On Oct. 4th, 2024, lesbian Boricua author of “Juliet Takes a Breath” (which has a graphic novel version created by non-binary Chicane artist Celia Moscote) and Marvel Comic’s “America” series Gabby Rivera delivered a keynote speech for the third annual Rainbow Center Symposium in the University of Connecticut’s Student Union Ballroom.
Prior to the keynote were multiple seminars relating to the queer and transgender experience, where members of the UConn community could trickle in and out while also tending to other commitments in between. “It’s a day-long educational experience about anything queer-related and it’s free,” Director of the Rainbow Center, Kelsey O’Neil, said.
“We start early in the summer because we need to put a lot of time into it so that we can put as much intentionality and thoughtfulness as possible,” said graduate assistant Lene Reynolds.
Outside of the ballroom, a table with Rainbow Center staff was stationed outside with name tags for attendees who registered beforehand, as well as blank name tags and markers of varying colors for those who didn’t register but still wanted to attend. There were also free T-shirts, pins and bracelets.
Interim Director of the Puerto Rican Latin American Culture Center, Michael Vidal, gave a land acknowledgment before introducing the keynote speaker. “Gabby is the first Latina ever to write for Marvel,” he said.
When welcomed on stage by Vidal, Rivera opted to hold a microphone instead of talking behind a podium, because it felt more comfortable for her as she paced on the stage.
The title of the speech was “Radical Creativity + Queer Boricua Joy.” Rivera dissected what each of those words meant to her.
Radical creativity is an “open creative space where no matter what genres you’re into or what interests you have, there’s a storyline.”
The word “queer” is used because, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rivera reflected on how the word is used against the LGBTQ+ community. As a result, the queer community is reclaiming the term and spinning it in a positive light.
Rivera used to apply the term “Latinx” in an attempt to be more inclusive, but since the term strips the authenticity and indigeneity of the language due to how the “x” is unnatural for the Spanish-speaking community, she opted to use the term “Boricua,” a term Puerto Ricans use to identify themselves.
When referring to what joy means, Rivera clarified that she means “the kind of joy that comes from being a vigil, when you hold hands at a funeral, when you can find solidarity with each other.” Essentially: human connection and unity, no matter how dismal the context is.
Rivera had a picture of her and her grandmothers displayed on the screen. Her grandmother Carmen was a seamstress and worked in sweatshops with little to no regulations. Her other grandmother, Amalia, could speak English, was more white-passing and changed her name to Emily so that white employers would hire her.
Growing up, Rivera was insecure about herself and knew that something was “wrong” when it came to her sexual orientation and lack of gender role adherence.
To make matters even more stressful for the young Rivera, when the HIV and AIDS epidemics began, she recalled, “I got to see my queer elders, the queer men of color, the queens, the girls, die on the news.” Rivera and her family eventually went all the way from The Bronx in New York to Washington, D.C. to contribute to the national AIDS quilt showing solidarity for victims of HIV and AIDS and their loved ones, since some of her own family members had died from it.
On her feelings about the media she was surrounded by, Rivera said, “All I wanted in media was for the queer character to make it to the end of the movie, and for them to love themselves.” This drove her to create stories of her own so that she could feel seen. “If you’re a writer or a creative and you want to make it in the industry, you don’t have to change anything,” Rivera said. “I fill my stories with love notes for queer kids of color,” she added.
In the books, Juliet learns of Puerto Rican freedom fighters such as Lolita Lebrón. Rivera expressed the need to learn about the freedom fighters who fought for a better world in the hopes of being inspired by them. She mentioned the protest against the corrupt governor of Puerto Rico in the summer of 2020. According to Rivera, the governor said, “How funny would it be if we made Puerto Rico have no Puerto Ricans?” Rivera responded, “Nobody is going to take Puerto Ricans out of Puerto Rico.”
After her success with “Juliet Takes a Breath,” Marvel Comics approached Rivera to see if she could write for the “America” comic series, which is centered around lesbian Latina superhero America Chavez. Rivera felt unqualified to take on the role and almost declined the offer, but ended up accepting. She referenced the American president of 2017 without mentioning his name, so as to not give him power, saying, “Just because you don’t have experience doing something doesn’t mean you can’t go run with the ball.” The audience applauded.
Rivera talked about how cisgender heteronormative birth narratives were the norm, so she wrote a lesbian birth narrative in the “America” comics. When told by Marvel to have Chavez fight people since she’s a superhero, Rivera was inspired by seeing a group of white men marching for white supremacy and made them the antagonists. Rivera emphasized the importance of taking care of yourself and resting- instead of always helping people and beating up villains- even if you’re a superhero.
Rivera ended the speech by introducing her baby, saying, “You have the right, the literal destiny, however you want, to build that family.”
After the speech, Vidal directed the audience to the book sale and signing, as well as the final set of events for the symposium.
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Publish date : 2024-10-06 23:00:00
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