Puerto Rican sociologist and renowned scholar of race, Dr. Eduardo Bonilla

Silva, arrived on the UHD campus on January 26 to lead an extraordinary week of events as the 9th Annual Scholar in Residence, hosted by the Center for Critical Race Studies and co-sponsored by the Center for Latino Studies. The week’s programming included student activist workshops, trainings for faculty and administrators, and forums involving community leaders and public school educators. Dr. Bonilla Silva’s visit culminated in a public lecture exploring the ways racialized emotions function in the contemporary US political arena.

Over the last 25 years, Dr. Bonilla Silva has made his name as a leading thinker on race. He is author of dozens of articles

and book chapters and five books, including his best-selling text, Racism without Racist, now in its 5th edition. His work broaches topics as wide-ranging as racial theory, race and methodology, color-blind racism, race and citizenship, race and human rights, whiteness, and many other things. For Dr. Bonilla Silva, racism is fundamentally about racial domination. His work collectively argues for viewing racism as a structural, rather than an individual phenomenon. He is known for a number of conceptual and theoretical innovations. Perhaps most notably, Dr. Bonilla Silva demonstrated that systematic racism did not disappear in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, as many Americans wish to believe. Rather, it transformed into something more slippery and harder to identify,

which he terms colorblind racism. In that vein, he has posited that racial stratification in the United States is becoming more Latin America-like, a reference to the region’s historic claim to racial democracy. Advancing this critique of colorblindness, he has argued that racial grammar served as a core pillar of hegemonic white supremacy. He has also challenged the normative whiteness of institutions of higher education, by calling them out as Historically White Colleges and Universities. With these and other insights, Dr. Bonilla Silva has influenced an entire generation of scholars, not only in sociology, but across the social sciences and humanities. UHD students had the opportunity to engage these ideas first hand during Dr. Bonilla Silva’s week in residence.

CLS and CCRS Welcomes Dr. Eduardo Bonilla Silva

A S e m e s t e r l y G l a n ce a t U H D ’s C e n t e r f o r L a t i n o S t u d i e sGaceta Latina

Contents• CLS and CCRS Welcomes

Dr. Eduardo Bonilla Silva ..................1• Latinx Art Exhibit Now Showing

in the O’Kane Gallery .......................2• CLS Launches Sacred ........................2• Latina Attorneys Share

Their Stories ..........................................3• Latinas Achieve Launches

Spring Calendar of Events ..............4• A New Scholarship for

UHD Students ......................................5• Training Latina Leaders

in the Work Force ...............................6• Honoring 2018 Faculty

Accomplishments ..............................6• Celebrating Women’s

History Month......................................7• Highlights From Fall 2018 ................8• Upcoming Lectures in

Latino Studies ......................................8

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March 2019

Anew art exhibition featuring Latinx artists is now showing in UHD’s

O’Kane Gallery. The exhibition, titled “Close to Home: Latinx Art and Identity” consists of a stunning array of creative works from the collection of Drs. Harriett and Ricardo Romo, who have donated a number of works of art from their private collection to the University of Houston-Downtown.

Curated by O’Kane Gallery Director Mark Cervenka, the prints and paintings in this exhibition assert Latinx identity as specific, powerful, and ancient in origin. The artists declare their pride in who they are, a people descendant from ancient indigenous civilizations, connected to their land, nurturers of their children, but also creators of iconic images serving as potent standard bearers to any outsider. Bold colors and graphics are unapologetic, as they celebrate familial customs, legends, and rituals. Revered historical figures, such as Frida Khalo or César Chávez, are offered as equal to any other cultural or political hero. The abstract patterns of ancient civilizations persist, as do the modern forms of Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, as a testament to the preeminence of heritage within this world. Yet the personal struggles of Latinx peoples caused by migration and immigration, abuse of foreign powers, poverty and violence, are part of that identity, and are not overshadowed.

The artists included in the exhibition are largely based in Los Angeles or Texas. Among the nationally known are Carlos Almaraz, Patssi Valdez, Cesar Martinez, and Kathy Vargas. There are forty six artists represented in all, from established international names to emerging artists including works by Joan Mitchell Foundation grantees Franco Mondini-Ruiz, Vincent Valdez, Ana Fernandez, NALAC grantees Rolando Briseños and Michael Menchaca, to name a few. The art in the exhibition originates from the collection of Drs. Harriett and Ricardo Romo of San Antonio, Texas, longtime collectors of Latinx art and who, coincidentally, maintain a longtime friendship with UHD President Dr. Juan Muñoz.

