Events

Past Events

2024 EVENT CALENDAR 

October 22, 2024
Troubling our fieldwork on love troubles

Reflecting on Stories about Straight Domestic Violence and Gay Families in Argentina
ISLAC and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, acknoledging that the month of October is 'Domestic Violence Awareness Month', organized this seminar on "Troubling our fieldwork on love troubles. Reflecting on Stories about Straight Domestic Violence and Gay Families in Argentina". 

The seminar featured Maximiliano Marentes and Mariana Palumbo, from the National University of San Martin - UNSAM, Argentina, presented respectively on:  "What is love but a bunch of stories? An analytical approach to study existing love" and "Towards a reinterpretation of the concept of victim IN violence studies against women".

October 1, 2024
Hispanic Heritage Awards

October 1, 2024
Discussion Panel on Activism in the Latinx Community

The Latina/e/o/x Graduate Student Organization (LGSO), student organization sponsored by ISLAC, is hosted a panel about Activism in the Latinx Community! 

April 11 & 12, 2024
First ISLAC Global Symposium 

Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) studies have grown significantly since the 1960s, adapting to the forces of globalization, encompassing transnational migrations, international trade, and global partnerships.

In commemoration of its upcoming 30th anniversary, the Institute for the Study of Latin America and the Caribbean (ISLAC) hosted its first Global Symposium, highlighting USF’s achievements and featuring global experts discussing contemporary issues in LAC communities across the world.

March 7 - 10, 2024
First Tampa International Book Fair

March 5, 2024
A Literary Date
Celebrate International Women's Day and The First Tampa International Book Fair

With: ISLAC, Department of World Languages and the Honors College

Program
Welcome: Beatriz Padilla (ISLAC) and Madeline Camara (WL)
Moderator: Roberto Jimenez, FL-Sarasota Alberto Sicilia, promotor cultural and organizer of the First Tampa International Book Fair
Graduate students presenting their research: Michael Borntreger, Natalia Lugaro & Josefina Bello
Reading along with Professors and Authors:
Natalie Scenters-Zapico, USF, English Department, author of Lima :: Limón and The Verging Cities
Giovanna Rivero, author of Tierra fresca de su tumba
Tabling: USF Authors from different departments/colleges, ISLAC, WL, English, Honors College

Where: Judy Genshaft Honor College, Atrium

February 22, 2024
Presentation with Dra. Angela Valenzuela
THE POWER OF AUTHENTIC CARIÑO (CARING) AND PEDAGOGY IN THE THIRD SPACE: EXPERIENCING THE SACRED AT ACADEMIA CUAUHTLI

Dr. Valenzuela discusses the work of a highly successful community-based partnership with the Austin Independent School District, the City of Austin, and Nuestro Grupo, the CBO that organizes the activities of the Saturday school and Aztech Kidz Code summer program. Drawing on Homi Bhabha’s notion of the “third space,” she attributes Academia Cuauhtli’s success to the caring, liberating space that it provides for bilingually-certified teachers, parents, elementary school students, elders, and volunteers. The school’s centering of Nahuatl and pre-Columbian epistemologies and the sacred make learning in community healing, imaginative, and fun. 

Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy at the University of Texas at Austin where she directs the Texas Center for Education Policy. She completed her Ph.D. in Sociology at Stanford University and is the author of the award-winning book, Subtractive Schooling: U.S.-Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring (1999). She also founded a blog titled, Educational Equity, Politics, and Policy in Texas. Dr. Valenzuela serves as co-chair to the National LULAC Higher Education Committee and co-founder of Academia Cuauhtli, a partnership-based, community-anchored Saturday school serving elementary school children with district-wide Impacts in AISD. She also co-founded Black Brown Dialogues on Policy to encourage coalition building and solidarity across diverse alliances. She is highly published & regarded as among the top 200 scholars in education nationally by the 2024 Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings by the American Enterprise Institute.

