Melissa Menendez, Ph.D.

About Melissa

I’m a proud granddaughter of hardworking migrant field laborers who immigrated from México and Guatemala to eventually settle in the central valley town of Mendota, California where my parents met. My grandparents, like most of my ancestors, learned survival and resilience, but they did not have the opportunity to receive any “formal” education.

To honor their histories, I made the commitment to earn a doctorate degree in U.S. literature in order to ensure more stories and experiences from minoritized, marginalized voices are included and affirmed. My degree and work represents their legacy✊🏽 My guilty pleasures are collecting, listening and djing vinyl and cuddling with my adorable brown chiweenie, Gústi.

Raíces (Home)  |  Program-Programa  |  Courses-Cursos  |  Staff-Familia  |  Faculty-Facultad  |  Events-Eventos