UROP Mentor

Dr. Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes

UROP Research Team

Luisa Sanchez (2020-2022)

What is your research project?

Contemporary Performance in Puerto Rico

What are the goals of your research project?

To understand the complex ways artists in Puerto Rico and in the Puerto Rican diaspora address social issues such as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and poverty through their performance.

Why is this research important?

Contemporary performers in Puerto Rico are staging major social interventions, addressing many pressing topics.

What drives you to conduct this research?

I am passionate about performance in Puerto Rico, which is where I am from. The artists are extraordinary and the country is experiencing great challenges.

Is there a Call to Action you would like to encourage?

https://www.cdpecpr.org/

What resources would you recommend to learn more about your research topic?

In my previous book "Translocas: The Politics of Puerto Rican Drag and Trans Performance" (2021), I focus on how some LGBTQ+ artists address these issues in their work. https://www.press.umich.edu/11314788/translocas