“Close to Home: Latinx Art and Identity” opened with a well-attended reception on January 31, and will show through April 11, 2019.

Latinx Art Exhibit NowShowing in the O’Kane Gallery

CLS Launches Sacred: A WritingGroup for Women of ColorThe Center for Latino Studies and the Center for Critical Race Studies have partnered to create a new writing support group for women scholars of color at UHD, called Sacred. This initiative encourages and empowers women of color to protect and prioritize the value of their intellectual contributions to the university and to their respective disciplines by offering a protected time slot and location for writing, in addition to opportunities for collaboration with and support from other women of color.

Sacred’s founders, Drs. Felicia Harris and Bonnie A. Lucero, envision that this initiative will advance the university’s

broader goal of increasing faculty diversity. Research shows that women scholars of color tend to experience heavier teaching and service loads than other groups of faculty. Such disproportionate demands on our time and labor often negatively impact research productivity and have historically led to lower rates of tenure and promotion for women of color in academia. At the same time, studies also indicate that students of color benefit academically from seeing people who look like them in permanent faculty positions and leadership roles within a university setting. As a Hispanic-serving and Minority-serving institution, with a

student population that is majority women, the University of Houston-Downtown will best serve its student body, in part, by increasing the retention and promotion of women faculty of color.

Sacred is open to women and nonbinary people who identify as persons of color (a category including but not limited to Black, Latinx, Native/Indigenous, Asian/Pacific Islander, Arab, Muslim, and other Global South populations). The group meets for Writing Retreats every other Thursday, from 2:30 to 4:30 in A701.

President Juan Sánchez Muñozaddresses crowd at Latinx Art Reception

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Volume 1, No. 2

On February 13, 2018, five ofHouston’s most accomplished

Latina attorneys discussed their journeys through the legal profession. Attorney and former councilwoman Gracie Saenz, who has been an active supporter of the Latinas Achieve Program, organized a panel featuring four other Latina attorneys: the Honorable María Casanova, Carolina Ortuzar-Díaz, Damaris Chávez, and Nelly Treviño. Each panelist discussed various aspects of their experiences and career trajectories in the legal profession, addressing issues such as why they entered the legal profession, and what the most difficult aspect of their job was. The panelists also shared fascinating stories about moments in which they overcame adversity and challenged injustice in the criminal justice system.

The panel moderator, Gracie Saenz, offered inspirational stories of her journey as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, with 8 siblings growing up in the neighborhood of El Crisol (now Kashmere Gardens). She rose from humble origins to attend the University of Houston, where she earned her Bachelor’s, and later returned to obtain her JD. She overcame tremendous political and financial odds, becoming

the first Latina to hold a city-wide elected office as a member of the Houston City Council in 1992. Today, she continues her activist work in addition to running her own legal practice, located in Houston’s East End.

The panelists each spoke based on their extensive experience in diverse areas of the legal profession. Nelly Treviño Santos has worked extensively in the municipal courts, currently oversees the Juvenile Case Manager Program, financial and budgeting, facilities and building security, jury administration, Court Interpreters, administrative support staff, wellness initiatives, and

indirect oversight of Human Resources assigned staff. Carolina Ortuzar-Díaz, a partner with Monty & Ramirez, LLP, has devoted her professional career to representing immigrants in a variety of family-based immigration matters including immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing, naturalization, citizenship, and Visas for Victims of Violent Crimes and Domestic Abuse. Damaris A. Chávez, a proud UHD alum, is a dedicated attorney specializing in criminal, immigration and family law, and opened her own legal practice by opening the Law Office of Damaris A. Chávez in Pasadena, TX in August of 2013. The Honorable María Casanova, originally from Colombia worked for 5 years as the Harris County Assistant District Attorney, has 22 years of experience on the bench as a City of Houston Municipal Court judge, and runs her own legal practice, Casanova & Casanova.

During the Question and Answer session, students engaged actively with the panelists, asking a variety of questions, from advice on how to prepare for law school, to which fields of law are most hospitable to women attorneys, to support systems for students of diverse nationalities. If students walked away from the event with one idea, it was that these pioneering women had carved out a space for them within the legal profession.

