Grisel Acosta

Grisel Acosta is a Professor in the Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies program at Bronx Community College, City University of New York (CUNY). Her work bridges academic scholarship and creative expression, focusing on Latino literature, cultural studies, oral history, and hybrid texts. She holds a Ph.D. in English/Latino Literature from the University of Texas at San Antonio, an M.Ed. in Educational Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a B.A. in Journalism with a Film minor from Columbia College Chicago.

• Ph.D. in English/Latino Literature, University of Texas at San Antonio
• M.Ed. in Educational Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago
• B.A. in Journalism/Film Minor, Columbia College Chicago

Her research centers on the intersection of literary criticism, cultural identity, environmental justice, and social justice. Acosta’s work emphasizes hybrid forms that merge scholarly analysis with creative writing, visual art, and oral testimony. Key themes include Afro-Latina identity, queer Latinidad, gentrification, and resistance to dominant cultural narratives. She draws inspiration from scholars like Gloria Anzaldúa and José Esteban Muñoz.

Her publications reflect a strong trend in interdisciplinary and culturally grounded creative-scholarly work. Recent and forthcoming books include Latina Outsiders: Remaking Latina Identity (2019), Things to Pack on the Way to Everywhere (2021), and the forthcoming Wild (2027). Her creative works have appeared in Poetry Magazine and The Hopkins Review. She also conducted a 2023 BRES-funded oral history project on displaced Latino communities in Chicago, presented in 2025.

Scientific recognition includes being a finalist for the Andrés Montoya Poetry Award in 2020. She contributes to the academic community as Creative Writing Editor for Chicana/Latina Studies Journal and Poetry Editor for Women’s Studies Quarterly.

Acosta mentors emerging writers and invites students to create hybrid, interdisciplinary texts in her classes. She has received research support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and UTSA’s University Teachers Fellowship. Her current work continues to explore the role of marginalized voices in reshaping cultural narratives through creative and scholarly innovation.