Events Archives

LAII Field Research Grant Info Session

Join us for an information session about the LAII Field Research Grants! These grants provides graduate students the opportunity to conduct pilot studies and preliminary investigations in Latin America for a thesis or dissertation proposal, as well as faculty the opportunity to begin fieldwork on new projects or to add a comparative dimension to field research conducted previously.

Music from the Americas Concert Series: Low Frequency Trio

Low Frequency Trio: Antonio Rosales, Juan José García, José Luis Hurtado

Cultural Ambassadors: North American Language and Culture Assistants in Spain - Info Session

LAII Lecture Series: Nación Genízara: Ethnogenesis, Place, and Identity in New Mexico

R. Moises Gonzales and Enrique R. Lamadrid , University of New Mexico

Join the LAII for a presentation with R. Moises Gonzales, Associate Professor of Urban Design in Community and Regional Planning at the School of Architecture and Planning at the UNM, and Enrique R. Lamadrid, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Spanish from UNM, who taught folklore, literature, and cultural history there since 1985. Nación Genízara is the first book solely dedicated to the detribalized Native experience in New Mexico, a story of conquest, trans-culturation survival, and resilience. Topics as diverse as Genizaro ethnogenesis, slavery, early settlements, expressive culture, poetics, religion, gender, family history, and mestizo genetics are addressed.

History Colloquium: The Police-Military Continuum: How World War II Transformed US Police

Stuart Schrader , Johns Hopkins University

Join the UNM Department of History and the LAII for a workshop session with Stuart Schrader, Associate Director of the Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship and Lecturer at Johns Hopkins University. Schrader’s paper will discuss the transformations in U.S. policing attendant to World War II. First, the paper highlights an investigation of the war’s dramatic shift for civilian police employment, as thousands of cops entered the military. Then, it explores the efforts to solve post-WWII personnel deficits within police departments by turning veterans into cops. The relatively smooth transfer of police into military roles and soldiers into police roles suggests a practical and ideological continuum and connection between police and military developed in this period. Overall, as will be argued, the war and the overseas occupations immediately after the war reconfigured US empire and increased the centrality of policing to it.

Film Screening: The Resurrection of Victor Jara

Dr. Juan Carlos Vallejo , Associate Producer of the film

This film documents the extraordinary life and legacy of iconic Chilean singer-songwriter, Victor Jara, executed in 1973 following a right-wing military coup. Join the LAII for a special film screening followed by a Q+A with the Associate Producer of the film, Dr. Juan Carlos Vallejo.

Language Concordance, Heritage Language Health Professionals, and Latino Health

Glenn Martínez, PhD

Health communication researchers agree that language concordant (LC) health care encounters significantly impact health care quality, health outcomes and health care relationship for language minority populations in the United States. While the health protective benefits of LC care have been well documented, relatively few studies have sought to describe the discourse characteristics of LC encounters. These studies point to significant differences between LC encounters with an L2 Spanish-speaking provider and with an HL Spanish-speaking provider. In this presentation, I will present the results of a study that compares LC interactions between L2 and HL providers, point out the discourse features of these interactions and demonstrate the impact of these interactions on health and behavioral outcomes of Spanish-speaking patients. Finally, I will consider the implications of this research for the teaching and testing of Spanish heritage language health professionals in the United States.

Cultural Appropriation and Assimilation in the New Global Context

Loga Roman Torkian and Azam Ali (from Niyaz)

Having an understanding of Cultural Appropriation, Assimilation and Appreciation will help us to contextualize the way we interact with other cultures. Tourism, business practices, food, fashion, festivals, concerts and consumption on social media have far-reaching consequences on global communities due to America's cultural and economic dominance in the world. We will address the delicate balance between the need for commercial viability, community impact, and representation when choosing artists and promoting events. The panelists will discuss the differences between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation as a way to understand the various stakes involved in selecting an International artist. As diaspora becomes a more common lived experience for people around the world, the importance of using terminology that reflects the nuances of cultural fluidity, becomes tantamount when categorizing music and artists.