Latina Attorneys Share Their Stories

Left to right: Gracie Saenz, Nelly Treviño-Santos, the Honorable María Casanova, Damaris Chávez, and Carolina Ortuzar-Díaz at Latinas in the Legal Profession

Latina attorneys share their experiences with students

The Center for Latino Studies, in collaboration with the University’s Office of Alumni Relations, launched a new

mentorship program, called “Latinas Achieve,” for Latina students. The mission of this program is to empower Latina women to achieve academic and professional success. Research shows that students who see themselves and their communities represented in the curriculum feel more invested in their learning, achieve higher levels of academic success, and even graduate at higher rates than students whose experiences remain on the margins. More than half the student body at the University of Houston-Downtown is Latino/a/x, and Latina women are our institution’s single largest student demographic. Given these data, Latinas Achieve centers Latina experiences within the university’s co-curricular programming, fostering a greater sense of belonging for Latina students on our campus.

Latinas Achieve relies on the support of a powerful network of Latina professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Pursing a broad range of careers in the public and private sectors, this group includes data scientists, lawyers, engineers, corporate executives, city government employees, non-profit managers, business owners, financial consultants, marketing specialists, artists, writers, and others. The mentor team also features a number of prominent UHD alumnae, including Miriam Morales, current president of the UHD alumni association. These inspiring women take time out of their schedules to mentor our students by sharing their experiences, leading workshops, and harnessing their professional connections to create opportunities for networking and learning.

Each semester, the program will host a series of events focused on Latina experiences. The calendar includes networking opportunities, leadership trainings, cultural enrichment events, learning opportunities featuring Latina

scholars and activists, socials, and more. The program is even working with external partners to bring new scholarship opportunities to Latina students at UHD. The program launched in Fall 2018, with its Inaugural Mentor-Mentee Mixer on November 28, 2018, which featured an impactful leadership activity led by Mary Rodríguez, UHD alumna and Director of Learning Innovation and Design at Baker Ripley.

The Spring 2019 includes 10 key events especially designed to provide opportunities for Latina students to learn, build relationships, and develop their academic and professional trajectories in a supportive, culturally-sensitive environment. By attending these events, Latina students will hear from Latina role models on how they overcame some of the most significant challenges facing Latinas, including balancing school and family, economic struggles, and social and cultural expectations of womanhood. In addition, students will gain access to Houston’s finest arts and cultural establishments, network with some of Houston’s most successful Latina professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, develop important leadership skills, explore new career possibilities, and build community with other Latina students.

Students can still catch a few of the events on the Latinas Achieve Spring Calendar. On March 4, students will have a chance to hear from Afro-Puerto Rican legal scholar Dr. Tanya Katerí Hernández, who will discuss the roll of Mixed-Race individuals in the struggle for Civil Rights. Later that same month, the Center for Latino Studies will host a networking event called “Latinas in Branding.” That event will feature a panel of Latina professionals who will speak about their career trajectories, followed by a networking session which will provide UHD students access to some of Houston’s most accomplished Latina branding professionals. On March 26, Latinas Achieve will host an Ice Cream Social for student mentees and mentors. Students will also have another opportunity to attend the Latina Power Purse Program on April 27.

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Latinas Achieve Launches Spring Calender of Events

Mary Rodríguez leads mentorship activity at Latinas Achieve Inaugural Mixer, November 2018

Apr27

Latina Power Purse ProgramMilam & Travis - 8:30am-3:30pm*Scholarship opportunity for students who attend

Feb28

A Night at the Houston SymphonyN-1038 - 7PM*Meet at UHD Center for Latino Studies

Mar4

Multiracials & Civil RightsWhite Oak Room - 12-1:30pmDr. Tanya Katerí Hernández

Mar21

Latinas in BrandingTour Room - 6-9pm

Latina Ice Cream SocialN-1099 - 2:30-4pm

Mar26

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Beginning this Spring 2019 semester, UHD students a new

scholarship, the Center for Latino Studies Scholarship. The goal of this scholarship is to reduce the financial burden of earning a degree through UHD, and simultaneously to encourage broad student engagement with contemporary and historic issues facing Latino communities. Any degree-seeking UHD student is eligible to apply for the Center for Latino Studies scholarship. The Center for Latino Studies will identify a particular theme to structure each scholarship competition. The theme they select will inform the essay question applicants will submit as part of their application materials.”

