Keishla Rivera-Lopez

Approach:

Keishla’s scholarly theoretical frameworks and pedagogical methods are inspired by inclusion and representation. These notions carry political, social, and cultural weight in (higher education) classrooms and syllabi. As an educator, she utilizes feminist, antiracist, and decolonial frameworks when structuring syllabi and curating class resources to demonstrate that these are not just theoretical concepts but a praxis for justice and resistance to unjust structures and systems of oppression. By focusing on representation and including diverse and marginalized voices in the various genres of assigned materials, including novels, poetry, short stories, films, documentaries, music videos, and interviews, her students also obtain an interdisciplinary understanding of historical contexts beyond what is present in a literary text. Not only do these interrogative exercises develop students’ critical thinking and analytical skills, but it teaches them how to locate and analyze bias in the literary texts around them. By including the experiences and histories of people of color, the Asian and African diasporas, and indigenous folk, her students learn how the legacies of the past inform their present while expanding their worldview. Her courses prepare undergraduates for success in the university and beyond through writing and close reading exercises and assignments, oral presentations, and research projects. Keishla has taught at Princeton University, Rutgers University, Montclair State University, and Millersville University.