El Centro - Spring 2024

EL CENTRO

NEWSLETTER Spring 2024

ON THE COVER

COVER IMAGE: “Mi mamá y yo” Acrylic on canvas 2020

Carlos A. Benitez Cruz (they/he) IG: @xismoso

Carlos was born in Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico in 1998 and immigrated to the United States at age 4 as their family reunited. They grew up in the Northwest side of Chicago in the BelmontCragin neighborhood in a queer micro-community after their mother came out as a lesbian when Carlos was 8. They studied psychology, women and gender studies, and philosophy at Dominican University (class of 2021) and received a M.A. in Community Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago (class of 2024).

Carlos’ work is deeply introspective, exploring themes of the self in relation to various complex realities. As such, each piece in their body of work functions as a diary entry, reflecting on personal history and relationships, dominant and insurgent narratives, social conditions, inner subjective states, and, most recently, metaphysical ones.

IN THIS ISSUE...

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About | Center for Latino Research and Latin American and Latino Studies

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A reading & conversation with Dr. Cristina Rivera Garza - EVENT RECAP

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Letters from the CLR Director & LALS Chair

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CLR/LALS External Advisory Board Members

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CLR Advisory Committee and LALS Faculty

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CLR/LALS External Advisory Board News

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Faculty & Staff Announcements

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CLR/LALS External Advisory Board Members' Spotlight: Leonard Domínguez

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Graduating Announcements

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Poesia en abril - EVENT RECAP

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Latinx Graduation Celebration EVENT RECAP

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Book Launch - EVENT RECAP

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LALS Spotlight: Dr. Jesse Mumm

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From the Diálogo Archives

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Social Transformation Research Collaborative Updates

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LALS Course Schedule - Spring 2024

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The People’s Teach-In: Education for Liberation - EVENT RECAP

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Why Latinx Studies Now?: A Workshop for K-12 Educators

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2024 - 2025 CLR Faculty Fellows

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New Student Assistants: Gigi Lara and Yamitza Yuivar Villarreal

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2023 - 2024 CLR Faculty Fellows Spotlight: Dr. Joe Tafoya

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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:

Josué Paniagua Sunidhi Kulkarni

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

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Letter from the CLR Director Estimades lectores, It is once again that bittersweet time of year when the academic year comes to an end, students walk across the stage at graduation, friends bid each other farewell, and everyone looks forward to a well-deserved summer vacation. It’s also at this time of year when we as faculty take a deep breath and hope that the values we have strived to teach – the need for rigorous critical thinking, historically informed awareness, compassion, and the courage to stand up for social justice – will take root and become a strong grounding for our students as they navigate the challenges and uncertainties of the future.

This past spring, we commemorated a half century of the civil rights work of the Young Lords in Lincoln Park and held a teach-in that connected their demands for social justice to present struggles.

This summer, the STRC is cultivating a new cohort of graduate and undergraduate fellows engaged in research, and in July we will be hosting a new group of freshman and transfer students for our 3rd Summer Institute on the theme, “Anti-Racism, Transformation and Healing through the Humanities.”

In August, the CLR will be collaborating with colleagues from Lewis and Northwestern universities to host a Curriculum Development Workshop on Latinx Studies for Chicago area teachers interested in diversifying their classrooms.

Best wishes for a restful and happy summer!

- Bill Johnson Gonzalez

Letter from the LALS Chair Estimadísimes, Espero que se encuentren muy bien! Aquí me encuentro nuevamente escribiéndoles para saludarles y desearles un muy buen fin de año académico.

Este fin de año académico muy especial para mí por ser mi último año de servicio como directora del Departamento de Estudios Latinoamericanos y Latinos (LALS). Son muchos los esfuerzos y los logros que hemos realizado juntes durante seis años en LALS, y El CENTRO ha sido un canal muy especial para documentar cada uno de ellos. Estoy muy orgullosa de haber asumido este rol de liderazgo y de haber contado con el apoyo y la constancia de todes ustedes, staff, profesores y estudiantes durante todo este período.

Esta edición de primavera de El Centro es también una linda oportunidad para darle la bienvenida a la nueva directora de LALS, la profesora Lourdes Torres, quien está muy entusiasmada de servir en este rol y de comunicarse con todes ustedes a traves de este hermoso newsletter, a partir del otoño de 2024.

Voy a extrañar escribirles desde esta primera página, pero seguiré compartiendo experiencias con ustedes desde mi rol como profesora.

Les deseo entonces un excelente fin del quarter, muchas felicidades a todes quienes se gradúan este año y un excelente comienzo de las vacaciones!

Hasta siempre!

Please join us in congratulating Carolina on her well-deserved promotion to full Professor. ¡Felicidades!

- Carolina Sternberg

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

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

Carolina Barrera Tobón, Associate Professor Modern Languages

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

Ionit Behar, Curator | DePaul Art Museum

Rose Spalding, Professor, Vincent DePaul Professor Political Science

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

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

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

LALS FACULTY Core Faculty Carolina Sternberg, Associate Professor, Chair Latin American and Latino Studies

Jesse Mumm, Professional Lecturer Latin American and Latino Studies

Lourdes Torres, Professor, Vincent de Paul Professor Latin American and Latino Studies

Meloddye Carpio Ríos, 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

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

Glen Carman, Associate Professor Modern Languages

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

Delia Cosentino, Professor History of Art and Architecture

Xavier Perez, Assistant Professor Criminology

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

Monica Reyes, Assistant Professor Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse

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

Ana Schaposchnik, Associate Professor History

Jacqueline Lazú, Associate Professor, Vincent DePaul Professor Modern Languages

Jose Soltero, Professor Sociology

Jordan Levy, Assistant Professor Anthropology

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

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

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

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

Joe R. Tafoya, Assistant Professor Political Science

Elizabeth Millán, Professor, Chair Philosophy

Christopher Tirres, Associate Professor, Vincent de Paul Professor Religious Studies; Inaugural Endowed Professor, Diplomacy and Interreligious Engagement

Faculty & Staff Announcements DELIA COSENTINO During the Spring Quarter, Delia Cosentino taught an honors class on Aztec Art and its Afterlives, for which she planned a class visit from the artist Salvador Jiménez-Flores whose most recent show, "eagle, serpiente, nopalli," just closed at Pilsen's National Museum of Mexican Art. Her seminar surveys a range of political, social, and artistic contexts in which Aztec art and its descendants have helped to create specific meaning for different people, often negotiating a balance between admiration and exoticism.