For the 2019 competition, the theme is “family separation.” Beginning in April 2017, within the broader national climate of xenophobia, especially given the recent expiration of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), the United States Department of Justice under Attorney General Jeff Sessions inaugurated a zero-tolerance policy for undocumented immigration. This policy served as a pretext for the separation of undocumented immigrant and asylum seeking families, including those in the so-called caravans fleeing violence in countries with long histories of US

intervention. Border Patrol agents removed children and babies from the care of their parents and imprisoned them in separate camps, where they reportedly suffered abuses ranging from sexual violence to coerced medical and psychiatric medication. Despite a court order requiring the federal government to reunite immigrant families by July 26, 2018, thousands of children remain in ICE custody, and the Department of Justice continued the policy of family separation. By December 8, 2018, one child, 7-year-

old Guatemalan refugee Jakelín Caal Maquín, had died in Border Patrol custody after her captors forcibly separated her from her father, in December 2018. Just two weeks later, 8-year old Felipe Gómez Alonzo had also

died in ICE Custody.

The initial donation for the scholarship came from Dr. Clelia O. Rodríguez, a Salvadorian scholar and activist, who has worked extensively with refugees, and communities affected by decades of US military intervention in Central America. Dr. Rodríguez, who give a lecture on our campus via Zoom in February, has agreed to donate her $1,000 speaker fee to the Center for Latino Studies scholarship fund.

The Center for Latino Studies will award the first scholarship later this Spring 2019 semester, and plans to continue awarding the scholarship at least once each year, as funds permit. You can support UHD students impacted by immigration injustices by donating to the Center for Latino Studies Fund at anytime via the Give to UHD page: https://giving.uh.edu/uhdowntown/default.asp. Simply select the Center for Latino Studies in the drop down menu, and indicate in the instructions box: “Center for Latino Studies Scholarship”.

A New Scholarship forUHD Students

Dr. Clelia Rodríguez adressing the room for our “Justice for Jakelín” event.

Students & Faculty listening to Dr. Rodríguez speak

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Training Latina Leadersin the Workforce

On Saturday, February 23, 2018, more than 150 Latinas, including UHD students, faculty, staff, and community

members attended the very first Latina Power Purse Program, a leadership training specifically tailored to empower Latinas. The program focuses on three key areas: leadership, emotional intelligence, and financial mastery. With specific training in these three areas, participants will gain important skills necessary for securing higher-paying jobs and negotiating their salaries with greater confidence.

Students who attend this program will be eligible to apply for one of several $2,000 scholarships, thanks to a new partnership between the Power On Heels Fund and the Center for Latino Studies at UHD. The Power on Heels which has earmarked several awards especially for UHD students. Entrepreneur and nationally-renowned author Ivette Mayo created the Power on Heels Network to provide tools and skills focused on helping Latinas reach their fullest potential by tackling the growing burden of workplace inequalities. The Nonprofit offers programming, like the Latina Power Purse Program, that focuses on teaching participants how to eliminate the pressures of financing academic, professional, and personal growth.

The February 23 session sold out within only a few weeks. Because of popular demand, the Center for Latino Studies will offer another opportunity to participate in

the Latina Power Purse Program on April 27. The program is open to students, staff,alumni from UHD as well as members of the community. Participants must register in advance through EventBrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/power-on-heels-fund-inc-latina-power-purse-program-tickets-56216150018.

Faculty members across the College of Arts and Humanities contributed their expertise to their respective disciplinary communities through publications and conference presentations. Historians Drs. Salvador Salinas and Bonnie A. Lucero both published scholarly monographs this year. Dr. Salinas’ book, Land, Liberty, and Water was released with University of Arizona Press in October 2018, and Dr. Lucero’s

Revolutionary Masculinity and Racial Inequality came out in November with the

University of New Mexico Press. Psychology professor Dr. Stacie DeFreitas published an article, titled “Perceived and personal mental health stigma in Latino and African American college students,” in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.Spanish professors, Drs. Raquel Chiquillo, William Nowak, and Paul Mandell presented two studies on Spanish language pedagogy to the American Association of Teachers of Spanish & Portuguese in Salamanca, Spain. Dr. Chiquillo also presented her

findings on collaborative learning at the UHD Teaching and Learning Symposium, and presented her literary criticism of several Spanish-language texts at The Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Conference in Lexington, Kentucky; the 133rd Modern Language Association Annual Convention in New York City; and the 74th Annual South Central Modern Language Association Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. English professor, Dr. Chuck Jackson delivered a presentation on adaptations of the US-Mexico Border in film at the 2018 Annual Literature/Film Association Conference in New Orleans, LA. In addition to his monograph. Dr. Salinas also gave a conference presentation in Spanish on his newest research about rice in Mexico at the Reunión de Historiadores de México in Guadalajara.

