We are pleased to introduce our new Folklife Specialist, Camille Acosta! Check out her biography below and feel free to contact us to get to know Camille even better!
My name is Camille Maria Acosta and I am a twenty-seven-year-old Chicana, born and raised in El Paso, Texas.
I have had the pleasure of pursuing folklore studies formally for the past five years of my life but have been involved with Chicanx storytelling since I was a little girl. I have pursued acting and performance since I was four years old, including pursuing my BA degree in Theatre and Performance at both El Paso Community College and Western Kentucky University. I have also participated in the wonderful world of Speech and Debate since I was eleven years old, participating as both a student and a coach up until today. I completed my occupation as the Graduate Assistant Speech and Debate coach at Western Kentucky University in 2021, helping coach students in storytelling events in which they use their voices and passions to spread messages of activism and growth. No matter what area of creativity my life has brought me toward, the use of spreading one’s impactful narrative has always been at the forefront.
In 2019, I had the pleasure of beginning my master’s in Folklore Studies at Western Kentucky University. Within this program, I truly delved into the world of Chicanx/Mexican-American folk art research, legend telling communication, foodways exploration, as well as aiming to include more Hispanic diversity in the world of folk studies and performance studies in general. My research focused on the beauty of Latinx horror, and how monsters are mirrors guiding us toward our own brilliance. Upon graduating in 2021, I have gone on to pursue folk work with the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress as well as the New Mexico Arts Folk Arts Program.
I am beyond happy and grateful to be back at Western once again. I truly hope that I can aid in the phenomenal work being done by the Folklore Studies students and faculty, as well as remind the community how necessary and impactful our work is.
Kentucky Folklife Program 