Manuela A. Gomez is a professor of philosophy at El Paso Community College. She has over 17 years of teaching experience on both sides of the US-Mexico border. She specializes in philosophical pedagogy, ethics, feminism, and Latin American philosophy. She was recently appointed to the American Philosophical Association Committee on Hispanics/Latinx.
What are you most proud of in your professional life?
I feel very grateful because my work has received national and international recognition. I was recently named 2022 Piper Professor for the state of Texas, which is one of the most prestigious, state-wide awards for teaching excellence at the college level. The Texas House of Representatives also honored me with HR 754, a congratulatory bill for my academic achievements and civic engagement, and my students and I were named 2020 Community Champions for our philanthropic contributions at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Additionally, I am proud to have been a part of El Paso County’s working group that created the Healing Garden, a place that commemorates the victims of the August 3rd shooting, the deadliest massacre against Mexican Americans in modern history. Last year, I was a guest lecturer at Harvard University for my philosophical work on the US-Mexico border, and this May, I participated in a panel with Dolores Huerta at DePaul University, where we discussed the legacy of Cesar Chavez.
What excites you about philosophy?
I love that it is a powerful tool for us to transform reality and a key to liberation. It is useful, concrete, and present everywhere. It has given me multiple perspectives about life and therefore, deepened my understanding of who I am and what I do. Philosophy has also made my students excited about creating meaningful changes in our US-Mexico border community.
What are you working on right now?
I am developing the notion of Desenterrando Conocimientos (Unearthing Knowledge) as a process of inquiry and praxis that reveals and produces knowledge of the US-Mexico border. It is grounded in pragmatism and is a qualitative vision of philosophy in action. It is a method for knowledge acquisition and production that can be linked to social activism. It is a metaphilosophical and epistemological proposition to expand the parameters of what philosophy is expected to do. I present Desenterrando Conocimientos as an instrument to question, challenge, and heal some of the structural racism, violence, and injustices many have experienced on the US-Mexico border. When we think of Mexican American labor, many immediately think of physical agricultural work in the fields, like picking fruits and vegetables from the ground (la tierra). My proposal reimagines Mexican American labor to include much-needed intellectual work. Desenterrando Conocimientos is the active unearthing of knowledge in communities full of rich epistemological crops. It happens when we engage with la tierra y desenterramos los conocimientos of it and of its people.
After 17 years of teaching philosophy on both sides of the US-Mexico border, I am also writing my dissertation. It is a phenomenological study that explores the lived experiences of Mexican American students in their journeys of becoming philosophers. I utilize testimonios as valid sources of legitimate knowledge and I believe this study will provide useful data on the intersection of educational research and philosophy. I am hoping this will reveal ideas about how to make philosophy a more welcoming discipline. Overall, my work aims to change the perception of who a philosopher is to be more inclusive.
Name a trait, skill, or characteristic that you have that others may not know about.
I was born in the United States but raised in Mexico until I was 18 years old. My parents never spoke a word of English so I learned it as a second language. My father would drive my sister and I across the border on the weekends to take English classes at the same institution where I now teach philosophy and where I became the first woman to ever receive tenure in my discipline.
Which books have changed your life? In what ways?
When I was 16 years old, my father gave me the first philosophy book I ever read: El Hombre Mediocre (The Mediocre Man) by José Ingenieros. Because of this book, I studied philosophy. When I attended Texas A&M University for graduate school, under the guidance of Dr. Gregory Pappas and Dr. John McDermott, I became the first scholar in the English-speaking world to explore the neglected historical and philosophical connection between José Ingenieros and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
What is your favorite film of all time? (Or top 3). Why? To whom would you recommend them?
I have the cheesiest story, but it’s 100% true. I went on a date about 15 years ago with a film producer. He asked me the same question. I said it was very complex to answer just one favorite movie of all time. Under pressure, I answered School of Rock with Jack Black because it was funny and didn’t require any thinking. As a philosopher, you need this sometimes. His face was full of disappointment, and he ended the date 4 minutes later. He pretended his friend had a flat tire and he had to go help him. When I got home, my father asked why I got back so early. I explained what had happened and he told me, “You deserve someone who appreciates your taste no matter what. In fact, whoever does, may end up being your soulmate.” So, fast-forward to a few years later. Evan and I had been friends for seven years. One day, we had been talking until 2 a.m. I randomly asked what his favorite movie was, and after much hesitation, he said, “well I really like School of Rock.” It was so ridiculous. I started laughing uncontrollably and told him what that meant. We’ve been married for five years.
This section of the APA Blog is designed to get to know our fellow philosophers a little better. We’re including profiles of APA members that spotlight what captures their interest not only inside the office, but also outside of it. We’d love for you to be a part of it, so please contact us via the interview nomination form here to nominate yourself or a friend.
Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, and St. John’s University.