Honoring 2018 Faculty Accomplishments

Dr. Stacie DeFreitas

Dr. Salvador Salinas

Students strike a pose with inspirational quotesduring the first Latina Power Purse Program, Feb 23, 2018

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Celebrating Women’sHistory Month

A Night at the Houston SymphonyMentors and mentees from the Latinas Achieve mentorship program will attend the Houston Symphony’s February 28 concert featuring Eschenbach and Josefowicz. Human Resources and Diversity executive Helen Cavazos, who is a mentor and supporter of the Latinas Achieve program, facilitated a gift of 49 free tickets to the Houston Symphony, courtesy of Emily Nelson, Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Houston Symphony.

Dr. Liza Alonzo, Director of Alumni Relations and co-founder of Latinas Achieve, originally suggested a cultural excursion like this one as a way to reduce the barriers many students face to accessing Houston’s world-class arts and culture scene. Students with limited financial resources may struggle to secure enough disposable income to purchase tickets to see the symphony or the ballet, she explained.

The overwhelming response from UHD students suggests that this population does in fact want to partake in these kinds of activities. Students were able to claim their free ticket valued at between $41 and $125, by simply registering for the event online. Dozens of students signed up within the first few days after the announcement, and the spaces quickly filled up, with many students requesting a spot on the waiting list.

The concert includes two musical pieces: Esa-Pekka Salonen Violin Concerto andBruckner Symphony No. 4, Romantic. It will feature conductor Christoph Eschenbach, violinist Leila Josefowicz, and guest concertmaster Nick Eanet. The music itself draws inspiration from medieval romance and was proclaimed an “extraordinary musical creation” when it first premiered. The

concert continues through March 3.

Helen Cavazos at theLatinas Achieve Mixer

The Center for Latino Studies will kick off Women’s History Month this March with Mavericks & Trailblazers, a graphic design showcase honoring outstand-

ing women on display at the mural area in the academic building. Mavericks and Trailblazers is a series of portraits and infographic timelines showcasing the lives of remarkable women who have contributed to the arts, sciences, technol-ogy, social justice advocacy, politics, and entertainment. This exhibition features artwork created by Advanced Graphic Design students under the guidance of Natacha Poggio, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design in the Arts and Commu-nication Department. Students researched historical and contemporary female figures who captured their interest and then applied their creative skills to portray their lives through visual storytelling. Among the Latinas featured in the exhibit are Afro-Cuban musician Celia Cruz and Argentinean political figure Eva Perón. You are invited to join us at the reception on Wednesday, March 20th, 2019 from 5-6:30 p.m.

The Center for Latino Studies has also partnered with FLAMART, a local arts and culture nonprofit, to co-sponsor Premier Women Weekend, a two-day celebration honoring women who have contributed to making Houston a better place. The celebration will begin on Saturday March 16 at 8pm with a tribute to some of Houston’s most prominent women leaders, including Alice Valdez (MECA, Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts), Mary Guillory (Houston Ebony Opera Guild), Sangeeta Gad (UHD, Depart-ment of Computer and Mathematical Sciences), Mary Carol Warwick (HCC Central, retired professor of music and one of the area’s most prolific composers), with special recognition award presented by Council Member Amanda Edwards. The evening will also feature a special salute to the unprec-edented number of women judges newly elected in the Greater Houston Area during the November 2018 election. Attendees will enjoy artistic performances by Houston Ebony Opera Guild Chorus, the duo of Polly Ferman and Eddy Marcano, Paul Boyd, Cassandra White, Raul Orlando Edwards, Jade Simmons, Alison Greene, Reinaldo Costa, Strictly Street Salsa and Amanda Edwards. Sunday’s events will feature the Houston debut of Polly Ferman’s GlamourTango!, the internationally renowned all-women ensemble in a multimedia presentation of the acclaimed production, beginning at 3:00pm. Both events will take place at MATCH - Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston. UHD students get in free!

In addition to the exhibit, students will have the opportunity to compete for two $500 prizes for work they submit to UHD’s Annual Gender Conference. One prize will be awarded for the best Gender Conference essay on Latinx or Latin American

communities. The other prize will be awarded to the best artwork related to Latinx or Latin American themes. Both prizes are sponsored by the Center for Latino Studies in honor of Latina and Latinx women’s stories for Women’s History Month. Students can submit their essays through the UHD Gender Conference webpage. Students will present their papers at the Gender Conference on April 4. They can submit their artwork to Professor Beth Secor in S1012 by March 21 at 5pm. Artwork will be on display from April 3 - April 15, 2019.