On April 19th, Delia delivered a public lecture entitled "México-Tenochtitlan Transcendent" for the Art History Colloquium Series at UIC. It was based on material from her book, Resurrecting Tenochtitlan (co-authored with Adriana Zavala, UT Press, 2023), which was a finalist for the 2024 Charles Rufus Morey Award (College Art Association) and received an Honorable Mention for the ALAAArvey Foundation Book Award from the Association for Latin American Art.

HEATHER MONTES-IRELAND Dr. Heather Montes Ireland's co-authored chapter "'Don't Say Gay' and Can't be Trans: Behind the Anti-LGBTQ Schooling Agenda" was published in the book, The Right To Learn: Resisting the Right-Wing Attack on Academic Freedom (Beacon Press, April 2024). This year, Montes Ireland is a also 2023-24 HumanitiesX Faculty Fellow with DePaul's Experiential Humanities Collaborative, co-teaching a course on the theme of Democracy and Rights entitled, "Do Say Gay: Banned Books and LGBTQ Freedoms."

This summer, she looks forward to presenting her paper “Autohistoria-teoría and Chicana/Latina Feminist Approaches to Self-writing” with colleagues at the 3rd Conference on Writing Through the Lifespan.

CAROLINA STERNBERG Professor Sternberg has recently received the 2024 STRC Professional Development Fellowship for the research project titled “Inclusiveness and equity in Chicago? An analysis of Lori Lightfoot’s and Brandon Johnson’s rhetoric and policies.”

In addition, on March 28 she was interviewed in Spanish by Univision Chicago for their Saturday newscast, “Al Punto Chicago,” aired on March 31, 2024. She was asked to talk about the current status of gentrification in Latinx communities in Chicago and the problems the communities would face if this problem is not addressed in the short term.

Faculty & Staff Announcements

YOALLI RODRIGUEZ AGUILERA In March, Yoalli went to the University of Buffalo as a guest speaker to a conference entitled “Landed Solidarity,” organized by the Department of Indigenous Studies. In the conference they talked about their work on grief, land and resistances in the Coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. Approximately 10 scholars from all over the country were invited to share their work.

In June 2024, they will be traveling to the university ITESO-Guadalajara in Mexico, as a guest speaker to a conference entitled Coloquio Internacional Bienes comunes, extractivismo y sistemas de seguridad (International Colloquium on Common Goods, Extractivism and Security Systems). They are very excited to share part of their work with Mexican scholars working about environment, security and human rights.

VINCENT PENA Dr. Vincent C. Peña, a second-year assistant professor of sports communication and journalism, was recently granted a University Research Council research leave for the Autumn 2024 quarter. He will work on a project titled, “Different Quotes for Different Folks: Analyzing Race and Gender Stereotypes in Sports Press Conferences.” The project is aimed at understanding how the race and gender of college athletes (and journalists) impact their interactions in interview settings such as press conferences. Focusing specifically on men’s and women’s college basketball, he’ll explore athlete and media perceptions and analyze the content of their questions. Recently, Dr. Peña’s research has been published in journals such as Communication & Sport and the Sociology of Sport Journal.

JESSICA POLOS Dr. Jessica Polos presented findings from her CLR-funded research project titled, “Decomposing Hispanic-white and Black-white Disparities in Infant Prematurity by Maternal Age and Maternal Education in the U.S., 2001-2021” in the “Health “Paradoxes” and Their Underlying Mechanisms” session at the Population Association of America’s Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. Her preliminary findings suggest that biological weathering attributable to returns to maternal age explains Hispanic-white gaps in infant prematurity from 2001 until 2008, though does not explain the gap between 2009 and 2022. Rather, education endowments, i.e., the difference in the educational distribution between Hispanic and white mothers, explains most of the prematurity gap over time. She looks forward to presenting the final results of this work at next year’s CLR Tertulia.

Faculty & Staff Announcements

MONICA REYES This year, Monica had her co-authored book chapter published in the book Grassroots Activisms: Public Rhetorics in Localized Contexts. The chapter, "Enacting Invitational Rhetorics: Leveraging Networks of Care in the US Asylum Process," discusses the development of a grassroots initiative that was collaboratively designed with staff and clients at an emergency shelter for displaced people in the Rio Grande Valley border region of Texas. Through the initiative, volunteers provide writing consultation services for shelter clients as they compose displacement stories for their asylum applications with agency and dignity. Volunteers also provide counseling services, support shelter staff on writing and translation projects, and conduct professional writing workshops. These services enact the disciplinary expertise of rhetoric and composition to leverage and diffuse asymmetrical networks of institutional, political, and individual power in ways that benefit asylum-seekers and the shelter as a whole.

JOSUE PANIAGUA One of Josue’s most recent projects, a short animation titled Just Say No, was selected to be a part of DePaul’s Experimental Film Showcase aka D.E.F. Showcase 2024. The 3D animation focuses on subverting the feeling of shame associated with drug addiction and its direct impact towards the user. With imagery of sparkly diamonds, martini glasses, and blood, Just Say No explores a facet of drug addiction and how challenging it can be to listen to those three words. The 8th D.E.F. Showcase program was screened at DePaul Art Museum on May 18th 2024.

Felicidades to our graduates!

Alejandra Delgadillo MA IN SPANISH

Achieving a master's degree as both a staff member and part of our Latino community fills me with immense pride and gratitude. This journey has been enriched by the camaraderie and shared experiences within our university. I am eager to apply my newfound knowledge to make a meaningful impact and inspire others in our vibrant community.

Sara Luz Torres MA IN WRITING AND PUBLISHING

Getting my master’s degree while working here has been an incredible experience, especially with the support of our tight-knit LALS and CLR community. I am incredibly excited to marry my interests in writing and editing with my multi-lingual and multi-cultural background. This journey has been transformative, and I can't wait to see where it takes me next.

Josue Paniagua BFA IN FILM AND TELEVISION

Being part of the CLR and LALS has been one of the best opportunities I could have asked for while at DePaul.

Not only have I learned so much about myself and my identity as a Latino, but I’ve also been fortunate enough to meet so many amazing people who have shaped and guided my journey during my time here. I will miss this place dearly, but I will always cherish my time here. ¡Muchas gracias!

Sunidhi Kulkarni MS IN HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION

I would like to thank the CLR and LALS department for all the support, guidance and friendship you guys provided throughout my tenure here. This was my first time working in a multicultural environment and I never felt like I was away from home. I am going to miss this place and I’m hoping to staying in touch with everyone.

