The collections include:

As the has observed in “A Guide to Documenting Latino/Hispanic History and Culture in New York State,” “Historical information is inadequately represented in the documentation of broad areas of Hispanic culture, including the fine arts, popular music and dance forms, and folk and traditional arts.”  Information pertaining to Hispanic businesses as well as the social, political and religious organizations of the community is also limited, and the historical record has poorly reflected Latine experiences related to immigration, discrimination and access to services.

These nine digital collections will begin to remedy the documentation gap relating to the Syracuse Latine community, supporting further work and study in the fields of anthropology, sociology, art, history and Latine studies. La Casita maintains both its physical and digital objects and collections with support from the Libraries, the , the and in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, as well as from community partners including the , the and other colleges and educational institutions in the region.

“The collaboration between La Casita, Syracuse University Libraries, CLRC and the NY Heritage Digital Collections is a wonderful, combined effort that benefits all parties and the greater community, ensuring that these important resources are preserved and discovered by scholars, researchers and community members,” says Elisa Dekaney, associate provost for strategic initiatives.

 includes over 400,000 digitized books, manuscripts, maps, letters, photographs and memorabilia. New York Heritage provides access to stories spanning the history of New York, with contributions from over 430 libraries, museums, archives and other community organizations.

“It is very exciting to see one of La Casita’s long-term goals, to make our Cultural Memory Archive accessible online, finally become a reality,” says Tere Paniagua ’82, executive director of the University’s Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community. “This is a project developed by La Casita’s Bilingual Library, one that we have been working on for over a decade. Many graduate students from the University’s have contributed to the project, and now that the platform was created for these first nine collections, we welcome more students to take on the task of building new online collections.”

Déirdre Joyce, head of digital stewardship and the Digital Library, added that “the Digital Library Program supports library, campus and community partnerships that find creative ways to publish and express their unique, local digital output to wider digital audiences. In this case, we were delighted to leverage the Libraries’ membership with CLRC on behalf of La Casita, thereby making this content–and  and the stories of this diverse, Syracuse community–broadly discoverable in New York Heritage. We look forward to continuing this important collaboration.”

The new station, “,” is “a thrilling and significant breakthrough” for the growing Spanish-speaking community in the area, says , executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community and director of the University’s . “The station is poised to become a vital resource, reflecting the vibrant mix of Hispanic and Latino cultures and effectively engaging these populations like no other local or regional medium does.”

Paniagua and many others at the University were integral to the development of the station. She first got involved in the summer of 2023 when WCNY CEO and President approached her wondering if a Spanish-language radio station was available in the area. When he discovered there wasn’t one, Gelman asked Paniagua to help him assess the community’s interest in filling that void.

Gelman formed a community task force, which he co-chaired with Paniagua and WCNY-FM Station Manager . Over many months, more than two dozen task force members planned the station’s structure, helped developed funding, sought collaborators and generated programming ideas.

Teresita Paniagua, left, the University’s executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community, speaks to students at an event celebrating Hispanic culture. Paniagua was instrumental in spurring community interest in and involvement to help bring about WCNY’s Spanish-language radio station.

Several University faculty members and instructors from the College of Arts and Sciences, including , associate teaching professor of Spanish and Portuguese and Spanish language coordinator, and , Spanish instructor, participated in the task force efforts.

Also involved in other ways were , Spanish department professor and chair; , Spanish professor; , assistant teaching professor of film in the College of Visual and Performing Arts; , development director for Syracuse Stage; , professor of Spanish at Onondaga Community College; Josefa Álvarez Valadés,  Spanish professor at LeMoyne College; and , a Newhouse School of Public Communications alumnus and former radio/TV producer who is an associate professor of communications at SUNY Oswego.

As part of the task force’s fact-finding, Paniagua enlisted Whitman School of Management students Nicolas Cela Marxuach ’25, Zachary Levine ’25 and Jonah Griffin ’24 to develop and distribute a community interest survey, which the students circulated to several hundred local residents at community events. She says 98% of respondents supported the idea. The survey also provided insights into audience demographics and programming ideas—including sports, community news, talk shows, music and faith-based content.

There are upwards of 1,000 Spanish-speaking radio stations in the U.S. but Pulso Central is the first of its kind in Central New York. The region is home to some 18,000 Spanish-speaking households, with Spanish-speaking people making up about 10.5% of the area’s population and comprising a segment of the community that has grown 30% over the past decade, according to research done by WCNY.

A Learning Resource

Pulso Central also provides a unique learning opportunity and “an extraordinary new pedagogical tool for experiential education” for the University’s students, says Ticio Quesada.

M. Emma Ticio Quesada, center, a professor in Syracuse University’s Spanish department, uses WCNY’s radio station studio as an experiential learning space and resource for her courses.

Five students from her immersive course, Community Outreach: Language in Action, are interning at the station. The students, Lailah Ali-Valentine, Adam Baltaxe, Kimberlyn Lopez Herrera, Nicolas Bernardino Greiner-Guzman and Jade Aulestia recently created their first podcast.

Ticio Quesada says she also expects students in SPA 300: Our Community Voices, an course, to benefit from the same kind of internship opportunity. The course connects native and non-native Spanish speakers, inspires them to contribute to the local community, and promotes inclusion and social justice.

Partnering Results

Miranda Traudt, the University’s assistant provost for arts and community programming, says the task force is a good example of the positive outcomes that can result when members of the University and local communities work together to achieve specific goals. “This project continues La Casita’s meaningful engagement with Hispanic communities in Central New York and helps fulfill its mission through work in the arts, media, cultural heritage preservation and research adding to the high quality of life,” she says.

Several dozen community members helped WCNY form and air the area’s first Spanish-language radio station. They included, from left, Mitch Gelman, WCNY president and CEO; M. Emma Ticio Quesada, Syracuse University professor of Spanish; Stephanie Gonzalez Rawlings, content producer; and DJ Lorenz (Renzo Quesada), music host. (Photo by Eric Hayden, WCNY)

Game Changer

Paniagua believes the station “can be a game changer,” not only in providing news and information about and for the Latina/Hispanic community but also by “helping to change long-established stereotypes and present a whole new world of possibilities for the people of this community,” she says. “There are many wonderful stories about people who have established their lives in this community and I hope Pulso Central can be a showcase for those stories.”

Launch Event Oct. 24

An official launch event, “,” will be held Thursday, Oct. 24, at WCNY studios and La Casita.

“WCNY is thrilled to help launch Pulso Central,” Gelman says. “Our goal is to provide a platform that will come alive with music and talk that engages listeners and fosters community connection.”

The station reaches listeners in 19 counties. Pulso Central airs on WCNY 91.3 HD-2 in Syracuse, WUNY 89.5 HD-2 in Utica and WJNY 90.9 HD-2 in Watertown. It is accessible online at and streaming on the Pulso Central app.

Under the new banner Arts at Syracuse University, are top-notch museums and galleries, active maker spaces, robust community centers and a myriad of creative events and programs.

The new name is part of a rebranding and profile-boosting effort to highlight the University’s arts offerings and strengthen and grow awareness of its diverse group of centers and programs, says , assistant provost for arts and community programming.

The initiative includes the , which comprehensively illustrates the range of arts centers and programming available to students, faculty, staff and community members. The site also includes a dedicated that highlights events, ongoing programs and exhibitions.

Spaces and programs include , , , , , , at Syracuse University Libraries, , the , Syracuse University Artist-in-Residence Program and the in New York City.

Outdoor visual displays are conducted at the Urban Video Project.

New ideas about how academic and community arts programming and experiences are presented to a range of constituencies—students, faculty, staff and the general public—and as part of student experiential learning, teaching activities and individual entertainment and enjoyment resulted from a year-long planning process spearheaded by the , Traudt says.

Miranda Traudt

“This is much more than a name change. It’s a true rethinking of the arts at Syracuse University,” she says. “We purposefully considered how all the individual units and centers that are doing such fantastic work on their own could band together to have greater overall impact and visibility and to create wider local, regional, national and international awareness of these exceptional offerings.”

In addition to enhancing the visibility of the separate arts programs and centers, Arts at Syracuse University highlights how, grouped together, the units offer distinctive experiential learning opportunities for students that are typically available only at much larger national and international venues, Traudt says.

Syracuse Stage puts students and their artistic presentations at the center of downtown Syracuse and hosts theater offerings that are enjoyed by all of Central New York.

“The Syracuse University Art Museum has one of the largest university-owned art collections in the country. La Casita, as a vital part of the Syracuse Near West Side community, is the only Latin cultural center in this part of New York state. The Community Folk Art Center is a vibrant seat of community programming for people of all ages. Light Work’s renowned Artist-in-Residence Program has hosted more than 400 artists coming from every U.S. state and 15-plus countries. Urban Video Project is an important international venue for the public presentation of video and electronic arts and one of the few projects in the U.S. dedicated to continuous and ongoing video art projections. Exhibitions of nationally and internationally known artists hosted here mean you don’t have to travel to New York City to see that kind of artistic excellence.”

Elisa Dekaney

Elisa Dekaney, associate provost for strategic initiatives, makes this comparison. “We pride ourselves on the fact that the University’s study-abroad programs utilize their locations as classrooms. We say, ‘Florence is our classroom; London is our classroom’ because of what these cities offer in the arts and cultural experiences. But we can also say ‘Syracuse is our classroom’ because of the rich arts programming the University offers right here.”

