Leslie Davila

PhD Hispanic Literatures: Central American Art and Literature Related to Violence Against Women 2019 | M.A. Spanish Literature and Culture 2012 | B.A. Spanish and Latin American Studies 2007

Mellon / American Council of Learned Societies Fellow

COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROFESSOR

As a Guatemalan-American I quickly realized that in academia Central American writers and artists were often excluded from the classroom space and curriculum. This led me to study a Master’s at CSULB and later a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages & Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh. Today, I am a professor at Community Colleges and enthusiastically expose students to contemporary, and often non-canonical, writers and artists from Guatemala and Central America. My intention is for students to feel seen in my classroom and appreciate the diversity in Latin American literature. Although the journey to get to where I am was a long one, it was my passion for literature that kept me determined and inspired. My advice to future students is to find out what inspires you, plan where you want to take this inspiration and connect with your “why” along the way. We all have something to offer and only you can bring that to the table.