OUTREACH ANNUAL REPORT
The Outreach Program at the University of Florida’s Center for Latin American Studies (LAS) promotes the integration of the study of Latin America, its cultures, and its languages across the K-16 curriculum . The Center also promotes LAS through the business community and community at large.
Outreach Program Priorities
FOCUS AREAS
• Latin American Studies in the K-12 and higher education classroom and community
• Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL)
• Global Children’s Literature and Literacy
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Languages for the Workplace
PRIORITY AUDIENCES
• K-12
• State Colleges, MinorityServing Institutions (MSI)
CENTER FOR LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES OUTREACH
TRAVELING SUITCASES
The Traveling Suitcase program offers teachers the opportunity to introduce students to artifacts from around Latin America, including books, toys, music, clothing, product packaging, currency, bus schedules, and many more items.
We completed 53 suitcase borrows from the following states:
GUEST SPEAKER PROGRAM
Our Guest Speaker Program brought an expert on Latin American topics virtually into classrooms in Tennessee, Washington, Illinois, and even as far as Bangladesh. The topics:
TROPICAL CONSERVATION TAWANTINSUYU EMPIRE QUECHUA CULTURE
POLITICS OF ENVIRONMENTALISM WOMEN’S MIGRATION INDIGENOUS ARTS
COSTA RICA ECOLOGY
OUTREACH IN
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
VIRTUAL EXCHANGE PARTNERS VISIT GAINESVILLE
The Center continues to collaborate with the UFIC Office of Global Learning (OGL) to promote virtual exchange as a valuable way to internationalize curriculum and connect students from different parts of the world through projectbased learning.
Because of the efforts of Drs. Ana Cristina Biondo Salomão (São Paulo State University) and Verónica Rodríguez Luna (Universidad Veracruzana), VE programs and networks have been expanding throughout the region.
Co-organizing with OGL’s Paloma Rodriguez, the Center hosted Dr. Salomão and Dr. Rodríguez here in Gainesville to build connections for future collaboration and developing VE networks.
During their visit, they met with various UF faculty and staff and were guest speakers at UFIC’s Global Learning Luncheon, where they shared their experiences and insights about establishing VE networks in Latin America.
SUMMER VE TRAININGS
BEYOND CAMPUS
The third UF VE training for K-12 and state college faculty was delivered this summer. Florida instructors were from Polk State College, Alachua County, St. Johns County, and Volusia County. Partners were located in Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, and Croatia. The projects participants designed will be implemented in the 2024-25 academic year.
DEVELOPING & IMPLEMENTING VIRTUAL EXCHANGE
UF FACULTY LAS VE PROJECTS
THROUGH THE OFFICE OF GLOBAL LEARNING (OGL)
PARTNER INSTITUTION
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia
PARTNER INSTITUTION
Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
PARTNER INSTITUTIONS
Universidad Autonoma de Occidente & Universidad Icesi, Colombia
GLOBAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY AN INTERACTIVE RESTAURANT BEYOND SPATIAL BOUNDARIES
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING WORLD LANGUAGES
Both classes are centered on the use of technology and engineering to address global health issues. The Colombian students worked on a need specific to rural populations in the U.S., and the U.S. students addressed a rural need in Colombia. They worked synchronously and asynchronously to ask each other questions and provide feedback as they identified the specific need and brainstormed a potential solution. Both classes continued to work separately and then came back together at the end of the semester for final presentations.
Students from Universidad Veracruzana collaborated with students in the UF course by reading a shared list of nonfiction texts. The professors facilitated live discussion on Zoom. Students at UF prepared questions for their counterparts in Mexico, some of which appeared by video on the Flip platform. Those Flip videos included individual reflection on one work discussed during the special tour of the Harn Museum of Art facilitated by director Eric Segal that focused on the Latin American collection of photography, painting, and more.
The main objective of this project was for students to engage with a different culuture and diverse disciplinary background. Students had to interview one another in assigned groups between the three institutions to learn about cultural traits and spatial characteristics to propose a design solution. They came from three different disciplinary backgrounds, all designrelated, which helped them understand how different disciplinary perspectives can shape the same project.