Other goals defined in the strategic operating plan include serving as an international model of arts and humanities engagement for institutions of higher education; expanding community partnerships; growing reciprocal relationships with local, regional, national and international arts and strategic partners; increasing faculty, alumni and donor engagement with the arts programs and centers.

“WEIRD Barrio” depicts the Latino barrio experience in intricate detail. At its core, it is a testament to the power of storytelling and visual representation in shaping collective identity and fostering a sense of belonging within marginalized communities. By intricately depicting familiar settings, Westside neighborhood streets, community buildings, home environments and conceptual representations of a unique and distinctive character, Matías invites viewers to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of life in the barrios, capturing the essence of kinship and cultural pride that define these neighborhoods.

“WEIRD Barrio” (Photo by Daniela Dorado)

This project actively engaged with local youth through a series of summer artmaking workshops facilitated by Matías. Some of these pieces, created by children at La Casita and at the Everson Museum, will also be part of the show.

“The Westside reminds me a lot about the barrios where I grew up, between Mayagüez, Puerto Rico and the Lower East Side in New York City, ” says Matías. “I love working in miniature scale and seeing how something so tiny can have such a huge impact, like our barrios and our children. I want them to know how much they are valued and how unique and beautiful they are.”

This program is part of the 2024-25 Syracuse Symposium on “Community” co-produced with . Support for the WEIRD Barrio youth summer workshops at La Casita comes from the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation.

“WEIRD Barrio” will be on view through April 2025.

Story by Daniela Dorado

“WEIRD Barrio” (Photo by Daniela Dorado)

“Syracuse University is so fortunate to count outstanding teachers, scholars and administrators like Julie and Elisa among its faculty members, and I am truly grateful for their willingness to serve in these important roles,” Agnew says. “Their past leadership experiences and fresh perspectives position them to make a positive impact not only on the Academic Affairs team, but also across the University and in the local community.”

Julie Hasenwinkel

Julie Hasenwinkel

As associate provost for academic programs, Hasenwinkel will support teaching, learning and student success. Her portfolio will include oversight of a wide range of University offices and programs in these areas, including the , the and . She assumes the role from Agnew, who was named interim vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer July 1.

, a Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence, is currently chair of the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering in the (ECS). She is also a faculty affiliate of the . She has served as ECS associate dean for academic and student affairs and senior associate dean.

Her professional and scholarly areas of expertise include faculty development in teaching and learning; engineering education and active learning pedagogies; student success initiatives; orthopedic biomaterials; and biomaterials for nerve regeneration. She holds a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University, an M.S. in bioengineering from Clemson University and a B.S.E. in biomedical engineering from Duke University.

“I’m very excited to take on this role and to have the opportunity to work with colleagues across the University and the leadership team in Academic Affairs to enhance our academic programs, student success, experiential inquiry and teaching and learning excellence,” Hasenwinkel says. “I look forward to implementing the goals of the academic strategic plan and exploring innovative ways that we can meet the current and future needs of our students so they can thrive at Syracuse University and beyond.”

Elisa Dekaney

Elisa Dekaney

In the role of associate provost for strategic initiatives, Dekaney will work to strengthen the academic experience through strong connections with campus and community-based programs, particularly in the arts and humanities. In this role, she will oversee University-based cultural organizations like the , and , among others. Dekaney will also have oversight of the University’s study abroad and study away initiatives. She assumes the role from Marcelle Haddix, who was recently named dean of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

, now the associate dean for research and global engagement and a professor of music education in the , is also a Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence.

Her scholarly research focuses on aesthetic response to music, world music and cultures, International Phonetic Alphabet, Indigenous and Afro-Brazilian culture and clinical simulation applied to music education. She holds a Ph.D. in choral music education from Florida State University, a master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas, a bachelor’s degree in sacred music (piano) from the Seminário Teológico Batista do Sul do Brasil and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the Universidade Federal Fluminense.

“I am honored to join Interim Provost Lois Agnew and the entire Academic Affairs team. This role presents an incredible opportunity to collaborate with Syracuse University faculty, staff and students in driving innovative projects and fostering a culture of excellence in an environment welcoming to all,” Dekaney says. “I am committed to advancing our strategic goals with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion. By ensuring that our initiatives reflect these core values, we can create a transformative educational experience that benefits all members of our community.”

The work of nearly 40 artists aged six to 12 who have participated in the center’s free will be displayed. The opening event and reception take place on Friday, April 19, at La Casita’s facilities at 109 Otisco Street, Syracuse. The event is free and open to the public.

Tere Panaigua

, executive director of the at Syracuse University, says center staff take great pride in the young artists’ accomplishments. “The children’s achievements are remarkable, and programming like this allows everyone involved to gain knowledge and understanding about different creative works as well as about each other. It is a wonderful way to learn more about the many cultures that abound in our city and our region and how people make connections through art.”

More than 200 Syracuse University students serve as interns and volunteers in the programs, working together with faculty members and community artists to help youngsters in the program with a range of art projects and musical and dance performances. The children who participate include residents of the City’s West Side, Syracuse City School District students, and those from other parts of Syracuse and neighboring towns.

Paniagua says the program is valuable for more than just the way it teaches children about the arts. “The children are engaged in a culturally centered, safe environment where they are learning and gaining new skills. They also are working with older students who mentor them and provide them with some amazing role models.”

The event will highlight the work of these activities:

Open Studio (artmaking): This workshop is led by graduate student Bennie Guzman G ’25, a College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) creative art therapy major and youth programming coordinator for La Casita since 2018. Guest artists who collaborated with Bennie in designing and facilitating workshops include , associate professor of film at VPA, who facilitated a two-week animation film workshop; and , a Syracuse teaching artist who exhibited at this year’s Latino Futurism show and who led a comic book illustration workshop. Two undergraduate students assisted in the workshop programming: Sidney Mejía ’24, a political science major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and Ana Aponte ’24, Gonzalez, a dual major in communications and rhetorical studies and women’s and gender studies in VPA and the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S).

Danza Troupe: This dance ensemble will perform at the reception. It is led by Syracuse University student Gabriela Padilla ’25, a biochemistry major in A&S who has been the program’s dance instructor and choreographer for the past two years. She and the troupe plan a show for the opening event that features an about La Casita. The song was written by Alexander Paredes, who recently completed an executive Master of Public Administration at the Maxwell School and is now using his optional practical training year to work in administration at La Casita.

Children in the afterschool arts program study piano with instructor and undergraduate student volunteer piano instructor Myra Bocage ’26. (Photo by Edward Reynolds)

Children in the program’s piano and violin workshops will also perform along with their instructors, recent VPA violin performance graduate student Tales Navarro ’G 24 and piano instructor Myra Bocage ’26, an advertising major at the Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Students involved in the dual language literacy programs at La Casita include Andrea Perez Ternet ’24, a human development and family science senior in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, who is completing a capstone internship at La Casita, and Diana García Varo G ’25, a graduate student in the multimedia, photography and design program at the Newhouse School.

La Casita, an arts and education center supported by Syracuse University, was established in 2011 as a cultural bridge for Latino/Latin American communities on campus and throughout the Central New York region.

Juan Felipe Herrera

As a “natural wonderer, dreamer, traveler… mega listener…and only child,” poet grew up in California’s and “listening to everything and everyone,” he says, and those habits led him “to the magical lands of words, stories, ideas, books, songs, riddles and ultimately writing.”

Herrera, the 2015-17 U.S. Poet Laureate, will be in Syracuse this week as the opening poet for the 2024 Cruel April Poetry Series.

Herrera will lead creative writing workshops for students and community members on Wednesday, April 3, and Friday, April 5. Both sessions are from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at , 109 Otisco Street in Syracuse.

His public poetry reading is Thursday, , from 6 to 8 p.m., also at La Casita.

We sat down with Herrera to discuss his poetry and creative work and learn about his creative process.

Latine Heritage Month will take place from Friday, Sept. 15 through Sunday, Oct. 15. (Photos by Angela Ryan)

Syracuse University is proud to announce its vibrant lineup of events celebrating from Friday, Sept. 15 to Sunday, Oct. 15. This annual celebration, which honors the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Latine community, will feature a diverse range of activities that are sure to engage and enlighten participants.

“This year’s Latine Heritage Month celebrations are hosted by Syracuse University’s in collaboration with numerous University partners and community organizations, which include the , , , , , ,  and Latine such as Las Naranjas,” says Breana Nieves Vergara, assistant director in Multicultural Affairs and co-chair of the Latine Heritage Month planning committee. “These events provide an opportunity for our campus and the broader community to come together, learn and celebrate the diverse and rich culture of the Latine community, inclusive of Americans whose ancestry can be traced to more than 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, including Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Latine Heritage Month aims to promote the history of solidarity with and intersectionality across identities and cultures. To celebrate Latine, Latinx, Latino, Latina and Hispanic heritage is to celebrate American culture.”

Students enjoying themselves during last year’s festivities.

The Latine Heritage Month celebration kicks off with an and on Friday, Sept. 15, in the Schine Student Center atrium. These events will set the stage for a monthlong journey through Latine culture, featuring performances, speakers, discussions, sporting events and more.

