Videos and Podcasts
HAITI WEEK 2022
Haiti Fights Back: A Conversation with Yveline Alexis
Yveline Alexis discusses her award-winning new book Haiti Fights Back: The Life and Legacy of Charlemagne Péralte with moderator Gretchen Selcke, Assistant Director of CLACX. Dr. Alexis is an Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Comparative American Studies at Oberlin College. Her work was recently awarded the Haitian Studies Association Book Prize and was selected the Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year.
HAITI WEEK 2022
Haiti, Law, and Immigration
Haiti Week 2022 kicked off with Judith Clerjeune (Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition) who discussed Haitian immigration with moderator Jesús Ruiz (National Academy of Sciences Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow). As TIRRC’s Campaigns and Advocacy Director, Clerjeune leads the organization’s policy priorities and campaign initiatives, advancing strategic national, statewide, and local campaigns around issues that impact immigrant and refugee communities. Read Clerjeune’s article for The Tennessean on Haitian asylum seekers.
Latin American Ethnobotanical Garden Tour with Volunteer Gardener
The ethnobotanical garden at Vanderbilt University is filled with sages, agaves, exotic plants, and annuals. The species housed in the garden reflect the Center for Latin American Studies’ particular strengths in Mexico, Brazil, Central America and Black Atlantic. The garden provides an interdisciplinary, hands-on teaching tool for university students, as well as local K-12 educators and their students. Premiered May 7, 2021.
2021 Américas Award Winners Announcement
The Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature is sponsored by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs and coordinated by the Centers for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University and Tulane University. Learn more at claspprograms.org/americasaward
Virtual Workshop: Teaching and Understanding Women’s Activism in the Face of Violence
Amalia Rubin and Parker Benedict lead an interactive teacher workshop on incorporating themes of social justice and gender equality into the high school classroom. This virtual workshop was hosted by Vanderbilt University’s Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) and Tulane University’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies on April 20, 2021. Learn more about CLAS outreach programs at www.vanderbilt.edu/clas and visit www.shestandsup.org to explore the resources shared in this workshop.
After the Fire: The African Collection at Brazil’s Museu Nacional
Mariza de Carvalho Soares (Universidade Federal Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) shares her experience curating this museum collection before it was destroyed by fire on September 2, 2018, as well as her work to digitally preserve the collection for the future. Recorded March 10, 2021.
HAITI WEEK 2021
“Race and Revolution” Faculty Panel
Vanderbilt University’s Tiffany Patterson, Jesus Ruiz, Brandon Byrd, and Jane Landers discuss history and race in Haiti. Haiti Week is organized by the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University and co-sponsored by several departments and centers across campus. Learn more about Haiti Week 2021. Recorded February 11, 2021.
HAITI WEEK 2021
“Translating Haiti: A Conversation with Nathan Dize and Vanessa K. Valdés”
Nathan Dize (Vanderbilt University) and Vanessa K. Valdés (The City College of New York-CUNY) discuss the art of literary translation. Haiti Week is organized by the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University and co-sponsored by several departments and centers across campus. Learn more about Haiti Week 2021. Recorded February 10, 2021.
La Colección Manuel Zapata Olivella obra y legado del ekobio mayor
Carmen Millán (directora del Instituto Caro y Cuervo), Diana Patricia Restrepo (directora de la Biblioteca Nacional) y los profesores Paula Covington y William Luis (Universidad de Vanderbilt, EE.UU), hablaron con el investigador Peter Rondón Vélez sobre la Colección Manuel Zapata Olivella, contaron anécdotas sobre su adquisición y abordaron la importancia académica de sus archivos. El evento conmemorado el aniversario número 16 de la muerte del polímata caribeño. 19 de noviembre, 2020.
Virtual Workshop: Teaching Day of the Dead
Vanderbilt’s Center for Latin American Studies hosted this action-packed hour of exploring el Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on October 26, 2020. Led by Dr. Diana Ruggiero of the University of Memphis, the live interactive workshop provided tools, activities, and other ideas for incorporating themes of Day of the Dead into classrooms. Explore the lesson plan and other resources here
5 Ways to Celebrate El Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead
Dr. Diana Ruggiero explores 5 easy ways anyone can celebrate the Latin American holiday el Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)!
