Tamaliza as Methodology: Honoring the Voices and Knowledge of Mujeres in Academic Spaces

• In Event: Latina Women in Education

Abstract

This presentation introduces tamaliza as a decolonial feminist methodology rooted in the lived experiences of first-generation mujeres in academia. Framed as a ceremonial and relational practice, tamaliza reclaims the kitchen as a site of memory, resistance, and knowledge-making. Drawing from a South Texas gathering, the presenters illustrate how tamal-making, guided pláticas, and communal reflection became acts of healing and data generation. The session highlights how tamaliza challenges extractive research paradigms by centering ancestral wisdom, collective care, and embodied epistemologies. Through storytelling and dialogue, participants will explore how culturally rooted methodologies can transform educational research into an act of community care and liberation, honoring unforgotten histories while imagining new futures.

Authors

• Brenda Rivera, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Monica Hernandez, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Claudia García-Louis, The University of Texas San Antonio