The Center for Latino Research and The Department of Latin American & Latino Studies

Book Launch

EVENT RECAP

To learn more about Spanish in Chicago, please check out Dr. Kim Potowski’s article “Spanish Language use in Chicago,” published in Diálogo, Volume 9, Issue 1 (2005) on page 31!

Spanish in Chicago Oxford University Press, 2023 Lourdes Torres and Kim Potowski

The Employable Sociologist: A Guide for Undergraduates Palgrave Macmillan, 2023 Martha Martinez-Firestone

Latino Studies: A 20th Anniversary Reader Palgrave Macmillan, 2024 Lourdes Torres and Marisa Alicea

On May 15th, LALS core and affiliated faculty and staff celebrated the recent publications by Lourdes Torres, Marisa Alicea, and Martha Martinez-Firestone. The event included brief presentations by each author, followed by celebratory drinks.

Felicidades to our esteemed colleagues for their great accomplishments!

El Centro, Spring 2024

LALS SPOTLIGHT: DR. JESSE MUMM BUILDING COMMUNITY IN LATINX CHICAGO AND DEPAUL Interview Conducted by Sara Luz Torres Jesse Mumm is a cultural anthropologist interested in gentrification, race and racism, Latino community formations in Chicago, and the intersections of latinidad and whiteness. He has articles in CENTRO Journal and Focaal: The Journal of Global Anthropology, and is collaborating on a comparative GIS mapping project on race, housing and property value, and a digital ethnography of online gentrification discourses in Humboldt Park.​ When did you start working at DePaul?

Is there a lecture that you specifically can

I was an adjunct my first year, then I became term

think of that you love to teach and that gets

faculty the following year. So altogether, it's been nine

students fired up? What do you often tell

years. I'll be having my little 10-year anniversary

students who want to get involved?

soon. Before arriving at DePaul, I was part of so many

I'll talk about the topic from this week, which I titled

conversations across the city. I tried to introduce

“Living Against Gentrification.” The reading was on

myself to everybody working on anything related to

the crucible of this long battle over space, how

urban development, Chicago neighborhoods, race and

people grow up in neighborhoods they love, where

racism, and issues around gentrification.

kids play on the street. They go out the door and look for a paleta or an elote, and how all those things they

I was there when a couple of friends of mine at UIC

love about the place-making in their communities

started forming this collective, collaborative research

disappear over time.

group.

It

was

about

all

kinds

of

forms

of

displacement, and I really enjoyed that. We hosted a

One piece was about the Lower East Side by Caitlin

bunch of sessions that were collaborations between

Cahill, and one was Merida M. Rua’s work. She has a

community leaders, people working on issues of

book called A Grounded Identidad: Making New

immigration, deportation, evictions, gentrification,

Lives in Chicago’s Puerto Rican Neighborhoods

and anything that was about people being forced to

about Logan Square and all the issues surrounding

move in some way, shape, or form, and we saw a lot of

her family. The book then extends outward to the

correlations in our work. We hosted one event at the

community, centering on the people living and

National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. I

dealing with it.

had lots of great conversations with folks there, so when this adjunct position opened here at DePaul,

That was the focus of my piece, “Stomping Ground:

Lourdes Torres put the word out. Amalia Payares

Living Against Gentrification in Humboldt Park,”

recommended me right away and said “Oh, you

which is coming out in Diáogo later this year. It

should hire this guy. He's really good. He really knows

focuses on two incredible storytellers I interviewed:

his stuff about the community, he's done all this

Roslyn Velasquez and Rafael Lugo. They describe

work,” but I knew Lourdes because she was good

conditions in their neighborhoods with the depth of

friends with my close friend Roberto Sanabria. We

insight and analysis—real analysis just phrased in

had drinks together in Roberto's gigantic apartment.

casual talk.

Roberto and I had worked together at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in the 90s.

I see students get excited thinking about those undegreed scholars who are out there around us in the

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El Centro, Spring 2024

world. As someone who teaches people to go out and

All of that led me in a roundabout way to a new

talk to people, that gets me excited because then

research project in Kankakee County, and this came

they start submitting interviews with people that, up

out of our own interests. My wife Lily and I bought a

until that moment, they might not have thought of

cottage with two other couples on the river near

as an expert in life—but they are. Sometimes the

some forest. It's beautiful. Part of the wetlands that's

expert is their mom, or someone they've known or

just an hour South of Chicago, and for about a year,

lives in their building. They get excited about

I didn't know what it was that was obsessing me

bringing that to class. My own teaching around this

with learning the history of that area, specifically on

is changing too, and I'm trying with two classes this

Black native and Latino history of Kankakee County.

year more and more to have students gather things

Also, their intersections and how these communities

and then share them with each other.

find each other, share space, and collaborate in majority-white rural America.

There I was in Kankakee, just playing in the water

I see students get excited thinking about those undegreed scholars who are out there around us in the world.

with my son, boating, and examining these beautiful terrains of Savannah and Prairie, and then it started coming back to me. Everyone I tell this to thinks I've lost my mind because, I mean, it's nothing to do with gentrification. It's nothing to do with Chicago neighborhoods, but to me, it's some of the same stuff.

Something unique is happening more in Chicago and Kankakee; Latinos are no longer staying away

Where do you get the inspiration for this style of teaching? How does this relate to your personal research?

I wouldn't have gotten into anthropology if I hadn't been an English teacher at an alternative high school

from Black neighborhoods. That does not mean they have conquered all of their internal racism or antiblackness, but something has changed in the next generation—they are building community. They’re sometimes having conflicts, but they are moving

that was completely activist in its outlook and approach. I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't been involved in spoken word performance poetry and hip-hop. I did that when I was a late teen. By the end of that, as I was thinking about what to do with my life, I was thinking about how spoken words can transform people's lives.

If you listen to your life course, those things push you towards the very next step in your life in a really dialectical way. I couldn't have guessed at any stage that it would lead me into anthropology and teaching. I don't know where exactly it goes next, but all the issues that came out of it matter, like belonging, claims to space, and how people find their way in this country.

Dr. Jesse Mumm

El Centro, Spring 2024

14 into Englewood. They're moving into the parts of the

welcoming event for migrants, but mostly I just did

Back of the Yards that are Black. It's interesting that

everyday work trying to hook people up with

the next generation could see some kinds of

apartments, and I was the go-between.

partnerships arising that people are still just talking about on an organizational level happening on a

Our final question: Are you still writing

block level.

poetry?

