Dear LACSI Community,

With the 2024 Academic Year coming to a close, we would like to recognize all the efforts and contributions that have made this year a successful one for the UGA Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute.

Throughout the year, LACSI organized and sponsored a variety of events, including presentations by Eduardo Conghos, Daniela Chacón Arias (Executive Director of Fundación TANDEM, and former Vice-Mayor of Quito) with Louisiana Lightsey (PhD Candidate in Environmental Anthropology at UGA), Dr. Evelyn Saavedra Autry (Postdoctoral Fellow at Rutgers), the return of the Conference on the Americas, held in February, and participated in the International Street Festival, in early April.

The accomplishments of our LACSI faculty were also celebrated with events to recognize the publication of books by Dr. Rielle Navitski (Theatre and Film), Dr. Alberto Villate-Isaza (Romance Languages), Dr. Gregory Thaler (International Affairs), and Dr. Luis Correa-Díaz (Romance Languages), along with various national and local awards and grants, including the Katherine Singer Kivacs Prize for Dr. Éric Morales-Franceschini (English), the 2024-24 Study in a Second Discipline Fellows Program for Dr. Frans Weiser (Comparative Literature and Intercultural Studies), the Sandy Beaver Excellence in Teaching Award for Dr. Nora Benedict (Romance Languages), an NEH Grant for Dr. Pablo Lapegna (Sociology), Outstanding Mentor Awards for Prof. Patricia Richards (Sociology/Women’s Studies) and Prof. Edward Delgado-Romero (Counseling and Human Services), a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award for Prof. Carolina Acosta-Alzuru (Advertising & Public Relations), a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professorship for Prof. Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor (Language and Literary Education), and a Dissertation Completion Award for doctoral student Jean Costa-Silva (Linguistics). Finally, we celebrated LACSI undergraduate majors and Graduate Certificate students for their educational achievements this May. The diversity of these many accolades reflects LACSI’s mission to support and promote research, teaching, and outreach focused on Latin American communities around the globe. In the coming year, LACSI will continue to provide a forum for faculty and students engaged in these efforts.

This year has also brought with it critical changes in LACSI personnel. In January, we celebrated the Directorship of Dr. Amy Ross, who returned full time to her faculty duties in the Department of Geography. Dr. Ross’ numerous contributions to ensuring the long-term vitality of LACSI continue to be present, and we wish her the best of luck as she continues her critical work in being a voice for Latin American communities. With the start of 2024, Dr. Jorge Derpic and I began our roles as Director and Assistant Director for LACSI, working closely with Carla York and our neighbors in the Yellow House--the Institute for Native American Studies and the Portuguese Flagship Program--to continue the important work started by Dr. Ross and to conduct the day-to-day business of advocating for Latin American and the Caribbean area studies. Lastly, we offer our fondest farewell to Dr. Cassia Roth who has taken an Associate Professor position in the Department of Society, Environment, and Health Equity at the University of California at Riverside. Dr. Roth has left an indelible mark on LACSI, and we are grateful for her continued advocacy. Similarly, we wish well to Dr. Gregory Thaler who will move to the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies and the School of Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford as an Associate Professor of Environmental Geography and Latin American Studies. We are thankful for Dr. Thaler’s continued engagement with LACSI and especially for his service in the Advisory Committee over the last few years.

As we look ahead to the coming year, Jorge and I are excited to be working with LACSI while navigating a wide range of opportunities and challenges. With the enthusiastic support from the UGA community, we will continue to offer resources and programming dedicated to celebrating the many contributions of Latin American communities. In Fall 2024, we will once again start our weekly Mesa de Español, a resource that is open to everyone in the UGA/Athens community. Additionally, we will kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month with the LACSI Open House, scheduled for Friday, September 13, 2024, at the Casa Amarilla/Dahlani Galitsode/Casa Amerela/Q’ellu Wasi/Yellow House. All are invited!

Wishing everyone a restful summer!

Chad and Jorge

If you are a long-term LACSI Affiliated or Core faculty member, or looking to become affiliated with the Institute, please help us complete the 2024 LACSI Faculty Survey by May 31, 2024.

Your answers will be essential for us to serve our affiliates better, learn about your course and lecture offerings, and gather your feedback on LACSI objectives.

Thank you in advance for your input in this process!

We were thrilled to celebrate our Major and Graduate Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies graduates this spring. LACSI will always be your home.

Congratulations and very best wishes on your new journey!

Please join us in congratulating the 2024 PORT-LACSI Brazilian Studies Travel Grant Award Recipients.

The grant funded research travel activities on Brazilian topics and was possible thanks to the generous support of the Portuguese Program in collaboration with LACSI.

Nicely done, everyone!

Acca sellowiana
Pineapple Guava
Guayabo de Pais
 

The first week of May finds the Latin American Ethnobotanical Garden bursting with activity. The showy pineapple guava blossoms beckon various winged pollinators and a few inquisitive students for a closer look. This small tree will be laden with plum-sized fruits in early fall, and competition will begin between chipmunks, birds, and people for its sweet flesh. The tree is native to the highlands of South America and can be found worldwide, where its fruits are used to make jam and jelly. 

Over the weekend, we planted peanuts from UGA’s Wild Peanut Lab and tomatoes from the van de Knapp Lab. Both of these labs are part of the UGA Institute of Plant Breeding within the Department of Horticulture. With their donations, this season will highlight the journey of breeding from wild plants native to Latin America to the modern varieties we grow in Georgia today.

-Nunally Benzing (LAEG Curator)

Save the date and join us on Friday, September 13, 2024, to learn more about LACSI's courses and programming!

Please share your news (publications, events, announcements, courses, etc.) with us by filling out the LACSI News Form.

We would love to promote your activities in our next newsletter!