Events continue for Latinx Heritage Month at Illinois State University, which runs from September 15-October 15. Upcoming events include a talk with filmmaker Neyda Martinez, a Latin American music concert, and conversations on student success.
Latinx Heritage Month is coordinated by the University’s Latin American and Latino/a Studies (LALS) program. All events are free and open to the public.
The month kicked off with talks by artist Fidencio Fifield-Perez and Dr. Maritza Quiñones-Rivera.
Upcoming Events:
Conversando Entre Nosotros: Redefining Roles and Representation in Student Success
Dr. Jordan Arellanes of Illinois State’s Department of Psychology will speak at noon, October 1, in Williams Hall, room 314.
Despite colleges taking great strides to make their campuses diverse, equitable, and inclusive places, there remain challenges for underrepresented Latina/o/x students to access educational resources that support their success. One challenge is the often-individualistic campus environment, which is exacerbated by a lack of representation. Arellanes’ presentation describes results from research focusing on developing a more inclusive campus environment centered on student success, and how we can develop a sense of collectivism on campus.
Latin American Music Concert
Illinois State music faculty will present a recital of works by Latin American composers, including Roque Cordero, Astor Piazzolla, and Radamés Gnattali, at 11 a.m. October 5, in the ISU Center for the Performing Arts.
Documentary screening, lecture with filmmaker/producer of Decade of Fire, Neyda Martinez
October 4: Documentary film viewing
In preparation of the visit from producer and independent filmmaker Neyda Martinez, Illinois State will host a screening of Martinez’s film Decade of Fire at 7 p.m. in Williams Hall, room 314.
October 6: Lecture: Revisiting the Bronx’s Decade of Fire
Neyda Martinez, associate professor of professional practice, School of Media Studies and interim program director, media management graduate program and co-director of Impact Entrepreneurial Initiative at The New School in New York City, will give the lecture “Revisiting the Bronx’s Decade of Fire” at 7 p.m. October 6 at Felmley Hall of Science Annex, room 133.
A producer, independent filmmaker, and cultural consultant, Martinez will showcase the films she has produced and talk about the craft of storytelling through documentaries. Additionally, Martinez will share insights from her background and experiences as a woman of Puerto Rican descent working in the cultural sector. This lecture, followed by Q&A, will include a showing of the documentary Decade of Fire on October 4. The film exposes the causes behind the fires that swept across the South Bronx in the 1970s, displacing nearly a half-million people.
Martinez’s love for the documentary as an art form came about after having enjoyed a long career in the arts including contemporary fine art and theater, as well as having worked for American Documentary for over 14 seasons as the communications strategist for public television’s award-winning series, AMERICA REFRAMED and POV supporting campaigns of more than 100 acclaimed films.
This event is sponsored by the Alice and Fannie Fell Trust and the Latin American and Latina/o Studies department.
Conversando Entre Nosotros: Redefining Student Success Through Language Communities
Dr. Jim Pancrazio, Dr. Daynali Flores-Rodriguez, and Dr. Alejandro Enriquez of Illinois State’s Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures will lead a discussion at noon on October 8, in Williams Hall, room 314. They will discuss creating an academic space for first-year students that explicitly affirms their bilingual skills as heritage speakers, no matter their formal training or literacy levels in Spanish, while also affirming their cultural identity in classes taught by Latino faculty.
National Immigrant Day: “I am Here. We are Here. We belong.” Art Installation
The art installation I Am Here. We Are Here. We Belong, will be installed around campus for 24 hours. A program at noon on October 28 will offer offering reflection on the contributions of immigrants in American society with leaders from campus and the community. The gathering of flags becomes a visual illustration of the force of immigration to shape the landscape. It articulates that ours is a community forged by migrations and we are here. We belong.
Sponsors of this event include Illinois State’s Office of the President; College of Arts and Sciences; Center for Civic Engagement; Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development; Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies; the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures; Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts, Latin American and Latina/o Studies department; and Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Find out more about the Latin American and Latino/a Studies (LALS) program.