Check out our Day of the Dead Toolkit to learn more about the history and customs
2020 Américas Award Ceremony
Streamed by the Library of Congress on October 12, 2020, the virtual award ceremony is introduced by Chief of the Hispanic Division at the Library of Congress, Suzanne Schadl and features the following authors and illustrator Tony Johnston, Mitali Perkins, Rebecca Balcárcel, Aida Salazar, and Zeke Peña in this unique online award ceremony.
Book Talk with Author Mitali Perkins: Between Us and Abuela
The Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs and the Library of Congress hosted this virtual conversation with Mitali Perkins, author of 2020 Américas Award winning children’s book Between Us and Abuela. Mitali shared context for her beautiful book, as well as tips for classroom incorporation. Recorded October 5, 2020.
BRAZIL WEEK 2020
“A Comparative and Interdisciplinary Discussion on Race in Brazil”
Rhonda Collier (Tuskegee University), Demetrius Murphy (doctoral candidate, USC), Jane Landers and Celso Castilho (Vanderbilt) discuss race in Brazil. Brazil Week is organized by the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University. Recorded September 11, 2020.
BRAZIL WEEK 2020
“Make Brazilian Desserts: Brigadeiros and Beijinhos” Cooking Class
Vanderbilt’s Benjamin Legg leads participants through the creation of traditional Brazilian sweets, providing historical and cultural context for the dishes. Brazil Week is organized by Vanderbilt’s Center for Latin American Studies. Recorded September 10, 2020.
BRAZIL WEEK 2020
“Clarice Lispector: From Brazil to the World” Panel Discussion
Vanderbilt’s Earl Fitz and Allison Schachter discuss acclaimed Brazilian novelist and short story writer Clarice Lispector. Brazil Week is organized by Vanderbilt’s Center for Latin American Studies. Recorded September 10, 2020.
BRAZIL WEEK 2020
“Brazil’s Response to Covid” Panel Discussion
Jessica Castilho (Vanderbilt), Antonis Rokas (Vanderbilt) and Gustavo Goldman (University of São Paulo), with moderator Marshall Eakin (Vanderbilt), discuss Brazil’s response to Covid-19.Recorded September 8, 2020.
Coronavirus and Latin America: Education in Mexico and Argentina
This informal online conversation with Vanderbilt Humphrey Fellowship Program scholars explores the impact of Coronavirus on education in Mexico and Argentina. Patricia Garcia, former Executive Director of Misiones Rurales Argentina, and Maika Maria Dorantes Moguel, supervisor of primary education for the Secretary of Public Education in Yucatan, Mexico, explore how the education systems of their countries have responded to the COVID-19 crisis. This one-hour program focuses on the challenges and opportunities for both government and non-government educational organizations, particularly in rural areas of Mexico and Argentina. The conversation is moderated by Dr. Nancy Dickson, Humphrey Fellowship Program Director and is followed by an open Q&A with webinar participants. This webinar was sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University and the Stone Center for Latin American Studies at Tulane University on June 16, 2020.
Virtual Educator Book Club with author Rebecca Balcárcel
The CLAS Educator Book Club teamed up with the Summer Book Group from Tulane’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies to feature Rebecca Balcárcel, author of 2020 Américas Award Honor Title The Other Half of Happy. The online conversation and Q&A with the author was held on May 26, 2020.
Coronavirus and Latin America: The Response from Venezuela and Costa Rica
Leading scholars from the Center for Inter-American Policy and Research. Executive Director of CIPR, Ludovico Feoli and Richard Greenleaf Visiting Professor, Francisco Rodríguez explore how Venezuela and Costa Rica have responded to the COVID-19 crisis. The conversation was moderated by PhD candidate at the Stone Center for Latin American Studies, José Nico Cabrera-Schneider. This webinar was sponsored by the Stone Center for Latin American Studies at Tulane University and the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University on May 18, 2020.
Global Read Webinar SeriesThe Global Read Webinar Series 2020 explored the book Auntie Luce’s Talking Paintings, a 2019 Honorable Mention Américas Book, with author Francie Latour. Latour and moderator Nathan Dize (Vanderbilt University French) discussed Haitian culture, history, and language, and a behind-the-scenes peak at Latour’s writing and publishing experiences. May 11, 2020.
Medicinal Plants of Latin America with Volunteer Gardener
CLAS Executive Director Dr. Avery Dickins de Girón leads Nashville Public Television on a tour of the Vanderbilt Latin American Garden, highlighting the medicinal uses of the plants. The segment was aired live on March 26 and 29, 2020.
