Modern Language Association Recognition and Scholarly Contributions
2025 got off to a fantastic start with the 2025 Modern Language Association (MLA) Convention in New Orleans, where I had the honor of presenting new research, receiving an award, and engaging in humanities leadership training.
My book Serial Mexico: Storytelling across Media, from Nationhood to Now was awarded an honorable mention for the Katherine Singer Kovacs Prize: Best Book on Spain or Latin America—a recognition that was incredibly meaningful to me.
I gave a presentation drawing on the book entitled “Sanity or Sickness in the Soaps: Illness as Superpower in Diana Salazar’s Strange Return, 1988 & 2024,” which explored representations of mental illness, trauma, and female power across time in Televisa’s iconic telenovela and its 2024-25 ViX+ remake.
Lastly, I completed two advocacy-related activities offered by the MLA: 1) the MLA Humanities Leadership Certificate, a program focused on advocacy, curricular innovation, and capacity-building for humanities programs across institutional contexts; 2) an institutional accreditations workshop to serve as an External Reviewer. I am grateful for these opportunities that the MLA offers to engage with leaders and educators to strengthen language departments at both institutional and national levels.
Supporting the work of the MLA, under the fearless leadership of Paula Krebs, is one of the most meaningful aspects of my academic life, especially during this pivotal time for higher education. I am proud to be part of a professional community committed to inclusion, excellence, and the public value of language and literature. These efforts—rooted in advocacy and academic service—reflect my ongoing belief in the value of shared standards, cross-institutional collaboration, and collective support for the humanities.
Read more about this experience in my blog, Reflections from New Orleans: Advocacy, Innovation, and Humanities Leadership at the 2025 MLA Convention!