February 15, 2024
“HOW FLORIDA HELPED SHAPE THE NATION’S ‘CULTURE WARS’: A HISTORY OF THE 1950S AND 60S”

The USF History Department invited Dr. Julio Capo to give the 2024 Ward Stavig Memorial Lecture on Thursday, February 15th  at 6:00 p.m in MSC 2708.  Dr. Capo’s lecture focused on "How Florida Helped Shape the Nation’s 'Culture Wars': A History of the 1950s and 60s" and promises to provide much needed historical context to the current debates around gender and sexuality happening in our state.

This is a lecture series inaugurated in 2008 to honor the memory of our former colleague Ward Stavig, who was a beloved social historian of colonial Peruvian and Bolivian peasant culture. 

Dr. Capo’s research focuses on South Florida and its relationship to the Caribbean and Latin America through immigration, trade, and tourism, with a particular focus on issues of gender, sexuality, and LGBT history.  He has written on Miami’s queer past, the Mariel boatlift, queer border crossings, and many other topics.  He also serves as an Organization of American Historians “Distinguished Lecturer.” His first book, Welcome to Fairyland: Queer Miami before 1940 (UNC Press, 2017) was the recipient of numerous awards

The event was co-sponsored by the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and, the USF Humanities Institute, and the History Department Graduate Student Organization.

2023 EVENT CALENDAR 

November 2, 2023
Circulating Culture. Transnational Cuban Networks of Exchange

Dr. Jennifer Cearns will present her book "Circulating Culture. Transnational Cuban Networks of Exchange", where she traces the flows of people, material items and digital content between Havana and Miami, as well as between Cuba and Panama, Guyana and Mexico.  In addition, she will be signing books and engaging with the audience. Refreshments will be served.

November 2nd, from 5 to 6:30 pm, TECO Hall, College of Education.

 

November 3, 2023
EMPOWERMENT HOUR A conversation with Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian 

ISLAC is partnering with the USF Latino Scholarship Program and the bright new Latina/e/x/o Graduate Student Organization to host this mentoring event with students. 

Our special guest is Betilde MuñozPogossian (Venezuelan-American), who graduated from USF with a MA in International Relations and a Ph.D. in Political Sciences from Florida International University. 

Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian is Director of the Department of Social Inclusion of the Secretariat for Access to Rights and Equity at the Organization of American States (OAS), where she is responsible for directing the work of the OAS in matters of social inclusion and access to human rights with special consideration to populations in vulnerable situations. 

She has edited, published and co-authored several articles and volumes on issues of Latin American reality. her most recent contributions include “The Summit is a Great Chance for Better Cooperation on Migration” (2022) and “One Year Later: Slow Progress on a Key Migration Initiative” (2023), published by Americas Quarterly, and a book chapter “How to achieve more representation of indigenous and Afro-descendant people in Latin America and the Caribbean” (UNAM 2022). 

She is a founding member and coordinator of the Network of Latin American Female Political Scientists #NoSinMujeres, which seeks to promote, make visible and empower the work of women dedicated to Latin American Political Science. 

Marynes Mateos, from Hispanic Professional Women Association will moderate the session. 

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS

There was a celebration in the Michael Kuperman Memorial Poetry Library, CPR 301. Professors Natalie Scenters-Zapico and José Ángel Maldonado put together an altar for Día de los Muertos with photos of dead poets, symbolic offerings to them, and mementos. All were invited to come and learn about the library’s resources, goals, and hear some calaveritas (a Mexican poetic form for Day of the Dead). 

 

OCTOBER 4, 2023

PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK "WHEN THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN: POLITICS, CULTURE, AND THE UNIMAGINABLE EVENTS OF 2019-2022" written by Dr. Luis Martínez-Fernandez.

Dr. Luis Martinez-Fernandez is a Pegasus Professor of History at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He is an educator and columnist, specializing in Cuban and Caribbean history and culture, education and global contemporary history and also a syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate. 

Dr. Martínez-Fernández came to USF to speak about his new book, a collection of 66 essays and opinion columns written at the intersection of history, chronicling, and opinion journalism, each offering a dialogue between the past and present. 

The event began with introductions by Dr. Beatriz Padilla, the Director of The Institute for the Study of Latin America and the Caribbean (ISLAC) and comments by Dr. Alejandro Marquez, Assistant Professor of Sociology. 

