Maria Perez Y Gonzalez
Associate Professor
Puerto Rican and Latino Studies
Location: 1205 Boylan Hall
Phone: 718.951.5561
Fax: 718.951.4183
Email:
NIMH Fellow (1987). Published articles based on her groundbreaking research "Latinas in Ministry: A Pioneering Study on Women Ministers, Educators and Students of Theology" (New York City Mission Society 1992). Founding Director of the Latinas in Ministry Program and Co-Investigator of the National Survey of Leadership in Latino Parishes and Congregations, Program for the Analysis of Religion Among Latinos. Author of Puerto Ricans in the US (Greenwood Press 2000). Associate Professor/former Chair/Acting Chair of the Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies (PRLS) (2001-2020), Director of the Center for Latino Studies (2004-2019); first Chair of Faculty Council of Latinx heritage (2009-2012). Leading Co-Editor with Virginia Sánchez Korrol of Puerto Rican Studies in CUNY: The First 50 Years (CENTRO Press 2021). Co-Organizer of the PRLS West Side Story: The Brooklyn Connection Lecture Series in 2021-2022 featuring prominent academics and artists, including Steven Spielberg.
Education:
Certificate, Harvard Graduate School of Education - 2011 (Management Development Program)
Ph.D., Fordham University - 1993 (Sociology)
M.A., John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY) - 1987 (Criminal Justice)
B.A., John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY) - 1987 (Criminal Justice)
Areas of Expertise:
Puerto Rican/Latinx studies and sociology with specializations in Puerto Ricans/Latinxs; Evangelicals/Pentecostals; women; ethnic minority integration processes (acculturation, assimilation, biculturation); Latinx/Hispanic mental health; and criminal justice.
Books and Publications
Author, "How a Few Students Transformed the Ivory Tower: Puerto Rican Studies and its (R)evolution at Brooklyn College" in Puerto Rican Studies in the City University of New York: The First 50 Years. CENTRO Press: CUNY Center for Puerto Rican Studies, December 2021. (R) (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2021
Co-Author with Dr. Virginia Sánchez Korrol, "Introduction" in Puerto Rican Studies in the City University of New York: The First 50 Years. CENTRO Press: CUNY Center for Puerto Rican Studies, December 2021. (R) (Books and Publications: Book Introduction, Preface or Afterward) 2021
Leading Co-Editor with Dr. Virginia Sánchez Korrol. Puerto Rican Studies in the City University of New York: The First 50 Years. CENTRO Press: CUNY Center for Puerto Rican Studies, December 2021. (R) (Books and Publications: Book (Edited)) 2021
"Puerto Rico." Multicultural America: An Encyclopedia of the Newest Americans. Ed. Ronald H. Bayor. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2011
"Aimee García Cortese." Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia. Eds. Vicki L. Ruíz and Virginia Sánchez Korrol. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2006
"Carmela Zapata Padilla Bonilla Marrero." Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia. Eds. Vicki L. Ruíz and Virginia Sánchez Korrol. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2006
"Leoncia Rosado Rousseau." Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia. Eds. Vicki L. Ruíz and Virginia Sánchez Korrol. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2006
"New York City Mission Society." Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia. Eds. Vicki L. Ruíz and Virginia Sánchez Korrol. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2006
"Quinceañera." Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia. Eds. Vicki L. Ruíz and Virginia Sánchez Korrol. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2006
Creative Work
Editor, "What Can You Do With a Major, Concentration, or Minor in Puerto Rican and Latino Studies? Career Booklet." (72 pages). First Edition, 2008; PRLS 40th Anniversary Edition, 2010). 2015
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
Fellow, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Academia de Liderazgo/Leadership Academy, 4th Cohort. September 2022-23. (Awards and Honors) 2022
Don Quijote Leadership Award. 14th Annual Possible Dream: Latin@ Arts, Communities, and Leadership Encuentro. Brooklyn College. November.
