The Good the Bad and the Ugly: Amigas Latinas’ Pláticas as a Site of Transformative Knowledge Production
Presenter Title/Affiliation
DePaul University
Start Date
22-5-2021 4:15 PM
Event Name
Panel discussion
Panel Number
18
Panel Chair Name
Michelle Marzullo
Zoom URL to Join
https://ciis.zoom.us/j/96704974821
Zoom Meeting ID
967 0497 821
Abstract
Amigas Latinas was a Chicago-based Latina lesbian organization that ran from 1995 to 2015. It provided community, advocacy and education for Chicago queer Latinas. The organization developed from a small support group to a multifaceted nonprofit that offered a wide range of programs and services for Latina LGBTQ women. Regardless of how big the organization grew pláticas (or monthly informal brunch and guided discussions) were the bread and butter event that held the group together. In this paper I provide a history and analysis of the monthly pláticas across the 20 year existence of Amgias Latinas. I argue that pláticas represented a transformative practice that provided the women community, intellectual growth, politicization, and healing. Gonzalez and Portillos (2011) define pláticas as intimate conversations and intellectual dialogue. The plática is a useful tool to unbury and advance Latina/o intellectual knowledge, cultural knowledge, and civic participation. Fierros and Bernal (2016) identify five principles of a plática methodology: it grounded in Latina feminist theory, and recognizes participants in a plática as co-constructing knowledge producers; the methodology is grounded in everyday lived realities. Pláticas are also seen as places of healing through the sharing of embodied knowledge. Finally a plática methodology is grounded in reciprocal relationships and reflexivity. The pláticas developed organically according the needs of the community. The Amigas Latinas leadership created a series of pláticas to help women deal with social and cultural issues in a productive way. Leaders of pláticas included Latina lesbians who were members of the organization as well as queer friendly women and men who worked on issues such as substance abuse and domestic violence. These pláticas addressed significant issues within the community and provided tools to deal with a range of challenges particular to the Latina lesbian and bisexual community. Especially at a time when spaces to confront these issues were not readily available to Latinas, these monthly pláticas were a transformative space that allowed for growth, testing of new ideas and healing from difficult situations.
Presenter Contact
LTORRES@depaul.edu
The Good the Bad and the Ugly: Amigas Latinas’ Pláticas as a Site of Transformative Knowledge Production
Amigas Latinas was a Chicago-based Latina lesbian organization that ran from 1995 to 2015. It provided community, advocacy and education for Chicago queer Latinas. The organization developed from a small support group to a multifaceted nonprofit that offered a wide range of programs and services for Latina LGBTQ women. Regardless of how big the organization grew pláticas (or monthly informal brunch and guided discussions) were the bread and butter event that held the group together. In this paper I provide a history and analysis of the monthly pláticas across the 20 year existence of Amgias Latinas. I argue that pláticas represented a transformative practice that provided the women community, intellectual growth, politicization, and healing. Gonzalez and Portillos (2011) define pláticas as intimate conversations and intellectual dialogue. The plática is a useful tool to unbury and advance Latina/o intellectual knowledge, cultural knowledge, and civic participation. Fierros and Bernal (2016) identify five principles of a plática methodology: it grounded in Latina feminist theory, and recognizes participants in a plática as co-constructing knowledge producers; the methodology is grounded in everyday lived realities. Pláticas are also seen as places of healing through the sharing of embodied knowledge. Finally a plática methodology is grounded in reciprocal relationships and reflexivity. The pláticas developed organically according the needs of the community. The Amigas Latinas leadership created a series of pláticas to help women deal with social and cultural issues in a productive way. Leaders of pláticas included Latina lesbians who were members of the organization as well as queer friendly women and men who worked on issues such as substance abuse and domestic violence. These pláticas addressed significant issues within the community and provided tools to deal with a range of challenges particular to the Latina lesbian and bisexual community. Especially at a time when spaces to confront these issues were not readily available to Latinas, these monthly pláticas were a transformative space that allowed for growth, testing of new ideas and healing from difficult situations.
https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/lavlang/2021/saturday/30
