair, DLCS, Livingston College, RutgersMarimer Carrión, Chair, Department of Religion, Emory UniversityPamela Cappas-Toro, Associate Professor - World Languages & Cultures Stetson UniversityJavier Cardona Otero, Doctoral Student, Indiana UniversityRosa Elena Carrasquillo, Professor of History, College of the Holy CrossTania Carrasquillo Hernández, Associate Professor, Global Languages and Cultural Studies, Linfield UniversityShakti Castro, PhD student, History, Columbia University María Elena Cepeda, Professor, Latina/o Studies, Williams CollegeIván Chaar López, Assistant Professor, American Studies, University of Texas at AustinLuis Cintrón-Gutiérrez, Ph.D. Student, Department of Latin American, Caribbean, & U.S. Latino/a Studies, University at Albany, SUNYAris Moreno Clemons, PhD student in Spanish and Portuguese, University of Texas at Austin Melissa Colon, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Bunker Hill Community CollegeBeth Colón-Pizzini, PhD Candidate, African and African Diaspora Studies , University of Texas at AustinHector Cordero-Guzman, Professor, Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College\CUNYKrista L. Cortes, PhD Candidate, Education, University of California, BerkeleyJason Cortés, Associate Professor, Spanish & Portuguese Studies, Rutgers UniversityIván Cruz, PhD Student, PHSU Arnaldo Cruz-Malave, Professor, Latin American and Latinx Studies, Fordham University Gibrán Cruz-Martinez, Juan de la Cierva Research Fellow, Institute of Public Goods and Policies, CSIC, SpainMaria Cruz-Torres, Associate Professor, School of Transborder Studies Arizona State UniversityMarie Cruz Soto, Clinical Assistant Professor, New York UniversityMichael Cucher, Assistant Professor of English, University of Puerto Rico-Río PiedrasYomaira C. Figueroa Vásquez, Associate Professor, English, Michigan State University Amrita Das, Associate Professor of Spanish, World Languages and Cultures, University of North Carolina WilmingtonArlene Davila, Professor, Latino Studies, Anthropology, New York UniversityVeronica Davila, PostDoctorate Fellow in Latin American & Latinx Studies, Smith CollegeAnthony De Jesus, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Saint JosephAngélica De Jesús, Graduate Student, Sociology, Michigan State UniversityJoshua Deckman, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Latinx Studies, Marywood UniversitySolsiree del Moral, Professor, American Studies and Black Studies, Amherst CollegePablo Delano, Charles A. Dana Professor of Fine Arts, Trinity College, Hartford, CTVanessa Díaz, Assistant Professor, Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies, Loyola Marymount UniversityBrenda Domínguez-Rosado, Associate Professor of English University of Puerto Rico, BayamónJennifer Domino Rudolph , Associate Professor Latin American and Latina/o Studies, Connecticut CollegePedro Doreste, PhD Student, Cinema and Media Studies, University of ChicagoMylo Egipciaco, A.Prof. in Psychology, Pierce CollegeAlejandro Escalante, Religious Studies, UNC Chapel HillCarmelo Esterrich, Associate Professor of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Columbia College ChicagoSelma Feliciano-Arroyo, Lecturer, Department of Romance Languages, University of Pennsylvania Sherina Feliciano-Santos, Associate Professor, Anthropology, University of South CarolinaNatasha Fernandez-Perez, Ph.D. Candidate, Anthropology, University of California, BerkeleyTaína Figueroa, PhD Candidate, Emory UniversityYomaira FigueroaVictor Figueroa, Professor, Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Wayne State UniversityEileen Findlay, Professor and Chair, Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies Department, American UniversityLiza Fiol-Matta, Professor, Women’s & Gender Studies, New Jersey City UniversityLicia Fiol-Matta, Professor, Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures, New York UniversityJosé I. Fusté, Assistant Professor, Ethnic Studies, UC San Diego Ricardo Gabriel, PhD Candidate, Sociology, The Graduate Center of The City University of New YorkMaya Garcia, Brooklyn College Alumni, Brooklyn CollegeNichole M. Garcia, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, Rutgers Ismael García-Colón, Associate