El Centro Newsletter_IUPLR

ON THE

ER V O C

COVER IMAGE: “Isla”

Manuela Guillén IG: @lazybeamarte manuelaguillen.com Manuela Guillén is a freelance painter, muralist, and digital illustrator currently living in Philadelphia, PA. Born in Miami to Cuban and Salvadorian immigrant parents, Manuela has always had a love for art. She has collaborated with local, national, and global art organizations such as PangeaSeed, Mural Arts Philadelphia, Gender Justice Fund, and more. Her murals can be found in both the U.S. and Mexico.

Inspired by plants, tropical colors, and her cultural upbringing, Manuela aims to bring awareness to art education, mental health, sociopolitical, and environmental issues. As a teaching artist, Manuela hopes to inspire the next generation of artists to be creative as she continues to bring communities closer together through art.

IN THIS ISSUE...

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About | Center for Latino Research and Latin American and Latino Studies Letters from the CLR Director & LALS Chair CLR Advisory Committee and LALS Faculty In Loving Memory of José “Cha Cha” Jiménez

Faculty & Staff Announcements

LALS and CLR Open House - EVENT RECAP / Latinx Studies Now! Initiative

LALS Spotlight: Dr. Olga Salazar Pozos

25 26 27 28 29 32 33

Preview & Discussion of The Young Lords of Lincoln Park - EVENT RECAP

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The Young Lords Walking Tour with McCormick Theological Seminary EVENT RECAP

37 38 39

STRC Updates

2024 STRC Annual Fall Symposium - EVENT RECAP Call for Applications - 2025 - 2026 CLR Faculty Fellowship Program

2024-2025 CLR Faculty Fellows

2024 - 2025 CLR Faculty Fellows Spotlight: Dr. Symone Johnson Series on Immigration

41 42 43

Daisy Hernández - EVENT RECAP

Latinx Book Club

Latin American & Latino Studies External Advisory Board Scholarship CLR/LALS External Advisory Board Members CLR/LALS External Advisory Board Members' Spotlight: Ulises Sánchez Alumni Spotlight: Alma Lucero Acosta, class of 2016 Latina Lesbian Lives Event

Alumni Spotlight: Interview with Virginia Martínez, class of 1975

LALS Course Schedule - Spring 2025

LALS Spring 2025 Course Flyers

Diálogo Volume 25, Issue 1 Launch EVENT RECAP Esperanza Gama Studio Visit EVENT RECAP From Paper to Presentation A Research Workshop Series

Contact Us

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CLR MISSION STATEMENT

The Center for Latino Research (CLR) strives to open and sustain dialogues which foster the empowerment and advancement of Latinx communities. To that end, the CLR creates learning opportunities for students and supports scholars in their research, while forging collaborative relationships with local, national, and international research partners. We also publish an award-winning scholarly journal, Diálogo, and sponsor many activities on campus, including film series and speaker series.​

ABOUT

LATIN AMERICAN & LATINO STUDIES The Department of Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS) explores the myriad contributions of Latin Americans and Latinx people to the global community. The department’s programs emphasize the profound linkages that have emerged between Latin America and the United States, particularly through the construction of Latinx communities in the U.S. We also critically analyze the complex intersections with Indigenous, African, European, Semitic, Arab, and Asian communities throughout the Americas.​

Edited and Designed by:

Published by:

Gigi Lara Yamitza A. Yuivar Villarreal

The Center for Latino Research and The Department of Latin American and Latino Studies at DePaul University

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Letters from the CLR DIRECTOR & LALS CHAIR Querides lectores, As we continue to confront the troubling signs of increasing ultra-nationalism and authoritarianism in today’s world – signs which include seemingly daily attacks on marginalized communities and on higher education – I am proud that DePaul’s institutional mission exhorts us to pursue finding “peaceful, just and equitable solutions” to the “great questions of the day,” with special attention to underserved and underrepresented communities. The CLR has, for almost 40 years, helped sustain this university mission by supporting transformative and innovative faculty scholarship, hosting events that promote dialogue on campus, and promoting research through our peer-reviewed journal, Diálogo.

In the vein of scholarly pursuits, the CLR Faculty Fellowship application season is now open; the deadline to apply is March 17. We are also happy to announce that the Social Transformation Research Collaborative (STRC) once again is accepting applications for our faculty, graduate, and undergraduate research programs. Please see more details in this issue.

Finally, we do hope you can attend some of the immigration-related events we are cosponsoring this month, all organized with the help of collaborators and colleagues – the Law school, the Global Justices Committee of the Society of Vincent de Paul Professors, The Women’s Center, the DePaul Migration Collaborative, and many others. We can make change when we work together!

Letter from the CLR Director

~Billy Johnson González

Hola lectores, ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! As we move into 2025, we find ourselves navigating a shifting political landscape—one that brings both challenges and opportunities. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to stay informed and stand together for our communities. I encourage you to take part in the upcoming immigration events highlighted in this newsletter. These gatherings will provide valuable insights on how we can advocate for and support our most vulnerable members.

I also want to encourage students majoring in minoring in Latin American and Latino Studies to apply for an attractive scholarship now available to students in the department.

These scholarships come to us thanks to the efforts of our wonderful CLR/LALS External Advisory Board. Do be sure to apply by March 4, 2025.

Letter from the LALS Chair

In this edition, we are honored to feature an interview with DePaul alum, Virginia Martínez, who wisely reminds us that in difficult times, finding balance is key. Resistance and hard work are vital, but so is joy. With that in mind, I invite you to join us for an evening of spoken word and storytelling, “Latina Lesbian Lives: Our Lived Experiences” featuring the powerful voices of Maria’s Poetas Collective. Have a great quarter and I hope to see you for this celebration on the evening of March 12th! ~Lourdes Torres

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CLR ADVISORY COMMITTEE Marisa Alicea, Professor, Vincent DePaul Professor School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Jacqueline Lazú, Associate Professor, Vincent DePaul Professor | Modern Languages

Carolina Barrera Tobón, Associate Professor Modern Languages

Jesús Pando, Associate Professor, Chair Physics and Astrophysics, College of Science and Health

Ionit Behar, Curator | DePaul Art Museum

José Perales, Interim Vice President Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity

Martha Martinez-Firestone, Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Program | Sociology Julie Moody-Freeman, Associate Professor, African and Black Diaspora Studies | Director, Center for Black Diaspora

Core Faculty

Carolina Sternberg, Professor Latin American and Latino Studies Joe R. Tafoya, Assistant Professor | Political Science

LALS FACULTY

Lourdes Torres, Vincent DePaul Professor, Chair Latin American and Latino Studies

Jesse Mumm, Professional Lecturer Latin American and Latino Studies

Carolina Sternberg, Professor Latin American and Latino Studies

Miguel Ángel Castañeda, Social Transformation Research Collaborative (STRC) Post-Doctoral Fellow | Latin American and Latino Studies

Yoalli Rodriguez Aguilera, Assistant Professor Latin American and Latino Studies

Affiliated Faculty Marisa Alicea, Professor, Vincent DePaul Professor School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Juan Mora-Torres, Associate Professor History

Luisela Alvaray, Associate Professor Media and Cinema Studies

Vincent Peña, Assistant Professor Journalism and Sports Communication, College of Communication

Glen Carman, Associate Professor Modern Languages

Xavier Pérez, Assistant Professor Criminology

Delia Cosentino, Professor History of Art and Architecture

Olga Salazar Pozos, Assistant Professor Spanish, Modern Languages

Rocío Ferreira, Associate Professor Modern Languages Department Chair, Women's and Gender Studies

Lydia Saravia, Professional Lecturer Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse

Bill Johnson González, Associate Professor, English Director, Center for Latino Research

Monica Reyes, Assistant Professor Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse

Jacqueline Lazú, Associate Professor, Vincent DePaul Professor Modern Languages

Ana Schaposchnik, Associate Professor History

Jordan Levy, Assistant Professor Anthropology

Jose Soltero, Professor Sociology

Martha Martinez-Firestone, Associate Professor, Sociology Director, Undergraduate Sociology Program

Sonia Soltero, Professor, Chair Leadership, Language and Curriculum, College of Communication

Susana S. Martínez, Associate Professor, Modern Languages Director, Peace, Justice & Conflict Studies Program

Rose J. Spalding, Professor, Vincent DePaul Professor Political Science

Elizabeth Millán, Professor, Chair Philosophy

Joe R. Tafoya, Assistant Professor Political Science

Heather Montes-Ireland, Associate Professor Women's and Gender Studies

IN L

F YO

M E M G O N I R V O

José “Cha Cha” Jiménez August 8, 1948 — January 10, 2025 Chairman and Founder of the Young Lords Organization in Chicago and Co-Founder of the Rainbow Coalition.

Gracias por una vida de lucha y amor revolucionario.

Access to his obituary

Faculty & Staff Announcements LYDIA SARAVIA & SUSANA MARTÍNEZ On November 8, 2024, Lydia Saravia and Susana Martínez presented their research titled “The Use of Archives and Public Art for Historical Memory” at the Midwest Association for Latin American Studies (MALAS) at the University of Illinois, Chicago. The conference theme was “The State of Democracy in the Americas: Paths of Participation and Engagement Towards Better Futures.” They spoke about their co-teaching experience on Central American activism, advocacy, and memory in Spring 2024 as part of DePaul’s Humanities X, including how they scaffolded assignments and the use of AI in human rights. The other panelists were Jhonathan Gómez from the Chicago Religious Leadership Network and Angelina Alvarez, student fellow who participated in the course.

On January 24, 2025, they also participated in a Teaching Commons panel on the various co-teaching models at DePaul. They shared their experiences co-teaching their Spring 2024 course, Historical Memory Project: Ni Olvido, Ni Perdón.

