In Mexican-American culture, a chingón is known as a “badass”. In the feminine form, however, chingona means unruly woman, or a woman who is problematic. First-generation scholar Alma Zaragoza-Petty encourages women to reclaim that word. We should own it and use that badassery to heal from our own trauma and forge our path forward. A core message she expresses in Chingona: Owning Your Inner Badass for Healing and Justice, is that once we are able to recognize and embrace our history, then we can use our strength to heal and fight for others. 

Zaragoza-Petty leads readers in brief history lessons about indigenous groups in Mexico and how the Spaniards conquered them centuries ago. Interestingly, she points out, is that many descendants from these groups are a combination of the conquerors and the conquered. The oppressors and the oppressed. And then using that knowledge of history and culture to become more self aware of one’s roots and how to use that to heal. 

Besides the history lessons, Chingona also includes personal and professional experiences that Zaragoza-Petty endured. Yet she used to them to recognize her inner spirit and eventually unleash her inner badass. Readers get insight into her childhood, where she spent years living with her grandparents in Mexico while waiting for her mother to bring her to America. I enjoyed learning about how she joined a gang but then realized how her academic potential could take her on a different path. 

Then she describes how far she had come, working as a professor at a university – a field which very few women of color pursued. This further adds to the significance of her cultural identity in an American system. Even as she describes these hardships, she never falters in her strength to embrace her scars and learn how she can use these experiences to better her community. 

I appreciated how authentic and vulnerable Zaragoza-Petty is in Chingona. I also appreciated the advice she shares along the way on how we too can embrace our inner badass. What’s more notable, however, is that she encourages readers to not only use these lessons to heal, but also to fight for others once we’ve reached a place where we are able to. Everyone has an inner badass, and she emphasizes the need to collectively identify and challenge oppressive systems going forward. 

Alma Zaragoza-Petty joins us for a Cantina Conversation on The Nerd Cantina Show podcast where she talks about how her professional experiences prepared her for her first published book, and plans for the future. Keep an eye out for the interview on a future episode and purchase Chingona: Owning Your Inner Badass for Healing and Justice, available now.