Autumn Quezada-Grant
Autumn Quezada-Grant is an Associate Professor of History and is involved with the Latin American and Latino Studies Minor, as well as Gender and Sexuality Studies Minor. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi in 2010, in Latin American History. Dr. Quezada-Grant has a broad research interest, which includes modern Latin America, indigenous history, social justice, and human rights. She is an Executive Committee Member of the New England Council on Latin American Studies (NECLAS). Her Ph.D. work examined litigation and patterns of negotiation in the of Highlands of Chiapas starting in early statehood until the 1870s between indigenous peoples and Ladinos. On the cusp of an outward looking export economy, the manuscript digs deep into judicial archives to highlight relationships between indigenous Maya and local Ladinos. What we see is that the dominant narrative of Chiapan history contrasts with the meta-narrative of real lived experience and the best way to see this is through moments of contestation, negotiation and social changes tied to legal culture.
Professor Quezada-Grant actively works as a Country Conditions Expert with Immigration attorneys for asylum cases. Specializing in Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru, and indigenous issues in Guatemala. She has written country conditions and cultural histories/practices related to a number of issues: social and gendered violence, gang and organized crime issues, corruption, machismo, religious discrimination disability issues, marginalization/discrimination against indigenous peoples, land issues, LGBTI discrimination, environmental violence, and other injustices. Her work and work abroad gives her a specialty in cultural competency and is available for mentoring.
