Daily Inspiration: Meet Juana Moriel-Payne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Juana Moriel-Payne.

Hi Juana, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and grew up there. I went to the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, earning a Social Work degree. As an adult, I migrated to El Paso, Texas, and soon learned I needed to continue my education. Once my son and my daughter went to kindergarten and elementary school, I enrolled in El Paso Community College to learn English. Then I decided to get an Associate’s degree in Spanish. From EPCC, I transferred to the University of Texas at El Paso to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish. My goal was to be a Spanish teacher at the high school level. However, I fell in love with Hispanic literature and pursued a Master’s in Spanish. During this time, my interest in creative writing grew as well. So, when I completed the MA, I went for an MFA in creative writing. One of my writing projects was a historical novel, an endeavor that took me to colonial archives. While doing research, I realized I wanted to be a historian, and as soon as I finished the MFA, I entered the Ph.D. program in Borderlands History. I consider myself a multidisciplinary scholar and reflect it in my teaching. In my Latin American courses, I provide my students with various class materials, from historical to literature and art sources. My personal and educational background has allowed me to appreciate my student’s efforts, particularly those of the first generation getting a degree in higher education.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting a higher education took work. I had to challenge the gender role my patriarchal family assigned me and the lack of economic resources. My parents expected me to be married and never go beyond high school or work. I had to convince them to let me get into a technical degree in Social Work, a “women’s” career requiring fewer years and less money. In the United States, I had to face balancing my work as a mother and as a student. While pursuing my MA, MFA, and Ph.D, I had a part-time job assistantship and taught the Spanish language, organized literary congresses, and edited a literary magazine at a time I took care of my children’s well-being and education.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have published novels, poetry, and historical research papers. In 2012, I won a literary contest-publication with my historical novel, Trigueña. My novel, La caza del venado, was a finalist in another literary contest publication in 2016. In history research, I have published an oral history paper about domestic workers at the U.S.A.- Mexico border and another about Afro-Mexican brotherhood in Northern New Spain. My poetry appears in various literary magazines in Mexico and the United States. Recently, I completed a history research manuscript that is under revision for publication with a university press. It is common for me to have writing projects in diverse genres, forms, and disciplines. I am writing a novella and a memoir and have started new historical research about marriage fairs in Northern New Spain.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The Covid-19 crisis reminded me of human fragility, the value of adaptation, and the importance of human communication and education. During Covid-19’s peak, people faced death, solitude, and mental health issues worldwide. Our “window” to the world was the internet. It was our source of information, entertainment, and education. We had to learn how to work and learn from home for almost two years. Even though it was hard to get used to it at the beginning of the pandemic, eventually, we developed practical strategies to deal with the situation. In this sense, I praise parents and educators for continuing to perform their roles and duties during such a difficult time.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juanamoriel2020/?next=%2F
• Other: https://msm.academia.edu/JuanaMoriel https://lalcsmsmu.wordpress.com/