Why do you want to make me cry? I wrote a poem

Quick segway: You’ve spent time in Ireland.

last year—just one. I still write in my journal quite a

What was that like? How does it relate to

bit. I did something else. I went through all my old

your research interests?

creative writing and put together a collection of

I spent a year in Ireland, and this was really because

about 100 pages that I thought was the best. I don't

of my own inspiration from ten years of working

know what in the world I'm thinking of doing with it,

with Puerto Rican, Latino, Mexican, and Black

but I want to at least type it all up.

teenagers and helping them think through issues of their identity growing up, families, migration, and

It's pretty amazing. I got this job here at DePaul, and

community through writing about them because

then everything in my life got better. I found the love

that's the stuff that was most relevant to people.

of my life, bought a house, and had a baby. Then, she got elected to the Illinois House. I still write, and I

My students were challenging me as I was in my late

would like to write more creative stuff because that

20s. “What do you know about your origins, Jesse?

was always my joy.

What do you know about where you're from?” And I'd be like, “I read some books about Ireland, but I

I had a friend of mine, John Cologne, whom I grew

didn't grow up in an Irish neighborhood.” I grew up

up with in Logan Square. He challenged me to write

in Logan Square, where it was 70% Latino, which it

a poem, and he was going to do an art piece, which

isn't now, of course. My closest friends when I was a

we were going to share with each other because

kid were Puerto Rican.

that's what we loved so much when we were teenagers. So I wrote a poem and sent it to him. He

I came to the conclusion that I wanted to live in

sent me a photo of a piece he did that week. It was

Ireland long enough that it would become normal

great.

for me. I wanted to understand its ways and not just visit it or read about it. I had already visited Ireland three times, but I didn't want to stay with my family.

We have a farm on the West Coast and County Mayo and more family members who live in Dublin. I wanted to find another place, another community, where I could continue to do activist work. I spent half a year working in Derry at a place called the Pat Finucane Center, which did human rights work in the wake of all this horrible violence sponsored by the British Government. That was 2000/2001. I spent the other half of the year in Galway, on the West Coast, working with the Galway One World Center, which is their one-stop activist center. At the time, they mainly did a lot of work around refugees and asylum seekers. I spoke on panels about immigration in the US. I spoke at this gigantic

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El Centro, Spring 2024

Social Transformation Research Collaborative Updates From Program Coordinator for the Social Transformation Research Collaborative, Alejandra Delgadillo The Social Transformation Research Collaborative is delighted to share its 2024 fellowship cohorts!

We are also thrilled to announce that Dr. Chernoh Sesay, Jr. (Religious Studies) will be leading this year’s Undergraduate Student Fellowship, teaching a research methods course and mentoring all six fellows through the end of the Fall quarter.

2024 Professional Development Faculty Fellows: Dr. Kalyani Menon, Religious Studies “Making Hindus Right: Hindu Supremacy in the Diaspora”

We will host a Summer Kickoff on Tuesday, June 18th at 4pm in the Arts and Letters Patio to celebrate our 2024 fellowship cohorts and the start of our summer programming. Stop by to grab a bite and say hello!

Dr. Sanjukta Mukherjee, Women’s and Gender Studies “Pedagogies of care: An oral history of service workers at DePaul University” Dr. Carolina Sternberg, Latin American and Latino Studies “Inclusiveness and Equity in Chicago? An Analysis of Lori Lightfoot’s and Brandon Johnson’s Rhetoric and Policies”

The plans for the 2024 Summer Institute are moving along smoothly, and we expect to host a total of 22 freshmen and transfer students from across all colleges.

This year, we will have a series of guest lecturers representing different units within DePaul University, with all lectures centered on our theme: “Anti-Racism, Transformation, and Healing through the Humanities.”

Our guest lecturers are Mónica Reyes (WRD), Yoalli Rodríguez Aguilera (LALS), Laura Kina (The Art School), Taurean Webb (ABD), Amor Kohli (ABD), Mia Park (TTS), and Mark Turcotte (ENG). Our lunch to celebrate the end of the Summer Institute will be on Friday, July 26th at 1:30pm in the Quad; you are most welcome to join us!

2024 Graduate Student Fellows: Sophia Burns, Sustainable Urban Development “Redlining, Redevelopment, and Resilience: Engaging Urban Policy History to Imagine an Equitable Sustainable Future in Atlantic City” Claudia Cisneros Méndez, Women’s and Gender Studies “Art and Culture as Resistance: Indigenous Communities Defying State Violence and Repression in Peru” Samira Kassem, Sustainable Urban Development “The Power to Move: A Comprehensive Analysis of Black Chicagoans’ Access to Public Transportation from 1915 to Present Day”

Lastly, a reminder to save the date for our third annual symposium, scheduled for Tuesday, October 22, 2024. We will hear from our 2023-2024 faculty fellows, Rocío Ferreira, Juan Mora-Torres, María Ferrera, and Jacqui Lazú, as well as our student fellows from our 2024 cohort, mentioned above. Stay tuned for more updates!

Elizabeth Wallace, Modern Languages “With an Empathetic Lens: Understanding the Impacts of Forced Migration in Mexico through Film’s Storytelling” 2024 Undergraduate Student Fellows: Abigail Flores, English, Latin American and Latino Studies Naomi Love, Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies, African and Black Diaspora Studies Sifa Muderhwa, International Studies Chris Sifri, Sociology, The Art School Aidan Tennant, Philosophy, Religious Studies, School of Public Service Jo Trasowech, Criminology, International Studies

For more information please contact STRC Coordinator Alex Delgadillo a.delgadillo@depaul.edu

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THE PEOPLE’S TEACH-IN: EDUCATION FOR LIBERATION E V E N T

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The event, hosted at the Schmitt Academic Center and the Latinx and Black Cultural Centers, included two keynote presentations by Luis “Tony” Báez (YLO Minister of Education) and Felicitas Nuñez (Co-founder of Teatro de las Chicanas), and 30-minute concurrent sessions led by original members of the YLO, members of the New Era Young Lords, institutional and community partners and organizers. The sessions focused on topics including faith-based activism, prison activism, memorializing urban spaces, and the legacy of the YLO in Chicago. Attendees included Lincoln Park High School students and educators.