DELIA COSENTINO Art historian Delia Cosentino recently served as the keynote speaker for The Swiss School of Latin American Studies (SSLAS) workshop on “Mapping Territories: Space, Place, and Environment in Latin America” at the University of Bern, Switzerland (October 2024).

She also delivered the annual Terry K. Simmons Art History Lecture at Tulane University on “México-Tenochtitlan Transcendent” in November 2024.

In March 2025, she will head to Cal State, Fresno where she has been invited to give a lecture entitled “Pyramid, Gladiator, Empire: Imagining the Aztec Past in Modern Mexico” as part of their Art History Speaker Series.

Dr. Cosentino is delighted to have contributed to Diálogo 25.1, "Latines Building a Sense of Place in the Chicago Area and the Midwest," by folding research supported by a Center for Latino Research Fellowship into an interview with curator Elena Gonzales at the Chicago History Museum and Independent Researcher Ismael Cuevas Jr.

JOE R. TAFOYA Over the fall, Professor Tafoya participated in interviews and presentations regarding the Latinx Vote in the 2024 Presidential Election. He was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune, Univision Chicago, and in the podcast “Punto de Vista” at DePaul. Tafoya also presented his research on politically invisible Latino voters as a distinguished speaker at Arizona State University and Illinois State University.

Faculty & Staff Announcements XAVIER PÉREZ This fall, Professor Xavier Pérez was interviewed by NBC Chicago and Block Club Chicago. In the NBC interview, Dr. Pérez discussed the relationship between immigration and criminology, addressing common myths leading to the villainization of migrants. In Block Club Chicago’s piece, Dr. Pérez is highlighted as the chair of the Community Safety Committee in Humboldt Park, discussing surges in violence and how the community is working against it.

YOALLI RODRÍGUEZ AGUILERA During the autumn of 2024, Dr. Rodríguez Aguilera was a guest speaker at various academic events. In November, they participated in the reading group at the University of Texas at Austin titled "Grief, Queerness, and Disability", where they discussed their methodological approaches to grief.

They were also invited to Harvard University's conference "Violent Intimacies: The Intimate Lives of Violence in Greece and Mexico" from October 21st-22nd to present their research, mainly focusing on intimacy and violence in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Additionally, they were an invited speaker at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México's (UNAM) program "Diversidad Cultural e Interculturalidad" on October 4th in Mexico City, where they discussed the effects of climate change on indigenous and Afro-descendant territories.

Finally, in October, they were invited as a guest speaker at the University of Illinois, Chicago in collaboration with the grassroots organization Alianza Américas to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the program of Latin American Studies and the 20th anniversary of Alianza Américas on a panel about the future of Latin America, in front of approximately 200 Latino national organizations.

CAROLINA STERNBERG & ROCÍO FERREIRA On November 12th, 2024, Drs. Rocío Ferreira and Carolina Sternberg presented Diálogo, 25.1, “Latines Building a Sense of Place in the Chicago Area and the Midwest.” Both scholars served as the guest thematic editors of the special issue, which celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the journal.

Their publication was featured in the issue: Sternberg, C. and Ferreira, R. (2024) From the Guest Thematic Editors: Latines Building a Sense of Place in the Chicago Area and the Midwest, Diálogo, Volume 25 (1): 3-10.

LALS AND CLR Open House RECAP On September 25th, 2024, the CLR and LALS teams shared drinks and snacks with DePaul students and faculty. It was a chance for our community to meet Dr. Miguel Castañeda, STRC Postdoctoral Fellow, and Emilio Díaz, our new Department Assistant.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VISITED US!

El Centro, Winter 2025

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LALS SPOTLIGHT: DR. OLGA SALAZAR POZOS REACTIVATING COLLECTIVE GRIEVING Interview conducted by Yamitza Yuivar Villarreal Dr. Olga Salazar Pozos is Assistant Professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages at DePaul University. She has a Master's and Ph.D in Hispanic Literatures, Cultures, and Linguistics from the University of Minnesota and a B.A. in Hispanic Literature and Linguistics from the Tecnológico de Monterrey. Her main interests are researching contemporary Mexican Literature and Film, Human Rights, Literary, Cultural, and Postcolonial and Decolonial Studies. Dr. Salazar Pozos recently joined the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies as an affiliated faculty member.

I'm originally from Monterrey, a city in the state of Nuevo León, in the northeast of Mexico. That's where I lived most of my life. I came to the US to study for my master's and PhD at the University of Minnesota. My research focuses on contemporary Mexican literature and documentary films. When I was finishing my PhD and was looking for a job, DePaul was looking for a Mexican expert in the Spanish program. I like the values of the university, the Vincentian vision, and of course, the job really aligned with my interests, so I'm thrilled to be at DePaul.

Dr. Olga Salazar Pozos

How has your background in different academic environments and cities influenced

underreported, at least in newspaper outlets. And

your research?

people, unless they had been directly affected, were

For most of my life, I lived in Mexico, in Monterrey,

not talking about this. I kept thinking, what can we

a city that has really felt the consequences of the war

do to make the people of Mexico and other places

on drugs. When I came to the US to pursue my PhD,

aware of the magnitude of this phenomenon? That

I didn't know what I wanted to do for my research.

question, which came to be because of my

While I was at the University of Minnesota, the

background as a reporter in Monterrey and a

director of the Human Rights Program contacted me

graduate student at Minnesota, has shaped my

because they were creating a database about

research the most.

disappearance

cases

reported

by

Mexican

newspapers. I was a reporter in Mexico and was very

You work with really sensitive topics related

interested in the subject, though I didn’t know much

to human rights violations, disappearances,

about

on

and

[a

consider important when addressing these

it.

I

entered

Disappearances

and

the

Impunity

Observatory in

Mexico

impunity.

What

elements

do

you

multinational academic collaborative], and reading

conversations in the classroom?

hundreds of reports made me think that I was

One of the main things you want is to give students

reading

good background information on this, explain that

into

a

phenomenon

of

catastrophic

dimensions but, still, disappearances were

reading about this will be difficult and that we will

11

El Centro, Winter 2025

be exploring sensitive topics. You also need to give

We have a grieving culture that is striving

them trigger warnings, and things to expect from the

to create connections with the victims, to

readings. Something very important towards the end

show and denounce human rights

of each session is to not only focus on the negative

violations, to understand the multiplicity

aspects. For example, even though we have more

of perpetrators that are in Mexico.

than 100,000 cases of disappearances in Mexico, laws have been created specifically to address this issue, and we also have a lot of NGOs and a huge

sometimes it is portrayed as colluding with

international network working towards resolving the

Mexican authorities, it takes away responsibility

crisis. And of course, citizens who are protesting

from the State. At the same time, since 2010, the

more and more in Mexico. So, it's important to show

year in which violence started to escalate, in the

students what human rights violations mean, give

press and the government there has been a

them background and trigger warnings, but at the

predominance of visual representations of violence

end of the day, give them hope that something is

inflicted on the bodies of the victims, and of

being done.

explaining these violations by criminalizing the victims. There is also a predominant political

In your dissertation, you explore the notion

discourse

of “collective mourning” in the context of the

recognize its responsibility for the crisis. My

human rights crisis in Mexico and the War on

perspective, which many researchers share, is that

Drugs. What does this concept mean?

these discourses produced, in the first years of the

Different authors have engaged with the subject.

war, a lack of collective citizen response against the

Judith Butler writes about “collective grieving” and

war and human rights violations. This lack of

“grievability,” explaining how we have decided that

response translated into a lack of opposition, and

there are lives that are worth grieving and lives that

therefore what we had was a cycle. And since these

are not –or that we don’t have the right to grieve

phenomena made people feel like they were

publicly. But “grievability” implies that everybody

separated from the victims and the violence

has the right to be mourned. Cristina Rivera Garza

because the victims were either criminals or erased

takes on this idea and applies it to the Mexican

from the narrative, we started talking about

context recognizing the different connotations duelo

indifference. So, collective mourning is saying: no,

(grieving/mourning) has in Spanish. “Dolernos” (to

they are not criminals, and even though some of

grieve) means to embrace the pain of the other and

them might have committed a crime, there is still

vice versa. Also, duelo has the connotation of

no justification for the human rights violations they

fighting. Now, this idea doesn't mean that I'm going

suffered. There are thousands of cases. So,

to be able to feel, for example, what a mother of a

“collective mourning,” this recognition of everyone

disappeared person feels, but I can understand that

and everything we have lost, allows us as a society

that loss isn't just personal, a disappearance,

to reestablish connections, protest together, and

femicide, or extrajudicial execution also concerns me

pressure the government more and more. And

and has something to do with us as a society.

that's why I think it's relevant to have it in the

in

which

the

government

doesn't

public sphere.