GENDERCONFERENCE

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAPER:

The Center for Latino Studies is pleased toannounce a $500 prize for Best StudentPaper on Women or Gender in Latino/a/x orLatin American Communities, and a $500 prizefor Best Art on Women or Gender in Latino/a/xor Latin American Communities.

Deadline to submit abstract is March 8

Deadline to submit final paper is March 20

For more info please contact Dr. Lucero: lucerobo@uhd.edu

Center forLatino Studies

Submit papers online via the Gender Conference website(uhd.edu/genderconference)

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS FOR ARTWORK:Subject matter should relate to the topic of gender,and must be appropriate for viewers of all ages

Artwork accepted in any material, must be nolarger than 4ft x 4ft

Deadlines for submissions are Tuesday March 19and Thursday March 21 from 10 am - 5 pm

Submit artworks to Ms. Secor S1012 by deadline

Artwork will be displayed from April 3 - April 15

Artwork must be picked up from Ms. Secor byThursday April 25

Mar. 4: The Center for Latino Studies will welcome prominent Afro-Puerto Rican legal scholar Dr. Tanya Katerí Hernández. The Archibald R. Murray Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law, Dr. Hernández is an internationally recognized comparative race law expert and Fulbright Scholar. She teaches Anti-Discrimination Law, Comparative Employment Discrimination, Critical Race Theory, The Science of Implicit

Bias and the Law: New Pathways to Social Justice, among other courses. Her lecture will be based on her most recent publication: Multiracials and Civil Rights: Mixed-Race Stories of Discrimination (NYU Press). The first 8 students who ask a question during the Q&A can win a free copy of the book. The event will take place on Monday, March 4, from 12-1:30pm in the

White Oak Room.Apr. 3: Distinguished historian, Dr. Louis A. Pérez, Jr. will arrive in Houston in early April to share his most recent book, Rice in a Time of Sugar (UNC Press). Thanks to an emerging partnership between UHD’s Center for Latino Studies UH Main’s Department of History, Dr. Pérez will give two public lectures. The first lecture, which will take place on Wednesday, April 3 at the University of Houston-Downtown’s Milam & Travis Room at 2:30pm, will provide insights on more than two centuries of U.S.-Cuban relations. For his second lecture, Dr. Pérez will discuss his new research on the island’s food history. That event will be held in the Hilton Hotel on the University of Houston’s main campus the evening of Thursday, April 4.

The Center for Latino Studies celebrated its official launch in the Fall 2018 semester. As part of its opening activities, CLS honored Latino history and culture during Hispanic Heritage month with a hands-on painting workshop based on the art of Mexican painter Frida Khalo, 2 Latin-inspired dance and fitness events, and a public lecture on Mexican history by invited scholar Elizabeth O’Brien. In addition to the Hispanic Heritage Month programming, CLS celebrated the publication of Dr. Salvador Salinas’ book, Land Liberty, and Water, by organizing a public lecture and distributing 5 copies of his book to students in attendance, and commemorated Veterans’ Day with a public lecture by Dr. Juan Coronado on Latinos in the US Armed Forces.Advancing CLS’s goal of developing a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum in Latino Studies, the Center put forth a new course called “Introduction to Latino Studies,” which will serve as the foundation for an interdisciplinary curriculum in Latino Studies, as well as forming part of the Languages, Culture, and Philosophy core component. In addition, CLS

created a centralized listing of courses in Latino Studies, to help students visualize the university’s offerings in this thematic focus. CLS also sponsored the creation of a new student organization, called Justice for Immigrant Families (JIF) JIF members have been active in volunteering at the Casa Juan Diego as well as fundraising to benefit immigrants in need. CLS created the Latinas Achieve initiative, a mentorship

program that empowers Latina women students to obtain academic and professional success, and initiated relationships with community partners including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor’s Hispanic Initiative, LULAC, Latin Women’s Initiative, the Alzheimer’s Association, University of Houston (Main), and many others.

Highlights From Fall 2018Center for Latino Studies

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Dr. Juan Coronado and Commander Steve Benevidasafter our “Latino Manhood & the Military” event, Nov. 7, 2018

Upcoming Lectures in Latino Studies

U.S.-CUBARELATIONSDR. LOUIS A. PÉREZ, JR.

a talk by

April 3, 20192:30 - 4:00 pmMilam & Travis

Center forLatino Studies