Professor of Anthropology, CUNY-College of Staten Island and The Graduate CenterGustavo García López, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Planning University of Puerto Rico- Rio PiedrasLorgia Garcia Peña Associate Professor , Harvard UniversityMyrna García-Calderón, Associate Professor, Syracuse University Carlos Garcia-Quijano, Associate Professor, Anthropology, Marine Affairs University of Rhode IslandAdriana Garriga-López, Associate Professor, Anthropology, Kalamazoo CollegeClaudia Garriga-Lopez, Assistant Professor of Queer and Trans Latinx Studies, California State University, ChicoIsar Godreau, Researcher, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey Alyosha Goldstein, Professor of American Studies, University of New MexicoMelinda González, PhD Candidate, Louisiana State University Enrique González-Conty, Assistant Professor, Modern Languages and Literatures, Ithaca CollegeRachel González-Martin, Associate Professor, Mex Am & Latina/o Studies, University of TexasAlexandra Gonzenbach Perkins, Assistant Professor World Languages & Literatures, Texas State UniversityManny Grajales, PhD Candidate, History, Texas A&M UniversityAmanda Guzman, Ann Plato Fellow, American Studies and Anthropology, Trinity College Ivette Guzman Zavala, Professor, Languages Department, Lebanon Valley CollegeMolly Hamm-Rodríguez, PhD Candidate, University of Colorado BoulderSara Baugh Harris, Faculty Theater, Agnes Scott CollegeBryce Henson, Visiting Assistant Professor/ACES fellow, Department of Communication, Texas A&M UniversityDaniela Hernández, Ph.D. Student in Hispanic Studies, Emory UniversityIvette N. Hernández-Torres, Associate Professor, Spanish and Portuguese, University of California, IrvineRebeca Hey-Colón, Assistant Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Temple UniversityJohn Hinshaw, Professor of History, Lebanon Valley College Ylce Irizarry, Associate Professor, Department of English, University of South Florida - TampaGuillermo B. Irizarry, Associate Professor, Spanish and Puerto Rican/Latina/o Studies, University of Connecticut, Storrs Gladys M. Jiménez-Muñoz, Associate Professor, Sociology Department, Binghamton UniversityMónica Jiménez, Assistant Professor, African and African Diaspora Studies Department, The University of Texas, AustinJennifer Kelly, Assistant Professor, Feminist Studies Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, University of California, Santa CruzLawrence La Fountain-Stokes, Professor, American Culture and Romance Languages and Literatures, University of Michigan, Ann ArborAsela R. Laguna, Prof. Emerita, Rutgers University, NJDeepak Lamba-Nieves, Adjunct Instructor, University of Puerto Rico, Graduate School of PlanningAgustin Lao-Montes, Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts at AmherstBianca Laureano, Sex Therapy, CIISPedro Lebrón Ortiz, Independent ScholarAurora Levins Morales, Independent scholarShirley Leyro, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNYBeatriz Llenín Figueroa, PhD, Profesora sin plaza, UPR-MayagüezHilda Lloréns, Associate Professor, Sociology & Anthropology, University of Rhode IslandLaura Lomas, Professor, English, Rutgers University-NewarkMonxo López, Mellon Foundation postdoctoral curatorial fellow, Museum of the City of New YorkMariely Lopez-Santana, Associate Prof of Politics, George Mason UniversityCarmen R. Lugo-Lugo, Professor of Comparative Ethnic Studies, Washington State University Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Associate Professor, Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Studies, The University of ChicagoAnne S. Macpherson, Professor, Department of History, SUNY BrockportNelson Maldonado-Torres, Director, Rutgers Advanced Institute for Critical Caribbean StudiesRyan Mann-Hamilton, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Latin American Studies, CUNY LaGuardiaCatherine Marsh-Kennerley, Catedrática- Español, UPRRP Yolanda Martinez San-MiguelMintzi Martinez-Rivera, Assistant Professor, Sociology & Anthropology, Providence CollegeAndrés Matías-Ortiz, Assistant Prof., Humanities, Associate Dean, SLA Mercy CollegeJorge Matos Valldejuli, Assistant Professor - Library, Hostos Community College-CUNYEdwin Mayorga, Associate