About

Jacqueline Nanfito is an Associate Professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Case Western Reserve University, where she teaches courses in Latin American literature and culture, in addition to courses in the Ethnic Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. She is the author of several articles in Latin American literary journals, and has published several books on Latin American women writers: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, El sueño: Cartographies of Knowledge and the Self; Gabriela Mistral: On Women, a compilation and Jacqueline’s translation of selected prose writings by the Nobel Prize Poet, Gabriela Mistral, specifically those recados which focus on women and feminist themes, with a critical introduction co-authored by Marjorie Agosín; a translation of the short stories by Chilean author, Pía Barros, Marks Beneath the Skin; co-translator of an anthology of short short fiction (microfiction, minifiction) by Chilean female authors denouncing violence towards women, edited by the prize-winning Chilean author, Pía Barros ¡Basta! + de 100 mujeres contra la violencia de genero/Enough! 100+ Women Against Gender Violence; the translation of 70 poems by the Chilean Jewish author and human rights activist, Marjorie Agosín, which deal with the Sephardic Jews expulsed from the south of Spain who settled in the Greek islands, only to be deported by the Nazis, which was published this spring by the University of Chicago’s Swan Isle Press, The White Islands/Las islas blancas; and her translation of Agosin’s prose poems about Anne Frank, Anne:  An Imagining of the Life of Anne Frank, was published by Solis Press in London. Nanfito’s translation into Spanish of the award-winning novel in Australia and the Phillipines, Mujer Pelo Pez/Fish Hair Woman, was published in Chile in 2017, and her most recent translation of the award winning novel by the Chilean female author, Beatriz Garcia Huidobro, HASTA YA NO IR/’TIL SHE GO NO MORE was published in 2022 by White Pine Press.

During the past 25 years that Jacqueline has been at CWRU, she has organized talks by scholars in her field; art exhibits by Latin American artists; musical and dramatic performances about Latin American culture; and writing and photography workshops for young Latina women (juniors and seniors) in AP English courses on the West Side of Cleveland, with the goal of inspiring them to aspire to continue their education after high school. With a colleague from KSL, she co-directed a computer literacy program for Latinx grade school children, Bridging the Digital Divide. For years Jacqueline directed CaseDRIVE (Dominican Republic Initiatives in Volunteer Experiences), a week of experiential learning and service in the Dominican Republic over Spring break, with the collaboration of faculty and students from the College of Arts & Sciences, MSASS, Nursing, and Engineering; the students engaged in service projects related to health and literacy in and around Santo Domingo.

While at CWRU, Jacqueline has been nominated 12 times for the Wittke Award (for excellence in undergraduate teaching) and several times for the Jackson Award (mentoring undergraduates).

Jacqueline is Program Director and Co-founder of Ethnic Studies.