When the War on Drugs started, we had the boom of what we call narcoculture, which created this

How

enormous perpetrator, the public enemy of Mexico,

representations confront these dominant

which is the narco. And we all think that we know

political perspectives in Mexico regarding

what narco means, but we don’t. The whole narrative

violence and impunity?

of narcoculture is centered on this one perpetrator

Well, in opposition to narcoculture, what I've been

who has surpassed the government, and even though

tracing is that there's a new form of dominant

do

cultural

and

artistic

El Centro, Winter 2025

12 culture in Mexico, which is what I call the “grieving

Sometimes they use images or sounds to elicit

culture.” It refers to artistic and literary creations,

affective responses. In this way, the legal language,

in which instead of having the perpetrator as the

the participants' verbal and corporal language, and

protagonist of the story, we have the victims, we

cinematographic

have their families, we have the stories of their

establish such connections.

language

work

together

to

lives. Putting the victims in the forefront helps us create these connections that were lost because of

You are trying to transform this dissertation

the phenomena I mentioned. We have a grieving

into a book manuscript. Can you tell us

culture that is striving to create connections with

more about the process or its challenges?

the victims, to show and denounce human rights

One of my main challenges is to know when to stop

violations, to understand the multiplicity of

updating data. Every time I look at my dissertation,

perpetrators that are in Mexico. And I think that's

I have to update the facts I had. For example, when

powerful in the public sphere and when we talk

I finished my dissertation in 2023, there were

about getting responses from the government

90,000 disappearances, and now we're talking

because we are looking at the war and crisis in a

about 115,000 disappearances. But right now, the

more critical way, in which we can really

main challenge is to finish describing the grieving

understand what a disappearance or a femicide is,

culture in literature. I have one more chapter to

but from an empathetic point of view.

write to finish my manuscript and it has to do with a case of torture. Sometimes it's difficult to write

What is the role of language, in all its

about this because of the topic, the fact that it is my

formats, in public discussions around these

country, and the War on Drugs is still ongoing.

topics?

Another challenge is the language. I think it is

Back in April, the Center for Latino Research

important to publish it in Spanish. It would be

brought Cristina Rivera Garza to DePaul. The book

easier to publish it in English, and more people

discussed during that visit, Liliana's Invisible

probably would read it in English. But my book

Summer, centers on the femicide of Liliana, the

project has to do with Mexico and a lot of people

author’s sister, in Mexico in the 90s, at a moment in

helped

which the word femicide didn't exist and wasn't

filmmakers, writers, victims, and even my family. I

recognized in the constitution. It was considered “a

want everyone related to this project to be able to

crime of passion” when a man killed a woman, and

read it. And since all the work with which I'm

that has very different implications judicially. But

dealing is in Spanish, I feel more authentic to

now, when we talk about feminicidio or femicide,

myself and the content when I'm writing in Spanish

we understand all the forms of violence that are

than in English.

me

write

this,

NGOs,

journalists,

implicated in this crime. I think language is at the center of all of this. If we don't have language to

What classes will you be teaching during the

discuss what's going on, we don't have a way to

Winter quarter?

measure the implications or to identify the dangers.

I'll teach Spanish 315: Mexican Literature. It's not

Most of my research is in documentary films which

just literature; the class explores films and culture.

have their own language, and of course, now there

It's going to focus mainly on the culture of the 20th

are concepts to explain the situation and social

and 21st century in Mexico. I will also be teaching,

documentaries are the perfect place to synthesize

and this is a brand-new course, LSP 112: Human

large amounts of data and legal concepts in a more

Rights in Latin America, in Spanish. I'm very

accessible

Mexican

happy about that. It's going to be a human rights

documentary filmmakers know that it is not only

way

for

the

public.

course that will focus on Mexico and will be

necessary to give the information to the public, but

covering the so-called Dirty war and the War on

also to establish a connection with the victims.

Drugs.

The Young Lords of Lincoln Park FILM FILM PREVIEW PREVIEW & & DISCUSSION DISCUSSION

EVENT RECAP

Panelists Dr. Jacqueline Lazú, Tania Lindsay, and Paul Mireles, alongside event guests featured in the documentary, including members of the Young Lords Organization, Omar López and David Rivera.

On October 3, 2024, the CLR, in collaboration with WTTW, organized a preview and discussion of the 60-minute documentary, The Young Lords of Lincoln Park, which follows the activist group that evolved from a street gang to a political force, opposing oppression, violence, displacement and other issues affecting Latinx and lowincome residents of Lincoln Park.

The documentary featured the life of José “Cha Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Organization and an instrumental figure in its evolution into an organization advocating for human and civil rights. It also featured the original Rainbow Coalition, an effort to unite the work of the Young Lords with that of the Black Panthers and the Young Patriots for political change.

The conversation was moderated by Dr. Bill Johnson González, Director of the Center for Latino Research

THE PANELISTS

Dr. Jacqueline Lazú, Department of Modern Languages at DePaul (left) Tania Lindsay, Producer of The Young Lords of Lincoln Park (center) and Paul Mireles, DePaul Graduate Student and Chairman of the Chicago Chapter of the New Era Young Lords (right).

The Q&A session led to discussions about social activism, gentrification, student protests, and liberation movements in the presence of original Young Lords Organization members.

The documentary, part of the WTTW Chicago Stories Series, focuses on the history and impact of the organization in Chicago and offers an opportunity to reflect on the lessons from the organization’s many achievements, including coalition building among other disenfranchised communities in the city.

Special thank you to Timothy Russell, Vice President of Community Engagement at WTTW, for his efforts and collaboration in making this event possible.

The documentary is available on the WTTW website. Scan the QR code to watch it!

MCCORMICK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

EVENT RECAP

THE YOUNG LORDS WALKING TOUR WITH

On Friday, October 11, 2024, a group of faculty, staff, and alums from McCormick Theological Seminary visited DePaul for a day of activities commemorating the Young Lords Organization as part of McCormick Days: “Celebrating our Impact on Imagination and Identity,” a celebration of the 50th anniversary of McCormick Theological Seminary's El Centro, the center for the study of Latinx theology and ministry.

Members of the McCormick Theological Seminary joined us for a walking tour of Lincoln Park led by Derek Potts, Instruction and Outreach Archivist at the DePaul Special Collections and Archives. The tour included key sites of Young Lords activism, including the DePaul School of Music, which used to be McCormick’s Stone Academic Building and is now the site of a historical marker commemorating the Young Lords takeover of the building in 1969, as well as The People’s Church (Armitage Methodist Church) and the People’s Park (Halsted, between Armitage and Dickens).

The tour was followed by a screening of The Young Lords of Lincoln Park documentary, with a discussion let by Timothy Russell, Vice President of Community Engagement at WTTW, and Dr. Ken Sawyer, Professor of Church History at McCormick Theological Seminary.

El Centro, Winter 2025

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Social Transformation Research Collaborative Updates From Program Coordinator for the Social Transformation Research Collaborative, Alejandra Delgadillo The Social Transformation Research Collaborative is thrilled to announce that the Mellon Foundation has renewed our grant for three more years! Our new grant will allow us to integrate the following updates to our programming:

The rest of our programming will continue as before, and it is up and running!

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship Six academically talented rising juniors or seniors in LAS will receive a $5,000 stipend each and a free 5-week, inperson Summer Session I course (worth 4 credit hours).

The course will be taught by one LAS faculty member and introduce them to basic research methodologies in the interdisciplinary humanities.

Summer Institute for New Students Our original program funded a total of 20 incoming firstyear and transfer students each summer. For the next three years, we will be able to fund 20 first-year students and 10 transfer students per year in separate but parallel tracks, with each track tailored to fit the needs of these specific student groups.

This fellowship is open to students by nomination. Faculty interested in nominating a student should visit our website for details, found under “Opportunities”. The nomination period is from February 14 to March 7, 2025.

We will continue our guest lecture series for the teaching portion of the program. If you are interested in being a guest lecturer for the 2025 Summer Institute for New Students, please contact the STRC co-directors, Dr. Julie Moody-Freeman (jmoodyfr@depaul.edu) and Dr. Billy Johnson González (bjohns58@depaul.edu) to receive more information. The Summer Institute will take place on the week of July 14, 2025.

Faculty Research Fellowship Tenure-line faculty below the rank of Professor working in the humanities whose primary scholarly or creative field engages the histories and/or cultures of people of color (in the United States or in diaspora) are eligible to apply for this 12-month fellowship.

Graduate Student Fellowship

Deadline to apply is March 3, 2025. Please visit our website for details at go.depaul.edu/strc under “Opportunities > For Faculty”.

Our Graduate Student Fellowship is getting a makeover! In order to better serve our graduate student population in the College of LAS, we are shifting the focus of the fellowship from academic research to professional development.

Moving forward, the selected students will receive a $2,500 stipend after attending a series of professional development workshops curated by a faculty member. This year, our faculty lead will be Dr. Lourdes Torres (LALS). Eligible students will be invited to apply if they receive a nomination from a faculty member.

Faculty Professional Development Fellowship LAS tenure-line faculty working in the humanities whose primary scholarly or creative field engages the histories and/or cultures of people of color (in the United States or in diaspora), are eligible to apply for this six-month fellowship. Non-humanities faculty who wish to learn how to incorporate humanities methods, content, and approaches into their scholarship and teaching, are also eligible.

Deadline to apply is March 3, 2025. Please visit our website for details at go.depaul.edu/strc under “Opportunities > For Faculty”.

A big thank you to everyone who has worked with the STRC over the last three years. Our success would simply not be possible without the invaluable contributions from our truly wonderful community of faculty, staff, and students. Here’s to three more years!

Follow our Instagram page for more updates on events and opportunities @strc_depaul For more information please contact STRC Coordinator Alex Delgadillo: a.delgadillo@depaul.edu

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2024 STRC FALL SYMPOSIUM

WRITING, RACE, AND MEMORY EVENT RECAP On Tuesday, October 22nd, the Social Transformation Research Collaborative hosted their third annual fall symposium. The day-long event brought together 2024-2025 faculty fellows, postdoctoral fellows, and undergraduate and graduate student fellows, along with external keynote speakers, to present on the theme of “Writing, Race, and Memory”. All the participants discussed their work, which included issues such as climate change, political violence, identity, and more.