Professor, Educational Studies, LALS, Swarthmore CollegeMariselle Meléndez Head Department of Spanish and Portuguese, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignJorell Meléndez-Badillo, Assistant Professor of History, Dartmouth CollegeRonald Mendoza-de Jesús, Assistant Professor of Spanish, University of Southern CaliforniaMario Mercado Diaz, Ph.D. Candidate, Sociology Program, Rutgers-New BrunswickRegina Mills, Assistant Professor, English, Texas A&M UniversityNancy Raquel Mirabal, Associate Professor, American Studies and US Latina/Latino Studied, University of Maryland, College ParkJonathan Montalvo Roman, Independent Scholar Daniel Morales-Armstrong, PhD Student in Africana Studies and History, University of Pennsylvania Enrique Morales-Diaz, Professor of Spanish, Ethnic and Gender Studies, Westfield State UniversityMarisel MorenoAndrea Morrell, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Guttman Community College CUNYJessica Mulligan, Professor, Health Policy and Management, Providence College Rose Muzio, Associate Professor, Politics, SUNY College at Old WestburyMarisol Negrón, Assistant Professor of American Studies and Latino Studies, University of Massachusetts BostonFrances Negron-Muntaner, Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, Columbia UniversityDaniel Nieves, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Sociology and Anthropology, Manhattan CollegeHannah Noel, Associate Professor of Multi-Ethnic Studies and the Digital Humanities, Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsUayoan NoelMarcia Ochoa, Associate Professor, Feminist Studies, Univ of California, Santa CruzRosa O’Connor Acevedo, P.h.D Student in Philosophy, University of OregonSolimar Otero, Professor, Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology Indiana University Iveliz Orellano, Adjunct Professor, UIC John Marshall Law School Marisel Moreno, Associate Professor, Romance Languages and Literatures, University of Notre DameUrayoán Noel, Associate Professor, English and Spanish and Portuguese, New York UniversityEnrique Olivares, PhD. Student , University of California, Los AngelesCatalina de Onís, Asst. Professor, Communication, University of Colorado DenverLisa Ortiz, Provost Postdoctoral Research Scholar, University of IowaEsaí Ortiz-Rivera, Graduate Student, Gender & Women’s Studies, University of Wisconsin-MadisonJessica Pabón, Associate professor, WGSS, SUNY New PaltzNéstor PastorDalina Perdomo Álvarez, Exhibitions Manager, The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and CultureGina Perez, Professor, Comparative American Studies Oberlin CollegeLorna Perez, Associate Professor of English, Buffalo State College SUNY Ricardo Pérez, Professor, Anthropology, Eastern Connecticut State University Cristina Pérez Jiménez , Assistant Professor of English, Manhattan CollegeMaria Perez y Gonzalez, Associate Professor, Dept. of Puerto Rican & Latino Studies, Brooklyn College, CUNY Bettina Pérez-Martínez, MA Candidate in Art History and Curator, Concordia UniversityEddie Pesante González PhD. Student in Anthropology , Graduate Center, CUNYMelanie Plasencia, PhD Candidate, Department of Ethnic Studies, University of California, BerkeleyLydia Platon, Independent Scholar, UPR-CayeyMargaret PowerJade Power Sotomayor, Assistant Professor, Department or Theatre and Dance, UC San Diego Carmin, Quijano, PhD Student in Sociolinguistics, The Graduate Center, CUNYMargaret Power, Professor, History, Illinois Institute of TechnologyJuan Carlos Quintero-Herencia, Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese University of Maryland, College ParkJosé Quiroga Professor, Comparative Literature Emory UniversityRoger Reeves, Associate Professor of English, University of Texas at AustinPedro Regalado, Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows, Harvard University Marina Reyes Franco, Curator, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto RicoRafael Reyes III, Assistant Professor, Theology and Religious Studies New York Theological SeminaryVanesa Ribas, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of California, San DiegoAlicia Rios, Associate Professor Syracuse UniversityRubén Ríos Avila, Professor, Spanish and