Norma Cantú, the Norine R. and T. Frank Murchison Professor of the Humanities at Trinity University, is a storyteller with a passion for sharing ideas, poetry, class field trips, inclusiveness, and the color white. Just don't tell her you "can't" do something because she might share some of her mother's wisdom as motivation.
What do you like most about teaching Trinity students?
Their enthusiasm and energy!
How do you motivate your students?
I use a variety of strategies to motivate students; most often I reward them for good work and for engagement with the class with special treats such as a field trip. Last semester we went to Austin to visit the UT-Austin Benson Latin American Collection Archives; it was a highlight of the class. I also meet with students individually to plan special projects; thus I motivate them to engage in research and to pursue their own interests for self growth. Education is not just about what you learn in class but about who you become and the process. The path is as important as the destination.
What are some of your pre-class rituals?
Before going into a class, I prepare by checking to make sure I have the textbook, the PowerPoint is loaded, and such. I also invoke the author whose work we are discussing and say a few words to myself that in essence say I am ready for a class that is beyond my expected or anticipated outcomes.
You convened a group of San Antonio Latinas with doctorates last December. How big is this group and what are some of its goals?
We have over 130 signed up on our Facebook page but due to a number of reasons only about half attended our December gathering. The first time we gathered as a group was for the investiture of Dr. Maria Hernandez Ferrier, inaugural president of Texas A&M University-San Antonio. It was very powerful to see so many Latinas with doctorates in San Antonio come together. On Dec. 12, 2016, we convened again. This time we had in mind some concrete goals. We have formed an organization and will be meeting throughout the year for socials, collecting money for scholarships and offering mentorship to Latinas pursuing their doctorates. Once a year we will gather for a social event and a group photo.
Please share some details of being the founding member of CantoMundo.
CantoMundo, the national space for Latinx poetry and poets started as a dream of a few of us in San Antonio who as members of Macondo,the Writers Workshop founded by Sandra Cisneros, yearned for a similar space devoted solely to poetry. We invited about 10 poets we thought might be interested and five responded: Pablo Miguel Martinez, Carmen Tafolla, Celeste Guzman, and Deborah Paredez. We met around my dining room table and came up with a name, a logo, a structure and such and within a few months we were off and running. Our first workshop was held in Albuquerque; subsequent ones were held in Austin at UT and now it will be held in New York at Columbia University starting this summer.
How did you get involved in your field of study?
I have always loved reading and writing. I did toy with the idea of becoming a lawyer at one time. I received my baccalaureate in Education with a double major: English and Political Science. At the end of my MA, also in English and Political Science, as I contemplated law school or doctoral work, I went on a retreat and meditated. That which feeds my soul--writing and reading--won out. I must say that my grandmother who taught me to read before I went to school set me on the path and then my teachers and mentors paved that path for me.
What is your favorite aspect of teaching? Least favorite? Why?
Favorite: I love the sharing of ideas and the way that students teach me as well. I like to lecture but I prefer discussion and an engaged conversation around literatures and culture.
Least:Teaching large classes or uninterested students. I don't mind grading papers as I see what students are learning but it can become tedious.
Who inspires you? Why?
Many people at various levels inspire me, especially those who live(d) with a purpose. Gloria Anzaldúa, Mother Theresa, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Ghandi, César Chávez, my mother, the list goes on and on.The reasons are also varied, but there is one common thread: they all lived their passion. My mother taught me that--to do what one must with conviction.
Favorite color? Why?
I love white, always have. When I learned that color depends on the reflection of light and that white reflects all light, that is, that it is ALL colors, it made sense that I would be attracted to it. I am all about inclusivity and about embracing totality.
What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? Why?
I would love to make films but I am afraid it's a little too late to learn. I love telling stories and film is a different way to tell stories that I would relish because of the visual elements.
What's your favorite expression? Least favorite expression? Why?
Most favorite: Ni modo (oh well!) because I don't believe in crying over spilt milk. I also like and use: "Cada cabeza es un mundo" (each mind is a different world) because indeed each one of us is a world unto itself.
Least favorite: "I can't," or "I don't like…" because my mother instructed us to always try something before declaring that you can't do it or that you don't like it.
Favorite sports team? Why?
I love the Royals because I learned to admire their tenacity and brilliant ball playing when I lived in Kansas City. I like the Cowboys but I am not a big fan….same thing with the Spurs. I have only attended a game once. I like baseball because it was what we followed at home. I grew up going to Tecolotes games in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo. My father was a baseball player and a big fan.
What is your favorite word? Your least favorite word? Why?
I love the word amapola….perhaps because of the "a" sounds….it means "poppy" and I always think of the wild red poppies in fields across Spain.
Where would you like to retire?
Right here in San Antonio!
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