One of the most anticipated events of the month is the , scheduled for Friday, Oct. 6. The event features Latine cuisine and live entertainment from Trio Los Claveles, Raices Dance Troupe and the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations.

Sports enthusiasts won’t want to miss the annual , where friendly competition and community spirit will be on full display. Teams can register now through Wednesday, Sept. 13. All are invited to the tournament on Saturday, Sept. 16.

As part of the festivities, the Latine Heritage Month planning committee is once again partnering with the LGBTQ Resource Center to host a joint commemorative speaker. The Latine Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month Potash Collaborative Keynote will feature acclaimed drag performer, recently featured on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15, , who will deliver a drag performance and keynote remarks revolving around her queer and Latine identities, as well as leave time for audience Q&A.

For more information about the Latine Heritage Month celebration and a complete schedule of events, please visit the .

Written by Kalaya Sibley G’24 graduate assistant in Student Experience Communications

The production of the exhibition is supported by the Mexican Student Association (MexSA) and various other student organizations across the University. The opening event is free and open to the public and will include lively Latin music and authentic Mexican food. Transportation to the opening event will be provided from 5 to p.m. from College Place to La Casita, courtesy of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Artist Cayetano Valenzuela works with a student during La Casita’s summer 2023 youth program.

Valenzuela is a Syracuse-based artist and storyteller whose lettering, illustration and animations evoke wonder, magic and fable. He owns and operates the Black Rabbit Studio and was a teaching artist in La Casita’s summer 2023 youth program, where children produced artwork that reflects on the intersection of Latino culture, technology and imagination, instilling creativity, resilience and empowerment in our youth. Generous support for La Casita’s youth summer workshops came from the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation.

“I am seeking to imagine and construct images that symbolize and embody far off possible futures that are informed by how we carry our culture, our family and ancestral memory with us,” Valenzuela explains. “The work I am developing seeks to explore ideas of cultural and technological fusion as well as poetic spiritual tenderness.”

Peña is a Chicano storyteller and cartoonist from El Paso, Texas. His work encompasses political cartoons and hip-hop culture to address topics of identity, politics, ecology and social justice. Peña has received numerous recognitions for his book illustrations, including the 2020 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Award. The 2020 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s book and Bank Street’s Best Spanish Language awards have both recognized him for his work in American and Chicano art collections.

The exhibition seeks to reconfigure a vision of the future where Latino/Chicano culture is in flux and centered in the story of the far future. The installation of original paintings, drawings, prints and three-dimensional pieces will remain on view throughout the 2023-24 academic year.

Kate Holohan, curator of education and academic outreach at the Syracuse University Art Museum, provides a tour during an open house.

Established in 2005, the mission of CMAC is to support the legacy network of cornerstone art organizations at Syracuse University by celebrating and exploring the arts and humanities culture through robust programming, exhibitions, publications, education, scholarship and public engagement.

CMAC consists of eight University and affiliated organizations: Syracuse University Art Museum, the Louise and Bernard Palitz Gallery, the Community Folk Art Center, Light Work (which includes the Urban Video Project), Point of Contact, La Casita, the Special Collections Research Center, and the Photography and Literacy Project.

Get to know CMAC and its coalition members, and be sure to visit their respective websites for a full listing of upcoming programs and exhibitions. You can also stay up-to-date on by visiting the Syracuse University events calendar.

Syracuse University Art Museum

Located in the Shaffer Art Building, the acquires and preserves important works of art, serving as a museum-laboratory for exploration, experimentation and discussion. The teaching museum fosters diverse and inclusive perspectives by uniting students across campus with each other and the local and global community, engaging with artwork to bring us together and examining the forces that keep us apart.

Tanisha Jackson, Ph.D., executive director of the Community Folk Art Center, poses with art from Shaniqua Gay’s “Carry the Wait” exhibition.

Community Folk Art Center

The . (CFAC) was founded in 1972 by the late Herbert T. Williams, a professor of African American studies, in collaboration with University faculty, students, local artists and Syracuse city residents. CFAC promotes and cultivates artists from the African diaspora, celebrating cultural and artistic pluralism by collecting, exhibiting, teaching and interpreting the visual and expressive arts. CFAC is a proud unit of the Department of African American Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, serving as a beacon of artistry, creativity and cultural expression.

Light Work

Housed in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center, was founded as an artist-run, nonprofit organization in 1973. Its mission is to provide direct support through residencies, publications, exhibitions, a community-access digital lab facility and other related projects to emerging and underrepresented artists working in the media of photography and digital imaging.

Urban Video Project

(UVP) is a Light Work program in partnership with the Everson Museum of Art and Onondaga County. UVP is an outdoor architectural projection venue dedicated to the public presentation of film, video and moving image arts, enhancing Central New York’s reputation as one of the birthplaces of video art.

Point of Contact

, Inc. fosters a collaborative model to explore contemporary visual and verbal arts, working across disciplines and cultures. Founded in 1975, Point of Contact is an organization in residence at Syracuse University, with offices in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse in downtown Syracuse and is an open forum for diverse identities to engage in open dialogue, working expansively across intellectual, social and geographic boundaries.

La Casita

is a program of Syracuse University established to advance an educational and cultural agenda of civic engagement through research, cultural heritage preservation, media and the arts—bridging the Hispanic communities of the University and Central New York. La Casita Cultural Center is located in the historic Lincoln Building in the city of Syracuse’s Near Westside neighborhood.

Special Collections Research Center

Located on the sixth floor of Bird Library, the (SCRC) advances scholarship and learning by collecting, preserving and providing access to rare books, manuscripts and other primary source materials. SCRC’s collections document the history of the University and our global society through printed materials, photographs, artworks, audio and moving image recordings, University records and more.

Photography and Literacy Project

The (PAL) brings University students into Syracuse City Schools to develop projects involving photography, video, audio recording and writing. The objective is to improve student’s writing and reading skills by linking these studies with photography, video and poetry. PAL Project also connects graduate and undergraduate student mentors and educators-in-training to community youth in an experiential learning environment.

CMAC is an initiative that falls under strategic initiatives in academic affairs at Syracuse University. To learn more, contact Miranda Traudt G’11, assistant provost for arts and community programming.

The semester kicks off with several key events next week. All are free and open to the public.

Thursday, Sept. 14

4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Syracuse University Art Museum, Shaffer Art Building

• Onondaga Nation artist ceramic works exhibition, “,” is part of the museum’s 2023-24 Syracuse Symposium, “Landscape.” His work illustrates Haudenosaunee culture as a continuum that has resisted and persisted despite attacks on the confederacy’s lands, sovereignty and cultural identity.

5 to 7 p.m.
Light Work, Watson Hall, 316 Waverly Ave.

• Photographs by taken in his childhood hometown of Phoenix, Arizona explore personal histories of family, community and environment.

5 to 7 p.m.
Light Work, Watson Hall, 316 Waverly Ave.

• Photographs from 2023 Grant in Photography award recipients Amy Kozlowski, Linda Moses and Tahila Mintz are featured.

Friday, Sept. 15

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Syracuse University Art Museum, Shaffer Art Building

• Onondaga Nation artist Peter B. Jones will discuss how his art comments on the Haudenosaunee cultural continuance and the challenges the Haudenosaunee people have faced through time.

6 to 8 p.m.
La Casita Cultural Center, 109 Otiso St., Syracuse

• Highlighting the works of Chicano artists Cayetano Valenzuela (Syracuse) and Zeke Peña (El Paso, Texas) “” focuses on Latino futurism and includes art by La Casita’s summer program youth. This community event kicks off La Casita’s fall season and observes Latine Heritage Month, which runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Community Folk Art Center, 805 E. Genesee St., Syracuse

• Local musicians perform music by African American jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane.

In addition, another exhibition opens the following week.

September 21

:
“In Pursuit of Justice: Pan Am Flight 103”
4:30 to 6 p.m.
Bird Library, 6^th floor gallery, 222 Waverly Ave.

• The exhibition documents the Dec. 21, 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland that claimed the lives of 270 individuals, including 35 students returning from studying abroad through Syracuse University. Featuring materials donated to Libraries’ Research Center by victims’ loved ones and investigative team members, the exhibition provides an overview of the disaster, investigation and first trial.

For details about current and upcoming exhibitions and other events hosted by the Coalition for Museums and Art Centers, refer to the throughout the year.

(Featured photo: “Bomba, 2022 by Eduardo L. Rivera)

Jessica McGhee ’19

Her resume would reveal a 2019 B.F.A. recipient from the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), a current graduate student in VPA’s art therapy program, an intern with a local hospital, an aspiring nonprofit leader, and a volunteer, instructor and arts programming coordinator with La Casita Cultural Center.

But she might describe herself in different terms—as a lifelong artist, a people watcher, a witness and observer of beauty, a survivor of intimate partner violence and sexual trauma, and an adamant believer in the power of art therapy.

“I love seeing the beauty in people, and oftentimes they cannot see it in themselves. I feel like being as I’m able to see it, it’s my job to communicate it,” McGhee says.

An artist from a young age, she is primarily a painter of surrealist landscapes, often created with mixed medias and on material that would otherwise be disposed of. Her work, with titles like “Roots,” “Mother Sun,” “Self-Actualization” and “On Coexistence,” evokes spirituality, connection to nature, self-expression, exploration of race and the prevalence of inner strength.

