Daniel Solórzano Delivers AERA Distinguished Lecture

By Joanie Harmon | Ampersand

When Daniel Solórzano delivered this year’s AERA Distinguished Lecture in Toronto earlier this month, he thanked his wife Laura, for how her perspectives as a social worker informed his own research. He also thanked his “family” of current and former students and colleagues – that have, and continue to, enhance his academic career. But the UCLA professor and researcher’s well-known congenial manner belied the serious nature of his research, which has significantly helped to further the study of critical race theory, racial microaggressions, and racial microaffirmations.

Solórzano’s talk on “My Critical Race Journey to Racial Microaggressions and Microaffirmations – 1969 to 2019” charted his trajectory from teaching in classrooms across Los Angeles, including L.A. County Central Juvenile Hall, East Los Angeles College, and the California State University and UC systems. This led to his introduction to critical race theory (CRT) in the early 1990s as a junior faculty member in UCLA’s Department of Education.