Heather Hathaway Miranda

Heather Hathaway Miranda (BA, '95, Spanish) is an instructor in the Department of English & Foreign Languages Latino/Latina American Studies Program at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. She is a bicultural, bilingual Chicana/Latina and a first-generation college degree recipient. She has traveled extensively, including to all 50 U.S. states, 31 Mexican states, over 35 countries, and 25 U.S. National Parks. Heather is an award-winning, international speaker with over 20 years of multidisciplinary, multi-tiered experiences as a researcher and educator, specializing in a range of topics intersecting race, ethnicity, class, gender, identity, and disparity. As a scholar-activist and consultant through Hathaway Miranda LLC, her passion is to advocate for underserved communities by raising consciousness about oppressive issues locally, nationally, and internationally. Recently, at the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education, she delivered supportive testimony to recognize Indigenous People’s Day. She teaches Latino Studies for Saint Xavier University, English for the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and substitutes ESL for PODER. Her Illinois involvement and accomplishments include Resident Advisor of the Year; La Casa Cultural Latina—La Casa Student Award, La Colectiva Co-Editor, Peer Retention Program Mentor; CBSU’s External Representative of the Year; President’s Award Program; YWCA Volunteer; SROP; Counselor—Summer Bridge Program & Office of Minority Student Affairs’ Summer Orientation. As a founding co-chair, Heather has served nearly 12 years on the Latina/Latino Alumni Association. She is a member of the Speaker’s Bureau of Metropolitan Family Services’ Family Shelter Service. Heather survived an abusive spouse and became the sole custodial parent to her 7-year-old son when he was an infant. She is a self-taught photographer and gardener and loves road trips.