October 2025 Newsletter

Dear Latin Americanist Community,

On behalf of the Latin American Institute team, welcome to the new academic year! I normally have lots of news to share about our programming, fellowships and grant competitions. But these are not normal times. Unfortunately, the US Department of Education cancelled the last year of funding of our Foreign Language and Areas Studies (FLAS) and National Resource Center (NRC) Title VI grants, under the justification that they do not advance the interests of the United States or the federal government. The decision also affected five other international and area studies centers at UCLA and over 100 centers at other universities around the country. The loss of Title VI funding will have a serious impact on the operation and mission of the LAI and its ability to support scholars, students and community partners. For example, the FLAS component of Title VI allowed the LAI to competitively award dozens of fellowships for the study of Portuguese, Spanish, Nahuatl, Kichwa and other Latin American indigenous languages. Our NRC designation allowed the LAI to have an incredibly vibrant series of lectures and workshops benefitting hundreds of teachers and thousands of students in our public schools, as well as support the development of Latin American studies at Cal State campuses and community colleges across Southern California.

However, difficult times are also times of opportunity, to recommit to our fundamental mission, the study and dissemination of knowledge on Latin America and the Caribbean. This is also a moment when the LAI needs the support of its partners and friends. I invite you to donate to our general fund and to reach out to us if you are interested in supporting specific LAI funds dedicated to graduate student research and community outreach.

Turning to our programming for this year, I’m pleased to share that, in addition to the events organized by our centers, the LAI is working on a series focusing on Bolivia and Paraguay. We begin this endeavor partnering with the Culture, Power, and Social Change (CPSC) series in the Department of Anthropology to present a talk by Professor Gabriela Morales (Scripps College) entitled "Decolonizing Medicine: Indigenous Politics and the Practice of Care in Bolivia," which will take place on October 9, 12:15-1:45 pm, in Haines Hall 352. Through the LAI’s Outreach Program, we are working on two series: Learning from Latin America, which will highlight good social, environmental, and cultural practices in urban and rural Latin America, and, starting in January, The World Cup: Latin America comes to L.A., which will feature speakers on the connections between sports and society in Latin America and U.S. Latino communities. We will soon announce details for our annual Fall Reception. Stay tuned!

Rubén Hernández-León,
Director of the UCLA Latin American Institute