Monique Perry (she/her/they/them)

"“I’ve never thought of it”: Middle School Teachers’ Conceptions of Sexuality in Cross-Curricular Classrooms"

 [Abstract Forthcoming]

Valentina Proust (she/ella)

"From Mourning to Movement: Feminist Activism Through Protest Anthems"

This project explores how feminist protest anthems work as mourning rituals and instruments for addressing cultural trauma and social injustices. By examining the musical representations of systemic gendered-based violence, the study delves into the role of these songs in social movements' activism and their ability to foster a sense of collective identity necessary for fighting historical wounds against women. Focusing on three protest anthems that have gained popularity on social media platforms and have become symbols of feminist movements (Un violador en tu camino, Baraye, and Quiet), the research looks to their lyrics and performances to argue that these anthems serve as cultural and political artifacts that enable collectives to confront social injuries and their underlying causes. Moreover, these songs create communities and drive change by evoking shared experiences of a painful past. Ultimately, protest anthems can be seen as discursive practices that foster solidarity and mobilize against hegemonic discourses perpetuating violence.