Dr. Alana Alvarez earned her Ph.D.in Spanish from Vanderbilt University in 2016. She also graduated magna cum laude (Licenciada en Letras) at Universidad Central de Venezuela (2008). Her research focuses on critical race studies, whitening studies, 19th and 20th century Venezuelan literature, nationalist discourses, and cultural studies (with an emphasis in cultural material studies). Part of her research also includes 18th, 19th, and 20th century Venezuelan history. In her spare time, Dr. Alvarez enjoys writing and publishing poetry under the pseudonym Valentina Castro.