“My art has always tried to show people their value, the complexity of life, the complexity of existence in this physical place,” she says.

“On Coexistence” (mixed media on wood) by Jessica McGhee (Photo courtesy of the artist)

Art as a Therapeutic Intervention

Perhaps it was destiny that in 2019, the year McGhee graduated with a B.F.A., VPA announced the launch of its M.S. program in art therapy, housed in the Department of Creative Arts Therapy. She was intrigued by the program and eventually became part of its , beginning in the Fall 2021 semester.

McGhee says the program puts terminology and theory to what she felt she was already doing through her creative pursuits.

“Before I started the program, I feel I was doing art therapy with myself—but not fully understanding what was coming out,” she says. “I always learned a lot from my art and my creative investigation, but being in the program ties everything together and makes a lot of sense.”

Currently, McGhee puts theory into practice as an intern with a local hospital’s inpatient substance use disorder unit. She designed and facilitates a 28-day art therapy program that complements other treatment modalities for people with alcohol and substance use disorders.

Her clients receive support as they stabilize, build self-worth and find self-forgiveness, all critical to the recovery process, through principles of art therapy. “I teach about symbolism and metaphor, and it comes through in their artwork in ways that are so insightful,” McGhee says.

Based on her belief that substance use disorders are often a maladaptive response to trauma, McGhee emphasizes the importance of self-expression in healing and hopes to inspire others to find their purpose through art therapy.

“Once an individual can let go of all of the suffering and pain and actually start to investigate and get curious about their own interests, that’s when self-actualization comes to play,” she says.

Broadening her work beyond the hospital setting, McGhee holds multiple roles with , including volunteering with an Arts as Mindfulness group run by fellow art therapy student Bennie Guzman. The program is for adults to enjoy a space for creativity and self-reflection, build on community, manage stress and develop their creative expression.

“I teach different coping skills, meditation, strengths-based exercises and creative investigation into the self,” McGhee says. She is currently planning a community care workshop on April 3 at the .

Integrative Modalities

While art therapy is her main focus, McGhee incorporates other healing modalities into her work with clients and in the community.

Influenced by the principles of somatic therapy—which draws connections between emotions and where they are experienced in the physical body—she incorporates principles of vipassana (a Buddhist meditation technique), body scans, nature-based therapy and strengths assessments (she is fond of the ).

She explains that our emotional memories, particularly memories of traumatic origin, tend to be stored in the part of our brain that is non-verbal, or in the body, and surface later through these non-verbal realms—so practices that get us out of our brains and more connected to our bodies can help.

“All of those emotions and feelings, everything that’s going on inside of you, all of that nonverbal suffering… you can externalize it,” McGhee says. “In talk therapy, oftentimes you can re-experience the moment, and it can be re-traumatizing each time you bring it out of your mouth. But if you’re putting it on paper as it feels inside of you, then you’re actually exercising those emotions. You’re analyzing them, you’re investigating them, but you aren’t reprocessing that exact moment of trauma.”

Therapeutic Works on Display

Earlier this year, McGhee was invited to show her artwork at the University’s 38th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration as part of the held in the Club 44 VIP lounge in the JMA Wireless Dome.

“Never had I imagined I would be a part of something so big and so amazing,” she says of the experience, noting how surreal it was for her to see her art displayed on the JMA Dome’s giant videoboards. McGhee curated nine original works for the celebration, which welcomed over 2,000 students, faculty, staff and community members on Jan. 22.

The event was envisioned as a way for participants to celebrate the richness of Syracuse’s culture and beauty, in reflection of the theme of this year’s MLK Celebration, “Civil Rights and the City of Syracuse.” McGhee exhibited alongside fellow artists David R. MacDonald, Jaleel Campbell and Vanessa Johnson. Two pieces exhibited—“Self Actualization” (mixed media on a wood triptych) and “Rebirth” (mask)—were created as response art to her therapeutic work.

McGhee connects with a community member at the 2023 MLK Celebration in Club 44 of the JMA Wireless Dome. (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

“I was honored to be a part of the exhibition—it made me feel really wonderful,” McGhee says.

In the Works: Nonprofit Community Retreat Center

Upon graduating from the art therapy program next May, McGhee has aspirations to launch a Syracuse-based nonprofit offering alternative therapy services in a retreat-based setting to trauma survivors, regardless of their ability to pay. She and business partner Azra Gradincic have begun laying the groundwork to bring this dream to fruition.

The nonprofit, tentatively named , will offer inclusive access to integrative, holistic healing. Their ambition is to remove the financial barriers that often accompany retreat-style healing settings by offering a sliding-scale or free financial model, while also accepting Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance.

“I see a secure setting where people can heal and rebuild and have dedicated break time, when they aren’t trying to survive their day-to-day life, but can really focus on their personal needs and healing,” McGhee says.

McGhee with her painting “Lexical Priming” (mixed media on wood) at the 2023 MLK Celebration. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

To learn more about McGhee, visit . Her work is currently on display at (400 S. Salina St., Syracuse), Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and she plans to exhibit at La Casita later this spring.

The play tells of two women of vastly different backgrounds who meet by chance at a wedding in Cancún when a torrential downpour forces each woman to consider their personal storms and the potential for change. The work is part of the Syracuse University Drama Department presentations at Syracuse Stage.

These events are scheduled:

Thursday, Feb. 16

• A of the playwright’s newest work, “El Terremoto,” at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 19

• 1 p.m. – A pre-show discussion about cultural representation and cross-collaboration will be moderated by the play’s director and Associate Artistic Director for Syracuse Stage Melisa Crespo. Participants will include playwright and author of “Espejos: Clean” Christine Quintana; La Casita’s Community Engagement Coordinator Catalina Niño Cordero G’21; and Rita Paniagua, who is a City of Syracuse councilor-at-large and board president of CNY Arts. The event takes place at Syracuse Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., Syracuse.
• 2-4 p.m. – Matinee performance, “Espejos: Clean” at Syracuse Stage
• 4-6 p.m. – La Casita Cultural Center co-hosts an after-show reception at its 109 Otisco St., Syracuse, headquarters. Guests are expected to include the play’s director, Melissa Crespo, its playwright, Christine Quintana, and some cast members. The reception is sponsored by the . Admission is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

One of the dolls from the collection on view at La Casita

The new exhibition features work by artists , and ; a collaborative piece by ; and a 9-foot mural by , teaching artist at La Casita, who created the piece with the children in this year’s summer programs.

“Toys contain stories about all of us,” saysTere Paniagua ’82, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community and co-curator of the project. “This showcase serves to establish a common thread that unites us as a community by examining the vast range and depth of experiences that have an imprint on who we are and shape our future generations.”

Toys are a testimony not only of human creativity but also of intercultural connections across generations. In a toy that we recall from our childhood, there are memories associated with our collective and personal stories. Toys live in our stories, our journey, and our history. Their significance lies in their capacity to contain stories from one generation to another.

This new exhibition is at the center of a series of inter-generational community dialogues that will be taking place at La Casita and will be preserved by the center’s digital Cultural Memory Archive, established in 2013 as a resource for education and scholarly research.

I am so honored that one of my first official campuswide messages is to commemorate the Juneteenth National Independence Day, which will be acknowledged on Monday, June 20, 2022. I am especially proud that Syracuse University began celebrating this important day in our history prior to it being a federally recognized holiday.

The origins and recognition of Juneteenth are significant to our campus and our nation. It was not until June 19, 1865, two years after the emancipation of enslaved people was issued on Jan. 1, 1863, that a Union U.S. Army general proclaimed the freedom of enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas. The Juneteenth holiday is not only a cause for commemoration but also a time to reckon with our country’s history and its impact on the African American community and Black people. In keeping with our tradition, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, in partnership with Syracuse University Libraries, offers that provides education regarding the significance of Juneteenth. Please take time to engage with this information and feel free to share any reflections or questions with me. I also encourage you to attend the various events in the community, including the , which features women’s basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack as one of two grand marshals during Saturday’s parade, and at the Everson Museum, which will include Sharif Bey, an associate professor of studio arts in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, leading a gallery tour of his exhibition.

On our campus, we benefit from having so many individuals with backgrounds that are rich in diversity and the intersectionalities within, which helps to ensure our collective efforts are inclusive and that everyone is represented in the outcomes of our work. A highlight of my first weeks here has been my introduction to 119 Euclid, a space on campus that celebrates Black students and culture, and affirms, celebrates and amplifies the voices and experiences of the African diaspora. The presence of such spaces as 119 Euclid is essential to building community, and critical to student retention and our University’s overall success. Some other such spaces include the , , , the and the .

Another highlight has been my initial engagement with campus members. I am invigorated by the urgency and desire that has been expressed to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) work that is substantive and transformative. To that end, I would like to share a few of my immediate priorities:

• Community-building across campus. Our recent campus climate survey indicated a need to build community—particularly among those from minoritized communities. We will host gatherings throughout the year to help foster a culture of belonging and inclusion.
• Ongoing communication. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will send quarterly newsletters and host in-person engagement opportunities to share updates on DEIA initiatives and increase information exchange.
• Address the goals outlined in the five-year strategic DEIA plan. I will work with DEIA leaders and colleagues to identify short- and long-term projects; streamline DEIA efforts across schools, colleges and administrative units; and implement initiatives beginning this year.

