A small group of MLA members, including myself, Gema Guevara, Vicky McCard, Rita Martin (and others) have been working toward founding a new Discussion Group through the MLA. We have had successful special sessions at the MLA the last two years (one on MirtaYáñez, the next on the politics of race and gender in Cuban cultural production).

Through discussion, we have agreed that the Discussion Group would be open to sessions/topics related to Cuba (on the island) as well as the Cuban Diaspora. We would be open to sessions on Cuban culture, literature, language and cultural production in its broadest sense. If our Discussion Group petition is approved, we would automatically have the right and responsibility to one session every year at the MLA. We would be listed as one of the options that any MLA member could choose when renewing membership to the MLA (every MLA member may sign up for no extra charge for five Divisions and two Discussion Groups). Also, we would have the right to maintain a listserve related to the group. When the group has been started, we would look to the membership to propose sessions and/or papers within those sessions.

Now the Program Committee has advised us that we may propose the new Discussion Group. To do that, we need the names of 35 MLA members who are interested in seeing the group start. To my understanding, this is not a commitment to any particular attendance or service for the group, but rather a general approval that the group be started as well as a general interest in the topic.

May we add your name as an MLA member who supports the petition to start the group? Also, may we add your name to an e-mail distribution group solely for the purposes of starting this group?

Do please contact me by e-mail with any questions and to add your name to the petition.