EDGAR MARTINEZ
CARLOS ARAUJO
JOSEANDRES MONCADAQUINTERO
GUEST AUTHOR SPEAKER SERIES
Three children’s authors (Giselle Porter, Alexandra Diaz, Ernesto Cisneros) visited Florida college classrooms and engaged with early education students on incorporating culturally diverse books into the ELA classroom.
Author Andrea Olatunji visited a 3rd grade class so that students could learn about the Amazon rainforest and experience a reading session from a published children’s author. Altogether, 141 students were impacted through this guest author speaker series.
“MEET THE AUTHOR” CLUB DE LECTURA
In fall 2024, we hosted the “Meet the Author” Club de Lectura. Students read works by contemporary Latin American authors, then had the unique chance to discuss the reading with the authors themselves. Over 100 participants attended across six sessions, including nonUF participants from the greater Gainesville community as well as international attendees.
UF LAS AT CONFERENCES
We participated in the conferences of the National Council of Teachers of English and the Florida Council of Teachers of English to promote Latin American children’s literature! We also shared resources and hosted sessions at the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese as well as the Florida Foreign Language Association.
AUTHOR VISITS & LITERARY OUTREACH
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN CAMPECHE
Florida K-12 teachers and Santa Fe State College students participated in a 10-day study abroad organized and led by Santa Fe professor Marcela Murillo and Monica Guerrero, director of the Centro Español y Maya at the Autonomous University of Campeche. Participants learned about Mexican culture, arts, food, and history through visits to ruins, museums, and workshops with local experts.
SUPPORTING STUDY
ABROAD IN LATIN AMERICA
In 2024, we co-funded the development of study abroad opportunities for UF students in Chile, Panama, and Ecuador.
EDUGATORS IN ECUADOR
After completing a successful virtual exchange with University de San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), UF Education professor Tara Mathien led a group of students to Ecuador and the Galápagos on a study abroad! The students developed bilingual literacy activities and volunteered at a local school.
RESEARCH TUTORIAL IN THE GAL Á PAGOS
UF Statistics instructor Megan Mocko headed to Ecuador for a research tutorial abroad! While in the Galápagos, she visited an emerging business in San Cristobal. Paula, the entrepreneur, is passionate about making sure fruit doesn’t going to waste. Her small business makes frozen concentrate of local juices.
TRAVEL & STUDY IN LATIN AMERICA
72 ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The conference featured four panels: LGBTQ+ and gender rights, current crises of democracy, populist challenges to democracy, and comparative perspectives on democracies in Europe, Africa, and the U.S. in addition to Latin America. Bacardi Family Eminent Scholar Dr. Flávia Biroli (University of Brasilia) was the keynote speaker and addressed challenges to democracy from the perspective of gender disputes. In total, approximately 140 people attended the conference.
WRITER IN RESIDENCE BOOK LAUNCH
Our Kislak Family Foundation Writer in Residence, Ave Barrera, hosted a book launch and signing for her latest novel release. In addition to the reading and discussion, students had the chance to share their reflections on their writing journey in the author’s class.
ON-CAMPUS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS
LAS ALUMNI CONNECT
In April, the Center welcomed back seven alumni to meet with current students over the course of two days of sessions and workshops. Students met one-on-one with the alumni to learn about careers such as higher education administration, finance, real estate, green business, international trade, and public relations.
CTE NETWORKING
In January, 15 CTE teachers learned about UF LAS and national TVI resources through Dr. Mary Risner’s presentation at the Florida Career Pathways Network Symposium. Dr. Risner also represented UF LAS at the Florida Association for Career and Technical Education conference in July.
GLOBAL CAREERS VIRTUAL FAIR
In collaboration with the Career Connections Center, we coordinated the Global Careers Fair which is a virtual event that provided space for students (80) to network with recruiters offering global career opportunities in the US and around the world.
NATIONAL LANGUAGE CONFERENCE
We attended the conference of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, sponsoring a K-12 educators panel and sessions.
