Adela C. Licona Wins Lisa Ede Mentoring Award

Over the weekend and this past week at the Feminisms and Rhetorics Conference at James Madison University, the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition honored their third recipient of the Lisa Ede Mentoring Award. This year’s award was presented to Dr. ADELA C. LICONA, a former RCTE associate professor, program director, and currently Emerita professor. As the National Secretary of the organization, I’d like to publicly acknowledge ADELA with a CONGRATULATIONS and ¡FELICIDADES!  

Here is what Lisa Mastrangelo, former Coalition President, announced before Aja Martinez and Londi Martin, two former RCTE graduates, accepted the award on her behalf:

“The Lisa Ede Mentoring Award has only been presented three times before. The requirements ask for a nominee with a “career record of mentorship, including formal and informal advising of students and colleagues; leadership in campus, professional, and/or local communities; and other activities that align with the overall mission and goals of the Coalition.”

This year’s winner had a remarkable number of people speak on her behalf. They describe her as a scholar, mother, teacher, advisor, role model, friend, colleague, collaborator, activism and mentor. Perhaps, the highest praise is the comment that she is “the truest spirit of feminist praxis” and “a borderlands rhetorician.” Her colleagues and former students also describe her as fierce, strong, compassionate, honest, courageous, and powerful. They commented on her as a person who noticed their presence, and also the one who paid attention to their absence.

Students and colleagues also mentioned and celebrated he feminist work – so much work – with feminist action research, homelessness intervention, migrant detention advocacy, and youth health, sexuality, and rights. Many of the letters celebrate this nominee’s work with students of color, first-generation students, queer students, and all nervous graduate students in order to create a feminist community. Several of them repeat the mantra they learned from her: “Find your joy in the work, and insist on it.”

We are thrilled to celebrate ADELA C. LICONA as the 2019 winner of the Lisa Ede Mentoring Award. In her absence, Aja Martinez and Londi Martin will accept her award.”

Again, congratulations, ADELA.