Teaching Faculty

Aja Y. Martinez

Aja, pronounced Asia, is a distinguished author known for her multi-award-winning book, Counterstory: The Rhetoric and Writing of Critical Race Theory (2020). As a critical race theorist and storyteller, her work resonates with both public and academic audiences, bridging critical conversations on race and writing. In collaboration with Robert O. Smith, Aja also co-authored The Origins of Critical Race Theory: The People and Ideas That Created a Movement (2025), further contributing to the discourse on this vital subject. Moreover, she is a co-editor and co-founder, alongside Michele Eodice and Sandra Tarabochia, of the journal Writers: Craft and Context, which supports the exploration of diverse topics and writing genres. Additionally, Aja co-edits the University of Pittsburgh Press’s series Composition, Literacy, and Culture with Stacey Waite, amplifying the voices of scholars and practitioners in the field of writing, rhetoric, and composition studies.

CO-PRESENTERS
SESSION DESCRIPTION

Recent attacks on the academic movement known as critical race theory (CRT) have been filled with tall tales and lies. With a focus on CRT founders Derrick Bell, Richard Delgado, Patricia Williams, and Mari Matsuda, participants will learn about the origins of CRT in the Civil Rights era and the movement’s deep foundations in liberationist faith.

SESSION DATES
  • June 9 - June 12
    TOPICS
    • Humanities
    • Racial Justice
    • Social Justice

      Education

      Holden Village is a community where your questions are valued and encouraged. Most programs led by visiting teaching faculty occur during the summer months. However, Holden also invites faculty to teach sessions for special events and retreats throughout the rest of the year.
      Check out a list of the 2024 Summer Faculty.