Announcing the appointment of Claudia J. Hernández Romero to Associate Professor of Sustainability in Liberal Arts and Sciences at Otis College of Art & Design.
Claudia J. Hernández Romero holds a Ph.D. from UCLA’s Culture and Performance Program in the World Arts & Cultures Department. Her dissertation is entitled “Proyecto Jardín Community Garden: Traditional Medicine and Health Among Latinx in Boyle Heights.” Hernández’s current research explores the role of curanderas in Los Angeles. Her pedagogy centers on defining a holistic understanding of sustainability that centers community and justice. Publications include Salvie Mom’s Beans, Botánicas: Sites of Healing and Community Support, and Miraculous Migrants to the City of Angels: Perceptions of El Santo Niño de Atocha and San Simón as Sources of Help and Healing. Projects in the works include Applied Folklore as Mindful Praxis and Curanderas in the City of Angeles.
Of her appointment, Claudia stated, “I am very excited to be at Otis in my new position as the Associate Professor of Sustainability. I look forward to working with colleagues and students on expanding a holistic understanding of sustainability on our campus.”
Kerri Steinberg (Chair of Liberal Arts & Sciences) shared her support, “Claudia’s nimble and creative mind has left a trail of accomplishments at Otis College of Art and Design and in the community, including creating strategic solutions and policies about that which she is passionate: sustainability and environmental and social justice. Nothing is perfunctory for Claudia—from her student-centered pedagogy to her activism, she goes all in. Her appetite for inclusion is vast and is borne out of a deep, personal commitment to working toward a more just and equitable society. The LAS department is thrilled to welcome Claudia in her new role as Associate Professor of Sustainability.”
Alumni Announcement - Claudia J. Hernández Romero