Thank you to the STRC directors, Dr. Bill Johnson González and Dr. Julie Moody-Freeman for shepherding this project and to Alejandra Delgadillo, STRC Project Coordinator, for ensuring the event was thought-provoking and emotionally enriching. We hope to continue learning about our past and present, to create a better future.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Author David Mura ”Racial Myths and Our American Narratives”

A conversation with author Karla Cornejo Villavicencio & Dr. Lourdes Torres

On Romance: A Conversation with author Beverly Jenkins (left) & Dr. Carole V. Bell (right). This session was held online.

UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWS Abigail Flores (Top Left) “Migration, Displacement and the Performance of Puerto Rican Identity in Chicago” Naomi Love (Top Center) “Redefining Religion: Challenging Eurocentric Narratives through African American Spirituality” Sifa Muderhwa (Top Right) “Green Imperialism: The Hidden Costs of the Green New Deal in the Global South” Chris Sifri (Bottom Left) “Art of Resistance: Reclamation Through Art” Aidan Tennant (Bottom Center) “Machine Realism: The collapse of Bring Chicago Home and Chicago’s Radical Black Politics” Jo Trasowech (Bottom Right) “Western-Liberal Epistemology, Indigenous Sovereignty, and Postcolonial Discourse”

GRADUATE FELLOWS Sophia Burns (Not Photographed) “High Stakes, Rising Tides: Reclaiming Narratives of Urban Redevelopment Policy and Climate Justice in Atlantic City” Claudia Cisneros Méndez (Left) “Art and Culture as Resistance: Indigenous Communities Defying State Violence and Racist Repression in Peru” Elizabeth Wallace (Right) “With an Empathetic Lens: Understanding the Causes of Forced Migration in Mexico through Film’s Storytelling”

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS Dr. Miguel Angel Castañeda (left) “Memories of MEChA: Oral Histories of the Chicana/o Student Movement” Dr. Taurean J. Webb (right) “Religious Grammars and Folded Futures: On African Diasporic and Palestinian Exilic Visual Arts”

FACULTY FELLOWS Dr. Rocío Ferreira (Top Left) “Women Shoot: Poetics of Political Violence in Contemporary Peruvian Culture” Dr. Juan Mora-Torres (Top Right) “Mexicans in Babylon: Barrio Making in Chicago’s West Side, 1917-1983” Dr. Maria Ferrera (Bottom Left) “Journey to Safety and Belonging: Narratives of Asylees” Dr. Jacqui Lazú (Bottom Right) “Archival Collection Development and Management”

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS The Center for Latino Research

2025 - 2026 Faculty Fellowship Program The CLR Faculty Fellowship is an annual competition open to all DePaul University full-time, tenure track faculty in any discipline. The fellowship is supported by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and grants recipients a one-quarter teaching release (2 classes) for research and writing on Latin American and/or U.S. Latino issues. In addition, the CLR provides up to 100 hours of student research assistant help during the research period. Within one academic year following the fellowship period, recipients are asked to submit a final outome or publication, and to do a short public presentation of their work.

2025-2026 CLR Faculty Fellowship Application Requirements An updated Curriculum Vitae For LAS faculty, an online endorsement from the faculty member's Department Chair/Program Director. Applicants from colleges outside of LAS should secure an endorsement from their Dean before beginning the application process.

Project materials, outlined in the Application Guidelines which can be accessed HERE or by visiting go.depaul.edu/clr

APPLICATION OPENS: Thursday, February 6

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, March 17

APPLY HERE or visit go.depaul.edu/clr If you have any questions, please contact: Bill Johnson González at bjohns58@depaul.edu or Marcela L. Reales Visbal at mrealesv@depaul.edu

CENTER FOR LATINO RESEARCH 2024-2025 FACULTY FELLOWS SYMONE JOHNSON Assistant Professor | African & Black Diaspora Studies "Reintegration as a Sacred Political Project" Pre-colonial African and Indigenous philosophies hold core beliefs about the continuities between the material and the immaterial qualities of nature and how they are mirrored in the body. In a contemporary U.S. context which is historically founded on divisive ideologies and manufactured material scarcity for many, alternative healers of color consider: How can we adapt our traditional methods and tools for healing to reflect the truths of nature and the truths of our discontent as marginal subjects? “Reintegration As a Sacred Political Project”, supported by the Center for Latino Research, is an ethnographic project centering stories of Black, Latinx, and Asian acupuncturists, psychics, diviners, herbalists, reiki masters, counselors, designers, artists, and musicians working in New York City. Our collective objectives—healer and researcher, personal and political—are to help restore wholeness to modern bodies fragmented by social division, poverty, and violence which alienate us from each other and the labor of loving that is our sacred duty.

JORDAN LEVY Assistant Professor | Anthropology "Reading the Political Landscape: Resistance, State, and Transnational Migration in Post-Coup Honduras" This CLR fellowship will support my book project, which examines the current exodus from Honduras as a form of resistance to state practices and governing policies since the June 2009 military coup. The monograph I plan to write is based on qualitative data collected during ethnographic research in Honduras during the overthrow and aftermath of the coup; interviews with Honduran migrants to the U.S.; and reflections on the shifting nature of Honduran asylum cases, for which I regularly serve as an expert witness. The analysis put forth emphasizes how Hondurans attempt to change post-coup policies of governance within Honduras, while also reading political landscapes of uncertainty in Central America and the U.S. –forming strategies for migration and asylum abroad. My aim is for the book to contribute to Political Anthropology, Latin American Studies, and Latino Studies, while also serving as a resource for migrant rights advocacy groups.

YOALLI RODRÍGUEZ-AGUILERA Assistant Professor | Latin American and Latino Studies "A History of Afro-Indigenous Women Against Environmental Racism on the Coast of Oaxaca, Mexico" My project is the first one in Mexico to look at how environmental racism affects an Afro-Indigenous community. It focuses on the efforts of women in the communities around the Chacahua Lagoons, on the Coast of Oaxaca, Mexico to protect and fix the water and land. This research aims to fill a gap in understanding how gender, race, and the environment intersect in Mexico. I want to study old documents about the Chacahua Lagoons, which became a National Park in 1938. I'll look at records and maps in Mexico City's National General Archive to see how the lagoons became a National Park and its repercussions in the Afro-Indigenous communities. These documents will help me show how despite being declared a National Park, the lagoons are now polluted due to toxicity and pollution. Studying this will help me understand why Afro-Indigenous communities are trying to clean and fix the water as a form of defending their ancestral water and land.

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El Centro, Winter 2025

2024 - 2025 CLR FACULTY FELLOWS SPOTLIGHT: DR. SYMONE JOHNSON WELLNESS AND CARE IN TODAY’S WORLD Interview conducted by Yamitza Yuivar Villarreal Dr. Symone A. Johnson is Assistant Professor of African and Black Diaspora Studies at DePaul University.

Dr. Johnson earned a Ph.D. (2022) and an M.A. (2019) in Anthropology from the University of Notre Dame.

Following Black anthropological tradition and Black feminist theories, Dr. Johnson focuses on modern personal healing practices, communal care, and the development of restorative and healing justice frameworks. In this conversation, we discussed her work for the CLR Faculty Fellowship, “Reintegration as a Sacred Political Project,” which allowed her to continue ethnographic work in New York and analyze how people mediate their experiences and spirituality with different worlds of care and political activism.

I was born in Cincinnati and grew up in San Antonio, Texas, where my little brother and sister were born. I spent a lot of time down there and really enjoyed myself growing up in a big family. I grew up in a very, I would say, spiritual and religious home, involved in the southern Black Baptist tradition. I was very involved in the creative arts as well. Before I became interested in anything related to research, I wanted to be a performer. I enjoy singing, acting, and dancing. I really wanted to be on Broadway. And then I went to college in Atlanta, Spelman College, a historically Black women's college, which was crucial for my social, creative, and intellectual development. I earned a degree in psychology after a meandering road of different

Dr. Symone Johnson

majors and career aspirations. I started in biology

people in a community around ideas like wellness,

because my mom wanted me to do something more

but also identity and self-representation, which

practical and I was being steered away from doing

became important themes in my research later on.

something more creative and artistic. So of course, I went the total opposite way and was like “okay, I'll

I decided to go to grad school, and I wanted to

be an MD, I love Grey's Anatomy.”

become a counselor because my mom was a counselor, and I was really interested and oriented

Then I made my way to psychology, and, during that

towards care work and service work in general. I

time, I was still involved in the creative arts because

thought that was what I wanted to do. I worked as a

I worked in the Fine Arts Museum on-campus. I got

research assistant and became aware of the world of

some experience doing museum education and

academia. Long story short, I met a mentor in my

curatorial studies which was really formative as an

senior year. Being introduced to anthropology at a

educator. That's when I started to think of myself as

Black women's college from a Black perspective was

someone who could teach people things. So not only

really important because I left my undergraduate

was I fulfilling my curiosities as a creative person

experience believing that anthropology is Black,

and as an intellectual, but I was engaging with

obviously knowing the history, but there is a clear

El Centro, Winter 2025

22 Black tradition here. Despite the colonial history of

social ecology, and how we can inform our teaching

the field, there's also this decolonial approach that

and our activism with an ecological consciousness.

can be taken that has been practiced with African and Indigenous people before there was a declared field

This fellowship allowed me to return to Brooklyn

of anthropology. It's truly a practice of storytelling, of

after a long hiatus and check out the scope of things

cultural preservation. And I carry that philosophy

in person because I've been doing a lot of this work

with me as I do my research and my own teaching. I

digitally for the last few years, especially since

decided to take that route and attended the

Covid, which happened right at the end of my

University of Notre Dame for my PhD. I worked with

graduate training. This was my first time being able

Alex Chavez, who was my dissertation chair, an

to go back and actually talk and connect with

ethnomusicologist from West Texas. We're both

people in person. It was a really unique experience

Texas folk interested in culture and music. He was

to go and see the change that had taken place since

really helpful in developing my class consciousness,

the last time I'd been there, not only in the

my Marxian analysis, and also introduced me to

geographic landscape, but also in the wellness

critical theory in a particular way. I also worked with

landscape. And that really informs the writing that

Vania Smith-Oka, Maurizio Albahari, and Ashanté

is ultimately going to come out of this. I'm

Reese, who was my mentor at Spelman.

developing an article that I'm hoping to find a publishing venue for in the next couple of weeks to

What is your CLR Faculty Fellowship project focused

on?

