Teaching
My pedagogy is informed by my training as a literary critic, creative writer, and community organizer. I highlight the importance of object analysis and close-reading in my courses, enabling students to interrogate art, literature, and other social encounters from a critical and culturally-grounded perspective. As an Ethnic Studies professor, I emphasize the importance of learning from artists, writers, organic intellectuals, and community organizers, illustrating that knowledge can be found outside the university’s walls. Other than writing critical essays, I also encourage students to tap into their creative energies and produce poetry, narrative writing, community impact reports, and other projects.
In addition to university courses, I have also facilitated workshops and talks for my institution and community. Please see the flyers below as examples of these events. If you are interested in booking a workshop or talk, please email me at mtgvallarta@gmail.com!
Courses Taught:
Introduction to Ethnic Studies: an introductory study of race in the Americas, foregrounded by the experiences of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian/American communities.
Introduction to Asian American Studies: an introductory study of Asian diasporic communities in the U.S. This course provides an overview of Asian American history and cultural production.
Race, Culture, Politics: an interdisciplinary course that focuses on the intersection of culture and politics, and the role of race in these institutions.
Race, Class, Gender: an intersectional study of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability. Students are introduced to queer, feminist, and crip theories.
Asian American Literature: a multi-genre survey course of Asian diasporic literature. Students investigate what makes a piece of literature “Asian American” and what major issues Asian diasporic writers explore in their work.
