Arleny Alvarez-Peña
About
Arleny Alvarez-Peña is an educator and scholar whose work centers on Indigenous studies, identity reclamation and decolonizing education. She explores the lasting impacts of colonization and the importance of uplifting Indigenous knowledge and cultural ways of knowing in academic spaces.
As part of her own journey of reclamation, she is currently learning the Taíno language.
Instruction & Advising
Courses
In her classroom, students are seen as whole people whose lived experiences, histories and communities matter. She fosters a reflective, discussion-based learning environment where students are encouraged to question dominant narratives, learn from one another and connect course material to their own lives.
Grounded in care, respect and critical inquiry, her teaching invites students to see themselves as knowledge-holders and to imagine education as a space for empowerment, healing and transformation.