What

are

you

hoping

months.

to

accomplish during the fellowship year?

Your research centers on restorative and

I have returned to the field site where I was working

healing justice. What are the roles of

for my dissertation research, Brooklyn, New York.

personal and collective practice of care in

My dissertation was about how people connect their

battles against social injustice?

political interests with their spiritual commitments.

I do a lot of writing about that. How personal

In a way, it really tapped into those curiosities that

wellness is connected to interpersonal wellness, to

I've been developing my entire life. How do people's

community wellness, and we can scale that up to

spirituality and religious backgrounds inform their

the political level. How do we govern ourselves in a

political activism? How does that political work and

way that is attentive to all of our well-being

how engaging with others in community doing

collectively? The only way we can know what is

political work, transform oneself spiritually as well?

right for the collective is to be tapped into what is

It’s like a feedback loop that is cyclical. I chose New

right for ourselves at the level of the individual.

York as a site because it's a place where creative

And that's why I always talk about this idea of

people go. It's a place that, at the time, when I was

“fragmented bodies,” because, in this moment of

there in 2018-2019, was a hub for the wellness

late stage capitalism, of the commodified body, it is

industry and also the wellness industrial complex,

something I think about a lot, especially as a Black

which I critique heavily in my writing. Both of those

woman, whose function in the United States has

things come together in a really unique way.

historically been to use my body to serve and, in that way, seen. We're all seen as these flesh bags.

I was working with a mystical school that is a space

It's like we have mechanized the body in a

where healers, educators, and people who are

particular way that has affected the way we see

interested in spiritual work and healing work can

ourselves. It's affected the way that we heal within

come and develop their skills. They offer classes for

the medical industrial complex. So, attending to

people in the community like training courses, Reiki,

our healing and our care in a way that is holistic,

Tarot, or other forms of energy work. I'm a part of a

tied to spiritual well-being, tied to relationships, is

cohort now that is developing a philosophy around

really important and allows us to relate to one

23

El Centro, Winter 2025

another

in

a

way

that

is

responsible

and

You have been doing ethnographic and oral

acknowledges we're a part of a whole, and not only

history

projects.

What

impact

does

like a human whole, but a whole that includes the

including

these

personal

accounts

and

environment and other forms of life, which is where

approaches like black storytelling have in

that spiritual aspect comes in.

studies about social transformation?

When we think about social change, we can talk a

Many people are struggling with feelings

lot, at the level of theory, about what is wrong with

like anxiety, anger, and fear due to the

our society, which is useful to know what we're

current political situation. How can we

facing. It's useful to know that we are in an

approach wellness in this context?

imperialist,

I've been thinking a lot about this. And I think the

patriarchal

society.

other side of wellness is having a really deep

understand

how

relationship with grief. Wellness and healing are

mediate our experiences within that. I think it's

not always about getting better and better. That is a

another thing to be able to connect with each other

false notion. Wellness and healing are an ebb and

at the level of the heart. And storytelling allows us

flow, and I think that there has to be an

to see the ways that we relate to people who on the

acknowledgement that there is death and violence

outside, seem different from us. It's a way for us to

in the world. Premature death, natural death, death

also be able to see that we're not crazy, we're having

and destruction of the environment around us,

these shared experiences. And it also allows us to

displacement. All of those things are taking place.

develop a sense of empathy and a sense of mutual

Genocide. I think we have to grieve all the loss

regard for one another, which is something that I

around us. We lived through a pandemic where a

write about. In restorative justice philosophy, one

million plus people died and many of us are

of the common beliefs is that the more you get to

affected by that. And it's something that goes

know somebody, the harder it becomes to do harm

unacknowledged at the social level, at a broader

to them and when you do that harm, which does

cultural level. This disassociation from death, this, I

inevitably happen, we're more willing to repair that

guess fear of death, fear to acknowledge it, prevents

harm.

capitalist,

white

And

our

it's

supremacist, important

intersectional

to

identities

us from actually being able to heal, and live and thrive.

My students always come to me and ask, “we see the problems of the world; they seem so big.” And

So, a healing practice has to include grief practice at

they are, indeed. But I always say, “you're only

a personal level. That's why African and Indigenous

responsible for what is around you.” If we all take

traditions have a lot of rituals and practices around

on what's happening at the local level, then we can

connecting with our ancestors. Because we know

all be doing well. It's all about just getting to know

that death is not the end. We know that our

one's neighbors, repairing those generational

ancestors live among us, that there is spiritual work

conflicts

that must be done. That is a necessary part. So, the

classmates about intellectual conflicts that you're

distress that we're all feeling can activate us

having within the classroom. That's where the real

towards something better, if we allow ourselves to

revolutionary work is happening. However, your

hold space for the grief. And there are things that

spiritual

we can do to create a world that is better for us

assessment of your values and beliefs. Start there.

right now, we can tap into that mutual aid work, we

The power that's currently winning, the power

can tap into that political education and the

that's based in fear and greed, is not the power

organizing in our local communities.

that's going to ultimately win. We have to tap into a

within

one's

commitment

family,

looks

to

talking

you,

with

takes

power that is fueled by love for oneself, love for each other, and love for justice.

Series on Immigration: STORIES, INSIGHTS, AND ADVOCACY 4:00 - 6:00 PM | Levan 100

Know your rights A Workshop with Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR).

This event will be geared towards educating the community on advocacy and immigrant rights.

6:00 - 8:00 PM | SAC 161

Separated (2024) by Errol Morris Join us for a screening and discussion of this documentary that explores the devastating U.S. policy that tore families apart. In this film, Errol Morris exposes the human cost of family separations. Q&A to follow with Dr. Susana Martínez (PAX)

6:00 - 7:30 PM | Arts & Letters 103

Sanctuary for None: Border Violence Against Migrants and Nature in the Sonoran Desert Join us for a conversation with Dr. Naomi Paik, Associate Professor of Criminology, Law, and Justice and Global Asian Studies at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

Feb

RSVP

13 2025

Feb

RSVP

20 2025

Feb

RSVP

26 2025

Questions? clr@depaul.edu

Department of Criminology

Global Justices Committee of the Society of Vincent de Paul Professors

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El Centro, Winter 2025

DAISY HERNÁNDEZ

EVENT RECAP

On October 8th, the Center for Latino Research, in partnership with the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies, the Women’s Center, the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, and the Latinx Cultural Center hosted two events with author Daisy Hernández. In the evening, Dr. Lourdes Torres (LALS Chair) moderated a conversation with the CubanColombian author, who discussed her landmark anthology, Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today’s Feminism (2002). Hernández shared her experience co-editing the book and revising a second edition with new essays, published in 2019. She asserted that the collection written for young women of color calls for decolonizing everything: language, education, society, and power systems.

Earlier in the day, the Latinx Book Club had the opportunity to meet the author and discuss Hernández's memoir, A Cup of Water Under My Bed, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, at the Latinx Cultural Center. The discussion was moderated

by Marcela L. Reales Visbal, CLR Assistant Director. The event was attended by Latinx Book Club participants, who had met to discuss the book earlier in the fall term in preparation for Hernández’s visit. In a thoughtful conversation, attendees discussed family, languages, identities, and Latinidad. After the both events, the author signed books and talked with the audience. Thank you, Daisy, for two wonderful events!

BOOK‌ CLUB‌ Discussion Dates: 2/6/2025 2/20/2025 3/6/2025 All meetings will be from 4:30 - 5:45pm at the Center for Latino Research SAC 5th Floor, Suite A-H

REGISTER HERE Join us for a discussion of

Krik? Krak!

INSERT QR CODE The first 15 students who register will receive a FREE COPY of the book!

Book pick-up at the Latinx Cultural Center on 1/23/2025! Free lunch for students participating in the book club!

Sponsored by: Center for Latino Research Latinx Cultural Center Center for Black Diaspora

by Edwidge Danticat

Krik? Krak!, published in 1995, was a National Book Award Finalist. Danticat weaves together stories of Haitian women grappling with love, loss, and resilience across generations. Through themes of migration, identity, and collective memory, this short story collection explores the enduring strength of women in the face of political and personal turmoil and captures the unbreakable bonds between family and homeland.

Questions? clr@depaul.edu

LATIN AMERICAN AND LATINO STUDIES EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD

SCHOLARSHIP

APPLICATIONS OPEN FROM 2/7/25 TO 3/4/25 $2500 scholarship 3 scholarships awarded for the 24-25 AY

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Must be a Latin American and Latino Studies major or minor Must be a sophomore, junior, or senior Must be in good academic standing Must write a 250-word response to the following question: Discuss a Latin American or Latina/o/x studies figure, event, or text that has been important to your academic journey.

If selected for a scholarship, winners will be featured in a CLR/ LALS newsletter and will meet with the CLR/LALS Advisory Board.

APPLY NOW! APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Complete the General Application on the DePaul Online Scholarship Application website. a. Log into the DePaul Online Scholarship Application using your Campus Connect ID and password. b. Ensure you are on the tab for “applicants” before logging in. c. If you have not already, complete and submit the General Application.

