Jalista Velasco
Editor of Edición Velasco
Jalista Velasco
Editor of Edición Velasco
Embedded Files
Editor of Edición Velasco
ABOUT
ABOUT
Mixtec roots and upbringing. Continental philosophical study.
Oaxaca's tradition of Indigenous self-governance shaped how I navigated the world. I was taught that my autonomy—political or social or epistemological—was something to be protected, never a given. Our tradition of resistance goes back centuries, having survived Mesoamerican power dynamics as well as colonial ones. Naturally, when examining any group of people navigating power, the first questions I ask: What would I do to protect my autonomy? What does agency even mean in this context?
My philosophical work revisits this question using my Mixtec-formed lens.
Background
Background
My background combines operational experience, academic philosophical research, and narrative expertise. I worked as a writer at an immigration law firm, where I researched country conditions and drafted materials for asylum cases. As a Legal Assistant in Workers’ Compensation, I gained insight into how regulatory frameworks shape individual outcomes.
Aside from this operational experience, my past academic research tracked how belief influences behavior at scale and the sociopolitical movements that form due to fundamental misunderstandings between governments, religions, and their populations. Most specifically, how Abrahamic religions, Indigenous spiritual practices, and occultist groups interact with wider sociopolitical landscapes.
Aside from this operational experience, my past academic research tracked how belief influences behavior at scale and the sociopolitical movements that form due to fundamental misunderstandings between governments, religions, and their populations. Most specifically, how Abrahamic religions, Indigenous spiritual practices, and occultist groups interact with wider sociopolitical landscapes.
I completed legal coursework examining constitutional law and legal theory. This included study of First Amendment jurisprudence and analysis of landmark religious liberty cases. My frameworks—built from upper-philosophical coursework in political philosophy and philosophy of religion—have circulated internationally as well.
I completed legal coursework examining constitutional law and legal theory. This included study of First Amendment jurisprudence and analysis of landmark religious liberty cases. My frameworks—built from upper-philosophical coursework in political philosophy and philosophy of religion—have circulated internationally as well.
I graduated magna cum laude from Emory University with a double major in Philosophy and Religion. My research and writing received several academic honors, including High Honors for my senior thesis and the Eugene Bianchi Prize for outstanding undergraduate scholarship. I was also a recipient of the Tikkun Olam Scholarship and previously received a Scholastic Art & Writing Award Gold Key recognizing excellence in writing.
I graduated magna cum laude from Emory University with a double major in Philosophy and Religion. My research and writing received several academic honors, including High Honors for my senior thesis and the Eugene Bianchi Prize for outstanding undergraduate scholarship. I was also a recipient of the Tikkun Olam Scholarship and previously received a Scholastic Art & Writing Award Gold Key recognizing excellence in writing.
Notable Frameworks
Notable Frameworks
Velasco, Jalista. 2021. “The Civil Machine: Trump's Rhetoric and American Tyranny.” Article Link.
This framework outlines the tensions between majoritarian political groups and marginalized populations in the US, providing insight into how democracies destablize despite checks and balances.
Velasco, Jalista. 2022. “La Bruja Enamorada: Love Magic as a Form of Resistance in Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century Colonial Mexico.” Emory University. Article Link.
This framework details the reasoning and social conditions of marginalized women in Colonial Mexico, unveiling the underexplored world of Indigenous women resistance. This work reframes how we understand political power, gender, and colonialism.
Velasco, Jalista. 2026. “The Rise of the Narco-State and its ties to Post-Revolutionary Mexico: Identity Rooted in Insurgency.” Article Link.
This framework outlines how failed state reforms created conditions for the flourishing of the Narco-State. Shedding light on the mechanics of legitimacy, public perception, and how everyday people justify authority.
Page updated
Report abuse