Telling to Live

Latina Feminist Group

"Twenty years after the publication of" This Bridge Called My Back," this stunning collection of writings by Latina feminists raises the stakes of collaboration across race, class, nation, and sexuality." Telling to Live" challenges prevailing research practices and forges a model of deep collaboration for future generations of scholars."--Angela Y. Davis, author of "Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude 'Ma' Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday"

About the Series ixAcknowledgments xiIntroduction: Papelitos Guardados: Theorizing Latinidades Through Testimonio 1I. Geneaologies of Empowerment 25Certified Organic Intellectual / Aurora Levins Morales 27My Father’s Hands / Yvette Gisele Flores-Oritz 33Vignettes of a Working-Class Puerto Rican Girl in Brooklyn, New York / Celia Alvarez 39Silence Begins at Home / Patricia Zavella 43You Speak Spanish Because You Are Jewish? / Rina Benmayor 55Getting There Cuando No Hay Camino / Norma E. Cantú 60Reflection and Rebirth: The Evolving Life of a Latina Academic / Iris Ofelia López 69Mi Primera Amiguita: Carmelita / Gloria Holguín Cuádraz 86The House That Mamá Biela Built / Daisy Cocco de Filippis 90Lightning / Mirtha N. Quintanales 96My Name Is This Story / Aurora Levins Morales 100Resisting the Alcemy of Erasure: Journey to Labor Ideas / Clara Lomas 104Esta Risa No Es de Loca / Caridad Souza 114A Esconditas: A Chicana Feminist Teacher Who Writes/A Chicana Feminist Writer Who Teaches / Norma E. Cantú 123Canto de Mi Madre/Canto de Mi Padre / Inés Hernández Avila 132Daughter of Bootstrap / Luz del Alba Acevedo 139Beyond Survival: A Politics/Poetics of Puerto Rican Consciousness / Liza Fiol-Matta 148I Can Fly: Of Dreams and Other Nonfictions / Eliana Rivero 156II. Alchemies of Erasure 167The Christmas Present / Caridad Souza 169Snapshots from My Daze in School / Celia Alvarez 177Point of Departure / Mirtha N. Quintanales 185Another Way to Grow Up Puerto Rican / Liza Fiol-Matta 192El Beso / Ruth Behar 196The Prize of a New Cadillac / Yvette Gisele Flores-Ortiz 201La Tra(d)ición / Latina Anónima 204Between Perfection and Invisibility / Latina Anónima 207Diary of La Llorona with a Ph. D. / Gloria Holguín Cuádraz 212Welcome to the Ivory Tower / Latina Anónima 218I Still Don’t Know Why / Latina Anónima 224Lessons Learned from an Assistant Professor / Gloria Holguían Cuádraz 227Don’t You Like Being in the University? / Latina Anónima 229Temporary Latina / Ruth Behar 231Dispelling the Sombras, Grito mi nombre con rayos de luz / Inés Hernández Avila 238Biting Through / Latina Anónima 245Sand from Varadero Beach / Ruth Behar 247Speaking Among Friends: Whose Empowerment, Whose Resistance? / Luz del Alba Acevedo 250III. The Body Re/members 263Reading the Body / Norma E. Cantú 264Missing Body / Caridad Souza 266Malabareando/Juggling / Liza Fiol-Matta 269Migraine/Jacqueca / Norma E. Cantú 271The Wart / Daisy Cocco de Filippis 273Why My Ears Aren't Pierced / Ruth Behar 275Night Terrors / Latina Anónima 277La Princesa / Latina Anónima 286Forced by Circumstance / Norma Alarcón 289Let Me Sleep / Latina Anónima 291Depression / Mirtha N. Quintanales 293Desde el Diván: Testimonios from the Couch / Yvette Giselle Flores-Ortiz 294Telling to Live: Devoro la Mentira, Resucitando Mi Ser / Inés Hernández Avila 298IV. Passion, Desires, and Celebrations 303Shameless Desire / Aurora Levins Morales 305La Cosa / Ruth Behar 307Boleros / Eliana Rivero 309A Working-Class Bruja’s Fears and Desires / Norma E. Cantú 314Aún / Yvette Gisele Flores-Ortiz 318The Names I Used to Call Your/The Names I Do Call You / Eliana Rivero 319Plátanos and Palms / Rina Benmayor 321Three Penny Opera or Eve’s Symphony in B Minor / Daisy Cocco de Filippis 323Descubrimiento(s) / Celia Alvarez 327Entre Nosotras / Latina Anónima 331Pisco and Cranberry / Eliana Rivero 334De lo que es Amor; de lo que es Vida / Inés Hernández Avila 336Eating Mango / Liza Fiol-Matta 344Everyday Grace / Mirtha N. Quintanales 345Tenemos que Swguir Luchando / Patricia Zavella 348Select Bibliography 357About the Authors 373