Graduate Student Mentorship Lunch with Professor Vázquez
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David J. Vázquez is a professor of critical race, gender, and culture studies and
director of the Latina/o/x Studies Program. He teaches courses on comparative Latina/o/x
literature and culture, comparative ethnic American cultures, critical race theory,
environmental justice, ecocriticism, and 20th Century U.S. Literature. He is the author of Decolonial Environmentalisms: Climate Justice and Speculative Futurity in Latinx Cultural
Production (Texas 2025). Decolonial Environmentalisms argues that the mainstream environmental movement is implicated in racial capitalism,
not least through its ignorance of environmental justice as it pertains to Latinx
people. Through close readings of eco-minded novels, films, visual art, and short
stories by Chicanx, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban American, Peruvian, and Central
American culture makers, Vázquez surfaces diverse Latinx visions for an equitable
and sustainable humanity.
Later, Vázquez will present his talk "Decolonial Hope, Speculative Futurity: How Latinx Literature and Culture Teach us
to Persevere in Times of Polycrisis" at HG 1010 from 4:00-6:00.
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