Miriam Jiménez Román facts for kids
Miriam Jiménez Román (born June 11, 1951 – died August 6, 2020) was an important Puerto Rican scholar, activist, and writer. She studied and wrote about Afro-Latino culture. This means she focused on people in the United States who have both African and Latin American roots. Her work helped create new ways to understand and support these communities. She made a huge difference in how we think about Latin American identity in the U.S.
About Miriam Jiménez Román
Miriam Jiménez Román was born on June 11, 1951, in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. She finished high school in 1969 at the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan. Later, she was a visiting scholar at New York University. There, she taught about African studies.
Her Important Work
Miriam Jiménez Román worked with her husband, Juan Flores. Together, they edited a very important book. It was called Afro-Latin@ Studies Reader: History and Culture in the United States. This book was a collection of different writings. It included essays, short stories, poems, and interviews. All of these pieces explored the Afro-Latino experience.
The book was special because it filled a big gap in studies about Afro-Latinos. It made important information easy to find. This information helped people learn about the history and culture of Afro-Latino communities in the U.S. Miriam and Juan won an American Book Award in 2011 for this book.
Other Writings and Contributions
Miriam also wrote many other important articles. Some of her works explored topics like racial mixing and Afro-Latino culture. She looked at how different cultures blend together.
From 2011 to 2020, she was the leader of the Afrolatin@ forum. This group supports Afro-Latino communities. She was also part of the Black Latinas Know Collective. She helped guide the Encyclopedia Africana.
Miriam Jiménez Román was recognized for her contributions. She was featured by Remezcla and Mitú. They called her an "Afro-Latino Figure Who Changed The World For The Good." Latina magazine also named her one of "6 Afro-Latinas Who Are Changing the World!"
Miriam Jiménez Román passed away from cancer on August 6, 2020. She was 69 years old. She died in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