(Awards and Honors) 2019
Recipient, Spring "Mid-Career Faculty Fellowship Program." CUNY Office of Academic Affairs. One course release in Fall 2018. (Grants and Fellowships) 2018
Recipient, Tow Faculty Research Travel Fellowship. Brooklyn College, CUNY ($2,500). (Grants and Fellowships) 2018
Eric M. Steinberg Award for College Citizenship (Awards and Honors) 2016
CUNY Diversity Projects Development Fund ($5,000). 'Promoting Latin@ Undergraduate Research." (Grants and Fellowships) 2015
Instituto de Puerto Rico. Cultural Award: Education (Awards and Honors) 2015
CUNY Diversity Projects Development Fund ($5,000). "Promoting Latin@ Undergraduate Research and Event Series." (Grants and Fellowships) 2013
CUNY Diversity Projects Development Fund ($2,000) for undergraduate research assistantship and multicultural events. (Grants and Fellowships) 2012
Vanguard Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Latino Community, Puerto Rican Alliance Student Organization, Brooklyn College. (Awards and Honors) 2011
CUNY Diversity Grant ($3,000) for PRLS 40th Anniversary Series of Events. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
Honorary member, Phi Beta Kappa Rho of NY Brooklyn College Chapter. (Awards and Honors) 2010
Core Curriculum grant to bring renowned human rights activist and Puerto Rican independentist Juan Mari Bras, J.D., to Brooklyn College. Core Curriculum 20.03: Latin@ Diasporas in the U.S. $500. (Grants and Fellowships) 2007
Independent Panel of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, created an annual college scholarship named in my honor: Dr. María E. Pérez y González College Scholarship Fund for Latin@ Students. (Awards and Honors) 2007
Core Curriculum grant, to bring invited guest Jeffrey Foxx , an anthropological photographer, to Brooklyn College. Core Curriculum 20.03: Latin@ Diasporas in the U.S. $500. (Grants and Fellowships) 2006
Favorite Teacher Award, Broeklundian yearbook. (Awards and Honors) 2006
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
"Puerto Rican Studies in CUNY: The First 50 Years" Center for Puerto Rican Studies. Panelists: Maria Perez y Gonzalez, Conor Tomas Reed, Maria J. Canino, Edna Acosta Belen, and Virginia Sánchez Korrol, moderated by Ricardo Gabriel. April 7. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2022
Co-Panelist. "Film Screening and Panel: 50th Anniversary of the Struggle for Puerto Rican Studies at CUNY." Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños. March 25.. https://centropr.nationbuilder.com/50yearsprstudies
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2021
Organizer and Co-Panelist."The 50 Year Legacy of Puerto Rican Studies in CUNY: Empowering Education." CUNY Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Conference, "The Power of an Anti-Racist Academy: Reimagining Systems and Structures." April 16. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2021
Roundtable Discussant. "Then we realized our power"-The Past, Present and Futures of Ethnic Studies at CUNY, Part I, Roots & Legacies." CUNY Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Conference, "The Power of an Anti-Racist Academy: Reimagining Systems and Structures." April 15, (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2021
"Aleluyas: The Impact of Puerto Rican Pentecostals in NYC." Immigrant Religion and Integration Panel. 2018 Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society. Theme: As Time Goes By: Social and Institutional Change. Baltimore, Maryland. February.
