María Elena Méndez Cortés

Reawakening: Reclaiming Chatino Prayers and Political Speech

Headshot of young woman with brown skin and black hair. She is holding a sign with words in the Chatino language.

María Elena Méndez Cortés is a Chatina speaker from Cieneguilla, San Juan Quiahije, Oaxaca. She is a language activist, writer and performer of traditional Chatino poetics and prayers. She maintains, shares, and promotes the Chatino language both at home, school, and the community. Among her future plans are to pursue linguistic studies.