Juneteenth is one of several opportunities for us to recommit to our shared endeavor of becoming a community that is truly welcoming to all. I understand and take very seriously my responsibility to facilitate these efforts with empathy, courage and intention. I look forward to working with you and our community partners to act on these key priorities.

Sincerely,

Mary Grace A. Almandrez, Ed.D.
Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion

From COVID-19’s transformative impact on people’s daily lives to the global reckoning against histories of colonialism and racism, norms are constantly evolving. The Syracuse University Humanities Center’s yearlong , entitled Conventions, explores the ever-changing political, social and cultural currents through a series of lectures, workshops, performances, exhibits, films, readings and more.

The Symposium’s theme, chosen by the , features events intended to inspire critical thinking and encourage ethically based action through a humanistic lens.

According to Vivian May, director of the Humanities Center and the Central New York Humanities Corridor, this spring’s events will help attendees confront and rework powerful norms and expectations that shape people’s lives and imaginations. “We hope the spring Symposium programming provokes open-ended thinking about what conventions we have come to accept, in our collective and personal lives,” says May. Below is a selection of upcoming Symposium events.

Supporting Urban Communities During COVID

Community-based programs play a critical role in convening and forging solidarity among vulnerable urban communities. , a program of the College of Arts and Sciences, has been a space devoted to cultural and community exchange, bridging the Hispanic communities of Syracuse University and Central New York for 10 years. But according to Tere Paniagua, executive director of La Casita and of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community at Syracuse University, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting isolation severed bonds developed through community-engaged programs at La Casita and similar organizations.

Zach Pearson (left), M.S.W. candidate in the Falk College’s School of Social Work, leads an open dialogue about mindfulness with teens enrolled in ECHOES, a program focused on drama, acting and self-expression.

“The fracture in our system seems to have deepened, disconnecting people from each other and disengaging communities from service agencies, youth programs and other resources available at no cost to residents,” says Paniagua. “The strategies that worked well to build community connections in the past are not as effective now.”

In response, La Casita is hosting —an open, candid dialogue among community organizers, artists, scholars, educators and students about how to address these fractures in Syracuse-area urban communities. They will discuss challenges that can hinder community support and the need to reassess traditional ways of engaging. The event is Feb. 24 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and will be held in person at La Casita, located at 109 Otisco St. in Syracuse, and will also be available virtually, .

The panelists will reflect on the experiences, inadequacies and successes of various community engagement initiatives as programs reopened to the public following the COVID-19 shutdown.

“The present circumstances within urban communities living in poverty demand more from agencies established to engage and serve,” says Paniagua. “The panel will consider social and cultural elements; the pandemic-related ruptures that have underscored disparity and inequity; and what changes are needed to achieve positive results.”

The event will be moderated by Paniagua, and panelists include:

• Bea Gonzalez, community organizer and the University’s former vice president for community engagement
• Fanny Villarreal, executive director, YWCA
• Elisa Morales, executive director, Spanish Action League
• Maria Emma Ticio, associate professor and chair, Spanish and linguistics
• Brice Nordquist, Dean’s Professor of Community Engagement
• Zachary Pearson, M.S.W. candidate, School of Social Work
• Lizmarie Montemayor, engaged humanities undergraduate research assistant
• Zakery Munoz, Ph.D. candidate, writing and rhetoric

Conventions of Care

Narratio Fellows at the summer workshop (Photo by Edward Grattan)

Since 2019, the  has been inspiring Syracuse-area former refugee youth to share their stories in a way that is authentic and meaningful to them. The fellowship launches each summer with a monthlong intensive workshop where Fellows learn how to use artistic expression as a storytelling method. They work with artists-in-residence to explore and represent a full range of their own histories and experiences through different creative mediums.

With the 2021-22 cohort marking Narratio’s largest class to date, this year’s fellowship included two groups: A poetry cohort, led by Somali-American writer and community organizer Khadija Mohamed, herself a , and a photography cohort led by Columbian-American photographer and filmmaker Stefano Castro in collaboration with  and National Geographic photographers Matt Moyer and Amy Toensing, who is also a professor at the Newhouse School.

Fellows will present their original poetry and photography at an exhibition titled “” on May 5 at La Casita. The exhibition will be connected to La Casita’s spring showcase celebrating youth art in Syracuse.

Photographs, artwork, images and artifacts are on display in colorful collage at La Casita Cultural Center’s 10th anniversary exhibition.

La Casita Cultural Center hosted a reception Sept. 18 for the opening of a new exhibition, “Corazón del Barrio (Heart of the Barrio),” celebrating the center’s 10th anniversary. The exhibition’s opening reception, held in person and via Zoom, coincided with the launch of 2021 National Hispanic Heritage Month, observed mid-September through mid-October.

Evident throughout the celebration was a profound sense of family, community, history and rich cultural heritage. Photographs, artwork, images and artifacts covered the walls and display spaces in colorful collage. Multiple small display shelves of vibrant folk art showed snippets reflective of Hispanic culture.

Expressions of gratitude abounded among the collection. Stories of students finding their home away from home at La Casita told of journeys and learning, of building bridges and finding the true meaning of collaborative community. And not just students volunteer and participate at La Casita. Add in faculty, area residents, artists, dancers, performers and musicians.

Noel Quiñones

The opening event included food, music, dance and even a spoken word performance by poet Noel Quiñones, a Puerto Rican writer, educator and community organizer from the Bronx.

So many people, so much memorabilia! Ten years of memorabilia—not your ordinary collection—this is La Casita’s Cultural Memory Archive. Working with Syracuse University Libraries, La Casita has undertaken an effort to digitize and widen access to numerous pieces of their archive, reflective of the history, cultural heritage and experience of Central and Upstate New York’s Latinx/Hispanic communities. The digitized material aids preservation and research purposes within the New York Heritage Digital Collections. Here at La Casita, much of it is now on display.

The goal of “Corazón del Barrio (Heart of the Barrio),” according to Tere Paniagua, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community in the College of Arts and Sciences and co-curator of the exhibition, is to honor the people who contributed to La Casita over the past decade, giving from their hearts, devoting time and their stories to that shared and common space.

And the hearts are everywhere, built right into La Casita. From the large milagro heart rendering over the entryway, created by artist Bennie Guzmán in Syracuse University colors, to the many smaller hearts interspersed among the frames and displayed images and artworks. Guzmán, a media and communications professional at La Casita, focuses his art on the narratives and lived experiences of marginalized communities.

Ten years ago, La Casita co-founders Inmaculada Lara-Bonilla and Silvio Torres-Saillant, both faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences at the time, might only have imagined how far a bridge La Casita would travel. And it has, with strength of heart, with all its hearts. “Corazón del Barrio” comes highly recommended from this quarter.

The opening event was part of this year’s Syracuse Symposium series, “Conventions.” Support also comes from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Latino-Latin American Studies Program, the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community, PLACA (Program on Latin America and the Caribbean, Maxwell School) and the Syracuse University Humanities Center.

Located at 109 Otisco Street in Syracuse, La Casita Cultural Center’s regular hours are Monday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The center is closed Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The exhibition will run through April 2022. In compliance with public health guidelines and protocols, La Casita’s Art Gallery and facilities currently offer guided visits and talks by appointment only. Proof of vaccination against COVID or a negative COVID test of 48 hours or less is required. Face coverings and social distancing are also required. The gallery offers live or recorded virtual tours of its exhibits. Please contact La Casita via email for more details.

La Casita Cultural Center in Syracuse

The 2021-22 academic year marks the 10th anniversary of La Casita Cultural Center, and the organization will commemorate the occasion with the opening of a new exhibition, “.” The exhibition honors the community of artists, educators, students and families who have been a part of La Casita’s history. The opening reception and launch of the exhibition on Sept. 18 will coincide with 2021 National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Tere Paniagua, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community in the College of Arts and Sciences, says the goal of the exhibition is to honor the people who have devoted their time, energy, talents and histories to La Casita. “Our students, faculty, staff, local residents and artists, put their heart in everything they do here, and they are the heart of the barrio,” she says. “This fall, as we return to in-person programming and begin to heal from the public health crisis experienced last year, the center’s programs will focus on healing through creativity and artistic expression.”

The “Corazón del Barrio��(Heart of the Barrio)” program will also include community dialogues, the release of a new children’s book that comprises five years of dual-language writing and illustration workshops where the authors and graphic artists are the children participating in the programs, as well as the release of a new publication produced by the Teen Writing Program offered last summer, a 90-page book titled “My Life In Syracuse,” edited by Zakery Muñoz, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric and Composition.

The exhibition’s opening reception on Sept. 18 is from 6 to 8 p.m. and guests can attend in-person at La Casita (109 Otisco St. in Syracuse) or view virtually via Zoom. The opening festivities will include a tour of the exhibit, a live duet by Colombian violinist Sara Silva G’06 with Cuban classical guitarist and soprano, Liamna Pestana ’21; a spoken word performance by Noel Quiñones; live salsa music by Henry Rosado and his Grupo Boricua and a live performance by the Syracuse-based dancers of Dominique’s Dance Creations.