Car Trunk: A Multimodal Migration

Melisa Garcia

"Car Trunk: a Multimodal Migration" is an exhibition of the reconstruction of the car trunk that Melisa’s mother, as a young child, migrated to the United States inside of. The installation utilizes multimodality, testimonio, art, and storytelling to reconstruct the memory and experience of her journey to the United States in the late 1970’s when she escaped the civil war in El Salvador with her mother and two sisters. The nature of the art project is so that through the model of the testimonio others are able to also interact, engage with the art pieces at a technological intimacy. This means that participants will be able to read about the emotional, political, and traumatic history of El Salvador through QR codes that will be on the car trunk. As well, social media will be utilized to have the participants experience surpass the installation state and reach others.

LAII Lecture Series: Fideicomiso Archivos Plutarco Elias Calles y Fernando Torreblanca Digital Collection

Fátima Del Angel Guevara

Join the LAII for a presentation on The University of New Mexico’s Center for Southwest Research Fideicomiso Archivos Plutarco Elias Calles y Fernando Torreblanca Digital Collection. The collection is is part of a collaborative preservation and access project designed to create, secure and provide open access through New Mexico Digital Collections to digital surrogates of documents held physically at the FAPECFT in Mexico City.

Musicology Colloquium Series: Arab Musicking on the US Mexico Border

Dr, Andrea Shaheen Espinosa , University of Texas, El Paso

This talk explores the relationship between trauma and identity by examining Arab music performance on the U.S.–Mexico border. Drawing on the musicking of Syrian and Mexican migrant communities, I interrogate theories of cultural and psychological trauma and borderland epistemologies to explore how border tensions influence the often-fraught views of identity.

International Structure of the Cannabis Industry

Dr. Chris Duvall

Café y Conversaciones - “Sold out”: Machado de Assis On Race

Dr. Paulo Dutra , The University of New Mexico

Researching Paraguayan Guarani: The Minoritized Language of the Majority

Josefina Bittar , PhD candidate and LAII PhD fellow

Paraguayan Guarani, one of the native languages of Paraguay, is spoken by more than 80% of the country’s population. However, despite government and societal efforts, Spanish remains the language of prestige, required for education opportunities and social mobility. In this presentation, Josefina Bittar will discuss the characteristics of Guarani-Spanish bilingualism in Paraguay, the importance of documenting linguistic practices in the country, and the role of researchers in challenging the population’s internalized prejudices about languages and their speakers.

Apply Your Skills to a Career in Diplomacy: Meet UNM Diplomat in Residence Laura Gritz

UNM Diplomat in Residence Laura Gritz will hold a discussion about internships and careers in the Foreign Service with the U.S. Department of State and how the skills you develop with Latin American coursework could lead to an exciting career in diplomacy. The U.S. Department of State is dedicated to protecting and strengthening America’s interests abroad and right here at home. You can make a difference with the U.S. Department of State. The Department offers internships, fellowships for graduate school, funding for study abroad, jobs, and careers. All majors and backgrounds are welcome.

A Class that Does (not) Matter: Rethinking Cold War Latin America from the Middle

Dr. A. Ricardo López-Pedreros , Western Washington University

Join the LAII for a presentation with Dr. A. Ricardo López-Pedreros, professor of History at Western Washington University. This presentation seeks to bring together recent interdisciplinary scholarship to initiate a critical conversation on how to rethink the historical formation of the middle classes—as a social category, a political project, a subjectivity, and a material reality—in Latin America during the second half of the twentieth century.

The Politics of Water in Latin America Lecture Series

The College of Arts and Sciences, International Studies Institute presents "The Politics of Water in Latin America," a public lecture series featuring local and international experts. Each lecture will be followed by a Q & A Forum. Lecture dates are as follows: Sept. 23, Oct. 14, Oct, 28, Nov. 11 and Dec. 2.

Writing, Researching and Reading Bilingual, Regional Children's Literature

Dr. Anna M. Nogar , Department of Spanish & Portuguese,The University of New Mexico

Do you remember reading or being read children's books?  Were they about leyendas y mitos, historias or places you had been near home?  ¿Was there a vaivén between languages? In this talk, Dr. Anna M. Nogar will discuss the research involved in creating illustrated, bilingual books with a regional focus for children; how such books are written; and what is involved in their reading for young audiences. Teaching and working with current students in an online undergraduate class on "La vida juvenil bilingüe" in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Dr. Nogar shares that experience and helps us think about what these books mean for their audiences and for us.