Author Reading with Francie Latour at the Library of Congress
Americas Award honoree Francie Latour read from “Auntie Luce’s Talking Paintings,” her book about a young American girl who visits family in Haiti and finds herself through her Haitian auntie’s paintbrush. The Americas Award encourages and commends authors, illustrators and publishers who produce quality and classroom-ready children’s and young adult books portraying Latin America, the Caribbean or Latinos in the United States. The award is coordinated by Vanderbilt CLAS and the Stone Center for Latin American Studies at Tulane University, and is sponsored by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs in collaboration with the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress. For transcript and more information, click here. Recorded September 27, 2019.
Global Read Webinar Series: Lucky, Broken Girl
The Global Read Webinar Series 2019 explored the book Lucky, Broken Girl, a 2018 Honorable Mention Américas Book and winner of the 2018 Pura Belpré award, with author Ruth Behar. In this unforgettable multicultural coming-of-age novel – based on the author’s childhood in the 1960s – a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant girl is adjusting to her new life in New York City when her American dream is suddenly derailed. Ruthie’s plight will intrigue readers and her powerful story of strength and resilience, full of color, light, and poignancy, will stay with them for a long time. March 20, 2019.
American Street: The American Dream and the Immigrant Imagination (Ibi Zoboi)
CLAS hosted a public lunch talk with Américas Award award-winning author and National Book Award Finalist Ibi Zoboi on February 13, 2019, as part of Vanderbilt’s third annual “Haiti Week.”
CLAS and the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries hosted a public lunchtime lecture featuring Jason De León, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan and a MacArthur Fellowship recipient, on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019.
Sonic Re-Activation: Unearthing Public Square’s Forgotten Pasts (Guillermo Galindo)
The complex history of Nashville’s Public Square Park—including stories of Native and African Americans—inspired this performance by Guillermo Galindo, visiting artist-in-residence at Vanderbilt’s Center for Latin American Studies and the Department of Art on October 25, 2018.
A public talk and live Q&A with Dr. Jose Miguel Cruz, Director of Research, Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University. Held on October 1, 2018 in the First Amendment Center, Nashville, TN.
A discussion and live Q&A with Dr. Paul Farmer, Co-founder and Chief Strategist of Partners in Health, and Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Moderated by Dr. Ted Fischer, CLAS Director and Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Anthropology. February 19, 2018.
Edwidge Danticat: This Side of the Water: Haiti and Life in the United States
A public talk and live Q&A with Haitian-American award winning author Edwidge Danticat was held on February 8, 2018, during the Center for Latin American Studies “Haiti Week 2018.”
Global Read Webinar Series: Lion Island
The Américas Award highlighted the diversity of Latin America by focusing on Cuba with award winning author, Margarita Engle. Engle, the national Young People’s Poet Laureate discussed her book Lion Island and shared teaching and discussion ideas to explore the story of Antonio Chuffat, a young man of African, Chinese, and Cuban descent who becomes a champion for civil rights. February 8, 2018.
Trade and Migration with Mexico: Facts vs. Rhetoric
A discussion centered around issues of trade and migration with Mexico was held on February 27, 2017.
THE IMPACT OF WALLS: Experiencing Borders in East/West Germany, Israel/Palestine, & U.S./Mexico
A panel discussion regarding the impact of WALLS. Panelists discussed the Berlin Wall between East and West Germany, the wall that separates Israel and Palestine, as well as the proposed wall for the U.S./Mexico border.
Questions of Memory and History in Cuba and Sierra Leone
Scholar and documentary filmmaker Emma Christopher presents “Questions of Memory and History in Cuba and Sierra Leone” at a CLAS educator workshop alongside her critically acclaimed documentary film They Are We. February 8, 2016.
Politics, Poetry, and the First Latin American PopeWatch Nicaraguan priest, poet, and activist Ernesto Cardenal’s talk “Politics, Poetry, and the First Latin American Pope” at the John Seigenthaler First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015.
Shooting for Survival in the Amazon: Teacher Workshop
Anthropologist Glenn Shepard will present on the culture of the Kayapó people, their place within the contemporary social and political landscape of Brazil, and discuss their rain forest conservation efforts. Krakrax Kayapó and Benupu Kayapó will also show excerpts of their films about Kayapó culture.