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On May 14th, the CLR hosted a teach-in commemorating the 55th anniversary of the Young Lords Organization's (YLO) historic takeover of the McCormick Theological Seminary, which is now the DePaul School of Music. The event was co-organized by Dr. Jacqueline Lazú (MOL), Paul Mireles (CES Graduate Student) and CLR staff.

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In April, the university placed a historical marker at DePaul’s School of Music commemorating the YLO’s takeover on May 14, 1969 and their origins and legacy in Lincoln Park. An unveiling ceremony will take place in the fall. Stay tuned for more information on the event!

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.

El Centro, Spring 2024

18

2023 - 2024 CLR FACULTY FELLOWS SPOTLIGHT: DR. JOE TAFOYA THE LATINO VOTE IN 2024 Interview conducted by Josue Paniagua Dr. Joe Tafoya is an Assistant Professor of Political Science. His teaching has been focused on the dignity of individuals, their relationship to complex institutional designs, and using evidence to identify opportunities for social progress. His research has focused on topics such as Latinx Politics, Immigration Policy, Race/Ethnicity Relations, and Public Opinion. As part of his research, he has explored opportunities for Latino political engagement and attitudes towards immigrants by the American public. We discussed his most recent project for the CLR Faculty Fellowship, in partnership with Dr. Yuriko Takahashi, in which he delves further into what is dictating voter turnout for communities of color while finding strategies to increase political engagement for groups that have been politically invisible.

I'm a political science professor on the tenure track, focusing on the Latinx/é community. My classes and research revolve around the politics of people of color and participatory democracy. I examine the involvement of Latinos and African Americans in the political system, particularly in relation to voting and representative government. The aim is to protect and uphold democracy and its values.

Currently, our communities are growing and that is a gift. Communities of color show a strong interest in utilizing available tools, such as voting, to increase our political power and actively defend the less fortunate. Through this process, my academic work is on the various aspects of our identity, Dr. Joe R. Tafoya

exploring our shared sense of peoplehood, migration experiences, and the challenges our families and ancestors overcame to establish themselves in the

are consistently 20% less likely than non-Latinos to

US.

participate in voting. The reality is that less than 50% of Latinos vote, in contrast to the 65-70%

What is your CLR Faculty Fellowship project

turnout among white and African American voters.

focused on and what has your experience been like with this fellowship so far?

So, I asked, what are we missing? During our

My fellowship began with the establishment of an

research, Yuriko discovered instances in political

international research collaboration with Dr. Yuriko

science where young Latinos were overlooked and

Takahashi from Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan.

systematically excluded from voter outreach lists

Our joint effort focused on uncovering gaps in our

employed by political campaigns. These lists serve as

understanding of the Latino vote. To begin, we

the foundation for mobilizing voters. However, we

conducted a comprehensive review of existing

found

literature on the subject. In one paper we recently

Consequently, Yuriko and I collaborated on this

presented in Vancouver, Canada, I put forth the

project, with me focusing on statistical data analysis.

argument that, election after election, Latino voters

Through my analysis, I uncovered that Latino men

that

these

lists

were

incomplete.

19 between the ages of 18 and 30 have an 80%

ago.

likelihood of being classified as politically invisible.

collection, and interviews, we discovered that

However,

through

experiments,

data

This means that they do not appear on the campaign

undocumented individuals and DREAMers were

lists and are consistently left out of essential voter

actively engaged in politics. Despite being unable to

mobilization efforts crucial for increasing overall

vote, they could mobilize others to vote, volunteer,

voter turnout.

contribute to campaigns, and participate in various political activities, indicating their significant

As we delved deeper into our research, a significant

presence in American politics.

question arose: How do we effectively communicate with the politically invisible? When examining the

How has the political landscape changed for

voting patterns of communities of color, we often

Latinx

find that voting behavior is community-oriented.

Chicago?

Therefore, we realized the importance of raising

relationship to voting evolved?

awareness about the community itself, its size, and

We are genuinely enthusiastic about increasing

the ongoing conversations within it. Thus, the central

voter participation, and we strongly believe that it

focus of our paper shifted towards understanding

is crucial to approach Latino voters and individuals

how to engage the politically invisible. Our key

residing in communities facing unique challenges

finding from this project, which I find particularly

with compassion and empathy. Having spent

exciting, is that if we can persuade Latino youth,

significant time in Texas, I was personally taken

especially Latino men, that exercising their right to

aback by the apparent apathy among people.

vote is a way of honoring their community, they are

However, it is essential to recognize that this

more likely to do so. In essence, we have identified a

indifference is largely a result of systemic factors

systemic issue within the community and proposed a

rather than individual shortcomings. Rather than

solution by instilling self-belief. This research allows

placing blame on individuals for not voting, we

us to delve into multiple fields, including political

should direct our attention towards examining the

science and Latino studies, making it intellectually

institutions

stimulating and exciting to discuss.

incentives.

What have been the biggest takeaways you

By starting with this compassionate and empathetic

have uncovered from researching Latinos as

perspective, we can then focus on developing more

politically active?

effective strategies to mobilize the community to

The main aspect of my research focuses on voting

vote. Our ultimate objective is to convey these

and developing innovative strategies to increase voter

insights to influential entities such as the Biden

turnout.

political

administration and the Democratic Party. Through

dynamics surrounding undocumented individuals.

our research, we aim to devise tested and proven

While political science traditionally emphasizes the

strategies

concepts of citizenship and voting, I sought to

marginalized individuals and outsiders. Notably,

investigate the lesser-explored aspects. I questioned

this year, the Democratic National Convention will

the extent of people's political knowledge and

take place in Chicago (from August 19 to August

examined the political engagement of those without

22), and our city serves as a representation of the

voting rights. Often overlooked are individuals

very best of America. Latinx groups will have a

without proper documentation, their ability to assert

significant presence in the national conversation,

their agency, effectively communicate their beliefs

offering a platform to promote our goals and

and desires, and achieve their goals. Initially, there

engage in constructive dialogue.

Additionally,

I

explore

the

was limited literature on this topic five to ten years

people

in

In

what

that

that

this

have

will

country ways

shaped

enable

the

has

the

and

in

their

existing

inclusion

of

El Centro, Spring 2024

20 As this year’s election gets closer, what

There are things we don't know that we don't know.

should voters, especially Latinx voters, keep

What does the dark side of the moon look like for

in mind before stepping into the voting

Latinx voters? I intend to apply the lessons we have

booth?

learned about voter exclusion to those who have

Latinx voters currently hold a significant and

not even been invited to the conversation about

impactful presence in electoral politics, which is

political choices. How can we better understand

more meaningful and important than ever before.

them? How can we extend invitations to address

Republicans are recognizing that they cannot rely

the 20% gap between Latino and non-Latino voters

solely on their existing constituency to secure

in national elections? I firmly believe that this

victory, prompting them to actively appeal to and

collaboration and the project I am working on will

engage with Latinos who have previously been

have significant ramifications in our understanding

overlooked in political conversations. Notably,

of Latino voters for the next 10 or 20 years.