2. After submitting the General Application, you will automatically route to opportunities for which you qualify, and further work and/or information is needed. If you are recommended for additional scholarships, you will be able to view a list of opportunities. Apply for them by clicking on the blue “Apply” button beside each scholarship. Additional questions or information may be required to complete the application process.

3. If awarded a scholarship, you will be notified via email and see a notification on the “applications” tab of the scholarship application.

Questions? clr@depaul.edu or lals@depaul.edu

El Centro, Winter 2025

28

CLR/LALS External Advisory Board Members Maria G. Arias Principal, Maria Arias Solutions BA, Political Science, DePaul University, 1983 Martin Arteaga President, Green Building Partners, Inc. BA, Political Science, DePaul University, 2000 Trish Brown Cordes Master of Public Service Management, DePaul University, 1983 Leonard Domínguez Secretary, Little Village Rotary Club of Chicago BA, Economics, DePaul University, 1967 Yvette Flores Managing Partner/Director, Cardinal Green Investments LLC BA, Sociology, DePaul University, 1986 Marisol Morales Executive Director, Carnegie Elective Classifications, American Council on Education BA, Latin American Latino Studies; MA/MS International Public Service Management, DePaul University, 1999 Maria Pesqueira President, Healthy Communities Foundation BA, Latin American Studies, DePaul University, 1990 Edgar Ramírez President/CEO, Chicago Commons Association BA, Political Science/Latin American Studies, DePaul University, 2000 Ulises Iván Sánchez Human Resources Officer/U.S. Department of State BA, Leadership and Human Resources Management, DePaul University, 2015 MS, Human Resources, DePaul University, 2016 Lou Sandoval President/CEO, Halo Advisory Group BS, Biochemistry, DePaul University, 1988

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El Centro, Winter 2025

CLR/LALS EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS’ SPOTLIGHT: ULISES SÁNCHEZ REPRESENTATION AND SACRIFICE Interview Conducted by Gigi Lara In 2022, the CLR and LALS Department worked with Dr. Marisa Alicea to establish an External Advisory Board made up of DePaul alumnae/i and community members. This volunteer group serves as advocates, advisors, and resources for CLR & LALS faculty and students. The group meets quarterly to remain informed about CLR & LALS activities and to establish a plan to assist in our efforts. The board’s work is grounded on a common understanding of the importance of the opportunity to study and research Latin American and Latinx communities.

Ulises Iván Sánchez is a Human Resources Officer with the U.S. Department of State. He holds a BA in Leadership and Human Resources Management (2015) and an MS in Human Resources (2016), both from DePaul University. With a strong academic foundation and expertise in HR, he plays a key role in supporting and managing personnel within the State Department. With a global expertise, Ulises has been stationed in the United States, Colombia, and Germany, and is currently based in Thailand.

I'm a second-generation immigrant. I grew up in

I got to high school, I needed a Social Security Number

Chicago, and I was undocumented growing up. I

for everything, like a driver's permit. All the kids were

spent about 14 years undocumented. So, these days, I

starting to fill out their college applications by junior

would be called a Dreamer. In those days, the

year. At that point, I had hit my cap, and it didn't seem

language wasn't as friendly. I was very lucky. My

like I had a future.

immigration status was able to change, and I wound up getting the opportunity to go into the Marine

Somehow, I got lucky, and my immigration status

Corps. It put my whole life on a different trajectory.

changed. I was able to get my green card. I had spent

Now, I've been working for about 20 years, 15 of

all these years really struggling and not having any

which focused on an HR practice. I've had roles in the

positive outlook on what my future looked like. I

private sphere and the government sphere. I get to

picked one of the hardest things I could do. I had this

have this job with the State Department where I can

sense that people would always question whether or

go almost essentially anywhere the flag flies as a

not I was American. For the majority of my teen and

Human Resources Officer, and my family gets to tag

adult life, the United States had been at war. I wanted

along. My wife and I are high school sweethearts, and

to serve and prevent people from being able to say,

we have two amazing little kids. They are incredibly

“You're not American.” I'm 5”4 and was 132 lbs in

sweet, funny, and smart kids who happen to be

those years, and I knew it wasn't going to be easy. So, I

autistic and have ADHD. My wife has ADHD, and I

knew if I could get through that and have success there

am autistic as well, so that's us in a nutshell.

[the Marines], I'd pretty much be able to do anything that I wanted to do.

What led you to join the Marines after you graduated high school?

What was your experience as a non-traditional

Growing up undocumented in Chicago, I felt

first-generation Latine student at DePaul?

relatively safe. There was always this threat that I

How did DePaul, and more specifically the

could be deported if I had a police interaction, if I

Latine community here, support you in your

had to go to the hospital, or if something came up at

transition from the Marines to undergraduate

school. But for the most part, I felt pretty safe. When

and then graduate school?

El Centro, Winter 2025

30 I had a really great experience, and the Latine community at DePaul was great. One of the things I appreciated was the representation. At the time, Professor Marisa Alicea was the Dean of my college.

Growing up, I didn't see a lot of Latines on TV, in the papers, or in leadership positions, either in the private sphere or in government. Just knowing that she was at the head of the ship felt really positive and encouraging. My colleagues and classmates created a warm, welcoming, and engaging community.

By that point, I had already spent several years abroad and in Germany. Coming from an environment where

Ulises Sánchez

the few times I saw another Mexicano I was ready to hug him and cry, being at DePaul where I could code

time or having a difficult conversation with

switch and have that cultural familiarity was helpful.

somebody, that skill set wasn't there. That’s

Not being the only adult learner was also really

something that DePaul did very well. The way they

encouraging. There's a lot of us. We have similar

build the management focus with an understanding

stories and similar backgrounds. We've faced similar

that

challenges, gone through them together, and had

interpersonal

academic success together.

frameworks, and you have a lot of tools in your

you

need

those

skills

to

communication give

you

and

concrete

toolkit by the time you hit the workforce.

Throughout your career, you have been stationed in the US, Colombia, and Germany,

DePaul's Vincentian mission centers on

and you are currently working in Thailand.

service leadership and the question, “What

How would you say that DePaul prepared

must be done?” How has your idea of service

you to work outside of the United States and

been shaped by your professional and

advance the field of Human Resources?

personal journey?

When I was a paralegal with the Marine Corps, one

I

of the things the Marines are big on is that you have

disenfranchised communities. It’s always been a

to do some kind of job outside of your field. They

large part of my focus to look out for the little guy.

call that your billet. Because a lot of the paralegals

In HR, I can express that employee resource and

have cleaner backgrounds, it's very common for

affinity groups matter. The student committees at

them to go into the Marine Security Guard field. So,

universities matter. I got to be the President of the

when I was a very young marine, that's the first time

Student Veterans Union and the President of

the idea sparked for me that I would love to work in

DePaul's Society for Human Resource Management

an embassy someday.

chapter. All of those things matter. But what I enjoy

come

from

underrepresented,

historically

about Human Resources is that when I'm writing DePaul's programs, when it comes to interpersonal

policy with the stroke of a pen, I can make

skills, communication skills, and their inclusive and

impactful, positive, long-lasting changes for our

accessible focus, are miles ahead of a lot of other

employees

programs. I worked with a lot of folks that come

underrepresented groups. Can I ensure that a policy

from top-tier MBA programs. I was one of the HR

is thinking about the impacts of those who are

managers at the University of Chicago, and when it

typically left out of the conversation? Can I make

comes to reading profit and loss statements, they're

sure that a policy or funding is going to translate to

fantastic. But, asking an employee to show up on

programs that are truly equitable and accessible?

when

they're

members

of

these

31

El Centro, Winter 2025

I absolutely love that. It’s really one of my core values

advocate for that and remind folks that we are here

– how can we look out for the little guy in everything

to do the right thing, not the easy thing or the bare

that we do?

minimum.

There's a lot of us. We have similar stories and similar backgrounds. We've faced similar challenges, gone through them together, and had academic success together.

What

advice

would

you

give

to

first-

generation and Latine students seeking higher education?

We have to realize, as first or second-generation immigrants, what a sacrifice it was for our parents to give us that opportunity. My mom had me at 15 or 16. You have to imagine that she got to the

Since you have graduated, the Latine student

United States with no family or friends of her own.

population

increased

She abandoned her culture and her language to give

significantly; 24.4% of all undergraduate

me an opportunity. So, you have to honor that

students identify as Latine, per the fall 2024

sacrifice. My parents would tell me stories about

census. What continual steps do you think the

when they first got to Chicago, sometimes dinner

institution needs to take towards becoming an

was tortillas and Kool-Aid.

at

DePaul

has

HSI? How do you anticipate it will support Latine students moving forward?

When I got to Germany as a Marine in my early 20s,

Representation matters a lot. I love the fact that the

I had to find a bathroom, and I couldn't do it

more I look at DePaul, there's more and more Latine

because the signs were in German. It dawned on me

representation across the board. That is going to be an

at that moment, “You're in your 20s. You’re a

important factor in whether it achieves and sustains its

Marine. You have money in your pocket. You can

HSI status. Along with that, it has to be about how we

make a call, and the command will help you out.

support those students as much as possible through

What did your 15 and 16-year-old parents do in

good

that situation?”

internship

opportunities,

paid

internships

whenever possible. Those communities typically cannot afford to work for free. Also, scholarships –

So, get through undergrad. Once you start, don't

how can we make sure that you have the funding to get

stop. Even if you don't love your major, don't

through undergrad and get through graduate school?

continue to rack up debt and change it to this and

Nowadays, most people need some kind of grad school

that. Pick a versatile undergrad major that you can

to be competitive in the job market.

do a lot with at the graduate level.