In his presentation, Dr. Martínez- Fernández shared how his personal life experiences and beliefs influenced his writing process. He also discussed how pivotal recent historical events found expression in the book. Regarding Latin America and the Caribbean, Dr. Martinez Fernandez addressed the political and social significance of cases such as Puerto Rico, Barbados, Cuba, and Haiti. 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

PRESENTING THE BOOK "THE LATINIZATION OF INDIGENOUS STUDENTS: ERASING IDENTITY AND RESTRICTING OPPORTUNITY AT SCHOOL"

The event was a success, with the participation of over 50 people we could reflect about a pressing issue in schools. 

ISLAC has partnered with the Applied Anthropology Graduate Student Association, The Diversity Committe of the College of Education to host this book launch.

Rebecca Campbell-Montalvo presented her book "The Latinization of Indigenous Students: Erasing Identity and Restricting Opportunity at School". The event took place in TECO Hall, College of Education, September 27, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. We had a Q&A session and everyone was welcome. 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023
SALUD Y RITMO

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with “Salud y Ritmo.” Join us to learn about Hispanic/Latinx healthcare challenges, explore UN Sustainable Development Goal #3 (good health and wellbeing), and engage with the culture through dance. This event, in partnership with U.N.I.D.O.S., Latin Dance Club, CON & The WELL, boosts awareness of Hispanic/Latinx community issues. Light refreshments available. 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023
¡HABLEMOS SOBRE CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO Y SALUD!

Los doctores Frank Muller-Karger de la facultad de ciencias marinas de la Universidad de South Florida, y Iuri Herzfeld, Consultor Ambiental y Comercializador de Productos Sostenibles, acompañan a las doctoras de la iniciativa Salud Latina USF, Nancy Romero Daza de la facultad de antropología y Arlene Calvo de la facultad de salud pública de USF.

2022 EVENT CALENDAR 

April 14, 2022 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

March 8, 2022 at 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

March 4, 2022 at 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

February 24, 2022 at 4:30 pm

February 23, 2022 at 5:00 pm

2021 EVENT CALENDAR 

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November 18, 2021 at 6:30 pm

Come to this event to create awareness about gender-based violence during the covid 19 pandemic in Latin American and the United States. This event is in partnership with the College of Public health, and it will be in Spanish.

November 3, 2021 at 3 PM

We are glad to announce our next event Día de los Muertos or in English, Day of Dead. Join us in this cultural activity exploring traditions In Latin America: Mexico & Belize.

October 14, 2021 at 4 PM 

October 12, 2021 at 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

It will be a second round of the event we started last Fall, "We are not invisible". This year, we will be presenting preliminary results from the research project we have been carrying out in ISLAC and it is entitled: "Mapping Ethnic & Racial Experiences of Latinos/as/xs and Latin Americans In Higher Education"

Virtual Symposium - Bregando with Disasters: Post Hurricane Maria Realities and Resiliencies

Sat Oct 2, 2021 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM

A conversation with Dr. Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian with the Organization of American States and former US Ambassador Kent Brown.

THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021
12:00-1:00PM (EST)

Please join us using this link: https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/russia-institute/events/index.aspx

A conversation about: Crisis humanitaria Venezolana: Migración, Trauma y Resilencia, by Dr. Padilla

 

 Please join us using this link:

https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/89323719111

Conversation: Más que islas. Antología de cuentistas del Gran Caribe Hispano
Moderated by Dra. Madeline Cámara                                                                                         03/04/2021
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84006536409?pwd=RXdXTmVyNkx3YXpLbG8wMkdubm1XZz09  5:00-6:30 PM

ISLAC celebrate Black History Month in partnership with the Office of Multicultural Affairs
02/10/2021
https://teams.microsoft.com/_#/pre-join-calling/19:93b6d633f5424d7e96dcf60f0a46e598@thread.tacv2
3:30 PM

2020 EVENT CALENDAR 

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Escala Geográfica: Visibilidades e Inivisibilidades en procesos culturales afrodescendientes
Yilver Mosquera
02/27/2020
https://zoom.us/j/718729182
4:00 PM

