David Bowles is a Mexican American author and translator from South Texas, where he works as an Associate Professor at the University of Texas Río Grande Valley. Among his award-winning books are They Call Me Güero, My Two Border Towns, Ancient Night, and The Prince & the Coyote. David currently serves as the Vice President of the Texas Institute of Letters.
Séverine Durin es franco-mexicana (1972), economista y antropóloga. Desde 2003 es profesora-investigadora en el Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social (CIESAS) del Conacyt, en su sede noreste ubicada en Monterrey. Ha dirigido varios proyectos colectivos de investigación, el más reciente sobre la niñez y las violaciones a sus derechos humanos en el marco de la militarización. Actualmente realiza una investigación en colaboración con la Comisión Nacional de Búsqueda sobre la vulnerabilidad de la niñez, adolescencia y juventud ante la desaparición en Nuevo León. Es autora de siete libros; los más recientes se titulan “En busca de nuestros AMORES” (CADHAC, 2020), “¡Sálvese quien pueda! Violencia generalizada y desplazamiento forzado en el noreste de México” (CIESAS, 2019) y “Trabajo en casa. Trabajo del hogar de planta, género y etnicidad en Monterrey” (CIESAS, 2017). Es miembro del Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (nivel 2) y de la Academia Mexicana de Ciencias (Humanidades).
Maria Garcia is the Executive Editor of Futuro Studios, where she oversees longform narrative podcasts. She is also the host and creator of the critically acclaimed podcast, “Anything for Selena,” which was named one of the best podcasts of the year by The Atlantic, Vulture, Time, Vogue and many more. Maria was also named podcast newcomer of the year by Apple Podcasts in 2021. She has edited and helped helm other award-winning podcasts, like The Sum of Us and season two La Brega, which was named one of the best podcasts of the year by the New York Times and The New Yorker.
Rodney Gomez is a poet and urban planner whose work explores the intersection of the natural and built environments, culture, and history in the US – Mexico borderlands. Born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, he is a member of the Macondo Writers Workshop and served as the 2020-2021 McAllen, Texas Poet Laureate. His most recent poetry collections are Arsenal with Praise Song (Orison Books, 2021), recipient of the Helen C. Smith Memorial Award from the Texas Institute of Letters and the Writers’ League of Texas Book Award; and Geographic Tongue (Pleiades Press, 2020), winner of the Pleiades Press Visual Poetry Series. His chapter book Mouth Filled With Night (Northwestern University Press, 2014) received the Drinking Gourd Chapbook Prize from Northwestern University’s Poetry and Poetics Colloquium. Gomez has served as advisory editor for FlowerSong Press, where he founded the Bougainvillea Prize for working class poets, and as board member of the literary nonprofits Newfound and Public Poetry.
born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Miami’s Little Havana, Jorge Iber is a 1997 University of Utah graduate, specializing in Mexican American history. Over the past 25 years, he shifted focus to Latino/a history in US sports. Currently, he’s Interim VP for Campus Access and Engagement and a full professor of History at Texas Tech University. He’s authored, co-authored, and edited 17 books, numerous scholarly articles, and over 50 book reviews. Recent projects include a biography of former MLB pitcher Mike Torrez; an anthology on the Pittsburgh Pirates and Latinos in American football; and biographies on Mariano Rivera and Gabriel Rivera. Current projects encompass a family history of the Sanchez clan of Cheyenne, Wyoming; a study on collegiate wrestling champions; an essay on Gloria Jimenez’s football career; and an article on the life and career of Roma High School basketball legend, Jesus “Chuy” Guerra.
Luc Lavier, a distinguished professor and researcher at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics in Austin, stands at the forefront of geophysics, particularly in the realm of computational mathematics and geodynamic processes. Renowned for his collaborative spirit, Lavier is praised for linking the Earth’s surface rock structures to the underlying processes. Specializing in the movement of tectonic plates, Lavier’s research holds implications for forecasting earthquakes and locating underground fossil fuels. His computational modeling exemplifies his commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. Born from childhood curiosity about the Earth’s dynamics, Lavier’s journey from theoretical physics to geophysics has not only deepened his scientific understanding but also connected him to the practical implications of his work, particularly its impact on people and the environment.
Antoine Lissorgues is 40 years old and comes from Marseilles, France. After completing studies in communication and public administration, and earning a Master’s degree in international cooperation, his focus has shifted towards Latin America, particularly Peru, which has become his adopted homeland for the past 18 years. With a decade of collaboration with the Terre des hommes-Lausanne Foundation, he transitioned into the realms of culture and education within the Alliances Françaises network. As the general coordinator of Médecins du Monde Suisse in Mexico for a year and a half, he has had the privilege to channel his dedication towards serving communities. Throughout his professional journey spanning Peru, Haiti, Ecuador, Colombia, and beyond, he has immersed himself in diverse themes including juvenile justice, community health, migration, humanitarian crises, culture, and education, continuously enriching his understanding of the world’s complexities.
For over twenty years, Philippe Ollé-Laprune has facilitated cultural exchange between France and Latin America as an advisor, coordinator, producer, translator, compiler, and editor. He currently works at Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Cuajimalpa in Mexico City, he oversees the ICORN network for Latin America and hosts the radio program “Acentos” on Opus 94 (over 800 episodes). He is also the author and presenter of the documentary series “¡América!” for channel 11 and coordinator of the series “Conversar de Literatura” broadcasted by channel 22.
Profesor-investigador del CIESAS-Noreste. Sociólogo, maestro en Comunicación, doctorado en Comunicación y Estudios Culturales por el ITESM. Miembro del Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, nivel 1. Su último proyecto de investigación ha sido: “Procesos regionales de construcción de la cultura en el noreste de México y sur de Texas: Los casos del rap y la música norteña”. Sus últimas publicaciones son Economías de las músicas norteñas. (Coordinador), Economías del rap en el noreste de México. Emprendimientos y resistencias alrededor de la música popular, ambas de editorial Casa Chata. México. Su investigación actual se titula: “La música popular en la feria popular; economías engarzadas”. Adscripción actual: Profesor investigador del CIESAS-Noreste. Director regional de la unidad Noreste.