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Reflections On Language And Identity: Ofelia García's Impact On One Latina's Academic Trajectory And Scholarship, Dina López

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

This essay shares my own personal story of how—as a first-generation Latina academic—working with Ofelia García transformed my sense of self and trajectory as a scholar working with issues of language, identity, and education. Weaving personal anecdotes throughout, I trace the evolution of my thinking and research with a focus on the concepts of heteroglossic language ideologies, dynamic bilingualism, and translanguaging. I conclude the essay by reflecting on the importance and implications of first-generation Latina academics receiving mentorship from senior Latina scholars.