Latin American/ABYA YALA Film Series: Queen Nanny: Legendary Maroon Chieftainess
03/05/2020
Digital Media Commons, 1st Floor, USF Library Room 125
5:00 PM

Empowering Students to Solve Community Challenges: A Pedagogy for Practice
Dr. Ulisses Araujo
02/19/2020
TECO Conference Hall
2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

ISLAC Latin American/ABYA YALA Film Series: Cimarron Spirit
02/06/2020
USF Library 1st Floor Digital Media Commons
5:00 PM

Genetics approaches to understand the demographic history and African roots in Latin America
Cesar Augusto Fortes Lima, PhD
Senior Postdoc at Uppsala University, Sweden
01/23/2020
FAO 249
2:00 -3:30 PM

2019 EVENT CALENDAR 

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The challenge of living in Brazilian democracy if you are young and Black.
Prof. Dr. Fernando Conceição, Ph.D.
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Journalism
11/05/2019
FAO 249

The new Bahian enigma: electoral preferences
and ethnic vote in the city of Salvador, Bahia -
Brazil (1985-2016). Why did Black Rome never
elect a black mayor?
Prof. Dr. Cloves Luiz Pereira Oliveira, Ph.D.
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Political Science
10/10/2019
FAO 296

Two Years After Maria: Dealing with the effects of Hurricane Maria 
Dr. Alessandra Rosa Ph.D
September 20, 2019, 12pm-2pm
Location: FAO 296

ISLAC Hillsborough County Public High School Teacher Workshop
ISLAC Affiliated Faculty
A professional development seminar to the School District of
Hillsborough County (SDHC) high school teachers in the field of Latin American
Studies. With an emphasis on the African Diaspora, teachers are learning new
content, pedagogical strategies, and creating lesson plans for use in the district.
June 10-13, 2019 & August 5, 2019

“Addressing Mental Health for Haitian Populations: Solutions”- Screening of Healing a Nation: Twoub Mantal, and Panel Discussion
February 21, 2019, 6pm-9pm
Location: Patel College of Global Sustainability Auditorium, University of South Florida (USF)

2018 EVENT CALENDAR

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Mini-Conference Decolonization in Theory and Practice: Europe and the Americas Otherwise.
February 25, 9am-5pm.
Location: Grace Allen Room, USF Library 4th floor

Talk by Dr. Paula Barreto, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil: Visual culture of privileges, ways of looking and (in)visibility of black bodies in Brazilian contemporary society.
March 21, 2pm-3pm
Location: Grace Allen Room, USF Library 4th floor:

Book Launch, “Black Women, Academe, and the Tenure Process in the United States and the Caribbean”
Co-authors Dr. Talia Esnard and Dr. Deirdre Cobb-Roberts are commemorating the release of their new book “Black Women, Academe, and the Tenure Process in the United States and the Caribbean” at the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
2:00-4:30 p.m.
Location: MSC 2707

Conference: “Puerto Rico se Levanta: Understanding Challenges to Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans in Florida post Hurricane Maria.”
A one day conference bringing together faculty, activists, journalists and government officials to discuss the issues Puerto Rico face in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and the impacts of the migration from the Island to Florida.
November 16 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Location: MSC 3707

 
The Politics of Blackness in Brazil Book Launch
Dr. Gladys Mitchell-Walthour, presented her latest book "The Politics of Blackness: Racial Identity and Political Behavior in Contemporary Brazil" (Cambridge University Press).
March 1, 2018
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Location: IBL Conference Room (FAO 296)

DACA: Current and Future Challenges for Undocumented Youth and Young Adults Community Panel
Kathy Castor, U.S. Representative for Florida’s 14th Congressional district and Immigrants' Rights Advocate, will visit USF Tampa Campus on Friday, March 9th, 2018, at noon, as part of the panel about DACA: Current and Future Challenges for Undocumented Youth and Young Adults.  Hosted by the University of South Florida’s College of Arts and Sciences, USF’s Institute for the Study of Latin America and the Caribbean (ISLAC) and the “Undocunited” USF Student 
March 9, 2018
12:30 - 2:00 pm
MSC 2708