Hood-Ass Weirdo : Poetic Writings Exploring The Queer, Latinx Body’s Relationships with/to Sexual Liberation, Temporal Urban Spaces, and Immigrant Familial Relationships

Abstract

The author discusses the many relationships between her Chicago neighborhood, gender identity, literary theories and influences. She writes, “To balance out the theoretical frameworks used in my thesis, I incorporated lyrics from Mexican folk songs, rap and juke songs, and informal Spanish phrases or words. These are scattered throughout many poems and work to have some sort of frame of reference for those not familiar with my neighborhood to visualize it, and for those that do know it to feel like they are a part of this collection…. It was not until my poems were organized in a way that satisfied me and the effect I was going for, which was supposed to be fluid but still juxtaposed, that I began seeing my collection as a full fleshed project. I though a bit deeper as to how this was my capstone, a project that is a symbol of my four years at K. That was, and still is a big question. A layered one. This SIP is a poetic expression with anthropology and sociology married into it. This project was difficult and emotionally draining, but necessary in reconciling many sentiments I had not before and feel the need to do so in order to actually move on into the post Kalamazoo College world. My racialized, working class, trans body has been what has shaped my life, both at home and at Kalamazoo College. I did not find it within myself to have another concept other than my body and its relationships to be the focus of this collection. I can safely say that I created a capstone that does not solely encompass my life at K, but also my being and growth in the past four years. If there is anything I have learned here, is that it is not self-indulgent to write about yourself, particularly as a marginalized person. It is self-exploration. What would my education be if I did not have any sentiments towards it? No theory to conceptualize not just my craft, but my being and its’ feelings?”