Lorenzo Casanova

Lorenzo Casanova is a non-traditional Ph.D. candidate in English, with a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies, at Texas Christian University, currently at the All But Dissertation (ABD) stage. He earned his B.A. and M.A. in English literature from Texas A&M University-San Antonio, and now teaches Introduction to Fiction and Literature, as well as Composition I and II, at TCU. A Brown, gay Tejano who came of age in rural Southern Michigan during the 1990s, Lorenzo's scholarship is grounded in his own experience navigating a predominantly white, rural, heteronormative environment — and the racism, homophobia, and bullying he encountered there because of his identity. Those experiences shaped the theoretical framework at the center of his research: mariposa in movement. His primary interest is in Latine/x and Queer of Color literature, with a focus on race, gender, sexuality, and embodied movement in rural America. His dissertation, Mariposa in Movement: Embodiment, Survival, and World-Making Among Queer People of Color, examines how queer people of color physically move through rural regions and non-traditional urban centers, tracing the intersectionalities that shape where, when, and with whom they engage. As a non-traditional doctoral student, Lorenzo brings a distinct perspective to TCU's English program. He hopes his work continues to grow into a broader theoretical framework—one that resonates within and beyond academic spaces, and that supports the visibility of Black, Brown, and Queer scholarship at TCU and beyond. Outside of his research, Lorenzo enjoys spending time with his two dogs, walking and bicycling regularly.