CONNECTING LANGUAGES & CAREERS
19 TH GAINESVILLE LATINO
FILM FESTIVAL
14-24 September 2023
4,809 guests from across the Gainesville community came together to celebrate Latino culture through film, music, and dance! The eightfilm selection ranged from family-friendly movies to Latin American cinema addressing relevant themes in the region today. All events were free, organized by the Latina Women’s League.
WORLD MUSIC FEST
13 October 2023
200 music fans headed to Bo Diddley Plaza in downtown Gainesville to enjoy the 2023 World Music Fest! With performances by the Sunshine Steelers, Jacaré Brazil, Maharajah Flamenco Trio, the Afro Pop Ensemble, and UF Jazz Band and Combo with Arismar do Espirito Santo, attendees were treated a musical journey around the globe.
MUSEUM NIGHTS: NOCHE DE MUSEO
14 September 2023
The Harn Museum of Art hosted the opening night of the Gainesville Latino Film Festival with their annual Noche de Museo celebration! 1003 guests enjoyed a docent-led tour of the exhibit Under the Spell of the Palm Tree: the Rice Collection of Cuban Art, as well as music, dance, activities, and the film screening of Brazilian political drama “A Bruddah’s Mind.”
ARTS & CULTURE IN FLORIDA
AFRO CUBAN CONVENING: ABAKUA SERIES
7-8 April, 2024
The annual Afro Roots Fest focused on Cuba with master percussion sessions, a dance party, a rumba concert and an abakua concert, led by the Odara AfroCuban All-Stars.
JACARÉ BRAZIL
14 April 2024
The 2024 Jacaré Brazil performance blended Brazilian rhythyms with the iconic classical compositions of the German composer J.S. Bach! 350 people were treated to this unique exploration of Brazilian musical traditions.
BRAZIL FILM SCREENING
9 November 2023
Renowned Brazilian producer Elisa Tolomelli screened her film “Tire 5 Cartas” / “Pick 5 Cards” at Valencia College in Orlando. An audience of over 200 people got the chance to ask Ms. Tolomelli questions after the film. A reception included Brazilian music and snacks.
KICHWA
Our Kichwa (Quichwa) course continued in the 2023-24 academic year with an Intermediate Kichwa class led by Carmen Martinez Novo with grad student Kleber Naula assisting.
HAITIAN CREOLE
At the 2023 Haitian Studies Association Conference, Dr. Hebblethwaite presented “The Embodied History of Haitian Vodou Songs” along with Collin Edouard, a Yale ethnomusicology student, and Lois Wilcken, Executive Director at La Trouple Makandal, Inc in order to share their research and learn more about the work of other scholars in the field.
PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE JOURNAL
Founded in 2006 by Outreach Director Mary Risner, the PLJ is the official journal of the American Organization of Teachers of Portuguese (AOTP). Thanks to Title VI funding, the Center for Latin American Studies provides support each year to the PLJ in order to facilitate the promotion of Portuguese and Lusophone studies.
LESS COMMONLY TAUGHT LANGUAGES
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
BEYOND THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
COLLABORATORS & AFFILIATIONS
Mary Risner, Ed.D. is the Associate Director of Outreach and Business at the Center for Latin American Studies. Dr. Risner develops and manages initiatives that integrate the study of foreign language and area studies across the curriculum. She has over 20 years of experience teaching foreign language at a variety of K-16 levels. Her background is in Marketing, Latin American Studies, and Educational Technology.
Alicia Reynolds is the Center’s Outreach Coordinator. Alicia provides administrative and project management support to the Center’s outreach programming and events, as well as projects related to grant programs and competitions.
Christa Markley is the Center’s Communications Specialist. Christa assists with developing and designing promotional and resource materials that are distributed through the Center’s outreach channels.
STUDENT ASSISTANTS
Illyamani Castro is a student assistant at the Center for Latin American Studies, graduating with an MA in Latin American Studies in 2024. He assisted with the Traveling Suitcase program for Center Outreach.
Carlos Paredes is a student assistant at the Center for Latin American Studies, graduating with an MA in Latin American Studies in 2025. He assisted with the Traveling Suitcase program for Center Outreach.
2023-2024
OUTREACH PROGRAM TEAM