Republicans are particularly effective in reaching out to Latino men, who show a higher level of

I am deeply grateful for the faculty fellowship

persuadability

provided by the Center for Latino Research. The

and

openness

to

considering

Republican candidates. As Latinx voters participate

fellowship

has

given

me

the

time

and

in the upcoming November elections, they will be

encouragement to apply for major grants, write a

motivated and enthusiastic, knowing that the

30-page paper on this topic, and present it at

political system is capable of recognizing their

academic conferences. The CLR has truly been a

significance and that both parties are actively

game changer in enabling the progress of this

seeking their support. Now more than ever, Latinx

project. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a

voters have a powerful voice, and the parties want

supportive community of scholars who generously

to be responsive to their concerns. Their opinions

contribute to my research agenda, further enriching

and perspectives now hold weight, and the parties

my academic endeavors.

are interested in hearing what Latinx voters have to say.

Is there a book or piece of media outside of your research that you have been enjoying

Has this fellowship revealed the next phase

recently?

of what your research will be based on?

Aside from my research, one source of enjoyment

In the next phase of this project, the international

and inspiration for me lately has been a podcast

collaboration with Dr. Yuriko Takahashi from

called "The Latino Vote." It brings together

Waseda University in Japan will be central. Both

prominent Latino voices in the country to provide

DePaul and Waseda University have become key

insightful and unbiased information on voting

players in this project, allowing us to advocate for

patterns among Latino voters.

and secure meaningful resources. These resources include grants in the tens of thousands of dollars.

In terms of non-academic media, I have been

In January, I applied for a grant of $138,000 to

particularly enjoying cumbia music. Artists like Los

implement the lessons we have learned. Our goal

Angeles Azules have been on my playlists.

over the summer is to engage with approximately

Whenever I find myself running out of energy

1,500 politically invisible Latinx young adults. To

during the day while working on statistics and

accomplish this, we require various resources such

administrative tasks, I play a cumbia track, and

as space, staff, phones, and phone banks. We are

suddenly I'm energized and moving along with the

eager to acquire everything we can to support our

music. I've been trying to infuse that momentum

efforts. Nos vamos a involucrar más.

and vibrant spirit that Latinos have into my work.

This project has also inspired me to explore the unseen aspects, akin to the dark side of the moon.

Scan the code to listen to “The Latino Vote” podcast:

A Reading and Conversation with

Cristina Rivera Garza

Event Recap

Dr. Cristina Rivera Garza and Dr. Rocío Ferreira (MOL/WGS).

Dr. Cristina Rivera Garza and Dr. Yoalli Rodriguez Aguilera (LALS).

On April 17th, the Center for Latino Research in partnership with the DePaul Art Museum, the Women’s Center, the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies and the Department of English, hosted a reading and conversation with internationally renowned author and scholar, Dr. Cristina Rivera Garza. The conversation, moderated by Dr. Rocío Ferreira (WGS/MOL), centered on Dr. Rivera Garza’s work, particularly her award-winning non-fiction book Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice, a 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner and 2023 National Book Award Finalist. Dr. Rivera Garza shared her experience writing the book both in Spanish and in English, the connection of the book with her broader work, and the impact it has had in communities around the world, particularly those actively working towards raising awareness about femicides. After the talk, she signed books sand chatted with the audience. It was a wonderful night!

In May, 2024, Columbia University announced that Dr. Cristina Rivera Garza was awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice under the “Memoir or Autobiography” category. The Pulitzer Prize is regarded as the highest national honor in journalism, letters and drama, and music.

¡Felicidades, Dr. Rivera Garza!

During the Winter and Spring quarters, the Center for Latino Research, in partnership with the Latinx Cultural Center and University Counseling and Psychological Services (UCAPS), organized a book club to prepare for Dr. Cristina Rivera Garza’s event. The book club met 4 times during the year to discuss Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice.

Jade Walker, one of the students who participated in the Book Club, wrote an article for Newsline about the activity. Scan the code to check out the full article!

23

El Centro, Spring 2024

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 Michelle Morales President, Woods Fund Chicago BA, Latin American Studies, DePaul University, 1997 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

El Centro, Spring 2024

24

CLR/LALS External Advisory Board NEWS In April, Lucino Sotelo, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer at Northern Trust Corporation, was appointed to DePaul University’s Board of Trustees. Sotelo stepped down from the CLR/LALS External Advisory Board in order to fulfill this new role. Scan the code below to read more about his appointment.

We’re grateful for Lucino Sotelo’s service to our board and wish him the best in this new endeavor! ¡Felicidades, Lucino!

Lucino Sotelo

Martin Arteaga

Ulises Sánchez

This quarter, we welcomed two new members to our advisory board: Martin Arteaga (BA, Political Science, 2000) and Ulises Sánchez (MS, Human Resources, 2016/BA, Leadership and Human Resources Management, 2015). Arteaga is the President of Green Building Partners, Inc., and Sánchez is a Human Resources Officer for the U.S. Department of State, currently posted in Bangkok, Thailand.

Welcome to our new board members!

25

El Centro, Spring 2024

CLR/LALS EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS’ SPOTLIGHT: LEONARD DOMÍNGUEZ A LIFETIME OF SERVICE Interview Conducted by Josué Paniagua 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.

Leonard Domínguez earned a BA in Economics from DePaul in 1967. Before focusing on community organizing and leadership, he started his career as an educator for Chicago Public Schools. His mission has been to serve the children and families in various communities around Chicago as a teacher at three different elementary schools, a Principal of two elementary schools and a high school, the Chief of Policy for the Chicago Public Schools, and the Deputy Mayor of Education for the City of Chicago, appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley. Leonard has now dedicated his life to service through the Little Village Rotary Club of Chicago, promoting the health and welfare of children and families locally and around the world.