In terms of challenges, there's a new administration

The older I get, the more I realize what an

coming into power in January. It's fair to say that they

extraordinary job my single mother did with two

are going to try and change or erode a lot of the legal

kids, undocumented, with no network in Chicago.

protections [for students]. Title IX, for example, in the

You’ve got to find a way to pay that back. Achieving

academic space. All Institutions and organizations do

academic success is one of the easiest ways to go

things because they have to, legally. DePaul is going to

back to your parents and say thank you for what you

have a really interesting opportunity and challenge to

left behind and for all the ways you struggled. Don't

say, “Okay, as fewer things are legally required, what

stop. Keep attacking. Find a way to honor that

do we continue to do because it's the right thing to do,

sacrifice.

not because we're required to do it.” The leadership at DePaul is going to have an opportunity to prove their values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

My job, as somebody on the board, is to continue to

The views expressed are those of the interviewee and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Government.

Alma Lucero Acosta

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Major in Costume Technology (Theatre School ) with a minor in Latin American and Latino Studies, Class 2016, DePaul University FROM DEPAUL TO THE COSTUME INDUSTRY

THE IMPACT OF AN LALS MINOR

After graduating from DePaul in 2016, Alma moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film costume making and joined the Motion Picture Costumers (MPC) local 705 in 2019, which is a part of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

The LALS minor allowed Alma to connect her passion for design with her Latinx heritage. She grew up in Houston, the daughter of a Mexican father and a Colombian mother.

She has created costumes for several films, including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol III, Joker: Folie a Deux, Babylon (Oscar Nominated), Ahsoka (Emmy winner), and Thunderbolts.

In 2021, Alma connected with the IATSE Latinx Caucus, an independent association, and "knew this was how I was going to pursue my love for filmmaking and upward mobility of Latino workers within it," Alma said. Now, she is one of its core members, organizes fundraisers, and hosts events to foster community and promote DEI initiatives, aiming to enhance Latinxs’ experiences in the industry.

“I wouldn't have been able to empower other Latinos in my industry if I wasn't educated in our history & art that I learned through DePaul's Latin American and Latino Studies program. I am thankful for being able to connect both of my studies in my career. ” - Alma Lucero Acosta, LALS alumni

ACCESS IATSE LATINX WEBSITE INTERVIEW

@palmacosta

FREE EVENT

LATINA LESBIAN LIVES OUR LIVED EXPERIENCES Join us for an evening of spoken word and storytelling performances with María’s Poetas Collective and a special featured guest.

Registration via Eventbrite is REQUIRED

SAC 154

MARCH 12TH | 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM RECEPTION IS FROM 6:00 - 6:30 PM

2323 N. Seminary Ave. (on the other side of 2320 N. Kenmore Ave building--Levan/O'Connell)

El Centro, Winter 2025

34

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: VIRGINIA MARTÍNEZ A LIFE OF SERVICE Interview Conducted by Gigi Lara Virginia Martínez, a Chicago native, has dedicated her life to serving, supporting and elevating marginalized communities. She was one of the first two Latinas licensed to practice law in Illinois. Martínez graduated from the DePaul College of Law in 1975. As a law student, Martínez co-founded the Latino Law Student Association and continued her advocacy work into her career, helping to establish the Chicago Office of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She was also a founding board member for the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and served as Executive Director for Mujeres Latinas en Acción from 1992 until 1997. In 2014, Martinez received a DePaul alumni award for outstanding service to the university. Now retired, she recently published the second book in her children’s series, Adventures with Abuela. The bilingual series encourages caregivers to read to young children as well as to take them to zoos and museums in the Chicagoland area.

I was born and raised in Chicago. The first twelve

immensely for low-income Latinx women in

years of my life I lived a block South of Chinatown,

Chicago and is the longest-standing Latina-led

then the expressway went through. We moved to

organization in the nation. Can you share

Pilsen, and I lived in the same house, for the next 25

about your experience with the organization?

years; all through high school, college, and law

How did you get involved with them?

school. I moved to Oak Park and have been here 35

I knew all the women involved in creating Mujeres

years, about to celebrate my 75th birthday.

Latinas en Acción and how it came about. Their first place was in a church that had been closed and there

I ended up at DePaul Law School because I was

was a mysterious fire that burned down the building

working as a part-time secretary for two lawyers in

that they were using. So, they left and rented a

Pilsen on 18th Street: Reyes and Lopez. When I

storefront on 18th St. When they were there, I was

started working there, I decided to go back to college.

asked to teach in the evenings about citizenship. It was

I had finished two years at City College and had been

based on how to get involved in our community and

working full-time. I ended up working for this

elections.

community law office and could see all the problems coming in, while still living in Pilsen and seeing

Then, they moved their office to 17th St. They were

everything going on. I decided to go back to school at

advertising for the executive director position, and I

UIC and majored in Sociology. When I was about to

applied, but they didn't interview me. I was sharing

graduate, one of the lawyers said, “What are you

clients with them. I had my own legal office and was

going to do now?” and I said, “I'm going to go to Jane

representing victims of domestic violence, referred to

Addams School of Social Work”. He said, “We need

me by Mujeres. I was going to court a lot representing

bilingual lawyers you should go to law school.” I

these women. I continued to participate in things here

knew that there were only 15 Latino attorneys in the

and there at Mujeres. Then, the position came open

entire state at the time, so I ended up going to law

again and I interviewed that time.

school.

I was asked: “Why does a lawyer want to be director of You were the Executive Director for Mujeres

Mujeres?” I said that I had been watching Mujeres. I

Latinas en Acción from 1992 until 1997.

have always been around, and think the work is

Mujeres Latinas en Acción advocates

critical. I'm a survivor of sexual abuse, so I know that

35

El Centro, Winter 2025

it’s one of the issues that women face. I told them I always wanted to be directly involved in Mujeres and they hired me. It is something I'm very proud of, the program and the staff, I loved them.

From 2011 until 2017 you ran a consulting firm

centered

on

guiding

non-profit

organizations to have focused goals and strategies to achieve said goals. What was the most difficult part of helping non-profits succeed?

I was at UIC before that, as the director of the International

Center

for

Health

Virginia Martínez

Leadership

Development. I have no background in health, but it

In what ways has bilingualism served as a

was about making meaningful partnerships between

tool for advocacy in your different fields?

major institutions and communities. How did the

As one of the early bilingual attorneys to practice, I

universities and hospitals work directly with the

would see people in court who could not talk to

community on a more level field?

their attorney because the secretary wasn't there to translate. Attorneys need to be able to speak directly

Historically, universities get huge grants and then ask

to their clients because there are nuances – it's a

the community to come in and help them, but they

factor of trust. You know your client trusts you

don't pay them or exclude them from conversations.

because they know that you understand them.

Why? The community is working and can't come in at 3:00p.m. when these meetings were. It was eye-

It is also important in almost any other field, but

opening for me to develop that collaboration. How do

definitely in education. When I was a kid, there was

we collaborate as organizations and as organizations

somebody who came in from Mexico and they sat

with communities? That was part of what I brought to

me next to that child so that I could help interpret

some of the jobs that I did as a consultant, so it's not us

for them. First of all, I'm not trained. Secondly, I

and them. It was changing traditional rules about the

did not speak Spanish at home. I knew it but didn't

way organizations run.

even speak it to my parents. To put another child in that position, or even worse, to have to go to the

Why

is

it

important

for

non-profit

organizations to be a united front and have

doctor’s office and take your child as your interpreter is clearly inappropriate.

standardized tools for success, especially at the current political moment, when there is a push

Whether it's a child or a grown person, taking

to limit the scope of their work?

someone to translate these intimate details of your

It's more challenging now, given what's happened, and

life, whether it's medical, legal or social needs,

what's going to happen as of January 20th. There's

you're not a person anymore because your

always been some level of cooperation among

information is being shared with people you

organizations, but there's a recognition that we have to

wouldn’t share it with. Being bilingual helps, and it

work collaboratively because you can't be fighting over

was the reason I got the job at Reyes and Lopez to

the same money to work on behalf of the same

begin with because almost all of their clients spoke

community. This includes working with the people on

Spanish. It was important for them to have bilingual

the other side giving out the money.

staff, so it opened the door for me that changed my life.

El Centro, Winter 2025

36 Your most recent endeavor has been your children's

book

Abuela.”

In

series, what

“Adventures

ways

has

with

having

grandchildren changed your perspective on education and advocacy for Latinxs in the U.S.? What lessons have you learned from

My advice to young people is always to balance your life...You need something to take your mind off all the heavy things we’re dealing with in the world. Find that thing, and let yourself enjoy it.

being a children’s author, as it strays from your experiences in higher education?

I don't know that it's changed my opinion or my advocacy efforts. I was so happy to finally be a grandma in 2019. My daughter, who had gotten laid off during the pandemic was taking care of my grandson and we would take him out to different places. We would go to what was open at the time, the zoo was open, we couldn't go in the buildings, but we could be outside. Which is why the first book was Let's Go to the Zoo. I started writing it as a legacy for my grandson. It started as Facebook posts, so every time we went somewhere I called them “Adventures with Abuela.”

Everybody started telling me that I should write a book when I put the Facebook posts up about my grandson.

Jackie Ruiz from Big Factor Media said, “We're putting together this book of Latina leaders. Do you want to be in it”, and I said, “No, but I want to write a children's book,” and she said they could help me with that.

That's how it started. We wrote the one about the zoo first and the next one was about the Shedd Aquarium.

