This document discusses teaching Latino/a literature in the U.S. curriculum. It begins with an introduction stating that Latino/a literature is widely published but missing from many college curriculums. It then provides details on common Latino/a writer identities and themes they often write about, including living between two cultures. A brief history is given of pioneering Latino/a authors and key genres. The document concludes by outlining various ways Latino/a literature can be integrated into classes and why this representation is important.

1. Teaching the Latino/a Literature
of the U.S.
José A. Carmona
Independent Educational
Consultant
Dade City, Florida, USA

2. Dedication
by Gustavo Pérez Firmat
• The fact that I • don’t belong to English
• am writing to you • though I belong nowhere
• in English else,
• already falsifies what I • if not here
• wanted to tell you. • in English.
• My subject
• how to explain to you
• that I Copyright by Gustavo Perez-Firmat

3. Introduction
• The Latino/a literature of the United States,
although widely published, is still missing across
many campuses and curriculum in the U.S.
• This literature can be infused across the college
curriculum in many ways.
• The following presentation will illustrate ways of
achieving success when teaching this literature.

4. Who is the Latino/a Writer?
• Chicano/a • Nuyorican
• Cuban American • Puerto Rican
American
• Colombian American
• Etc.
• Dominican American

5. Who is the Latino/a Writer?
• He/she writes from the perspective of living
in the U.S. and not from a Latin American
perspective.
• He/she lives in a dichotomy of two
dissimilar cultures with distinct values,
goals and experiences.

6. What Language Do They Use?
• English
• Spanish
• Spanglish

7. What Do They Write About?
• Growing up in the U.S.
• The Urban Experience/Living in the U.S.
• Assimilation vs. Acculturation
• Language Barrier

8. What Do They Write About?
• Dual Identity
• Longing for Parents’ Culture/Nostalgia
• Closeness to the Earth
• Political Concerns

9. What Do They Write About?
• These themes, as well as others not mentioned
here, make up this vast body of literature.
• The Latino/a writer has the opportunity to select
the best from each culture:
The Edge Effect Theory (Gustavo Perez-
Firmat).

10. A Brief History of this Literature:
The Coming of Age Events
• The following novels represent two major
events in the coming of age narrative:
• Pocho (1959), José Antonio Villareal
• A Puerto Rican in New York and Other
Stories (1961), Jesus Colón

11. A Brief History of this Literature:
Chicano/a Writers
• José A. Villareal • Rudolfo Anaya
• Tomás Rivera • Oscar “Zeta”Acosta
• Ernesto Galarza • Ron Arias

12. A Brief History of this Literature:
Chicano/a Writers
• Arturo Islas • Victor Villaseñor
• Rolando Hinojosa • Gloria Anzaldúa
• Sandra Cisneros • Ana Castillo

13. A Brief History of this Literature:
Chicano/a Writers II
• Jimmy Santiago • Guillermo Gómez-
Baca Peña
• Luís J. Rodríguez • Richard Rodríguez
• Gary Soto

14. A Brief History of this Literature:
Cuban American Writers
• José Martí • Oscar Hijuelos
• José Yglesias • Roberto Fernández
• Pablo Medina • Elías Miguel
Muñoz

15. A Brief History of this Literature:
Cuban American Writers
• Carolina Hospital • Achy Obejas
• Virgil Suárez • Ana Menéndez
• Cristina García • Margarita Engle
• Silvia Curbelo • Dionisio Martinez

16. A Brief History of this Literature:
Puerto Rican American Writers
• Jesús Colón • Edward Rivera
• Piri Thomas • Ed Vega
• Nicholasa Mohr • Ivonne Sapia

17. A Brief History of this Literature:
Puerto Rican American Writers
• Judith Ortíz Cofer
• Esmeralda Santiago
• Abraham Rodríguez

18. A Brief History of this Literature:
Other Latino/a Writers
• Victor Perera • Junot Díaz
(Guatemalan Am.) (Dominican Am.)
• Julia Alvarez
• Silvana Paternostro
(Dominican Am.)
(Colombian Am.)
• Jaime Manrique
(Colombian Am.)

19. How Can We Integrate this
Literature in Our Curriculum?
• Latino/a Studies Programs
• English/Comparative Literature Classes
• Spanish Language Classes

20. How Can We Integrate this
Literature in Our Curriculum?
• English as a Second Language Classes
• Latin American Literature Classes
• Sociology/Psychology Classes

21. How Can We Integrate this
Literature in Our Curriculum?
• Environmental Classes
• Science Classes
• Mathematics Classes

22. Why should We Integrate this
Literature in Our Curriculum?
• Representation in the Classroom
• Identity Booster
• Multiculturalism in the Curriculum

23. Why should We Integrate this
Literature in Our Curriculum?
• Learn from Our Ethnic Experiences/
Differences
• Find Who and Where We Are Now
• Showcase Widely Published Works

24. Conclusion
• Teaching the Latino/a literature of the U.S.
is not a simple task.
• Learning is an ongoing process.
• Infuse small chunks at a time.

25. Conclusion
• Set attainable goals.
• Be prepared to make mistakes.
• Be prepared to learn from students.

26. Conclusion:
Questions to Ponder
• Which classes would you infuse right away
with the Latino/a literature of the U.S.?
• How are you going to accomplish this?
• Where can you get more information?

27. Contact Information
• You may contact me at:
joseacarmona@gmail.com
• By phone at: 386-675-8594
• Please, see handouts for bibliographies

28. References
• Augenbraum, Harold and Ilan Stavans. (1993). Growing
Up Latino: Memoirs and Stories. NY: Houghton Mifflin.
• Kanellos, Nicolás. (1997). Hispanic Firsts: 500 Years of
Extraordinary Achievement. MI: Visible Ink Press.
• Peréz Firmat, Gustavo. “Dedication.” In Hospital,
Carolina. (1988). Cuban American Writers: Los Atrevidos.
Princeton, NJ: Ediciones Ellas/Linden Lane Press.