Meet Teresa Helena Moreno

Teresa is an educator and librarian at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she specializes in feminist, critical race theory and social justice-informed research and information practices. She also teaches interdisciplinary courses at the intersections of the humanities and the information sciences using feminist and critical race methodologies. In addition to this, Teresa has spent over a decade working through educational policy to find ways to support the needs of BIPOC students and faculty on college campuses. 

She is currently researching the ways the information sciences misunderstands the diaspora, how it works with diasporic content, and the impact it has on information creation. A book focusing on this research is forthcoming. 

Q+A

If we came over for dinner what would you prepare for us?

Desserts. I haven’t the slightest idea on how to actually cook, but because I’ve been home this year, I started to take Mexican pastry baking classes. So, I could confidently make you tres leches cake or conchas and not much else!

If you had to change careers what would you want to do?

I think if I weren’t an educator, I would want to be a stylist. It took me a few years to realize that curating outfits is an artful outlet for me.

What do you geek out about?

Musical theater, hands down! Truly everything about it—the craft of creating a good score and libretto! The choreography and feeling put into dancing! The singing and its ability to tell a story! (I’m so geeked out about it now as I type, I require all of the !!!) Do I rate and rank my favorite cast recordings and compare original cast to revivals in my head? Always! I grew up on musical theater thanks to my parents, so it really is a love that is pure and as old as I am.

Favorite quote?

“Never get so attached to a poem, you forget that truth lacks lyricism.”—Joanna Newsom

What gets you through a rough day?

Lipstick, lavender, dancing, and empathy.

What’s the smartest thing you have ever said?

“No.”

Where do you go for inspiration?

Conversations! I don’t know if it’s the Gemini sun energy, but I am someone who gets their best ideas and inspiration from having conversations with people. For me it’s a great way to see parts of the world through another person’s lens as well as to collaboratively pick apart theories, explore nuances, and make connections. The uncovering of thought and theories always leads me to want to create something! I often feel like a thought detective—I want to create a way for people to see their world differently and name some of the things that we do not always see. 

Want more? Visit Teresa’s website and connect with Teresa on Twitter and Instagram

Photo credit: Mercedes Zapata