HSL Presents a “Kaleidoscope of Latin American Culture” April 27-29

The Hispanic Society of Lafayette (HSL) invites the community to join them in academic and social activities as part of its first annual Latino/Hispanic awareness conference April 27-29 a various locations throughout the campus.

“With this conference our goal is to generate a series of cross-cultural and interdisciplinary discussions about Latino/Latin American cultures,” says Denise Galarza Sepulveda,assistant professor of foreign languages and literatures and HSL faculty adviser. “The conference offers students from various areas of study – including history, art, music and literature – an opportunity to present the research they have done on various aspects of Latin American politics and culture.”

The schedule is:

April 27:

• 12:15 p.m.: Brown bag presentation on projects that help impoverished communities in Latin America by Patricia Price of CARE. Discussion and free lunch will be provided in Interfaith Chapel, Hogg Hall.
• 4:15 p.m.: Students from the Community of Scholars program present research on popular Latin American music in the Gendebien room of Skillman Library.
• The panel includes: Marquis Scholar and neuroscience major Brad Maurer ’06 (Loveland, Ohio), electrical and computer engineering major Chris Jacoby ’07 (Madison, N.J.), and Trustee Scholars and economics & business majors Jessica Bigness ’07 (East Stroudsburg, Pa.), Emmett Jusino ’08 (Freeport, N.Y.).
• 5:30 p.m.: International economics and commerce major Arturo Osorio III ’06 (Ferndale, Mich.) will exhibit his prints along with works by Mexican artist Rolando Rojas and a collection of Latin American prints and paintings at the Hillel House on the corner of McCartney Street and Clinton Terrace. The exhibition has been made possible by the Experimental Printmaking Institute and will run for the entire weekend of the conference.

April 28:

• 12 p.m.: Students present research on Latin American topics in Limburg Theater. They are: “Fidel Castro Through His Speeches: A Political Evolution,” by Karen N. Bouldin ’08 (Everett, Wash.) an anthropology & sociology major; “Between Love and Violence: City of God as Urban Allegory,” byStephanie Griggs ’06 (Wilmette, Ill.) a double major in English and Spanish; and “La historia oficial: Historical and Cinematic Perspectives after the Dirty War,” byElizabeth Taylor ’06 (Orinda, Calif.) a double major in Spanish and art. Lunch will be provided.
• 4 p.m.: The International Students Association, Lafayette African and Caribbean Students Association, and Africans Creating African Consciousness and Interest Abroad, will give presentations on their connection with Latin America in Limburg Theater.

April 29:

• 11 a.m.: Keynote lecture “The Impact of Latinos in our Developing Society,” by Javier Cevallos, president of Kutztown University. Presentation and refreshments will be in the Gendebien room of Skillman Library.
• 6 p.m.: Closing dinner at the Faculty Dining Room in Marquis Hall. Dress is business casual and RSVP is required, contact x5252.
• 10:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.: Latin American dance party at Campus Pizza on March and McCartney streets.

Born in Cuenca, Ecuador, Cevallos has been president of Kutztown University since April 2002 and is the first Hispanic president in its history. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He taught Spanish at University of Maine at Orono, then transferred to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where he became a full professor.

CARE is a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Women are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to improve basic education, prevent the spread of HIV, increase access to clean water and sanitation, expand economic opportunity, and protect natural resources. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters, and helps people rebuild their lives.