"This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color" is a historical feminist anthology published in 1981, and it was edited by Chicana author Cherríe Moraga and Gloria E. Anzaldúa. The pivotal collection of writing documented the experiences of non-white women during the peak of white-centered feminism.

Thirty-five years later, the newest edition of the fundamental text has been released, and it will expose a whole new generation of women to "the complex confluence of identities-race, class, gender, and sexuality-systemic to women of color, oppression and liberation."

The fourth edition of one the most cited books in feminist theory reintroduces the world to feminist thought. The updated version of "Bridge" will feature an extended introduction by Moraga; a never-before-seen statement from Anzaldúa; updated biographies; artwork by Yolanda López, Betye Saar and Ana Mendieta; and a continued investigation into the evolving definition of feminism.

"This Bridge Called My Back" is a work that not only successfully documents the experiences of Latina, Chicana, Black, Native American, and Asian American women, but it also uses sociology and history as evidence when writing these stories. The grouping of poetry, critique, fiction and testimonies challenges mainstream feminism, and broadcasts the diversity of the feminist consciousness.

Born in Whitier, California, the Chicana author has work as a teacher in addition to her work as an editor and writer. Her own writing tends to explore topics related to her identity as a Chicana, a feminist and a lesbian. She's presently an Artist in Residence in the Department of Theater and Performance Studies, and the Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity Program at Stanford University.

On Tuesday, March 24, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the poet and playwright Moraga will be reading "This Bridge Called My Back" at La Casa Azul Bookstore in El Barrio, NY.

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