“ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” in “agradecimientos // acknowledgements”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Casi cien personas presenciaron la defensa de mi tesis. Entre la asistencia en Zoom y en persona, estuve rodeada de un inmenso amor de comunidad. Tuve a miembros de mi comunidad sintonizando desde su trabajo en un programa escolar, el supermercado e incluso el aeropuerto de Los Ángeles. Por eso, mis agradecimientos pueden parecer especialmente largos. Pero no importa! Me comprometo a mi comunidad y a darles sus flores para mostrar cómo esta tesis es tan suya como mía.
I had nearly a hundred people witness my dissertation defense. Between Zoom attendance and folks in person, I was surrounded by immense love of community. I had community members tune in from their jobs at afterschool programs, grocery stores, and even LAX airport. Because of this, my acknowledgments might feel particularly long. But that’s ok! I’m committed to giving my community their flowers and to show how this dissertation is as much yours as it is mine.
tierra // soil
A mi familia: Talia Jazmín Barrales Barajas, Jonathan Christopher Barrales Barajas, Margarita Barajas Aceves, y Martin Barrales Hernandez. Me han recordado nuestros humildes comienzos y sacrificios, a la vez que me han inculcado la creencia de que puedo hacer literalmente cualquier cosa que sueñe. A longer dedication to my mother, father, brother, and sister can be found within the lavanda // lavender chapter. To my babies who made me Titi Wendy, Jose Ruben “Benny” Valenzuela, Kavya Maité Barrales, Jayden Peña, and those I have yet to meet: I thought of you deeply when I wrote this – of our legacy. Of ensuring I’m a good ancestor. Another world is possible, and I hope I inspire you to continue this work.
Mis abuelitas Aída Hernandez Olvera y Consuelo Aceves Barba as well as my family en Guadalajara, Puebla, D.F., and Los Ángeles. Thank you for being such badass chingonas. No matter what life threw at you – we're still here. Standing. Thriving. My Dominican and Puerto Rican family: Paloma Valenzuela, Joannlee Lebron, Melanie Fuentes, and our matriarch, la matatana, Tia Lily, Leonidas Liliana Valenzuela. Su historia y sus sacrificios han sido una gran inspiración. Mis Primas: my twin Ashley Araya, Noelle Rudeen, and Jasmine Lattinville thank you for the encouragement and eagerness to support me in whatever ways I’ve asked you to show up. Your patience and LOVE have inspired so much of my work. Mi amigo, Edwin Ezequiel Román Martínez: Siempre apreciaré tu apoyo con mis traducciones, preguntando si comía y practicando esta presentación final conmigo. Te extraño mucho.
Thank you to my big, Sonia Escobedo Ultreras, for flying across the country to support my artwork, teacher milestones, and always reminding me of the importance of (alpha) sisterhood. Sharae Foxie thank you for grounding me through the beauty of letter writing these last nine years. Barbara Ann Isaac for the ultimate music playlists, girls' trips, the speaker, the mic, the karaoke, thank you for centering JOY. Taurina Peña my homegirl from high school and Cal State LA, fellow Urban Learning graduate, and current educator. Thank you for holding space, listening, and being the kind of teacher, I wish I had in elementary school. And Destinie Escobedo, my 11th grade Algebra homegirl, Facebook wife, and, who, no matter how impossible something feels, can open a notebook, and create a plan to make it happen – including this digital dissertation! She literally counted how many days I needed to write during the Christmas break to ensure I could participate in commencement this June and start my new postdoc. Thank you for pouring your heart into all my (design) dreams.
semillas // seeds
I want to thank the schools that have played a huge role in my work as an educator: my family at Heketi Community Charter School and M.S. 384 Entrada Academy, two schools in the South Bronx that no longer exist but live on through our community. Mi manita, Rebeca Madrigal and the Dos Puentes CUNY-IIE team, my colleagues at Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women and Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy (BELA). My comrades: Joanna Tirone, Christina Choi, Lauren McGuiness, Priscilla Stewart, Jaleesa Martin, Zulema Guajardo, Lauren Fleming and Christina Singh, thank you for pushing me to grow and for always believing in my ideas. My Ethnic Studies ItAG group! You inspired so much of my work in this last iteration – thank you for dreaming up what Ethnic Studies can be across New York City and through a pandemic. My TRTC Mentees: Ali Haridopolos, Maya Alexander, Samanta Palanque, Adam Kemper, thank you for welcoming me into your classrooms and for the transformative work you do with our young people every day. Julissa DiLoné for modeling what it means to be a supportive leader who literally invests in our well-being – because taking care of ourselves as educators really transforms how we show up for our young people and community.
My students at Otis College of Art & Design, Barnard College, and Teachers College, thank you for all the lessons (and patience!) this semester. Thank you for reigniting my joy of teaching and for the endless ways you’ve given me my flowers through your reflections and words of affirmation. The students featured in this project: Yasmine Lino, Nyasia Bailey, Mistura Ajanaku, Jennifer Florencio, Jazmine Florencio, Leslie Farez, Naomi Aubin, Rosalie Bobbett, Nicole Supliguicha and Rochelle Wheatley – thank you for leaning into the vulnerability, rigor, and care that the WOCArchive required. I had the most ambitious goals and I feel so privileged to hear and preserve your stories. Savon Williams who I taught in 6th grade and is on the brink of beginning her career as a teacher – thank you for always reminding me that at times, it takes years for us to see the tilling of our soil bloom into a flower. And, to the rest of the high school classes of 2019 - 2022; it was an honor to teach you. You all really changed my life.
agua // water
Lilai Teckie, Lorena Estrella, Melissa Flores, Noor Bey-Jones, Emeka Ekwelum, Norman Ornelas thank you for being my homegirls who have been part of workshops as participants and co-facilitators. Thank you for being part of a transformative trip to Mozambique that shaped this dissertation and thank you for literally reminding me that I am doing the work.