Admission to the event is free. Guests in attendance will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test and use of masks will be required. More details and an online registration link are available through .

Students and alumni facilitating a dual language reading program with children at La Casita.

The opening event is part of the Syracuse University Humanities Center’s .”

Support for La Casita comes from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Latino-Latin American Studies Program, the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community, the Office of Community Engagement, PLACA (Program on Latin America and the Caribbean, Maxwell School) and the Syracuse University Humanities Center.

Exhibition bookcover. Image courtesy of the National Museum of American History.

Culminating a seven-year partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History and organizations across the country, La Casita Cultural Center announces the July 9 virtual opening event for the new exhibition “.”

This exhibition spotlights the historic role that baseball has played as a social and cultural force within Latino communities across the nation. Partner organizations, like La Casita, were central to this initiative by contributing artifacts and oral histories from their communities.

Opening Celebration Information
Friday, July 9, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Online
Free and open to the public. .
Spanish captioning will be available for this program.

Visitors will go on a journey into the heart and history of U.S. Latino baseball. Extraordinary stories demonstrate the impact of baseball within Latino communities across the nation as well as how Latinas/os have influenced and changed the game for over a century. In this digital tour, curators provide an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at the items on display.

Additional Resources
The conversation may be accessed live on the and .

Learn more about the “¡Pleibol!” exhibition:

For more information, please email La Casita or call 315.443.2151.

a program of the , advances an educational and cultural agenda of civic engagement through research, cultural heritage preservation, media, and the arts. The CLRC grant will be used to create digital access to the history and experience of Latinx/Hispanic communities in Central and Upstate New York to advance scholarly research and a more profound understanding of this largely underrepresented culture in our city and region.

According to the New York State Archives publication No.67 (New York State Education Department), “Historical information is inadequately represented in the documentation of broad areas of Hispanic culture, including the fine arts, popular music and dance forms, and folk and traditional arts. Similarly, information is extremely limited about Hispanic businesses and social, political, community, and religious organizations. Latino/a experiences with and responses to issues of immigration and migration, discrimination, economic opportunity, public education, health care, law enforcement, and social services are poorly represented in historical records.”

The CLRC grant will result in the La Casita Cultural Memory Archive’s addition to New York Heritage Digital Collections. Currently, the digital objects and collections that comprise La Casita’s Cultural Memory Archive are stored on a Syracuse University server with restricted access unavailable to and unsearchable by prospective researchers.

, created in 1859, is one of the largest and oldest cemeteries in Central New York. It is laid out on 160 acres adjacent to Syracuse University. The cemetery reflects Syracuse’s past status as an economic engine and contains the burial sites of city leaders, middle– and working-class people who helped build the city, and military generals and soldiers from the Civil War. In addition to its listing on the National Register of Historic Places, it is architecturally significant. The cemetery boasts eight monuments included on the Smithsonian Preservation of Cultural Property and includes structures by nationally known New York architects like Joseph Lyman Silsbee.

The Oakwood Cemetery records include thousands of burials over a more than 150-year span. In collaboration with Adjunct Professor and Professor from the , some of these registers will be digitized and made accessible on the New York Heritage Digital Library public website. Once completed, these records will provide public access to genealogical, scientific, medical, and historical research. Without intervention, valuable historical information (such as time between death and burial, cause of death, and funeral home) could be lost. The project will also create data on how and when integration occurred, or failed to occur, and patterns of disease and malnutrition, race, and ethnicity.

“These CLRC grants enable the Libraries to assist our partners in preserving important local historical information as part of . Creating metadata and making these resources available digitally ensures broad access to local resources, not only for those on the Syracuse University campus, but for researchers across the region and state and even around the world,” says Deirdre Joyce, head of Syracuse University Libraries’ Digital Library Program. “We’re extremely grateful to CLRC for supporting New York State libraries in this way.”

Pa’la calle, opened to the public in September of 2019 after months of planning and interacting with community members who collaborated in the production. Inspired by urban culture, Pa’ la calle explored life in the barrios, street art, graffiti and artistic expressions through music genres that spring from the hip-hop culture, such as reggaeton, now a global phenomenon.

Pa’ la calle features a collection of paintings, a series of portraits that recognize prominent Latinos and Latinas of Syracuse who are committed to the continued development and well-being of this community and who are enthusiastic partners in support of La Casita’s programs. Pa’ La calle presented the work of Syracuse-based, up and coming artist Bennie Guzmán. Guzmán also worked with a group of teens from the Westside’s Spanish Action League and other local communities to create a mural inspired by the dreams and aspirations of these young talents.

“We greatly appreciate the students, volunteers and community members who joined this project. Their passion, their talent and and warm-hearted participation made Pa’la calle a successful project for people to share their stories, express their opinions and show their creativity,” says Tere Paniagua, dxecutive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic Community at the College of Arts and Sciences.

Besides the exhibition, Pa’la calle engaged a group of Syracuse University scholars, faculty, students and local DJs in an open dialogue about the controversial nature of hip-hop and reggaeton lyrics, the global impact on these genres in the music industry and its undisputed success in conquering young markets in almost every culture worldwide. Pa’la calle provided a new path to view the hip-pop culture within the social context and historical background behind it. It offered an opportunity to understand artists’ struggles for freedom, equality and the future.

La Casita serves as a bridge to connect the Hispanic community to other communities and artists to students through exhibitions, music and dancing. We collect items as well as stories behind them; we create artworks as well as stories; we learn culture as well spread it.

“It is the love and encouragement of our communities that make La Casita an artistic home. We look forward to hosting this upcoming event for all to share their love of the arts and free expression,” says Bennie Guzman, visual artist and communications manager at La Casita.

Artwork by Bennie Guzmán featured in the exhibition “Pa’ La Calle” (To the Streets).

is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with the opening of a new exhibition launched with an opening reception on Friday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m. Admission to the event is free and open to the public. A traditional Caribbean menu and refreshments will be served. The opening reception will include special performances by Raíces, a Syracuse University all-student dance troupe, and Dominque’s Dance Creations. La Casita Cultural Center is located at 109 Otisco St., Syracuse; free parking is available.

The exhibition, “Pa’ La Calle” (To the Streets), presents the work of Syracuse-based, up-and-coming artist Bennie Guzmán. The opening reception is the kick-off event for the 2019 Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month commemorative program at La Casita. As with previous annual exhibitions at La Casita, “Pa’ La Calle” sets the central theme for a series of events and programs that will examine urban cultures, life in the barrio, street art, graffiti, hip-hop and reggaeton throughout the 2019-20 academic year.

“I believe that art is the best way to start a conversation,” says Guzmán. “And I believe that for the youth in this community, where hip-hop, reggaeton and graffiti art are so prevalent, this is the language we need to use in order to have that conversation.”

“Pa’ La Calle” features a collection of paintings, a series of portraits that recognize prominent Latinos and Latinas of Syracuse who are committed to the continued development and well-being of this community and who are enthusiastic partners in support of La Casita’s programs. Portraits include Gregorio Jimenez, executive director of the Near Westside Initiative; Bea González, vice president of Community Engagement at Syracuse University; José Miguel Hernández Hurtado, artistic director of La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino; and Hugo Acosta and Marisol Hernández, publisher and editor in chief, respectively, of CNY Latino, among others.

Guzmán also invited a group of teens to create a mural inspired by the lives and aspirations of these young talents in the Syracuse Latinx community. The Spanish Action League’s One Team-One Dream youth program partnered in the project, which was completed this past July.

“This project is about engaging with our community in new ways,” Guzmán. “It’s about taking all the positive things that come from this community and putting them on display for everyone to see. At the end of the day, I want the people in this community to see themselves like never before.”

Guzmán’s art is focused on sharing the narratives and lived experiences of marginalized communities. He was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and received a B.A. from Colgate University in art and art history, specializing in studio art and English. He is currently a staff member at La Casita in charge of media outreach and communications.

The exhibition opening will be followed by a panel discussion titled “Letra del Reggaeton” (Lyrics of Reggaeton) on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. at La Casita. The event, which is free and open to the public, features Syracuse University faculty and students, local deejays and promoters in a dialogue about the controversial nature of hip-hop and reggaeton lyrics, the global impact on these music genres, and their undisputed success in conquering young markets from almost every culture worldwide.

Panelists are Todd Herreman, associate teaching professor in the Setnor School of Music; David Knapp, assistant professor of music education in the Setnor School and an expert on Arab hip-hop; Biko Gray, assistant professor of religion in the College of Arts and Sciences and author of “Breaking Bread, Breaking Beats: Churches and Hip-Hop—A Basic Guide to Key Issues” (The CERCL Writing Collective; 2014); Hasan Stephens, director of the Good Life Youth Foundation and a professional deejay; Liamna Pestana Roche ’22, a student in the Setnor School, who will talk about the ban on reggaeton in her native Cuba; and Syracuse University graduate student Roberto Pérez, a professional Latin music deejay.

The event is sponsored and organized by the Disability Cultural Center; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center; the Office of Multicultural Affairs; the SUNY-ESF Student Diversity and Inclusion Office; La Casita Cultural Center; the Office of Engagement Programs; and the Slutzker Center for International Services.

