Estrella Torrez

Dr. Estrella Torrez

CLS Affiliation: CLS Affiliated Faculty 

Position Title: Associate Professor 

College and Department: Residential College in the Arts and Humanities

Areas of Expertise: community literacy; critical pedagogy; indigenous rhetorics; Latina rhetorics 

How do you keep yourself centered? 

1) I start my morning with a cup of green tea and end the day with some kind of nighttime tea. 2) It is super important for me to go outside for at least 30-45 minutes a day, I need a break from my house. 3) Another thing that I do is keep all work-related things in one room/space, it isn't healthy for me to 'live in my workspace.' 4) And lastly, I've made sure to reach out to my loved ones.

What advice/tips/consejos would you give students in terms of navigating school? 

Be sure to create a constellation of mentors. You'll need these folx to support you through this entire journey. 

When not teaching, doing research, and/or preparing coursework, what do you like to do for fun or relaxation? 

When I have time to unwind you'll find me baking or running, I like to bake in the morning before a busy day or run at night when I have a lot on my mind. 

What (or who) inspires you? 

I am inspired by my Latinx high school youth collaborators who are generous in sharing their time and knowledge. 

What classes do you generally teach? 

Language and Culture, Community Engagement, and First Year Seminar

Anything else you would like to share with students and the CLS community?

My favorite teaching experience was last spring when Dr. Figueroa and I took a group of graduate, undergraduate and high school students to Puerto Rico for a spring break learning experience. Our group was able to meet with activists, artists, poets, educators, historians, and organizers. We had such an amazing time! 

To learn more about Dr. Torrez, visit MSU’s website at https://rcah.msu.edu/about/people/faculty-staff/torrez-estrella.html