Phillan Dana Greaves, my first co-teacher in New York, my travel buddy, former roommate and sister. You really have seen my full journey. Thank you for reminding me of my humble beginnings and my growth. Herline Honorat, the little sister I never knew I needed. Thank you for being the best listener -- your voice and opinions always helped me write more precisely. Martha St. Jean for modeling immense grace, compassion, and sisterhood. You are the best accountability partner, give the most honest feedback, and are my biggest cheerleader.
Wazina Zondon who took me to my first NYCoRE meeting and always reminds me of the beauty in creating, writing, and dreaming. Elana E.M. Eisen-Markowitz, your thoughtful questions and centering of layered multiple truths have been grounding principles throughout my work as an educator. The soon to be Dr. David Rosas who co-facilitated my first ItAG and further politicized me as an activist, scholar, and teacher in New York City. Thank you for your wisdom and inspiring school leadership. Katherine Garcia, Verónica Cuellar, and Raúl Cervantes: my Chicana family in New York. Vero, my first friend at NYU, thank you for your support on everything from my cover letters to pozole recipes and even editing the final version of this dissertation. Kathy, my co-working buddy who has witnessed my journey and has consistently reminded me of the strength of our community and where we come from. And Raúl, thank you for showing me what it means to be in community in adulthood and away from home. Thank you for being my chosen family.
sol // sun
Thank you to the generous funding from the American Association of University Women, CUNY’s Lost & Found project, and the New Media Lab. Thank you to the Societies Journal, Sage Publishing, and Elise R. Peterson and Cynthia Huerta for granting permissions to republish their artwork and previously published articles/chapters.
Arundhati Velamur and Ali Blake for being incredibly thoughtful friends and generous with writing time. Thank you for showing up hard. Rishi Krishnamoorthy, Jasmine Ma, and Sarah Radke whose WhatsApp messages and 2+ hours of Zoom calls to look at my work, were instrumental in this last part of my work. Lauren Vogelstein for supporting my aesthetic dreams and reminding me that art is research. Sara Vogel for the countless opportunities and ways you’ve shown up to support and celebrate my work. Chris Hoadley, Laura Acsenzi-Moreno, Sarane James, Christy Crawford, my Latinx Affinity group and the whole Computer Science for All (CS4ALL) family at the DOE for intentionally creating space for WOC to discuss CS and our stories. The entire CUNY Manifold team: Matt Gold, Krysia Michael, Jojo Karlin, and Miryam Nacimento. Especially Robin Miller for your unwavering support and patience. Your belief in my abstract and ambitious ideas was instrumental in the creation of this digital dissertation. Matthew Binetti & Christine Saieh who have seen me cry over incompletes, 2nd exams, and always made sure I was cared for (and fed!). Sakina Laksimi-Morrow, my Cohort 14 sister, I would have never survived this program without you. Anthony Harb for all of the job postings, affirmations, and holding space to vent throughout this last push of the writing process. Michelle Rendón Ochoa, for your endless affirmations. You are my ultimate hype woman. Te lo agradezco mucho amiga.
Dr. Natalia Ortiz: Our classroom, co-teaching, and friendship this academic year has deeply inspired my pedagogy --- love you hermana. Dr. Robert P. Robinson, my California homie. I appreciate your support on navigating academia, the level of care you show for your students, and for enjoying karaoke almost as much as I do. Dr. Atasi Das who has been present at all my GC milestones and has meticulously recorded my sessions so that my archivist heart can rest happily. Dr. LaToya Strong my former STEAM co-teacher, ItAG co-facilitator, and homegirl. You inspired my rethinking of Ethnic Studies and re-ignited my love of STEAM. Thank you to Dr. Jose Alfredo Menjivar who was instrumental in encouraging me to apply to this program and saw a potential in me that I didn’t always believe. And Gladys Yacely Aponte and Allison Cabana, who spent hours on the phone with me talking through ideas, reading my work, and encouraging me at my darkest hours. Gracias hermanas. I’m here because of you.
Dr. Michelle Fine for your openness to my creative projects: Padlets, GIFs, and letters to my younger self. Dr. Leigh Patel your pauses to move with intention and care by centering relationships, is rare. Thank you for modeling what this deep level of care can look like across space and time. Dr. Wendy Luttrell, our class on visual art-based methods and your writing seminar truly changed my life. Thank you for pushing my thinking, re-igniting my love to create, and fostering a space where I was able to think outside of the box and thrive. And to my mentor, chair, and advisor, Dr. Ariana Mangual Figueroa, thank you for your generosity. Generosity of time, generosity of care, generosity of redistributing resources. Thank you for modeling In La’kech in the flesh.
Con cariño,
Wendy
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