Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Chavez-moreno. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Laura, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I first knew I wanted to pursue a path as a researcher, and then I realized that meant I also had to become a writer. I was apprehensive about my writing–I wasn’t very confident. But the more I read in my doctoral program, the more I thought that I had something to say. And I took steps to improve my writing by going for tutoring in my university’s writing center and taking courses at that same center. These types of activities helped me understand that becoming a writer means developing a habit of writing.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am an assistant professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in the departments of Chicana/o & Central American Studies and Education. In that role, I research, write, and teach about race and education. Specifically, I examine issues about educational equity and Latinx education. I have published in top tier academic journals, and I have authored the book, “How Schools Make Race: Teaching Latinx Racialization in America,” published by Harvard Education Press. I wrote “How Schools Make Race” for a general audience to learn about racial theory through an example of how one bilingual education program teaches about race and creates ideas about the Latinx racialized group.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a writer is being able to think through tough ideas. Because writing requires so much concentration, it lets me develop my ideas and my find the nuances that I might have missed when I initially started forming my ideas. I love writing because it complicates my ideas.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Yes! The writing centers of my various universities offered various workshops and tutoring that think about writing as a habit that needs to be developed and nurtured. This helped me develop into a writer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laurachavezmoreno.com/
• Twitter: https://x.com/LauraCCM