Shooting for Survival in the Amazon: Panel and Screening In this podcast, two generations of Kayapo filmmakers present clips from their work. Commentary by Kamiete Metuktire, Bepunu Kayapo, Krakrax Kayapo, Terence Turner, Richard Pace, and Glenn Shepard.
Indigenous Media from U-Matic to YouTube: Media Sovereignty in a Digital Age
InDigital Latin America Keynote Address. In her keynote address, entitled “Indigenous Media from U-Matic to You Tube: Media Sovereignty in a Digital Age”, Dr. Faye Ginsberg discussed how indigenous engagement with media has changed over time and discussed the problems that indigenous filmmakers face, including issues with funding, archiving and distributions.
Quality and Inequality A panel discussion about current trends in specialty coffee research
The Amazing Twins: Ancient Maya Tales from the Popol WujWatch the puppet show “The Amazing Twins: Ancient Maya Tales from the Popol Wuj”, created by CLAS and the Nashville Public Library. The Popol Wuj is one of the most important indigenous texts of the New World. Written in the Western Highlands of Guatemala around 1550, and translated into Spanish in the 18th century by the Friar Francisco Jimenez, it is a collection of myths, legends, and histories written by the K’iche’ Maya, who dominated the Western Highlands at the time of the Spanish conquest.
Vem Pra Rua! Understanding the Recent Protests in Brazil
During Brazil Week 2013, Vanderbilt students and professors participated on the Panel: “Vem Pra Rua! Understanding The Recent Protests in Brazil”.
Hacemos Fiesta/ Let’s Celebrate: Baroque Music from the New World
In May 2013, CLAS and Music City Baroque presented Hacemos Fiesta/ Let’s Celebrate: Baroque Music from the New World. The performance featured a variety of works, including choral, instrumental, sacred and secular.
Dances from the Salvidar Codez
Albricias mortals, que viene la aurora
Xicochi conetzintle
Gloria from the Polychoral Mass in D
Rise of the Rest: What is the Future of American Foreign Policy? Watch video of Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, and Bill Richardson, a former governor of New Mexico who has served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and as secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, speaking at the 2012 Impact Symposium on March 21. The discussion was moderated by Vanderbilt sociologist Katharine Donato. This year’s Impact theme is “Rise of the Rest: What is the Future of American Foreign Policy?” – March 30, 2012
Apocalypse Now? Modern Maya and Ancient Prophecies
This seminar, taught by Mareike Sattler and Avery Dickins de Giron in Spring 2012, introduced students to Maya culture from ancient to modern times. Maya people and culture have been featured prominently in popular culture over the last few years, and especially now, as the media have played up ancient Maya prophecies that supposedly predict an apocalyptic end of the world in December 2012. What exactly did the Ancient Maya say about this event? How do modern Maya live today? . In this video, Mareike Sattler, senior lecturer, Anthropology Department, and Avery Dickins de Girón, assistant director of the Center for Latin American Studies, speaking at the Osher Lifelong Learning class, “Apocalypse Now? Modern Maya and Ancient Prophecies” – March 15, 2012
Africans and Afrodescendant women in Mexico City during Colonial times: Social Relationships and Cultural Reproduction
The Center for Latin American Studies brought Professor María Elisa Velázquez Gutiérrez to campus as a visiting resource professor in the spring of 2012. Professor Velázquez gave a talk entitled “Africans and Afrodescendant women in Mexico City during Colonial Times: Social Relationships and Cultural Reproduction” for the Black Atlantic History Seminar. – February 2, 2012
Exile, Memory and Identity: A Conversation on Race in Cuba
In October 2011, CLAS Visiting Resource Professor Afro-Cuban artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons participated in a discussion entitled “Exile, Memory and Identity: A Conversation on Race in Cuba.” This conversation included panelists Jane Landers of the Department of History, Vivien Fryd of the Department of the History of Art, and William Luis of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. – October 2011
Public Space in Bogotá and Citizenship Culture
Antanas Mockus, a former mayor of Bogotá who recently ran as the Colombian Green Party presidential candidate, spoke at Vanderbilt University on April 26, 2011. While on campus, Mockus met with faculty and participated in a working group involving Nashvillians who work on urban transportation and planning issues. Mockus was born in Bogotá and received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. He then earned a master’s in philosophy from Bogotá’s Universidad Nacional, where he served as president from 1991 to 1993. Mockus developed a reputation as a progressive leader in his two terms as mayor of Bogotá. – April 26, 2011