Colloquium: “Cultivating a Whimsical Praxis in Teaching and Learning” by Lucha Arévalo
Join the UCR Department of Ethnic Studies for our colloquium speaker series
Monday, May 11, 2026
1:00-2:00 p.m.
CHASS INTN 3023
The latest trend invites us to add more whimsy to our lives, but what does whimsy look like in our classrooms and the institutions where we work? For the past seven years, Lucha has used their ethnic studies community college classroom to engage students in the powerful act and art of storytelling. Through this process, students tap into and channel their inner child in creative, playful ways, bringing a whimsical praxis to life in the classroom and beyond. While talking to animals, dressing up, and naming plants are all efforts to add more whimsy into our everyday lives, Lucha invites us to reflect on what this can look like in our professional practice. Bring your inner child to this intellectual playdate and let the magic of your curiosity lead the way.
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Dr. Lucha Arévalo is an Associate Professor of Chicanx and Latinx Studies at Río Hondo College. Since graduating from UCR’s Ethnic Studies Department, Lucha has been recognized as an award-winning faculty member, most notably for their community-engaged scholarship and advocacy of open education.
Their recent publications include the open-access textbook, New Directions in Chicanx and Latinx Studies (2023) and its companion workbook (2024); “Nuestros Cuentos Cuentan: Storytelling as a Healing Modality in a Community College Classroom” (2023); and “Pedagogies |