The fair welcomes new and returning students, faculty and staff from the Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF communities each year. During the fair, the campus community will have the opportunity to meet the staff and students working in the cultural centers and learn about the offices’ services and programs. Attendees can also connect with the cultural organizations, departments and offices tabling.

A slide show and videos will be shown at the event highlighting robust programs and student involvement in these offices. Image descriptions of the slides are available on the event’s .

The event will also feature performances by the Black Reign Step Team, among others.

“This is a great time for students to meet and become involved with organizations where they can celebrate their identity and learn about new cultures,” says Disability Cultural Center Coordinator Kate Pollack. “The aim of the event is to be inclusive to all people and to celebrate the many different cultural identities on campus.”

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided, as well as gluten-free, kosher, Halal and vegetarian/vegan food options. A sensory break room will also be available.

Martin Alberto Gonzalez, left, with children during a Reading Circles workshop at La Casita

More than 160 student volunteers and interns worked this year with La Casita, says Tere Paniagua ’82, executive director of the ’ Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community. That number increases by about 40 percent each year, she says.

La Casita volunteers and interns, including about a dozen students seeking practicum opportunities in bilingual education, work with La Casita’s bilingual library and dual language Reading Circles. An annual book project offers learning opportunities in publishing including editorial work, graphic design and marketing.

“La Casita’s bilingual library is a resource for La Casita’s various bilingual programs and for communities that interact with us daily, including local residents and University faculty and students,” Panaigua says.

The organization “serves communities on and off campus, by providing a cultural and language immersion experience that is impossible to come across anywhere in our city and our region,” she adds. “In just seven years, it has evolved into a unique project that positions the College of Arts and Sciences and Syracuse University as a leading Hispanic cultural engagement institute and partner in developing groundbreaking cultural heritage research in the CNY region.”

La Casita currently serves 67 children in its weekly literacy programs—a core mission of the center. Dual language literacy programs continue to grow, with four weekly workshops, including two preschool groups and two elementary school-level groups. Plans are underway to offer a high school program in collaboration with the ’s program.

This year’s “Diversity in Reading” events include:

• 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 11: Martín Alberto González will present a talk on his book “21 Miles of Scenic Beauty and Then Oxnard.” González’s 2017 book is based on personal experiences growing up as a first-generation Xicano in Oxnard, California. He is a doctoral student in the Cultural Foundations of Education program and oversees La Casita’s dual-language literacy program, working with the children of the Spanish Action League youth programs.

Proceeds from book and sticker sales at this event support the annual campaign. Collaborating on this program is Syracuse’s Xicanex Empowering Xicanex (XEX) student organization.

• 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21: La Casita will release its third bilingual children’s book, written and illustrated by the children of La Casita’s weekly afterschool Reading Circles. “Gabi in Her Little World” will be released during the opening reception of the annual Young Art exhibit at La Casita.

This program is supported by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Latino-Latin American studies program. Assisting with the project were Dashel Hernández G’18, who is studying public administration at the , and and Tajanae Harris ’18, an anthropology major at Maxwell. Hernández and Olivia A. Hager ’18, a retail major at the , oversaw the book’s graphic design and composition.

At this event, the children will also present a Spanish translation of Elizabeth Schoonmaker’s children’s book “Square Cat” (La gata cuadrada). Children’s illustrations will be on display.

• Throughout April: Supporters may also donate money or books. . Supporters can .

“Children’s bilingual books are always in demand at La Casita,” Panaguia says.  “Even the smallest donation will be greatly appreciated.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and , Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

The event—free and open to the community—is hosted by the CNY Relief for Puerto Rico Coalition, a group of professionals and leaders of the Latino community that came together to organize and support disaster relief efforts soon after Hurricane María impacted the island when it made landfall on Sept. 20, 2017.

Since last October, coalition members have been taking action on various fronts: raising money, engaging and supporting numerous relief efforts around Syracuse, hosting student-led collection drives at Syracuse University and Onondaga Community College, and establishing a collection center for emergency supplies at the Spanish Action League of Onondaga County (La Liga). Officials from La Liga have traveled to Puerto Rico several times to deliver supplies in person.

The goal now is to examine the current situation nearly seven months later, identify the life-threatening as well as life-altering issues that still exist, and discuss how best to help secure the assistance that Puerto Rico still needs.

The discussion will be moderated by Myrna García, director of the Latino-Latin American studies program in the College of Arts and Sciences. She will be joined by Bea González, SU vice president of community engagement;  Melissa Quesada, Esq., New York State director of Latino Affairs; Elisa Morales, executive director of the Spanish Action League of Onondaga County; and Julio Urrutia, Esq.

Refreshments will be served, and parking is free.

La Casita’s “Fusion Caribe” exhibit includes photos, videos and memorabilia of artists who have propelled Latin music around the globe.

The Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community in the College of Arts and Sciences, in partnership with various campus and local organizations, is gearing up for Hispanic Heritage Month 2017 (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) with several events.

LA CASITA CULTURAL CENTER
“Fusión Caribe: The History of Our Music” at  is an exhibition of historic photos, videos and memorabilia of the artists who propelled Latin music around the globe, along with dozens of traditional instruments used in this musical genre. The displays highlight the musical heritage of Latin music and its fusion of Spanish, African and Taíno roots. Guided tours are available in dual language (English and Spanish) by appointment (315.443.2151) Monday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m. at La Casita, 109 Otisco St., Syracuse.

An opening reception will take place Friday, Sept. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at La Casita. The event features salsa music and dance performances, as well as classic recordings of son montuno, guaracha, guaguancó, cha cha chá, mambo, bolero, merengue, bomba and plena, and reguetón.

During the reception, the Hispanic Syracuse coalition will recognize a dozen artists and scholars for their contributions to the enrichment of Syracuse’s Hispanic community: Victor Antonetti and Jorge Colón (Orquesta Antonetti); Brian Bromka and Roberto Pérez (La Familia de la Salsa); Elisa and Joshua Dekaney (Samba Laranja); José Mora (Pleneros d’ Borikén); Edgar Pagán (Grupo Pagán); Sammy Avila; Edgar Paiewonsky; Henry González Rosado; and Setnor School of Music alumna Sara Silva G’07 (Symphoria).

Free transportation will be provided—courtesy of —from campus to the reception and back via the Connective Corridor bus and the CBT Shuttle Bus, with departure from the Waverly Avenue entrance of the Schine Student Center at 5:55 p.m. and return from La Casita at 7:45 p.m.

Partnering with La Casita on the “Fusión Caribe” exhibition are Syracuse University Libraries’ ��(SCRC) and the  in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Musical instruments on display at La Casita

The project includes music from the Bell Brothers Collection of Latin American and Caribbean Recordings, a massive repository of 15,000 recordings—primarily 45-rpm discs—acquired by the University in 1963 from the Bell Music Box, a New York City record store. The collection includes examples of bolero, bomba, chachachá, charanga, danzón, guaguancó, guajira, guaracha, mambo, merecumbé, merengue, música jíbara, pachanga, plena, seis fajardeño and son montuno. This past spring, the SCRC began a major digitization project to preserve and make accessible this unique collection. To date, more than 900 discs have been digitized and 500 have been made available for streaming.

Co-curators of the show are Sydney Hutchinson, associate professor of music history and cultures in the Department of Art & Music Histories, and local artists Liamna Pestana and Daniel Yost, with assistance from faculty and staff from Syracuse University, Onondaga Community College and Hobart & William Smith Colleges.

Cuban-born Pestana is a string instrumentalist and singer who has been a member of performance groups in Argentina, Cuba and Mexico; she also formed and directed for 10 years the early music group Cantiga Armonica, with which she participated in national and international festivals and concerts in Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and Sweden. Yost, from Argentina, is a multidisciplinary musician experienced in choral conducting and pedagogy and stringed-instrument making; he is the founder of Cultural Bridges—a space in which vocal and instrumental groups from various countries have the opportunity to communicate and interact—and he has directed choirs and opera choruses for more than 20 years.

Hutchinson has loaned 40 pieces from her private collection; many are antiques, and most are handcrafted musical instruments. Pestana and Yost also have loaned instruments from their collection, including instruments they have built, such as a Spanish guitar in the traditional style for baroque Latin American guitar music and a mayohuacán, a beautiful slit drum handcrafted in the native Taino (Indo-Caribbean) tradition. Other items have been provided by alumna Damaris Mercado ’92 and her family, including historic photos and documents from the famous RMM Records, founded by Ralph Mercado.

For more information on La Casita Cultural Center, visit .

PUNTO DE CONTACTO-POINT OF CONTACT
The exhibition “ALEPH” by Argentine artist Pedro Roth is open through Oct. 6 at the  in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St., Syracuse. An artist talk and reception will be held Thursday, Sept. 28, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the gallery; the event is free and open to the public. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m.

One of the works from the exhibition “Aleph”

Roth was born in Budapest, Hungary, and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he currently lives. He holds a degree in filmmaking from National University of La Plata in Buenos Aires; he also studied photography, specializing in portraits, and is a self-taught plastics artist. His work can be found in collections of the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires; Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Latinoamericano, La Plata; Jewish Museum of Prague; Museo de Bellas Artes de Azul, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Museo Contemporaneo de Santa Fe; and the Jewish Museum of Buenos Aires.

