As we continue to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, we will begin our “Conversando Entre Nosotros” series. This series highlights local Latina/o/x/e scholars who are conducting exemplary research in their respective fields. These presentations also allow community members to engage in the diverse and intellectual research taking place by faculty and graduate students at Illinois State University.
The collision of two worlds: A transformative journey through academia
Dr. Oscar Núñez Enríquez, School of Kinesiology and Recreation, Illinois State University
Date: September 25
Time: Noon
Location: Williams Hall 307
Abstract
“Pursuing the academic path was a personal goal I set for myself when I began my journey as a graduate student. However, I never imagined that this road would become both the most rewarding and the most challenging experience of my personal and professional life. Studying a graduate program deeply grounded in social justice in physical education through Activist Research and Student-Centered Pedagogy became the cornerstone of what would later shape my academic life. Yet, these experiences profoundly challenged my beliefs and ways of thinking, many of which were influenced by what Gloria Anzaldúa describes as lo heredado, lo adquirido y lo impuesto creating a collision of two worlds. On one hand, my former self, shaped by family and cultural influence. On the other, a new self, aware and committed to supporting those around me. At first, this became a struggle, as I did not know how to merge or navigate between these two worlds. Now, I can say that learning to navigate between two different yet interconnected worlds has become both a personal and professional tool for building a better future for the generations to come.”
Sponsored by Organization of Latinx Employees (OLE), and Latin American and Latina/o Studies Program