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
"Puerto Rican Pentecostal Resiliency: Challenges of the Past and Post-Hurricanes Irma and María." Responses to Crisis Panel. 13th Biennial Conference of the Puerto Rican Studies Association. Theme: Navigating Insecurity: Crisis, Power, and Protest in Puerto Rican Communities. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
"Best Practices for Applying to Tenure-Track Academic Jobs" Eastern Sociological Society, Philadelphia, PA (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
Opening Remarks/welcome. "Weathering the Storm: The Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and the Diasporic Communities" November 30. CUNY Mellon Faculty Diversity Career Enhancement Initiative in collaboration with the Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies, Dr. Rey Ortiz-Minaya. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9HvOW3ohlE (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
"We Don't Preach Multiculturalism, We Are Multiculturalism" panel. Second Annual New Faculty Orientation. Roberta S. Matthews Center for Teaching, Brooklyn College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2007
"Evangelical Ministers and the Race Demon." Racist Theological and Religious Discourses in Puerto Rico and the Diasporic Communities Panel. Biennial Meeting of the Puerto Rican Studies Association: Speaking the Unspoken--Race and Its Intersections in Puerto Rican Experience. Cornell University. Ithaca, N.Y. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2006
"In Their Own Words: Forming the Puerto Rican Studies Association, 1989-1994" roundtable. Biennial Meeting of the Puerto Rican Studies Association: Speaking the Unspoken--Race and Its Intersections in Puerto Rican Experience. Cornell University. Ithaca, N.Y. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2006
"The Decline of Full-time Puerto Rican Faculty at CUNY from 1981-2002" panel. Center for Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College (CUNY). New York. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2006
Professional Leadership
Advisory Board Member. CUNY Transformative Learning in the Humanities. Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Spring 2021-date. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2021
Acting Chairperson Spring 2020-June 2020 (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2020
Chairperson, Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies, 2004-2019 (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2019
Alliance for Puerto Rican Education and Empowerment (APREE). Founding fundraiser event for Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies scholarships. Invited speaker. Featured in APREE promotional video. Brooklyn, NY. September. http://www.apree.org/home.html (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2015
Chairperson, Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies Appointments and Search Committees, Brooklyn College, 2004-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Chairperson, Departmental Awards Committee, Brooklyn College, 1999-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Director, Center for Latino Studies, Brooklyn College, 2004-present. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2014
Ex-officio (appointed by the chairperson of Faculty Council), Faculty Council Committee on College Integrity, 2005-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Member, Brooklyn College Council on Administrative Policy, 2004-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Member, search committee, Carol Zicklin Endowed Chair in the Honors Academy (Visiting Professor). (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Member-at-large, Faculty Council Steering Committee, 2004-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Member, Brooklyn College Children and Youth Studies Advisory Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Chair, Faculty Council, October 2009-12. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2012
Invited speaker. Synopsis of Pioneering Puerto Rican Women in NYC on the historic program launch of Comité Noviembre's monthly one-hour cable television show on Manhattan Neighborhood Network. March. Women's History Month. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2012
Member, Center for Diversity and Multicultural Studies Executive Committee, Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Member, Provost's Task Force on Diversity, 2005-11. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Member, CUNY Search Committee for President of Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2009
Chairperson, Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies Curriculum Committee, Brooklyn College, 2004-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
Member, Brooklyn College President's Advisory Committee on Diversity. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
Member, Brooklyn College President's Diversity Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
Member, Brooklyn College Program for the Studies of Religion Advisory Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
Member, CUNY Puerto Rican Faculty Recruitment Project Advisory Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
Member, CUNY Puerto Rican/Latino/Latin American Studies Discipline Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
Member, Middle States Working Group III: Governance, Administration and Leadership. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
Participant, Voter Registration Drive, Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2007
Community Activities
MC/Host, The Alliance for Puerto Rican Education and Empowerment Gala celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies at Brooklyn College, CUNY. Giando on the Water. April 28. 2022
"Back to the Future: Perspectives from Current Student Activists and Puerto Rican and Latinx Faculty at PRLS/Brooklyn College." Panelist. Alliance for Puerto Rican Education and Empowerment (APREE). Theme: 50 Years of Leadership and Activism: The Puerto Rican Alliance at Brooklyn College. Commemorating 50 Years of Struggle and Advocacy of Puerto Rican and Latinx Studies. Edwin Gould Foundation, New York City. November 5. 2018
Sunset Park Puerto Rican Day Parade. Interview. "Brooklyn College 4,645 Puerto Rico killed by Hurricane Maria." Brooklyn, June. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzJ8vsxYyV0 2018
BC Comité Noviembre, Organizing Committee of "The Possible Dream: Latin@ Arts, Communities, and Leadership Encuentro 2007." Theme: Las Caras Lindas--The Many Faces of Latin@ Diversity. Annual all-day conference for college and high school students, faculty, staff, alumni and community, with more than 400 participants. 2007
Organizer, Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies and Familia Latina Annual Awards/Commencement Luncheon Celebration, Brooklyn College. 2007
Other Professional Activities
Co-Host/Co-Organizer. Spring 2022. PRLS West Side Story Lecture Series: The Brooklyn Connection Follow-up featuring Virginia Sánchez Korrol, Tony Kushner, and Ernesto Acevedo Muñoz, featured in the Brooklyn College School of Humanities and Social Sciences Critical Thinking e-Newsletter: https://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/academics/schools/socialsciences/critical-thinking/april22-prls.php.
