Dr. Lorgia Garcia Peña

Dr. Lorgia García Peña, a writer, activist, and scholar specializing in Latine Studies with a focus on Black Latinidades, explores how antiblackness and xenophobia intersect in the Global North to create exclusionary categories that result in violence and erasure. Through her writing and teaching, she emphasizes the importance of recognizing the knowledge, cultural, social, and political contributions of historically marginalized groups. Dr. García-Peña’s academic journey includes earning multiple degrees, culminating in a Ph.D. in American cultures from the University of Michigan. As an Assistant Professor of Latino/a Studies at the University of Georgia, she co-founded Freedom University Georgia to provide tuition-free college instruction and support for undocumented students in response to restrictive state policies. Her advocacy work and scholarship have earned her accolades, including the Latin American Studies Association’s Frank Bonilla Public Intellectual Award.