The first book, just says the zoo, but it's the Brookfield Zoo. And I told the editors that it's got to be about Chicago because it's a tribute to my mother as well because she took us to all these places. After those books, my granddaughter was born and now there are two characters in the book. It's a blessing to have grandchildren especially when they're right here and I get to see them every day. So, that's what I'm doing now, and then I go out and sell the books, which is the harder part.

I was on State Street, I think it was earlier this year for Sundays on State, and a young man came up to me and asked if I was the one that writes the Abuela books. I said yes. He said, “You know, I was at the Museum of Science and Industry and I bought your book because I was going through a really hard time in

my life. I read the book, and I imagined talking to my own abuela, and it just helped me so much that I could do that, that I could feel like I could talk to my abuela.” Those are unexpected things that come out of these books.

What advice would you give Latinx students wanting to make a long-lasting impact in their communities? How do we find comfort in the large emotional stake in communityoriented projects?

You know, part of it is finding something you like to do, whether it’s voluntary work or a paid position.

One thing I did was volunteer in Dilley, Texas, where there was a detention center for women and children.

During

my

time

there

I

heard

heartbreaking stories from the women about why they came to the U.S. The journey from Central America, mostly Honduras and Guatemala, was horrifying. And their reasons for leaving were just as terrible—things like getting shot at or threats from gangs.

Over two or three years, I went back eight times. I don’t have the energy to do it now, but I’ve been helping locally, like providing information to Venezuelan migrants through another organization.

I’ll see where else I can help, though I’m more limited without a license now.

My advice to young people is always to balance your life. I also love salsa dancing—I went last night! It’s important to find something you enjoy, whether it’s dancing, photography, writing, or even keeping a journal. You need something to take your mind off all the heavy things we’re dealing with in the world.

Find that thing, and let yourself enjoy it.

LATIN AMERICAN AND LATINO STUDIES This interdisciplinary department explores the broad dynamics shaping Latin American & Latinx experiences and draws courses and insights from multiple fields. The Department of Latin American & Latino Studies also serves to deepen Latinx students’ awareness of their cultural heritage.

Spring 2025

CORE COURSES Carolina Sternberg Hybrid (in-person and online async)

LST 201: Struggle and Resistance in Latin America*

T/Th 1.00- 2:30 PM

Lourdes Torres M/W: 1:00 - 2:30 PM

LST 202: Constructing Latino Communities* *These courses fulfill Liberal Studies SCBI requirement

OTHER COURSES IN LST/LALS LST 300/CES 410/PAX 386/GEO 395: Gender, Territory, and Environment in Latin America

M/W: 11:20 - 12:50 pm

Yoali Rodríguez Aguilera

LST 310/AMS 397/PAX 300: Chicano Movements

M/W: 9:40 - 11:10 am

Miguel Castañeda

LST 306/AMS 397: Latino Communities in Chicago

T/Th: 4:20- 5:50 pm

Monica Ramos

ASYNC

Ana Schaposchnik

LST 207/ABD 206: Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin America: Peoples, Cultures, Ideas, and Movements

T/Th: 1:00 - 2:30 pm

Jacqueline Lazú

LST 300/PSC 244/INT 386: Latin America - U.S. relations

Hybrid/ T: 9:40 - 11:10

Rose Spalding

LST 300/SPN 331/431: Film as a Subversive Art

M: 6:00 - 9:15 pm

Rocio Ferreira

LST 308/CES 410/WGS 305/405: Motherhood in latino communities

T/Th: 1.00 - 2:30 pm

Heather Montes Ireland

LST 310/PSC 226: Latino Political Behavior

Hybrid/ T: 2:40-4:10pm

Joe Tafoya

T: 6:00-9:15 pm

Tomas Ramirez

HON 205: Aztec Art and its Afterlives

M/W: 9.40 - 11:10 pm

Delia Cosentino

MPOP 257: Mexican Cinema

M/W 10:10-11:40am

Luisela Alvaray

SPN 261E: Latinidades in Literature and Popular Culture**

T/TH: 9:40-11:40 pm

Jacqueline Lazú

LST 121/HST 121: Latin america to 1765: Life before and after columbus

LST 348/PAX 348: Indigenous Political Struggles

**Spanish courses can be used for the major/minor in LST LST 306 and LST 308 fulfill Liberal Studies experiential learning requirement

@DePaulLALS

@LALS_depaul

For more information, contact ltorres@depaul.edu

Antonio Berni Manifestación, 1934

LST 201: Struggle & Resistance in Latin America

son per ) in- async ( RID ne & HYB onli ays d and Tues days LPC rs pm | u h 0 T 3 : 2 0 1:0

Profes sor Caroli na Sternb erg

Det ai in- ls for pe mee rson t TBD ings soo n

[ Spring Quarter 2025 ]

LST 202

Constructing Latino Communities

Dr. Lourdes Torres | Mondays & Wednesdays | 1:00 - 2:30 PM | LPC

Michael Robinson Chavez / The Washington Post

IUCN, INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

Special Topics

LST 300 / CES 410 / GEO 395 / PAX 386

Gender, Territory, and Environment in Latin America Professor: Dr. Yoalli RodrÍguez Aguilera

M/W

11.20-12.50

SPRING 2025

39

El Centro, Winter 2025

DIÁLOGO

Latines Building A Sense of Place in the Chicago Area and the Midwest Volume 25, Number 1 / Spring 2022

EVENT RECAP

On Tuesday, November 12th, 2024, the Center for Latino Research launched the latest issue of the journal Diálogo with a reception and panel discussion. The occasion welcomed DePaul faculty, staff, and students, as well as community members, to celebrate the launch of the issue, co-edited by Dr. Carolina Sternberg (LALS) and Dr. Rocío Ferreira (WGS/MOL). The event included short presentations by a selection of contributors to the special issue, a presentation by the featured artist, Esperanza Gama, and a poetry reading by Dr. Silvia Goldman (MOL).

GUEST THEMATIC EDITORS

Dr. Bill Johnson González

Director of the Center for Latino Research and Editor in Chief of Diálogo

Collaborative article: “Aquí en Chicago: Piedras, Placemaking, and Politics in Pilsen” Dr. Delia Cosentino

History of Art and Architecture DePaul University

Dr. Carolina Sternberg (LALS) and Dr. Rocío Ferreirac presenting the introduction of the special issue

Dr. Myrna García

Associate Professor of Instruction Latina and Latino Studies Northwestern University “Somos un pueblo sin fronteras: Contending with INS Terror during Chicago’s Chicano Movement”

Dr. Jesse Mumm

Latin American and Latino Studies DePaul University

Dr. Elena Gonzales

“Stomping Ground: Living Against Gentrification in Humboldt Park”

Curator of Civic Engagement and Social Justice, Chicago History Museum

Ismael Cuevas

Independent Scholar and Government Affairs Manager, Amtrak

Dr. Silvia Goldman Pérez Poet

“Chicago”

Esperanza Gama Featured Artist

Scan the QR code to check out the issue!

Esperanza Gama Studio Visit Event Recap

On November 14th, a group of DePaul students and CLR staff visited the studio of Esperanza Gama, an artist originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, now based in Chicago.

Gama’s work was featured in the most recent issue of the Center for Latino Research’s journal, Diálogo, Volume 25, Issue 1: “Latines Building a Sense of Place in the Chicago Area and the Midwest.”

Esperanza Gama talked to visitors about her creative process and artistic career, her work in different media, such as painting, drawing, printmaking, and ceramics, and her future projects.

The group of students and staff saw works in progress and purchased some of her pieces, just in time for the holiday season!

From Paper to Presentation

Are you thinking of advancing your research? Are you interested in presenting at a conference?

A Research Workshop Series Hosted by The Center for Black Diaspora and The Center for Latino Research at DePaul University

The Center for Black Diaspora and the Center for Latino Research invite undergraduate and graduate students to participate in a series of workshops focused on preparing students to present at academic conferences. We will provide hands-on support from university partners, experienced DePaul faculty, staff and students, as well as opportunities for funding to present at conferences in Chicago and beyond!

All workshops will be available in a hybrid format, but in-person attendance is highly encouraged.

LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED!

The Workshops Workshop #1 Jan 21 | LPSC 315 | 11:30am - 1:00pm

Getting Prepared for a Conference: How to consider a research paper or project for your application? How to search for conferences in your field of study? How to source funding for your conference?

Workshop #2 Feb 4 | JTR Library 103 | 11:30am - 1:00pm

Journey to the conference: How to write an abstract or proposal?

In collaboration with the Writing Center

Workshop #3 Feb 18 | LPSC 313 | 11:30am - 1:00pm

Cite, Cite, Cite!: How to cite and source your research? How to prepare a presentation or poster for a conference?

In collaboration with the University Library

Workshop #4 March 4 | JTR Library 103 | 11:30am - 1:00pm

Making the Best of a Conference: What to expect at the conference?

How to network with other scholars? What to look forward to at the conference? Presentation best practices.

In collaboration with the Career Center and the McNair Scholars Program

Questions? clr@depaul.edu / centerforblackdiaspora@depaul.edu

Scan to Register:

Contact Us LALS | CLR Lourdes Torres LALS Chair ltorres@depaul.edu

Emilio Díaz Department Assistant ediaz68@depaul.edu

Bill Johnson González CLR Director bjohns58@depaul.edu

Gigi Lara Student Assistant alara26@depaul.edu

Marcela L. Reales Visbal CLR Assistant Director mrealesv@depaul.edu

Yamitza A. Yuivar Villarreal Graduate Student Assistant yyuivarv@depaul.edu

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clr@depaul.edu lals@depaul.edu Call us

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Center for Latino Research-DePaul University The Department of Latin American and Latino Studies-DePaul University