About griselda
(Dr. G)
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I came of age in 'post-Reaganomics' New York City.
Brooklyn to be exact.
With the crack epidemic as our background, my twin and I were reared within a relatively strict Dominican household. Our mother was committed to ensuring that we not get lost in boys, our high school’s exorbitant drop-out rate, nor the violence that promised to consume the neighborhoods we lived in. The proverbial village is what helped me overcome adversity and earn a PhD in Sociology from Syracuse University. Since then, I’ve committed my career to empowering those who are often perceived as disempowered. I share my story as a way to ensure that all of our voices, specifically those of women of color, are represented among the growing tide of collective transformation.
I balance my time as a professor, teaching Kundalini yoga and assisting women during labor as a doula, or birth coach.
Our son, Talib, is a consistent source of inspiration.
Publications
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Rodriguez, Griselda. (2016). "I am my Hermana's Keeper: Reclaiming Afro-Indigenous Ancestral Wisdom" In Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy and Childbirth. Julia C. Oparah, Shanelle K. Mathews & Alicia D. Bonapart (eds.). Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.
Rodriguez, G. & Ramona Hernandez. (2013). “Caribbean Migrations” in Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, 2nd Edition. 4 vols. (vol. 1, pp. 352-58). Detroit, MI: Macmillan Reference.
Rodriguez, G. (Winter 2009). “Mujeres, Myths, and Margins: The Capitalist World-Economy and its Implications for Afro-Dominican Women”. Negritud: Journal of Afro-Latin American Studies, vol.2, no. 2: pp. 207-236.
Keynotes:
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"Playing in the Sun: Multi-Media Photo Journalistic Project on Afro Dominicans of New York"
Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI)
New York, NY/July 2018
"Birthing (In)Justice: Racial Disparities and Maternal Health"
Fordham University Summer STEP (Science Technology Entry Program)
Lincoln Center, NY/July 2018
"Keepin' it Real with Yourself: Exploring Emotional Intelligence with HighSchool Juniors"
CoolSpeak Youth Engagement Company's Power Of Youth Summer Camp
West Virginia GEAR UP
West Virginia/June 2018
"Sankofa Series: Afro Latin@s in the 21st Century"
Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI)
New York, NY/April-July 2018
"Birthing (In)Justice: Racial Disparities and Maternal Health"
Borders and Bodies Lecture Series of the Polis Project
City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center
New York, NY/April 2018
"Reproductive Justice and Our Communities"
Democratizing Knowledge Project of Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY/March 2018
“Latina Birthing Justice:
Reproductive Injustices among Latinas in the US”
SocioMedial Science Introductory Seminar
Sophie Davis School of Medicine — CCNY
New York, NY | February 2016
“Being Latino in the 21st Century:
A Campus-Wide Dialogue”
Latino Heritage Month Diversity Talk
Office of Student Life — CCNY
New York, NY | October 2013
“Success is Inevitable”
First Generation Institute
The Office of Multicultural Academic and
Support Services.
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL | September 2013
“Sankofa, The Continued Quest for Knowledge:
A Message to the Graduates”
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)
Recognition Ceremony
SUNY Binghamton
Binghamton, NY | May 2013
Workshops/Panels:
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"Honest Motherhood: Candid Dialogue around the Politics of Motherhood for Women of Color"
Ancient Light Studios, Brooklyn, NY/August 2018
"The Body Keeps the Score: Survivors of Sexual Violence & Birth Justice"
Decolonize Birth Conference
Brooklyn, NY/ Septermber 2017
"Pelo Bueno/Pelo Malo: Socio-Historical Politics of Hair among Afro-Latinas"
Rizos on the Road Summer 2017 Tour
New York, NY/August 2017
"The Discourse of Professional Women of Color: A Private Meeting to Promote & Propel Promotion"
The Mogul Company
New York, NY/ July 2017
"Afro Latinx: A Coalition Worth Building"
The State of Young Black New York: The Art of Justice Conference
New York Urban League Young Professionals (NYULYP)
Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY/June 2017
"Being Afro-Latinx: What does it mean? Are you Black?
How do you identify?"
Theroot.com Facebook Live Panel
New York, NY | October 2016
“Yoni, Divine Feminine Awakening:
Women’s Self-Empowerment Workshops”
New York, NY | Nov. 2012 - June 2016
“I Love Me: Self-Respect as the Key to Success”
(Female-centered)
Long Island Consortium for Excellence and Equity
Middle School Student Leadership Institute
Long Island, NY | March 2016
“Pelo Bueno/Pelo Malo:
The Power of Hair in Defining Who You Are”
Future Project
NYC Lab High School
New York, NY | March 2016
“It’s Your Life. Dare to Dream Big”
(Female-centered)
Women’s Leadership Summit
The City College of New York
New York, NY | March 2016
“The Power of Now:
Cultivating Mindfulness in an Age of Intense Change”
CCNY Summer Leadership Retreat
Hudson Valley, NY | August 2015
University Seminars:
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“Black Behind the Ears:
Seminar on Racial Identity in the Dominican Republic”
INTEC (Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo)
Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic | January 2016
“Racism in a Post-Racial Society:
Senior Seminar in International Studies”
The City College of New York
New York, NY | Spring 2016-Fall 2017
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