Dr. Inez Cardozo-Freeman
Secretary
Inez Cardozo-Freeman taught comparative literature as well as American folklore in the College of the Humanities, Ohio State University (Columbus and Newark campuses) for 37 years. Her Ph.D. topic was "Arnulfo Castillo: Mexican Folk Poet".
Her special areas of research at the university were Mexican folk lore and prisoner folk speech. She has done ethnographic/sociolinguistic fieldwork in ten maximum security prisons across the United States. Her book,"The Joint: Language and Culture in a Maximum Security Prison" was selected by the American Library Association publication "Choice" as an "Outstanding Academic Book for 1984-85." Her second book, "Chief: The Life History of an Imprisoned Santee Sioux" was published in 1994. She has also published many articles on Mexican folklore and prisoner folk speech.
Upon her retirement in 1999, desiring to return to where she was born and determined to live where there was a large Mexican community, she chose Palm Springs as her new home and immediately immersed herself in Democratic politics. Her activities include serving as treasurer of Democrats of the Desert and editor of DOD's monthly newsletter. In 2004 she traveled to Boston as an official delegate of the California Democratic Party supporting John Kerry for president. She is a founding member of Democratic Women of the Desert (DWD), currently serving on its Planning Board, and is a member of the Desert Foundation for Democracy.
Inez's background in humanities education, her prison research, and the mental illness of her beloved son are responsible for her deep interest in human rights. She is honored to be a Board member of the Well in the Desert. |