Portuguese, New York University Angel Rivera, Professor of Spanish and Intenational and Global Studies, Worcester Polytechnic InstituteBobby Rivera, Associate Professor, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, St. John’s UniversityCarlos Manuel Rivera, Professor, Department of World Languages and Cultures, Bronx Community College, City University of New YorkDanielle Rivera, Assistant Professor, Environmental Design, University of Colorado BoulderDina Rivera, PhD Candidate, Spanish Studies, University of ConnecticutJavier Rivera, PhD Student, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern CaliforniaRamon Rivera, NorthwesternZorimar Rivera Montes Ph.D. Candidate, Northwestern UniversityIvelisse Rivera Bonilla, Professor, Social Action Research, Department of Social Sciences, UPR-HumacaoEdgar Rivera Colon Lecturer, Columbia University Keishla Rivera-Lopez, Assistant Professor, English, Millersville UniversityPetra Rivera-Rideau, Assistant Professor, American Studies, Wellesley CollegeKimberly Roa Tejera, Student of Visual Arts, Hunter CollegeCarlos Rivera Santana, Assistant Professor, Modern Languages & Literatures, William & MaryRamón H. Rivera-Servera, Professor, Performance Studies, Northwestern UniversityCarmen Haydee Rivera Vega, Professor University of Puerto Rico - Rio PiedrasBrett Robert PhD Student in History, University of PennsylvaniaRojo Robles, Lecturer, Black and Latino Studies Department, Baruch College, CUNYJared Rodríguez, Assistant Professor, Department of Gender and Race Studies, University of AlabamaNestor E. Rodriguez, Associate Prof., University of TorontoJuan Carlos Rodriguez, Associate Professor of Spanish, Georgia TechJuana María Rodríguez, Professor and Chair, Department of Ethnic Studies, UC BerkeleyJudith Rodríguez , Assistant Professor, African American and African Diaspora Studies, Indiana University-BloomingtonNoralis Rodríguez Coss, Assistant Professor, Women’s & Gender Studies, Gonzaga UniversityRossana Rodriguez Sanchez, MSW student, NEIUJorge Juan Rodríguez V, Ph.D. Candidate, History, Union Theological SeminaryMichael Rodríguez-Muñiz, Assistant Professor, Sociology and Latina/o Studies, Northwestern UniversityIleana María Rodriguez-Silva, Associate Professor, History, University of WashingtonReinaldo Rojas, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Central Connecticut State UniversityDanielle Roper, Neubauer Family Assistant Professor, Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, University of ChicagoAnais Roque, Graduate Research Associate, SHESC, Arizona State UniversityJonathan Rosa, Associate Professor of Education, Anthropology, & Linguistics, Stanford University Luis Othoniel Rosa, Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies and Modern Languages, University of NebraskaAna Rosado, Ph.D. Candidate, Northwestern University Shantee Rosado, Assistant Professor, Africana Studies & Latinx/Caribbean Studies, Rutgers UniversityLuis R. Rosado-Lopez, Ph.D.candidate/ Editorial Board, Journal of Thought, GCU College of Doctoral Studies/ Caddo Gap PressElena Rosario, PhD Candidate, History, University of Michigan Lilia Raquel Rosas, Lecturer, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, University of Texas at AustinMérida M. Rúa, Professor, Latina and Latino Studies, Northwestern Cesar SalgadoAstrid Sambolin Morales, PhD Candidate in Equity, Bilingualism & Biliteracy, University of Colorado Boulder Virginia Sánchez Korrol, Professor Emerita , Brooklyn College, City University of New YorkR. Sánchez-Rivera, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Sociology , University of Cambridge,UKAlberto Sandoval-Sanchez, Emeritus Professor, Mount Holyoke CollegeVilma Santiago-Irizarry, Associate Professor, Cornell UniversityKelvin Santiago-Valles, Professor, Sociology Department, Binghamton University-SUNYJenniffer M. Santos-Hernández. Research Professor, Centro de Investigaciones Sociales (CIS), University of Puerto Rico - Río PiedrasMargarita Saona, Professor Hispanic and Italian Studies, University of Illinois at ChicagoJimmy Seale Collazo, Catedrático Asociado, Escuela Secundaria UPR, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río PiedrasJudith Sierra-Rivera, Associate Professor