The film “Icaros: A Journey Through the Peruvian Amazon,” presented in collaboration with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), will be shown Friday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. in the Gateway Center on the SUNY-ESF campus. The presentation will include a photography exhibit, plus a discussion and reception with the director of photography and co-producer of the film, Matías Roth, will follow the screening. Admission to this event is free.

“Icaros” explores the spiritual universe of the Shipibo indigenous people who live by the Ucayali River, one of the main tributaries of the Peruvian Amazon.

For more information on Point of Contact events, call 315.443.2169 or visit .

LA CASITA CULTURAL CENTER

“Fusión Caribe: The History of Our Music” at , is an exhibition of historic photos, videos and memorabilia of the artists who propelled Latin music around the globe, along with dozens of traditional instruments used in this genre. The displays highlight the musical heritage of Latin music and its fusion of Spanish, African and Taíno roots. Guided tours are available in dual languages (English and Spanish) by appointment (315.443.2151) Monday through Friday from noon-6 p.m. at La Casita, 109 Otisco St., Syracuse.

An opening reception will take place Friday, Sept. 15, from 6-8 p.m. at La Casita. The event features salsa music and dance performances, as well as classic recordings of son montuno, guaracha, guaguancó, cha cha chá, mambo, bolero, merengue, bomba and plena, and reguetón.

During the reception, the Hispanic Syracuse coalition will recognize a dozen artists and scholars for their contributions to the enrichment of Syracuse’s Hispanic community: Victor Antonetti and Jorge Colón (Orquesta Antonetti); Brian Bromka and Roberto Pérez (La Familia de la Salsa); Elisa and Joshua Dekaney (Samba Laranja); José Mora (Pleneros d’ Borikén); Edgar Pagán (Grupo Pagán); Sammy Avila; Edgar Paiewonsky; Henry González Rosado; and Setnor School of Music alumna Sara Silva G’07 (Symphoria).

Free transportation will be provided—courtesy of —from campus to the reception and back via the Connective Corridor bus and the CBT Shuttle Bus, with departure from the Waverly Avenue entrance of the Schine Student Center at 5:55 p.m. and return from La Casita at 7:45 p.m.

Partnering with La Casita on the “Fusión Caribe” exhibition are Syracuse University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) and the Department of Art & Music Histories in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Classic vinyl covers from the Bell Brothers Collection.

The project includes music from the Bell Brothers Collection of Latin American and Caribbean Recordings, a massive repository of 15,000 recordings—primarily 45-rpm discs—acquired by the University in 1963 from the Bell Music Box, a New York City record store. The collection includes examples of bolero, bomba, chachachá, charanga, danzón, guaguancó, guajira, guaracha, mambo, merecumbé, merengue, música jíbara, pachanga, plena, seis fajardeño and son montuno. This past spring, the SCRC began a major digitization project to preserve and make accessible this unique collection. To date, more than 900 discs have been digitized and 500 have been made available for streaming.

Co-curators of the show are Sydney Hutchinson, associate professor of music history and cultures in the Department of Art & Music Histories, and local artists Liamna Pestana and Daniel Yost, with assistance from faculty and staff from Syracuse University, Onondaga Community College and Hobart & William Smith Colleges.

Cuban-born Pestana is a string instrumentalist and singer who has been a member of performance groups in Argentina, Cuba and Mexico; she also formed and directed for 10 years the early music group Cantiga Armonica, with which she participated in national and international festivals and concerts in Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and Sweden. Yost, from Argentina, is a multidisciplinary musician experienced in choral conducting and pedagogy and stringed-instrument making; he is the founder of Cultural Bridges—a space in which vocal and instrumental groups from various countries have the opportunity to communicate and interact—and he has directed choirs and opera choruses for more than 20 years.

Daniel Yost and Liamna Pestana

Hutchinson has loaned 40 pieces from her private collection; many are antiques, and most are handcrafted musical instruments. Pestana and Yost also have loaned instruments from their collection, including instruments they have built, such as a Spanish guitar in the traditional style for baroque Latin American guitar music and a mayohuacán, a beautiful slit drum handcrafted in the native Taino (Indo-Caribbean) tradition. Other items have been provided by alumna Damaris Mercado ’92 and her family, including historic photos and documents from the famous RMM Records, founded by Ralph Mercado.

PUNTO DE CONTACTO-POINT OF CONTACT

Artwork from “ALEPH”

The exhibition “Aleph” by Argentine artist Pedro Roth is open through Oct. 6 at the Gallery in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St., Syracuse. An artist talk and reception will be held Thursday, Sept. 28, from 5-8 p.m. at the gallery; the event is free and open to the public. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday from noon-5 p.m.

Roth was born in Budapest and raised in Buenos Aires, where he currently lives. He holds a degree in filmmaking from National University of La Plata in Buenos Aires; he also studied photography, specializing in portraits, and is a self-taught plastics artist. His work can be found in collections of the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires; Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Latinoamericano, La Plata; Jewish Museum of Prague; Museo de Bellas Artes de Azul, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Museo Contemporaneo de Santa Fe; and the Jewish Museum of Buenos Aires.

The film “Icaros: A Journey Through the Peruvian Amazon,” presented in collaboration with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), will be shown Friday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. in the Gateway Center on the SUNY-ESF campus. The presentation will include a photography exhibit, plus a discussion and reception with the director of photography and co-producer of the film, Matías Roth, will follow the screening. Admission to this event is free.

“Icaros” explores the spiritual universe of the Shipibo indigenous people who live by the Ucayali River, one of the main tributaries of the Peruvian Amazon.

For more information on Point of Contact events, call 315.443.2169 or visit .

His visit is free and open to the public, and it’s part of La Casita’s annual “Diversity in Reading” campaign, raising awareness of and support for its bilingual library and . For more information, call La Casita in the College of Arts and Sciences at 315.443.2151 or visit .

A 1989 graduate of Syracuse’s Fowler High School, Miranda-Rodriguez is the owner and art director of the Brooklyn-based production studio Somos Arte. The Puerto Rican artist also creates Latino superheroes for Marvel Comics and for Darryl Makes Comics, a publishing company he co-founded with Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels.

“Edgardo is a rising star in the comic book industry and the Latino community,” says Tere Paniagua ’82, executive director of A&S’ Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community. “We are delighted he is coming here to present ‘La Borinqueña’ [named after Puerto Rico’s national anthem]. She is not just a pop icon; she is a symbol of hope, solidarity and justice for a demographic rarely represented in comic books.”

Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez (Photo by Danny Hastings)

Miranda-Rodriguez recently created La Borinqueña in response to Puerto Rico’s financial crisis. Her real name is Marisol Ríos De La Luz, and she is a Nuyorican undergraduate at Columbia University. It is during a class trip to Puerto Rico that De La Luz discovers she has supernatural powers of flight, strength, weather manipulation and teleportation.

“It’s not about [her powers], but it’s about what the character represents,” Miranda-Rodriguez told The Washington Post. “She’s here to remind you that the power of our people comes from our people. We don’t have to ask for something when it is already within us. It’s a narrative that’s going to remind us of ourselves. We’ve always had that power. Being Puerto Rican is our superpower.”

Since graduating from Colgate University, Miranda-Rodriguez has done artwork for a variety of clients, ranging from Columbia University and Atlantic Records to CoverGirl, Olay and Pantene. He also has curated two exhibitions for Marvel and has worked as an illustrator and scriptwriter.

“This is a rare opportunity—for students, faculty and the community at large,” Paniagua says of his visit.

La Casita’s dual-language literacy programs serve children ages 7-10.

Upcoming “Diversity in Reading” events include an opening reception for a photography exhibition by members of La LUCHA (Latino Undergraduates Creating History in America) on Friday, April 21, at 5 p.m. and the kickoff of the Young Art exhibition on Saturday, May 6, at 1 p.m. The exhibition also celebrates the release of “Palo: A Chicken Mystery,” La Casita’s second bilingual children’s book. All events take place at La Casita.

Earlier this month, La Casita published “,” a collection of multilingual poems and stories by Syracuse students, faculty, staff and alumni. The book launch included an open-mic night featuring members of A&S: Iris Megan Crawford ’17; Winnie Cherop Kirui G’15; Brendy Rodriguez ’20; and Lanjing Zhou, Chinese language coordinator.

Paniagua says Syracuse students were integral to the creation of both “MUSA” and “Palo.”

“We had an amazing team of editors, graphic designers and bilingual instructors,” says Paniagua, referring to the student volunteers. “It was particularly inspiring to see them mentor and work alongside children in our Dual-Language Reading Circle [which produced ‘Palo’].”

Paniagua says La Casita’s literacy programs serve dozens of students in grades Pre-K-6, most of whom hail from the West Side neighborhood.

Tere Paniagua ’82

“Enrollment has increased by nearly 40 percent in the past year, sparking demand for more books, particularly titles by Caribbean and Latin American authors not found in other area libraries,” she adds.

The library also houses the Cultural Memory Archive, a repository of digital audiovisual materials; print documents; and oral history projects, including “,” which La Casita is organizing in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian Latino Center.

“Documenting our cultural history through the literary arts, scholarship and publications underscores what La Casita does,” Paniagua says. “La Casita is a living heritage center.”

To donate a book to the bilingual library, click , or contact La Casita’s librarian Margot Clark G’80, G’82, G’88, G’94 at 315.443.2151.