Border South: A Documentary Film and Q & A

Directed by Raúl O. Paz Pastrana and Produced by Jason De León , Presented by the Undocumented Migrant Project in conjunction with Hostile Terrain 94

To stem the immigration tide, Mexico and the U.S. collaborate to crack down on migrants, forcing them into ever more dangerous territory. Every year hundreds of thousands of migrants make their way along the trail running from southern Mexico to the US border. Gustavo’s gunshot wounds from Mexican police, which have achieved abundant press attention, might just earn him a ticket out of Nicaragua. Meanwhile anthropologist Jason painstakingly collects the trail’s remains, which have their own stories to tell. Fragmented stories from Hondurans crossing through southern Mexico assemble a vivid portrait of the thousands of immigrants who disappear along the trail. Border South reveals the immigrants’ resilience, ingenuity, and humor as it exposes a global migration system that renders human beings invisible in life as well as death.

The Pushback Screening and Q&A

The first of two Latinas to represent Texas in Congress, Veronica Escobar, and the only African-American woman to run for city council in Austin in 2018, Natasha Harper-Madison, lead a diverse group of progressive voices across Texas as they fight decades of institutional racism and policies of discrimination along the border. The battle over immigrant rights, land seizures to build the border wall, and the troubled racial history of the state form the backdrop to a film that explores how a place once known for its reactionary politics is becoming more liberal, more diverse — and more at risk for violent conflict.

2020 (Virtual) Américas Award Celebration: Book Talk with Author Mitali Perkins: Between Us and Abuela

Mitali Perkins

Join the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs and the Library of Congress for a virtual conversation with Mitali Perkins, author of 2020 Américas Award winning children’s book “Between Us and Abuela.”

Discussion with fronteristxs collective: Ongoing collaborative work in the abolition movement

hazel batrezchavez and Bernadine Hernández

In this presentation the fronteristxs collective will discuss their ongoing collaborative work in the abolition movement. They will talk about the historical violence of the US immigration system and its relationship to racism in the criminal justice system.

A Conversation with Distinguished Puerto Rican Artist Antonio Martorell on Art, Politics, and Society

Martorell is a renowned printmaker, painter, illustrator, sculptor, draftsman, installation artist, stage and costume designer, performer, writer, and teacher. He has been at the forefront of Puerto Rico’s artistic conversations for more than half a century. Martorell is one of the most prolific Puerto Rican artists of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, and a direct heir of the graphic tradition initiated by the masters of the island’s “Fifties Generation.”

2020 Américas Award Virtual Ceremony

Susanne Schadl, Tony Johnston, Mitali Perkins, Rebecca Balcárcel, Aida Salazar, and Zeke Peña

The Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) founded the Américas Award in 1993 to encourage and commend authors, illustrators and publishers who produce quality children’s and young adult books that portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States, and to provide teachers with recommendations for classroom use.

Diálogos con Elena Garro: Entrevistas y otros textos

Patricia Rosas Lopátegui, Estela Leñero y Gerardo Bustamante Bermúdez

A los escritores los conocemos a través de su obra, sus diarios o sus memorias, pero pocas veces nos acercamos a ellos por lo que comentan y analizan en las entrevistas que conceden a lo largo de su vida. Diálogos con Elena Garro. Entrevistas y otros textos, Edición, estudio preliminar y notas de Patricia Rosas Lopátegui (Editorial Gedisa-México, 2020) reúne los encuentros periodísticos que sostuvo a lo largo de su periplo existencial la “última hada sobre la tierra”, como llamó Margarita Michelena a la dramaturga mexicana. Esta obra con más de 1600 páginas en dos volúmenes contiene entrevistas, textos complementarios, iconografía de 172 imágenes y algunos materiales inéditos para comprender mejor a Elena Garro (1916-1998), una de las escritoras más importantes del siglo XX.

