Letter from President Ruben Espinosa

I entered the second year of my SAA presidency feeling energized after our joint meeting with the RSA in Boston. It was all of you, in particular, who made me feel hopeful despite the widespread discord that we faced in higher education and beyond. Given the adversity we are all facing, I try to draw on that feeling from time to time to remind myself that we are collectively engaging in meaningful work—for us, for our students, and for the greater good of society.

At its heart, the humanities shape how we see and understand our world, and they have the power to remind us of our ethical responsibilities to each other. In Boston, the commitment to care that I witnessed from friends and colleagues was unmistakable, and I was heartened by our deep sense of community in the SAA. In the aftermath of that meeting, I felt confident that we could successfully navigate the turmoil that was ahead of us. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I firmly believed that it was possible.

I realize that not everyone has been able to make it through the current chaos unscathed. It’s a sobering moment in higher education and in the world beyond it. I will not pretend to have the answers on how to overcome the calamities of our present moment, but I do know that solidarity is vital for us and that it is the only way forward. We are a strong organization with a remarkable membership, and now is the time when we need to come together.

I am fortunate to work alongside some of the best minds of my generation in the SAA Board of Trustees and leadership team. They are a brilliant and thoughtful group of individuals, and together with the many exceptional members who volunteer on our various committees, I see sincere commitment to fostering a strong, inclusive SAA community. As many of you face hardships at your home institutions, we want the SAA to be a source of strength for you. I can confidently speak for all the members of our board and say that we are open to your ideas for building community and making sure our annual meeting is as positive an experience as possible for you. We want to be in conversation with you and support your ideas whenever possible. We are here for you.

Although it is tempting to look to the future and anticipate a world where the current chaos is behind us, I think it is critical that we take stock of the present moment and invest our energies to ensure that we get through this together. I am reminded of Tino Villanueva’s powerful poem, “You, If No One Else,” where the speaker says to the reader, “Don’t hush, / don’t throw away / the most persistent truth.” In the works and worlds that we study, we repeatedly find in that language the power to influence public perception and the structures of power, both then and now. We need to use our voices and speak the truth.

In the grand scheme of things, I realize that centering Shakespeare and early modern literary studies in this moment might feel pointless. The truth is that I have always felt—in my work, in my teaching, and in my approach to all things Shakespeare—that he is merely a vehicle to engaging purposefully with our students, colleagues, and world. And this is what I believe we should be deliberately doing in these trying times—engaging, listening, and being there for our students and for each other. In that, I find true value.

I know the pressures of the present will mean that some of you will not make it to Denver for our annual meeting this spring. That is, without doubt, my loss. But do know that the SAA is here for you and will always be your home whenever you are able to rejoin us. For those of you traveling to Denver this spring, I am very excited to see you there. In the meantime, I will hold close these final moments as president of this amazing organization. It has been my true honor to serve you.

Sincerely,