When I talk to people, I want to hear their origin

Secretary at Sears, and was sent to Philadelphia to be

story because to me that's a big part of who you are.

in charge of all South American accounts. Despite my

Knowing where you come from, your family and your

dad only finishing fifth grade, he was a successful

background sets the stage for everything later. For

businessman who bought some real estate, and this is

me, it's all about my parents. I owe them everything.

the reason that I, my brother, and two sisters were able

My dad was from Michoacán, Mexico. My mother

to go to college. My parents also stressed the

was born in Mexico City. As a young boy, my dad,

importance of being proud of our Mexican culture and

along with his sister and brother lost their parents

traditions.

during the Mexican Revolution. They went to Texas to live with cousins. My mom’s parents, my

What was your experience like as a Latino

grandparents, left Mexico seeking a better, safer life

student at DePaul?

for their family.

My first experience at DePaul was being interviewed

by Father Richardson. He was really nice and later

So at a young age, both my mom and dad came to the

became President of DePaul. I was transferring from

United States where they found each other and got

the City Colleges after having attended the University

married in Chicago. My dad left Texas looking for

of Illinois. He was Dean of Students at that time and

work and eventually got a job in the steel mills. At the

after reviewing my test scores said that I was admitted

time, my parents were living through the Great

to DePaul. I found that my classes and Professors were

Depression. Then, during WWII, my dad volunteered

really great, and I enjoyed all of them. I especially

to become a medic in the Army and served all over

appreciated the economics and philosophy courses

Europe. He earned a Bronze Star for bravery during

and professors. They made me think and write with

the Battle of the Bulge and a Purple Heart for being

thought and precision. The English courses were also

wounded a few days later. My mom was a brilliant

interesting with lots of reading and discussions about

student and the Valedictorian of her high school. She

great literature.

went on to business college, got a job as an Executive

El Centro, Spring 2024

26 Having studied English, Economics, and Philosophy at DePaul, what led you to eventually

pursuing

your

master’s

in

Education Administration?

In high school, I had an English teacher who was the best. He was a real philosopher himself. We read great literature and went on field trips to see films about Shakespeare. He also pushed us to read one book a week and write an analysis of those books.

He was a real mentor to me as I developed my own sense of what it means to be educated. I also loved English, literature, and philosophy. For me, they fit perfectly together for a well-rounded education.

During that time, the Vietnam War was going on. As a young man, you were susceptible to being drafted Leonard Domínguez

for what I knew was a useless, terrible, immoral, unethical war. I decided to become a teacher because I had been very fortunate to get a great

school, where I played trumpet in the school band

education and would be able to share that with

and was elected Band President in my senior year.

young children. I thought it was an honorable thing

During my teaching career, I started an arts

to do. Luckily, my father agreed and was proud that

magazine that featured poetry, short stories, articles

his son was a teacher.

on music, art, books, theater, and other forms of artistic expression. I also started teaching students

I started teaching 5th grade, which is a great age

in the different grades I taught how to write original

because at that age, children are excited about

plays which we sometimes performed at school

everything; and just hungry for knowledge. I would

assemblies.

take them on trips, trying to show them more about

kindergarten, I closely followed the curriculum.

the city since they rarely left their neighborhood

Everything in the book that I was supposed to teach,

because it was unsafe for them to do that. Fast

I taught. But I realized something was missing.

forward and bilingual education was starting and I

What was missing in the curriculum was the arts.

wanted to serve the Latino community in this way. I

So, we started providing experiences in art, music,

taught bilingual students for about 10 years and

dancing, and singing. By infusing the arts in the

then returned to school for a master’s in education

curriculum, we had so much more fun at school and

administration. A Master’s degree in Education

I realized that kids learn faster with rhythm and

Administration prepared me to become a Principal.

melody. I developed an alphabet song in Spanish

I subsequently passed a difficult Principal’s exam

while teaching kids how to speak both English and

which only 168 people passed out of 1,800 who took

Spanish. Having taken Latin for four years in high

the test. Of the 168, only 11 were Latino.

school, I saw the connection between Spanish,

In

my

first

year

of

teaching

Latin, and English. By showing how English and Throughout the multiple leadership roles

Spanish

you have taken on, the importance of

fundamental

education and the arts are always at the

students. When I became a Principal, I designed a

forefront. Could you tell me more about

curriculum where students were learning to speak

what connects the two as well as what they

both languages simultaneously. I also found the

mean to you?

funds to have two music teachers and an art

I have had an appreciation for the arts since high

teacher. I knew that a well-rounded curriculum

are

connected, strategy

for

this

became

teaching

my

bilingual

27

El Centro, Spring 2024

must include the arts. Our test scores shot up and our school was top in the District.

On top of having a wide spectrum of experience and roles within the education system, you are someone who has championed for a more inclusive and diverse curriculum to be put in place for schools and have intentionally served the Latinx community in Chicago. In the context of DePaul’s commitment to become a Hispanic Serving Institution, what insights do you have in leading diversity initiatives at large institutions?

When I was the Chicago Deputy Mayor for Education, I was invited by a Professor at Northern Illinois University to tour the campus and then meet with the President. They wanted to attract more Hispanic students and asked for my thoughts on achieving that goal. After touring the campus and talking to some Hispanic students there, I told the President and his senior staff that they needed to address several issues. Among the issues were: more Latino/a faculty, more Latinos in the Administration, specific strategies on how to attract Latinx students, and more strategies to support the Latino students currently enrolled to help them graduate. Over a few years, they did those things and now have a large Latinx student population and a good percentage of Latinx faculty. I have served on the Latino Advisory Council for the UIC campus and the issues are the same. UIC is also addressing those issues and the Latinx student population and number of faculty have grown. Attaining HSI status requires more than simply having a twenty-five percent Latinx student body. It requires the University to demonstrate that it is already implementing programs and support structures to assure academic success for the students. I am honored and proud to be a part of the Advisory Board for the Latinx programs at DePaul University. I know that President Manuel has a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that will make a positive difference for the current and future Latinx students and faculty alike. Good things don’t happen by chance. You have to think about all the different things that are impeding progress and remove the obstacles for positive change to happen. I know that working together with the great leadership in the Administration and the Faculty, DePaul University will be a model Hispanic Serving Institution.

Good things don’t happen by chance. You have to think about all the different things that are impeding progress and remove the obstacles for positive change to happen.

Is there a piece of advice you would like to give

to

students

currently

enrolled

at

DePaul?