Las Madres de Berks Screening and Talkback with Michelle Angela Ortiz

Join us for a free screening and talkback of “Las Madres de Berks” short documentary created by Artist, Michelle Angela Ortiz. ”Las Madres de Berks" shares the testimonials of four mothers that were detained for 2 years with their children at The Berks County Residential Center, a family prison in Pennsylvania.

Master's in Latin American Studies Info Session

UNM continues to be one of the best places in the country for Latin American-focused scholarship. Join the Latin American Studies program for an information session to learn more about our MA program.

Rethinking Afro-Latino Culture in Mexico, the U.S. Southwest, and Brazil

Dr. Doris Careaga (Chicana & Chicano Studies), Dr. Paulo “MC” Dutra (Spanish & Portuguese), and Dr. Kathy McKnight (Spanish & Portuguese)

Join the LAII for a presentation with Dr. Doris Careaga from Chicana & Chicano Studies and Dr. Paulo “MC” Dutra and Dr. Kathy McKnight from Spanish & Portuguese to discuss Rethinking Afro-Latino Culture in Mexico, the US Southwest, and Brazil.

Horses and Humans in the Americas: Archaeology and Indigenous Horse Use from the North American West to Argentina

Juan Bautista Belardi, Emily Lena Jones and William Taylor

In this interactive panel discussion we will explore what we know about horses and people in western North America and in Argentina, what changes the its introduction brought, the methods we have developed for answering questions about the use of the horse by Indigenous societies, and some of our preliminary results.

LAII K-12 Afro-Latinidad Teacher Workshop Series: Cultural Traditions

Join the LAII for the Institute’s first-ever teacher workshop series on Afro-Latinidad! Throughout the series, we’ll discuss a variety of Afro-Latinx cultures across Latin America, a range of spiritual and cultural Afro-Latinx traditions, and a diverse selection of historical Afro-Latinx figures. We'll spend our first workshop discussing resources for curriculum about the Afro-Latinx traditions of Bomba, Santeria, and Carnaval. Lessons will include reading, video, music, and podcast components and will include content in both English and Spanish. Participants will receive certificates of professional development and curriculum resources.

Retrieving the Real History: Exploring the Margaret Randall Archives at UNM

Naomi Ambriz (American Studies), Dr. Jessica Frazier (University of Rhode Island), Barbara Korbal (CSWR Fellow), Gabriela Silva (Mexican Independent Scholar), Dr. Roberto Tejada (University of Houston), Margaret Randall and Gioconda Belli

Organized as part of University Library’s annual Willard Lecture series, these events will feature Margaret Randall’s conversation with Nicaraguan revolutionary and writer Gioconda Belli, as well as readings from Randall’s new memoir, I Never Left Home. This conversation will be preceded by a panel of scholars discussing Randall’s poetic, scholarly, and photographic archives, which are held at the Center for Southwest Research.

Colombia's Cold War: The Pursuit of Economic Development and the Emergence of Drug Trafficking, 1958-1979

Oliver Horn

This talk will examine the causes and consequences of Colombia’s sudden and unprecedented emergence as a global epicenter of illicit drug production and export during the height of the Cold War in Latin America.

International Careers 101 Workshop

Shalom Bond and Maria Goodfellow

CURIOUS ABOUT AN INTERNATIONAL CAREER? Learn about opportunities and strategies for your international job search in this workshop. This workshop will cover UNM resources and international career paths, including the Foreign Service, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), interpretation, USAID, global health, and international business.

Justicia for the Children

Saray Argumedo, Amalia Mondragon, Virgil Esquivel, and Gloria and Ismael Gonzalez

Join us for a discussion moderated by Jorge García, Senior Program Manager at UNM El Centro De La Raza, with video producer Saray Argumedo, musician Amalia Mondragon, community organizer Virgil Esquivel , and video elders Gloria and Ismael Gonzalez on their important organized work. Amalia Mondragon will also treat participants to a live musical performance with Celia Aguilar and Angel Otero.

U.S.-Latino Entrepreneur’s Guide to Balancing Business, Family and Culture

Dr. Marvin Lozano, Dr. Miquela Rivera, Dr. Manuel Montoya, and Dean Mitzi Montoya

Join the LAII and the Anderson School of Management for a discussion on balancing business, family and culture as a Latinx entrepreneur.