2022
Interim Dean, Brooklyn College School of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts. Fall. 2022
Co-Host/Co-Organizer. Fall 2021. West Side Story Lecture Series: The Brooklyn Connection. 8-part series: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/news/bcnews/bcnews_210830.php
Virginia Sánchez Korrol, Bobby Sanabria, Tony Kushner, Ernesto Acevedo Muñoz, Victor Cruz, Juan González, Jeanine Tesori, and Steven Spielberg: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/academics/schools/socialsciences/departments/prlstudies/west-side-story.php
2021
Interviewed along with Filmmaker Tami Gold. "Making the Impossible Possible: The Story of Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College" on Indy Radio Show 99.5 FM-WBAI January 19. 2021
"How Does Brooklyn College Support and Engage Diversity?" Video Panelist with Ms. Tunji Fussell (Moderator, Associate Director, Office of Diversity and Equity Programs), Chief Diversity Officer Anthony Brown, Dr. Prudence Cumberbatch (Chair, Africana Studies), Dr. David Brodsky (Chair, Judaic Studies, and Dr. Yung-Yi Diana Pan (Sociology). Zoom. April. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHbaAnRVuMA
2020
Featured in "Hispanic Heritage: 50 Years of Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College." New York 1 News. October 14.
https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/10/14/hispanic-heritage--50-years-of-puerto-rican-studies-at-brooklyn-college.html.
2020
Interviewed/featured in APREE (Alliance for Puerto Rican Education and Empowerment) documentary: "Making the Impossible Possible: The Story of Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College." Premier screening on November 19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCFHcOH6S7M 2020
Organizer and Speaker. "¡Basta Ya! (Enough Already!): What a Few Puerto Rican Students Did that Irreversibly Changed the Ivory Tower." Zoom talk with Dr. Virginia Sánchez Korrol. October 6, 2020. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JRIzx9M813jSsn_MaGiy9EY7Vzj0QzyZ/view?usp=sharing.
Narrative for PRLS Department, "Diversity Month: Happy Anniversary" email from the Office of Diversity and Equity Programs featuring Ethnic Studies Departments' 50th anniversary. April 29.
2020
"Why Careers Are Important to Students: Maria Perez (Puerto Rican & Latino Studies)" Magner Career Center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79qEkE_1qqc. Brooklyn College, August.
2019
"Debating Puerto Rico's Future: Statehood, Status Quo, or Independence" Professor Maria Perez y Gonzalez, Howard Hills, and Jaime Estades; Moderator Bob Liff. CUNY Forum, CUNY TV. October. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mkY6KwRMQs 2017
CUNY Moving from Associate to Full Professor Workshop Series. 2017
Faculty Resource Network at New York University, "How to Write Successful Grant Proposals," Summer Seminar 2016. 2016
Puerto Rican Studies Association, Maryland 2016
CUNY Diversity and Inclusion Conference. 2015
Faculty Development: Meet the Author--Dr. Ken Bain, What the Best College Teachers Do (2004). Brooklyn College. 2007
Faculty Professional Development Seminar: 2nd Annual New Core Curriculum Conference--Conserving the Core and Other Matters. Transforming Knowledge, Elizabeth Minnich. Brooklyn College. 2007
Member, National Institute for Latino Policy. 2007
Organized a nine-speaker lecture series during Spring 2007 on a range of topics in the field of Puerto Rican and Latino studies. Brooklyn College. 2007
Organizer, convener and facilitator, Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies Strategic Planning Weekend Retreat, The Warwick Center, New York. 2007
Provost's Third Annual Faculty Development Workshop: Enhancing Pedagogical Practices--Teaching Portfolios. Brooklyn College. 2007