Pachucas: Embodiments of Resistance and Recognition

• In Event: With A Little Help From My Friends: Queer(ing) Friendship, the Praxis of Community Care

Abstract

As a generation of young Mexican American women coming of age during World War II, pachucas provide insight into structures of race, class, gender and sexuality, shaping family life and social expectations. Situating pachucas as part of a genealogy of radical, liberatory friendship, their continued salience locates pachucas not only as historical agents but also as a cultural icon. Pachucas cultivated a landscape in which to consider the politics of care and community formation, signaled through language, leisure and visual cues. Drawing from this legacy, pachucas offer an emblem of friendship, nurturing recognition and care, across generations.

Presenter

• Michelle Kritz Morado, University of Washington