I'd say don't be afraid. You are here because you belong here. Many students lack the self-confidence to take chances, to raise their hand, volunteer, or try something a little different. I know that to get the best out of professors, you need to ask them questions. Just let your mind go to those places to create something and do something that’s a little out of the ordinary. I’d also advise students to become a part of a Latinx student organization and work as a group to help each other succeed. Join a club or a team to develop yourself in every way. The national percentage of the Latinx population is growing quickly and the opportunities for talented, educated Latinx University graduates have never been better. DePaul University has courses of study for anything you wish to accomplish. So, follow your dreams and make it happen. Now is the time to step up and be part of the growing number of Latinx leaders in every industry and profession of our society. Enjoy your unique journey.

LAZOS, the 16th Annual Poesía en abril

by Celebración de Nuestra América

EVENT RECAP From April 18 - 21, Poesía en abril held its 16th annual Spanish-language poetry festival. The opening reception was on Thursday, April 18th, where we celebrated eleven poets at DePaul. The event featured poets from Cuba, Spain, Perú, México, Bolivia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Chicago. Chicago singer/songwriter Vivian García performed live during the intermission. The Honored Guests of the festival were Nancy Morejón (Cuba) and Aurora Luque (Spain).

POETAS HOMENAJEADOS Nancy Morejón | Cuba Aurora Luque | España

POETAS

José Antonio Villarán | Perú Marta Collazo | EEUU - Puerto Rico Miguel Méndez | México Camila Urioste | Bolivia María Auxiliadora Álvarez | Venezuela José Ernesto Hernández | Puerto Rico Angélica Dávila | México José Bono Rovirosa | EEUU–México-Cuba Marina Perezagua | España

28TH ANNUAL

LATINX GRADUATION CELEBRATION Event Recap

On Friday, May 24th, the Latinx Graduation Committee, composed of members of DePaul’s Latinx Employee Resource Group, Latinos Empowered at DePaul (LEAD), and students, collaborated to host the 28th Annual Latinx Graduation Celebration.

The event was attended by students, family and friends, and members of the DePaul community.

The bilingual ceremony, conducted by Diego Galloza (Student President of Tepeyac) and Flor Reza (Coordinator, Latinx Cultural Center), included remarks by José Perales (Interim VP, Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity), bilingual speeches by two graduating students, Emily Vallejo (B.A., Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies) and Joana Diaz (B.A., Philosophy), a keynote address by Laura Rodríguez Preza (B.A., Journalism; Class of 2014), and musical performances by La Paula Herrera and DJ Eva Loma.

After the ceremony, attendees shared a meal and had the opportunity to purchase mementos and snacks from student organizations.

We are extremely grateful to the students, staff, faculty, and student organizations that made this event possible. Congratulations to the Latinx Class of 2024! Todo es posible. ¡Buena suerte!

Emily Vallejo (left) and Joana Diaz (right).

Members of the Latinx Graduation Committee: Emily Vallejo, Diego Galloza, Alonso Bueno, Rosalinda Cano.

Music performance by La Paula Herrera.

Dr. Yoalli Rodríguez Aguilera (LALS) and Dr. Joe Tafoya (Political Science) presenting the certificates to the graduating students.

Scan the QR code to watch a 2-minute video recap of the Latinx Graduation Celebration!

From the

Archives

Delve into an article from our 9th Issue (No. 1), which includes articles, personal narratives, and creative works focused on Latinos in the Midwest.

Volume 9, Issue 1, 2005:

"Spanish Language use in Chicago" by Kim Potowski

Scan the QR Code to access the full article and all of our past issues!

LATIN AMERICAN AND

FALL 2024

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.

LST 201: Struggle and Resistance in Latin America

M/W 9:40-11:10am

TBD

LST 202: Constructing Latino Communities

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

Jesse Mumm

LST 203: Media & Cultural Representations in Latin America

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

TBD

LST 307: Growing up Latino/a

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

TBD

LSP 110: Puerto Rican Latinos (Discover Chicago)

F: 10:00-12:40 pm

Jesse Mumm

CES 401/LST 310: Intro to Critical Ethnic Studies

W: 6:00-9:15 pm

Lourdes Torres

CES 402/LST 310: Mobility and the State

T: 6:00-9:15 pm

Jesse Mumm

HAA 145/LST 145: Art of the Americas

OLAS

Delia Cosentino

HST 375/LST 375: Mexico City (World Cities)

M/W: 1:00-2:30 pm

Delia Cosentino

ENG 275/LST 310: Latino/a Literature

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

Bill Johnson González

WGS 336/LST 310: Latino/as & Film

M: 6:00-9:15 pm

Rocío Ferreira

@DePaulLALS @LALS_depaul

For more information, contact storre38@depaul.edu

LATINX STUDIES NOW!

SCAN THE QR CODE TO REGISTER

A Curriculum Development Workshop for K-12 Educators Join us for a day of exploring and exchanging curriculum ideas in U.S. Latinx History and Culture. Guest presentations by two DePaul faculty, Juan Mora Torres, Associate Professor of History, and Heather Montes-Ireland, Assistant Professor of Women and Gender Studies.

REGISTER BY AUGUST 1ST!

Facilitators/Conveners: Dr. Joanna Maravilla (Lewis University), Dr. Myrna García (Northwestern University), Dr. Bill Johnson González (DePaul), and Marcela Reales Visbal (DePaul).

Participants will receive:

AUGUST 8, 2024 9 AM - 5 PM

BYRNE HALL RM 202

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS

$100 Stipend Professional Development Credit Lunch and Parking will be Provided!

Questions? mrealesv@depaul.edu

¡BIENVENIDAS AL EQUIPO! Gigi Lara UndergraduateStudent Assistant Major(s): English + Latin American & Latino Studies

“I love to read, listen to good music, cook, and spend time with my loved ones. I am excited to join the LALS & CLR Team because of the constructive work they do. I look forward to helping create, compile, edit, and publish information that uplifts Latinx students, staff, and communities beyond DePaul.”

Yamitza Yuivar Villarreal GraduateStudent Assistant Master in Education, Culture, and Society (MEd)

"I enjoy a good book, friendly spaces, and bonds with other people! I look forward to connecting with the Latinx community at DePaul and finding my place in this new environment. I aspire to learn from different cultures and societies and contribute to mi comunidad."

Contact Us LALS | CLR Carolina Sternberg LALS Chair csternb1@depaul.edu

Sara Luz Torres Department Assistant storre38@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 Yuivar Villarreal Graduate Student Assistant yyuivarv@depaul.edu

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