of Spanish and Latina/o Studies, Penn State University Kristie Soares, Assistant Professor Women & Gender Studies, University of Colorado BoulderSandra L. Soto Santiago Associate Professor, Department of English, UPR-Mayagüez César A. Salgado, Associate Professor, Spanish and Comparative Literature, University of Texas, AustinKarrieann Soto Vega, Assistant Professor in Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies, University of KentuckyAurea Maria Sotomayor, Professor (Department of Hispanic Languages and Literatures), University of PittsburghCaridad Souza, Director, Center for Women's Studies and Gender Research, Colorado State UniversityMaritza Stanchich, Professor of English, University of Puerto Rico-Río PiedrasMichael Staudenmaier, Assistant Professor, Department of History & Political Science, Manchester UniversityDavid Stein, UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of African American Studies UCLACamilla Stevens, Professor, Latino and Caribbean Studies, RutgersLorrin Thomas, Associate professor, History dept., Rutgers University - CamdenMaura Toro-Morn, Professor of Sociology , Illinois State UniversityArlene Torres, Associate Professor, Africana and Puerto Rican/Latino Studies, Hunter College Lourdes Torres, Professor, DePaul UniversityDaniel Torres, Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies Ohio UniversityJulie Torres, Assistant Professor of Women's and Ethnic Studies, University of Colorado Colorado SpringsAshley Torres Carrasquillo, PhD student in Ethnic Studies, University of Colorado BoulderJoseph Torres-González, PhD Student - Cultural Anthropology, Graduate Center, CUNY Jose L. Torres-Padilla, Professor, English, SUNY PlattsburghLaura Torres-Rodriguez, Associate Professor, New York University Victor M. Torres-Velez, Assistant Professor, Humanities Department, Hostos Community College, CUNYMadeline Troche-Rodríguez, Associate Professor of Sociology City Colleges of Chicago- TrumanRuth Tsoffar, Professor, Women’s And gender studies &Comparative Literature, University of Michigan, Ann arborAna Ugarte, Assistant Professor, Department of Spanish, College of the Holy CrossLenny Ureña Valerio, Associate Director, Center for Latin American Studies, University of FloridaVanessa K. Valdés, Professor & Director of Black Studies Program, The City College of New YorkElena Valdez, Lecturer, MCLL, Christopher Newport UniversityAnastasia Valecce, Associate Professor in Hispanic Studies, Spelman CollegeMislael Valentín Cortés, Ph.D., Student in Epidemiology, University of MichiganWilson Valentín-Escobar, PhD Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies; Director, Bachelor of Liberal Arts Program, University of Mass- LowellNina Vázquez, Graduate Student at El Instituto, University of ConnecticutCarlos Vázquez Cruz, Lecturer in Spanish, McDaniel CollegeJohanny Vázquez Paz, Assistant Professor World Languages, Harold Washington College Daniel Vázquez Sanabria, Senior, Puerto Rican and Latino Studies, Brooklyn CollegeMirelsie Velázquez, Associate Professor, Educational Studies, University of Oklahoma Roberto Vélez Vélez, Associate Professor of Sociology, State University of New York at New PaltzSalvador Vidal-Ortiz, Associate Professor, Sociology, American UniversityYoseph Villafañe Rivera. Master of Arts in English, Teacher, Puerto Rico Department of EducationAlejandro Villalpando, Assistant Professor, Pan African and Latin American Studies, California State University, Los AngelesJoaquin Villanueva, Associate Professor, Geography, Gustavus Adolphus CollegeJacqueline Villarrubia Mendoza, Associate Professor Of Sociology, Colgate UniversityAndrew Vinales, PhD student in Cultural Anthropology, CUNY Graduate CenterDon E. Walicek, Professor, English and Linguistics, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras CampusDarrel Wanzer-Serrano, Associate Professor of Communication, Texas A&M UniversityMelissa Weiner, Associate Professor of Sociology, College of the Holy CrossRocío Zambrana, Associate Professor of Philosophy, EmoryRafael (Papo) Zapata, Associate VP & Chief Diversity Officer, Fordham University Saulo Colón Zavala, Associate Professor, Housatonic Community College Ana Celia Zentella, Professor Emerita UC San Diego