About Rosa Clemente
Rosa Clemente’s journey as an organizer and scholar is deeply intertwined with her identity, community roots, and unwavering commitment to justice. Her work reflects a holistic understanding of liberation—one that connects personal history with collective struggle.
Early Life and Community Formation
Rosa Clemente was born and raised in the South Bronx during a period of intense urban crisis—marked by disinvestment, redlining, and the war on drugs. Yet, amid hardship, the Bronx was also a hub of cultural resistance: hip-hop, salsa, community gardens, and tenant organizing flourished. These dual realities shaped her worldview: oppression and creativity coexisted, and the people always found ways to survive and resist.
Her family’s Puerto Rican heritage connected her to diasporic struggles and the ongoing colonial relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico. This awareness became central to her political analysis, especially regarding self-determination and anti-imperialism.
Academic Path and Political Evolution
Clemente pursued higher education with a clear mission: to arm herself with knowledge that could serve her community. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies and later a Master’s in African Studies from Syracuse University. Her academic work examined the intersections of race, media representation, and state power, always centering the voices of Black and Brown communities.
She has taught courses on media justice, social movements, and Puerto Rican history. But she rejects the notion of the “ivory tower”—her classroom extends to street corners, community centers, and protest lines. For her, education is not neutral; it is either a tool of liberation or domination.
Core Philosophy
Clemente’s approach is guided by several key principles:
- Nothing About Us Without Us: Those most impacted must lead movements for change.
- Historical Memory: Understanding the past is essential to resisting present-day oppression.
- Intersectional Analysis: Race, class, gender, and colonialism cannot be separated.
- Independent Media: Communities must control their own narratives.
- Decolonization: True justice requires dismantling colonial structures in all forms.
She often says, “We don’t need saviors—we need solidarity.” This ethos underpins her collaborative, humble, and persistent approach to justice work.
