About Me
Dr. Garcia is an interdisciplinary scholar whose work focuses on representations of gender, race, and sexuality in Latina women’s literature and Latinx Children & Young Adult literature.
Her first book, Healing Memories: Puerto Rican Women’s Literature in the U.S. was published in 2019 and focused on the representation of Puerto Rican women’s history in the United States in literary works by Puerto Rican women authors.
​
Her current research focuses on representations of gender in Latinx children and young adult literature.
She’s held faculty and administrative positions at Hunter College, Connecticut College, Wesleyan University, and the University of Florida.
My Story
Why Brown Stories? I admit I have a love for the color brown. I come from a long line of brown-skinned folk, all shades of it, from the light latte mix to the darker mocha hues. When the time came to attend college I of course attended Brown University, where I learned about all sorts of brown people from all parts of the country and the world.​
​
As an Ethnic Studies professor and scholar I am dedicated to sharing the multi-faceted stories of BIPOC folks in the United States. I use a storytelling style of teaching where I not only share concepts and theories with my students, but also incorporate the voices of those who have experienced oppression, overcome through hard work and resilience, and strengthened our communities through their leadership and activism​
​
The first novel I read that inspired my passion for diverse books was Nilda by Nicholasa Mohr. I was in college and was amazed that finally in all my years of reading I had found a story that I could relate to as a young Puerto Rican working-class woman. I knew then I wanted to dedicate my career to teaching others about Latinos/as/x and other people of color. This also sparked my research interest in Latinx literature, which has remained by research focus. ​
​
In addition to earning my undergraduate degree at Brown University, I also hold a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in Comparative Ethnic Studies. I've taught courses in Latino/a Studies, Race & Ethnicity, and Feminist & Gender Studies.
​
I am also a wife, mother to a fiercely feminist Latina young woman, and dog mom. Outside of work I am a paper crafting creating beautiful handmade greeting cards and running my Etsy Shop.
​
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
​